Rev up the Fun: 5 Irresistible Reasons to Start Playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Today

Thumb hurting, forehead sweating, screams from dropping on the leaderboard, and screams of finally placing first in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Playing is a roller coaster of emotions, but in the end, this is a fun game for all. With being able to race up to 4 people, picking between 96 courses (the most extensive selection in Mario Kart history), and enjoying knocking opponents out with powerups. Below are some reasons to start playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe today!

Reason number one is it is played on the Nintendo Switch. Because of this, you can also play many different games. This allows a lot of gameplay on one device. I suggest not getting the lite Nintendo Switch console because you cannot connect this model to a TV. The Nintendo Switch gives you a lot of range of play, whether this be on a TV or on the console itself. The controllers are easy to understand, and Nintendo has developed many games on the Wii console for the Nintendo Switch. Overall, this gaming console is easy to understand and has a lot of things to keep you busy while playing it. 

Reason number two is that you can buy a booster expansion pack on the game Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. This booster pack gives you 48 new courses, either new or old, and new characters to race with. This booster expansion pack came on in 6 waves over almost two years. These new courses bring back a lot of nostalgia and allow gamers of any age to enjoy. This booster expansion pack is available for downloadable content and can be done after you purchase Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. You can buy this at any time after purchasing the original game. This expansion pack is an excellent extension to the game and allows you to stay energized.

Reason number three is that you can race in battle mode as well. If you get tired of racing around the courses, you can go into battle mode and battle to see if you can collect the most balloons or coins. In this mode, you can drive around courses however you please. By doing this, you can gain experience with drifting, racing, and using power-ups in different settings against opponents. These can help you gain experience and use that experience when racing. You can also Battle against people on the web if you feel free to battle out to people you know. From experience, though, I will say that the people on the web race very crazy. 

Reason number four is that it is MARIO KART. Mario is in the name. Everyone loves Mario and the game he is in. This game is within his other games, as well. With Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, you can also race with any of your favorites from his previous games. Mario has a history going back to 1985. Due to this history, Nintendo has perfected the Mario craft, which speaks in this game. This game does not tell a story, but you can know that it has authentic Nintendo graphics and gameplay. Nintendo has been a leader in at-home gameplay, and because of this, this game is so popular. 

Reason number five is how you can play Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. With this game being on the Switch platform, you can play it in various ways. A couple of these are on the TV, on any table in the universe, in handheld mode, wireless play with up to 8 consoles, and using the wheel attachments when your joy cons are not attached to the Switch console. With all of these ways to play, you will always have Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

TV vs. The Web: The Ever Evolving World of Marketing

It seems that no matter where I decide to go on the internet these days, I am met with a barrage of advertisements, such as in the form of images, pop-ups or links to websites, all urging me to explore a business’s latest products or services that will no doubt improve my life in the most profound way.

Though these pervasive means of marketing may intrude on my time reading about how another celebrity got canceled for making a social faux pas (or just by saying something idiotic), it’s difficult not to click on a link, see a highly captivating image, and take notice of how the world of marketing has changed.  

In the 1980s, though radio and print media were both formidable opponents when it came to advertising and marketing to the public, it truly seemed that the best way to knock out the consumer was to either woo them by flashing a multitude of stylized images or release a myriad of memorable catch phrases on television. Remember Wendy’s blockbuster “Where’s the beef?” campaign of the 1980s?  If not, just look up the commercial on YouTube.

 In the 1990s, at the dawn of the age of the internet, the way in which businesses and organizations began calling attention to their products and services began to change. The idea of advertising by strictly purchasing airtime on television and producing a 30 second spot in order to call attention to a product began to wane, enabling businesses to get creative and expand on their ideas of marketing in a medium that allowed them to branch out and connect with consumers in a more personable, interactive way that furthered their ability to achieve wider brand recognition.

Now, with the internet being a vast, globally recognized phenomenon, with the means of delivering a message to the masses instantly just by clicking a mouse pad, is advertising through television even a smart choice for businesses anymore?

Though television can still be somewhat of an effective means of advertising, it seems the best way to a consumer’s heart these days, is through their internet connection. According to David Meerman Scott, writer of “The New rules of Marketing and PR,” the author states, “The web has changed the rules. The web is not TV. Organizations that understand the New Rules of Marketing and PR develop relationships directly with consumers like you and me.”

So what’s to be said for marketing through the use of television? Though it will most likely be a platform that advertisers won’t surely abandon for the internet all together, I don’t think it will be much of a surprise if many more businesses began comparing the pros and cons of the two mediums going forward.

So the next time you’re sitting in front of the television watching the latest commercial that captures your attention, walk over to your laptop or pick up your smart phone, type in the name of the product, and see how much further you slide down the digital rabbit hole.

Empowering Sustainable Living

As we continue to live in a capitalistic and consumption-driven society, it is of essential focus to quest for a more sustainable future. The concept of empowering sustainable living can be defined by the blog The Good Trade as a way to serve, nurture, and inspire readers with meaningful content about the issues that matter for an intentional life.

In order to approach a sustainable and ethical lifestyle, we first must seek for accessible resources to support a journey towards more eco-friendly practices. To serve this community of environmental enthusiasts for social change, this blog post aims to shed light on a practical online resource. Through highlighted features, and compelling reasons, we will explore this annotated link and analyze why this resource deserves the attention of individuals passionate about acquiring a more sustainable way of living.

The Good Trade not only covers a wide range of topics, including fashion, home, travel, and wellness, all with a focus on sustainability, but also it serves as a reliable guide to empower individuals to make informed decisions that contribute to a healthier planet. All while also focusing on community engagement and advocacy for social change.

By fostering a sense of community and providing opportunities for readers to engage and connect, through comment sections, forums, and social media channels, members of the public can enhance their knowledge, share ideas, and contribute towards taking meaningful actions surrounding sustainability and environmental issues.

The annotated link I decided to share with you today, is worthy of special attention because of various reasons. First, their holistic approach to sustainability differs from other similar websites, due to it embracing the idea that sustainable living extends beyond just eco-friendly products. They explore the connection of various aspects of our lives, from personal well-being to social justice, and how they align with sustainability. This encourages the public to consider the broader implications of their choices and empowers them to make a positive impact on their lives. Similarly, they demonstrate the importance of credibility by providing the public with thoroughly researched and fact-checked content, ensuring that readers have reliable information and resources. This attention to detail and commitment to quality make it a trustworthy source for individuals seeking credible guidance on their sustainable living journey. Finally, another compelling reason to explore this resource is that it provokes an inspiring and accessible environment that presents information in an engaging and accessible manner, making sustainable living relatable and attainable for all. Their inclusive approach helps bridge the gap between intention and action, making sustainable choices more accessible and appealing to all.

In conclusion, The Good Trade stands as a tool for individuals seeking environmental empowering for sustainable living. Through its well-researched content, and commitment to community engagement, the platform empowers readers to make conscious choices that align with their values and are equipped with the knowledge and resources to create a positive impact on our planet and build a more sustainable future.

My first blog!

My name is Bridgette and I’m excited to write my first blog here today! When I was brainstorming what kind of issue I wanted to talk about, my first thought was to look into the field of environmental sciences. This is a topic that has been of interest to me since I can remember. As a kid I grew up in nature. Our family had a cabin up North around Walker Minnesota and we frequented it all the time. Our cabin was on a beautiful lake that surrounded indigenous forest and a State Park. I spent most of my time on the lake with my brothers and friends. You could most likely catch me fishing or swimming or just observing the natural world. And when I wasn’t up north at my cabin I was in my hometown of Plymouth Minnesota going on hikes or exploring other lakes in the area. So its safe to say that I have a strong connection to nature and this planet; it means a great deal to me. 

When I wasn’t actually outside in nature, you could find me watching documentaries on any variety of topics that had to do with this beautiful planet. They were so captivating to me and were always portrayed in a cheerful and happy way. Fast forward a few years and I started to notice this changing. Documentaries would start to include concerning footage and information on new ways in which planet Earth was starting to suffer. They would go into detail on the destruction and devastation human impact was having on Earth and all its inhabitants. They would talk about deforestation and habitat loss due to humans making way for new housing development. These earlier videos would be about 95% upbeat and delightful while the remaining 5% would include these issues. 

As the years went by, more documentaries would be published and I started to realize something. That small 5% of the videos that mentioned the dreadful consequences of human actions to our planet would start to become greater and greater as time went by. Now, nearly a decade later, I’ve come to almost avoid any kind of nature documentary because it’s just too unbearable to watch. I log on to see the beauty of the natural world and all I seem to get is catastrophe and destruction. And I know I’m not the only one. 

While I know these issues are important to be aware of, I ask myself, is there a better way to get some of these issues across to the public without doing it in such a way that it just brings feelings of dread and overwhelm? How can a person be informed on these important matters but not be blasted with overwhelming info that leads them to disengage completely? This is a question I still ask myself and one I personally am trying to find the answer to. 

In the end, mother nature will always be close to my heart and I will never stop fighting to protect it. From my first memories up north on my lake cabin to exploring natural areas in the twin cities, I’ll always have a connection with the natural world. Maybe I just need to adjust the ways in which I consume news about our environment and do it in a way that I can realistically be a part of. Can anyone else relate? Has anyone else found some solution and happy medium that they’d like to share their experience on? Thank you and Happy Earth Day 2023! 

Below is a link to an article discussing this topic.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190917075833.htm

Re: Brand

While perusing the blogs among my peers I read a great one by my fellow student Odessia. In it she discussed social media and its impact on mental health and that got me thinking: why am I using social media?

While looking into this topic introspectively, I thought I’d also do some investigation on my favorite source for fact-based and largely unbiased news information – National Public Radio, or NPR for the savvy. On their Life-Kit page I found this wonderful article by Andee Tagle discussing personal brands and how to revamp your own.

There it was: my answer! Why am I using social media? To connect with others.

I want to connect, it’s only human to need to feel connection, and using social media is a means to that end. However, I have certainly found that over-use as well as thoughtless consumption of social media can absolutely have a negative impact on my own mental health. So, with that in mind, I’m going to follow Tagle’s five steps to rebrand myself and to rethink how I use and consume social media.

The point of doing all of this is to have intention behind my use of all of these apps and programs, and to make sure I am being true to myself and my life through them. By the time I am finished with my rebrand, I hope to have slimmed down my screen time and bulked up my means of connecting with those close to me. I invite you to do the same, and we can discuss it in the comments below!

P.S. – One of the steps is to do an image audit, which is actually about personal image, but I decided to take it a step further and begin using my Insta to post images that make me feel something. Take this one for instance, I snapped this shot from the rooftop of my apartment building while I was with friends. It means a lot to me because the building holds a reflection of the things around it, just like like I am a reflection of the people around me.

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Sing What? A Mini Guide to Singing Bowls and Their Many Uses

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What do you think of when you hear the words, “singing bowl?” That meditation thing, maybe, or the loud gong in yoga classes? A weird bell instrument that has to do with chacras? Something Buddhists use while chanting ohm? All technically true. But singing bowls are both more, and less, than any of those things. I have been using them for the last five years as a way to steady and center myself, but they have all sorts of uses, and  here, I’m going to outline what they are and how to play them with the help of this post from Shanti Bowls.

Though their beginnings and history are uncertain, singing bowls are tentatively traced to the Buddha Shayamuni period, (560 – 480 BCE). They have strong associations to Tibet, so strong in fact that they’re often called Tibetan singing bowls, a slightly inaccurate misnomer, though the Tibetan gifts stall at Midtown Global Market is actually where I got one of my favorite bowls. Regardless of their origins, they’re quite prolific today, and made all over the world. They also come in two different types, metal and crystal, with different sounds and price points depending on material and size. I’m personally not lucky enough to own any crystal bowls, but I have three wonderful metal ones, one of which you can see in the visuals associated with this post. They’re popular enough that I’ll have several options, however, should I ever be in the market.

Part of the reason the bowls have endured in popularity through the ages is their usefulness. Most obviously lauded for their relaxing qualities, some have claimed to find success easing the body with their vibrations, not curing but helping to relieve stress, symptoms and pain. Others believe that specific notes can activate and open specific chacras in the body which allow for increased empathy, clarity and other benefits, beginning with the root chacra at C and rising all the way to the crown chacra at G, though I do not subscribe to this modality. I simply find the feeling of them reverberating against my hands to be soothing and enjoy the clear, steady notes they can create. Speaking of notes, its high time for less nattering and more tutorials, so let’s dive into how these unique instruments are played.

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Bowls can be played two different ways, either held in the non-dominant hand or set out in front of you on a flat surface. If you choose the latter, you’ll need a cushion or ring to keep it a little elevated so whatever’s underneath doesn’t dampen the sound. I found this method awkward and felt it lessened my connection with the sensations and sounds, so I always hold mine cupped in my palm, just be careful your fingers don’t touch the sides. Then, its time for the mallet, which should be held in the hand most comfortable with movement. The simplest way to play is one that will likely come naturally, striking the bowl, which is as simple as it seems, just gently tap the bowl and allow the note to ring. But if you want to understand why they have their name and really dive into the experience, you’ll likely want to make it sing. To do this, place the mallet on the outside of the bowl and turn in a circle, never breaking contact. Don’t worry if it takes a minute, the friction might need to build up a little before you get the bowl really playing, and if it doesn’t come at first, that’s ok, too. It took a couple hours for me to really understand how to produce sound, and I’m still not perfect at it. To see someone really impressive and also get a taste of what crystal singing bowls are like as opposed to metal, this lady is wonderful once she gets going. Play quietly for most soothing effect, I find her bowls a little piercing at high volume.

Finally, a few parting thoughts. If you have interest in learning to play after reading this and you don’t have a market  or other shop to experiment with, I’d highly suggest trying to find reviews or demonstrations of any bowl you’re looking at online to make sure its one  that sonically pleases you, as you don’t want to be irritated or overwhelmed when trying to relax. Bowls often have two notes, one higher and one lower, so be sure they’re both sounds you want in your world. For those who feel that the bowls are overly associated with spiritual practices you don’t understand, remember that they are like many other things in this life, a tool. There might be talk of charging crystals, clearing negative energies or finding enlightenment, but bowls and the clarion songs they produce can be used in limitless ways, as mystical or as mundane as the one who wields them. I like to wish into them, myself, and imagine that the bowl’s voice is holding it sacred, carrying my hopes up to the sky, something you won’t find on any page. So whatever your interest, if you’re at all intrigued, I hope you’ll consider giving one of these instruments a look to see how it can destress, enliven or otherwise improve your world.

Disc Golf: Why you should throw plastic in the woods (Blog Post 1)

I remember the first time I heard about disc golf, my uncle Jeremy introduced me to it and gave me a couple of discs to borrow. At first I could not get a grip on what I was supposed to be doing, but as with most activities, the more I worked at it and practiced, the better I got. The main thing that made a difference to me was switching from a “backhand” throw (a traditional frisbee throw) to a “forehand” throw (more of a wrist flick). Everyone has their own preference on how they throw, for instance James Conrad, a professional disc golfer is known for throwing almost exclusively backhand. For those who aren’t familiar with disc golf (also known as frisbee golf or “frolf”) I will give a quick synopsis. Essentially you find a course near you, an easy way to look this up is with an app known as UDisc, it will show you courses near you with ratings associated with them and distance. Once you get there, you will start on hole 1 and use the tee pad to throw your first shot. Each consecutive shot will start from where the previous shot landed, and you will continue with this until you are able to successfully get the disc in the basket. You count the number of shots it took, and move on to the next hole! Some courses are as short as 9 holes, and some like Blue Ribbon Pines here in Minnesota, are 27 holes.

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According to humnutrition, there are five benefits to spending time outside or in nature. One is that it helps relieve stress, and lower tension or anger. It can also help boost immune function, boosts mental health, and even makes you feel good! Another beneficial part of disc golf is to spend time with friends, although you can also do it by yourself and just listen to music and get into “zen mode”.

Here are links to some info about disc golf and benefits to spending time outside:
https://www.humnutrition.com/blog/benefits-of-spending-time-in-nature/
https://discgolfnow.com/best-health-benefits-of-disc-golf/

Protesting Line-3 in the Twin Cities

“We have 10,000 lakes but do not care about the water that’s in them.”

Two things most people know about the state of Minnesota are the winters, and the number of lakes this state holds—10,000 to be exact. However, is it a lake if it does not have any water? Or worse if it’s contaminated by oil?

Two-thousand people decided to do something to prevent those two situations from happening to our state.

Those people included, “local elected officials, members of Treaty People Walk for Water who walked 256 miles along the pipeline route, and community leaders from across the state.”

These people in our community are protesting to stop the construction of the $3- billion oil pipeline plan called Line 3. This line is a 340-mile pipeline that travels up to Canada and breaks tribal sovereignty and overlaps on land that Indigenous people use to hunt and gather.

So, what’s the solution? To turn a blind eye and sacrifice our lakes or to find a solution that will ensure future generations to have a safe climate to live in.

There might not be an exact solution but there are actions we can take today that could change the outcome. If we turn a blind slide, we are inviting people to believe we do not care about the planet we live on or those who will occupy this place after us.

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Things you can do right now:

Share, share, and share. Make sure the people continuing to express their voices in protest are being heard. Nothing gets done if no one knows about, and if no one is willing to work for it.

Get involved. Not only do you have the chance to attend protests to fight this battle, but the opportunity to inspire people in your community to do their part as well.

Resources to help you get started:

https://www.indigenousclimateaction.com/

https://www.stopline3.org/#intro

Supporting all Swimmers

Anyone can swim, and yet, there is a lingering myth that claims black people cannot. This stereotype exists because, historically, access to the sport has been intentionally made difficult for black people. Access was already difficult or impossible, but when pools were finally integrated, they began being built in expensive member-ship only facilities. Swimming became an elitist, whitewashed sport. 

I have been involved with swimming for my entire life and find it disappointing that anyone would be made to feel that they were not allowed to be a part of the sport. It’s relatively low-cost and teaches you to work alone, as well as with a team.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CMcRN_2jy9i/

Beyond the realm of competition, generations of people have been denied the chance to learn potentially lifesaving skills. And according to The USA Swimming Foundation, if parents did not have the opportunity to learn to swim, there is only a 13 percent chance that their child will learn.

This is likely the reason that—between the ages of 5 and 19—black children drown in pools five and a half times more often than white children. Their guardians did not have access to lessons; therefore, more children do not learn, and may not even know they have the option, and the cycle continues.   

Black Kids Swim aims to dispel these myths and break down these stereotypes. Their goal is to increase the access that black children have to learning swim techniques. However, they take it a step further than basic knowledge. Black Kids Swim wants black children to attack the water and become serious competition.

Photo: Naji Ali/Miguel Melendez

Representation matters so their website focuses on the positive and promotes the accomplishments of many young black swimmers. They offer scholarships, hold essay contests, and offer resources to families with experienced swimmers and those who are just getting started.

When you make a gift to this organization, your donation goes towards motivational content, special events, scholarships and essay contests, educational materials, and advocacy. You have the option to direct your gift to the program you believe in most and their website answers any questions you may have about current programs and giving.

In their words, “Black Kids Swim creates content to make the sport of competitive swimming exciting and inciting for Black children. We are smashing negative stereotypes, combating a legacy of fear and exclusion, promoting African American role models, and opening doors of access to swim training. We are making swimming cool for Black children.”

As someone who thinks swimming is very cool, this is a mission to which I feel connected. As someone who lives in Minnesota, surrounded by water, I know this mission is important and can save lives. I do not have children of my own, but if I did, I would feel privileged to teach them how to swim. I hope that one day all children have that opportunity.

Low Inventory and Fierce Competition Leads Many Homebuyers to Waive Inspections

In the last year, the housing market in the United States has basically become its own reality tv show. Sellers hold the top prize – a moderately priced house – and buyers are competing and putting everything on the line for a chance to win a whopping 1200 square feet to call their own.

In the past markets have fluctuated between buyers’ markets, when there is an abundance of housing and those houses can be purchased around asking price, and sellers’ markets, where there are less houses available and therefore the chances of getting into a bidding war increase. Though these ebbs and flows are somewhat expected, the state of the housing market this last year has been nearly unprecedented. Inventory is at record lows, and with the combination of low interest rates, a slew of millennial buyers ready to purchase their first home, and the pandemic requiring that people spend more time in their houses, demand for those houses is steadily increasing. Right now, the few sellers who do list their homes are receiving offers almost immediately, and sometimes even before they officially go on the market.

This is creating a huge amount of competition for buyers, who are often up against 10, 15, or 30 other competitive offers. While offering over asking price is often the first step, that isn’t always enough to make an offer stand out anymore. In fact, right now in Minneapolis, where I am actively trying to purchase a home, many houses are going for between $20 to $40,000 over asking price. To even be considered in the running, buyers are now waiving the inspections on homes as part of the purchase agreement in addition to offering way over the asking price. Although this is technically legal, it is certainly not advised. This article from J.blumen and Associates, a real estate law service in Massachusetts, points out “when you waive your inspection contingency, you assume all financial risk for whatever condition the property is in”. This risk can add up to “thousands, and in some case, tens of thousands” of dollars.

A home inspection is not a sure-fire way to guarantee that something will not be wrong with a house when a buyer purchases it, but it can alert the buyers to any issues that might require a significant amount of money to fix, something they might not have after making one of the largest purchases of their lifetime. This is especially true of those seeking affordable housing, as buyers in this price range often pour a majority of their savings into the purchase of a home.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CMap0SIB_LV/

If this market continues on this trajectory and buyers feel obligated to waive inspections in order to have their offer accepted, we might see an increase of people who find themselves in compromised positions. Inspections are meant to protect buyers from ending up in a situation that could really hurt then financially, but right now, with most purchase agreements skipping out on them, sellers are the only ones truly benefitting. This unspoken requirement preys on first time home buyers and those competing for the few affordable units on the market, when in reality we should be protecting those buyers, since they are often the most vulnerable. An inspection is a small upfront cost that could ultimately save buyers tens of thousands of dollars by allowing them to analyze the risk they are capable of taking on with the purchase of certain homes. They should be a required part of the process, not an optional contingency used to make an agreement more appealing to sellers who are already benefited in such a hot market.