How to Take Care of Yourself While Working From Home
It seems that as technology improves, more and more people are getting to work from home. From a wellness perspective I have found this to be both a blessing, and a curse. Ideally, I should have the time to meal prep delicious and healthy meals, hit the gym, and have a perfect ergonomic set up.
However, these goals are easier said than done. Because trust me, it is easy to stay in your pjs, eat mac n cheese for lunch every day and work from your bed or couch.
To combat falling into this lazy cycle I have found it best to set your own rhythm and stick to it.
Get up and start your day with a light breakfast (think fruit, yoghurt or protein shake/bar) and go work out. And lets be real, workout clothes are almost as comfortable as pjs so it won’t be that rude of an awakening.
Or if you don’t feel like hitting the gym or going for a run I like to plan a light body weight circuit to space out my day that I can jump into every two or three hours. For me that means crunches, push ups, planks, air squats etc. Do a little research and find a circuit that works for you - I recommend Pinterest or bodybuilding.com, both are simple to use and have a million ideas for circuit workouts. Another benefit of circuit workouts at home is that way you are not sitting too long. Sitting and staring at a screen for too long can cause muscle cramps and eye fatigue so I try to do all I can to combat those.
Next, to force myself to eat healthy I do crock pot meals on Sundays and keep healthy snacks on hand. By making food in the crock pot all I have to do is heat up small portions when it is meal time, making eating as easy as possible. As far as snacks go I try to have trail mix, cheese sticks and other high protein options to keep me full.
Lastly, an ergonomic desk and chair would be ideal. However, if you are like me and saving up to that set up, then you need a different solution. Do you best to elevate your screen so you are not over extending your neck. By having a raised screen it also gives you the option to stand. Stand whenever you can to improve posture and blood flow.
Joseph Shackelford is taking Violin to a whole new level. Joseph Shackelford is a Concert Violinist – Joseph Shackelford is a Rock Violinist - Joseph Shackelford is the:
Jimi Hendrix of Violin
It’s Time to Rock!
For Joseph Shackelford it started early in life, you could say he was born to perform.
Classically trained from the age of four, Joseph began laying the groundwork for what would become a lifelong dedication to his instrument. Learning and dedicating himself to the intense training regimen provided an array of tools, and developed the artistry to pull from for each and every genre he performs.
At age eleven, Joseph began studying at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and has studied with and been coached by names such as Ivan Zenaty, Rachel Barton Pine, William Preucil, David Kim, Brian Lewis and many more. Genuinely passionate about all genres, and having multiple skills ranging from producing to arranging, Joseph created and began refining a show blending classical technique with genres such as Rock, Pop, Alt Rock, and more.
At age eighteen Joseph booked his own regional tour, expanding his fan base while refining and cultivating a show fitting for large festivals to intimate venues. Being described the “Jimi Hendrix of Violin” Joseph is transforming the perception of violin and cultivating and uniting genres and fans.
All told Joseph creates a musical experience like no other - a show entertaining, epic, and exhilarating, finding its place on major stages, and on the road!
“...Joseph's musical talents are more than an aspiration… He has remarkable talent, both as a performer as well as a music technician...” Dan Smith (GM of House of Blues in Cleveland, Orlando, and New Orleans).
Joseph Shackelford – “Burn it to the Ground”
As you can see and hear in Joseph’s arrangement of “Burn it to the Ground" by Nickelback, he plays with passion, power and energy that is fun and engaging. Joseph creates an experience that will rock any music festival or concert venue. Joseph’s shows always deliver! These performances have helped Joseph in developing a diehard fan base.
As a classically trained Rock Violinist Joseph Shackelford is electrifying stages across the region. He is transforming the perception of what is possible with the violin and genres such as rock, pop, alt rock, and more. Described as the “Jimi Hendrix of Violin," Joseph is taking on the world one stage at a time!
Joseph has performed on the same bill/alongside: 3 Doors Down, Ben Folds and Dwight Yoakam. The list also includes Barrett Baber, Whisky Myers and Will Hoge along with ABBA (Arrival from Sweden), Taylor Hicks, and many more.
“Such an amazing talent!” - Mary Anne Oller - (Talent Manager and Career Consultant to Columbia Records Singer/Actor Tony Oller (MKTO).
Watch Joseph’s arrangement of "Everybody's Fool" by Evanescence. At the first of the video Joseph displays his music talent and range as he demonstrates his skills as a drummer, guitarist and bassist along with piano.
Joseph Shackelford – “Everybody's Fool”
Want to see Joseph Shackelford in person and enjoy his music live, you will not be sorry. Head over to his official website and click on the tour tab in the menu. Below are some of Joseph’s upcoming shows.
Saturday October 14, 2017 in Corinth Mississippi - (Check Joseph’s website regularly as the event details will be coming soon.)
Would you like Joseph to come to your town to perform at your venue, festival or school? Send him a quick note through his website using the booking tab in the menu. Joseph is available for the following:
Concerts
Music Festivals
Teaching
Private Events
School Sessions
Studio Work
Weddings
Music Production
Have a different event in mind? Ask them!
Below are the links to connect you with Joseph Shackelford on the internet and social media sites.
Joseph has been on the road a lot. I asked him in an email what he liked to do when he wasn’t traveling. His answer included what he likes about living here in Nashville.
“When I'm not on the road, I enjoy writing, spending time with my family, and just being immersed in the local culture. My favorite thing about Nashville has to be the history of the town. The history of Nashville, and being in a place surrounded by music. I love being in a creative environment where everyone is creating art.”
If Jack, Joseph’s Jack Russell Terrier didn’t get to go on the road with Joseph, he doesn’t get to go all of the time, he spends time with him also. Joseph loves having Jack around and describes him as a quirky pup that loves music and going for walks around town.
Joseph closed out our email conversation by talking about what he was a huge fan of along with his favorite venue to play in Nashville.
“I am an espresso/coffee fanatic, so I love exploring what coffee shops Nashville has to offer. One of my favorites so far has to be the Well Coffeehouse.
Recently I've been on the road mainly and not playing as many local dates, but a regular venue I play is Puckett’s Grocery in Leiper’s Fork. There's something special about that place. You will be blown away by the music there and the sense of family is unparalleled to anywhere in town! I love that place!”
After his name at the end of his email he added a saying that made me stop and think. I write about music and the people who perform it but never looked at music with this perspective. The statement was only six words but carried the weight of a well written novel.
“Good Music doesn't have a Genre.”
I’ll leave you with one of my favorite Joseph Shackelford videos. I call it a back porch jam session. It Joseph’s cover of "Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie" by ABBA. All instruments were recorded and produced by Joseph Shackelford.
Joseph Shackelford – “Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie”
Written by: Joseph Clay
[Joseph Clay is a Georgia native who now resides in East Nashville, Tennessee with his family. After twenty plus years in the engineering field Joseph decided to hang up his hard hat and retire to focus on his true passion, writing.
Joseph is a full time author and consultant for ThunderHorse Publishing, and is currently working on his next novel. His latest release Witch’s Dilemma is on sale now in paperback and eBook format. For more information on Joseph and his books visit his Official Website.
Wellness can be a very personal topic. Carmyn's first Wellness Wednesday piece is a little bit of an introduction to her, she touches on a topic that many of us have struggled with, and discusses the realization that helped her cope. Many of us get a idea in our head of where our life SHOULD be at a specific time and point. We feel like we are failing at life because real life doesn't match that idea. Don't let those feelings set you back.
Be sure to check back weekly for Carmyn's Wellness Wednesday feature each week, where she will discuss mental, physical, dietary, and emotional wellness!
I never thought that I would classify myself as mentally unwell. I am generally a happy person. I have a loving family, the best boyfriend and two purry fur babies.
I recently graduated from the University of Tennessee in May and ever since then I have been doing whatever I can for work, making cold calls and cleaning houses included. After receiving the chancellor’s award for “Outstanding Professional Promise” in April this is not where I expected to find myself at all.
Mentally I became somewhat unwell. I experienced a mental barrier between what I thought I deserved and what was offered to me in terms of a career. This caused me to shut down on my job search and to hesitate on going to the gym, which is usually a staple for me.
It all seemed to culminate on a haphazard beach trip that we took to “relax”. While on the trip we managed to lose the one set of keys to our rental, forget all of our clothes in the dresser, and to top it all off, I found out that I was passed up for a job that I thought was certainly going to be offered to me.
The culmination of these things should have made me explode. However, it forced me to mentally let go of thinking that everything was going to be perfect just because that is what I thought it should be. As cliché as it is to say, life happens.
Upon realizing that nothing is going to happen a certain way just because that is what I want is refreshing and freeing. So if you are like me, and are having feelings that things are not going your way, I implore you to take a step back and take a deep breath. Define what is in your control and what is not and let go of what isn’t. I think that you will find that your mental wellbeing will improve exponentially.
Carmyn is an opinionated keyboard pecker, graphic designer, part time model and bikini enthusiast.
From Los Angeles to Nashville. Heather Hershow is a multi-talented UC Irvine graduate who has an extensive background in musical theatre along with pop. Heathers resume is impressive to say the least. Not only has she released her album Her Show. Heatherhaswritten with the NY-based company Songs of Love and also done some voiceover work for a publishing company here in Nashville. Most recently, Heather can be heard reading Richard A. Knaak's "Legends of the Dragonrealm: The Turning War" on Audible.
Heather Hershow’s debut album Her Show, released in 2016, can be purchased from iTunes and Amazon Music.
The album contains five tracks, Heather had a hand in writing all five. Each song highlights Heather’s magnificent voice range and writing skills.
Debut albums are like an author’s first book release, they are special so I ask Heather to tell me about the album. She summed it up perfectly.
“Her Show is my debut EP! It was recorded both in L.A. and Nashville and was a passion project of about 2 years.”
I ask Heather who some of her Musical influences were.
“I'm a huge fan of Gavin DeGraw. His soulful pop and piano melodies are what got me started. I would write lyrics, sit at the piano, and move my hands across the keys to try and come up with something in a similar style. I was also heavily influenced by some of the newer country artists of the last few years in my own writing (Hunter Hayes, Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum), and was in love with how classic country had such a way with storytelling. I like to think I blend these styles with my musical theater background as well. It's all about the story.”
Heather currently has no music gigs booked at this time. Her recent shows included the Bedford County Fair, in Tennessee, Belcourt Taps – Song Writer Sunday and the Koffee & K9 Paw-looza to name a few. No need to fret because she is not touring, you still have a chance to see her perform. Keep reading to find out where and when
Flash back to the lead in of this story. “Heather Hershow is multi-talented UC Irvine graduate who has an extensive background in musical theatre…”
She informed me in our email conversation that she is currently pursuing theatrical productions at the moment, but will be getting back into the studio soon to record a more acoustic, singer-songwriter album. Her Facebook post of 8-27-17 informed her fans of her next move also.
“Hey everyone! I know things have been a bit quiet as we've been working on other projects! Stay tuned! New music coming soon :) Until then...I'll be in a production of "Mamma Mia" at Chaffin's Barn in Nashville from September 7th through October 21st!” [Source Heather Hershow Facebook Page]
Her theatrical credits in Nashville include: "Heathers: The Musical" (Street Theatre Company) and "Legally Blonde: The Musical" (Pull-Tight Players). Heather now can add
Heather loves to connect with her fans. She even states the following on her website.
“For further inquiries or if you'd just like to say hello, please feel free to reach out through:
I’m a rough and tough cowboy type individual, very little if anything gets to me. But Heathers answer to my next question brought a lump to my thought. I asked Heather when she first realized she wanted to become a performer.
“I started doing musical theater when I was six years old through a youth program back home in Los Angeles. I don't think I knew I wanted to pursue it as a career until I was getting ready for college. When I was 17, I did a musical with my high school during a tumultuous personal time (my mother was going through breast cancer). She came to see the show and I saw the joy it brought to her. I wanted to keep that going for as long as possible - I wanted to spread that feeling to whoever was searching for it.”
She also added that her home at the moment is in Nashville, and she plans to stay for a good while. However she does travel to Los Angeles whenever possible, as her family and being close to them is incredibly important to her. However, Heather felt led to Nashville and plans to see this incredible journey through.
Heather told me about her dog back in Los Angeles. This what she had to say about her four legged friend.
“I have a rescue named Stella back in L.A. who is absolutely spoiled by my parents! I rescued her in Las Vegas on a whim in 2010 and she's been the best addition to the family we could have ever hoped for. (Proving that not everything that happens in Vegas stays in Vegas...) As much as I wanted to bring her with me, I know she's better off home for a while. I do get to visit often :)”
Since Heather is from the West Coast I asked what are some of her favorite things to do in Nashville. Where does she like to dine along with her favorite food and drink?
“Oh gosh...Nashville has such amazing food. I often found myself at The Listening Room when I first got here (though they have since moved). It's a great place to just sit and listen to artists pour out their hearts. Incredibly inspiring. Fido in Hillsboro might be my favorite place for dinner - their chicken and sweet potato hash is absolutely delicious. Drink? Patterson House - hands down. A bartender made me a buttered rum old fashioned 2 years ago and I'm still thinking about it.”
For my last question, I was curious to know what some of Heather's hobbies are.
“I'm an avid reader. I love to dance, as well. I got hooked on Motown Mondays when I first moved here and when I'm not in rehearsals, I try to get over to East Nashville for some swing dancing when I can! I love making random commercials and videos for the car dealership I work at as well. It's what happens when they hire a Dramatic Arts major...”
[Bloggers note: Heathers mom, is a breast cancer survivor and flew in from Los Angeles over the weekend to watch her daughter perform in Mamma Mia. Way to go Heathers mom!]
Now that you know more about Heather Hershow head over and pick up your copy of Her Show and grab you some tickets for Mamma Mia at Chaffin's Barn. Heathers album Her Show can be purchased from iTunes and Amazon Music.
Written by: Joseph Clay
[Joseph Clay is a Georgia native who now resides in East Nashville, Tennessee with his family. After twenty plus years in the engineering field Joseph decided to hang up his hard hat and retire to focus on his true passion, writing.
Joseph is a full time author and consultant for ThunderHorse Publishing, and is currently working on his next novel. His latest release Witch’s Dilemma is on sale now in paperback and eBook format. For more information on Joseph and his books visit his Official Website.
Do a google search on the percentage of people who have grown up and are working in the career they dreamed about as children. The average across several studies and surveys is a shocking eighteen percent.
Ryan Thewes is a member of that eighteen percent club. His unique and innovative designs have won multiple awards. He’s been interviewed for various media. His reputation for quality while maintaining an organic, authentic Modern design in every project has received recognition not only the U.S. but Europe as well. Fortunately for us, he calls Middle Tennessee home. Ryan’s thumbprint can be seen all over Nashville.
He grew up in Southern Indiana with a pencil in his hand, clearly a gifted artist. Early on, he knew art would be his career. Adults encouraged him to be architect. Once he found the connection between drawing and architecture, it became his lifeblood. Ryan says he eats, sleeps, and breathes architecture. Having the opportunity to work with two architects that had worked with Frank Lloyd Wright helped to further develop and perfect the work he does today.
Photo courtesy of Ryan Thewes
How long does a typical design of a home or office building take?
That varies from project to project and client to client. There are some clients that fall in love with the design process and coming up with new solutions. I have a project now that we have been going back and forth for a few years perfecting. Those types of designs always yield the best results. On the flip side of that, there are designs where time is critical and solutions must happen in a matter of 3-4 weeks.
I was impressed you limit your clients so that you can personally work on each project. Do you have or keep a waiting list?
That is true, and yes, I do keep a waiting list. If someone hires me, they expect me to be the sole creator of anything that is produced. Having my name associated with the project, I wouldn’t want it any other way. It is that personal connection with each design that allows for unique and creative solutions for each site and client.
Have there been instances where a client wanted something traditional and your aesthetics have merged into a successful project?
I never want to push my aesthetics on anyone. Any house that I have designed for a client isn’t what I would have necessarily designed for myself and my family. My goal is to find the essence of what each client is attracted to and come up with a new and unique solution that embraces that. I want to produce a timeless design that is free of any classification. So to answer your question, if someone asked for a modern version of a classical home, I would sit down with them and figure out the reason why they are asking for that. What characteristics about the classical home do they like and what characteristics of the modern home do they like? My challenge then would be to come up with a design that combines those ideas into a new and unique form. If done correctly, any house designed today will still feel current and progressive 50 years from now.
If a potential client had an existing structure - say a barn or out-building - and he or she would like to convert into a modern home without losing the integrity of the original building. Is that a project you’d take on?
I always prefer new construction as it is easier to control the quality of the build. One area that I like to focus on is highly energy efficient building. That is much more difficult to do when retrofitting an existing structure. However, I do take on many projects like that if they fit within my aesthetic. I have a few current projects that are remodels and additions, but they are very special situations.
From Southern Indiana to New Mexico, what drew you to Nashville? We chose Nashville purely based on location and proximity to my family in Southern Indiana. I needed a larger city to do what I do, so that limited our choices. Specifically, when we moved here, there was almost no modern architecture to speak of. The stuff that was here was done so poorly that it actually scared people away from even considering modern. It was an untapped market where I felt like I could fill a niche.
Other than the office space in Dickson, have you been commissioned to take on other office spaces?
The majority of my projects are residential because clients are willing to take more design risks with their personal homes. I have been fortunate to work on a few commercial projects where clients have trusted my vision. In a space like Dickson, their trust has paid off tremendously. Everybody in town knows that building and their business has grown because of it. It is built-in advertising.
Let’s have some fun; What do you do in your spare time? Hobbies? Not much spare time these days! Sports (tennis and golf) are what I love to do when given the opportunity. I have always had a love of live music so I attend a lot of concerts. And food – I love to go out to eat.
Favorite TV shows?
I find myself watching less and less TV all the time. These are a few shows that have survived the purge: Flipping Out, Always Sunny in Philadelphia, America’s Got Talent.
Dogs or cats?
Dogs – I am an animal lover but have always had a dog.
Dream vacation?
A local window company took me to Germany last year to visit their manufacturing plant and it was awesome. So my dream vacation right now is seeing more of Europe.
Favorite genre of music and do you listen to it while you work?
I work in silence…. Weird, I know.
But I absolutely love music.
My music tastes would probably be classified as Americana. A little country music (the good country music), alternative, rock, ‘80s, etc. I love creative music and that spans across many genres. Sturgill Simpson, Brent Cobb and Chris Stapleton have monopolized the CD player in my car now for a really long time. I annoy my family because I will put in a CD and listen to it on repeat for months – or until the next obsession comes along.
Photo courtesy of Ryan Thewes
One could binge-watch all the home improvement type shows and look at a few google images, and think there’s not much when it comes to home design. Through research of architecture and talking with Ryan, I’ve learned there is a creative element, a specific eye and talent to get the end-products we see around us today.
In 2016, Build Magazine awarded Ryan with Modern Design Firm of the Year – Southern USA & Best Tennessee Residential Project: Sharp Cabin. By looking at the cabin and reading the specifics on it, the awards are well deserved.
Visit Ryan’s website to view more stunning pictures of his exquisite work.
Written By Heather Clift: [Heather Clift is an award-winning writer with a passion for all things Southern. Small town life, observational humor, and dark themes are her favorite subjects. Her short stories have been published in a variety of anthologies and magazines. She became a contributor for Live, Laugh, Love Nashville specifically to connect with small business owners feeling privileged to showcase the heart, soul, and talent of those in and around the Nashville area. In her spare time, Heather enjoys binging on Netflix, making to-do lists, and grammatically correcting memes. For a peek of her fun side, you can find her on Instagram or Twitter, bragging on her kids, defending the Oxford comma, or posting signs with rogue apostrophes. She is currently working on her first novel.]
