The economy is in a weird place right now. We are in the process of trying to recover after the events of Covid and the cost of living is increasing tremendously. Absolutely everything is more expensive than it used to be. The cost of buying a home is much higher than it used to be, the cost of utilities are becoming more expensive and even general groceries are becoming more costly.

Though everything around us is becoming more expensive, the wages that we are earning do not reflect this. We are expected to be able to deal with the drastic increase in costs, but our employers are not helping us do so.

In order to deal with the increased cost of living, many people have made the decision to downsize. Downsizing has a number of benefits. First of all, smaller homes usually come with a lower cost, which means that you can save money on rent. Secondly, it costs a lot less to heat a smaller house and so you will be able to save on your utility bills.

Moving into a smaller house isn’t really a problem if you are someone that lives alone or you are a couple, but if you are a big family it can come with a lot of problems. Even in the biggest house, it can often feel as though your big family is tripping over itself and this means that tensions can be very high and your kids can argue very often.

Even if living in a smaller house is only a temporary situation, you want to ensure that all of your children are as comfortable as they can be. Something that children really value is privacy, but this can be difficult to achieve when you are only working with a small space. Here is how you can give your children privacy in a small house.

Bedroom Divider

If you are moving into a small house and you have multiple children, then it is likely that your children are going to have to share a room in order to save space. Our children all have individual personalities and it is likely that your children will be upset that they will not get their private space and a place to express their individuality. If the room is big enough, I would definitely suggest that you invest in a room divider. Something as simple as a curtain can be used to do this and it will ensure that your children can have their own privacy if they choose to do so. If you are worried about space and other problems like this, a curtain will be useful because you can pull it back when it is not needed, meaning you will still have the space that you expect to have in the bedroom.

Do Not Invade Their Space

Something that your children already have to worry about is their siblings not respecting their space and going through their things. For this reason, it is important that you show them the respect for their space that they deserve. This means that you should not go into their room without their permission, you should knock if you do want to enter and you should not touch any of their items. You have to remember that your children want to be treated with respect and they want to feel as though you trust them, so allowing and trusting them to have control of their own space is the best way that you can show them that you love them and respect them.

Give Them an Outdoor Area

If your house is small, but you have been lucky enough to land yourself a garden, be sure that you make the most out of it. You can really transform your outdoor space so that it is comfortable for your children to escape to. Make sure that you have plenty of seating and a bit of protection from the rain. If you really want to make it a private space for your children, I would also definitely suggest that you put up a decorative screen for a bit of separation in the garden. If you want that separation and also style, be sure to check out this selection of luxury garden screens and find one that fits your taste.

Give Them Time Alone

If you have children that are old enough to be left in the home alone, in order to give them the privacy that they deserve, let them have some time alone in the house. If you have errands, you may be tempted to bring your child with you, but instead, you should trust them enough to leave them in the house on their own. This will give them some time to relax alone and it will show them that you really trust them.

The first karaoke machine in South Korea was installed way back in 1991. And since then karaoke has become ingrained into the social fabric of South Korea in a huge way. In the west karaoke is seen as an occasional activity. Something done sparingly on nights out or during big celebrations. Whereas, in South Korea, it is a daily occurrence for many people.

Noraebangs, which translates to Song Rooms, are everywhere in South Korea. And they come in a huge variety of styles and sizes. From the small, more intimate booths designed for solo singers or couples. To the sprawling karaoke complexes featuring restaurants, bars, and live entertainment.

Karaoke is such a huge part of their culture that many businesses will entertain important clients at a Noraebang. Which, in our opinion, is something western businesses should start doing too! If you’re thinking of visiting South Korea then you will definitely want to try your hand at karaoke. But, with hundreds upon hundreds of amazing Noraebangs to choose from, how can you know which ones are worth seeing? Well we are here to help. Today we will be ranking the best karaoke bars in all of South Korea.

Gangnam You & Me Shirt Room

Starting off in the cultural heart of South Korea. Gangnam in Seoul is the trendiest and most vibrant place in the nation. With a thriving social scene that is second to none. You will likely remember the famous song ‘Gangnam Style’ which was an ode to the luxury and fashionable lifestyle of Gangnam.

You & Me is easily one of the best Gangnam Karaoke spots in the city. Primarily because it is so versatile. Karaoke is only one of the many entertainment activities on offer here. Alongside luxurious karaoke rooms it is fitted with a number of fully stocked bars. Managed by an amazing team who are ready to wait on you hand and foot. You will be treated like royalty during your time here. They even offer a luxury pickup service. So you can travel to and from your accommodation in comfort.

You & Me is open from 7 PM to 3 AM every day. We highly recommend booking in advance as it does tend to fill up quickly. It boasts amazing views of Gangnam too. So if you happen to be in Seoul, this is not to be missed!

Su Noraebang

This isn’t one location but rather a chain of karaoke bars across South Korea. And, arguably, it is perhaps the most famous karaoke chain in the nation. There are numerous locations wherever you go. And, the best part is, they are all open 24 hours a day! So you can get your karaoke fix whenever you want.

Many of the locations come with a variety of rooms. From single occupancy ones to large group rooms. And they allow you to record and save your singing as well. Which is a nice touch. The rooms are elegantly decorated. And, for how luxurious they feel, it is reasonably priced too.

Awesome Coin Noraebang

This is another chain of karaoke rooms that is ideal for the traveler on a budget. Rather than paying an hourly rate you pay by the song using coins. There are many venues across South Korea. The biggest and best ones are located in Seoul though. The venues are amazing social spaces too. With lively communal areas where you can meet likeminded travelers and locals.

There are a number of different sized karaoke booths. Some designed for single occupancy. And others made for small groups. Each use of one of the rooms will set you back a mere 500 South Korean Won. Which is roughly about 40 cents. These locations don’t provide food or drink. But you are welcome to bring your own refreshments into the venue. So you can enjoy some of the local street food while you sing your heart out!

Newco Music Town

Located in the Sincheon neighborhood of Seoul, this is one of my all time favorite karaoke spots in South Korea. The biggest draw here is the food. Their menu is filled to the brim with amazing local dishes. And the food is always of an extremely high quality. All the food is served in your private karaoke room. They also serve a wide range of both alcoholic and non-alcholic drinks. Meaning everyone is catered for.

This is an ideal location for groups of travelers as it features a number of additional activities such as a games room. The music selection is vast and contains all the latest hits as well as all the classics you’ve come to know and love. The selection is regularly updated too. So, whenever you visit, you’re sure to find the hottest songs to sing along to.

Florida is a state that is often overlooked by most people in the music industry. But these same people seem to forget that Florida has one of the richest and most diverse music pedigree in America. Many genres, while not being born in Florida, took root here and expanded over the years. Rock, Jazz, Soul, Blues, Country, Latin. All of these genres were, and still are prominent in Florida’s cultural identity.

And we can’t forget the huge number of successful musicians that call Florida home. Jim Morrison, Ariana Grande, Ray Charles, Sean Kingston, Pitbull. The list goes on and on. And every year we see thousands of hopeful musicians coming out of Florida. Throwing their hat into the ring and trying to make a name for themselves.

Florida, and particularly Tampa Bay, is home to a significant number of popular recording studios. Due to the high demand, both from amateur artists and professional musicians, opening a recording studio in Florida is an extremely smart investment. But how do you go about running a recording studio?

Creating The Studio

The first step in running a successful recording studio is, of course, creating the studio. And this takes a lot more work than most other businesses.We will assume you have found a suitable location for your studio. A recording studio needs a lot of interior and exterior work before it is functional. For a number of reasons. To that end you will likely need to completely gut and rebuild the property you have selected.

The first thing you need to consider is the amount of electrical equipment needed to run a successful studio. You will want a few different recording booths and editing studios. Along with the ability for every artist to connect all their own instruments and equipment to the electric systems. So you need to ensure your studio is built to handle such a huge amount of power usage. Otherwise you are not only running the risk of losing power during a recording session, but it also presents a huge fire risk.

Next is soundproofing, acoustics, and structural integrity. This will require you to rebuild a lot of the building’s walls and roofs. The roofing needs to be sturdy enough to handle a lot of the strain that will be put on it by the lights, hanging microphones, and soundproofing. You will need to find a good commercial roofing company to help you with this. I’d recommend the roofing company in Tampa as they have a proven track record for reliable service and offer a vast range of specialized roofs.

Interior Decor

A successful recording studio needs to not only be practical but aesthetically pleasing. Musicians, especially famous ones, can be very picky about where they record. They will be used to a certain level of comfort. We aren’t saying they will all be divas. But it is more likely than not that they will be.

Your studio decor needs to be sleek, stylish, and inviting. You should focus on decorations that speak to the musical history of Florida. Pictures of famous bands and artists from the state. And, if anyone that recorded at your studio releases a successful album, you could hang a copy of said album on the walls.

Your recording booths should be comfortable as well. Well insulated but with adequate ventilation or air conditioning to ensure the artists are comfortable at all times. The mixing booth should have adequate seating for the artists team or friends to sit in and watch the session.

You should also provide a number of greenrooms for artists so that they have somewhere they can relax and unwind between recording sessions. These rooms should offer a wide range of amenities and comfort.

Building A Name For Studio

As we said above there are a lot of recording studios in Florida. Particularly in Tampa Bay. Competition is healthy, but it means you will have to put in a lot of work to make a name for your studio.

The best way to start building your reputation is through social media. When it comes to the music industry, social media is the most powerful marketing tool at your disposal. Even before your studio opens you should be building your social media presence. Highlighting the construction process and spreading the word about what your studio will be able to offer.

You should also look at offering good introductory deals for when you open. Your business will run at a loss for the first few years. It is more important to build up a consistent client base rather than turning a profit. Try to undercut your competition and make sure anyone who comes to record at your studio is catered to completely. Word of mouth between artists is going to help generate most of your business in the long run. So you want your clients to leave with a positive impression.

There are a lot of aspects that go into making an amazing video game. Normally the main areas people look at are gameplay, graphics, and story. But one area that is often overlooked, but that we feel is just as important, is the soundtrack. The music of a game is vital for building immersion and for creating a believable world.

Gaming soundtracks often go unrecognized for the works of art they are. So we have decided to pick out the best gaming OSTs we loved this year.

Disco Elysium

Disco Elysium has been heralded as one of the best games of our generation. It took the RPG format and did something bold and new with it. The game is a cerebral look into the inner workings of what it means to be human. It puts you in the shoes of a man who had nothing to lose. So he lost everything. You become a truly blank slate as you step into the shoes of an amnesiac cop.

And the game is only made more compelling due to the amazing soundtrack. Disco Elysium excels in creating a gloomy, depressing world. But one with a glimmer of hope within it. And the music helps in this. Each area of the map has its own signature background music. And each track sets the mood perfectly.

The game also features a good blending of musical genres. There is an amazing section in a church where you and some ravers dance the night away to Andonic trance music. Then, stepping outside the church, you are treated to the sounds of the coast backed by harrowing communist-era trumpets.

Minecraft

Time and time again I am always drawn back to Minecraft. It just has so much to offer. The endless freedom of creative and survival mode. The active modding community is still pumping out huge numbers of mods every year. And as you can see by this list of smp minecraft servers on servers-minecraft.net, the multiplayer community is still thriving.

But the one thing that always makes me feel nostalgic is the music of Minecraft. It has one of the most beautiful and atmospheric OST’s I have ever heard. The tracks are atmospheric and soothing. They instill in you a sense of peace and tranquility that no other game seems to match. The game is still updating its soundtrack to this very day. With each new update the game adds news tracks to be discovered on your crafting journey.

Bauldur’s Gate 3

There is a reason everyone is in love with this game. Bauldur’s Gate 3 took the world by storm this year and, at the recent gaming awards, scooped up an amazing number of awards. Beating out huge blockbuster titles like Spiderman 2 and Armored Core.

And one of the most compelling aspects of Bauldur’s gate 3 is the soundtrack. Right from the moment you launch up the game you are met with the hauntingly beautiful backing music. And, during the character creator, we get to enjoy the amazing song ‘Down By The River.’

Being a game based around Dungeons And Dragons, players can meet various Bards through the game. And this means, inevitably, amazing music to go with it. Early in the game players can help a bard finish her masterpiece and are then treated to a stunning performance of said song. And, if playing as a bard, players can perform different tracks with their chosen instruments. Allowing you to take some musical downtime during your epic adventure.

Each section of the sprawling world is oozing with amazing atmospheric music that perfectly fits the tone and theme of the biome. And the combat music is thrilling, without being too in your face. Which, given the combat music in most action games, is a rare thing indeed.

Death Stranding

No game has quite managed to live up to the amazing soundtrack example set by Death Stranding. The game was quite controversial upon its release. It took a whole new approach to gaming, essentially creating a new genre of games based on the Death Stranding model. Much like how Demon Souls and Dark Souls launched what we now know as the Souls genre.

And the soundtrack of Death Stranding is as much a part of this change as any other. The game features a number of amazing tracks by various artists. Chief amongst them is Low Roar, the band that inspired Kojima to make the game in the first place.

But the interesting thing about the game is that, during most of the gameplay segments, there is no music at all. The effect this creates is a real sense of importance of tranquility when the music does finally start. The action music is more intense, since it suddenly pulls you into the action from a place of peace. And the relaxing music breaks as you come upon a beautiful vista makes you slow down and appreciate the beautiful world the game has created.