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How To Make Compelling TikTok Videos

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TikTok is one of those platforms where all of us wish that we would’ve gotten in on the ground floor because it exploded in popularity almost overnight and made stars out of those that were there first. Many of us are now left to play catch up and attempt to build a following, but that’s much easier said than done. There are millions of users on TikTok, so it can be hard to stand out in such a massive crowd.

If you’re dead set on finding TikTok fame but aren’t sure where to start, don’t worry. We’ve got some tips and tricks that are sure to get you plenty of viewers and even develop a new following on one of the world’s most popular apps. Here are five ways to make compelling TikTok videos that stand out.

Get Trendy

There’s no better way to get noticed on TikTok than to jump in on something that has just started trending. Check the hashtags that are starting to get traction on TikTok, and try to make a video when there aren’t too many videos just yet. There’s a bit of a parabola that happens for each trend as it comes out of nowhere, quickly reaches a peak, then fades into obscurity quickly.

If you’re able to stay on top of trends and get a video posted before that trend has hit its peak, you’re going to be getting a ton of shares and views. There will be plenty of opportunities every day to find a new trend, whether it’s a lip sync video, dance challenge or anything else in between.

Find a Gimmick

Almost all of the biggest names on TikTok have a certain gimmick that they stick to that helps them to stand out. Some of them interject themselves into other videos for comedic effect, some simply respond using only facial features to others’ content, and some have completely original ideas that have never been seen on the platform before.

At the end of the day, the people that have a formula and a gimmick are going to be the ones that are the most successful. Try to think about what it is that you’re best at, whether it’s dancing or being funny. There’s no doubt that people will keep coming back to your videos to see what you come up with next in that genre.

Get The Right Setup

Out of all of the TikTok accounts that end up getting a lot of followers, very few of them have grainy videos and poor lighting. If you’re serious about getting people to follow you on TikTok, you have to make sure that you’re spending money on a good setup. While it’s your personality that’s going to take you to the top, the professionalism of your videos will get you noticed.

With that in mind, you’ll want to invest in some good lighting more than anything. Make sure that you also have a phone that’s capable of recording high-definition video and audio. These key factors alone are more attractive to people that are scrolling through and only clicking on the thumbnails that look the most appealing.

Work on a Script

There are plenty of videos that are completely ad-libbed and the candidness can make them insanely hilarious. However, many of the videos that you see from some of the biggest names on TikTok are 100 percent scripted. It’s true, even the ones that tend to be “x reacts to y” are scripted far in advance.

While it takes away from some of the authenticity of what makes a TikTok fun, a script is what gets more views. Make sure that you’re coming up with something funny that people are going to want to watch, or some commentary that hits hard with people.

Keep It Short

Every once in a while, a TikTok video that’s several minutes in length will end up going viral, but most of the ones that get millions of views are only a few seconds, and hardly ever longer than 25-30 seconds. People don’t have a lot of time, and they want to watch a bunch of videos all in one sitting rather than a couple of long ones.

You can also mix it up a little bit on your profile. Not every video has to be short, but try to focus on those more often than the long ones. Once your following is large enough, it won’t matter how long your videos are as people will still want to watch them from beginning to end.

How To Make Money With Online Sweepstakes

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Each year, millions of dollars are given away through sweepstakes, with almost all of them these days being converted to online contests. Some of the largest sweepstakes on the internet can have grand prizes of over $1 million, which is why so many people want to get in on the fun with a chance to become rich instantly. However, you don’t have to win the grand prize for a global sweepstakes to earn money.

There are plenty of smaller sweepstakes that are much easier to win, and winning enough of them can pad your wallet nicely. If you’re looking to make some money by winning online sweepstakes, we have a few tips for you. Here are five ways to maximize your chances of winning and the amount that you can win.

Never Too Many

Obviously, you can’t win a sweepstakes if you don’t enter (unless the sweepstakes happens to knock on random doors). Because of this, you want to make sure that you’re entering as many sweepstakes as possible, no matter how much the prize is. If there’s a small prize in the sweepstakes, there will be far fewer people that are entered, increasing your likelihood of winning.

Some of the top sweepstakes winners end up taking home the top prize for a lot of these smaller giveaways instead of trying to focus on seven-figure prizes that are almost impossible to win. Thankfully, these days you don’t have to fill in a bunch of information by hand and then mail it back in a form. You can typically enter a sweepstakes with just a couple clicks of a button, making it easy to join.

Show Your Stuff

One of the biggest ways in which companies can get thorough engagement with their online user base is to do a giveaway that requires more than just your name and email address. Some of them will have a big prize that requires you to post a picture every day of a particular object or action, and you’ll want to make sure that you hit all of the requirements.

A lot of the giveaways that follow this method end up having larger prizes due to the active engagement over a long period of time, but a lot of people don’t see it all the way through. For those that are able to meet all of the requirements, their chances of winning the grand prize become increasingly strong.

Use a Dedicated Email

There are plenty of people that enter sweepstakes on a nearly daily basis without even knowing it, but they use their general email address to enter them, and might not even know if they won. A lot of these people have stringent spam filters and the details of the contest entries can end up going there and completely unnoticed.

With that in mind, you’ll want to create a dedicated email that’s used solely for entering sweepstakes and other various contests. All of the emails that come into that account will likely show up in the general inbox, but you’ll be able to check the spam filter much easier to retrieve some of the sweepstakes-related emails. Keep a notebook of the sweepstakes that you’ve entered, as well, to make things easier.

Go For The Cash

There might be a sweepstakes that you can win easily, but it might not be something that you want, and you may have trouble selling it. You’d then have a sweepstakes win under your belt, but you’d also have something taking up space in your house that’s worth almost nothing to you. 

Because of that, try to focus on sweepstakes that have cash prizes, or at least something that you can use. Things like cars, treadmills/exercise bikes, golf clubs, etc. will all have great resell value, especially if they haven’t been used, making them good targets for sweepstakes wins. Just remember, if you wouldn’t use it, there might not be many others that would.

Make More Accounts

One of the more popular ways in which companies will run a sweepstakes is through social media websites like Twitter or Facebook. In the case of the former, sometimes all it takes is a retweet and mention of the company to enter, so it’s important to have enough accounts on Twitter to increase your chances.

Sure, sometimes a Twitter sweepstakes has a small prize because the entry is so easy, but it can be worth it if you keep winning them. Follow the rules of the contest, but make sure that you have several accounts with different emails that are ready to enter any contest at a moment’s notice.

Why Do Some Premier League Clubs Have More Injuries Than Others?

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There are few things quite as frustrating as seeing your club put together a good season, only to have them lose a star player due to injury, derail the entire season, and end the chances of collecting any trophies. For some clubs, the injury bug seems to be much more infectious than it does for others.

Superstitious supporters will tend to believe that their club has been cursed, but there is far more to it than anything supernatural. There can be several reasons one club suffers more injuries than others, and we’ll break down some of the most common reasons.

The Pitch Type

The English Premier League is known for having some of the best-looking grass in the world, as there’s a high standard for pitches across the league. While most clubs have their pitches down to a science, there are some that are lacking in the pitch department. Some clubs haven’t invested in pitch types that are safer for players, and a bad pitch can result in a slew of ankle or knee injuries.

The clubs at the top of the fixture each year invest a lot into making sure that their pitches are perfect to protect their highly-paid players. Those that are lower in the fixture, though, may not be able to afford the upgrades. Jason Booth is the director of the Grounds Management Association, and he said that “We’ve had some clubs (that) have had to cut their cloth.” Even American football has the same problem, with some pitch types resulting in an increase of ACL injuries.

Conditioning

The more fatigued somebody is, the more prone they are to injury. One major study concluded that “fatigued muscles are able to absorb less energy before reaching the degree of stretch that causes injuries.” Because of this, it’s important that all of the players are in great condition, and the staff is responsible for making sure that they’re at that level.

Of course, with the football schedule the way it is, not every player is going to have time to work on their conditioning outside of matches. There are very few breaks throughout the year, and managers have to keep their stars accountable. Also, when a player is showing signs of serious fatigue, a good manager will pull them from a match before injury occurs.

Experience

There are certain ebbs and flows to a match at the Premier League level, and you can certainly tell the difference when watching an EPL match compared to lower levels. Some of the players aren’t accustomed to the speed and strategy of an EPL match, and that can lead to injuries. Accidents happen when a player is in the wrong spot or can take risks that cause them to crash into other players at a high speed.

This is why supporters of all sports are nervous to see their star players go against those that are inexperienced. Many of the top players are pulled from matches early or withheld altogether as their talents aren’t needed to beat the more inexperienced clubs, so the injury risk isn’t worth them playing.

Reported Injuries

There was a time when players would power through injuries because they didn’t want to lose their spot on a squad. However, players weren’t given millions every year. These days, players are a much larger investment for a club, and they want to know when their stars feel even the slightest bit of pain so that they can keep them out of the lineup.

Athletes are also receiving top care from health professionals, whereas in years past, they would simply take a few painkillers and get back on the pitch. Teams at the highest level have far more reported injuries due to the perceived minor ones being taken seriously. 

Summary

While these are the main reasons some clubs have more injuries than others, sometimes it comes down to just plain dumb luck. Even the most conditioned and experienced players can find themselves with a torn ACL or a concussion from just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Injuries happen all the time, and they’ll continue to happen to your favorite club, unfortunately. 

Pimp Your Ride: The 5 Best Mountain Bike Gadgets

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Mountain biking has been a hobby for hundreds of thousands of people each year for generations now, and there have been a lot of advancements in how we ride. Gone are the days when a simple chain coming off would be the end of the trip and possibly signal danger as technology has made mountain biking safe and fun. If you’re looking to pimp your mountain bike, here are the five best mountain bike gadgets to take on your next trip to make it even better.

1. Multi-Tool

When you’re mountain biking, there’s always that strong possibility that something could go wrong. From having a chain break to having your seat come loose, things happen out on the trails and you’re going to need the right tool for the job. Thankfully, there are plenty of multi-tools available for mountain bikers that are compact, affordable, and in most cases are even stylish.

Experienced bikers will tell you that a multi-tool has gotten them out of a lot of tough situations, and there are a few multi-tools that stand out above the rest. The Crank Bros M19 is one of the most preferred multi-tools, as well as the Lezyne V Pro-11 and Fabric 16-in-1. You really can’t go wrong with one of the brand-name multi-tools, all of which will most certainly help you at some point.

2. Global Hotspot

Mountain bikers typically stay off the beaten path and head out into territories where there might not be any internet or cell phone service. To prevent yourself from getting lost, you’ll want something that can access the internet from anywhere in the world, and there are plenty of global hotspot options available.

Somewear is the leading company in the global hotspot market, and these nifty little devices (that look like bottles of Mio water enhancers) make sure that you always know where you are. While these hotspots aren’t the cheapest devices that you’ll see, they could end up saving your life by letting you know how to get back to civilization before the sun goes down. You can’t put a price on safety, after all.

3. Headlamp

Even if you’re biking through the most populated area in the world, you’re still going to want a headlamp with you when it’s even the slightest bit dark outside. Not only do you want other people to see you while you’re riding, but you want to make sure what’s immediately ahead of you while on the trails or even the sidewalks.

Like global hotspots, there are a lot on the market, with the headlamp market being one of the most massive in terms of bike accessories. With that in mind, you don’t want to go cheap on one that’s going to run out quickly or not give you the illumination that you desperately need. Some of the highest-rated biking headlamps include the Magicshine Monteer 8000S Galaxy V2.0, the Exposure Six Pack MK12, and the Gemini Titan 4000.

4. Tire Inflator

One of the most annoying things that can happen while out riding is to have your tire go flat. Then, you have to bust out the bulky bike pump and sit there pumping away while trying to keep your bike from falling over. It’s annoying, but thankfully, there is a solution to the problem. These days, many bikers are turning to CO2 inflators that are easily carried and do the job quickly.

Some of the best CO2 inflators can help fix your flat in a matter of seconds, getting you back on the trail so that you aren’t holding up the rest of the group. From pocket pumps to big volume pumps, you can’t really go long if you have one with you. Some of the top inflators include the Merida Telescope MTB, the Birzman Infinite Apogee MTB, and the Topeak Mountain TT Twin Turbo.

5. Hydration

There’s nothing more important than staying hydrated and healthy while riding, especially if you’re getting far away from civilization. Keeping enough water with you at all times is paramount, and thankfully there are plenty of water bottles that are made specifically with mountain bikers in mind.

These bottles are designed to be easy to carry on your bike, in your hand, and keep water cold throughout the duration of your ride. Some of these bottles include the CamelBak Bike Water Bottle, the 50 Strong Bicycle Squeeze Bottle, and the Schwinn Bike Water Bottle, all of which are affordable and effective.

5 Things to Know Before You Start Using Whatsapp

Posted on by scatty

Whatsapp is one of the most used apps worldwide, with 2 billion active users each month. That’s an astonishing number as just a few years ago, that number was less than half. Because of the growth in popularity, we’re seeing more and more people join Whatsapp on a daily basis, with many of these users having no familiarity with how it works.

For new users, Whatsapp might be a little overwhelming, but thankfully it can be easy to master the app. If you’re one of the people that hasn’t yet joined Whatsapp but want to get in on the action, we have some tips on getting started. Follow these five things you need to know before you start using Whatsapp, and you’ll feel comfortable with the app in no time.

Setting Your Profile

The first thing that you’re going to want to know about Whatsapp is how to set up your profile. You can enter your phone number, and when you do, you can choose to have all of your contacts imported from your phone. This is the easiest way to make it so that you don’t have to go through and individually add every person that you know.

You can also import all of your contacts from Facebook to make things easier. This can also help you to set up your entire Whatsapp profile if you don’t feel like entering your details manually. If you do want to enter this info, though, you can do so by clicking the settings tab and changing your information in the ‘about’ section.

International Internet Importance

One of the things that people love about text messaging is that you can be just about anywhere and still get a message out. As long as you have cellular service, you don’t have to be on wifi to use Whatsapp, but it does help if you have a solid internet connection. Whatsapp has become popular as you can send texts on an international basis without being charged for international messages.

To take advantage of this and avoid the fees for texting overseas, make sure that you are connected to wifi before using Whatsapp. This will also help protect your messages better while also providing a more reliable delivery. Not all apps run better on wifi, but Whatsapp is certainly one of them that does.

Group Messages

Whatsapp became popular worldwide for a lot of reasons, with one of the most important being the ability to send group messages. This has helped keep families and groups of friends connected no matter where they are in the world. To get a group message started, simply head to the ‘broadcast lists’ tab on Whatsapp.

From there, you’ll be able to select which contacts you want to be involved with in your new group chat, and more than 250 people can be in one group. This isn’t just great for connecting with loved ones, but can also be a huge advantage for small businesses where you can send messages instantly and not worry about them not getting read like an email would.

Finding Old Messages

There will be times when someone mentioned something to you in a chat and you completely forgot what they said specifically. When this happens, many of us simply scroll up until we find the right message, but if there is a lot to sift through, it can be nearly impossible to find that exact message you were looking for.

Thankfully, Whatsapp has a feature that allows you to search through both group and individual messages to find what you were looking for. Click the contact info at the top of the screen within the chat and then on the ‘search’ button. From there, you can find keywords that were typed out in the chat, taking you to each message that contains those words.

Clearing Storage

Whatsapp is a great communication tool and allows for a lot of video and image sharing, but it can wreak havoc on your phone’s storage capacity. If you find that your storage space is getting a little bit low, you can sort through which chats are taking up the most and delete some of the images and videos that have been shared.

To do this, go to the ‘settings’ tab and then click on ‘storage and data.’ From there, you’ll be able to click ‘manage storage’ and choose the contact that you chat with the most. An option will pop up that allows you to delete all multimedia, clearing up a lot of valuable space on your phone.

10 Longest Words in the English Language

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There are some words that we simply can’t spell or pronounce, even if they’re shorter ones. Then, there are monstrosities where you stare blankly at them and don’t even bother to come up with a pronunciation. The English language is filled with them, with some reaching over two dozen letters in length. Let’s take a look at 10 of those longest words in the English language and what they mean.

Thyroparathyroidectomized

This one is fairly easy to comprehend when you break it down, actually. Thyro, of course, has to deal with the thyroid, and that shows up twice in this lengthy word. To be ectomized is to be removed, so this word is for the surgical removal of not only the thyroid gland but the parathyroid gland, as well.

Honorificabilitudinitatibus

While this word is part of the English language, it’s completely derived from Latin words, leaving it hard to decipher for English speakers. Loosely, it translates into meaning ‘having the ability to achieve honors.’ Interestingly enough, this is by far the longest English word that alternates between consonants and vowels throughout and was used in “Love’s Labour’s Lost” by William Shakespeare.

Eellogofusciouhipoppokunurious

Now we get into the slang part of things, starting with this piece that first went into print back in 1934. While it doesn’t show up in the actual dictionary, it’s apparently one that got popular enough in certain parts of the country. Containing 30 letters in total, the definition is extremely simple as it means “very good.”

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Out of all of the words on this list that you have a chance of saying correctly on the first try, it’s this one. That’s because the word was used in the song of the same name in the 1964 Disney film “Mary Poppins” starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious was a catchy piece that all of us could sing, and while it’s a nonsense word it was accepted as an English one. What’s the true meaning? Well, when you break it down, it turns out to be “Atoning for being educable through delicate beauty.” Simply put, “All is good.”

Antidisestablishmentarianism

After Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, this is probably the other word that you can say off the top of your head. That’s because when we’re young, we’re typically taught that it’s the longest word. Based on how you determine the validity of word length, there’s truth to that. Antidisestablishmentarianism isn’t a scientific word, so it gets more recognition for its length, and it means to be in the thought that a church of the state should keep receiving “government patronage.”

Floccinaucinihilipilification

Have you ever had the feeling that typically comes with depression where everything seems worthless or unimportant? There’s actually a word for that, and it’s floccinaucinihilipilification. Since it’s not cited as a medical term, though, there are many that call this the longest word. There is some debate, as some attribute this to mental health, while others say it’s just a string of Latin stem words created just for its length.

Pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism

Now we get to the medical portion of the list where things get really interesting, starting with pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism. Most people know that pseudo means fake, and it’s interesting to see it used back-to-back in this lengthy word. The overall definition, though, is that it’s a condition where you’re short, have a round face, and have short hand bones.

Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia

We’re sorry if we startled you by including this word in the list. If you were startled, that’s because Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is actually the term for the fear of long words. While many are off-put by long words, the amount of people who have a phobia of them is almost none.

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

Certain words were made up simply to be long, and this is one of them. Everett M. Smith came up with this word while president of the National Puzzlers’ League as he wanted to come up with the longest possible that could have an actual meaning. Simply put, it means to contract a lung disease of fine ash and sand dust. It’s the longest word in the English dictionary.

Methionylthreonylthreonylglutaminylarginyl…isoleucine

The reason why we didn’t type this whole word out is because it would take days to do so and even hours just to pronounce. This one stands at a total of 189,819 letters and represents the chemical composition of titin, the largest known protein to man.

5 Unrealistic Soap Plotlines From Major TV Shows

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One of the things that people love the most about soap operas are the plotlines that, for lack of a better term, just don’t make any sense. Most of the soap plotlines that we see involve romance, especially when it comes to more than two people being involved. Questions about paternity, jilted lovers, divorce, marriage, you name it, there’s a soap opera plotline for just about everything.

Then, there are those plotlines that are just so bizarre that they’re impossible to take seriously. Sometimes, the playbook is completely thrown out the window on these shows so that the writers can shake things up a bit and draw in more viewers. Let’s take a look at five of the most unrealistic soap plotlines from major shows that fans would rather pretend didn’t happen at all.

1. GH Vampires

“General Hospital” isn’t the most realistic show on television, but in terms of soap operas, it’s at least somewhat grounded in reality. That would change once vampires were thrown into the mix in 2013, though. The lead writer, Ron Carlivati, even acknowledged how ridiculous it was that vampires were being introduced to the series for a storyline while also trying to justify it.

“The story does get pretty over-the-top,” Carlivati said. “Yet it’s still rooted in a certain reality. Lucy may be off-kilter but she’s certainly not in Heather Webber territory. Her belief in vampires will be very convincing.” Some fans were into it, especially as the “Twilight” series was incredibly popular at the time, while for others, it was the proverbial nail in the coffin for the long-running soap.

2. DOOL Zombies

Vampires aren’t the only supernatural beings to make their way to the soap opera circuit, as zombies became part of the lore for “Days of Our Lives”. Granted, the zombies were part of a Halloween storyline, but it was still weird to see some old characters come back to life on screen, especially some of the most detestable ones that the series has had.

Characters Nick Fallon, Charlie Dale, and Deimos Kiriakis all became reanimated corpses in the “Days of Our Lives” storyline, and there were some great lines that came from the arc. “You can’t be here, your dead,” was an actual line taken from a character’s reaction to seeing a zombie version of Mike Manning’s character.

3. Vincent/Valerie on Passions

There are a lot of times when “Passions” left people scratching their heads, and one of those times was the long-running plotline of Vincent Clarkson. There was an alter ego for Vincent, too, as he became Valerie Davis in one of the most convoluted story arcs and one of the strangest representations of transgender/intersex people that have been on television.

Vincent was born with the ability to become pregnant and used the Valerie identity to seduce his own father and become pregnant. All of that happened. Thankfully for the writers, the character was actually well-received by viewers and critics, as things could have gone much, much worse with such a sensitive subject. Of course, there was also plenty of criticism toward the show.

4. Talking Dog on One Life to Live

Certain soap operas are susceptible to having really weird plotlines, and “One Life to Live” was certainly one of them. There were time travel storylines during the series, but perhaps the strangest storyline came in the form of a talking dog. A trope that has been satirized ruthlessly on shows like “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy” became a reality for “One Life to Live”.

Tina Lord’s Shih Tzu David was able to communicate with his owner, as well as toddler Liam. It isn’t just some life lesson-type of stuff that the dog tells the baby, either. Instead, he reveals who the toddler’s real father is, leaving people confused by what was going on during the end of the long-running soap.

5. The Dallas Dream

Nothing is more infuriating for an audience than finding out that the plot that they just invested so much time into was completely thrown out the window. That’s what happened for fans of “Dallas” when there was an entire season that was dedicated to saying goodbye to Patrick Duffy’s character Bobby Ewing.

The character was killed off during the season-long story arc but was found comfortably alive in a shower shortly thereafter. After Duffy negotiated his return to the show, the entire previous season was written as a dream, rendering the entire thing pointless and wasting months of people’s time.

Classes in DnD: Get To Grips With This Basic Concept

Posted on by scatty

In Dungeons & Dragons, you’ll be tasked with picking a character that comes from one of the 12 basic classes. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages when it comes to things such as speech, combat, etc. Let’s take a look at those classes to help beginners know what to expect when playing D&D for the first time:

Barbarian

The barbarian is often large and lumbering, offering up high points for strength because of its stature and ability to fight. These characters have a high amount of hit points and can deal a lot of damage that will come in handy during battle. However, the trade-off is that barbarians aren’t too bright, starting off with low levels of charisma and intelligence.

Bard

A bard is exactly what you think it is: a singer and entertainer that is able to lift the spirits of the traveling party. Bards offer up a lot of charisma by nature and have spells that can help get them out of trouble. Bards don’t do a lot of damage, though, and can easily be knocked off in battle. From the side, though, bards are extremely helpful.

Cleric

A cleric is a lot like a barbarian in the sense that they can deal a lot of damage in battle and have a lot of constitution. The big difference is that the cleric is much better with ranged attacks, is much smarter, and has a lot more intelligence and wisdom. A cleric is a warrior of the holy spirit by nature and is a safe well-rounded character for beginners.

Druid

Druids end up having more in common with clerics than clerics do with barbarians. That’s because their primary scores are placed into constitution and wisdom, but they don’t have a lot of the same armor that a cleric might have, making them more susceptible to damage. Druids can deal a lot more damage in most cases, though, and can change forms in battle.

Fighter

Fighters and barbarians share many of the same traits, though the fighter tends to be smaller in stature and much more intelligent. Fighters are knowledgeable about the art of battle and can attack from both close range and distance. There’s much more of a chance for character development with a fighter, too.

Monk

If you want a character that doesn’t use weapons while still doing a lot of damage on the battlefield, then the monk might be your go-to. They are masters of unarmed combat, using hand-to-hand abilities to fight while also having a solid defense. What helps them stand out is their immunity to a lot of poisons and non-combat damage.

Paladin

If you want a character that’s armored to the gills and is tremendous at combat, then a paladin might be your class of choice. Blessed by the holy spirit, paladins are forces of light that can partake in combat with the best of them while using their divine powers. Clerics are most similar to a paladin, though a paladin has more strength and charisma overall.

Ranger

When we think of a modern-day ranger, we probably think of someone that’s riding around on a horse and carrying a gun. In the D&D world, though, rangers are fighters that can battle from a distance and are often wise beyond their years. Dexterity goes a long way toward making a good ranger, and it’s a good class to have on a team with a beginner.

Rogue

The rogue class is similar to that of the monk, but it comes with higher charisma and focuses on getting in and out with their hits instead of sticking around the battlefield for too long. An assassin of sorts, the rogue class is handy for non-combat purposes, too, including picking locks.

Sorcerer

While a ranger can attack from long distances with arrows, the sorcerer does so with its magic abilities. This class is high in intelligence and charisma, casting spells that help the party perform a wide arrange of tasks from healing to doing damage to an enemy. Be careful, though, as sorcerers aren’t allowed to learn all possible spells.

Warlock

Upping the ante from the sorcerer class is the warlock class, which is typically even stronger than the sorcerer and shows their ability in battle. Like the sorcerer, warlocks can deal a great among of damage from a long range using a high constitution.

Wizard

Finally, there’s the wizard, another one of the magic-type classes in D&D that has a lot of skill points to go around. You can make your wizard a fighter or simply a charmer, as this is one of the most versatile classes that the game has to offer. 

How To Use A Timer For Productivity

Posted on by scatty

All of us want to be more productive, but it can be difficult to find the right ways. Sometimes we stick to a good plan for a week or two, though all it takes is one frazzled day to get things off the rails and we’re back to our disorganized ways and failing to stay productive. There are some surefire ways to increase production, and one to consider would be to use a timer.

When we think of timers, we tend to think of cooking or something involved with exercise, but what about using a timer for your everyday life? Let’s take a look at some of the ways in which you can use a timer to increase your productivity without falling back into bad habits. It may surprise you just how effective you become in just the first couple of days of using a timer.

One Task Per Segment

There is a method of using a timer called the Pomodoro Technique which many people stick to. The key principle of using this technique is to set the timer for 25 minutes and focus on just a single task during this 25-minute segment. 

Let’s say you need to write up a report or clean the house; nothing else should be done during this 25-minute segment besides the exact predetermined task. Each segment is then followed by a five-minute break where you can cool down, give your attention to anything that you had to put off during that previous segment, catch up on calls, etc. 

Repeat this four times for a total of two hours, and then you can take a 15-30 minute break, which most people use for lunch. Repeat this once more throughout the day for a full 8 hours and 15 minutes to 8 hours and 30 minutes. Anything that happens afterward is up to you, sort of following a workday schedule.

Shorter and Longer Spurts

If your day is filled with tasks that don’t require a full 25 minutes, you can adjust your schedule to have shorter segments. Try not to do anything shorter than 10 minutes, as doing five minute segments of items every day can be cumbersome to keep track of, while some might not even be necessary. You don’t want to think too much about the timer itself, and your eyes will be glued to it with each segment if they’re too short.

Some also argue that 25 minutes may be too short for segmenting out your day. There are a lot of tasks that require a lot of our time, so they can be extended out into 50-minute segments, but the amount of break time also needs to be increased. It’s best to increase to 10 minutes of rest per segment for every 50 minutes spent on your tasks.

Why Timers

There are several reasons why you should be using a timer, and all of them make absolute sense for your day. Timers help you to stay focused from the start to end while also helping you to avoid working too hard to focus on seeing a task all the way through to completion and perfection.

Many of us focus too much on starting a task and putting off everything else in our lives, including stretching and getting exercise, until the task is complete. If You have a timer, it’s easy to set a finite time to start and finish, and all of your focus shifts to being in these productive segments. Also, you can make a better schedule and set your priorities straight.

Types of Timers

Thankfully, almost all of our smartphones have some sort of time that can help keep us on track throughout the day. It’s the surefire easiest way, especially since pretty much everyone that we know has a smartphone glued to their hip at all times of the day. There are other timers that can be used, too, if you want to go more old school.

Using the microwave is an unconventional method, but is certain to grab your attention when the timer hits zero. Kitchen timers will also work, and you can even set an alarm on your watch. There really is no wrong type of timer to use, as long as you’re adhering to the schedule and not hitting ‘snooze’ or ‘mute.’

5 Celebrities Who Are Obsessed With FIFA

Posted on by scatty

Video games certainly aren’t just for “nerds” these days as they have become incredibly mainstream, especially when it comes to sports games. Celebrities aren’t shy about their passion for playing sports titles, and that includes the FIFA series, which launched back in 1993 before exploding in popularity during the 2010s.

We’ve seen plenty of celebs talk about their obsession with the football franchise, from playing Ultimate Team to taking on strangers online. Here are five celebrities who are obsessed with FIFA and how they’ve gotten involved with the game.

Snoop Dogg

If there’s one thing that Snoop Dogg loves more than rap music, it’s sports. More specifically, he’s obsessed with sports video games. While Madden remains his favorite sports game (he constantly plays it while streaming on Twitch), FIFA is still one that he loves to play with each new edition. Ever since he was included in the soundtrack back in FIFA 13, it’s been a favorite for the D-O-Double-G.

Snoop Dogg has even participated in charity FIFA events, including benefitting Doctors Without Borders in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Real Madrid and Manchester United are the teams that Snoop likes to play as on FIFA, and he says that he loves the reality of sports games. Don’t expect Snoop to play on anything besides Xbox, though, as it remains his favorite console.

Usain Bolt

There isn’t a runner that’s more accomplished than Usain Bolt of Jamaica, who has won a total of eight gold medals at the Olympics, doing so in a span between 2008 and 2016. Bolt has been on billboards, magazine covers, you name it, there is no single person more synonymous with the track than Bolt. When growing up, though, Bolt wanted to be a football star.

Bolt says that he was never given a fair shot at playing football, so he instead resorted to playing FIFA while training for his track events. Games like FIFA “helped my hunger to always want to win,” Bolt said. “But I feel like it in a way kinda helped out with the track and field, because now, when you get on the track, you have that same mentality as when you’re playing video games. You just want to win.”

Trevor Noah

As someone who was born in the mid-1980s, Trevor Noah was raised playing video games, and that includes FIFA. After John Stewart retired from “The Daily Show”, Trevor Noah took his spot as the host, but continued his love for video games, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Noah got into FIFA Ultimate Team pretty deeply on a yearly basis and even beat “Ted Lasso” star Jason Sudeikis in a charity tournament finals.

Noah said that he stopped playing Ultimate Team because he doesn’t like opening packs, but still plays online with the base players. Like many gamers, Noah has voiced his displeasure about being able to buy a better team and wants to play people straight-up without their 99 overall cards.

Drake

While hockey is more synonymous with Canada than any other sport, rapper Drake prefers football and basketball. Drake has been big into the NBA2K series while also getting into the FIFA series. Ever since the early 2010s, Drake has been playing each new edition of FIFA and has taken on several other notable celebrities.

For Drake, playing FIFA is the ultimate way to spend some downtime, and he has even appeared on the game’s soundtrack. At one point, Justin Bieber challenged him to a match, though it wasn’t met with a response. Drake has also teamed up with EA Sports for launch events, including appearing on stage at the release of FIFA 2014.

Becky G

American singer Rebecca Gomez, a.k.a. Becky G, released her first single back in 2013 titled “Becky from the Block” and has had a long list of hits since then including “Shower”, “Mayores” and “MAMIII”. For much of her professional career, Becky G has been in a relationship with Sebastian Lletget, a football star who has mainly played in Major League Soccer after coming up with West Ham United.

As part of getting into the football world, Becky G has gotten into the FIFA series and has talked openly about her love for both the sport and the video game franchise over the years. She was even part of the Trevor Noah vs. Jason Sudeikis face-off for charity, showcasing the skills that she’s learned.