Nicola P. Young
Bio
Lover of Books, Saxophone, Blogs, and Dogs. Not necessarily in that order. Book blogger at heartofinkandpaper.com.
Stories (168/0)
10 Stores Every Curvy Girl Will Love
The fashion industry has historically catered most significantly to a very limited and unrealistic set of sizes and proportions, often leaving curvy women with tragically few options. Luckily, women everywhere have begun making their voices heard, and dedicated themselves to giving women of all shapes and sizes the ability to develop and express their own sense of fashion. Here are some of the wonderful stores every curvy girl will love that understand that high fashion does not belong exclusively to size 2s.
By Nicola P. Young6 years ago in Styled
How Criminal History Can Affect Military Enlistment
"Criminal record" doesn't usually sound great to any employer, and the armed forces have especially high standards of morality. They are also given a lot of liberty to decide who they accept or deny. But "criminal record" can also mean a whole lot of things, and there's a big difference between minor traffic offenses and major felony offenses. But when you're looking to join the military services, there are a lot of factors to consider. So here's what you need to know about how your criminal history can affect military enlistment, and what your chances are of actually joining the military.
By Nicola P. Young6 years ago in Serve
Which Smart Home Speaker Is Best for You?
The latest buzz in the world of technology is digital assistants: Alexa, Siri, the Google Assistant... all the major tech companies now offer a voice-controlled digital assistant in some form. Now, though, it's not just for your smartphone or tablet, where these automatons used to live. If you're looking for a way to turn your home into a smart home, your first step is a control system. Now, you have a wide range of options for smart home speakers with digital assistants, allowing you to manage your home and devices, listen to and request music, and even search questions and queries simply by utilizing voice commands. With the range of options and features offered now, there's sure to be something that fits your interests, needs, and budget perfectly.
By Nicola P. Young6 years ago in 01
Best Sci-Fi Shows on Netflix Right Now
Science fiction has a unique appeal—it can be exciting, imaginative, and innovative, while tackling difficult issues from new angles, making important social commentary, and, oftentimes, provoking much thought. It should be no surprise that there are an abundance of popular sci-fi shows on Netflix right now, just waiting to be binged. From mid-Century classics like The Twilight Zone and Star Trek, to the newly released Netflix originals Altered Carbon and Lost in Space, here are some of the best science fiction shows you can stream today. Sci-fi fans rejoice! The best Netflix sci-fi series are at the tips of your fingers.
By Nicola P. Young6 years ago in Futurism
10 Ways a Mother-Daughter Relationship Changes When You're an Adult
"Ugh, mom, you're ruining my life." It rings of bad 2000s teen dramas to be sure, but it's also something many daughters have said to their mothers as teenagers. Those years can be trying, as you feel more and more ready for independence and responsibility, but still don't have the freedom you want. This is part of the reason mother-daughter relationships can be tense just before you enter adulthood. And even if you never had a "you're ruining my life" phase, there are simply some things that you can't understand about your mother and your relationship with her until you reach adulthood yourself. For this reason, there are many ways a mother-daughter relationship changes when you're an adult, for better or for worse. (Spoiler alert: it's mostly better).
By Nicola P. Young6 years ago in Families
Signs You Should Be a Chef
Being a chef is part art, part chemistry, part chaos, and an all-around entirely unique career path. Maybe your friends and family already consider you the resident chef, since you can make something more interesting than pasta with jarred sauce. Maybe you just love messing around in the kitchen, and never follow exactly the same recipe twice. These, and many more, are signs you should be a chef—or at least consider the possibility. After all, though the life and job of a chef can be chaotic, they can also be immensely satisfying. If any of these traits hold true, check out the potential signs and play with the idea of starting your new life in the culinary industry.
By Nicola P. Young6 years ago in Feast
10 Best Face Self Tanners for Acne Prone Skin
Self-tanners are a tricky business to begin with. You have to find the right products, and apply them the right way to avoid orangey disasters, streaks, over-tanning, and missed spots. It's daunting for anyone. Add on top of that the risk of causing a nasty acne breakout? Is it even worth it?
By Nicola P. Young6 years ago in Blush
Podcasts on Choosing a Career
It's easy to commit to "following your passion" in theory, but what if you don't even know what your passion is? For most people, choosing a career is something that takes some thought and introspection, not something that you just know from a young age. Luckily, there are a lot of people out there with advice to help you choose the career that's right for you. In the current age of technology, it's easier than ever to get that advice in a quick, entertaining, hassle-free way: through podcasts. It's not always easy to just pick up one of the best books for career guidance and know your calling. Though there are more specific podcasts for improving your life, here are some of the best podcasts on choosing a career that will help you plow through all the weeds, and take hold of the roots of your life.
By Nicola P. Young6 years ago in Journal
10 Survival Lifehacks That Could Save Your Life
It's always best to be fully prepared for any situation and have all the tools and resources you need for survival. But life isn't a neat little package, and you may someday find yourself in a tricky position without the recommended or obvious tools to get out of it. Luckily, the world is also a complex place, and there's room for improvisation and substitution in these situations. So keep these survival lifehacks in mind, and be prepared for any situation that may arise—no matter how unprepared you might feel. Whether you're preparing for zombie survival or a camping trip, or you're just interested in being ready for anything, here are some tricks to keep in your back pocket.
By Nicola P. Young6 years ago in Lifehack
10 Things You Don't Know About Female Gang Members
While women are an often-overlooked minority when it comes to gang activity, there are actually many female gang members both presently and historically active. Some aspects of gang life are more or less the same for male and female gang members, while other aspects may be very different for women than for men. As gang activity in the United States continues to rise, so does the number of women involved in gang violence and crime, as victims, perpetrators, and often both. But the unfortunate truth is, just as for men, women involved in gangs are often involved for life, whether they want to or not. Gang involvement is far from a minor problem for women, and very few gangs, in reality, are all-male gangs.
By Nicola P. Young6 years ago in Criminal
Ways Sleep Can Make You a Better Athlete
There are a lot of ways sleep can make you a better athlete. Many of those ways involve physical functions, like reflexes and muscle performance. Other ways are more long-term, like the importance of sleep in preventing illness or recovering from injury. And still others have more to do with the cognitive and psychological benefits of getting enough sleep—because of course, athletic performance is not just about physical speed, strength, or ability. All sports, to some extent, have a mental component. To perform your best, you not only need your body to be in peak condition, but your mind as well. While there will some differences in amount and schedule of sleep between individuals, just about every aspect of athletic performance requires that you get plenty of good quality sleep, no matter who you are or what your sport.
By Nicola P. Young6 years ago in Unbalanced
10 Allegedly Haunted Military Bases
Though there is never conclusive proof, legends and eyewitness reports overwhelmingly indicate that ghosts and entities result, most often, from violent and premature deaths. Disturbing events of the past lead to strange occurrences in the present. Many such haunted sites include mental institutions, hospitals and clinics, and of course, battlefields and military bases. With respect to this last category, reports of haunted military bases have been heard across the country, and the world. The reports range from specific individuals whose violent or tragic deaths we have corroborated reports of, to simply creepy occurrences of objects moving on their own, winds blowing with no windows open, and brief glimpses of unknown individuals that disappear in a heartbeat. There's no denying that many disturbing things have happened at military bases throughout the world, and it seems, to many, that unfortunate souls still roam the halls, rooms, and streets where they died.
By Nicola P. Young6 years ago in Serve