Life Hackery

Eight Awesome Ways To Use Christmas Neckties

Marck — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 07:05:35 +0000

The Christmas season is just around the corner, and you probably have in mind what you want for Holiday presents. Yet as much as you don’t like to think about it, you’re probably going to get three or four neckties for Christmas this year, adding to your growing collection of old neckties from past Christmas celebrations. It’s not that your friends are not thoughtful or that they didn’t bother buying you a gift that you could use, but neckties are easy and convenient to buy as Christmas gifts.

Whether you have a drawer, a shoebox, or an entire sack of old Christmas neckties, it’s a shame to let them go to waste. After you’ve picked through them to find three or four neckties that are worth keeping, it’s time to put the rest of the presents to good use. Here are eight ways for those old Christmas neckties to have all sorts of uses.

1. Christmas Tree Decorations

If you’re out of strands of tinsel, then some of those shiny silk neckties you got for Christmas make for great holiday decorations. Those colorful, gaudy ties that are not recommended for work are perfect for decorating the Christmas tree.

When using neckties as a Christmas tree decoration, make sure that you drape them far and away from strands of Christmas lights. If you have your Christmas lights on for much of the day, they can get hot and some of the frayed threads of the tie can catch fire. Light, narrow silken ties do just fine for this purpose.

2. Cravates

Scarves and cravates are perfect fashion statements for any season, particularly for the cold winter and the cool spring season. If you didn’t get a warm scarf or a cool-looking cravate for Christmas, then Christmas neckties would do just as well. If you won’t use the necktie as a shirt accessory, then it would probably look very good as a scarf.

To make a scarf out of the necktie, simply unravel the stitches at the back of the necktie, and flatten the cloth. Stitch together the edges and corners of the tie to prevent the cloth from unraveling and fraying. Depending on the quality and the color of the tie, it may even look like an original Hermès creation from a distance.

3. First Aid

Christmas is a time for snowmobiles, skiing, and other extreme sports. The problem is that winter sports can be dangerous, and may result in injuries like sprains, pulled muscles, and even bone fractures. While there’s no substitute for the proper equipment and supplies in a first aid kit, it helps to keep some neckties with your first aid supplies. Neckties can be used for all sorts of emergency situations:

When you need to immobilize an injured limb, two long neckties knotted together at the ends make an excellent sling.
When you need to stem the flow of blood from a wound or a laceration, a folded-up necktie works as a good substitute for a compression bandage.
A necktie is a good tool to use in a makeshift emergency tourniquet. Never use a tourniquet unless you absolutely need one, or if the emergency calls for its use.

4. Holding Stuff Together

While neckties are an expensive way to bale stuff like hay, old Christmas neckties are great to bind together old letters, cards, and other mementos. A necktie is essentially a decorative band of cloth, and it can pretty much bind and hold any two objects together. If you can do it with rope, string, or twine, then you can definitely accomplish the same tasks with a few old neckties. Here are some ways that you can use a necktie to hold stuff:

Hang pictures, mirrors, portraits, and paintings on walls
Hold together a collection of old letters or documents
Hang mobiles for children above cribs and beds
Hold together baskets, boxes, and other items when you move into another residence

5. Bag Straps

Deconstructed and ragtag bags are very chic these days, and many people make their own purses, handbags, shoulder bags, and knapsacks with old clothes and other items found around the home. If you’re looking for a strap or a handle for your own homemade deconstructed bag, then old neckties are perfect for this purpose.

While neckties are strong enough to carry a lot of weight, they are a bit on the thin side. If you carry a heavy load inside your bag, the necktie strap can cut into your shoulder. To avoid the problem, you can stuff the inside of the necktie with cotton padding to cushion the weight of the bag.

6. Book Covers

There are a lot of ties that may not look good on any of your dress shirts, but look good on something else. Neckties with an understated look can be used to cover many of your hardbound books. If you know how to bind books and you have a lot of unused neckties hanging around the back of your dresser drawer, then you can use them to cover old hardbound books. Here’s how.

Mark and cut the cover boards for the book or journal you’ll bind.
Unravel the stitches at the back of the necktie, and fold out the necktie until you get a wide strip of cloth. You may need two to three ties, depending on the size of the book.
Wrap the book with the fabric. It helps to slant the cloth a bit to cover as much of the book with a single tie. If one tie is not enough to cover the entire book cover, you may need to use two or more.
Glue the book together as you would a regular hand-bound hardbound book, and let it dry.

7. Quilts and Pillows

Quilting is an art that requires a lot of careful handiwork and expertise. If you happen to have a lot of unwanted neckties from past Christmas gift exchanges, you can use them for quilts. Many people have already made quilts out of old neckties. If you expect a lot of ties for the Christmas season, you can make a Holiday tradition by making quilts out of every unused or unwanted necktie you got as a present. At least no one can accuse you of not using those neckties for a useful purpose.

8. Note Clips

Chances are that you got a clip-on necktie for Christmas. Clip-ons are usually worn by kids, or by people who don’t know how to get that perfect knot on the tie. Most clip-on neckties are too short, and they end up inside that dresser drawer where you keep all your ties. Instead of allowing these useful but short ties to go to waste, you can keep one or two of them near the office or home phone. You can then use them to clip together notes from important phone conversations.

With all the unwanted neckties you’ve already received as Christmas, it’s still a wonder why people insist on giving them away as gifts. Now you can put these ties to good use. No matter how annoying or senseless a gift may seem, there’s always a good use for it.

Six Groovy Gift Ideas for Unisex Christmas Parties

Marck — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 07:32:33 +0000

It’s the Christmas season, but The Man just wouldn’t give you a break. While you were having your coffee break, the company executives decided that the most cost-efficient way to celebrate Christmas at the office would be to do away with the tradition of Secret Santa. Instead, everyone would have to bring “unisex” gifts for the company Christmas party. Whoever thought of “unisex Christmas parties” must be a real Grinch.

If you’ve been to a unisex corporate Christmas party before, you may have built an extensive collection of photo albums, picture frames, and coffee mugs. All the gender-neutral and politically-correct gifts you have received go all too well with corporate giveaways, and are all gathering dust somewhere in a corner of your home. You can only rant and rave about how Scrooge-like the company could be by putting all of you through the pains of receiving photo albums, picture frames, and coffee mugs for the company Christmas party. Even with that confusing thought, you can still have fun and celebrate the meaning of giving with these gift ideas for a unisex Christmas party.

1. Business Planners

Cost: Under $50, depending on the brand and functionality of the planner
Advantage: Keeps even the most stressful week in the office well-organized

To survive in the world of big business, an employee must have a professional, multi-functional planner. Instead of corporate freebies or promotional items from affiliates, you can buy a snappy-looking planner that has many functional and useful purposes. Many planners come with thin accounting calculators, short rulers, calling card holders, and even elegant-looking pens.

Maroon, brown, and black leather-covered planners are perfect for corporate employees of any gender. Remember to buy the best-looking one you can afford, and that it shouldn’t look like a corporate giveaway.

2. Inflatable Air Bed

Cost: The cheapest can go up to less than $20
Advantage: The most stressed persons in the office can now sleep at night

After a day at work, people like to relax and revitalize with some deep sleep. The problem is that most mattresses don’t give the body the support it needs during sleeping. People who don’t get a good amount of sleep get stressed easily, and start the day with a really cranky mood. Chances are, a lot of your office mates have this exact same problem.

Air beds are affordable, and come in many sizes; a single-size air bed can cost less than $20. More expensive models with remote controls do cost more, but a reasonable twenty-dollar air bed can help a lot to make your colleague have a good night’s sleep. Whoever receives your gift of an air bed is ready to be re-energized for another eight-hour grind at the office.

3. Badminton Set

Cost: On average, around $30
Advantage: A fun game to play on weekend offset hours

The bosses and the higher-ups may be able to afford expensive $200 rackets and shuttlecocks for a weekend at an exclusive badminton court, but that doesn’t mean that the workforce can’t enjoy the same thing. For the price of a hand-held vacuum cleaner, you can buy a badminton set complete with shuttlecocks.

While a $30 badminton set is not as good as the CEO’s own badminton set, you have the perfect way to pass the time during those weekends where you have to report for work. You can then turn part of the parking lot into a small, informal badminton court where you and your kringle can polish your badminton skills.

4. USB Stuff

Cost: Varies, but most sell for under $30
Advantage: Cubicle work becomes way more exciting than it should be

You may have heard of eccentric USB gadgets like spaghetti cookers and pole dancers, but the neat thing about many fun gadgets plugged into a computer’s USB port is that they cost less than thirty bucks. You can buy all sorts of fun and useful USB gadgets from computer supply stores or from auction sites on the Internet.

USB gadgets can be useful, like a multi-card reader, a thumb drive, or a flash disk. Flash storage come in handy just in case critical data need to be transferred between computers when network servers are down. Yet USB gadgets can also be wacky; you can choose from eye massagers, mini disco balls, aquariums, and even Stewie Griffin from Family Guy acting as your own personal “office assistant.”

5. Boxing Gloves

Cost: $30 for training gloves
Advantage: It’s about time someone did something about pent-up rage

You won’t get pumped up in fighting form by moving a mouse around, and there’s only so much rage a stress ball can get rid of. Almost everyone in your office has a lot of frustration from work, and one way to release that anger is to participate in boxing. For thirty dollars, you can give your kringle the gift of anger with a pair of training gloves. You can also add a gift certificate for boxing lessons at a local gym to go along with the gloves.

If your kringle just so happens to not like boxing or physical activity, there are lots of other things he or she can do with the gloves. Boxing gloves can be used as wall decorations, or as a neat way to store pens, notes, and other knick-knacks in. Just in case your colleague is in the mood to release the rage, he or she will always have those gloves handy.

6. Kick Scooter

Cost: Just under $50
Advantage: It’s the next best thing for office mobility since the Segway PT

A Segway Personal Transporter can set you back at least $5,000. For many office employees who dream of literally wheeling and dealing around the office, the Segway PT is on the really steep side. Motorized short-distance transport may seem far-fetched, office wheels are well within reach. For just 1% of the price of a Segway, a kick scooter gives you an easy and cool way to get around wide office floors.

Chances are that companies won’t allow these funky and fun ways to ruin office carpets, but kick scooters are a great way to move between buildings at business districts. Cheaper kick scooters get easily wrecked and cannot hold the weight of a grown adult, so you need to buy ones made from aircraft-grade aluminum tubing or stainless steel.

Unisex Christmas parties may just be yet another annoyance made by the corporate world to further stress its workers, but that doesn’t mean you can’t play around with options that don’t involve porcelain or photography. With these ideas to help you buy the perfect unisex gift, you’ll never have to worry about offending other people again with the next coffee mug or picture frame you’re giving away.

Five Gifts for a Buy Nothing Christmas List

Marck — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:43:07 +0000

There are times that Santa Baby wouldn’t slip a sable under the tree, or a ‘54 convertible too, and he won’t hurry down the chimney tonight. Christmas gifts can be expensive, and shopping for that one special gift can take a lot of time and effort. While Christmas is definitely not about the gifts, it can be more meaningful and memorable if you do have something to give away to a friend or a family member.

A “buy nothing Christmas” may be a bit too extreme for people who are used to store-bought Christmas gifts. When you collect all the store-bought neckties and plastic toys given away for Christmas all over the country, you’ll see how much Christmas can affect the environment. Times are also hard these days, and not everyone can afford to have the same plentiful Christmas they had before. Yet the joy of giving doesn’t have to end with your concern for the environment, or the state of your finances. The best gifts are often those that cost little to nothing at all, but come straight from the heart.

A Buy Nothing Christmas is a great way to celebrate the season of giving without breaking your budget. You also help save the environment, and at the same time break free of a commercialized, store-bought Christmas. Here are five gifts that can make their way into your own Buy Nothing Christmas list.

1. Housework Coupons for Mom

Your mom does housework for 365 days a year and still goes through the trouble of buying you that game console you really wanted for Christmas. If you can’t afford that beautiful necklace she admires, or if you’re stuck with less-than-creative ideas like aprons or rubber gloves, then you can make “housework coupons.”

If you’ve seen or received gift certificates before, a housework coupon is very similar to one. You can have your mom take the day or the week off from Christmas, while you do important chores like clean up the house, cook dinner, and wash the dishes. To make the coupon or certificate feel even more special, you can make it out of handmade scented paper and written in your own handwriting.

Remember that when your mom decides to cash in the housework coupon, make sure to do a good job with chores and tasks around the home. Add a “promo” to the coupon, like if she cashes in the coupon in a week, you’ll do extra housework that’s not included in your “limited time offer.”

2. Paintings for Dad

Your dad probably already has a collection of polyester neckties and bottles of musk from past Christmas celebrations, and he may really want something different for Christmas this year. One great Christmas present for your dad is a painting you made yourself. You don’t have to be a Picasso or a Rembrandt to make paintings of scenery and images your father may like.

A few weeks before Christmas, it’s time to break out your canvas, easel, and painting kit, and head off to some of the most meaningful places you shared bonding moments with your dad. Here are some ideas:

The ice cream store or soda shop that you both went together when you were a kid
His favorite beach or resort where you all go to on a holiday
His favorite forest or hilltop view
The view of a sunset from his easy chair by the window
A family portrait
A portrait of himself

Don’t be too worried that your painting or sketch won’t look like an award-winning masterpiece. Remember that it’s the thought that counts, and he will surely appreciate your gift better than store-bought presents.

3. Wildflower Potpourri for Your Fiancee

Many couples may have a curio cabinet of just about every store-bought item for couples. You may already have collected teddy bears holding everything from perfume to flowers to heart-shaped boxes. If you want to have a more meaningful and romantic Christmas present for the person you love the most, you can try wildflower potpourri.

Potpourri is both a romantic and a useful gift you can give to your fiancee. It’s a great way to freshen up a room, especially for those romantic moments you share with your beloved. Potpourri is also a very good way to get rid of strong odors from kitchens, bathrooms, and living rooms. The great thing about potpourri is that it costs absolutely nothing to make.

Instead of buying flowers, you can gather wildflowers from a nearby forest or woodland, weeks before the winter season. You can then dry them out on the autumn sun, or use a set of heavy books to weigh down the petals. Fragrant bark pieces from trees like cinnamon, fir, or pine also add a unique scent to the potpourri. Loosely pack the dry fragrant pieces on a piece of cheesecloth, and place them inside an affordable gift box.

4. Scrapbooks for a Nephew or Niece

If you’re wondering about what to do with those stacks of used office paper, you can recycle them to make scrapbooks for your nephews and nieces. Office paper is very clean and already comes bleached. All you need to do is to shred the paper and make recycled paper pieces out of them. Here’s how you can make a scrapbook out of recycled materials for your nephews and nieces:

Tools

Recycled paper pieces
Two hard cardboard pieces (like the ones used to pack refrigerators, gas ranges, and personal computers)
Thick colored yarn
Nail punch, or any other punching tool that can make holes
Pastel colors, colored glue, glitter glue, and stickers

Steps

1. Punch holes along the sides of the cardboard and recycled paper like the ones found in spiral notebooks or old accounting ledgers.

2. Assemble the scrapbook like you would a sandwich; a piece of cardboard at the bottom, the recycled paper pieces in the middle, and another cardboard piece on top.

3. Make sure that the holes are aligned. The holes need not be perfect. A few imperfections here and there give a very unique character to the scrapbook.

4. Bind the pieces together by threading yarn along and across the holes like you would shoelaces. Make sure that the binding is loose to make the scrapbook easy to handle, but tight enough to keep the leaves secure.

5. Decorate the front and the back of the notebook with crayons, decorative glue, and other decorative knick-knacks you can find in and around your home.

5. Homemade Preserves for Your Best Friend

If you want to give a really special homemade gift for your best friend, try homemade preserves. Christmas winter is the perfect time for you to break out some of your best-tasting canned and preserved foods to give to your best friend. Pickles, sun-dried tomatoes, strawberries preserved in syrup, or other preserved fruits and vegetables from your garden will really make your friend’s Christmas. Home-made delicacies like smoked salmon or homemade beef jerky also work well for the occasion.

They say that the best things in life are free, and that saying certainly holds true for Christmas. Remember that no matter how expensive the gift is, if it doesn’t come straight from the heart, it’s pretty much meaningless. If you want to be that Santa Baby who will sign the “x” on the line, don’t mind, because you’ll be hurrying down the chimney with those homemade gifts tonight.

Seven Ways to Deal With Getting Fired

Marck — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 07:45:35 +0000

It’s official: the economy is in a recession. Things are not looking good any time soon, and the only recourse for some companies is to let go of their employees. Companies have used various terms to lessen the blow for employees: cutbacks, downsizing, right-sizing, re-engineering, optimization, and streamlining. Yet once you get that notice or e-mail that you’re out of a job, your whole world seems to have crumbled around you.

Losing your job may have drastic consequences in your life; you may have a family to support, or you may hold a job to save money for university. You may even feel demoralized and lose your self-esteem, even if you’re not the first victim of a weakening global economy. Getting fired is indeed a life-changing experience. There are many ways to deal with the effects of losing your livelihood. Here are eight ways to break down the burden and get yourself back in fighting form.

1. Put Things Into Perspective

Companies and human resources departments do not fire people because they feel like it. Downsizing and job cutbacks are often used by companies to recover from downturns, and to remain competitive. Firing is almost always a last-ditch measure used by a company to remain profitable. Companies will resort to many other means before firing people, including:

Pay cuts. Some companies would rather hold on to their present number of employees and remain productive, but they have to pay them a lower salary. Companies may also need to cut back on benefits that are not required by law.
Spending cuts. Perks like parties, free-flowing coffee, and free snacks are the first things to go when the company is not doing too well.
Loans. Most companies usually take out loans and financial plans to stay afloat. The money acquired from loans are almost always used to pay for employee salaries.

Remember that firing is almost always a last resort. As much as you hate the feeling of getting fired, companies don’t like the feeling either. In time, you’ll realize that firing people is almost certainly not personal, but is strictly a business matter.

2. Reflect on Why You Got Fired

While there’s always an employee who gets fired because of professional misconduct, many other employees get canned because of business decisions and the worsening economic situation. Even the hardest workers in the world would get fired if:

Your position in the company is redundant, or no longer needed by the company.
The company is not doing too well and can no longer afford your salary rate.
The company needs to let go of employees to recover losses from bad business decisions.

As long as you didn’t violate company policies or did anything that can get you fired, you can only be let go of your company for those three reasons. Don’t blame yourself for getting fired; after all, you did more than your share, and you were a valuable asset to your company while you were working there.

3. Explore Your Employment Options

Believe it or not, getting fired can be a blessing in disguise. Losing your job can only mean another opportunity to move on to other jobs that may pay you a better rate, or improve your skills even more. With a global economic crunch to deal with, you need to step up and deal with the challenges of seeking new employment or taking the next step for your career. Here are some tips you need to keep in mind:

Update your resume. Relevant work experience and new skills should be entered into your resume. Fill up your resume with seminars and training you took up with your previous employer.
Check the stability of the company. With the current situation of the world market, even promising new companies may fold up months after they open. For the meantime, stick with companies that are stable and have a proven track record in the industry your career is in.
Weigh your salary options. Salaries are still competitive today, although the salary that may be offered to you may be lower than what you expect. As long as you’re willing to settle for the salary a company is offering or advertising, you may want to look for a job that offers a higher salary than your previous job.

4. Report for Work

Just because you got fired doesn’t mean that you don’t have to render the remaining week or month allotted to you to report for work. Things still need to get done at the office, like an important project or a task that involves critical deadlines. While you can’t be blamed for having some bitter or negative feelings about getting terminated, you should still exert your best effort to keep the company going. Remember that you’re only doing what is expected of you, so don’t hope for that one chance that the company will take you back.

5. Keep On It

When you do get fired, you need to tell yourself that your new full-time job for the time being is to look for work. What makes job hunting frustrating today is that not too many companies open up new jobs if they do lay off a lot of their workers. Your ego and confidence will take blows every now and then considering how hard it is to find jobs today.

You may have to take freelance jobs or part-time jobs in the meantime to keep yourself busy, and to earn extra money on the side. You can find full-time and part-time jobs from classified ads on newspapers or on the Internet. Unless you can find yourself doing freelancing for the long haul, remember that your goal is to look for full-time employment.

6. Spend Your Savings Wisely

Some people will tell you to invest your savings on the stock market or to put up your own business. Investments and entrepreneurship are high-risk, high-reward enterprises that are great when they succeed, but can fail without commitment and the right sense of direction. As much as rags-to-riches stories about people who made it big never fail to inspire, the truth is that a full-time job is the best way to get you out of a financial rut.

You need to dip into your savings account from time to time to pay the bills. Remember that when you’re out of a job, you don’t have a stable source of income. You also do not have a reliable way to fill up your bank account except for the bank’s interest rates. While you still do not have a job, be more thrifty and be frugal with your expenses. You may need to cut back on unnecessary costs and tighten your belt a bit, but you’ll be able to spend and invest more freely when you finally nail a regular job.

7. Hope for the Best

Crises are never permanent; you should take getting laid off as a sign that you need to step up and take opportunities that weren’t there before when you held down your previous job. It’s demoralizing to lose your means of livelihood, but it’s not the end of the world. Remember: the rest of your life does not have to be dictated by a single failure that isn’t even your own.

Every day, business and financial headlines tell readers the bad news that the economy isn’t looking too good. The way things are going, there will still be people in unemployment lines, and even the best employees of a company will face retrenchment or termination. The important thing is not to lose hope in the kindness of others, and the hope that one day, everything will be better. Even a crisis of this magnitude is not permanent, and all of this will pass.

5 Alternative Ways to Cook Turkey

Marck — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 05:32:27 +0000

For grand celebrations like Thanksgiving and Christmas, turkey is a must-have for the dinner spread. Turkey is a delicious, succulent bird that can be made into just about everything. Roasted or baked turkey is a common dish served on Holiday dinner tables. While it does taste good, there are many other ways to cook and prepare turkey other than just roasting or baking it.

The Thanksgiving holidays are almost over, and you may have had a delicious and sumptuous roasted or baked turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Christmas is just around the corner, and you may also want to have a turkey dish for the pièce de résistance. If you’re interested in cooking, preparing, or eating a different sort of turkey dish for the next Holiday dinner, here are five interesting, delicious, and mouth-watering ways to prepare and cook turkey.

1. Turducken

Turducken is as close as you can get to a legendary dish. Many people talk about this delicious three-poultry dish every time Thanksgiving or Christmas is just around the corner. Some think it’s the next best thing since sliced bread, and still others think that it’s a heart attack on a silver platter.

Turducken is a whole roast turkey stuffed with a whole duck and a whole chicken. Each layer of the giant roasted bird is then filled with stuffing. Traditional turkey stuffings and sauces like flavored cornbread and cranberry sauce are also used for turducken, although other delectable gourmet ingredients like aromatic herbs, seafood stuffing, and pesto are fast becoming popular.

Cooking turducken may seem complicated, but it is rather easy. Here are a few things to remember when preparing and cooking turducken:

Have the butcher or poultry dealer remove the bones from the duck and the chicken. Deboned poultry has a faster cooking time, and the heat gets through the birds more evenly.
Turkey is a tricky bird to cook, because of the texture and consistency of the meat. Make sure to stick a meat thermometer on the thickest part of the bundled and stuffed turkey, which is the breast area.
Turducken can be a total disaster if you don’t sew up the birds properly. Use strong twine to properly secure the stuffed bird. You may need some help to tie up the birds together strongly and securely.

2. Steamed Chinese-Style Turkey

Steamed spring chicken is a very popular and significant dish among the Chinese. The chicken is steamed with a light and flavorful stock made from water, soy sauce, Chinese wine vinegar, and aromatic vegetables like garlic, ginger, leeks, and onions. The chicken is then served warm, and dipped in sauce. Often the stock is used as a dip because of the wonderful flavors infused in it.

You can make the same flavorful recipe with turkey, although you need to modify the cooking methods a bit to cook such a large bird. Here are some important tips to remember when cooking steamed Chinese-style turkey:

Use a large steamer basket big and strong enough to accommodate and hold the weight of the turkey. Giant bamboo steamers are readily available from kitchen supply stores.
Turkey takes a long time to cook. Steaming is a long process that tenderizes the meat and preserves its juices, and it may take hours for your turkey to cook thoroughly and absorb the flavors of the aromatics. One way to get around this problem is to pierce or cut the turkey before steaming it.
Unlike chicken, turkey has a very strong flavor. To round out the flavor of the turkey, use more aromatic ingredients with strong flavors like ginger. You can also add an exotic dimension to the dish by using red ginseng root.

3. Tofurkey

Many vegetarians and vegans also appreciate Thanksgiving and other feasts, but choose not to eat meat. Vegetarian alternatives to meat dishes are very common, and tofurkey is one of the most popular. Tofurkey is made from wheat or soybean protein. Many tofurkey brands provide the same texture and filling quality of a traditional turkey dinner, with more health benefits. Many non-vegetarians also like tofurkey because it resembles and even tastes like real turkey. Tofurkey is also less expensive than a whole bird.

You can follow the package instructions on how to cook a vegetarian mock turkey dish, but that doesn’t mean you can’t experiment. There are many recipes for tofurkey dishes available on the Internet, or from vegan and vegetarian cookbooks.

4. Deep-Fried Turkey

Like turducken, deep-fried turkey is a dish that everyone talks about. If you can fry duck legs or make fried chicken, then you can definitely do the same thing for turkey. Deep-fried turkey combines the delectable and juicy flavor of turkey with the crisp texture of deep-fried goodness. Like any deep-fried dish, it’s easy to ruin deep-fried turkey just as it’s easy to cook it. Here are some ways to make the best deep-fried turkey on your side of the neighborhood:

Never deep-fry a turkey indoors. Turkey is a very heavy bird, and hot oil can splatter all over the place. Use a suitable deep-frying basket for an outdoor fryer to hold the turkey.
Turkey meat is delicious on its own, but you can add extra flavors to the turkey meat using a flavor injector. Flavor injectors are giant syringe-like pieces of equipment that can be used to flavor the meat from the inside.
To get that crisp exterior while keeping the meat juicy and delectable, fry the turkey in cooking oil at 350 degrees for three and a half minutes for every pound. You’ll be amazed that a 15-pound turkey will take less than an hour to cook. Make sure to allow the turkey to rest before carving it to prevent the juices from leaking and drying out the turkey meat.

5. Peking Style Turkey

Peking duck is a traditional Chinese dish that incorporates traditional Chinese ingredients and cooking methods. The dish is particularly enjoyed for its sweet crispy skin and juicy, delectable meat. The same age-old classic method can be used for other poultry items, and works especially good for turkey. Chinese cooking cookbooks and recipes on the Internet have traditional and modern methods on how to prepare whole turkey Peking style.

Roast turkey is a fine-tasting dish, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t try other recipes and ways to cook your holiday centerpiece. If you’re still thinking about having a turkey dinner for the next big celebration, then these interesting and fantastic ways to cook the big bird may just be what you need to get out of the roasted turkey funk.

20 Surefire Ways to Beat the Morning Traffic

Paul — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 02:43:17 +0000

Morning traffic is a headache, especially for those who have early call times. You will find yourself stuck in a long line of vehicles and you can’t do anything about it. You’ll have no choice but to watch your timepiece spell out your fate, which is another infraction of tardiness. The thing with traffic is, it can appear at any given moment and stop you from getting to work or school on time. You must have more than a few aces up your sleeve, if you want to maintain a good attendance record.

A traffic jam has a multitude of causes. It can start from a few traffic violators, road development projects or even unforeseen incidents, such as accidents or malfunctioning traffic lights. You should be able to anticipate each of these events and have the resourcefulness to bail yourself out. If you think you’re running out of options, here are 20 surefire ways to beat the morning traffic:

1. Google Maps - maps&xs=1" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/inline_links/google-maps');return true;">Google maps is the ultimate application for traffic navigation. Just click on the traffic button on the upper right portion of the map and you’ll be able to see the various traffic conditions in your area. Check the areas with the least amount of traffic, then try to discover as many side streets as possible. In the end, you’ll be able to plot several traffic-free routes going to your school or office.

2. Switch Streets - An advantage that a commuter holds over car owners is the ability to go out of a vehicle and walk to an uncongested street. When you are stuck in traffic while riding a cab, you can pay the fare, go down, walk to a side street and hail another cab. Just repeat the same strategy if you get stuck in traffic once again.

3. Purchase a Siren - The initial reaction of drivers when they hear a siren is to either slow down or go to the roadside. You can use the handy device when you suspect that a traffic jam is about to form. Just switch it on and the cars in front of you will move away, at least for a moment. This gives you enough time to speed off before the other drivers realize that they’ve been fooled. Be careful though, since using a siren is illegal.

4. The ROTC Uniform - ROTC/College CMT uniforms look like actual outfits of military men. Secure one of those garbs then wear it while traveling. Switch on your car’s hazard to make it seem like you have urgent military affairs to attend to. Remarkably, some people will mistake you for a real officer and let you through. If you get pulled over by a cop, just tell him that you’re late for class.

5. Relatives in the Military - People with relatives, who hold high ranks in the military or in the police force, can use their influence to break traffic laws. When cops asks them to pull over, they will show a copy of their relatives IDs and sometimes the policemen let them off the hook. Better start doing some research on your family tree.

6. Offer a Higher Taxi Fare - For extremely urgent cases, you can tell a cab driver that you’ll double your fare if he manages to get you to your destination on time. Watch him swerve, cut other drivers and beat the red light until you reach the office. The ride may be scary, but your chances of not getting late will certainly improve.

7. Pay Off the Bus Driver - Stopping at a bus stop and waiting for other passengers to board take too much time, especially if you plan to avoid traffic. You can approach the bus driver and tell him that you will pay the fare for all the empty seats. If you’re lucky, he will agree then bring you straight to your destination.

8. Talk to Cab Drivers - Cab drivers are on the road for almost the entire day, which means they probably know more routes than you. Ask them about all the shortcuts that they know and the traffic patterns for the places that you usually visit. After the conversation, collate all the information and apply them when you’re driving.

9. Live Life on the Slow Lane - If you have a radar detector, you can drive over to the slow lane and go full throttle. Overtake the slow Sunday drivers, as you switch lanes whenever necessary. The moment the fuzz buster ticks, slow down then blend in with the other vehicles.

10. The Diplomatic License Plate - Diplomats have distinct advantages on the road - they are immune to some traffic violations, including speeding. You can secure a fake diplomatic license plate from a black market. Whenever you feel that you might get late for work, you can install the plate and overspeed your way to the office. Just make sure that you also got the necessary papers, justifying that you are a true diplomat, from the black market.

11. Follow an Entourage - When a powerful or influential individual travels, he or she is often escorted by policemen and other vehicles. Other people are expected to move their cars aside, so the group can pass. If you’re in a hurry, you can tailgate the final car of the entourage and switch on the hazard. You’ll get through the traffic in no time.

12. Create an Entourage - Finding an entourage isn’t a daily occurrence, so why not create your own, which is perfect for times of desperation? Ask a friend, who owns a luxury car, to act as the supposed VIP. You and the rest of your friends will tailgate your “powerful” friend , with the hazard turned on. If you have enough cash to burn, you can hire a real police escort, so you can move across traffic freely.

13. Follow an Ambulance - Just like with an entourage, motorists are expected to give way to a speeding ambulance. You can tailgate the hospital vehicle and follow it, as it makes it way through the traffic. Chances are the police will also help the ambulance go through the piles of cars, which works to your full advantage.

14. Phone a Cab - Being stuck in a long line of cars doesn’t really render you helpless. You can call a cab service to pick you up on a nearby side street. Park your car at the nearest possible place, then run to the rendezvous point. Returning to your car after work will indeed be a hassle, but at least you have managed to stave off another infraction of tardiness under your employment record.

15. Ride a Motorcycle - Tired of being stuck in a vehicle pileup everyday? There is actually a means of transport that is impervious to traffic - the motorcycle. Its small and slim frame can easily fit into small spaces. If you ride one, you can weave through the lines of stuck vehicles until you reach your destination. Don’t forget to wear all the required safety gear.

16. Steal a Bike - Need a quick way out of a traffic jam? You can head to a grocery store and steal one of the bicycles parked near the entrance. That way, you can wheeze by traffic effortlessly. It is advantageous for people who work at a nearby office. If your conscience bothers you, you can always return the bike where you found it anyway.

17. Bring a Map - The map is your basic tool for avoiding traffic. By browsing through it, you will find dozens of side streets, shortcuts and alternate routes to get to your destination. You can try out your newly discovered options if your normal route is clogged with traffic.

18. Hitchhike - Sometimes getting a ride isn’t easy, especially when your area is packed with people. Commuters can add more transportation options if they attempt to hitchhike. Not all motorists are willing to give rides to strangers, so you should have a strategy. You can try to seduce motorists by wearing something skimpy or dangling some cash on your hand.

19. Ride a Carpool - Instead of bringing a car to school or the office, your friend or colleague, who owns a van, will provide the transportation while the rest pay for the gas. You’ll be pressured to leave early, since your slowness can certainly lead to everyone’s tardiness.

20. Follow All the Traffic Rules - Some people tend to lose their regard for traffic rules when they’re in a hurry. They, pressured to get to their destination, will try to swerve and tailgate their way through traffic. If they are unlucky, they will get arrested, which is ten times worse than getting tagged for tardiness. Remember, having a criminal record is always worse than a bad employment record.

Sometimes, waking up early does not assure you that you’ll make it on time, especially if you live far from your office. With some courage and serious amounts of luck, you can apply these strategies to breeze by or avoid the morning traffic. Tardiness is nothing but a thing of the past, once you have discovered the best strategy for your setup.

16 Unusual Ways to Use Soda and Beer Cans

Paul — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:04:40 +0000

Some of the most prominent things that you will find inside a trash can are soda cans and beer cans. After drinking soda or beer, everyone crushes the aluminum container and throws it in the bin, without batting an eyelash. If they only knew the number of things that could be done with those beverage containers, they’ll probably start their own the soda and beer can collections.

Soda cans and beer cans are made of thin aluminum, which means they are easy to cut and manipulate. With a pair of tin snips or extra-sharp scissors, you can remodel the can into almost any shape or form of your liking. You can create home ornaments, stylized containers or even useful devices like transistor radios and clocks. Interesting huh? Here are 16 unusual ways to use soda and beer cans:

1. Ashtray - Aluminum, the base material for soda and beer cans, is a good material for ashtrays. It can withstand cigarette burns and is lightweight. To construct a cool ashtray, cut the canister horizontally one and a half inches from the bottom. Use a pair of tin snips to create small cigarette holders and funky designs on the top half-inch of the ashtray.

2.Aluminum Flower - Shape and stylize a soda can into a flower using a pair of tin snips. The container’s colorful exterior will serve as the flower petals. Attach the metal flower to a piece of metal wire, so it will look more realistic.

3. Radio - Assemble a basic radio circuit and set it inside a beer or soda can-based casing. The soda cans can be styled to look like an actual radio or any creative design of your choice. Remember, the circuit board should be held secure inside the casing, otherwise a slight movement may damage your creation.

4. The Coke-Sprite Christmas Wreath - The cans of Coke and Sprite, when together, form Christmas’s official color combination - green and red. You might as well create a Christmas wreath from those two containers. Use tin snips to turn the cans into a set of wires. Interlock the red and green wires until you form the wreath. You can then attach small ornaments such as bells, balls and ribbons.

5. Earrings - Cut out the exterior surfaces of two cans. Once done, twist each around, using pliers, so they will be shaped like a pair of small uneven scrolls. Hot glue the two to a pair of earring pieces. When the adhesive dries, you can wear them to your next social gathering. Other people will surely be in awe after seeing your slick danglers.

6.Flower Pot - Beer cans are instant pots for small plants. Not convinced? Just cut the top portion off then fill it with soil. You can plant small shrubs and some flowering plants in those beverage carriers.

7. Tab Dress - The tabs of beverage cans, when assembled, can form larger things. One of them is the tab dress. Collect dozens of soda can tabs then string them together to create a sexy tab dress. If you want to use the dress as your evening wardrobe, just paint the tabs gold, silver or any sterling color.

8. Wrist Band - Slice a piece of the can’s exterior, preferably the part that shows the logo. Shape it like an actual wrist band then wear it on your wrist. It may not be an elegant accessory, but it shows boldness and attitude.

9. Toy Vehicle - Bore holes on the opposite sides of the can’s top and bottom portions. Once done, slide a pencil for each pair of holes. Attach a toy wheel at the ends of both pencils. After affixing the wheels, bore a couple of tiny holes at the can’s top portion. Tie a string using both holes, so your kid can tug along your creation anywhere.

10.Door Curtain - You can give your home a mysterious gypsy feel by installing door curtains made of soda cans. Think of a good color combination based on the designs of soda and beer cans. Get several cans and cut their exteriors to form a series of identical shapes. When the shapes are ready, tie them to several pieces of string then hang all of them on your door.

11.Art Figures - Want to use the beer can as a platform for your creative juices? You can create scenes using a handful of cans, a pair of tin snaps and the hot glue. Cut and arrange the beer cans to form objects, environments and people. To add visual impact to your creation, you can paint the cans and toss other objects to the mix.

12. Feeding Bowl for Birds and Hamsters - Bird and hamster cages are usually small, which means they need a feeding bowl that will not take up much space. The size of a soda can is perfect for that job. Cut the canister, leaving only an inch of the bottom portion. Smoothen the feeding bowl’s lip, so your pets won’t be harmed when eating.

13. Pendant - Beer and softdrink logos look cool. In fact, some of them are cool enough to be turned into pendants. Cut out your favorite logo from a beer or soda can. Attach it to a jewelry string then wear the whole thing around your neck. When your buddies see the snazzy object hanging on your neck, they’ll surely be brimming with envy.

14. Percussion Instrument - Fill one-fourth of the can with rice or mung beans. Tape a small strip of paper on the can’s opening. Add more spunk to your makeshift shaker by painting patterns and affixing small ornaments on the exterior. When the paint dries, you can shake your stylized can along to your favorite tunes. You can also switch its contents if you want to produce different sounds.

15. Pest Trap - Cut a can in half then bury the bottom part in your garden. Make sure that its lip is visible. Once done, pour beer inside. The pests in your garden will then be attracted to the beer’s sweet scent. They will eventually get curious and check out where the scent is the coming from. The moment they find out about your trap, they will have fallen inside, drowning themselves in the process.

16. Mini Scooper - For small gardening and water-related applications, you can morph a beverage can into a miniature scooper. Just cut the top portion and your makeshift scooper is ready.

Soda and beer cans come as good raw materials for those who are pretty artistic and imaginative. They can find good uses for the container’s every detail. You can too, if you view the can with an open mind and a healthy imagination. Feel free to post your own creative uses for soda and beer cans on the comments section.

15 Unusual Uses for Milk

lifehackery — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:20:58 +0000

Milk has thousands of uses in the kitchen. It is a tasty drink on its own, and gives drinks like coffee and hot chocolate a richer flavor. It is also a hit when making pastries. Cakes, cookies and other sugary goodies are simply not as good without milk. Through the number of ways it can be used as a product for cooking and baking, people tend to overlook the fact that milk’s usefulness extends well beyond the kitchen and the dining room. It is actually among the favorite items of DIY pundits.

Milk, having a rich and creamy base, is a natural moisturizer, making it a versatile household item. It contains nutrients that are known to make skin smooth and healthy, which makes it an unconventional bath item and a popular ingredient for making soap. Its thick base, when applied on furniture, can dislodge dirt and some stains. As you can see, milk is just like a toolbox when it comes to household functions. Here are 15 of its most unusual uses:

1. Facial Mask – With milk’s moisturizing properties, you can use the dairy product to create a skin-pampering facial mask. Prepare half a cup of milk powder then add a little water. Stir the mixture until a fairly thick paste is formed. Once done, spread the milk facial mask on your face and let it rest for about 30 minutes. Wash your face then rinse right after. Your skin will be softer and will have a nice healthy glow, as if you used an actual facial mask.

2. Relief for Sunburn – Sunburn, caused by the prolonged exposure to sunlight, is pretty painful. The burnt skin will sting even at the slightest hint of contact. You can relieve yourself of the discomfort by creating a milk-based sunburn solution. Mix powdered milk with water and two pinches of salt. Apply the solution on the burnt spots and after awhile, you’ll feel better.

3. Flavor Booster for Corn – Milk is often used to enhance the flavor of coffee and pastries. Surprisingly, it also has the same effect on corn. Pour some milk on the water used to boil corn then stir. When both ingredients have been mixed, place the corn in the mixture. Leave it in the pot until the mixture boils. Now, get the corn and take a bite. You will notice a rich sweet taste that will make you crave for more.

4. Hand Soap – Overworked hands are susceptible to skin hardening and the development of calluses. Pamper your hands by applying cold milk to the calluses and hardened layers of skin. You will have a pair of soft and clean hands right after. If your skin remains hard, just apply cold milk three times a day. Eventually, you will notice the difference before the week ends.

5. Shaving Cream Substitute – If you run out of shaving cream, you can use milk as a worthy substitute. Mix a generous amount of powdered milk with a little water. When a thick paste has been formed, apply it on your face before shaving. It may not be as smooth as shaving cream but it will produce the same results nonetheless.

6. Relief for Insect Bites – Milk, being a natural moisturizer, eases the itchiness of insect bites. Its enzymes also help relieve the swelling. To relieve yourself from bug bites, create a mixture from milk, water and salt, then apply it on the insect bites. After a few moments, the welts will still be there but the redness and itching will either be gone or significantly reduced.

7. Ink Stain Remover – Milk’s thick and creamy base is a better stain remover than water. Just soak an ink stain in a milk–lemon juice mixture for the entire day and it will fade or even disappear. You can speed up the stain-removing process by scrubbing the ink blotches while soaked in the dairy product.

8. Shine Shoes and Leather Items – Get a rag and soak it in milk. Apply it on your leather shoes, bags and other leather-based items for a nice quick shine.

9. China Repair – Before you toss your broken cups and dishes in the wastebasket, you can try to fix them by boiling them in milk. The milk proteins, for some reason, will react to the china then turn into an adhesive. This method may not always work but what have you got to lose anyway?

10. Milk Bath – Milk happens to be a popular bathtub item. Not only is it a better moisturizer than some soaps, it is also an effective skin softener. Fill one half to three fourths of your bathtub with milk. Once done, go ahead and take a dip. Let the white bathwater work on your skin for about 30 minutes to an hour. After your bath, you will certainly have soft and better-looking skin.

11. Ingredient for Making Soap – If you want to have soap that is hard on germs but gentle on your skin, try making one using milk. Create a mixture from milk, glycerin, oatmeal, lard and natural scent oils. You can use a blender, to speed up things. Boil the mixture for a few hours then place it on the soap molds. When it dries, you will have a product that is just as good as the ones sold at health and beauty stores.

12. Makeup Remover – Blush-ons, foundations, and other female facial enhancements latch on to your face like adhesives. It usually takes a while before you can completely wash them off your face. You can make the process easier by switching water with a mixture of powdered milk and warm water. Apply the solution on the makeup and in a matter of minutes, your face will be back to its natural state.

13. Plant Cleaner – For owners of themed gardens, you can clean your plants using skimmed milk. The beverage’s thick base, when scrubbed, can dislodge dirt, sap and stains off of leaves. Just make sure that you rinse it off of your plants after cleaning. Remember, dried milk and milk residue can soil and stain your leaves.

14. Fish Taste Enhancer – Fish and milk have pretty distinct tastes. The funny thing is, you can actually use milk to enhance the taste of fish. Get a frozen salmon or blue marlin from the freezer and thaw it in a bowl filled with milk. After cooking, the fish will have a richer flavor and a smoother texture.

15. Furniture Cleaner and Polisher – Combining milk’s creamy base with lemon juice’s acidity creates an exceptional furniture cleaner. Milk’s heavy base will have no problems pushing away dust and dirt, while lemon juice takes care of the stains and disease-causing microbes. You can add essential oil to the mix, so your cleaner will leave a refreshing scent on your furniture.

Upon hearing the word “milk,” people will instantly remember the white-colored energy drink or the frequently used pastry ingredient. Milk’s number of connotations is set to increase, given the overall usefulness of its alternative functions. You might wake up one day and find out that the dictionary have included this very list under the milk’s definition. Anything is possible.

13 Ways to Get you in Your Working Mood Despite Lacking Sleep

lifehackery — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 19:07:24 +0000

Lack of sleep is a plague that haunts many office workers after a pretty exciting weekend. Many who are still hungover with the weekend’s events storm the office, trading working hours with countless yawns and power naps. They end up getting sanctioned or worse, being handed the pink slip. To avoid this pinning predicament, you must know how to tap your reserve supply of energy, so you can go through work productively despite lacking sleep.

Lack of sleep slows down the mind and makes your body feel heavy. Doing any normal office activity won’t do you any good, since you are too preoccupied about having an early bedtime. If you want to counteract such an unenviable state, you should do things that boost your body’s discharge of adrenaline. Coffee, smoking and exercise are the obvious solutions but what if those three don’t work, what will you do? Here are 13 of the best alternative options:

1. Ask a Colleague to Surprise You – Asking someone to give you a surprise may be a strange request, but it is probably the fastest way to bring you to your working mood. Getting surprised speeds up the production of adrenaline, which in turn, generates enough energy to be wide awake for hours. It can come in the form of a simple nudge, an email with surprising content or the good old-fashioned “Boo!”

2. Flirt with Your Office Crush – If there is an emotion that can override extreme sleepiness, it is probably lust. Message your office crush with a set of quirky pickup lines. The moment he or she gives a positive reply, engage in a pretty sensual banter until the both of you can’t contain your excitement. Meet during your lunch break then finish off your sleepiness by doing what passionate couples normally do.

3. Apple Juice – Taking too much caffeine can lead to a heart attack. You can keep yourself awake and minimize the risks by downing a glass of apple juice everytime you feel sleepy. Apple nectar contains substances that can stimulate you into action, as if you were drinking coffee. Best of all, the drink is light on your tummy. You will have to travel to the cafeteria from time to time to get your fill of apple juice, which also happens to be a good way to keep you awake.

4. Watch a Disturbing Video – Watching a disturbingly violent or explicit video is a good way to jolt you into action. The eye-opening contents of these clips are usually not made for the faint of heart, which should be enough to awaken a sleepyhead. The best place to catch these videos is on the Internet, since total online censorship has yet to be established.

5. Heavy Breakfast – Eating a heavy breakfast, at first, will make you sleeper than you already are. Once your body digests the food that you ate, you will have a sudden surge of energy that can last you for the entire day. Just be careful with this strategy. Complete inactivity after the heavy meal can add a few inches to your waistline.

6. Annoy One of Your Colleagues – Sleepy as you are, teasing and cracking corny jokes are still available activities, since they entail minimal thinking. Go to an irritable officemate and give him or her a plethora of knock knock jokes and annoying tales. In a fit of rage, your colleague will ask you to pipe down, or else feel his or her wrath. You, on your part, will be too startled to think about hitting the sack.

7. The Hunt for Sexy Pictures on a Social Networking Site – The thrill of seeing a set of beach or bedroom pictures is more than enough to wake up a sleepless soul. Open your social networking accounts and search for gorgeous strangers with sexy pictures. Ogle at the endearing snapshots for a few minutes then watch yourself rise into action. If you still feel sleepy, try messaging those hot creatures en route to a steamy date this coming weekend.

8. Sip Hot Soup Without Blowing – Soup’s effectivity when it comes to rousing you to the working mood is pretty inconsistent. Though, if you slurp the dish without fanning off the excess heat, you will be in for an unpleasant surprise. The sheer heat of what you are eating will make you howl in agony for a minute or so. The moment you recover, you will have enough adrenaline to last you through a double shift.

9. Spicy Food Devoid of Water – Eating spicy food is torture for some people. They feel their tongues burn through every bite. As a person who lacks sleep, you can munch on pepper or the spicy garlic paste used in Chinese dishes. The whole ordeal will surely leave you in tears, but right after, you’ll be pumped up to accomplish your hardest tasks.

10. Pump Up the Volume in One Swift Motion – Listening to upbeat or aggressive music is not enough to wake up the sleepiest people. To make it more effective, turn up your music player’s volume to the maximum in one swift motion. The noise will give your body a jump start, which will translate to the swift production of adrenaline. In the end, you will be too roused to feel sleepy, as long as you ride the momentum generated by what you’re listening to.

11. Gum Overload – Giving yourself a sugar rush is not always effective when you only had a couple of hours worth of bedtime the night before. You can build on that tactic by switching your favorite candies with chewing gum or bubble gum. The act of chewing provides additional stimulation, aside from the gum’s sugar content. Be sure to bring a pack, so your supply won’t run out for the whole day.

12. Scream – Go to a place where you won’t be able to disturb your co-workers. Once you have made sure that no one else is around, think of all your frustrations, then let out a loud yell. Scream as many times as you like until you feel your body surge with energy. When you return to your cubicle, you will be energized, as if you had enough sleep the night before.

13. Pull Your Hair – Pulling your hair may seem like a stupid idea until you actually give it a shot. The sensations generated from tugging at your hair can actually stimulate your brain into action. You will have a good amount of energy for an hour or two, so you have to repeat the strategy whenever necessary.

Lacking sleep is one of the biggest problems of both employers and employees in the office setting. Not having enough shuteye clouds one’s judgment and can hamper the productivity of the entire company. Given that the lack of sleep is a pretty normal occurrence, you should do your part as a dedicated worker. Your efforts will be rewarded by a bustling career or an unexpected nomination for a promotion. So take your pick, will it be an early bedtime in the office or the start of your professional legacy?