So, you are in Lockdown and it seems to be the only constant today! You
have exhausted all the steam of doing ‘nothing’! Your Netflix and Prime
Accounts have been watched to the latest release. You have called every
friendly mate and wondering whether to approach any of your Facebook
friends. You are busted! You feel that the world has conspired against you
and have nowhere to look. All the purposeless fun is over and you could help
with fun things to do to beat the Lockdown blues. Above all, this phase will
pass too and you may never have so much time on hand in the New Year. So,
let us strike off your Bucket list of Lockdown days!
1. Cook up a storm
In these feminism days and post the recent watch ‘Ratatoullie’, I totally
go with the belief ‘Anybody can Cook’! Cooking is a Talent that some
are born with but hey, who says that the skill cannot be acquired? If
you plan to go abroad, live in a hostel, pursue further studies in another
location in your country or simply wish to refine your culinary skills,
then put on that apron and hat and make your kitchen your exclusive
restaurant. You may be a chef or a sous-chef, however, do tantalize
your five senses with the magical take on cooking a spread. You can
follow all the recipes of a reality show or simply follow step-by-step
videos neatly shot by Chef Ranveer Brar (I really love him!) With the
YouTube entering into the kitchens of the many, cooking any dish has
been much easier than the minimum resources that one had those
days. You will slowly get better and enjoy the aromatic delights that you
come up with. Not to mention, the surge in your confidence to cook and
fend for oneself will be highly satisfying.
2. Plan a Karaoke night
You always wanted to try you hand at Karaoke but the jitters to stand
on the stage would stop you from pursuing it. Pull up your socks and
sing your heart and soul through the night from the comfort of your
home and smartphone mike. You might be in for a greater surprise and
experience the simplest joy of using your vocal chords with no
hesitance! Bring out the singer from you!
3. Fat to Fit challenge
With the ever-increasing Lockdown days, you may find lethargy and
heaviness in your body settling in. With nowhere to go and gyms being
out of reach, make your living room into a pilates corner and sweat
your boredom out. Nowadays, free fitness apps and web content will
get you in rhythm and jive in no time. Strike a consistent pattern to your
exercise routine with a persistent hour of warm up, core exercises and
a cool down technique will keep you fit and healthy even from your

home. Whether you follow the 100-pushup challenge or 60 seconds
plank exercise form, or simply follow a celebrity workout on a web app,
it will need grit, determination and set pattern in the day to lose those
extra kilos and inches off your body. The last thing you need is
heartburn or lowered confidence levels due to weight concerns at this
time of the year!
4. Arrange a Tea Party online
Those were the days to step into a café or spend extra hours at the
coffee pantry machine to catch up on some conversations. But hey,
you can still have it all arranged through a Zoom or video conferencing
session. It simply needs unified energy and intent and some soulful tea
conversations planned at the same time with your friends or colleagues
through an online platform. Put on your green hats and think out of the
box. Go beyond the physical realms and plan an Online Tea Party with
some hot fritters these rainy evenings with your BFFs.
5. Board games are still fun!
I remember those fond childhood lazy afternoons well spent on playing
Board games. Ludo, Snakes and Ladders, Monopoly have been the
biggest companions of all generations. You don’t have to wait to plan a
board game with your child. Snuggle and catch up on old times with
some board games. They will distress your mind; take you back the
memory lane and bond with your children again. If you would like to
play with your friends, then simply download the game on your
smartphones and catch up on some favorite games online by simply
being home.
6. Declutter
Declutter your room. Declutter your home. Declutter your mind.
Between juggling meetings or managing school days, you completely
have neglected how much attention your home needs. Stained carpets
or curtains, muddy windows, piled up cupboards, greasy counters or
messy ambience – all can easily be planned and executed finally when
you are working from home or at home. Focusing on one corner to a
room will be less daunting and will keep you committed to the plan.
Clean and neat spaces will make your home roomy and fresh. With
absence of fresh and free outdoor air, clearing your indoor will be
refreshing.
Declutter your mind too. Living at home amidst tremendous chores,
difficult people and boring routines can get you pulled towards negative
and useless thoughts. By combing out the negative turns, you will find
yourself more mindful and calm. A few minutes of meditation or quiet
time will help you largely to be connected to self and deeper within.

7. Read or listen to a book
How many us were always wanted to read that book during the wee
hours of the work and never could make time to read? With no travel
time and work from home options to many of us can at least spare
fifteen minutes of reading time in the day. Reading not only expands
your worldview but also improves the language competencies of a
person. You do not have to spend a fortune to buy books. There are
free books on the Internet and many other applications that are
available for a quick read.
8. Improve your Communication skills
If you are worried about losing your confidence in interacting with
people during or post the lockdown period, I can totally understand! As
the lockdown has certainly limited your scope of interacting with people
face-to-face, the best way to overcome the nerves is to utilize this time
to practice your communication through virtual interactions, meetings,
coffee conversations or simply opt for an online learning program with
a mentor. This will actually help you to ease the tension, excel at group
meetings, and improve your soft skills and leadership skill. Finally, it
will also add a feather to your cap and credibility to your resume.
9. Check on your green thumb
Organic farming and kitchen gardening are trending hobbies and
hugely popular in today’s youth. They want to grow their vegetables in
their pocket gardens created in their kitchen sill or balcony. Absolute
fun way to spend your time in nurturing few veggie and herb plantations
in your backyard! Involve your family with quick info talks on benefits of
organic plantations and enthuse your child towards nature and nurture
talks. A great way to connect with nature right from the safety of your
home!
10.Look after your whole self
Whether it is your wardrobe that needs extra check or spring-cleaning
your cupboards or instilling a new lockdown exercise and nutrition plan
for yourself, the important stand that you need to take is to maintain
your wellbeing and positivity. With a deeper assessment on time spent
for the mundane activities, affirm a unique opportunity to either learn a
language or a musical instrument or simply work on your overall
personality. Turn on your creativity quotient and look beyond the
rudimentary ways of living these days.
If you only look beyond the routines, you will see innumerable benefits
of working from home. A quick mention on three positive happenings of

the day can change your perspective towards these lockdown days
and mentally prepare you for facing the further steep in the pandemic
graph. Above all, some thinkers have stated, ‘This phase will too pass’!

The writer of this article is the Founder Director and Personal Excellence Coach. She runs Nirmiti Academy, one of the top ranked Personality Development institutes in India. With over 14 years of teaching, training and coaching experience in Mumbai and abroad, she
aims to create a shift in the mindsets of her readers through her inspiring articles and work. Do connect or share your comments on their webpage www.nirmitiacademy.com

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A North Philadelphia man is now facing 5 to 10 years in prison after being convicted of homicide by motor vehicle while driving under the influence. The man’s drunk driving had sparked a chain-reaction collision that ultimately killed one pedestrian and seriously injured another.

Despite the 54-year-old man’s deteriorating health, the judge disregarded his defense attorney’s request for leniency. Instead of sticking with the 3-to 6-year prison term required by law, the judge added an additional 2 to 4 years onto the man’s sentence for aggravated assault by vehicle. According to the man’s attorney, the judge’s ruling amounted to a death sentence for his ailing client.

Drunk Driving Laws in Pennsylvania

The consequences of being charged with drunk driving in Pennsylvania can be severe. In addition to potential incarceration, a person convicted of driving under the influence often faces significant expenses.

Even if the charge is a person’s first DUI, they will face fines, having their driving privileges suspended and a significant hike in insurance premiums upon reinstatement. While first-time offenders will have more options available to them, such as Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition, or ARD for short, they are also in a vulnerable position in the event they are arrested for subsequent DUIs.

The penalties get steadily more severe for individuals convicted of repeat DUIs. Not only will they face the additional expense of ignition interlock devices, but they will also face lengthier jail times, including the possibility of prison.

Building a Strong Defense

The best way to avoid these consequences is to avoid the conviction. Anyone facing a DUI charge needs to attack it right from the start. The moment an individual is arrested he or she should contact an attorney with extensive experience protecting people’s rights.

An effective drunk driving defense requires an aggressive approach. Every aspect of the charge must be scrutinized from the initial traffic stop itself to the tests used to measure a person’s blood alcohol level.

The traffic stop is one of the most critical aspects of the case. Exploring whether the officer had reasonable suspicion to pull a car over is important. The police officer’s conduct during the stop must be scrutinized also to make sure nobody’s constitutional rights were violated.

Finally, an essential drunk driving defense strategy will explore the tests themselves, tearing apart how they were administered, how they were handled and how they were processed. Contrary to popular opinion, there are many opportunities for sample to be compromised during the testing process.

Know Your Rights

If you have been charged with drunk driving, you don’t just need a good criminal attorney — you need an attorney with experience defending people facing drunk driving charges. An attorney can help you avoid some of the pitfalls many people make when they are arrested and charged with a DUI.

Hiring an attorney right away is important. Certain deadlines must be met to protect your driving privileges. An attorney is also there to be your voice. Anyone charged with DUI should not answer any questions and should let their attorney relay the facts to the authorities.

Article provided by Cherry, Fieger & Cherry, P.C.
Visit us at www.cherrycriminallaw.com

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