April 2018 – Vivu.tv

Useful Information about Stress Management

The term ‘stress’ is actually neutral and it denotes a response to any demand. If that response is unhelpful in meeting the demand or challenge then aspects of your life need to be addressed to solve the problem. On the other hand, if you are being chased by a tiger, that extra adrenalin rush that enables you to run faster than ever before is an appropriate stress response.

While the latter response is essential to survival and could save your life, the former is an overreaction that can affect your studies and even lead to illness. To begin tackling the way you cope with stress look first at situations you perceive as stressful.

Stressful events

There is a long list of events that cause stress and that can be ordered into four main categories: loss, major life changes, failure, and additional responsibilities. Moving to your university town and beginning degree studies is a major change. Not achieving as well as you expected, is perceived failure. I say ‘perceived’ because this is how a person may respond to a grade that is lower than their average and yet it may still be an excellent grade for a first essay in a new and challenging learning environment. We each respond differently to stressful situations but there are a few things we can do to cope.

Know yourself

Whether you are a pessimist or an optimist, easily flustered or always cool, being realistic and honest with yourself is the first step to stress management. Know where your weaknesses lie in coping strategies.

Tips for lessening stress

Accept help when it is offered. This could be anything from moving furniture to academic advice. Maintain discipline in your study schedule so you do not fall behind on work. With the pressure of deadlines a pile of back work can be a major source of stress. Money issues on a slim budget are to be avoided. Budget carefully and do not overspend. Of course you also want to enjoy your time at college or university and occasionally you will want to splash out but do not make it a regular occurrence.

Stress has a physical effect on our bodies including shallow breathing, tension in the muscles, possible headaches, and sleeplessness. Always leave time on your schedule for a daily practice of exercise, including breathing techniques, relaxation, and a walk or some sport. Your schedule is important, do not leave it to chance and do not burden yourself with more commitments than you can reasonably meet. Good time management is essential to stress management and the clue here is to remember that you are a whole person with intellect, body, emotions, and soul. Neglecting any of these areas of your life can weaken your reserves for coping with stress. Seek a balanced schedule.

Emotional crisis

There are times in life for which we feel unprepared. The loss of a family member or the end of a relationship are examples. Emotions can be overpowering and all your stress management techniques may be of little use. However, if they have become good practice and habitual then they will serve as a support. If you have taken note of all the above tips then you will not be burdened by avoidable stress should the unavoidable come your way? A few good friends who are willing to listen and help are invaluable and do not be afraid to seek out a sympathetic tutor or, if you are religious, a person of faith for advice.

Friendship and activity

Even if you are not an extrovert cultivate some good friendships and participate in extra-curricular activity. There is nothing like a good chat, or shared fun and laughter to alleviate stress. Take care of yourself and each other, create a pleasant home away from home and stress is less likely to overwhelm you. If it does then do not hesitate to seek help.

Simple Regular Exercise: Walking

You may not often find time to pursue sporting activities or maybe you are not a sporty type but fortunately there are some very simple ways of remaining fit which will keep you in top form providing you make them part of your daily schedule.

The very best of these simple exercises is walking. The benefits are huge and it is better than jogging as there is less strain on the joints. This is not about speed walking as you see in the Olympic Games but walking at a speed that suits you, not a stroll either, at a consistent pace for a stretch of time decided on by you. I would say walk for at least half an hour, longer if you can, but even if you have very little time then a fifteen minute, brisk walk each day will still have some effect. Let’s look more closely at the benefits of walking.

Health benefits

Research has given us hard evidence of the advantages to health that walking brings. It is a great preventative medicine for high blood pressure and diabetes. It reduces your risk of heart attack, stroke, and breast cancer. In addition it is also believed to be helpful for depression, constipation, insomnia, lowering stress levels, and general wellbeing. You may be thinking that you are too young to be worrying about any of these health conditions but the point is that it is better to start early. As a student the benefits of keeping fit, sleeping well, and a general sense of wellbeing are obvious. Apart from the activity of walking you will also be out in the fresh air and hopefully the greener parts of town or campus.

Method

Fairly even terrain is the best for walking. You do not want to be climbing. Set your pace and keep to it for at least fifteen minutes when your body will become accustomed to the demands you are making of it. When you feel comfortable try speeding up a little, or if you feel tired then slow down a little but keep a good, constant rhythm. As soon as you feel more energy then walk faster. Please do not feel you are in a race. This is not about fastest times and you can alternate fast and slow pacing according to how you are feeling. The benefits are the same. If you feel out of breath then slow down. The most important factors to remember are regularity, do this every day; a good walking surface that is not too uneven so that you can maintain your pace without difficulty; an unbroken rhythm, do not stop to look at something. If you are walking for longer than half an hour then you can break your walk into two parts and take a short break halfway before returning. Five to ten minutes is plenty.

Enjoying the walk

Walking together with friends is fun. Your joints will be taking less of a pounding than if you were running. Not only do you increase your metabolic rate but that higher rate is maintained for a while after you have finished walking. You will gradually increase your muscle strength and walking will become easier. Keep it up for good sleep, less stress, and greater alertness.

The Bayt Al-Hikmah: A Fabulous Centre of Learning

The House of Wisdom in Baghdad

University education is not new. The Bayt al-Hikmah, a centre of learning and translation, was founded by the Caliph Al-Ma’mun and his father, Harun ar-Rashid in the ninth century C.E. Islam had spread rapidly from the seventh century onwards and the genius of the new Muslim rulers lay in the fact that instead of destroying what they found they built on it and thereby laid the foundations for the flowering of a new synthesis of ancient skills and knowledge with the insights of Islam. Later, in the region of Al-Andalus, this was to lead to an unprecedented progress in the arts and sciences as well as metaphysical philosophy and pave the way for the Renaissance in Europe. The Bayt al-Hikmah was a pivotal mover in this history as it was here that the activity of translating ancient and invaluable documents was begun.

Origins of the Bayt al-Hikmah

The building of the Bayt al-Hikmah (House of Wisdom) was begun by the Abbasid Caliphs under the Caliph Harun ar-Rashid at the beginning of the ninth century. The library was originally founded on the collection of scientific works from his grand father, his father, and himself. His son, Al-Ma’mun, gave the project a new and significant momentum by inviting translators to pursue a project which involved the translating into Arabic of essential texts written in a variety of languages such as Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Farsi, and Latin. Al-Ma’mun divided the Bayt al-Hikmah into departments for each of the sciences and scholars from all disciplines met and worked within its walls. It was under Al-Ma’mun that the works of Aristotle were translated which through the Arabic editions were later to become available to European scholars.

The Terrible End of the Bayt al-Hikmah

In 1258 the brutal invasion of the Islamic heartlands by the Mongols reached the capital of Baghdad. The Caliphate was destroyed and the Bayt al-Hikmah fared no better. The mass destruction of its treasured library reduced the collection to pulp. Baghdad had been the centre of a golden age of Islamic Civilization with far-reaching influence in the arts and sciences. The last Abbasid Caliph was killed under the command of Hulegu and the scholars at the Bayt al-Hikmah also came under the swords of the invaders.

The Heritage of the Bayt al-Hikmah

Scholars of many faiths and cultures worked in Baghdad at the Bayt al-Hikmah and their work was not lost. The translations of the Greek texts, the medical, astronomical, mathematical, and optical discoveries of generations of scholars, informed scientific progress across the Muslim lands, through Al-Andalus and into Europe for centuries.

The Ancient University of Nalanda in Bihar, India

One of the greatest universities of ancient times was the Buddhist University of Nalanda near Bihar, India. A lot of the information on this centre of Buddhist learning comes to us through the writings of a Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, and traveller, Xuanzang.

As far as can be ascertained, it is believed that the university at Nalanda was built by the Gupta emperors in 450 CE. It consisted of separate compounds with dormitories, temples, and lecture halls. With over ten thousand students and two thousand lecturers, Nalanda was famed for its learning across South-East Asia, Tibet, Turkey, Iran, and China. Nalanda was already known as a place visited by the Buddha in 500 BCE so it was fitting that as an institution of Buddhist scholarship its influence proved to be significant to the Buddhist world. It is said that Mahayana Buddhism has its origins in Nalanda and Tibetan Buddhism was greatly influenced by scholars who taught at Nalanda together with the traditions of the Tibetan Bon religion.

One of the major activities in the nine story library was the copying of important texts and when Xuanzang returned to China after his seventeen year sojourn in India he took hundreds of Sanskrit texts with him plus translations of Buddhist texts. Translation was yet another activity of this formidable scholar.

The subjects taught at Nalanda also covered philosophy, grammar, medicine, and mathematics as well as Buddhist and Vedic texts. The area has been excavated and a museum built to house many of the artefacts found. These include statues of the Buddha, coins, and inscriptions. Although the excavated area covers many thousand square meters the writings of Xuanzang suggest an even larger extent of the university still remains unexcavated. The decline of Buddhism in India is related by historians to the demise of Nalanda which was destroyed by Turkic invaders in 1193 CE. Today a plan is in progress, instigated by Japan, to build a new, international university close to the site of the ancient university.

The Cure for Writer’s Block: Write or Die Review

I just learned that I can type 277 words in 5 minutes. That puts me at about 55 words per minute, which is not bad. Not bad at all.

Yesterday, I purchased (for $10, no biggie) this nifty little app for my desktop called Write or Die. Very awesome so far, I must say! You can time yourself, set word goals, set time goals, have actual consequences for not reaching said goals (you know, if you really want to put the pressure on…), and publish your posts right from the app once you finish.

It’s customizable as far as your background color goes when you write, but I recommend white if you plan to read it. I picked a light purple, pastel, and it was a tad distracting.

I noticed the funny settings when I first started exploring it. You can customize your grace period, which lets you choose how long it will take before the app starts making annoying noises at you when you’re typing speed is lagging. If you set it to kamikaze, it eats your words – eek!

Essentially, if you want to do writing exercises or freewriting to discipline yourself into writing every day, then this is an amazing app to have.

I didn’t even know they had things like this. Then again, I never knew a lot of things I never knew. Right?

When I’m doing homework, I generally don’t want to put quite that much pressure on myself. However, now that I’m enrolled in online school for creative writing, some of that pressure might be a good thing, right?

For some people – like me – the key to accomplishment is to overload myself. I have to take on enough to push myself into getting a lot done in a day, otherwise I wind up sitting there not doing anything or messing around on Facebook, which is so not productive.

If you’re the same way and need a little push, then this app might just be the right thing for you. Push yourself to write a lot! The writing has to be crappy before you get to the good stuff. I used to sit at Denny’s for hours scribbling whatever’s into my journal. A lot of it was complete shit. But then, after the first 30-60 minutes, I started having great ideas, nuggets of genius would come pouring out and I was lost in my little world of writing.

Back then it was poetry.

Now, it’s novels.

Speaking of which – did you know that November every year is National Novel Writing Month?

I heard about this for the first time this year, 2011. So this will be the first year I take part and actually try my hand at coming out with a 50,000 word piece of work within a month. I am 9 days behind.

That’s okay, though. I’ll play catch-up, then I’ll probably get ahead – or not – but the main reason I’m doing this is to try to develop more ideas or more in-depth concepts.

Writing is one of the most fun, free, and awesome forms of expression in my opinion. Then again, that could be because I love to write. I’m sure if I were a painter, I would think that’s the most rewarding.

No matter what your skill level, you can benefit from writing exercises. You can therefore benefit from utilizing this awesome little app to make that happen! You can save or discard, publish or not, and feel better in the knowledge that you do write every day, no matter how much crap you come out with at first.

The benefits of a tutor

If you’re attending college online, chances are that there is a section of the student web site that offers tutoring. Take advantage of this service! It’s usually included in your tuition, so there’s absolutely no reason not to use it.

Most of us have trouble in one class or another, the problems for many people being in math. Me included! I hate math. Somehow, I failed geometry 3 times before college. No re-takes. I had the class 3 times at 3 different schools and failed all 3 times. Bummer!

My college math classes were much better, though. I got B’s in both college math classes! I was amazed. And how did I do so well? By taking advantage of the free tutoring services offered through my online college.

That and extra hours studying. I refused to turn anything in until I felt like it was perfect, save for a couple of instances.

So how can a tutor help you? The most obvious answer is also the most helpful: feedback! Yes, your instructor is supposed to give you feedback on your assignments. But what if you could get feedback before turning it in? What if you could get feedback and use it to make your grade as well as your understanding better?

Tutoring brings this possibility to life. My recommendation to use a tutor goes into overdrive for students who have an instructor they can’t understand for some reason, or an instructor who is not liberal with their feedback.

If you’re attending college on campus, you can purchase an online tutor pretty easily. Tutors cost money, but at the same time, if you need the help, your grades are worth it.

Online tutors are probably the most resource-efficient types of tutors to hire or get in touch with. Online tutors are usually available, they don’t charge as much, and they are good at what they do.

There are a lot of different tutoring companies out there who offer online tutors, so here is a basic rule to follow when shopping around for an online tutor if you don’t get the service through your college: NO ONE works for free. Anytime you find a service online, you run the risk of it being a scam, so it’s good to know what to look for and always read the fine print. As someone who offers services online, I can tell you from an independent contractor’s point of view that working for free is not an option.

As far as reliable and legitimate tutoring services go, a lot of colleges are providing tutoring services either in person or online that would be the most reliable and know exactly what your college prefers. If for some reason your college doesn’t provide tutoring services, some of the best online tutoring services can be found through tutoring service web sites.

And many more. For the best results, figure out exactly what you need or want in an online tutor and shop around a little bit. Make sure you feel that the service you’re getting is worth the cost, the tutor you hire is someone you can get along with and work with, and that you and your tutor understand each other!

If the tutoring service isn’t helping you in the way that you need it to, don’t be afraid to ask for a new tutor or go with another service. Most online degree programs allow you to utilize a tutoring service they’ve specifically chosen free of any extra charge, which is a huge advantage to going to college online. However, if you just need a tutor even though you’re attending in class, make sure you know if you want to have a tutor who comes to see you or you’re okay with a tutor you don’t speak to face-to-face.

Reading Beyond Your Reading List

Do you stick with what you are told to read? If you go about it in the right way then you can read a lot more and relate your knowledge to the required syllabus.

Yesterday in the learning category we spoke about ways of increasing your interest in a class you find dry. By relating your motivational passions to the subject in a creative and supportive manner, and approaching the subject through a perspective that you find inspiring, an otherwise tedious topic can become easier to study. Similar considerations apply also to your required reading list.

You may find the list more than long enough and later this week we will be looking at some good advice on reading skills but here we are considering the advantages of expanding your reading to cover authors and titles not listed as required. On the reading list handed out for any given lecture series you will see two categories. One is obligatory reading that forms the basis of the course the other is additional suggested reading. It is in the area of suggested reading that you may choose to add something that you have discovered and find inspiring. This is not to say that you ignore the literature suggested by your lecturer but as it is not required reading you might read one, familiarize yourself with another and then read something you have chosen yourself.

To give a concrete example: When I was taking a seminar course on Islamic Art and we were looking at Safavid miniatures I quickly noticed how often the theme of love had been used by these excellent artists and discovered that their miniatures were based on many of the traditional folk stories of Muslim lands. In turn some of these stories were used by the great Sufi writers and poets to illustrate points of spiritual learning such as the longing of the mystic for union with God. A love story serves as an appropriate metaphor for this endeavor.

University libraries are full of wonderful treasures waiting to be discovered by students and I discovered several books that told those stories and explored them for perennial themes such as the hero. This was a rich addition to my studies and guided me in my decision of a topic for the art project we were required to complete as part of our assessment.

When creating a reading list a lecturer has to make choices and inevitably some worthwhile reading matter has to be left out. This does not mean that it is not valuable. As noted in the article on using extracurricular interests to support and underline your work in class, the same applies here. This is not about going off on a tangent so that your lecturer cannot recognize the material she taught as being present in your essays. It is about enriching the subject with your own discoveries and developing yourself as an independent scholar.

How Can I Combat My Homesickness Living At College?

Going to college is a very fun, exciting experience for all students. If you are living on campus, then you are entering into a world of freedom and independence. If you are living outside of home for the first time, then you may be feeling a little homesick. It is very common for college students to feel homesick; this is especially true if you are attending an out of city or out of state school. If you are feeling homesick while living at college, then you should consider a few of the following tips.

A great way to ease homesickness is by making good use of technology. If you and your family have computers, then use video chat programs to have face to face conversations. You may have a busy schedule, but you can try to set aside an hour or two each week to chat with your family. This is a great way for you and your family to keep each other updated. You can also call or text message your family at a specific time each day. A friendly call or text each day will help ease homesickness on a daily basis. Take advantage of the technology available to you, and you will ease your homesickness in no time.

How to Test Out of Classes

Testing out of classes in this fashion is relatively simple, but once you get past the SAT/ACT it becomes a bit more difficult. The ability to test well and learn quickly is a must, and sometimes this rapidly-learned information cannot simply be forgotten since your classes in upper-division will build upon it. For the most part, though, most of the courses you will bypass are just for general education requirements.

There are four primary reasons to test out of classes:

You may graduate sooner. I hear of kids all the time who graduate high school and enter college as sophomores.
You save money. I’ll give you an example a bit later.
You establish yourself as a good student. If somebody gets a chance, they will peek at your record. Why not make the most of human beings’ curiosity?
You have the option of taking it easy. If you are burnt out after high school, you can take fewer classes than the majority if you have earned enough credit beforehand.

Depending on which college you plan to attend, it is possible to begin testing out of college classes as early as the 7th grade by scoring well on the ACT/SAT talent search. It doesn’t matter when you start, but the more credits you get when you are younger, the easier it will be when you are older.

You have many options to test out of or simply be exempt from college courses:

SAT/ACT scores.

It is most likely that you will be able to get out of some lower-level English or Math classes with a high score in either subject. I am not aware of how many schools do this, but definitely be sure that you do some investigating at your college.

Advanced Placement Classes (AP)

Around your junior year of high school you can start signing up for AP classes. Not only do these give you a nice GPA boost, but they can also give you college credit, depending on your score. The general cutoff is a 3/5 to get college credit. (If Bad Boys II can get 3 out of 5 stars, so can you.) How good your grade in the class is matters much less than your exam score, so even if you are failing the class go ahead and study so you can pass the AP test.

International Baccalaureate Courses (IB)

Not all schools offer the IB program, but it is the best secondary education available. The coursework is rigorous and the exams are difficult, but you will be better prepared than other students. Here are some sample exam papers.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

I love CLEP tests with all of my heart. I passed my first two, American History II and American Government, just with the general knowledge I had floating around in my head. Luck or not, I recommend CLEP tests above all other options because of how easy they are and how little time they take.

College Board is the boss for CLEP tests. It has a list of all available CLEP exam descriptions, a CLEP test center search, and answers for any questions you may have.

Things to know about CLEP:

Score reports are given immediately after you finish a CLEP test.

If you need special accommodation for whatever reason, it can be arranged.

If you fail a CLEP test, you can’t take the same one again for six months.

If you are a Minnesota high school student, six CLEP tests are on the house until June 2008! Read more about the CLEP in Minnesota.

CLEP tests are administered on computers, but if you want to do a pencil and paper test you may. This costs 120 dollars, requires 2-3 weeks for your score report, and is only available for the following tests:

Analyzing and Interpreting Literature
College Algebra
College Mathematics
English Composition
Freshman College Composition
History of the United States I: Early Colonization to 1877
History of the United States II: 1865 to the Present
Humanities
Information Systems and Computer Applications
Management, Principles of
Natural Sciences
Psychology, Introductory
Social Sciences and History
Sociology, Introductory

DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST)

I don’t know much about the DSST, but it is for those in the military. Take a look at the DANTES home page to learn more.

High School Dual-Enrollment Program

Some high schools collaborate with local universities or community colleges to provide a program which gives both high school and college credit at the same time. These classes are generally not much more difficult than an honors level high school class.

Life Experience

If you speak a foreign language or have some prior musical experience, you may be able to get credit for it, depending on your major. Things such as management experience or another field of expertise may work as well, but it requires much more convincing.

Internships/Co-op Programs

Whether it’s a summer, a semester, or a year, you can find something to do outside of school that lets you earn college credit while getting your first professional experience. There are more opportunities for technical majors, but if you dig deep enough you may find some other programs as well. Check with your adviser if it is possible to get any credit. If it isn’t, consider doing something during the summer anyway.

Injury

Still go to a school with a PE requirement? See if it may be possible for your whiplash to unexpectedly return. 😀

Some of you may be deterred by the costs required for study materials, exam fees, and the amount of time you will spend studying. Think about this:

College

2 Semesters Full-Time.

Credits Earned – 30.

Tuition – $4,000.00 Dorm – $3,000.00 Books – $300.00

Time spent each week working on college-related assignments/studying – 30 hours.

10 CLEP Tests.

Whenever you want.

Credits Earned – 30+ depending on which tests you take.

Test Fees – $800.00 Study Materials – Free, if you are lucky.

Time spent each week studying – 10 hours or less.

Getting out of classes is really a no-brainer. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by getting out of as many as possible, so go do it!

5 Jobs Your Can Do From Home

How many times have you thought to yourself as you’re rushing out the door, grabbing a granola bar, and doing your mascara on the way to work, Man, wouldn’t it be nice to just work at home?

In the information age, a lot of employers and businesses are realizing that working from home is a real possibility now. There are a ton of jobs you can do from home, everything from tech support and customer service to writing, editing, and secretarial work.

Because there are so many and a lot of them are very specialized, I decided to put together a list of jobs you can do from the comfort of your home and where to find these jobs.

Some of the most popular home-based jobs are also a lot of fun, simply because they’re somewhat easy for the right people and you don’t have to waste time and gas commuting. You make your own schedule, are flexible enough to take breaks if you need to get something else done, and don’t have to take your lunches at specific times.

The 5 most popular jobs you can do from home are somewhat easy to obtain if you have the necessary skills. Someone with terrible grammar and spelling wouldn’t become a professional writer, right? So really think about it. What do you know a lot about? What are you skilled in? Can you offer this as a service and get paid for it?

Virtual Assistant

A VA or Virtual Assistant is exactly what the job title implies – an online assistant to someone, their business, or specific assigned tasks. Virtual assistants can be responsible for answering e-mails, customer service, follow-up work, interlinking web sites, or other assistant-specific tasks. The best part is, as a VA you don’t have to get anyone else but yourself coffee. Working from home definitely has its perks!

How can you find a job as a Virtual Assistant? There are plenty of web sites to go to for this kind of work, and some to get you started are Craigslist and oDesk. For a job-specific site, check out Virtual Office Temps.

Customer Service Representative

There are companies hiring customer service workers all the time online. Companies are outsourcing their call center work to save money by saving space. Instead of going in to a call center to sit at a desk and take calls, you can now do the same thing from the comfort of your own home. Companies like Convergys are always hiring call center reps to work from home.

I can tell you from personal experience that working from home is a nice perk, extremely convenient, and offers a great deal of flexibility. In some cases, even if you know how to do simple data entry, you don’t even have to have a college degree.

Graphic Artist

This is a more specialized field, but definitely one that can be done from the comfort of your home. A graphic artist is someone who designs things like posters, business cards, coffee mugs, book covers, stationery, journal covers, and much more. Postcards, greeting cards, all sorts of design options exist out there – you just have to find the projects.

There are a lot of people who don’t want to pay a whole lot for these services, even though you do need a college degree to do this type of work. Once you’re more established, though, it’s more acceptable to ask for more money. If you have a passion for graphic design, art, color, and visually appealing work, this might be the right career for you!

Writer

Every business, enterprise, organization, and company has a web site now. If they don’t, then they’re behind. But the web site also needs content – good content – if it’s going to go anywhere or serve its purpose, which is usually to get more customers or provide information about the company.

For writers, there’s never been a better time to have a solid writing skill for sales materials, web content, answering e-mails, and being the online chat help for a site. Writing press releases, grant proposals, white papers, business letters, and pre-written scheduled e-mails are all on the list of things a writer can do. People also hire ghostwriters for if they have a good idea for a book but aren’t writers themselves. You can also write essays, term papers, and other education-related material for cash.

Consultant

If you have a specialty, consider yourself an expert on a given topic, or just have a lot of experience with something, you can become a consultant. Consulting work is basically sharing your knowledge with others for a fee – people will literally pay you for what you know.

Things such as self-publishing are rapidly growing and expanding, so people are independently putting their work out there in order to avoid having a big publishing house come in and take 90% of the profits with things like print on demand making that unnecessary. If you’re someone who has knowledge on something specific, you can become a member of a web site like LivePerson or Just Answer and have people pay you for what you know.

These are all very real possibilities and have the potential to make a decent living from home. I personally have made writing my career, and I thought that if I really want to be a good writer, I should learn to write as many different things as possible. Now that I know how to write a lot of different things and edit well, I charge for those services. I have to tell you… working from home is a blessing when you have kids to raise! That was the whole reason why I decided to do an online degree program instead of on campus.