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The
Digest
FALL 2021
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FINDING THE PERFECT COMPANIONS Pets are an essential part of any pet owner’s life. Not only do they provide companionship, but they also help relieve stress and anxiety with nothing more than their presence. They give us an excuse to get out and exercise or just enjoy nature. This is especially true when it comes to dogs. October is National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, and there are few causes that resonate with me as strongly as this one. Why You Should Adopt Before You Shop
I have three dogs myself, and they have grown into phenomenal companions. Whether it’s going for walks, playing around the house, or trying to steal food off the table, I never get enough of their antics. We first started growing our household with Motley, but before long, we added Kramer and Dexter to the mix. We adopted each one from different shelters, and they have since developed into their own herd. Our dogs all have their own unique adoption story, but Dexter’s stands above the rest. I have always loved the look of white German shepherds and follow a few pages on social media dedicated to the breed. While browsing Facebook one day, I saw one of the pages post about a white German shepherd that walked around a Miami neighborhood. My interest piqued, so I started to follow new developments closely. They did locate Dexter’s original owner, and when the police questioned him about the dog, he stated that he no longer wanted him. So, Dexter was sent off to a shelter. Without hesitation, I jumped in my car and sped to the location that housed Dexter, and I adopted him. He was really shy and nervous throughout the entire drive back from Miami. Once we walked into our home, Dexter’s nature completely changed. He came out of his shell and was the perfect new addition to our family. During the pandemic, pet adoption received a well-deserved turn in the spotlight. Across news and social media outlets, stories about shelters running out of animals for people to adopt were shared from around the country. For a few months, people who wanted to adopt a new pet were unable to because shelters did not have any animals available. People felt more isolated and had more free time to train animals during the pandemic, leading to the mass adoptions.
It would have been great for that to become the standard, but the adoption craze has stalled over the past few months. If you’re thinking about adding a furry friend to your household, I advise you to adopt before you shop. Not only will the entire experience be most cost-efficient, but you’ll also get the opportunity to give an animal a new and loving home. Many of the animals that are in shelters had tragic pasts. Some may have been abused and malnourished while others were left to care for themselves. These animals deserve our love too. While you might have your heart set on getting a puppy from a breeder, think about the impact you could have on a shelter dog who has never experienced love or kindness. Throughout this October, take some time to appreciate the animals in your life. Think about all of the good times you’ve had together and the difference you made in each other’s lives. If you don’t have a pet but are interested in adding one to your family, check out your local shelter. You could be changing an animal’s life for the better.
– Moe DeWitt
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SELF-HELP BOOKS CAN’T DO IT ALL HOW READING FICTION CAN BENEFIT YOU
LESS STRESS AND BETTER SLEEP When we read fiction specifically, we tend to disengage from the world — and that’s a good thing! Our brains can’t always be functioning at their peak capacity. We need breaks, or else we’ll stress ourselves out and negatively affect other areas of our lives. Stress tends to keep us from sound sleep, but reading fiction before bed engages the imagination, taking us away from the stresses of everyday life before we drift off. Even though many stories (particularly those portrayed in popular movies) have nice happy endings, most people would agree that life sometimes leaves things a little more open-ended. While this fact might stress out some people, researchers have discovered that fiction readers don’t need “cognitive closure” as much as nonfiction readers. MORE COMFORTWITH UNCERTAINTY
GREATER HAPPINESS Even if none of the benefits of fiction interest you, everyone wants to find ways to make themselves happy — and for many, that is reading fiction. According to one survey, 76% of participants said that reading makes them feel good and improves their lives. So, what are you waiting for? Dust off that novel you’ve been meaning to read and crack it open!
Many CEOs and other successful individuals continually espouse the benefits of regular reading. Many times, leaders read self-help books to improve their leadership skills and become more successful. This is all well and good, but even the most successful people in the world could be missing out on the unique benefits that come specifically from reading fiction. But what are those benefits exactly? functioning MRI (fMRI) studies, he found that the same parts of the brain that fire up when reading fictional stories also fire up when we’re seeking to understand the thoughts and feelings of others. That’s because when the characters in the book we’re reading are thinking or feeling a certain way, we tend to think or feel that way with them. GREATER EMPATHY When a psychologist analyzed 86
Car Insurance Doesn’t Have to Be Scary
When it comes to getting car insurance in Florida, there are two ways to look at it: what you are legally required to have and what insurance you should have. It’s imperative that every driver in Florida takes time
Bodily injury liability insurance is important to purchase in case you cause an accident that injures somebody else. If you are sued for damages after an accident, bodily injury liability will help pay the injured party up to the policy limits as well as help pay toward the cost of your defense in court.
to select which insurance option works best for them to ensure that they are covered in the event of an accident. In the state of Florida, every standard four-wheeled vehicle requires the following minimum level of car insurance coverage:
Uninsured motorist coverage will help keep you covered if the driver who caused the accident has no bodily injury liability or does not have enough to reimburse your losses. After your personal injury protection has been fully used, uninsured motorist coverage will kick in. This coverage can be used to help pay for medical bills, lost wages, as well as pain and suffering.
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$10,000 for personal injury protection $10,000 for property damage liability
The simple truth of the matter is that this is not enough to cover injuries and damages to vehicles in the event of a serious car accident. Personal injury protection will pay 80% of your medical bills and up to 60% of any lost wages due to injuries. It’s best to purchase optional coverage that will help cover costs and protect you from paying massive fees after an accident.
There are plenty of other optional insurance coverages that you should consider when deciding on a policy. The best thing you can do is find the coverage that works best for your budget but still covers everything you could possibly need. You don’t want to find yourself without enough coverage after a serious accident.
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FRESH TIPS FROM THE LAUNDRY ROOM
The Easiest Way to Clean Your Washing Machine
WHYYOU NEED TO CLEAN YOUR WASHING MACHINE The most common washing machines are top- and front-loading, and some do a better job of cleaning than others. However, the washing machine isn’t where germs and bacteria go to die. In fact, according to Reader’s Digest, many home washing machines don’t sanitize clothes, and numerous studies have found that these devices can transfer certain germs from one material to the next. remove bacterial buildup, residue, and mildew buildup. (No more gross smell!) Furthermore, regular cleaning protects it from damage due to grime accumulation. HOWTO CLEAN IT Whether you have a front- or top-loading washing machine is a matter of preference, but it also matters when it comes to However, by cleaning your washing machine, you can
maintenance. For example, front-loading machines have a rubber lip just inside the door where dirt and hair accumulate. Top- loading machines can collect the same amount of dirt in the softener dispenser. Regardless of the machine’s style, baking soda, vinegar, a rag, and hot water are the go-to tools for cleaning your washing machine. Start by running your machine on its hottest cycle for a few minutes, then pause the cycle. (With top-loading devices, you want a pool of water in the bottom of the machine after it’s paused.) Then, YouTube cleaning tutorialist Andrea Jean Cleaning recommends pouring 1/2 cup of baking soda and about 2–3 cups of white vinegar into the machine. (Bleach will work, too!) While the solution sits, scrub the door, detergent trays, and any lips where grime can hide. Then, simply close the lid, finish the cycle, and watch your machine clean itself!
Despite being designed to clean, your washing machine can be anything but. As water settles in the machine’s basin and detergent and grime cling to the edges, it can become a budding environment for mildew and gnarly smells. But with a few simple steps, your machine will smell and function like new.
Get more washing machine cleaning tips from your device’s manufacturer.
BREAK TAKE A
Slow Cooker Squash, Kale, and Sausage Soup
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
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1 tbsp vegetable oil
1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook 4–5 minutes, stirring often, then remove from the pot and set aside. 2. Add garlic and onion to the pot. Sauté 4–5 minutes. Add squash, salt, and pepper. Sauté 8 minutes. 3. In a slow cooker, combine sautéed vegetables, sausage, chicken broth, and seasonings. Cook on low heat for 3 hours and 30 minutes. 4. Open the pot and add the kale. Cook another 20 minutes, then add the red wine vinegar and stir to combine. Cook 10 more minutes, then serve and enjoy!
4 Italian chicken sausages, sliced to bite- size pieces
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6 cloves garlic
1 onion, chopped 6–7 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
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Salt and pepper, to taste 4 cups chicken broth 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp Italian seasoning 3 cups kale, chopped 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
Inspired by SugarAndSoul.co
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Adopt Before You Shop
1
The Unique Benefits of Reading Fiction
2
What Type of Car Insurance You Should Have
2
Wash the Washer the Easy Way!
3
Slow Cooker Squash, Kale, and Sausage Soup
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C-Commerce May Be Online Shopping’s Future
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Could C-Commerce Change the Way You Shop?
Remember in the early days of Microsoft Word, when “Clippy” the paperclip would offer helpful advice and tips on how to use the platform? Today, we could consider Clippy one of the first chatbots to change the way customer service functions in the digital age, and now, Clippy’s descendants could be changing the way we shop. Popular brands like IKEA, Sephora, Lego, and Amazon have created “conversational commerce” (c-commerce) bots designed to help shoppers personalize their shopping experience. In the case of Lego, a chatbot named Ralph lives in Lego’s Facebook Messenger. He’s helped confused and overwhelmed United Kingdom customers shop for the perfect Lego kit for Christmas. Ralph was launched in 2017 and other brands are taking notice.
the amount of time spent scrolling through endless options. The bot then presents links to these products in the chat, streamlining a user’s shopping experience. C-commerce may still be in its infancy stages, but Business Insider predicts the booming market could reach $142 billion by 2024. That projection is up from $2.8 billion in 2019. They also predict it could be a time- and money-saver for health care, retail, and banking industries, potentially saving $11 billion annually. Still, many questions remain about how a c-commerce bot should work. In a 2016 Medium article, Chris Medina wrote that some of the biggest mysteries about c-commerce involve the apps themselves.
The concept is fairly simple. Users reach out to the chatbot via the retailer’s preferred platform, like Messenger or WhatsApp. (Coincidentally, both are owned by Facebook.) The bot provides on-screen prompts, which the consumer answers, allowing the bot’s artificial intelligence software to catalog the best products for this particular consumer, cutting
Right now, many industries are still toying with the idea. While the bots may not be taking over the world (yet), c-commerce bots like Ralph could revolutionize the way we shop, helping consumers narrow down
their options to viable products and personalizing the shopping experience the way Clippy and personal shoppers did in the past.
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