Touched Music

Who Needs Art Supplies?

The art supplies store is not dead. Not by a long shot. Today, big chains and office supply stores are stocking their shelves to try and become “one-stop shops” for today’s consumer. But, the aspiring artist is a different breed of consumer, and they have a discerning eye to see why they should be at an art supply store rather than shopping at a big chain:

• Quality. You know what they say: “jack of all trades, master of none”, right? This can certainly apply to the big chain office stores. They can stock their shelves with pencils, paper, and paints, but they will not be able to match the quality of a dedicated art store. The art store will be trying to carry the best tools and products for the artist. An office supply store will be trying to carry the most cost-effective products on the market: big brands, low quality.
• Variety. This is a similar situation as the first bullet point. A true artist enjoys making a selection and having choices. A big store may have one or two items, but a store dedicated to the artist is going to make sure there are different varieties of tools and supplies to allow the artist to choose what he or she would use best.
• Support. An art store will have artist-minded employees. Period. Anyone who works at an art supplies store has an interest. Most big chain office supply stores are just people who are trying to get a paycheck. If you are a beginner with questions, chances are you will not find an employee with extensive experience in any of the art materials.

So you see, some may look down on the art supply store, but they are horribly mistaken. A true artist knows that their tools are only as good as the store they get them from. Skip the big chains and find a store truly dedicated to the artist in you.

Business made easy

Small businesses often make the costly mistake of doing all of their marketing, advertising, and PR in-house. While this is a great strategy to save money, it’s one that should only be undertaken by those competent in all aspects of advertising and PR. Consider how many horrible ‘budget’ commercials you’ve seen for local companies on TV; companies like those are companies that decide to save the money. In the end, it’s pretty obvious that they would have been better off had they just saved the money, rather than embark on producing a commercial themselves.

The fact is that video production is a complex undertaking – one so complex, in fact, that there are entire corporations who specialize in doing nothing but producing video: commercials, infomercials, corporate videos, etc. The expense of equipment, expert cameramen and editors, not to mention sound engineers, lighting specialists, and music editors all need to be tabulated when considering the expense of producing a legitimate piece of video. Once you’ve tabulated those costs, you’ll quickly realize that hiring a video production company to produce your video is not only easier, but cheaper. In the end, you’ll end up with a higher-quality video that will actually help your business, rather than some eyesore on TV that inadvertently makes your business look sleazy.

As I said, there are some places in business where it makes sense to do it yourself. In fact, I myself still fix the plumbing around here when it breaks, and I have never paid anyone for stationary, which I’m able to print on a printer that I bought used and fixed up. But when it comes to your business’s reputation, I can conceive of no good reason why you wouldn’t want to leave it in the hands of experts. Video production companies hire the best personnel from technical and art schools who excel at creating the kind of image on-screen about your business that will be so powerful it will even impress you. And for any of your other video production needs: if it matters, hire a professional; you’ll be glad you did.

Tags: video production company

Learn Self Defense

Do you ever feel like you’re physically vulnerable, but have no way to strengthen yourself? Lots of people are in a situation just like yours, especially if you’re a woman; no matter how strong you get, you’re seemingly defenseless against someone who might want to rob you or worse. Many people who feel defenseless turn to pepper spray, knives, or guns to give themselves a feeling of security. But the truth is, weapons are often impractical for use (are you going to reach for a gun when you’re being held up at gunpoint?) and are otherwise extremely dangerous. There are countless accidents involving non-lethal defenses like pepper spray each and every year, not to mention thousands of accidental gun deaths. Wouldn’t it be great if you could defend yourself without the use of the weapon?

With a commitment to martial arts training you can and will become your own best weapon, capable of stopping someone - no matter their size. You’ll be able to disarm an attacker, neutralize a thief, and hold your own in hand to hand combat if need be. All it takes is a little bit of commitment, a willingness to sweat, and the desire to feel more confident and more fit for you to lose your worries about your physical vulnerability.

Fortunately, there is a Dallas tae kwon do school for every schedule, every age, and every budget; schools where you’ll learn how to defend yourself, improve your physical fitness, and improve your overall sense of well-being as your confidence soars.

But Tae Kwon Do instruction isn’t just for adults: a good martial arts academy will be able to motivate children to take part in a commitment to learning a martial art like karate or tae kwon do that will only enrich their lives. A commitment to attend to class and practice tae kwon do skills will naturally transform into a strong sense of self-discipline and responsibility. What’s more, the actual skills learned are sure to make your child – male or female – more confident both physically and mentally as their physical and mental toughness improve along with their fitness. And fitness they will acquire, as tae kwon do classes are arduous, testing strength, endurance, and mental toughness, as instructors demand that students give their all in pursuit of their goals – all while they have a good time learning a new sport, a new skill, and a new way of life.