Netflix Canada Has Some Great New Productions To Watch!

Hot New Picks on Netflix Canada

Notwithstanding what “Netflix and chill” has come to mean in some circles, the idea of curling up with some great movies and shows for a whole weekend or after a rough day at work is a really appealing one. As Netflix has expanded, the company has started investing seriously in original shows, and also airs some old gems on all ranges of topics. Their shows cover just about everything, from money, the madness that it brings and what people will do to get rich, to addiction, mental disorders, superheroes and ordinary people trying to get through the day. The brand has become renowned for its diversity and the fact that it constantly breaks the mould, challenges the norm and delivers viewing that’s unparalleled. Of course it’s the new shows that get us really excited too, so we’ve rounded up the top 5 that have just made their debut.

Arrival

Arrival premiered on Netflix Canada on the 28th of July 2017. It’s perfect when you’re in a sci-fi mood, though it does cut quite close to home, so be warned for some shocking twists and turns. It’s a real thinking viewer’s take on what would (or will) happen if (or when) we are in contact with intelligent life forms from other planets. Exclusive to Netflix Canada, Arrival has an impressive cast that includes Forest Whitaker. Amy Adams does a star turn as a linguist who is tasked with finding a way to communicate with aliens who have landed on earth. She uncovers a very important connection with the extra-terrestrial visitors as she works to unlock the secrets to their language – but what is the message they are bringing?

City of Tiny Lights

To watch different types of worlds collide, check out City of Tiny Lights, which has been available on Netflix Canada since the 26th of July 2017. Riz Ahmed plays Tommy Akhter, a burned-out detective who lives in a moody and somewhat bleak London, a city of tiny lights indeed. Tommy is working through his own issues, but is drawn into a world of corruption when he starts to investigate the disappearance of a sex worker, played by Billie Piper. It’s an original British story, set in the London of today and centred on a Pakistani detective who lives in a stylishly gritty version of the city, and it’s already gotten some great reviews.

Coffee Shop

Feel like lifting the mood with a little lighter romance after City of Tiny Lights? Coffee Shop should perk you right up. In this series Laura Vandervoort sparkles as a small-town coffee shop owner. She has the same financial and romantic headaches that many of us will recognise, and slowly and stubbornly stumbles to the realisation that she can’t actually do everything all on her own. Her love interest is a tea-loving writer from the bright lights of big-city New York, played with real charm by Cory M. Grant. Will they blend together and brew up something perfect? Coffee Shop premiered on Netflix Canada on the 26th of July 2017, so you can watch right now to find out!

How Most Things Work

How Most Things Work is an Argentinian drama that aired on the 27th of July 2017. It’s full of heart and subtle humour, and fits the bill for something quirky that is not so far off the beaten track that it becomes challenging to watch. It’s a good choice when you want to veg out but not feel like your brain is totally switched off. The movie follows Celine, a young woman living in Argentina and working as a tollbooth operator. She becomes a travelling salesperson of an encyclopaedia that is supposed to solve all of life’s questions, and ends up asking a lot of her own.

The Incredible Jessica James

The Incredible Jessica James focuses on Jessica, a feisty playwright from New York City. Having had a really bad breakup, she goes on a blind date with an app designer who is divorced. Her career is also struggling, with enough rejection letters in her apartment to paper the walls. But Jessica is smart and funny, and this show proves that you just can’t keep a good woman down. Forming a good, if unexpected connection, with Mr Blind Date App Designer, her adventures are only just beginning! The Netflix Original movie has been available since the 28th of July 2017 and is definitely worth a watch.

This is a featured post. Please see my disclosure policy for more details

Create a Logo for Your Brand

If you are just starting your own company, there are so many things you need to consider and keep an eye on, that it is quite normal that some aspects will have to be delegated to someone else.

When it comes to logos, some people insist that they know best what their logo should be and what it should represent. Some others, however, realize that there are people whose job it is to create logos and who attended extensive studies on this topic. Even if you do delegate this job to a graphic designer, that doesn’t mean that you should have no input.

If you’re interested in learning more, design experts at The Box Co-Op give some interesting insight about designing a box for your product in this article https://www.boxcoop.com/packaging-university/box-design-tips/.

Choose the Colors and Typeface

The font you choose can be just as important as the product or service you are offering with it. And that’s not just eliminating Comic Sans outright. Certain typefaces evoke an image. For instance, a Serif font is suitable for a high-end product or some highly professional service.

The majority of other brands refrain from using these due to their serious connotation. In the age of minimalist design, simple Sans typefaces are ideal for simple word logos.

When it comes to colors, it is important to have striking colors, but at the same time, you must not go over the top. The color wheel is a fairly useful tool when it comes to choosing suitable color palate for your logo. Complementary colors are opposite one another on the wheel and work well together. Blue and yellow are the prime example of this.

Be Mindful of the Image You Are Creating

Creating a great logo is a long and difficult process. You have to take into consideration what your product or service is. For instance, if you are making high-end electronics it is highly unlikely that a goofy garishly colored logo is the way to go.

Consider Incorporating a Meaningful Drawing

If you see a chance to incorporate a simple image as a part of the logo, or as the logo itself, go for it. Studies have shown that we are more likely to remember an image than a word. IT even has a cool name, picture superiority effect. Naturally, the more that image has to do with your business, the better.

Speaking of images, you can incorporate images into the negative space between the words and letters. Not only is it creative, it gives your logo another dimension and creates a stronger association in the observers’ minds.

Be Flexible

Having an ideal logo is very important for the success of the brand, but if you are working with a designer, give them some creative freedom. Even if the logo is not the exact copy of what you have imagined, it can still be very good.

Get a Second Opinion

That’s not to say that you should have absolute trust in your graphic designer. They can make mistakes, too. What you should do is consult others before you use the logo. Your friends and family can make a good focus group. In order to avoid unwanted blunders or uninspired design, take your time when picking the logo.

Burger King Are Ignoring My Serious Complaint

I promised myself that I would use my blog to rant about my experience at Burger King in Blackburn as a last resort.  Three weeks down the line I have come to the point where it's this option or take it to the local, or even national, press (cue *angry face expression whilst pointing at a Burger King wrapper* photo).

I'm going to use this blog to publish the timeline of disaster from the initial experience through to the social media conversations, the lack contact from Burger King and the fact that they are now ignoring me, full stop.

1. The first tweets
2. The original complaint
3. The ensuing social media 'conversations'
4. Additional information

1.  The first tweets

Hey @BurgerKingUK I don't appreciate having to wait 20 mins for a wrong drive-thru order and then be sworn at by your staff at #Blackburn

— N I C K I E (@nickieohara) June 30, 2017

Also your manager really couldn't be bothered and had to be requested 3 times to come to front of house

— N I C K I E (@nickieohara) June 30, 2017

This may be a franchise however they are trading under your name and I'm fuming. I have the names of the Manager and the member of staff

— N I C K I E (@nickieohara) June 30, 2017

This needs sorting out NOW - I've never had so much go wrong with one visit (this was my tipping point) & encourage you to reach out to me

— N I C K I E (@nickieohara) June 30, 2017

We take these issues very seriously, Nickie. When you can, please fill out the form on https://t.co/hcF5xqw7oi Thanks

— Burger King UK (@BurgerKingUK) June 30, 2017

2. The original complaint.  

NB: I had the foresight to copy and save the text that I wrote. A good move on my part because a copy of the complaint sent via their website wasn't emailed to me, nor did I ever receive any notification or acknowledgement that it had been received. 

A drive-thru visit - 4 people in the car - 4 meals to be ordered.

Our order was taken at the speaker, we were told that a Bacon Double XL burger would cost £1 extra and then, upon query, we were told this was not so. Our order was completed and we were instructed to drive to the window to pay. We were behind two other cars and had to wait around 15 minutes to actually reach the window to pay. When we got there, the member of staff asked us to confirm that we'd ordered [only part of the order]. She became increasingly confused so another member of staff came over to help out.

Our order was eventually confirmed - we were given our drinks but no cup holder as there were none available (not sure how I would have coped if I was on my own) waited another 5 minutes or so and were given our bagged order. We drove into the car park to eat however one part of it was wrong (a Chicken Royale meal had been wrapped up as a smaller beef burger with jalepenos or similar - a Long Chilli Cheese?). I walked back into the restaurant to complain and request that the order was corrected. I pointed out who had taken the order and mentioned a couple of the issues we'd had when ordering. The girl who had originally taken my order looked at me and said (and I quote), "WELL I DIDN'T FUCKING BAG IT UP, DID I?"

She then proceeded to walk behind the service counter, continued to swear, directing her anger and myself and second member of staff whilst third member of staff pretended to look at my receipt. I was then asked what was wrong with the order and asked if I wanted it correcting!! Meanwhile, an off-duty member of staff in the main restaurant area called into the back of the service area for someone called "Nathan". She shouted to him three times before he decided to come front of house, whilst being told to "keep out of it" and "not get involved" by the third member of staff.

Nathan was apparently the shift manager. He looked at me blankly, asked me what the problem was - which I reiterated - and I also pointed out that I was less than pleased with being sworn at by a member of his staff. He bagged up a Chicken Royale burger with some extra chips and gave them to me. I asked if that was all he was going to do. He apologised for the incorrect order.

At no point did he apologise for the member of staff's conduct.

At no point did he offer to appease me for any of their errors with the order or the initial 20 minute wait.

I requested for his name to be written down along with the other member of staff. He patted his pockets and said that he had no pen. I offered to wait whilst he went to find one. All this time there were cars going through the drive-through area and customers in the restaurant (including families with children).

ORIGINAL ORDER :

• Bacon Double XL meal (large) with Coke
• Bacon Double XL meal (large) with Coke
• Chicken Royale meal (large) with Coke
• Double Texas Burger meal (large) with Diet Coke 

Just over £25.00 in total - I don't have the original receipt because the staff kept it when I went in to complain!!

As I'm sure you can imagine, I am BEYOND angry about the way that I was treated from start to finish. I could have excused an issue with the speaker order. I even managed to understand the fact that there was a 20 minute delay. I've had orders wrong before and had them corrected with no issue but I REFUSE to be spoken to and treated like that by a number of staff who are in a customer-facing position.

3. The ensuing social media 'conversations'.

I'm just going to leave these as links rather than fill up this post with more embedded tweets. You can click on the links to see the tweets but this is more to demonstrate how I have had to try and contact Burger King to respond to this complaint and their failure to do so.

01.07.17 : (me to BK)

03.07.17 : (BK to me) asking me to follow them so they can direct message me

03.07.17 : (me to BK) agreeing

03.07.17 - 05.07.17 : a direct message conversation of 5 tweets where BK asked for my email address so the customer care team could find my complaint

04.07.17 : (me to BK) asking why no-one had responded to my via DM as promised

05.07.17 : (me to BK) pointing out that no-one had contacted me 

06.07.17 : (me to BK) pointing out that no-one had contacted me

07.07.17 : (me to BK) pointing out that no-one had contacted me

07.07.17 : (BK to me) offering to give the customer care team a 'nudge'

07.07.17 : (me to BK) asking for more than a nudge

09.07.17 : (me to BK) pointing out that no-one had contacted me

11.07.17 : (me to BK) pointing out that no-one had contacted me + three more tweets as I was fuming

11.07.17 : (BK to me) requesting that I fill in their online complaints form 

11.07.17 : an attempt to leave feedback via their Facebook page but the post was never published or was hidden by them. 

12.07.17 : (me to BK) reminding them that I already had and that they were giving their customer care team a 'nudge' 

12.07.17 : (me to BK) and then telling them that they must have a different definition of the term "ASAP" to me

14.07.17 : (me to BK) pointing out that no-one had contacted me + three more tweets to emphasise my point

17.07.17 : (me to BK) explaining that I would be taking matters further

17.07.17 : email to the CEO of Burger King UK from details available online - unsure if this is the right address

20.07.17 : (me to BK)  pointing out that no-one had contacted me and there was no response from the CEO via email either + three more tweets as I was on a roll

20.07.17 : (me to BK) asking if they have me muted

20.07.17 : a direct message sent via twitter to ask if they were ignoring me

20.07.17 : a message to the BK Facebook page, currently unread and/or not responded to by them

20.07.17 : original email forwarded to CEO of Europe from details available online - unsure if this is the right address

4.  Additional information

In between all the tweets there have been retweets from friends along with shock and surprise that I've had no communication from Burger King about this complaint.  As noted above, I've also attempted to communicate with the company via their Facebook page but my public posts have been unpublished or hidden by them and the private message has not been replied to at the time of publishing this post.  I have emailed public CEO email addresses for Burger King found online using the CEO email address website.

=========

I have no idea how to progress with this but I urge you to share this blog post to maximise exposure for me.  You can retweet my tweet (embedded below) or you can share this post on Facebook (my post is also embedded below) or any of your social media channels.  I'd also be interested to hear how I can further my complaint with them so they will actually take some action over what happened. 

Seeing as though @BurgerKingUK are ignoring my complaint, I've published the saga to date, in full, on my blog https://t.co/L0hx09FECB

— N I C K I E (@nickieohara) July 20, 2017

Dead Or Alive? Are You Sure?

Photo Credit : Alex Iby / Unsplash

Yesterday I ended up down a weird and wonderful rabbit hole from a click on Twitter that culminated in a visit to Mumsnet (don't judge me - it was lunch time and I was aimlessly wandering around the internet unsupervised). The thread I ended up reading was about celebrities who were absolute twats in real life. The thing is, I read a couple of names on there and had to really wrack my brains to remember if they were (now) dead or alive.

Well, this opened a whole new tab of research on Wikipedia and IMDb with one celebrity very much alive and another still not confirmed*.  I shared my thoughts with my Facebook friends who, quite frankly, are as sick and twisted as I am and it appears that I'm not on my own with this type of bewilderment.

*FYI: Bella Emberg (alive) and Mo from the Roly Polys (unsure)
*UPDATE : Bella Emberg (dead - January 2018)

Names popped up left, right and centre and many of them I had to double check.  Catherine started the ball rolling with Russ Abbott (alive) and Tracy wondered about Freddie Starr (alive) and the Nolan Sisters (unsure of the percentage but they are definitely not all alive).  Allie had to have a think about Ken Dodd (alive *UPDATE : dead - March 2018) but I could absolutely put her straight on that one due to our tenuous family connections.

Kate made me actually laugh out loud when she added Rula Lenska (alive) - Lisa was convinced she was dead (but then she only realised about Superman/Christopher Reeves (dead) a couple of years ago so draw your own conclusions there) and then Kate added Dennis Waterman (alive) into the mix.

Bruce Forsythe (alive), Jim Bowen (alive) and Ted Rodgers (dead) were next along with Dick Van Dyke (alive and very much active on Twitter) and then Jonathan threw a triple mix of Windsor Davies (alive), Mollie Sugden (dead) and Jon Pertwee (dead) into the pot.

We finished off with a Chris Rea (alive) versus Gerry Rafferty (dead) story from Alex and a ponder over Doris Day (alive) from Lorraine but there were two little gems from the conversation that I'm going to share with you now...

1.  Tanya wasn't allowed to play because her husband blames her for Tommy Vance dying:

I argued he was dead, vehemently. He said not, for about ten minutes. We didn't google it but the next morning it was announced he had died in the night.

2.  Rachel was at a charity pub quiz a couple of years ago with a "Dead/Alive Round".  One of the celebrities asked about was Wendy Richard:

I was supremely confident she was no longer with us so answered D (for dead) It was an unusual quiz in that they took in all the answer sheets at the end of each round, marked them and read out the answers and a running tally of who was in the lead. On reading out the D/A answers, the quiz master said Wendy Richards was alive. There was a rumbling of dissent among the crowd and the bloke said he'd come back to it at the end as so many of us disagreed, but that he was *fairly sure* she was still alive. Anyway, fast forward to the end of the quiz and he grabs the mic, and says, "After some research, I have to tell you that Wendy Richards is in fact dead!" The place erupted in vindicated cheers and then (as one group) the whole pub realised how horrible it was cheering the death of a well loved actress and we all pissed ourselves laughing instead.

During the conversation I was first reminded of a blog post that I wrote a couple of years ago, focusing on 10 famous people that are older than sliced bread. Even if I do say so myself, it's probably some of the best research that I've conducted for this blog and there's only two that have had to be crossed off the list. I was also given a nudge to join Steve's Fantasy Death League on Facebook and I told everyone about Gwyn's Dead Pool from which I receive an in-depth weekly newsletter about celebrity and gruesome deaths around the world.  You should join both - a barrel of laughs! 

So tell me... who have you had to Google after reading this?

Make Your Life Easier – Get a Sliding Door for Your Home

 

For most people, doors are mostly a utilitarian item and they wouldn’t spend more than a second thinking about them. However, the doors inside your home are extremely important, you use them literally tens and hundreds of times a day. Choosing the right interior door can save you money and trouble further down the line. If you are planning a remodeling, or if you are just moving into a new house, consider sliding doors like those offered by Sliding Solutions. The sher volume of options will ensure that you find something you like. Here are some of the strongest arguments for installing a sliding door.

Showers

You most likely already have a sliding door in your shower. The majority of shower cabins are built with these doors. So you’re already familiar with them and transitioning to this door style is not going to be a problem for the entire house.

Wardrobes

Another common use of sliding doors is in wardrobes. Every inch is important when it comes to wardrobes, so why lose all that space to hinge doors when you can use that room for storage. A particular favorite with wardrobes are mirror sliding doors. These serve a twofold purpose – you’ve got yourself a door and a mirror to assess your outfit before you leave the bedroom.

Space-Savers

Traditional doors require some space around them in order to be able to open. This area is unusable with hinge doors. However, if you get a sliding door, all that space is now available for storage or any other purpose you find fitting. Furthermore, you can easily install a sliding door as a way to separate two parts of the same room in order to keep a part of it private.

Kids

If you have kids, you know the thud of accidentally slammed doors, and you may feel like no matter how many times you remind them to be careful, it’s just no good. With a sliding door, there’s nothing to slam, the door will just smoothly slide into position.

Kitchen

More and more people are opting to replace their traditional kitchen door for a sliding one. If you consider how kitchens are used nowadays, it is not hard to figure out why. More and more time is spent in the kitchen, and it is now considered the focal point of the house. That means more traffic through the kitchen door as well. Sliding doors are much quieter and durable than a regular door, making them not only ideal for the kitchen but also a great investment.

Patios

Finally, there are no more iconic doors than patio doors. If you have or are planning to make a patio on your property, a sliding door is a must. Large glass walls with sliding doors have become synonymous with an ideal house for most Americans. Not only are they easy to open and clean, but they also allow plenty of natural light into your home.

Sliding doors are a terrific design which has been gaining plenty of traction with homeowners in the previous years. If you are looking to refresh your home, this may be a way to go.

To contact Sliding Solutions
3800 Oceanic Dr, Oceanside, CA 92056, USA
760-295-8500

No More Excuses: Learning The Skills You’ve Always Dreamed Of

(Image Link)

Throughout most people’s lives, ideas of grand ventures and new skills can be very common. But, with the busyness of life, it can often be very hard to carry out these dreams. And, this is a shame. A lot of people have musical instruments which remain untouched for years and years, despite having a lot of drive and motivation to learn when they first start. Likewise, a lot of people have other equipment lying around which is unlikely ever to be touched again. In most cases, though, you do have time for passions like this. But, you’re just not using it well. To help and inspire you, this post will be going through some of the best skills you can look to learn. And, how you can go about it in your spare time.

But, first, it’s time to think about why you would want to do this in the first place. It’s important to have personal and private joys, even when you have children. With most of your life devoted to the people you love, it can be hard to find the time to spend on yourself. With a hobby or interest, though, you’ll find it hard to stop doing what you love. Along with this, building additional skills is a great way to give yourself some security in the future. Most skills can be monetized in some way. And, this is especially true for anything vocational, like building.

• Examples of skills

Music is one of the key skills a lot of people aim for. And, this makes sense. Most people enjoy listening to music and watching live shows. The idea of being able to bring the same joy to others is enough for a lot of people to be driven to this sort of skill. And, compared to other skills, it’s actually quite easy to get into music. It’s best to start with a very common or popular instrument, like a guitar. You can buy a good guitar from a company like Gibson or Martin, as a lot of people say that these are the absolute best acoustic guitar brands. From there, you can start to do some learning in your own time. Or, you could get some lessons to make the process much easier.

Next, this skill is still a highly creative on, but it’s a little bit different. Most people love the idea of being able to create beautiful works of art. But, unfortunately, the vast majority of people will never get into art. Instead, they will be worried that they don’t have the natural skill to get anywhere. As a lot of artists will tell you, though, a lot of the skills they use have been learnt. It’s very rare that someone is born talented. Instead, it takes years of learning and practice to become a master. You don’t need much at all to get started in art. But, what you get will be based on the type of art you decide to pursue.

Finally, this option is for those that love the idea of being able to get down and dirty with something mechanical. A lot of people are very gifted when it comes to electronics and engineering. And, this sort of skill is very easy to pursue. Buying a broken but basic car can give you the chance to work on something which will enhance skills like this, while also giving you something to do. Having a skill like this can be extremely valuable, even if it just saves you some money at the garage.

Learning new skills will take a lot of drive. You will need to force yourself to continue with your learn your new skills, even when there are things you’d rather be doing. To help you with this, it could be worth trying to join a club or society which is for people with similar interests. This will add a social aspect to your hobby. And, ultimately, it will be easier to force yourself to keep working hard. Once you have a good handle on the skill you’ve been learning, you will feel a lot of satisfaction. Not many will go out of their way to learn something like this. So, it could be a great way to make yourself stand out from the crowd.

Hopefully, this post will give you a good idea of what can be done to add some personal time into your life. Once you have kids, it can feel like you’ll never have a moment to yourself again. But, in most cases, it’s just a matter of finding the time.