For awhile, it was an old upright and then we progressed to used Steinways through the years. My mother knew how to play the piano — and my brothers and I took lessons too. I never made it to the point of becoming a professional pianist, but what I learned through plunking out tunes at home for years is still with me today. Some of the most valuable lessons I learned about life through playing the piano include:

Hard work really does pay off. I can still remember sitting on that wooden bench and staring at a new, difficult piece of music with angst. How would I ever learn to play it? But with enough practice and determination, I always made it to the next performance or recital.

The appeal of music is universal. I took a mission trip in high school with my church youth group to help build an orphanage in the Dominican Republic. My Spanish was sketchy, at best. I struggled to communicate with the lovely people working alongside me, but when the hard work of the day had ended, and the music began, it was like all the barriers between us all came down. I always got that same feeling when I was playing a Mozart classic to a room of strangers or a Christmas carol at a nursing home. People who may not understand each other through other forms of communication connect through music.

Music brings joy. To this day, my dad will buy a plane ticket to be at any piano or vocal performance concert I am in — even if I am in the chorus. Listening to me struggle through pieces on the piano for years, and then learn to accompany myself as I got more interested in the singing side, has brought so much joy to his life. I know how he feels because now when my own kids are humming a new song from school, I ask them to hum it louder or add in the words so I can hear it. They don’t always cooperate, but when they do, it makes my heart so very happy.

If you are looking for a way to enhance your children’s lives, give them the lifelong gift of music. Whether you seek out used Steinway pianos Model B, or just scour the classifieds for a good deal on one, searching for a piano for your home is a smart investment. If you wait long enough, I might just have a Steinway Model O for sale – unless my kids decide they want it in their homes someday.

This is easier said than done, of course. Between the demands of two-parent or single-parent working families and all of the activities that kids have scheduled, finding a common time to prepare and eat dinner at home is tough. There are ways to make it happen though, and to make the most of time together. Here are a few suggestions for having a great family dinnertime experience every night:

Be consistent. Schedules may vary, but try to sit down together to eat at approximately the same time. This makes it less of a “nice idea,” and more of a routine.

Ask questions. Come up with open-ended questions to ask your kids, and be willing to answer any that they ask of you. Think creatively here though. Not every kid or parent will really want to talk about their day, every day, especially if roughly the same things happen. Ask about specific events going on in your children’s lives or follow up questions from earlier discussions. There are even conversation starter games and decks of cards meant to spark interest around the dinner table.

Divvy up responsibility. Eating is just a small part of the family dinner experience. The preparation, conversation and cleanup are also part of the ritual. Have family members pitch in to help with everything from setting the table to sweeping under dining room furniture sets after the meal. Not only does this help teach teamwork but it extends the amount of time that family dinner lasts. If eating the meal itself is the dining room table, consider the surrounding work as pieces of accent furniture that complete the bigger picture.

Take requests. As long as the ideas aren’t too outlandish, allow each family member to pick out one dinner menu each week. That person should then be prepared to help get the meal ready and plan side dishes too. Get each person in the family excited about his or her contributions to the dinnertime fun.

No matter how busy your family is, sitting down to dinner each night is something simple that will bring you closer together. Visit furniture stores or secondhand shops to find the right dining room pieces for your family, and then let the conversations do the rest of the family bonding work.

The best part about contemporary study abroad programs is that technology makes it easy to stay in touch while you are away. Take a look at these must-have items for strong communication while you study outside your home country:

1. Tablet. You will likely take your laptop with you to study, or at least have access to a computer lab while you are away. Consider investing in a tablet too if you don’t already have one. These lightweight devices are easy to transport in your carry-on bag and can be used for e-reading, emailing and entertainment on the journey and at your destination.
2. Hotspot. Do not assume that your destination will provide WiFi access. Bring along your own prepaid wireless hotspot so that you always have a way to get online wherever you go. These devices are often smaller than a cell phone and fit easily in backpacks, purses and even pockets.
3. Webcam. While it is nice to talk on the phone, seeing your loved ones is a much better way to communicate when you study abroad. If you have a smartphone, you may already have a video chat option. If not, purchase a simple webcam to attach to your computer and be sure the people you want to talk with have one on their end too.
4. International wireless provider. You may have excellent wireless coverage at home, but does your carrier have service where you are traveling? It be smarter to look into international phone service options for the time you are away than to roll the dice with your current provider. Consider just paying for the airtime that you use with international data plans.
5. Digital camera. It’s true that most cell phone provide excellent photography options but make sure you have a separate camera too. If your phone is ever lost or stolen, those pictures will be gone too. Buy a medium-priced digital camera to accompany you in your travels and plenty of memory cards too.

Explore the world while keeping close contact with home while you study abroad. With all of the technology available to today’s students, combining the best of both worlds is possible and affordable. Just remember to put your electronics down once and awhile and just enjoy the view too.

– Talk to a professional. If you want to know how to quit chewing tobacco, talk to someone that is an expert on the topic. You may have very good intentions when you set out to break the habit on your own, but there is really no reason to blaze a trail that has already been walked by others. Before you even attempt to quit, make an appointment with an addictions specialist, physician or health educator. Find out what challenges you should expect, and how to meet them, before you start the physical quitting process.

– Try non-tobacco options. There are companies that specialize in non-tobacco snuff alternatives. You can even purchase mint chew, or a variety of other flavors. A component of any addiction is the physical act of it. You may benefit from keeping the action as part of your routine for awhile as you retrain your body to function without the nicotine found in tobacco products.

– Fill the void. Come up with a substitute activity or two to do whenever you feel the urge to chew tobacco. Decide to go for a walk outside when the craving hits you, or call up a friend to chat. Just sitting still and trying to ignore the addiction as it calls to you will simply not work. You must distract yourself with another activity — at least until your body has physically readjusted to the lack of tobacco.

– Ask for help. Let your friends, colleagues and family members know that you want to quit chewing tobacco, particularly if they practice the habit. Ask your loved ones to help keep you on track by not chewing tobacco or smoking in your presence, and to kindly remind you to be strong when a craving hits. You may regress several times before you officially rid yourself of the habit and that’s okay. Just keep trying until you succeed.

Quitting a tobacco addiction is one of the most difficult goals you will ever face, but it is not impossible. Set yourself up to succeed with some planning, healthy distractions and a strong support system.

The Need for Oil

Oil was in common use well before Drake arrived on the scene. It was an everyday essential for lamps. Prior to Drake’s work, people all over the world gathered oil around seeps, which described places where oil naturally seeped to the surface through cracks in the ground.

Growing industrialization in the 1850s meant new types of machinery and a growing need for oil. Contrary to what you might think, the oil was necessary for lubrication, not for fuel. Aside from oil seeps, the only other source of oil was whaling. Neither method was especially efficient enough to meet the modern demands, so it was necessary to find some means of getting oil from the ground.

Enter Edwin Drake

Edwin Drake, born March 29, 1819, worked as a clerk, express agent, and various other jobs before finally becoming a railroad conductor. Despite his successes, within about seven years, Drake retired due to illness.

The Seneca Oil Company, founded by George Bissell and Jonathan Eveleth, was a burgeoning business that had split from the Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company. Drake bought stock in Seneca Oil, but he gained employment when he, Bissell, and Eveleth happened to be staying in the same hotel in Titusville in 1858.

He was offered a job to investigate oil seeps on land owned by the oil company. The position required constant back-and-forth travel throughout rural Pennsylvania. Drake, who could ride trains for free thanks to his former job as a conductor, made the ideal candidate.

Drake’s Folly

Drake was motivated to increase production at the otherwise paltry oil seeps. Drake and the owners of Seneca Oil believed that digging into the ground would be the best way to get to the oil, and so Drake dug a mine, which ended with the mine shaft flooding.

Considering the same techniques used for digging salt wells, Drake experimented with various methods before landing on iron drive pipes, which could be forced into the dirt and shale, deep into the oil deposits. The first oil well, which was initially named “Drake’s Folly” by the incredulous locals, was slow going, progressing at about three feet of depth a day. On August 27, 1859, the well reached a depth of 69 feet, and by morning, the oil had risen up through the well.

Drake’s first oil well brought a steady supply of about 400 gallons of oil a day, which was funneled and stored in whiskey barrels, the old-school diesel fuel transfer tanks, if you will.

Most importantly, Drake’s oil well paved the way for improved drilling methods and greater technologies in the twentieth century. We wouldn’t have cars, planes, aviation storage tanks, or any of our modern wonders without Drake’s efforts.

1. Dress sharp.

You don’t have to wear a full, three-piece suit but you shouldn’t wear pajama bottoms and a Cheeto-stained t-shirt either. As prosaic as the act of flying has become in the modern day, going to the airport is still something special. You are, in fact, going out into public. Dressing well gets you into the travel mindset and can improve your overall experience, and you can definitely find a gentle medium between tuxedo and lounge pants that exudes style without sacrificing your own personal comfort.

2. Treat airline employees with respect.

Ticket agents, security personnel, and other airline employees are there for your benefit. They are not machines. They are not responsible for flight delays or cancellations. Don’t take out your frustrations on them as they have to deal with hundreds of other people who are equally (or more) frustrated. You can still remain assertive in your wishes, but stay calm, cool, and friendly. A smile is more likely to help you get your way than a scowl.

3. Don’t rush to board the plane.

Unless you fly Southwest or are worried about not finding overhead space, there is no need to rush. Once the ticket agents announce boarding, passengers stampede the door only to be jammed in a line to get to the plane. Getting on the plane early just means more time sitting in that sardine can. Wait until the line has died down, or if you’re really antsy, at least wait until they call your group.

4. Take care of your luggage.

You don’t want to be the guy who bumps all the passengers with his bag of aviation supplies. Hold your carry-on in front of you and low to the ground so that you don’t hit anyone in the face.

With the rising baggage fees, many people are compromising with larger, heavier carry-on bags. Don’t try to avoid fees by bringing a huge bag. You’ll only hold up the line and make things harder on yourself. If it doesn’t fit in the overhead, you’ll have to check your bag anyway.

5. Turn off your electronic devices.

The one thing that everyone seems to complain about when they board a plane. The fact is if even a handful of people have their phones on during takeoff or landing, the pilot may potentially get false readings on his flight computer, aviation GPS, or other instruments. Don’t be a sourpuss. You can exist without your phone for a few hours.

Once the plane has landed, make sure you thank the flight attendants and pilots. They got you safely to your destination and deserve all your gratitude.

Between hitting the books and in-flight hours, a pilot-in-training has a lot to keep organized in order to succeed early in his or her career. People who have been in flight school for a while have learned a few tricks of the trade through practice and some trial and error. Here are some must-haves for every student pilot to make in-flight training more streamlined:

Flight gloves: This keeps sweaty hands from sliding on aviation equipment. Many are also designed to protect hands from fire, which is especially helpful for military flyers.

Quality headphones/headsets: In order to best communicate with the ground, pilots need a convenient, hands-free way to listen and respond. Consider a David Clark headset, or Sennheiser headphones that you bring along on all your training flights. Rather than relying on whatever headsets are provided on a plane-to-plane basis, bring the ones you are comfortable in and accustomed to using.

Marker board: Many student pilots say that, instead of a notebook and pen, they bring along a dry erase board. Different colored markers can help distinguish and categorize different items more easily. Text can be swapped out mid flight too to reflect the next leg of the trip.

Laminated checklists: Part of pilot training is learning the long checklist of flight procedures. Student pilots who are really serious about acing this list should type it up and then laminate it for protection. These documents can be easily rolled and placed in a flight bag.

Headlamp: At some point, every student pilot has to fly at night. There is limited lighting inside aircraft cockpits, so a headlamp is super helpful. These can be purchased at a pilot shop or even a hiking or outdoor recreation retailer. This provides a student pilot with extra light to read checklists and locate controls.

Sunglasses/Prescription glasses: The light is different and much brighter up in the air. Many first-time pilots are surprised at how sensitive their eyes become in the new light circumstances. Invest in a powerful pair of sunglasses that you can keep in your flight bag and reserve for in-air time only. If you normally wear contact lenses, buy an extra pair of glasses for your flight bag in case you lose a contact lens during flight or your eyes become irritated.

Aviation-specific items are not the only things that will improve your experience in flight training. These practical items ensure that you are always prepared for the elements during flights so you can concentrate on piloting the aircraft.

If you are considering a career in aviation, take a look at some of your federal job options:

U.S. Military civilian jobs: You do not have to enlist in the military to land an aviation job working with the armed forces. Some of the positions that the government opens up to civilians include aircraft mechanics, technicians, engineers, and even administrative workers. Many military employees earn the same salary and benefits, or better, than their peers in other federal aviation categories, like the FAA.

Aviation-specific meteorologist: The aviation industry is one of the largest sources of weather information consumption. These meteorologists are classified as synoptic, which means they take specific, hands-on approaches to relating weather conditions in real-time. Most people are familiar with theoretical meteorology, which forecasts future conditions. This is different from what those assigned to the aviation industry do.

Aviation physicians: The FAA hires a limited amount of these medical professionals to research the effects of flying on humans. Some of the areas that these doctors study include oxygen needs based on altitude, fatigue on pilot performance, and overall reactions from the body during and following time in the air. They also look at the effects of human interactions with consumer items, like a Bose aviation headset and computers, during flight.

National Transportation Safety Board investigators: When an aircraft crashes, these specially trained aviation employees search for answers. They speak with witnesses, examine parts of the aircraft, review flight records, evaluate pilot supplies, and look for other potential clues that point to the cause of the crash. These professionals take a full-scale look at the problems on fatal and non-fatal airplane accidents in order to make flying safer in the future.

Test pilots: These federal employees are trained to fly aircraft with new designs or experimental features to determine their safety. Production test pilots test new aircraft as they come off the assembly line while airline test pilots give new planes a try after they have undergone major changes or repairs. Since these pilots are employed by the FAA, they take special care to make sure all parts of the aircraft meet regulations and are safe for the general public.

There are numerous federal jobs in aviation if you know what you want to do. A career with the federal government can prove to be financially rewarding and span several decades.

StatisticBrain.com reports that $14.6 billion is spent on Mother’s Day for cards, flowers, and gifts. There are certainly plenty of options for showing mom that you care, but how do you come up with a unique approach that shows you care on a personal level?

Before you go out and contribute your own cash to the holiday, consider these gift ideas to make your mom feel special:

• Spa products: If you have the money, pay for a day of luxury at a local spa. If you are on a tighter budget, buy her upscale versions of her favorite shampoos, bath salts, and shaving supplies. Whether you wrap up a spa gift card or a higher-ticket bottle of shaving cream, your mom is sure to have a way to escape to luxury.
• Perfume: One of the classic presents for dads is colognes that they love, yet many people do not go the same route for moms. Her favorite scent is likely a novelty purchase that she puts at the bottom of the household budget list. Surprise her with a beautifully wrapped bottle of perfume and show her that before she was a mom, she was an awesome woman who still deserves luxury items for herself.
• Wine: Not all moms drink wine, but the ones who do likely only indulge in a glass when they are out to dinner or buy whatever is on sale at the grocery store. Do a little research into her favorite flavor of wine and then pick up a mid-to-high priced version. Wrap it up with two elegant wine glasses for a beautiful presentation.
• Jewelry: What mom wouldn’t love a new necklace, earrings, or bracelet to add to her collection? Consider something mom-themed, like a piece of jewelry with the birthstones of all her children and grandchildren. You can also go with something basic and elegant that she can wear anywhere as a reminder of you.

The truth is that most moms are happy with whatever they receive this Mother’s Day, but they deserve more than the bare minimum. Take the extra steps to surprise the moms in your life with something special this year and the memories will stick with them for years to come.

But many parents do not stop to consider hidden dangers that are in the home that are not always as apparent. If you have kids at home, double check your home for these dangers.

• Unsecured items: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that over 43,000 people are hurt from falling or tipped televisions, and 59 percent of those injured are children. It is best to have a professional install and secure your televisions and stereo equipment. You should also hang pictures with care, and avoid placing any on the wall directly above where a child sleeps.
• Pests: If there are signs of insects or rodents inside your home, it could mean more than just an annoyance. Pests carry diseases and can bite your children if they come in contact. Pay attention to pest management issues, like urine odor or the sound of scurrying. Call a San Diego pest control company if you believe your home is infested before the problem presents a safety issue.
• Harmful products in reach: A convenient place for many parents to store chemical cleaners is under the kitchen or bathroom sink, but this makes it very easy for children to access the products. Even the most vigilant parents may forget to secure a baby proof lock on their cabinet doors, making it too easy for children to interact with harmful chemicals. Find a high shelf in a hallway closet or your garage instead for all your dangerous products. You should also keep items like laundry detergent and dish soap high and out of the reach of children.
• Rugs: Every rug in a home should have some sort of lining that provides grip, even rugs that sit underneath a piece of heavy furniture. A running child can easily slide on an unsecure rug and get injured in the fall. It is also wise to replace the carpet once it begins to curl or fray on the edges as this can also cause children to slip and get hurt.

Take the time to contact an organic pest control San Diego company, walk around your home, and look for these subtle dangers. A little bit of prevention will mean a safer, more secure home for your kids.