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2018 Game Releases: Expect These Delays

As we enter into 2018, as is the case at the beginning of any year, attention is being paid to the video games that have been slated for release during the coming 12-month time period. The reality is that, as is the case in any year, some of the games that have been scheduled for release in 2018, on already announced dates, may see their release dates pushed back.

If you are an experienced gamer, you undoubtedly have experienced a game you’ve been waiting for have its originally scheduled release date pushed back a month or two. Indeed, there are plenty of examples of games that have launched much further away from their initially planned release dates than a couple of months. In the end, that simply is a reality associated with new game design.

There are a number of games that have been set for specific release dates in 2018. Eight of these selections very well may see their release dates pushed back.

God of War

Sony’s sequel or reboot to God of War currently is scheduled for a Spring 2018 release. As we cross into 2018, the Spring release date for God of War seems unlikely for a number of reasons.

One sign that God of War will not be positioned for a Spring 2018 release is the press, who is already highly interested in this game, hasn’t had any “hands-on” time with it as of yet. That typically is a sign that a release date delay is in the offing.

The best bet at this time as to when you realistically might expect to see the release of God of War is sometime during the third quarter of 2018. Anticipate a tweet or some other type of social media announcement about the delay before the Spring.

Red Dead Redemption II

Red Dead Redemption II has been eagerly awaited. Red Dead Redemption II is the prequel to a highly popular open-world Western from Rockstar that released in 2010.

Red Dead Redemption II has already seen a delay in 2017. During that year, the release was pushed back to the Spring of 2018. Even with this delay, very little of the game has been shown in any manner to the public.

At this juncture, do not expect to see Red Dead Redemption II launched in the Spring of 2018. Expect another push back, likely to the holiday season this year. Indeed, you might even expect the release of Red Dead Redemption II to be delayed into 2019.

Anthem

Anthem has been in development and construction for years. This is a game that is said to have a massive scope. The stark reality is that massive games like Anthem do not come quickly — ever.

The powers that be behind Anthem have said throughout 2017 that the game would launch in 2018. The window as to when in 2018 the game will be available has been left wide open.

With that said, with the small amount of the game that has been shared with the public, there is a growing consensus among industry watchers that a 2018 launch probably is not in the cards. 2019? Possibly, but not guaranteed.

Crackdown 3

Over the course of the past three years, Crackdown 3 has been under construction. The media finally got a look at the game at E3 2017. The response included some pretty significant criticism. This was particularly targeted at the all-important visuals. In the aftermath of that, the release date was pushed back to 2018.

At this juncture, no specific date has been provided for the launch of Crackdown 3 during 2018. There has been no additional push back in regard to the release date. However, with the significant nature of the items criticized when the game got a media and public look in 2017, a further delay sometime into 2019 certainly is not beyond the realm of possibility.

Days Gone

Bend Studio has had Days Gone in development and construction for more than a couple of years. Days Gone is a PlayStation 4 exclusive. Indeed, the game received positive reception at E3 2016 and E3 2017.

In 2017, Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide President Shuhei Yoshida announced that the game would launch in 2018. However, the announcement was made with very little fanfare, far less than what was expected.

At this point, no specific time has been indicated for a release in 2018. Days Gone may in fact launch this year, but look for it towards the latter part rather than the beginning of 2018.

Jessica Kane is a writer for SoundStage Direct, the number one online source for the best vinyl records and turntables.

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Mom Stuff

Stuck At Home as a New Mom

New moms live the most blessed and most cursed existences at this time in history. It’s such a beautiful time of your life, but one of the main drawbacks is that new moms tend to be stuck at home and if they’re not careful they can go a little stir-crazy. This is especially true for the mommies who were so used to being all over town, even during their pregnancy. It can be a massive adjustment.

Ideally, you will have your home prepared for this eventuality long in advance of the baby’s arrival.

The one thing you want to get for yourself is a top of the line screen to watch your movies on. Don’t scrimp on this; get something nice for yourself like a Panasonic HDR 4K TV. You’re going to be binge watching a lot of Netflix and other material, and you need the best tools to keep yourself comforted and immersed.

Another thing you are going to want to stock up on are ebooks, because you’re going to get tired of watching movies. Honestly, the whole experience is very different, because baby can and will interrupt you frequently, and this is where ebooks shine, because they are easy to put down and pick up on a dime like that.

It’s also a good idea to have Skype or Whatsapp or a similar app installed, perhaps even hooked up to the TV. Sometimes people can’t make it to your home, or you may have lots of friends and relatives out of town or even overseas, and being able to chat on video with them will be great for you. It’s very easy for a new mom to feel very alone, for hormonal reasons or otherwise. This is normal, but easily counteracted.

Lastly, make sure you do get those people you want to visit you. However, during the first couple of weeks it’s not a good idea, but after that you are going to crave it, and it is good and necessary. Surround yourself with people will help you feel more like a human being again and less of a zombie. And past the two week mark you are going to need external help, because frankly you will not have been sleeping properly at all!

Your new mom experience should be much more of a blessing than a curse, and with the proper planning it almost certainly will be.

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Family

Simplifying Your Child’s Wardrobe

Kids clothes can easily take over your life if you’re not careful. When your baby is born, your friends all want to shower you with gifts and it brings them great delight to buy your baby clothes. The clothes are cute because they’re miniature and your friends are so thoughtful and generous that the mass of kids clothes acquired soon becomes more than you can bear to dig yourself out from under. Laundry becomes a torturous task that seems to take over your life. 

You spend your days laundering and folding kids clothes, only to find that when you go the put the clothes away, the drawers and closets are overflowing and things are hard to put away. “I’ll just leave this right here on the table for now. I’ll have to go through her drawers to make some room later,” you think. Been there, done that! What if I told you it doesn’t have to be this way? 

Here are my top three tips for simplifying your child’s wardrobe.

1)      Throw things in the trash. Maybe a harsh first point, but going through your kids’ clothes and tossing anything that is ripped or stained beyond repair is a great first step in simplifying their wardrobe. They probably aren’t wearing these clothes anyway and that makes this an easy place to start.

2)      Pull out anything that doesn’t fit right now. Ever had the battle over the too-small pair of pants at the last minute while you’re trying to get everyone dressed and out the door? Eliminate the struggle and remove things from their drawers and closets that don’t currently fit. Store seasonal clothes in bins and donate or pass down to younger siblings clothes that no longer fit. This will give you a bunch of space to work with and it will also show you exactly how many of each item you have. I did this recently and found that my daughter had 33 tops in her drawer. Many of them didn’t fit and taking them out left us with so much room!

3)      Fill in the gaps – Capsule Wardrobe. Does a capsule wardrobe intimidate you as it did me? Don’t be afraid to give it a shot. You can do as many or as few pieces in a capsule wardrobe. The key is that all the pieces can be worn together. After you throw away all the ripped and stained items and pull out anything that doesn’t fit right now, you’ll be able to better assess what your child needs. Don’t skip those first two steps! They’re essential to getting the capsule right the first time.

These are my top tips for simplifying a child’s wardrobe, but it could work in an adult’s closet too! Tell me – are you a clothing minimalist or do you love to shop and buy?

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Family

Growing Old: The Financial Rollercoaster Nobody Mentions

It’s something that nobody wants to talk about but like it or not, you will get older.

On the plus side, today isn’t the day that we’re about to remind you about the bulging belly and grey hairs that are often associated with aging (although these by no means happen to everyone – the former is a common myth in fact).

Instead, today is all about finances. It might be a seemingly boring topic, but in relation to aging it can also prove to be quite popular. As you’ll soon find out, as you age you will meet your fair share of financial surprises but contrary to popular belief, they’re not all bad.

Surprise #1 – You might earn more

Today isn’t the day that we’re going to bang on about pensions. Instead, it’s about how much MORE you could earn when you get older.

The prospect of retirement can be fun if you anticipate relaxing days spent on sunny beaches, but if you have concerns about potential debt and the general difficulties of living on a fixed income the prospect of retirement can suddenly become scary. A reverse mortgage lender can alleviate many of those concerns by providing you with a non-traditional form of loan designed just for retired individuals. Under the loan terms you can borrow money against the value of your home and pay it back at your leisure using a reverse-loan calculator you can find out exactly how much you’ll be getting per month. No full repayment will be required as long as your primary residence continues to be the home in question and you will continue to be the homeowner for the duration of the loan.

Sure, your pension might aid in this process, but this surprise is probably going to apply to those of you who are still working. This is because studies have found that 90% of over 50s are actually classed as “happy” in their job role. This is mainly due to the fact they have reached their career goals and are regarded as an expert.

As we all know, a happy worker tends to be a motivated one. The domino effect of this is that pay rises and promotions are still on the table – with many people also taking on extra freelance work to supplement the coppers some more.

Surprise #2 – You will probably have to provide for your children even after they fly the nest

We all know the cost of raising children – it spans into hundreds of thousands of pounds.

This figure is seemingly on the rise though. More and more parents are helping out with a house deposit for their kids, for the simple fact that it’s otherwise unaffordable.

It doesn’t stop at bricks and mortar though – it can stretch as far as funerals and elderly care. In relation to the former, many people feel as though it’s better to pay “today’s rate” with a pre-paid funeral plan, to ensure that the family doesn’t have a huge bill. Then, with elderly care, it’s been all over the news over recent times how expensive this is – and it’s not getting any cheaper.

Surprise #3 – You might have more financial flexibility

The final surprise is another pleasant one; you’ll probably have slightly more financial flexibility than you once thought. We’re mainly referring to refinancing and if you need a quick boost of cash, mortgaging is most definitely possible. In fact, it’s something that’s come on leaps and bounds over recent years and while banks may have once been reluctant to loan to the elderly, this is no longer the case. Of course, there are limits, but these are higher than they once were which just carves a few more avenues to those of you who might want to make that luxury purchase.

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Entertainment

Try this Recipe: Turn Shatter to Vape Juice

Do you want to learn how to turn shatter to vape juice? In this post, we are going to look at the simple preparation of converting shatter to vape juice or e-juice even if you’re home.

A lot of users favor vapor than smoking. Vaporizing cannabis concentrate like shatter is a healthier choice for users. Smoking is harmful because of the chemicals that are directly ingested to your lungs.

Today, many users are ready to mix and prepare their own e-juice. First, let’s look at how e-liquids are different from other pre-filled vape cartridges.

There is no difference at all except that you are the one going to prepare your own e-juice. The e-juice or e-liquid is mixed with cannabis concentrate (shatter, wax, or honey oil) and other compounds. 

Preparing your own e-juice provides more customization, control, and convenience. You don’t have to spend a lot because it is cheaper when preparing your own. Converting concentrates is a more discreet way of consuming it without creating much fuzz. 

Benefits of Vape Juice:

Vape juice is a more convenient way to take cannabis using a vape pen. You can take it anywhere, anytime without having so much hassle. 

How to Start:

Before we go into the details, let’s ensure that your shatter has met the specified concentration or dosage. Make sure that you know its dosage. Most oil solvents should have a 60 to 90 percent THC content.

If you are a beginner, the starting dose for edible marijuana is only 5 to 10 percent. THC and dabs are only for those who are already using it. 

Easy Recipe for E-Juice:

Prepare:

  • Empty glass dropper bottles
  • Latex gloves
  • Syringes
  • Propylene glycol (PG)
  • Vegetable glycerin (VG)

 

Before combining flavoring, make sure that VG: PG is 50:50 or 80:20. This is a safe ratio when preparing your own cannabis extract.

E-Juice Infusion

Ingredients:

  • 1 gram of hash oil (rosin, wax, or shatter) 
  • Bottle of an e-juice mix of PG and VG
  • 510 thread oil cartridges
  • Saucepan
  • Microwave/ stove
  • Stirrer
  • Syringe/ micropipette

 

Instructions:

  • Use a spoon to flatten your choice of wax, shatter or other hash oil in a ceramic box. Cover it with wax paper. 
  • Melt the cannabis concentrate. You can use a double boiler or a microwave to melt it.
  • Add drops of VG/PG mix and stir for a minute. Make sure that the concentrate and VG/PG are well blended. 
  • The consistency should be like honey. Let it cool. If the mixture is still thick, add more VG/PG mix to dilute it and achieve the right consistency. 
  • Get the THC-infused e-juice into the vaporizer or dab cartridges using a syringe. 

The infusion is done when you see that the liquid is viscous enough as well as the color remains as the shatter concentrate. When can transfer your infusion in an empty 510-thread cartridge or use your old cartridge. 

You’ll find that there is more e-juice left for a gram of shatter concentrate. Make sure to let the cannabis vape juice cool for an hour before consuming it. It ensures that it has achieved the right viscosity.

If you want the e-liquid to be stronger, you can lower down the amount of shatter. Reducing it makes the oil thicker but you’ll notice a stronger effect and the flavor of terpenes is more noticeable.

Keep in mind that the PG is what creates the “hit” in the vape and provides the flavor. VP does the work of vaporization. If you want your liquid to be less harsh, increase the amount of VG than the PG. 

There’s a lot of good reasons to prepare your own e-juice at home. If you’re concerned about the preparation, there is little to no smell at all. 

It can be done even in a small space like your kitchen. Vaping your own e-juice is a simpler, easier, and safe way to consume cannabis without much fuzz. 

Moreover, vaping provides you a discreet and portable way to consume cannabis concentrates. Try this recipe if you are interested in preparing your own e-liquid at home. 

You’ll be able to spend less than when buying a prepared one. You’ll also get more liquid that provides you the most savings.

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Family

For theBusy Moms – You Have Another Person to Take Care of: You

With the holiday season in full force, most of us have been focusing on putting together the best Christmas decorations that we can manage, the most delicious menu we could imagine, and the most exciting gifts that we can purchase.

We do all of this just to see a smile on the faces of our loved ones, and seeing them being so happy makes us forget about all the turmoil and the grueling tasks that we go through to achieve that picture perfect holiday.

However, while having a holiday plans discussion with a friend the other day, both of us realized that no matter how much focus we put on our family during the holiday season, we forget about a key member as well as their wellbeing and health in the process.

We were, of course, talking about ourselves: the mothers and the showrunners of the family who put their needs on the backburner even without realizing it.

And that is where I started thinking about all those times I advised another mom about what she should be doing for self-care and why it is important, while very subconsciously yet clearly refraining myself from taking my own advice.

That discussion led me to talk to other mommy-friends in my circle, and we all came to a stark realization: we look at ourselves through a lens that often tends to ignore us.

In order to not let that perspective take the better of you and make sure that you receive the best self-care just so you could be at your best for your family, here are a few tips that I gathered from those discussions.

Do Not Overwork Yourself

Whether it is the holidays or just any other part of the year, you like any other human being or any other member of your family need to have a balance between work and relaxation. Make sure that you are making a conscious effort to maintain a healthy balance between these aspects and not pushing yourself to exhaustion. Take some time out to rest, just like how you would advise your kid to do in their everyday life.

Do Not Ignore Your Health

Another thing I noticed in those personal discussions is how often we ignore our health and the precautionary measures associated with them. While we get our partners and our kids to regular health screenings, doing so ourselves is often pushed back with to the old “I’ll do it later” ideology. This behavior isn’t just restricted to mommies with a big family either, but also to single moms who push back crucial appointments such as those with a testing clinic. Whatever you do, make sure not to overlook this aspect.

Do Not Prioritize Yourself Too Low

While it is the sign of a good parent to put their children’s needs first before they do anything for themselves, there has to come a point where the line is drawn.

For instance, if you have been working with a problematic car for years in the hopes that you will change it one day while having your partner and kids get newer models year after year, then it is a sign that you are prioritizing yourself too low on the family chain.

Be kind to yourself and make sure that you get equal treatment within the other members of your family.

Do Not Feel Guilty About Working

The thought of being judged about not giving my best to my work while doing so for my family, and not being a good mom to my kids while I exceled at work always nagged me.

It was only recently that I discovered that it wasn’t just me who had gone through a few personal situations on these fronts, but almost all of us do so on a frequent basis – while dads are never held to that standard.

Keep a clear head on your shoulders in order to maintain a healthy work-life balance, and if you have to work hard to achieve a certain place in your career without neglecting your kids even if you cannot be there with them every moment of the day, then do not feel guilty in doing so.

Don’t Be Afraid of Asking for Help

For a surprising number of moms, the thought of being independent in raising their children is so overwhelming that they often tend to refrain themselves from reaching out for help from friends and family. This feeling can often cause us to feel alone, even when we are not alone in doing so. Make sure that you trust your ability to parent your child but also be confident in yourself enough to know exactly when to ask for help.

These easy yet profound approaches could very well go a long way into helping you take care of the one person who needs to take care of others: you. If you are not at your best, then your family gets disrupted. Make sure to exercise some much needed self-love from time to time.

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