| How to Do the Carlton Dance Posted: 25 Apr 2019 01:00 AM PDT The classic 1990s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was a major television hit. One of its most iconic contributions to pop culture was the "Carlton Dance"—an exuberant jig to the tune of "It's Not Unusual" by Tom Jones. Invented by actor Alfonso Ribeiro, who played Will Smith's cousin Carlton Banks on the show, the dance quickly became a global sensation.[1] To do the Carlton Dance, learn the basic steps, throw in some extra moves, then perform with the help of some nostalgic '90s props. EditMastering the Basics - Swing your arms back and forth. Start by pushing both arms straight out in front of you, then swing them around and up to the right. Your right elbow should be bent at a 90 degree angle with your hand pointing at the ceiling. Your left arm should be bent in front of your chest. Snap using both hands. Repeat the swinging motion, to the left this time. Snap.[2]
- Move your head and chest forward and backwards as you swing your arms. Once you've gotten comfortable with the arm movements, it's time to incorporate your head and upper body. When your arms come straight out in front, push your chest and head back. When you swing your arms to the side and snap, push your chest and head forward.[3]
- Repeat this back and forward motion as you continue to swing your arms to the beat.
- Do a step-touch to the right, then to the left. First, step to the side with your right foot. Then bring your left foot in and touch the floor lightly. Don't put any weight on your left foot. You've completed one step-touch. Repeat the move but in the opposite direction, starting with your left foot.[4]
- Try this part without the arms at first to make things easier.
- Push your hips up and down while you step-touch. Now it's time to add some hip motion. Push your hips up to the left when you step to the right. Bring your hips down when you bring your left foot in for the touch. Then, push your hips up to the right when you step to the left. Bring your hips down again when the right foot touches. Repeat.[5]
- Try making this motion very smooth. It should look almost like you're swaying back and forth.
- Swing your arms and step-touch in unison. Now you're ready to combine all the moves. Swing your arms to the right as you begin your step-touch to the right. Your step-touch should end when you snap your fingers. Then, reverse the motion—swing your arms to the left while stepping to the left. Repeat until you can do all the moves fluidly and rhythmically.[6]
- Once you feel confident, try playing "It's Not Unusual" by Tom Jones to practice dancing to the beat.
- Spin in a circle after doing a step-touch. Carlton occasionally spices up his signature dance with new moves. Try adding in a quick spin between the basic steps. To time this move with Carlton in his most popular version of the dance, twirl at the end of the line "But when I see you hanging about with anyone" in the first verse.[7]
- Do a jazz split after the spin. If you are flexible enough, go down into a jazz split with your front leg straight and back leg bent. Once you've hopped back up, continue performing the basic Carlton Dance moves.[8]
- Make sure to limber up beforehand, to make sure you don't pull a muscle or injure yourself while doing an advanced dance move like the splits.
- Pause and wave your hand in front of your face. Time this move to the lyric "I wanna die" at the end of the first verse. Stop step-touching, stand with your feet about hip-width apart, and bend your left arm so your hand is in front of your face. Then, wiggle your hand quickly back and forth as you bring it down, while simultaneously bending your knees.[9]
- Jump back into the basic steps once Tom Jones has finished singing the line "I wanna die."
- Slide to the side to add some flair. Step to the left and slide your right foot along the floor to bring your feet together. At the same time, hold your arms at a diagonal, with the right arm pointing up and the left arm pointing down.[10]
- You can repeat the slide multiple times in a row to move across a room, like Carlton does.[11]
EditPerforming the Dance - Learn the lyrics to "It's Not Unusual" so you can sing along. When Carlton Banks dances on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," he often mouths the words. Sometimes he even sings into an imaginary microphone. Search online for the full lyrics of Tom Jones' famous song, then break it down into sections that you can memorize one by one.
- Grab a candle to use as your own imaginary microphone, like Carlton in season 3 of the show.[12]
- Dress the part by wearing a Carlton Banks-inspired outfit. To round out your performance, considering dressing in the preppy '90s style of Carlton Banks. In his most iconic version of the dance, he wears a blue and purple madras shirt, khaki pants, and a brown leather belt.[13]
- For another signature Carlton look, try a chunky, cable-knit sweater over a collared shirt.[14]
- Play "It's Not Unusual" by Tom Jones. Make sure to play the song while you dance. Purchase the song, or play it on a streaming service like Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube. You can set up a computer, or put out speakers to play the music.
- Perform at a party or event. Put your skills on display by doing the Carlton Dance in public. You can plan in advance to do the dance, by asking the DJ to add "It's Not Unusual" to his or her playlist. You can also perform the dance spontaneously, if the song happens to come on during an event.
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| How to Use the Law of Attraction Posted: 24 Apr 2019 05:00 PM PDT The law of attraction suggests that you can attract positive or negative things into your life through your thoughts and actions. It relies on the theory that everything is made up of energy, so the type of energy you put out will come back to you. If you're ready to use the law of attraction to tell the universe what you want, start by creating a positive mindset. Then, take action toward your goals and confront your setbacks with a good attitude. EditCreating a Positive Mindset - Focus on what you want in your life, not what you're lacking. Don't think about your old, broken down car. Instead, picture yourself driving a new car. This puts the focus on what you want to bring into your life, rather than what you want to eliminate. It sends the message to the universe that you expect good things to happen![1]
- The idea behind this is that what you're thinking about is what you want in your life. So if you think, "I wish I had a car that didn't break down all the time," you're still focusing on your old car, not a new one.
- As another example, think to yourself, "I'm studying hard to get a good grade," rather than, "I hope I don't fail this semester."
- Phrase your desires using positive terms. It's important to avoid phrases that rely on negative words like "no" or "not" to state what you want, such as "I don't want to lose my job." Similarly, include the words for what you want to avoid attracting the wrong thing. For instance, "I don't want to lose" sends out the word "lose," while "I want to win" sends out the word "win."[2]
- Visualize your dreams coming true. Close your eyes and picture yourself living the life you want. Imagine doing your dream job, showing off your talents, or sliding into your new car. Do this everyday to solidify your intentions and bring them one step closer to reality.[3]
- Always picture yourself being successful. For example, imagine yourself getting a promotion at work, not just going about your day-to-day activities. You don't want to just get the job; you want to excel at it.
- Express gratitude for what you already have. Appreciating the good things in your life helps you feel better about your life, which supports your positive mindset. List the things you're grateful for aloud, or write them in a gratitude journal. Additionally, thank people for the good things they add to your life.[4]
- For example, write 3 things you're grateful for every morning before you get out of bed. This helps you start your day in a good mood.
- Meditate at least 5 minutes a day to lower your stress levels. Stress is a normal part of life, but too much can be overwhelming. Relieve your daily stresses with a short meditation that will relax both your mind and body. For a simple meditation, sit in a comfortable position, then close your eyes. Focus on your breathing, letting your thoughts come and go.[5]
- You can find guided meditations online or through an app like Calm, Headspace, or Insight Timer.
- Replace your worries with thoughts about how things could go right. Worrying can make you manifest what you're trying to avoid.[6] When worries happen, challenge them by questioning how likely they are to happen. Then, think about what has happened in the past when you worried. Next, consider how bad the worst case scenario would be if your worried thoughts actually happened. You'll likely realize it's not that big of a deal in the long-run.[7]
- For example, let's say you're worried you'll embarrass yourself during a presentation. How likely is that to happen? Has it happened before? If you did mess up, would it really matter? Would you still think about it a year later? You'll likely recognize your worry isn't really a big deal.
- It also helps to think about what your life might be like in 5 or 10 years. Will the thing you're worried about even matter then? Probably not. For example, you might worry about failing a test, but you likely won't even remember the test in 5 years.
- Give yourself time to learn how to stay positive because it can be hard. At first, it will be hard for you to keep your thoughts positive. It's natural for negative thoughts to come back to you. However, you can help yourself focus on the positive by intentionally confronting negative thoughts. Acknowledge them, dismiss them, then replace them with something positive. With practice, you can become more positive over time.[8]
- For example, you might catch yourself thinking, "I keep working so hard, but I don't seem to be getting anywhere." Stop yourself for a moment and think about why you're having this thought. Then, list the positive things you've experienced while working on this goal, such as learning new things or having new experiences. Finally, choose to see something positive in the situation. You might tell yourself, "I'm getting better over time, and I'm proud of my progress."
EditTaking Action - Create a vision board for the life you want. Cut out words and pictures from a magazine, print out images, or use photographs to create a collage of what you want. Hang your collage in your living space where you can see it every day. Then, look to your vision board for daily inspiration to work toward your goal.[9]
- For example, you might include photos of a house you like, the car you want, the job title you want, and a couple in love.
- Remember, a vision board is not a magic wand. To get what you want, you'll need to do something to get it.
- Do one small task every day to work toward your goal. Start by setting a goal to spend 15 minutes a day pursuing your goal. Then, work your way up from there. To keep track of your progress, make a list of small steps you need to take toward your goal, then check them off when you do them. These small actions will help you produce big results![10]
- Hold yourself accountable for the work you put into your goals. Set expectations for yourself, and acknowledge when you don't meet them. Then, examine why you struggled to keep up with your expectations and decide if changes need to be made. Similarly, reward yourself for the hard work you put into your goals.[11]
- For example, let's say you made a goal to spend an hour working toward your goal every day, but you only followed through on the first day. Accept that you didn't do the work, but also consider if you need to scale back. Maybe try 15 minutes a day to see if you can meet that goal.
- Ask for the things you need and want from others. This is the only way for them to know what you expect from them. No one can read your mind, so you have to tell people what you're thinking. Be direct and honest about what you need and want, and you might just get it.[12]
- Let's say you want to hang out with your friend. Instead of saying, "I wish I had plans this weekend," say, "Hey, do you want to see a movie on Friday night?"
- If you need your roommate to help out more around your home, don't say, "I wish this place were cleaner." Say, "Could you put your dirty clothes in the hamper and keep your personal belongings out of the common area?"
- Use positive self-talk to motivate yourself to take action. It's normal to have negative thoughts about yourself, but this can hold you back. When you catch yourself thinking negatively, question that thought and replace it with a positive thought. Additionally, repeat your favorite positive mantra to yourself throughout the day to keep yourself on track.[13]
- Let's say you catch yourself thinking, "I'll never be that good at public speaking." Question this thought by pointing out that everyone starts somewhere and practice brings improvement. Then, tell yourself, "I am improving at public speaking every time I do it."
- Throughout your day, repeat a positive mantra to yourself, such as, "I'm living my dreams," "I'm a success," or "I radiate joy."
EditResponding to Setbacks - Recognize you're not to blame for accidents, illnesses, or events beyond your control. Everyone experiences hardships at one time or another. This might include losing a job, coping with a medical issue, or suffering an injury. Don't blame yourself when these things happen because they happen to everyone.[14]
- Let's say someone crashed into your car while you were driving. This is an accident, and you didn't cause it. Don't blame yourself!
- No one can have a perfect life without hardship, even while using a tool like the law of attraction.
- Focus on changing your response to hardships rather than avoiding them. You can't stop all bad things from happening, as this isn't possible. However, you can choose to have a better reaction to them. Instead of getting upset, accept hardships as part of life. Then, reach out to people who care about you to get support.[15]
- For example, let's say you lost a job you really wanted. Instead of dwelling on the loss, accept that this time it wasn't meant to be. Then, think about how you can use this experience to do better next time.
- Look for the lesson or silver lining in obstacles or hardships, when you're ready. This helps you see something good that the hardship brought into your life. When you're ready, reflect on what happened to see how you grew as a person. Similarly, consider how your experience can enable you to help others.[16]
- Don't push yourself to look for the lesson or silver lining before you're ready.
- For instance, failing a class might have taught you how to be a better student, and going through a bad breakup might teach you what you want in a relationship.
- Take control after a setback or hardship to boost your confidence. Facing an obstacle can shake your confidence and break your positive mindset, but regaining control give you back your power. Start by listing the actions you can take to move forward. Then, do one small thing to help you move in the right direction.[17]
- For example, let's say you lost your job. Instead of dwelling on it, update your resume and go through job listings. While you apply for new jobs, take a free online class to help boost your job skills.
- The law of attraction is not the same as making wishes to the universe. You are simply focusing your attention on putting out positive energy so you'll attract more positive energy.
- Trigger good feelings by listening to your favorite song, enjoying your hobbies, or hanging out with friends. This will help you stay positive.
- Start by focusing on small, easy to measure goals so you can see how the law of attraction works. For example, you might focus on earning a good grade in your class or attaining a new pet. That way, you'll be able to measure the results.
- Be patient because change takes time. If you let yourself get frustrated, you'll being sending negative thoughts out to the universe, which will make it take even longer to get what you want.
- Avoid worrying, as this sends a message to the universe that you expect bad things to happen. Instead, picture a positive future for yourself.
- Don't focus on a particular person or thing. For instance, don't try to make someone fall in love with you. Instead, draw in a healthy, satisfying relationship with someone you're meant to be with.
- Don't blame yourself for your hardships! You are not to blame for health issues or the actions of others.
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| How to Photograph a Painting Posted: 24 Apr 2019 09:00 AM PDT Capturing the beauty of a painting in a photograph is a quick and easy process. For best results, take the painting out of the frame, place it on a blank wall, and then place your camera and tripod in front of the painting. Optimise your camera for the shot and then use the timer to take the shot. These methods are appropriate for all kinds of paintings, including water-colour, oil, and acrylic. Use your beautiful photographs for websites, fliers, or for your own memories. EditSetting up for the Shot - Remove the painting from the frame, if possible. The glass or perspex in frames causes reflections and glare in photographs. This can make it difficult to see the details and colours in your painting. Place your frame in a safe place whilst you take the shot to ensure that the photo gives the truest representation of the painting.[1]
- If possible, wait until after you have photographed your painting to varnish it, as varnish also creates reflections and glare. If your painting is already varnished, simply follow the rest of the steps to optimise the quality of the photo.
- If you are unable to remove the painting from the frame, follow the rest of the steps to minimise the glare.
- Place your art on a blank wall to photograph it. A blank background helps to make the painting the central focus of the photograph. Place sticky-tak on the back corners of your art and stick it on the wall. Try to make it as straight as you can so that it looks even in the photographs.[2]
- If you don't have any stick-tak, place a large piece of white board or cardstock onto an easel and then lean the painting on top of it.
- If you are having trouble getting your painting straight, use a bubble level to help get it even.[3]
- Put your camera on a tripod. This is one of the best ways to ensure that the photographs are of high quality, as photos lose a bit of resolution when they are taken by hand due to the slight movement that occurs. Attach the camera to a tripod to ensure the camera is perfectly still when you take the picture.[4]
- If you don't have a tripod, use a stack of books or boxes instead. Ensure that they are really stable so that you don't risk your camera falling off. This is also a great option if you are taking the photo on your smartphone.
- Align the camera so that the painting fills 90% of the viewfinder. It is important that the photograph is in the middle of the viewfinder, otherwise, the photo may not show the painting proportionately or accurately to scale. Position the tripod and camera in the middle of the painting and then move them back until the painting fills about 90% of the screen.[5]
- Avoid leaving too much blank space in the photograph, as this makes the painting harder to see and will reduce the resolution of the image if you have to crop it later.
- If your painting has a portrait layout, you will need to rotate your camera 90 degrees in order for the painting to fill 90% of the screen.
EditUsing the Best Settings to Take the Shot - Set your camera to the f8 aperture setting. A higher aperture, such as f8, creates a smaller depth of focus which makes the image look clear and detailed. Move the wheel next to the shutter button to the f8 position. This wheel will generally have "+" and "-" buttons beside it. Look through the viewfinder or on the screen to check the aperture number. The number will change as you move the aperture wheel.[6]
- If your camera won't let you change the aperture, ensure that the camera is on the manual setting. Do this by rotating the dial on the top of your camera to the "m" position.
- If you are taking the photo on a smartphone, tap the painting on the screen to auto-focus the image. This has a similar effect increasing the aperture settings.
- Adjust your ISO to 100. The ISO affects how much light is in your photo. Higher ISO levels create bright photos and low ISO levels create dark photos. An ISO of 100 is generally appropriate for photographs taken inside or in studios on cloudy days. Use the ISO settings to change the ISO to 100.[7]
- If you are taking the photo in a dark room, increase the ISO level. If you are in a really bright room, decrease the ISO level. Experiment with different levels until your photos reflect how the painting looks in real life.
- Read your cameras instructions manual if you are having difficulty locating your ISO settings, as they vary between cameras.
- If you are using a smartphone, tap on the painting on your screen. This automatically sets the camera to the correct ISO level and can help to minimise the glare in the photo.
- Take the photo indoors in a room with windows on a cloudy day, if possible. Cloudy days reduce the amount of glare and gives even, natural lighting. Avoid shooting in direct sunlight as this can cause the camera to capture the colours in your painting inaccurately. If possible, shoot the photos in the middle of the day to avoid the shadows that come with the low light in the evenings and mornings.[8]
- If you have to photograph a painting in a room that doesn't have windows, leave the ceiling lights on and position extra lights under the painting at a 45-degree angle to avoid as much glare as possible.
- Whilst it is preferable to photograph paintings with natural light, if you are taking a picture at a museum, simply take the photo with the existing lighting.
- Adjust the white balance settings on your camera to the cloudy mode. The white balance affects the colour temperature of your image. If it is on the wrong setting, your image may look too orange or too blue. If you are shooting on a cloudy day, set the camera to the cloudy option in the camera settings.[9]
- If you are shooting with artificial light, use the studio or inside option.
- If you are taking the photo with your smartphone, the camera will most likely automatically adjust the white balance for you.
- Turn off the flash. A flash will overexpose the colours of your painting and will make it difficult to see the details in the image. Hold down the flash mechanism to stop it from popping up or turn the flash off in the camera settings.[10]
- If the camera displays any warnings about low-light, simply ignore them and leave the flash off.
- If you are using a smartphone, either turn off the flash in the camera settings or hold your finger over the flash to block it from hitting the painting. This helps to minimise the glare in your smartphone image.
- Set the camera to auto-focus. Auto-focus is one of the easiest and most effective ways to get a clear and glare-free image. Adjust the camera to auto-focus in the camera settings. This gives the camera permission to chose the best depth of focus for the shot, which helps to avoid fuzzy pictures.[11]
- If you are using a smartphone, the auto-focus setting will already be operating.
- Take the photo with a self-timer to make the shot perfectly still. The motion of pushing down the shutter button can slightly shake the camera and make the image a little fuzzy. For optimal image quality, place the camera on self-timer mode in the camera settings. This will cause it to take a photo by itself after the specified time.[12]
- Set the self-timer for at least 3 seconds to give it a chance to stop wobbling after you have touched it.
- Don't take photographs in museums if there are signs warning against it. Breaking the rules can result in fines or penalties.
- Check your photo once you have taken it to make sure that you are happy with it.
- For professional shots, place LED lights on the ground on either side of painting and point them towards the art at a 45-degree angle. This helps to accentuate the 3D nature of the painting.[13]
- Any lens can be used to take the photo; however, the lenses on DSLR cameras will tend to take higher quality photos than smartphone lenses.[14]
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