What's Happening at Highland Quarters

11 Resolutions of Keep

Jan 02, 2020

If you're anything like I am, you have mixed feelings about New Year's resolutions.

It seems like a natural time to make important changes. It's like a universal pressing of the "reset" button. Maybe that's why 41% of Americans make New Year's resolutions in the first place. But here's the thing -- only 9.2% of us are successful in achieving them.

We suspect it has something to do with the nature of the resolutions themselves -- which seem, much to our joy, to be evolving. Lasy year, for instance, we reported that according to a study by the University of Scranton's Journal of Clinical Psychology, the top 10 resolutions of 2015 included things like losing weight and falling in love.

And while this year's top 10 resolutions, according to a survey conducted by the Statistic Brain Research Institute, are similar -- "self improvements," "find the love of my life" -- we noticed a new one on the list: "Learn something new on my own."

1. 11 Resolutions:
2. Designate an electronics-free zone.
3. Write something every day.
4. Keep up with Google.
5. Improve your design skills.
6. Take breaks.
7. Listen to one podcast per week.
8. Ask for help.
9. Embrace emerging technology.
10. Use your vacation time.
11. Read more.
12. Move to the next level of your career.
13. Original article found here: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/new-years-resolutions-marketers

 

Live PD - TV Show

Dec 03, 2019

Terre Haute Police will participate in A&E Network's real-time police show "Live PD," following approval of an 1-year agreement Thursday from the Terre Haute Board of Public Works and Safety.

Live PD camera crews will follow officers on the job on Friday and Saturday nights, with television viewers seeing what local police officers see during their shifts. A delay of about 20 minutes prevents the airing of disturbing content or the release of information that could compromise investigations.

Police Chief Shawn Keen said the city was contacted in July to be on the show. After months of discussion and a review from the city's legal department, Keen told the board he recommends approving a contract with Big Fish Entertainment, the production company for the television show.

"I was apprehensive about what the benefit would be for our police department and community," the police chief said. "I went to all of the groups, all of the shifts, to get their feedback on the negatives and positives," he told the board. "I did not have one negative comment about it."

Keen said he thinks the agreement will provide three strong benefits to the department and the community.

"First is in the area of recruitment. We, like many departments nationally now, are suffering from a loss of qualified applicants," Keen said. The police department, he said, has used media and social media to advertise and has trimmed its application to one day with written and agility tests.

"Even with all these measures, we are still struggling to get qualified applicants. We have a large number of officers set to retire at the start of next year and a very small list from which to draw from," Keen said.

Keen said other departments that have been on the show have seen an increase in applicants.

Secondly, "we put a lot of resources of the police department into our community outreach, whether it is our junior police academy, the talks we give at schools and different groups and participation with civic groups and charities, we take a lot of time to get involved in things outside the traditional enforcement of law," he said.

The police chief said "Live PD" is "a better opportunity at a much larger level to allow our community to see what happens from the time an officer gets a call until it resolves," Keen said.

Lastly, Keen said, he also looked at possible downsides, such as how the police department and community might appear.

"I don't see transparency as a bad thing in any of these arguments," Keen said. "From the policing perspective, I understand and accept that we are not perfect and we will make mistakes. Through this process, we are willing to put ourselves out there so the community can see exactly what we do.

"We are willing to hold ourselves accountable, if we make mistakes, we are there, but are doing it in a transparent way for our community to see exactly what we do as police officers."

According to a website for the program, “Live PD viewers get unfettered and unfiltered live access inside a variety of the country’s busiest police forces, both urban and rural, and the communities they patrol on a typical night. Viewers are encouraged to post their comments about what they witness throughout the night on Facebook and Twitter.”

The program is moderated by an in-studio host and analyst to guide viewers through the night and give insight to what audiences see. The crews use a mix of dash cams, fixed rig and handheld cameras. The show bounces between featured police departments during each program.

Keen said officers will volunteer for the program, which film during the department's mid shift — from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. The program usually follows the same three to five officers through a program, with other officers filmed during multiple police vehicle responses.

The show does not film inside a house, unless given permission of the homeowner, Keen said.

The city of Jeffersonville in southern Indiana ended a one-year run with Live PD in 2018.

City Attorney Eddie Felling said he spoke with officials in Jeffersonville, and the production company "was superb and had zero complaints."

After the meeting, Mayor Duke Bennett said the show is an opportunity to showcase the city's police department.

"I think it brings light to the city that we are open to doing something like this. I am sure some communities probably shy away from that and we did not," Bennett said.

"I think that end of the day, it will show what a police officer does in Terre Haute, Indiana, and maybe help the public appreciate what is going on a little bit more and maybe it just helps us overall to keep crime down in a way ... as we are showing people examples of what happens in Terre Haute, Indiana, on a daily basis almost."

"This will be a great opportunity to showcase our very professional police department, but also the city in general. That we are responsive to community needs, we deal with crime to the best of our ability and we are willing to show that to a national TV audience," the mayor said.

The contract starts immediately, Keen said, but when filming starts is up to the production company.

"We will be ready," Keen said.

Reporter Howard Greninger can be reached 812-231-4204 or [email protected]. Follow on [email protected].

Friendsgiving Activities

Nov 13, 2019

1. Create appropriate headwear. You know we’re all about flower crowns at Brit HQ, but we’re loving the more seasonal spin with this leaf crown. Giant dinner + whimsical dress-up = win. Set up a little DIY station and see what sort of headwear or beard-wear your besties come up with. (via A Beautiful Mess)

2. Share the wealth: One of the most stressful things about big holiday dinners is the pressure to host the whole thing, from prep to table. You need production calendars, ideally a second oven, and three extra sets of hands. Not so with Friendsgiving! You roast the bird and let your buds bring the rest, potluck-style. Then, let them go around the table and present their dish. Make them really sell it and brag about their sweet cooking skills. (via Brit + C0)

3. Caravan Draw Together Thanksgiving Set ($12): Print out an epic tablecloth that you can color in, or just put butcher paper, crayons, and paints on the table and let your friends go to town decorating. We bet they wouldn’t even be opposed to making turkeys with their handprints.

4. Throw the pigskin: Ah, the great American tradition of Thanksgiving day football. We’re all about getting down and dirty with some flag football, but if you and your pals aren’t the most athletic bunch, you can also get in the spirit with a fun themed tablescape. (Brit + Co)

5. Stream A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving ($10): Age is just a number, and the Peanuts gang will live in our hearts forever. Watch the movie on the big screen with all your friend and reminisce about Thanksgivings from your younger days.

6. Play a Thanksgiving’s Day Parade drinking game: When it comes to the Macy’s parade, some things are a given: There will be a marching band from the Midwest, there will be floats, and there will likely be some country star wearing a cowboy hat. Lay out the rules, and then get ready to do some pre-dinner drinking. If you want to save that valuable stomach real estate for food, make it a workout game rather than a drinking game. Think jumping jacks, burpees, and plank (while you’re doing that, we’ll be sipping our wine in the corner, thank you very much). (via Cookies + Sangria)

7. Remember what you’re thankful for: Take time to go around the table with your friends and give a little ode to your awesome year. (via Kristi Murphy)

8. Hit a piñata ($19): By now it’s been established: Piñatas make any party better. It’s a good way to get in some belly laughs to shake off some of that turkey. Just remember: Blindfolding is essential.

9. Play board games ($6): If you’re too full to swing a stick around, board games or card games are always a safe bet. Maybe playing Cards Against Humanity might seem slightly wrong on this most thankful of days, but we do promise that it will be fun. You can even get in the spirit of the upcoming season by adding in the Holiday Pack ($6).

10. Leave room for a pie bar: Let’s be honest; we’re really all here for the pie. Invite each guest to bring a family favorite, provide toppings (hello, whipped cream), and dig in. (via Brit + Co)

 

Original Article Here: https://www.brit.co/activities-for-friendsgiving/