(NewsUSA) -The number of independent workers, small business owners and freelancers in the United States continues to grow as more workers embrace the flexibility and autonomy of being their own bosses. However, being THE boss also brings the need to wear many hats -- office manager, marketing specialist, accountant, tech support -- all while juggling multiple clients, time zones, and media platforms.

In spite of the global pandemic, the freelance market continues to mature, driving a 22% increase in the workforce since 2019. This trend is expected to continue especially as companies have become more reliant on freelancers for essential contributions to their daily operations. Increasingly, independent workers are now shifting the way they self-identify away from the more conventional titles of "consultant" and "freelancer" in favor of more fluid terms such as "entrepreneur" to match the changing business climate.

According to a recent 2021 survey of more than 200 independent workers by Indy - the all-inclusive, online platform for independent business owners -- approximately 25 percent of respondents identified themselves as "business owners." And regardless, these entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, freelancers and business owners all want the tools and resources needed to help ensure the professional operation of their businesses. That means they want solutions to help manage administrative tasks, including invoicing, billing, dealing with contracts, expenses and organizing workflow.

Smart strategies help independent workers focus on delivering for their clients, maximizing their potential and competing in a decentralized marketplace. Whether they are working strictly on their own, or managing a few other employees in a small venture, Indy helps fill the niche for freelancers and small business owners by offering a complete productivity suite that streamlines operations with the time-saving support features that help any business run smoothly and successfully.

"Ultimately, we believe in fostering community over competition and empowering today's 'indies' - the independent professionals, side hustlers and small business owners, to attain the stability and control required to be more successful, achieve a state of steady income and grow their business," according to Sebastian Gyr, Indy co-founder and CEO.

Indy offers solutions specifically geared for the needs of self-employed business owners with tools that are simple, cost-effective and transferable across devices and platforms. Freelancers can use Indy's Proposal Templates to create new business proposals and land new clients. The tools all integrate to form a seamless workflow for aspiring freelancers who want to simplify their admin. Once a client agrees to a proposal, Contract Templates are available to quickly send the new client a professional contract and start the job. Later, once the work is finished, Indy's Invoice Templates give freelancers a starting point to create a professional invoice quickly. Each invoice can integrate with payment providers like PayPal and Stripe to make tracking payments easy, too. All the tools work together to make running a small business easier.

Today's self-employed business owners take their business seriously, and they deserve the tools and support to make the most of it.

Visit weareindy.com for more information and to create an account.

(NewsUSA)

"What's Not True"
by Valerie Taylor 

With the court date set for her divorce and the future she'd planned with a younger man presumably kaput, Kassie O'Callaghan shifts attention to reviving her stalled marketing career. But that goal gets complicated when she unexpectedly rendezvous with her former lover in Paris. After a chance meeting with a colleague and a stroll along Pont Neuf, Kassie receives two compelling proposals. Can she possibly accept them both?

Kassie's decision process screeches to a halt when her soon-to-be ex-husband has a heart attack, forcing her to fly home. She confronts his conniving fiancée -- a woman who wants not just a ring but everything that belongs to Kassie. In the ensuing battle, Kassie discovers that sometimes it's what's not true that can set you free. Purchase at https://amzn.to/2RR1UrC. 

"Aloha With Love"
by Lindy Miller

Two hearts. One broken home. And the house that will bring them together. Soon to be a Motion Picture.

After an already tough week, Jenna Burke receives word that her beloved Aunt May passed away. Traveling back to her Hawaiian hometown for the reading of the will, Jenna and her sister inherit May's dilapidated Victorian home on desirable beachfront. There's one catch: the house must be renovated before it can be sold, and May even stipulated a contractor -- Ben Fletcher, who is driving Jenna crazy.

As May's old house starts to feel like home again, Jenna is torn between the life she's been chasing in the city, and the one she'd left behind. Purchase at https://amzn.to/2VOleYk.

"The Devil Pulls the Strings"
by J.W. Zarek 

If you like when tortured heroes, epic battles, time travel, twisted history and secret societies collide, then you'll love J. W. Zarek's spectacular page-turner. This is an epic fantasy adventure set in modern-day Wentzville, MO, New York City, and 1813 Genoa, Italy.

Boone Daniels has problems -- a debilitating panic attack, gut-wrenching guilt, a wendigo haunting him since age six, and now he almost killed his best friend. But when he fills in for his injured friend, a body falls from the brownstone balcony and the place explodes with gun fire. Boone escapes but uncovers a sinister plot to perform a rare Paganini piece that summons the Devil to trap Baba Yaga and destroy modern-day New York. Purchase at https://amzn.to/2SKZtaG.

"We Can Save the World…But The Last Crystal Trilogy (The Black Alabaster Box)"
by Peri Scott

A historical fantasy for middle grade/young adult readers and anyone who loves an adventure. A Broadway musical director and avid lifelong reader says, "If you love the fantasy of 'Harry Potter,' the time travel of 'Wrinkle in Time,' and the history of 'The Little House on the Prairie,' this is for you." It spans 100 years and two world wars, starting on the Santa Fe Trail in 1856 and ending on the famous Santa Fe Chief train in 1944.

The children haven't heard of the Last Crystal or its life-giving water until they are drawn into a magical quest to save it, facing life-threatening challenges along the way. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3x3PHPq.

NOTE: BookBites is presented by BookTrib.com.

(NewsUSA) - The "Sandwich Generation" is a term that can be used to describe many adults in their 30s through 50s who support both their children and their parents -- whether financially, physically or mentally.

These adults are often stressed out because they are pulled in two separate directions: They must provide for their (often growing) family, while also taking care of their elderly parents.

To mitigate such stress, Sandwich Generation adults can take the following steps to help manage their multiple roles without jeopardizing their own financial futures:

Set realistic goals. Instead of saying you want to be "comfortable" in retirement or that you want your children to attend "good" schools, define exactly what "comfortable" and "good" mean so you'll know what it takes to reach your goals.

Reevaluate your finances periodically. Your financial goals will change over the years with changes in your lifestyle or circumstances. Revisit and revise your financial plan (and update your estate plan) as time goes by so you stay on track to meet your long-term goals.

Plan for emergencies. Life is unpredictable, and emergencies, accidents and unforeseen events can happen. To protect your finances, plan for the worst by building up an emergency fund.

"Your emergency fund can cover unexpected medical bills, long-term hospital stays and incidental costs that can threaten to throw your budget off," said Marguerita Cheng, CFP®. "The last thing you want is financial worries when you're already stressed and anxious about medical decisions or unexpected occurrences."

Budget for childcare. According to a 2020 childcare survey from Care.com, the average weekly cost of childcare for one child is $244 for an after-school sitter, $300 for a daycare center and $612 for a nanny. Whichever option you choose, it could account for a substantial portion of your budget -- so you may want to ask your elderly parents to help take care of their grandkids.

Just as you need to plan for emergencies and education costs, Sandwich Generation adults also need to prepare for the care for their elderly parents.

Elder care is often provided by family members, as they can help with errands, finances and personal care. Some families share these responsibilities, and some decide on a trusted agent (who may or may not be a family member) to help.

"In either case, it's important to communicate as specifically as possible about the roles and responsibilities of the people caring for your elderly parents. When it's appropriate, put those agreements in writing and in legal form," said Bill Schretter, CFP®.

In addition to communicating responsibilities, Schretter identified four key areas the Sandwich Generation needs to address with aging parents:

1. Estate planning. Ensure that a family member or trusted agent has management or copies of an aging parent's estate planning documents, such as power of attorney and a living will or terminal care directive.

2. Medical care. Budget for medical expenses, and know what medications your elderly parent is taking and why.

3. Money management. Make a plan to oversee bill payments and credit card use. For instance, create a separate checking account for discretionary spending that the elderly parent can control, with limited overdraft protection.

4. Home improvement. Many older adults restructure and renovate their homes to better accommodate their needs as they age. Talk to your parents about budgeting for home renovations that they would like to make.

Opening a dialogue with a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional can help Sandwich Generation adults get expert perspective on their unique challenges in managing finances across generations. Find your CFP® professional today using the Find a CFP® professional tool.

(NewsUSA) - Stress -- it's everywhere. But there is an easy form of stress reduction that is as simple as opening your front door.

Spending time outside can help improve your physical and mental health, and you don't have to be an extreme athlete to reap the benefits.

Studies show that simply going out for a walk in nature can help build strength and endurance, and contribute to feelings of relaxation and resilience. Being active outside has proven benefits for people's minds and bodies.

Rail-trails in particular are ideal for individuals of all abilities and fitness levels to safely enjoy the outdoors. Rail-trails are multipurpose public paths created from former railroad corridor. That means they are flat or gently sloping, have a hard surface that makes them accessible to all types of activities and are available in rural and urban areas.

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting communities across America with trails. One way they do this is through promoting the value of time spent outside -- by encouraging people to make "trail moments" a regular part of their lives and sharing these experiences to inspire others to discover the convenience and joy of being active outside on trails.

"I feel really lucky to have grown up in Virginia, and now I live in Washington state, with lots of access to these trails, but there are literally thousands of miles of rail-trails all over the country," says Miranda Webster, (@mirandagoesoutside) a longtime outdoor-enthusiast.

"So, whether you are mountain biking, hiking, walking your dog, or riding your bike, I hope that you're able to find a trail near you where you can enjoy it as much as I have through my entire life," she says.

Travel blogger Jeff Jenkins (@chubbydiaries_), based in Texas, has taken his wanderlust to local trails in a series of blogs and videos for the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.

"Now, I'm showing people how to discover their own backyards, from their local cities to national parks, trails and the great outdoors," says Mr. Jenkins, who has also created an online community for plus-sized travelers at chubbydiaries.com.

"So often people see trails as a way to get a little outdoor recreation, and yes, that's true," says Ian Mackay (@ians_ride), who regularly enjoys the trails in rural Washington state from his power wheelchair. "But it is so much more for me... having a safe trail space where I can go explore my own interests, interact with the community, and run my own errands is monumental to my happiness," adds Mr. Mackay, who is also the founder of Ian's Ride, a nonprofit organization.

This fall, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is taking inspiration from the thousands of stories that people have shared about the personal impact of time spent outside on trails and encouraging people of all ages and abilities to make a habit of it. Their #TrailMoments 21-Day Challenge offers fun activities to encourage people to get out on the trail every day.

Visit the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy website for more information and tips on making outdoor time part of your daily routine. www.railstotrails.org/trailmoments and @railstotrails #TrailMoments on social media.

(NewsUSA) - Despite the reinstatement of precautions related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, travel remains possible in most areas, especially for individuals who are vaccinated. The urge for escape has prompted a surge in interest in adventure travel to experience other places, cultures, and wildlife. A Galapagos Cruise with Quasar Expeditions offers an unparalleled experience in the legendary Galapagos Islands for families, photography/wildlife enthusiasts, honeymooners, and adventurers of all ages.

Travel to the Galapagos on a luxury yacht offers visitors a unique opportunity to avoid cruise ship crowds and experience a safari-style adventure in deluxe accommodations. Other benefits of small ship cruising include more attention from expert guides, and more opportunities to take advantage of life-changing close-up encounters with the Islands' unique wildlife. Watch a video of these amazing encounters here.

Quasar Expeditions, a leader in the small cruise ship industry for more than three decades, offers 8-day and 15-day Galapagos luxury cruises on one of two yachts. Their vintage Grace Yacht was once owned by Princess Grace Kelly in the 1950's and it served as the honeymoon yacht for the royal couple soon after they wed. It carries a maximum of 16 guests and is maintained to a modern and elegant standard. The Evolution Yacht, a larger but no less luxurious ship in Roaring 20s style, takes a maximum of 32 guests along the footsteps of the famous naturalist, Charles Darwin who explored and studied the Galapagos Islands.

"We do not sell to the tourist. We cater to the traveler," according to the company's website.

"We strive to make sure our guests connect on an emotional level with the destination and all it encompasses; it is a journey for transformation."

Although the Galapagos boasts moderate temperatures year-round, fall in particular offers several unique opportunities, including snorkeling encounters with sea lions and pups, exceptional lighting conditions for photography enthusiasts, glimpses of giant tortoises laying eggs, and a good chance of whale and dolphin sightings.

All Quasar cruises on both yachts offer additional features that appeal to today's travelers:

Sustainability: Quasar Expeditions' unique commitment to sustainability extends from a zero single-use plastic policy and carbon-neutral emissions to partnerships with organizations that combat over-tourism and the commercialization of indigenous cultures.

Flexibility: Quasar offers a risk-free booking and cancellation policy, and cruises also allow for flexibility to capitalize on unexpected peak wildlife encounters.

For more details, visit www.quasarex.com/galapagos.

(NewsUSA) - The idea to build giant LED screens is not a new concept.

Historically called "Megatrons or Jumbotrons," they have been used to generate buzz and a visual identity for properties and in some cases to generate the majority of the revenue for the buildings they are affixed to.

Nowhere has this been more evident than in Times Square. Like the neon signs and painted wallscapes before them, these LED signs were the beginning of a new era, a generational embrace of new technology affixed to hundred-year-old bricks, windows and recycled steel skeletons whose entire purpose has been to engage and elicit a response, a feeling and a call to action from the world around them.

The recent trend of working from home that was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic clearly illustrates the need for fluidity in the way corporations, individuals and landlords have to work together to promote and ensure health, safety and satisfaction within commercial and retail real estate environments.

An example of a project that is currently under construction in New York that is embracing this concept, is 1568 Broadway, "TSX."

The project includes three digital and two static signs on the fa?ade, one of which is being built with an open-air stage overlooking Times Square, as well as full audio capabilities in order to make it the new epicenter of Times Square, where something equally iconic as the ball drop can occur year-round.

According to the development team, "TSX Broadway will provide a single brand with the most powerful marketing tool in the world, the most technologically advanced signage and lighting package in New York City. There will be an 18,000-square-foot LED sign wrapping the podium, and a full-building fa?ade lighting system that will activate the entire 46-story tower as a branded beacon."

Imagine a commercial tenant experience where you are able to wake up in one of several overnight suites, an iPad or other connected device enabling you to operate different functionalities in your room, book a time at the fitness center and order breakfast, all before heading to your office.

At lunch, you head out and are constantly engaged both consciously and subconsciously by lighting, sounds, smells, images, and digital messages in the elevators, lobbies and as you emerge outside on the building's fa?ade itself.

All of this coupled with beacon technology, geo-fencing and rapidly progressing programmatic media capabilities ensure that tenant engagement will be even more consistently and intuitively woven into the fabric of our daily lives as we return to the new post-COVID normal.

With all these layers of technology working synchronously with brick and mortar, brands and sponsors will be better able to monitor, track, modify and manage media campaigns.

This immersive and experiential centered approach to real estate can be used in all types of real estate environments, utilizing technologies that prompt a shift away from the "look at me" effect and towards engagement, that is, "how does it make me feel?"

The time is now to begin integrating the various technologies at our disposal simultaneously.

By operating this type of real estate model, implementing and innovating rapidly across vertical technology sectors, we can collapse the time table from conceptual to the new normal and write the narrative for how real estate, media, and technology cohabit in the world of our future.

Matthew A Knee is president of GCG Media Services.

(NewsUSA)

"The Musician"
by Mike Shaw

"True, endearing, joyful, and at times disheartening "The Musician" is an unvarnished look at what most musicians encounter when they choose to follow their dreams," says Huffington Post's Ralph Miriello.

Becoming an accomplished musician and recognized for it will become the driving force in Tom Cliffe's life. He will give up all the accommodations of the conventional life. Even when he is nearly destitute, he cannot, will not, abandon music.

"The Musician" captures the character and circumstance of life as shared by musicians everywhere, from immersion in their craft to the joy of playing music well to the frustrations associated with committing a lifetime to such an unstructured and unrewarded career. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3qDAgvt.

"Brielle's Birthday Ball"
by Ballerina Konora

A delightful birthday adventure packed with movement concepts and subtle life lessons. Each book in the "Dance-It-Out!" series is an independent story, and Brielle's Birthday Ball is the perfect series introduction, ideal for kids 4-7.

Ballerina Konora inspires kids to get up and get moving on the imagination stage. Kids bring out their own inner storyteller or follow Konora's suggested moves, designed by an award-winning dance instructor to develop body coordination, focus breath, and explore dance fundamentals.

Says Reedsy, "Another wonderful journey into the imagination with Ballerina Konora, perfect for young dancers everywhere!" Purchase at https://amzn.to/2TcbrdH.

"Why Her? Why Not Me?"
by Roland J. Bain

This life story traces a major segment of the author's adult life riddled with devastating personal events. It is a roller coaster of emotions as he tries to dig out of a parade of unique and scarring events that have beset his two sets of children and himself.

First, he has to raise his fiave children alone after his wife of 17 years abandons him. Remember this is only the first in a series of events that the author has to overcome. Those events include a number of serious health issues. Follow him as he somehow finds the resolve to push through these incredible hardships. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3cBr5WC.

"We Can Save the World…But There's No Money in It "
by Peri Scott

Have you ever wondered why it is so hard to make ends meet? Stretching your paycheck to the end of the month seems to always be a struggle. Why do so many people feel this way?

Is the system rigged? Is it broken? Explore the reasons why poverty and strife are so common and financial abundance is so rare. Let's get the discussion going on how to fix this and allow everyone to prosper. Says one reviewer, "Peri Scott changes the game when it comes to talking about money and how it affects society. Insightful ideas lead you to question your participation in capitalism. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3fbYvMy.

 NOTE: BookBites is presented by BookTrib.com.

(Silver Screen Capture)

By Stephen Michael Brown
Chief Film Critic, Silver Screen Capture

Real-life stories of Hollywood royalty, chronicles of singing poets and lovers, displays of supernatural super heroics and much more will vie for your attention across multiplex and media as the fall film season gets fully underway.

Filmmakers continue to showcase the movies they've been safely creating during the pandemic, and you'll get a variety of new fare to enjoy on both big screens and home streaming in the months ahead.

Anticipated sequels and franchises include "No Time to Die," the latest Daniel Craig 007 film; "Dune," which covers half of the dense sci-fi novel about outer- space wars; "Halloween Kills" with further mayhem between Michael Myers and scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis; and "Maverick," Tom Cruise's long-awaited follow-up to "Top Gun."

True-life sagas range from director Ridley Scott's chronicle of a murderous fashion family with "House of Gucci," starring Lady Gaga and Adam Driver to Aaron Sorkin's "Being the Ricardos," with Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem as television idols Lucy and Desi Arnaz. Two tragic legends also get the big-screen treatment as Kristen Stewart plays Princess Diana in "Spencer" and Ana de Armas embodies Marilyn Monroe in "Blonde." And "King Richard" stars Will Smith as the father and coach of the Williams tennis sisters.

After the recent successes of Marvel on television, an emboldened box office run should continue with recent Oscar winner Chloé Zhao's"Eternals," featuring an ensemble of immortal gods such as Richard Madden, Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek plus the third in the latest "Spider-Man" trilogy," "No Way Home," injecting a bit of twisty multiverse time travel into the teen webslinger's adventures.

"Dear Evan Hansen" with Ben Platt as a troubled teenager opposite Amy Adams and Julianne Moore, ushers in a season of musicals, followed by Peter Dinklage in an acclaimed crooning performance as "Cyrano"; Andrew Garfield as an artist on the brink of hitting it big as he faces an early mid-life crisis in "Tick Tick Boom"; the Colombia-set Disney animated family feature "Encanto," about a magical family and Steven Spielberg's version of "West Side Story," starring Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler as star-crossed lovers in the ganglands of New York.

Awards season will heat up when Martin Scorsese presents "Killers of the Flower Moon," starring Leo DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro, Jane Campion showcases "Power of the Dog" with Kirsten Dunst and Benedict Cumberbatch, and Guillermo del Toro delivers "Nightmare Alley" with Bradley Cooper and Cate Blanchett. The next movie by the droll Wes Anderson, "The French Dispatch," features talent such as Timothée Chalamet and Bill Murray.

Some other anticipated fare includes "Don't Look Up," a comet comedy with DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence; Kenneth Branagh's personal black-and- white historical drama "Belfast" with Jamie Dornan and Judi Dench; and the artsy "Last Night in Soho" with eccentric leading lady Anya Taylor-Joy. Plus there's some unexpected casting including Denzel Washington as the title character in "Tragedy of Macbeth" and Brendan Fraser as a 600-pound man in "The Whale."

There's something for everyone, and expect these and many more to receive their bite-sized reviews weekly at www.SilverScreenCapture.com.