I had once enrolled in a workshop for soap-making because I am interested in the scents. The blurb of the workshop said that adding scent to the soap was the primary lesson. I was thinking of making soap as my giveaway presents to colleagues and friends for Christmas. Soap is much better and lasting than food stuff. We normally give cassava cake that we bake to colleagues. However, the workshop got in conflict with a more important event so I was not able to attend. And now they are not holding that anymore.
My wife learned how to make soap online and has been doing it for a couple of years now. I have not made any myself but one thing that I learned was to get the silicon molds, not the vinyl ones, which stick. Yes, she has a collection of natural scents.
I have seen those short courses that teach one how to make crafts and was tempted to enroll in one teaching how to make decorative, scented candles, but this course came across when my father was ill and I had to take him to rehab therapies after suffering a stroke. Actually I have seen many short online courses which appeal to me, but this time I'm considering to take one of those teaching new trades and skills. I found a website offering free short courses to master the basics on how to be a waiter/waitress, a plumber, a sales person at a store, and so on, offering a certificate and a job opportunity upon completion, being owners of large chain store corporation. And this is the funny fact, while I would like to start a new career at this stage of life, being Advertising and Publicity my choice, the true fact is that many employers will decline your application if you are 40+ no matter how skilled or the bast experience that you can have on a given field of expertise. A former career and a new career are good for running your own business after age 50, but not to find a new job in case of need. Happened to me some months ago when, having money constraints I tried to get an offline job in accordance to my knowledge and experience, but found many trades accepting senior people as long as having experience or a certificate proving you can carry out that type of tasks. I resolved my financial problem working online, but having a backup certification that might be useful for our senior stage of life won't hurt.
In the UK, the Open University offers loads of free online courses. I've done a couple, one on creative writing and another on Irish history. I was half-tempted by a forensic science course, but my queasiness at the thought of having to look at some of the evidence dissuaded me.
This is not for me but I know of some who availed of this short course - massage therapy. Mostly attended by women, the intention is to have extra money to augment their short budget. One hour of massage here costs $5 at the minimum which is already enough to feed a family of 4 for the whole day. Isn't it appealing for housewives? However, massage is normally at the peak during the night, after dinner since most of the home service customers, like me, would have the massage and afterwards go to sleep. One good thing about massage therapy is you don't need a big capital. The most I see is a clean towel and some lotion or oil.
This is true! I have seen an increasing interest for those massage therapy courses, as I have seen they probably teach them how and where to market their services. Actually is very common to find massage providers in some main parks and plazas downtown this city, besides of those advertising in newspapers.
I used to watch a lot of videos from a Youtube channel called "VSauce". It had (probably still has, don't watch them anymore, for some reason) really interesting subjects about science and biology and stuff. It even explained human emotions. You might want to search for that channel, it's really enlightening.
I have seen course's for soap making and candle making which is interesting but not for me. I do like Aromatherapy and the natural plants that are used in the therapy.
It was actually candle-making that would have been the part 2 of my short course for soap-making. Candles are also getting popular here as gifts for occasions. I really appreciate when I receive candles, particularly the scented candles, as giveaway gifts so I think if I could make my own scented candles then probably that would be great during Christmas. What's attractive in candles is the vase that is used. It is filled with water and then the scented candle would be lighted while floating on the water of the vase. Some of my friends also liked that because it is very useful when there are many flies around - the lighted candle is a repellent for flies.
I know I'm not going to become a master, or even a journeyman (journeywoman?) at my age. But I enjoy learning new things, anyway. And who knows... maybe the skills will come in handy one day.
I attended a two week Sales management School in Philadelphia, Pa, sponsored by Pitney Bowles and another Fortune 500 Company whose name I can no longer remember. The first week we studied and prepared to make presentations. The second week the presentations were televised and the entire school was in attendance to watch. I was undistinguished except I was voted 'the most improved'.
When you take a weekend course, how is it done? Do they stuff a months worth of information into one day, or do they just give you the general ideas and lave it up to you to learn the rest?