A backyard pool provides years of fun for your entire family. Gatherings are so much more exciting when there’s a pool available. The sultry Tampa and St. Petersburg evenings provide a wonderful opportunity for adults to entertain around the pool patio, indulging in a late night dip. There’s no more inviting sight than a sparkling pool, just waiting for you and your family.

One of the best ways to enhance your poolscape after the sun goes down is by installing lighting. Pool lights illuminate the dazzling water and create a safe night time swimming environment. They provide security, especially when there are little ones about. But, when your lights start to act up-dimming, cutting on and off, or going out for no reason, you need to locate the source of the interruption in your pool lighting—and fast.

This year I’m seriously jazzed about the 2012 Emmy nominees – especially for Outstanding Lighting Design. Admittedly, I’m a sucker for theatrics (dating back to long before those college stage makeup classes and my Cirque du Soilel-level Halloween costumes) but honestly, these nominees are amazing. Here’s what the Academy has laid out for us this year:

Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Variety Series

So You Think You Can Dance

Last year’s winner is at it again, producing number after flashy number. Lighting designer Robert Barnhart along with lighting directors Matt Firestone, Pete Radice, and Patrick Boozer are ones to beat, for sure. Check out this dramatic jazz piece from the Season 8 finale, it’s truly unforgettable:

Dancing With The Stars

This show is a first time nominee in the category, but lighting designer Simon Miles and lighting directors Matthew Cotter and Suzanne Sotello are definitely ones to watch out for. Check out this Halloween-themed Paso Doble featuring Ricki Lake, and you’ll understand why this lighting team has earned a coveted nomination:

American Idol

This program won the title in 2009, and this year the same team of lighting designer Kieran Healy, and lighting directors Joshua Hutchings, George Harvey, and Matthew McAdam are at it again. This highly talented group might just have what it takes to win again. See for yourself in this clip of Phillip Phillips (season 11 winner) singing at the Idol finale:

The Voice

Another newcomer in the category, The Voice has really made a splash in its second season. Lighting team Oscar Dominguez (designer) and Daniel K. Boland (director) have made sure that the voices aren’t the only remarkable thing about this show. Check out this video of season 2 winner Jermaine Paul (from team Blake) and you’ll see what I mean:

If you are a fan of a certain holiday movie that focuses on one man’s goal to have the brightest house in the neighborhood, you probably remember the web of electric wires and cords that posed a serious risk. In the movie, it was funny. In real life, it is no joke. It can be deadly or at the very least cause a home fire that could destroy everything and even spread to other homes in the neighborhood. Electricity should always be handled with the utmost care explains an electrician in Santa Monica. The team at The Electric Connection has a few tips to ensure your holiday lights do not cause a blackout or a fire.

1. Check the cords before you wrap them around a tree or put them outside. Make sure there are no broken areas that expose the wiring and could let moisture in. 5. Keep the number of strands you connect together to a minimum. Ideally, you should never connect more than three strands.

Your Santa Monica electrician suggests you invest in LEDs that are very bright, but use very little electricity. This is a way for you to get the full effect of a thousand lights, but only have to use a few hundred that use the energy of maybe 100. Your electric bill and your house’s power will thank you. You will also feel safer knowing you are not creating an electrical hazard. Give The Electric Connection a call today if you need extra outlets installed or have other questions.