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https://www.wikihow.com/Know-if-a-Kitten-Is-Stressed | How to Know if a Kitten Is Stressed | To tell if your kitten is stressed, keep an eye out for physical symptoms of stress, like diarrhea, constipation, loss of appetite, or urinating outside of the litter box. Your kitten might also start behaving differently, so watch for any changes like excessing whining or meowing, sleeping more than usual, hiding, excessive grooming, biting, or scratching. There are a lot of reasons why your kitten might be stressed, like a recent move, the introduction of a new cat in the household, or even just rearranged furniture at home. If you think your cat is stressed, take it to see a vet so they can help you figure out what's going on and recommend the best course of action. | Notice any digestive problems. Stress and anxiety in a kitten can lead to digestive issues. Diarrhea and constipation are common reactions to stress. As you clean out the litter box, notice any abnormalities or changes in their habits. They may also start defecating outside of the litter box. Monitor for a lack of appetite. Kittens that are stressed may stop eating as much as usual. They may eat less in volume each day, or they may stop eating completely. This can lead to problems since a cat that goes without eating for more than a day can get sick. Remember, there are many reasons other than stress for a kitten to stop eating, so a vet check is essential. If you notice your kitten is not eating, take them to the vet as soon as possible. Determine if your cat is urinating outside of the litter box. Unclean litter boxes can lead to stress for a cat. If the litter box isn't cleaned regularly and it is dirty, your cat may eliminate outside of it. This may also happen if there are not enough litter boxes or they are placed in high traffic areas. If you have cats that don't get along or there have been any major changes in the house, your cat may also not use the litter box. Stress can cause inflammation of the bladder lining which results in an increased need to urinate and passing blood. The signs are similar to other urinary conditions so you'll need to have the kitten examined by a vet. Look for distressed grooming. Cats who are stressed may groom more than is normal. Most cats groom often, but a kitten who is stressed may groom themselves until they have bald spots or sores. Some cats may even experience hair-pulling behaviors. Your cat may also scratch excessively. This excessive grooming is usually centered around the abdomen. Watch for isolating behavior. Stressed cats may start acting different than normal. They may isolate themselves more than usual. This means they may start hiding in rooms, running from people or other pets, or finding dark, solitary spaces to spend their time in. If your cat was solitary to begin with, they may start being needy and clingy with you. Listen for excessive whining and meowing. If your cat has started vocalizing excessively, they are probably trying to tell you something. This usually points to stress due to a huge change in the house, like a move, someone leaving or arriving, or another change. Your cat may meow, screech, whine, or make other signs. Watch for changes in sleeping patterns. Cats are lazy and like to sleep. However, a stressed kitten may sleep more than is normal. They may sleep most of the day or through an excessive number of hours each day. Think about your cat's normal sleeping habits. Look for any changes that could indicate something is wrong. Look for outwardly aggressive behavior. If your kitten starts acting aggressively or violently towards you, people, or other pets, they may be stressed. This may be irritability or violence towards a person or other animal when bothered. Pay attention to other cats in the home. If there are multiple cats in the house, there may be conflicts between the cats causing your kitten stress. If another cat is hostile, this can upset the cat. Notice how the cats in your house interact with your kitten. If there are cats outside, this can upset your cat because they think that a cat is encroaching on their territory. Expect stress if you have moved recently. Moving to a new location can also cause a lot of stress to your cat. This can be because of a change in location or familiarity. Cats may also not do well if you move and expect them to go outside or inside when they are used to the opposite. Think about any changes in the home. Cats may become stressed if the situation in the home has changed. This may include different people moving in or leaving, or getting a new pet. Even something like remodeling your house or playing loud music can cause stress for some cats. New smells, new furniture, or too much activity in the home can also cause stress. Take your cat to the vet. Many of these symptoms may indicate a problem. Some of the symptoms, like lack of appetite or excessive grooming, can lead to other conditions or problems. If your cat shows signs of stress, you should take them to the vet for an examination. Make sure to tell your vet all the symptoms your cat has, along with any recent changes in your home. Reduce the number of cats you own. Having too many cats in your home can cause unnecessary stress to all of them. You should evaluate the number of cats you own and consider reducing that number. Fewer cats in your home may help lower your kitten's stress. This is particularly important if your cats don't all get along or you have hostile cats. Make sure your cat has enough stimulation. Cats may get stressed if they don't have their needs met. This includes keeping them busy. You should make sure your cat has the right things in your home to make them feel safe and happy. Provide beds, hiding places, perches, scratching posts, toys, and litter boxes for each cat in the home. Sharing a litter box is a major source of stress for a cat. Always obey the golden rule of 1 litter box per cat, plus 1 spare. For instance, if you have 2 cats, you need a minimum of 3 litter boxes. Play with each cat for 5-10 minutes twice per day. Spend some time grooming each cat and making a fuss over them. | Notice any digestive problems. Monitor for a lack of appetite. Determine if your cat is urinating outside of the litter box. Look for distressed grooming. Watch for isolating behavior. Listen for excessive whining and meowing. Watch for changes in sleeping patterns. Look for outwardly aggressive behavior. Pay attention to other cats in the home. Expect stress if you have moved recently. Think about any changes in the home. Take your cat to the vet. Reduce the number of cats you own. Make sure your cat has enough stimulation. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Buy-a-Pet-Cockatiel | How to Buy a Pet Cockatiel | Before you buy a cockatiel, research what you will have to do to take care of it, and note that it usually costs about $300 to even get one. If that's a commitment you are willing to make, try to adopt a bird from a shelter since a lot of people get them without realizing how much work they are, and have to give them up. Choose a healthy bird with bright, clear eyes, no discharge from their beaks, and no sneezing. | Do your research. Buying a cockatiel is a major commitment, and it's important to know what you are getting into. All birds need to have their food and water refreshed daily and their cages cleaned frequently. But cockatiels are especially social animals that require daily exercise and attention from their owners to keep them happy and healthy. Be sure you have enough time to invest in your pet cockatiel, and that your family is on board with the decision. If a cockatiel sounds like too much work, consider a lower-maintenance option like a canary, or a pair of finches. These birds also make beautiful pets, but require far less attention. Prepare for the cost of owning a cockatiel. The average cost can range from $120 to $250 or more, and the start-up costs for its cage, food and equipment can easily reach $300. Also remember that the cockatiel will need food and toys, and at least one veterinary exam per year. You can expect ongoing costs for your cockatiel to be at least $100 per year, often much more. Purchase a cage and equipment for your cockatiel. Cockatiels need a lot of room to exercise, so you want the biggest cage you can accommodate. The minimum recommended cage size for a single cockatiel is 24" x 24" x 24". Be sure that the bars are spaced no more than 5/8" apart. The cage should have at least 3 perches for the cockatiel to choose from. The bird will also need the following: Food and water dishes Cockatiel food A night light near the cage; some cockatiels experience "night frights" A bird bath Toys Look into adopting a bird from a shelter or rescue organization. Friendly, lovable cockatiels are often given up to rescue organizations because their first owners bought them on a whim without realizing how much work a cockatiel is. The joy of taking care of a cockatiel will be magnified if you know that you did the bird a favor by saving her life. Rescue organizations for cockatiels and other birds can be found worldwide! Find a trustworthy pet store or bird breeder. Ask other cockatiel owners or your local avian veterinarian for tips on reputable sellers. Your local bird club is another good resource. Make sure the seller offers a health guarantee for any pets they sell, and remember that birds that are hand-raised will generally be more friendly and sociable than aviary cockatiels that are bred and raised for display. Ask the seller lots of questions about the birds and how they were raised. If the seller can't readily answer these questions, you should consider another shop. Think about what you want from your cockatiel before you shop. If you want a beautiful display bird and are less interested in companionship, choose your bird based primarily on appearance. If you are looking for a friendly companion bird, however, you will want to choose a bird based on its temperament and sociability more than how it looks. When choosing a display bird, choose a healthy bird with plumage that you find attractive. When choosing a companion bird, look for a bird that seems curious and playful, makes noises, and is eager to be handled. Some shy cockatiels can eventually be made more tame, but some never get used to people. Don't count on being able to completely tame a skittish bird. Look for signs that the cockatiel is healthy. Healthy birds have bright, clear eyes. They should have no discharge from their beaks, and no sneezing. Make sure the bird has a smooth beak that closes evenly, and no missing feathers or toes. Do not choose a bird with damaged, dirty or puffed up feathers. These are all signs of illness. Ask about the age of the bird. It is ideal to choose a young bird that is fully weaned, and has been hand fed and hand raised. When considering an adult bird, note that the darker the bird's beak, the older it probably is. Determining the sex of a cockatiel can be a tricky business, and in some cases requires DNA analysis to know for sure. Fortunately, both male and female cockatiels make wonderful pets. Allow your cockatiel to get used to its new environment. The transition to a new home is stressful for a cockatiel, and your bird will need time to rest and get acclimated. Try to let the bird rest for 2-3 days before handling it. Try to keep children and other household pets away from the bird, but do talk to it frequently in a low, calming voice to help it get used to you. Remember that cockatiels are very social animals. You might leave music or the television on when you leave the house during the day so the cockatiel has something to listen to. Begin to train your cockatiel. You should spend some time researching the best ways to train a cockatiel, but a great place to start is teaching the bird to be near you outside of the cage. Gently remove the bird from the cage and take it to a small room with a door, like a bathroom or large closet. Close the door so the bird does not escape, and let the bird go. Then sit near the bird and talk to it every once in a while as it adjusts to your presence. Eventually, you can work on training the bird to climb onto your finger. Training a cockatiel can take time, but your patience will pay be rewarded with a well-socialized, friendly companion. Get your cockatiel used to being bathed. Cockatiels can be very dusty birds and need to be bathed every few days. Fill a plant mister bottle with clean, slightly warm water, and acquaint your cockatiel with the routine by giving it just a spray or two in the beginning. It won't be long before the sight of the spray bottle will bring the cockatiel to a close perch. They love the spray and will open their wings and turn their bodies until they are soaking wet, and then shake off the excess water. Remember not to do bathe your cockatiel when it's too cold, or at night. Cockatiels also enjoy bathing in pans of water, and even playing in a regular bathtub filled with 1/2" of warm water. | Do your research. Prepare for the cost of owning a cockatiel. Purchase a cage and equipment for your cockatiel. Look into adopting a bird from a shelter or rescue organization. Find a trustworthy pet store or bird breeder. Think about what you want from your cockatiel before you shop. Look for signs that the cockatiel is healthy. Ask about the age of the bird. Allow your cockatiel to get used to its new environment. Begin to train your cockatiel. Get your cockatiel used to being bathed. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Clay-Dog | How to Make a Clay Dog | To make a clay dog, start by forming a cylindrical shape with a large piece of clay and then shaping the edges so it looks like a dog's body. Then, take a smaller piece of clay, roll it into a ball, and form a pointed snout on one side to make the head. Next, roll 4 matching cylinders for the dog's legs and flatten the bottoms to make paws. Finally, attach the head and legs to the body, and add the finishing touches, like a tail, ears, eyes, and a mouth. | Select your clay. There are many different kinds of clay, any of which can create a dog. Deciding which clay to use depends on your desired end result. Select your colors. You may choose to purchase different colors of clay to create the dog, or you can select to use one solid color and paint the dog after it is finished. Some clays, like polymer, can be baked into a finished piece very quickly in an oven. If you don't have an oven to use for your clay, you may prefer to select an air-dry clay, however, you will have to wait four or five days to finish it. If you are doing clay animation, you will want to select an oil-based clay that will not dry out. Break down the clay into manageable pieces. Instead of trying to mold a dog shape from a large chunk of clay, break apart the clay into several smaller pieces. Keep one larger piece to create the torso of the dog. Break off a piece for the head. Make four pieces of equal size to create the legs. Roll the pieces into balls to try and keep the size as even as possible for each leg. Make one smaller piece for the tail. Set the remainder aside to use for other small shapes that remain, such as the ears and eyes. Make the body. Form a cylindrical shape with the largest piece of clay. Roll some clay into a ball and shape it into a rectangle. Round the edges a little to make the rectangular body look like a dog body. You may want to adjust the torso to be smaller or larger depending on the kind of dog you want to create. For example, a basset hound or dachshund will have a much longer body, but much shorter limbs. If you are making a large sculpture, you may want to crumple up damp newspaper and mold the clay around it. This will save you clay, make the sculpture lighter and save you time when baking. Shape the head. You can shape a single piece by forming a pointed snout at the front and rounding the back. Or, you can shape a separate ball of clay for the snout and press it to the front of the face. Stick it on the top of the end of the body. To keep the head in place you might want to insert a toothpick halfway into the body of the dog. Then, place the head on the top half of the toothpick. Roll out four identical cylinder shapes for the legs. Flatten the bottoms and add pads with brown or black clay. Put two legs on the back of the dog, and two legs on the front. Use the legs to help create the pose for your dog. You might want to make him stand, sit, or lie down. It is entirely up to you. Make a tail. Roll another piece of clay between your hands to create the tail. You might want to make it long and pointy, or short and stubby. It depends entirely on the kind of dog you want to create. Attach the tail to the rear of the dog. Add some details. You will want to have ears, a snout, mouth, eyes, and a nose. You can use smaller pieces of clay to shape the pieces, or use your modeling tools to carve some of them into the existing form. The more time you take creating details, the more lifelike your dog will be. Consider adding a tongue. Add a small piece of thin clay out the side of your dog's mouth. Try pressing two small lines into each paw to create some toes. If you are using different colors of clay you can give your dogs some spots by adding small, thin patches of different colors over the body or legs. Create a collar by forming a long flat strip and wrapping it around the neck of the dog. Heat the oven. Check the instructions for your polymer clay to find the right temperature and time for the type of clay and the size of your clay dog. Polymer clays will all cook at a temperature between 215°F (102°C) to 325°F (163°C). Place the clay dog on a glass or ceramic tile. Wait until the oven reaches the desired temperature. Place the tile with the dog on it on the middle rack of your oven. Set a timer so you know when the time is up. Follow the cooking times suggested by the manufacturer for your type of clay. The larger your clay dog is, the longer it will take you to cook it in the oven. Use an oven thermometer. Certain ovens use rapid heating systems that can create dips and spikes in the temperature. You should try to monitor the temperature in the oven to make sure your clay isn't getting too hot or not hot enough. Too cold and your clay may become brittle, too hot and you may end up burning the clay. Remove the dog from the oven. When the timer goes off take out your clay dog. Leave the dog to cool on the ceramic tile. Don't worry if the clay doesn't appear firm when you first remove it from the oven. As the clay cools down it will harden. Use oven mitts when handling the tile. It will be hot. Use acrylic paints. You don't need to wash or sand your clay beforehand. Just brush on your base coat. Then add as much or little detail as you like. Select the colors that suit your type of dog. You might use mainly brown and black for a rottweiler, or white and black for a dalmatian. Avoid spray-on paints as they contain a solvent that can degrade your clay. Let the paint dry. It may take 15-20 minutes to dry from the time you finish painting. Brush on a coat of clear varnish. Use a different brush to apply the varnish. This will give your clay dog a nice glossy finish. The coat of varnish will seal in the paint and help protect it from chipping. | Select your clay. Break down the clay into manageable pieces. Make the body. Shape the head. Roll out four identical cylinder shapes for the legs. Make a tail. Add some details. Heat the oven. Place the clay dog on a glass or ceramic tile. Set a timer so you know when the time is up. Use an oven thermometer. Remove the dog from the oven. Use acrylic paints. Let the paint dry. Brush on a coat of clear varnish. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Recycle-Plastic | How to Recycle Plastic | Before you try to recycle plastic, look at the bottom of the container to see if it can be recycled. It should be labeled with a number 1 through 7. Number 1 and 2 plastic can always be recycled. Number 4 and 5 plastic can usually be recycled, but not always, so you'll want to contact your local recycling center if you're not sure. Unfortunately, number 3, 6, and 7 plastic can't be recycled. These types of plastics are usually found in things like plastic wrap, cooking oil containers, and styrofoam. If you don't want to throw away plastics that you can't recycle, try reusing them at home, like for storage or craft projects. | Sort and prepare plastics according to instructions provided by your recycling service provider, which maybe by size, shape or type. Check the bottom of your container for type code, if required by your service provider. Plastic is divided into 7 “types,” conveniently numbered 1-7. You can find this number on the bottom of whatever plastic container you're using. Follow the instructions provided by your recycling service provider. Clean and prepare containers according to your recycling providers instructions. Some service providers ask the lids to be removed. Recycling centers can technically clean and sterilize the plastic you bring them, but because this is an intensive process, they'll sometimes just throw out old food containers instead of recycling them. Rinse out the insides of old food containers and get rid of all the food waste to make it easier for the center to actually recycle your plastic. If you are disposing of old makeup , you should wipe out whatever is left and then recycle it. Use hot water and a scrubber to get as much of the food waste off of your plastic as you can. For plastic bottles, fill them with slightly soap water, then swish the water around to clean out the interior. Do be mindful of water usage and energy use associated with heating the water. For recyclable materials that can't be easily rinsed, such as takeout containers, your best bet is to separate the dirty parts from the clean ones and throw the dirty parts in the trash. Find out about the specifics of your community’s recycling program. Many cities and towns now have recycling drop-off points or even curbside municipal recycling collection. However, every community is different, so visit your local government's website to find out what facilities and options are available in your area. Most communities will at least have 1 or more recycling facilities, although these facilities may only accept certain types of plastic. Leave your recycling at a drop-off point to have someone pick it up. If your community offers curbside pickup, you can leave your plastics in a recycling bin alongside your garbage bin on garbage day. In areas that don't have curbside pickup, there are often large recycling dumpsters around town, usually at public places like schools, churches, or municipal buildings. Make sure you're adhering to your local government's guidelines when dropping off your recyclables. Otherwise, this may constitute littering. Take your plastics to a local recycling center if there’s no pickup option. Search online or call your local officials to find recycling centers in your area. Be sure to ask if there are any limits on what types of plastic you can bring to the center to be recycled. For example, some recycling centers may not be able to accept plastic bags. However, you can often take these to the grocery store to be recycled. Some recycling facilities will pay a couple of cents per item that you drop off. You can make a few extra bucks by collecting recycling from your friends and neighbors and bringing it in. Contact the recycling facility and ask if you need to sort your plastic. Some recycling centers will do the sorting and cleaning for you, so you can just dump cans, plastics and papers all together. With others, you will need to separate different materials beforehand and drop them off into select containers when you take them to the facility. If your facility requires it, separate paper and cardboard, plastics, glass, and cans. This can be annoying, but like any household chore, it gets easier if you make a weekly habit of it. Note that you may be required to clean out your plastic and remove the labels as well. Put recycling baskets in every room that also has a trash can. For best results, get blue baskets that are clearly distinguishable from trash cans. Place them near the regular trash cans so people won't be tempted to just throw plastic in the trash out of laziness. Make sure you put these baskets in every room where plastic is used, including the kitchen or break room, bathrooms, and rooms where people tend to congregate. If you have to sort your recyclables, you can save time by getting multiple or sectioned bins so you can sort as you throw each item away. Order a recyclables bin for curbside pickup for your home. In some communities you can set your recycling out in a bin just like your trash. If your community offers this type of program, be sure to sign up for it and order the right kind of bin for your plastics. If you're not sure if your community has this type of program, visit your city government's website and look for residential recycling among other residential services. Sometimes, like garbage collection, this will require a one-time or annual fee, but it makes recycling so easy the expense is usually worth it. If you live in an apartment, you may have building recycling bins already. Take out your recycling once a week to keep them from piling up. Staying on top of your recyclables this way will help prevent the task of actually recycling them from becoming too intimidating. If your nearest recycling center is a little far away, take out your recycling once or twice every month instead and just store your old plastic in the meantime. Refill fluid containers once they run out to avoid throwing them out. If the bottle was used to hold soap, detergent, or some other cleaning liquid, it can easily be refilled from a larger bulk-sized container of that liquid. However, bacteria can easily build up in a reused bottle, so you should only use old bottles to store non-consumables. For example, be careful about drinking repeatedly from the same plastic bottle. Only reuse drinking bottles once or twice before tossing them out. Organize your knick-knacks in your empty pill bottles. From coins to loose screws to craft supplies, these small, hard plastic bottles are perfect for keeping track of all kinds of tiny objects. Just make sure you remove the labels if they have personal information on them! Use your old plastic bottles to make craft projects. From candy dishes to elegant vases , there are lots of artsy ways you can re-purpose your empty soda bottles and thereby reduce plastic waste. Make sure you rinse out the bottles with soap and warm water first! Reuse grocery bags. Rather than wasting a bag that could be put to use, use it for the groceries. Fill your bottles with water and put some plants in it. Your house can always use some extra decorations. | Sort and prepare plastics according to instructions provided by your recycling service provider, which maybe by size, shape or type. Clean and prepare containers according to your recycling providers instructions. Find out about the specifics of your community’s recycling program. Leave your recycling at a drop-off point to have someone pick it up. Take your plastics to a local recycling center if there’s no pickup option. Contact the recycling facility and ask if you need to sort your plastic. Put recycling baskets in every room that also has a trash can. Order a recyclables bin for curbside pickup for your home. Take out your recycling once a week to keep them from piling up. Refill fluid containers once they run out to avoid throwing them out. Organize your knick-knacks in your empty pill bottles. Use your old plastic bottles to make craft projects. Reuse grocery bags. Fill your bottles with water and put some plants in it. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Prevent-Brain-Cancer | How to Prevent Brain Cancer | While it's not really possible to prevent brain cancer, you can reduce your risk of contracting it by having regular medical check-ups. During your appointments, inform your doctor about your medical history, since your family may have a history of the disease, which puts you at a higher risk. Additionally, if you spend a lot of time in the sun, wear sun screen and a head covering to limit your exposure to ultraviolet rays, which may cause brain cancer. Since research has shown that lower cholesterol levels may reduce your risk, try to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. You should also aim to get regular cardiovascular exercise, such as walking or running, which may reduce your brain cancer risk. | Be aware of your risk. Doctors do not know what causes brain cancer in most cases, but there are certain factors that can increase your risk. Knowing these factors can help you identify your risk and potential symptoms, and get regular checkups. The main risk factors for brain cancer include age, exposure to radiation, a family history of brain tumors, and currently having cancer that could metastasize (spread) to your brain from another area of your body. The brain, like the liver and lungs, has a lot of blood vessels. If a “seed” of cancer travels from elsewhere in the body, the chances of it settling in these areas with many blood vessels is higher. This is why having cancer elsewhere in your body puts you at elevated risk. Recognize your risk increases with age. Any person, from children to the elderly, can develop brain cancer; however, your risk for the disease increases the older you get. Recognizing this and being aware of your body may help you to seek a medical opinion if you notice any symptoms of brain cancer. Some brain tumors and cancer, such as brainstem gliomas and astrocytomas, are almost exclusively present in children. Ask about your family’s medical history. Keep a detailed record of your family's medical history, including cases of cancer and tumors. If you have a family history of brain tumors or certain genetic syndromes that increase risk for brain cancer, you are at a higher risk of developing cancer of the brain or surrounding areas. Understanding your family medical history of brain cancer can identify potential symptoms and treatment options. It's always wise to keep a personal record of your family's medical history and to have one at your doctor's office. Only 5 – 10% of all cancers are hereditary. A family history of Li-Fraumeni syndrome, neurofibromatosis, tuberous sclerosis and Turcot syndrome may make you more susceptible to brain cancer. Limit exposure to radiation. Different types of radiation can increase your risk of developing brain cancer. Limiting your exposure to radiation may help you prevent developing the disease. Ionizing radiation, which is present in some radiation therapies for cancer or atomic bombs, increases your risk of brain cancer. You may not be able to limit your exposure to ionizing radiation if you are undergoing treatment for another cancer. The likelihood of being exposed through an atomic bomb or nuclear meltdown is low. Ultraviolet radiation, which the sun emits, can also increase your risk for brain cancer. Wearing sunscreen and a head cover and limiting sun exposure may decrease your risk. Understand what kinds of radiation do not cause brain cancer. People are often exposed to more common forms of radiation including electromagnetic fields or radiofrequency radiation. Although some people believe that these types of radiation cause brain cancer, there is no evidence linking them to brain tumors. Studies have not linked radiation from power lines, cell phones, smartphones, or microwaves to brain cancer. Stay abreast of research on radiation exposure, which may help identify your risk factors. Change your eating and nutritional habits. There is some evidence that nutritional habits during fetal development, childhood and into adulthood may decrease your risk of developing brain cancer. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and lowering cholesterol may help you prevent brain cancer. If your mother ate fruits and vegetables during her pregnancy and/or gave them to you as a part of your diet during childhood, you may be at a lower risk of developing brain cancer. Continuing to eat a diet rich in different fruits and vegetables may keep your risk for brain cancer lower. Lowering your cholesterol and limiting how much fatty food you eat may minimize your risk for brain cancer. Exercise regularly. Aim to exercise most days of the week. Doing cardiovascular exercise can help you stay healthy and may minimize your risk of developing brain cancer. Aim to walk 10,000 steps a day, which translates to walking about 5 miles (or 8 km) per day. Wearing a pedometer can help you make sure you're taking enough steps per day. You can do any type of cardio training to maintain your health. Beyond walking, consider running, swimming, rowing, or biking. Learn the symptoms. There are many different symptoms of brain cancer that you may have. The signs and symptoms of a brain tumor can vary significantly. They depend on where in your brain the cancer is and the rate at which it is growing. There are several general signs of brain tumors that may alert you to seek medical treatment. Changes in a person's memory, personality, coordination, sensations, motor functions, etc. can be important clues to help locate the tumor. The following are possible signs of brain cancer: New headaches or a change in the pattern of your headaches. Unexplained nausea or vomiting. Vision problems, including blurred vision, double vision or loss of peripheral vision. Gradual loss of sensation or movement in your arm or leg. Difficulty with balance, speech, or general confusion in everyday matters. Have a doctor diagnose brain cancer. If you have any symptoms of brain cancer, see your doctor as soon as possible. They will confirm a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan, which is the only way to treat brain cancer. Your doctor will conduct a neurological exam that looks at your vision, hearing, balance, coordination, strength and reflexes. This may give them clues about whether you have a brain tumor and, if so, what kind. Your doctor may order imaging tests such as an MRI, CT scan, PET test to look more closely at your brain. This may help identify tumors or cancer. Your doctor may take a biopsy of your brain tissue for analysis to assess whether you have brain cancer. There may be other reasons for your symptoms, such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, an infection, or more. This is why it is essential you see a doctor for an evaluation. Treat brain cancer. If your doctor confirms a diagnosis of brain cancer, they will develop a treatment plan for and with you. The type of treatment depends on what kind of brain cancer you have an how severe it is. Your doctor may perform surgery if the cancer is in a spot accessible to remove the tumor. Your doctor may prescribe radiation therapy to combat a brain tumor or cancer. You may need chemotherapy to treat brain cancer. Your doctor may prescribe targeted drug therapy with medications such as Avastin to kill cancer cells in your brain. Learn the risks of not getting treatment. If you suspect that you have or present the symptoms of brain cancer, it's important to see a doctor as soon as possible. It is easier to treat brain cancer the earlier you are diagnosed. Ignoring signs or symptoms or avoiding treatment may make your condition worse or cause you to die. | Be aware of your risk. Recognize your risk increases with age. Ask about your family’s medical history. Limit exposure to radiation. Understand what kinds of radiation do not cause brain cancer. Change your eating and nutritional habits. Exercise regularly. Learn the symptoms. Have a doctor diagnose brain cancer. Treat brain cancer. Learn the risks of not getting treatment. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Show-Someone-You-Don%27t-Care | How to Show Someone You Don't Care | To show your crush you don't care after they reject you, try to avoid them as much as possible, so you don't have to put up a front all the time. When you're alone, let your emotions out however you need to, whether that's crying, listening to music, or hitting a punchbag. Try to stay busy by focusing on your hobbies and interests, which will distract you from negative thoughts. When you can't avoid interacting with your crush, be polite and confident, so you don't come across as mean. However, don't say any more than you need to, so you don't give away how you're feeling. | Take a little time to "let it all out. " Right after you get rejected, it can be tough to get a handle on your emotions. If your crush teases you during this time, you may not be able to control your reaction well. Do whatever you need to do (in private) to get over the fact that you were rejected. Cry, kick, scream — get it all out of your system. If your crush has really gotten to you, don't be afraid to talk to your friends or family about how you feel. Your must trusted relations can comfort you and offer helpful advice during this time. Avoid your crush when you can. When your former crush wants to get a flustered reaction out of you, staying away will deny him or her the satisfaction. Don't go where this person likes to hang out. Don't talk to this person unless you are forced to. You should even avoid your crush's friends — it's impossible to tell whose side they have actually taken. This advice extends to technology. Don't answer your crush's calls or texts. Delete your crush from your social networks (Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Keep your confidence when you do have to interact. Eventually, you may be forced to talk to this person (especially if you share a class or are paired together at work). Ignore him or her until you are spoken to first. When you do have to talk, try to act polite but disinterested. Speak in short, proper sentences (e.g., "Yes, that's good. No, it doesn't matter. OK. Sure.") If your crush teases you, shut him or her down immediately with silence and an icy-cold stare. S/he is trying to get a reaction out of you, so don't allow yourself to become upset or angry. Keep yourself busy. Don't let yourself wallow in thoughts of what could have been if your crush hadn't ended up being a jerk. Instead, show that you don't care about this person by moving on with your life! Devote yourself to your work or school work. Start a new exercise routine. Take up a new hobby. Try to master an old one. Anything you can do to stay busy will help keep your mind off of your former crush's negativity. Remember: dwelling in the past will only hold you back. If you let yourself do this, you may eventually end up picking up your phone, checking out old pictures, and even getting the urge to text this person. Stay strong — don't go back to a person who's been hurting you. Resist the urge to get revenge. When someone's been mean to you, it's only natural to want to get even. Unfortunately, if you're trying to prove that you don't care about someone, this is one of the worst things you can do. Lashing out with an angry outburst or plotting an ice-cold revenge scheme may make you feel good in the short term, but they won't help you get over this person in the long term. For this, happily ignoring the person who hurt you is almost always the best revenge. Also, it's wise to remember the old saying, "Don't argue with idiots. From a distance, people can't tell who's who." Trying to get back at an old flame can make you look petty or childish to others. The best course of action? Don't even run this risk. Focus on your own value. Once you start to get over the initial pain of rejection, it's time to start moving on. However, you can't do this if you don't believe you're worth it! Start to reaffirm yourself mentally. You can use whatever positive thoughts you want, but the following three work well: You are beautiful/handsome (whichever you prefer). You are intelligent. Your crush is foolish for not accepting you. Never feel like you're weak or helpless without this person. Admire your independence. Putting your former crush on a pedestal diminishes yourself. Let go of shame. Asking someone out and getting a "no" is bad enough, but when your crush is actually rude back to you, the embarrassment can be almost unbearable. The shame you may feel will gradually start to fade — this will go faster for some people than for others. Don't continue to focus on your negative feelings from the past, replaying them over and over again in your head. Instead, let them go and pursue new, positive emotions instead. Remember that you can never change the past. This means that it's illogical to worry about it. Why worry about what you can't change? Realize that your crush's "games" are immature. Healthy, mature people don't make fun of the people who have crushes on them after they confess the way they feel. They don't tease them afterward. If your crush did this to you, there is one silver lining: you now know that your crush is an immature, insecure person. It should feel good to know that the person you've been worrying about is definitely at fault. Don't let your crush back into your life. Over time, you should start to feel better. You should gradually start letting go of the shame and embarrassment from your experience and start focusing more on your own value. However, if your old crush works his or her way back into your life, this person can throw you off the path to recovery. If you can help it, you don't want to talk to him or her before you're 100% better. If s/he tries to get back into your good graces, don't be afraid to ask for some space. If your former crush won't get the message, be direct. It's OK to say, "I don't want to talk to you for a while. Leave me alone." Start to view your crush as unimportant. Your end goal is for the person who once caused you so much embarrassment and anxiety to become basically unimportant to you. This will take lots of time and patience, but if you follow the instructions above, you should gradually show signs of improvement. Eventually, you will probably find it funny that you once cared so much about this person. When you're ready to leave your former crush behind for good, start looking for someone who respects you and cares for you, rather than someone who will belittle you for the way you feel. Remember: happiness is the best revenge. | Take a little time to "let it all out. Avoid your crush when you can. Keep your confidence when you do have to interact. Keep yourself busy. Resist the urge to get revenge. Focus on your own value. Let go of shame. Realize that your crush's "games" are immature. Don't let your crush back into your life. Start to view your crush as unimportant. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Thinking-of-Something-or-Someone | How to Stop Thinking of Something or Someone | To stop thinking of something or someone, try distracting yourself with something mentally stimulating, like a crossword puzzle or a good book. Alternatively, you can try exercising or playing a sport, which will redirect your focus to your body and release endorphins that boost your mood. If you still can't shake your unwanted thoughts, consider writing them down in a journal or talking about them with a friend since expressing your thoughts can help get them out of your head. You can even try writing your thoughts on a piece of paper and then tossing it in the trash to signal to your brain that you're done thinking about them. | Write your thought(s) down. Your thoughts are distracting you from your daily activities and causing you unhappiness, anxiety or worry, so the first thing you must do is put them on paper. Write down all your upsetting thoughts in order of the most stressful to the least stressful. For example, if you keep thinking you might lose your job, your list could look something like this: 1. How will I be able to pay my bills and take care of my child? 2. What if I can't find a new job? 3. I'll be so embarrassed if I'm escorted by security out of the office with my belongings in a box. You're going to begin your practice with the least-stressful thought. Imagine the thought. Sit or lie down in a private place. Close your eyes. Imagine a situation in which you might have this stressful thought. Stop the thought. Set a timer, watch or other alarm for three minutes. Then focus on your unwanted thought. When the timer or alarm goes off, shout "Stop!" That's your cue to empty your mind of that thought. Think of one intentional thought (the beach, etc.) and keep your mind fixed on that image or thought for 30 seconds. If the upsetting thought comes back during that time, shout "Stop!" again. Practicing meditation or yoga may help calm and clear your mind. You can stand up when you say "Stop" if you'd like or snap your fingers or clap your hands. These actions reinforce the "Stop" command and further interrupt your thought. Instead of using a timer, you can tape-record yourself shouting "Stop!" at one-, two- and three-minute intervals and use the recording to do the thought-stopping exercise. When you hear your recorded voice say "Stop," empty your mind for 30 seconds. Practice. Repeat this exercise until the thought goes away on command. Then try the exercise again and interrupt the thought by saying "Stop" in a normal voice rather than a shout. Once your normal voice is able to stop the thought, try whispering "Stop." Over time, you can just imagine hearing "Stop" inside your mind. At this point, you should be able to stop the thought whenever and wherever it occurs. Once you've achieved that level of control, choose the next thought on your list and continue thought-stopping. This method will not stop unwanted thoughts immediately. What it does do is help "put brakes" on these thoughts and gradually lessen the hold they have over you. In this practice, there also has to be acceptance that these thoughts are here at present and to tolerate them. Thoughts can be very distracting, distressing, and when a person feels out of control about it, it is all the worse. But accepting the fact they are there, present, and to be less reactive about it actually helps them go away. Get active. Engaging in a sport that requires you to focus on your body and/or eye-hand coordination is a good way to clear your head. Plus, exercise brings the added benefit of producing the brain's feel-good neurotransmitters, endorphins, which will improve your mood. Do something mentally strenuous. Challenge yourself mentally by completing a Sudoku or crossword puzzle, solving complicated math problems or following a complex set of instructions to complete a project. The mental focus it will take to do these kinds of activities will leave you with no time or mental energy to think your unwanted thoughts. Laugh. Laughter can take your mind off worries. When we laugh, our brain is engaged--it's instructing our body to make a series of gestures and sound. Laughing helps reduce stress, so if your recurring thoughts are causing you anxiety, laughter really is good medicine. Hang out with friends who simply crack you up, rent a funny movie or try a laughter yoga class. You can even find therapists who specialize in "laughter therapy," which teaches people how to openly laugh at things that aren't usually funny and to use humor to cope with difficult situations. Talk it out. Often the best way to get a thought out of your head is to share it with someone else. Turn to a friend or family member who's a good listener and tell them what's on your mind. If you feel as though your difficulty in dealing with your unwanted thoughts is more than a friend can help with, turn to a professional therapist or counselor who can work with you. Practice acceptance. If you've tried just not thinking about someone or something, you know it's not really possible--if it were that easy, you wouldn't be reading this article. In fact, research has found that it is better to accept your unwanted thoughts rather than to push them away. In one study, participants who practiced acceptance were less obsessive, had lower levels of depression and were less anxious than those who tried thought suppression. Accepting your thoughts, does not mean you have to like them or even agree with your thoughts. You simply have to accept them as part of your current reality. Allow them to exist and make no effort to try to control or change them. By doing so, you take away their power, and they begin to occur less frequently. Use focused distraction. You may have already tried distracting yourself to get the thoughts you want to avoid out of your head, but have you tried focused distraction? Studies suggest it is better to distract yourself with just one thing rather than jumping from one thing to another trying to divert your attention from unwanted thoughts. Aimless mind-wandering is associated with unhappiness, so choose a specific task, book or piece of music to concentrate on and give it your full attention. Throw them out. In a study published in the journal Psychological Science, researchers found that when people wrote down their thoughts on a piece of paper and then threw the paper away, they mentally discarded the thoughts as well. Some counselors might instead recommend a worry jar where you can place these thoughts. Check for a lesson. If you are having obsessive thoughts, try treating the situation as a lesson. Ask yourself what the lesson is and what you can learn from your mistake. Try summing it up in just one sentence or less and write it down. Give it time. When a situation or person has a big impact in life, it often takes time to truly process it. This can be especially true if you have never experienced a situation before, such as finding out someone cheated on you, witnessing a death, or being in a car accident. Going over and over this in your mind is a natural way to process it. And each person is different--needing time to come to terms with something does not mean you are weak or lacking than someone who does not. | Write your thought(s) down. Imagine the thought. Stop the thought. Practice. Get active. Do something mentally strenuous. Laugh. Talk it out. Practice acceptance. Use focused distraction. Throw them out. Check for a lesson. Give it time. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Teach-Your-Puppy-to-Lie-Down | How to Teach Your Puppy to Lie Down | To teach your puppy to lie down, first make sure it can sit on command. After you've gotten your puppy to sit, hold a treat between your fingers and let your puppy smell and lick it. Then, lower the treat slowly to the ground while saying the command “Down” or “Lie down” in a calm, clear voice. When your puppy's elbows touch the ground, praise it and let it eat the treat. Repeat the process for a couple of 5-10 minute sessions a day until your puppy gets the hang of it. | Ensure your puppy knows the “sit” command. Before your puppy can tackle the “lie down” command, he will need to be comfortable with sitting on command. Once you teach your dog to sit, you can move on to the “lie down” command. You can teach your puppy to sit as early as 10 weeks old. Choose a quiet, open area. Conduct the training session in a spot that is free of distractions or noises that could interfere with your dog's concentration. You want to ensure your dog's focus remains on only you for the duration of the training session. If you usually use one area in your yard or home to train your dog, begin teaching him to lie down there. Some smaller dogs can be picky about lying down on a cold or hard floor. If possible, choose an area that has a carpeted floor or a surface that is soft, like a couch or a dog bed. The best time for training sessions is right when your puppy starts to get hungry, as this will motivate him to earn his rewards, or treats. Try to schedule training sessions right before dinner time. Keep several of your puppy's favorite treats on you. You can place several treats in your pockets before the training session if you tend to keep treats in your pockets while training your dog. You may keep the dog treats in a pouch attached to your belt or in your back pocket. It's important that you place the treats in a spot where they cannot be seen by your puppy. You want your puppy to learn to respond to your command, not to a treat. You should keep the treats out of sight in a pocket or a pouch until your dog completes the command and earns his reward. However, in the early stages of training it is acceptable to use a treat as a lure. Command your pup to “sit”. Once he is in the sitting position, say the cue “down”. Make sure you say the “lie down” or “down” cue in a calm, clear voice and maintain eye contact with your puppy as you say the cue. Use the cue “down” or “lie down” to teach your puppy to get down on the ground and not use it for other actions, like getting off of the couch or off of a step. Instead, use the command “off” in other instances so your puppy is not confused about which action you are asking for. Hold a treat between your fingers. Allow your dog to smell it and lick it, but not to eat it. Continue to hold the treat in front of your dog's nose and move it down toward the floor, between his front legs. Your dog's nose should follow the treat and his head should bend down towards the floor. Move the treat to the ground. Keep moving the treat until your hand lands on the ground, straight in front of your dog. Your dog will continue to follow the treat and ease himself into a down position. Once his elbows touch the floor, say “yes!” and let him eat the treat from your fingers. Avoid using your hands to push your dog down to the ground as this can be seen as an aggressive move by your dog and spook him or put him on edge. You want to teach your dog to lie down on his own. Your dog may stand up after eating the treat and move out of the down position. If he does not do this, move one to two steps away to encourage him to move out of the down position. If you dog's back end pops up when you move him into the down position, you should not give him the treat. Instead, ask your dog to sit and try the sequence again until his whole body goes down to the ground. You can try allowing your dog to sniff or nibble at the treat as you move it to the floor to encourage him to lie down fully. Keep in mind some dogs may not be interested in the treat you are using for the session and he may not follow the treat with his nose. Switch up the treat for something more enticing, like a small piece of chicken, a piece of cheese, or the end of a hot dog. Repeat the “down” sequence 15 to 20 times. Some dogs can move on to learning the hand signal after one session, and other dogs may need a few more sessions of practice. Try to do at least two short, five to ten minute sessions, a day. Practice the “lie down” hand signal. Once your dog gets the hang of the down position with the use of a treat, you can move on to using a hand signal to get your dog to lie down. You will still use treats as a reward, but they will be hidden behind your back so your dog follows the hand signal, rather than the treat. Begin with commanding your dog to “sit”. Say “down.” Make the same motion with your fingers and hand, but without a treat between your fingers. Move your hand to the ground and as soon as your dog's elbows touch the floor, say “yes!” and give him a treat. Take a few steps back to signal to your dog that he can stand up. Repeat this sequence 15 to 20 times for one to two weeks. Try to have two five to ten minute training sessions a day where your dog follows your hand signal. Once your dog lies down as soon as you say the cue and make the hand signal, you can move forward in the training. If your dog doesn't follow your empty hand into the down position, do not bring out a treat to encourage him. Be patient and make eye contact with him until he lies down on his own. Work on reducing the hand signal. Over time, you likely will not want to continue to bend all the way down to the floor to get your dog into the down position with the hand signal. You can try to shrink the signal so it is a smaller movement and you do not need to bend down towards the floor. Make sure you progress to a smaller hand signal slowly, and only once your dog is comfortable with the “lie down” command and the normal hand signal. Repeat the command and the hand signal, without a treat between your fingers. Instead of moving your hand all the way to the floor, move it down until it is an inch or two above the floor. Continue to practice the down command with this new, smaller hand signal for one to two days. Once your dog responds to the smaller hand signal, adjust your movement so your hand is three to four inches above the floor. After practicing for a couple more days, shrink the hand signal again so it is farther and farther away from the floor and you need to bend over less and less. Over time, you will not need to bend over at all and you should be able to say the “Lie down” command while standing up straight and pointing to the floor. Use the command in different settings and situations. Now that your pup has mastered the lie down command, it's time to practice the new skill in different settings and situations. This will teach him to always follow the command, regardless of any distractions around him. Start by practicing the command in familiar places, like the rooms in your home, in your backyard, and in your front yard. Move on to slightly more distracting areas, like in your home when other family members are around. You can also practice the command during a daily walk and in friend's houses or yards. Once your dog masters lying down on command in these situations, add on more distractions. Practice the command while someone makes noise or plays with a ball nearby. You should also practice the command when you are playing with your dog at the park, when someone rings the doorbell, and when your dog is playing with other dogs. Practice the command with less treats. If you'd rather not carry pockets full of dog treats every time you ask your dog to lie down, you can start to reduce the number of treats he receives during the training sessions. Only do this once your dog is very comfortable with following the lie down command in different settings and situations. Begin by giving him treats only when he lies down fast and with excitement. If he lies down slowly and with reluctance, give him praise and a head scratch but do not give him a treat. Withhold the treats for only the faster lie downs so he does not receive a treat every time he lies down. You can also use other rewards besides treats for when he follows the command. Ask your dog for a down position before you attach his leash for a walk, before you give him his dinner, before you throw his favorite toy and before he can greet someone. This way, he will see the lie down command as a positive cue that leads to rewards other than treats. | Ensure your puppy knows the “sit” command. Choose a quiet, open area. Keep several of your puppy's favorite treats on you. Command your pup to “sit”. Hold a treat between your fingers. Move the treat to the ground. Repeat the “down” sequence 15 to 20 times. Practice the “lie down” hand signal. Repeat this sequence 15 to 20 times for one to two weeks. Work on reducing the hand signal. Use the command in different settings and situations. Practice the command with less treats. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Lighten-Dark-Lips | How to Lighten Dark Lips | If your lips are dark and you want to lighten them, try massaging them with almond oil every night to increase blood flow and help brighten them. Since lemon juice is known for its ability to lighten skin, rub a few drops of it on your lips before bed and then rinse it off in the morning with warm water. Alternatively, you can make your lips look lighter by exfoliating them twice a week using a sugar scrub or dry, soft-bristled toothbrush. Another scrub you can try is a pomegranate lip scrub made from 1 tablespoon of pomegranate seeds mixed with some milk, as the fruit can make your lips look pinker. Once you've created the paste, rub it onto your lips and then rinse it off after 2 to 3 minutes. | Moisturize your lips. Dry, damaged lips can have a dark appearance. Use a good quality lip balm. Check the ingredients to make sure that it has both a moisturizer, such as shea butter or cocoa butter, and a binding agent, such as beeswax. Good moisturizing ingredients to look for include shea butter, cocoa butter, and almond oil. Shea butter has been used since ancient times and is known for its antioxidant and moisturizing properties. Cocoa butter is often used to reduce discoloration from scarring. Almond oil is considered one of the best oils to improve the health and appearance of skin. Use sunblock. Protect your lips from the sun as you protect the rest of your skin. Lips don't tan but they can burn and become dry which will make them appear darker. Make sure your lip balm has sun blocking material of SPF 20 or greater. Use lipsticks with sun block of SPF 20 also. Quit smoking, if you do. Smoking can discolor lips, as tobacco, nicotine, and tar can all darken lips. Additionally, heat from cigarettes may cause you to produce more melanin (which protects skin from the sun) and darken your lips. Quitting is hard. Talk to your doctor about medications that can help you quit, as well as gum or patches. Massage your lips. Massages can increase blood flow and brighten your lips. Massage your lips with almond oil every night before bed to deeply moisturize. Alternatively, massage your lips with ice cubes to moisturize and make them appear fuller and pink. Exfoliate your lips. There are several ways to exfoliate your lips. You might choose to use an exfoliating scrub, or you could buff them with a toothbrush. Make a sugar scrub by combining a tablespoon of white or brown sugar with just enough honey or olive oil to make a paste. Rub the mixture vigorously over your lips. After a minute wipe off with a damp washcloth. Alternatively, use a dry, soft-bristled toothbrush to buff away the dry skin. Apply light pressure to the toothbrush and work the bristles in a circular motion. Follow with a soothing lip balm. Repeat twice a week. If irritation happens, reduce the number of times per week or rub more gently. Use a pomegranate lip scrub. Pomegranates can make your lips pinker. Crush 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of pomegranate seeds, and then mix the powder with milk to create a paste. Rub the paste onto your lips, then rinse it off after 2-3 minutes. Repeat as desired. Discontinue if irritation occurs. Use lemon juice. Lemon juice is well-known for its ability to lighten skin. Rub a few drops of lemon juice on your lips before bed each night. Rinse off in the morning with warm water. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. As an alternative, you can mix lemon and honey together, then apply it to your lips at night to subtlety lighten your lips. Massage on a baking soda paste. Baking soda can also lighten your skin. Plus, you probably already have it in your kitchen! Mix just enough water into your baking soda to create a paste, then massage the paste into your lips. Finally, rinse it away. Apply a moisturizing balm after you rinse. In addition to lightening your skin, the paste also exfoliates your lips. Use potatoes. Potatoes have been used to lighten skin, including reducing the appearance of scars. Rub a slice of potato on your lips before bed, without rinsing afterwards. Wash your lips with warm water in the morning. Potatoes contain "catecholase," a naturally occurring enzyme that is best known for reducing skin darkness. Use beet root juice for pink lips. Although it won't lighten your lips, beet juice can provide your lips with a pink stain that might improve their look, depending on your preferences. To get the look, apply 2-3 drops of beet root juice to your lips everyday, and don't wash it off. As an alternative, you can create a paste with beet root powder and water. Apply the paste to your lips. After 10 minutes, wipe away the paste. Repeat as desired to maintain the look. Use a pomegranate lip stain. You can mix pomegranate with other fruit juices to create a lip stain. To make a stain, grind 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of pomegranate seeds. Mix the ground seeds into equal parts beet root and carrot juice. Rub the mixture on your lips, leaving it on as a stain. Alternatively, you could use a mixture of cranberry and grape juice to stain your lips a ruby-red color. Repeat as desired to maintain the look. | Moisturize your lips. Use sunblock. Quit smoking, if you do. Massage your lips. Exfoliate your lips. Use a pomegranate lip scrub. Use lemon juice. Massage on a baking soda paste. Use potatoes. Use beet root juice for pink lips. Use a pomegranate lip stain. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Feather-Hair-Around-Your-Face | How to Feather Hair Around Your Face | Temporarily feathering your hair is a great way to frame your face with a retro look. You'll need to start with clean, damp hair to achieve the effect. Separate your hair into 2 sections. Then, roll the hair you want to feather around a round brush away from your face while blow drying it. Once your hair is dry, curl it with a curling iron. If you don't have a curling iron, you can just blow dry your hair while rolling it around your brush. Then, grasp a few strands at a time with your fingertips and pull your hair lightly in opposite directions to feather it. Finally, apply a little hairspray to hold your feathered hair. | Wash and dry your hair until it’s damp. You should always cut your hair when it's been freshly washed. Otherwise, oil and product buildup can interfere with your cut. You can wash and condition it as usual. Afterwards, towel-dry your hair until it's no longer dripping. Don't dry it all the way--just get it damp! Damp hair is much easier to work with than either wet or dry hair. Keep a spray bottle filled with warm water nearby so that you can keep your hair damp as you are cutting. Comb your hair out. Gently comb your hair out until it lies flat and has no tangles. This will help you cut your hair correctly and evenly. If you have fragile or very curly hair, applying a little hair serum or leave-in conditioner before you start combing will help prevent breakage. Part your hair. If you are going for a retro 1970s look, part your hair in the middle. If you want something a little more modern, part your hair to the side. Either side is fine, and if you aren't sure what kind of part you want, you can just go with your usual part! Divide your hair into about eight sections. To get even sections, start by tracing a line from one ear to the other over the top of your head using a rat tail comb. Use stylist clips to secure each section while you work. Then, trace a second line from your forehead to the nape of your neck. This will produce four quadrants. Divide each quadrant in half to get eight appropriately portioned sections. Hold the end of each section between two fingers. Slide your index and middle fingers around one of the sections and slowly pull down until your fingers are about ⁄ 2 inch (1.3 cm) away from the tips. Your fingers should be holding your hair like a pair of scissors. Be sure to use your non-dominant hand! Otherwise you'll have to switch hands to cut your hair. Pull your hair away from your face. Feathered hair should be styled pointing away from the face. Pull the section of hair away from your face--this will help the feathered layers frame your face naturally. Use feathering shears to cut the tips of your hair. Take a pair of feathering shears in your other hand and snip at the ends of your hair. Your cuts should point vertically instead of horizontally to get a feathered look. Don't cut too much--you shouldn't be removing more than ⁄ 8 inch (0.32 cm) at the most. If you don't have feathering shears, you can use a hairstylist's razor. Don't use regular scissors. They won't give your hair a feathered effect. Make random cuts along the tips of your hair. To get a feathered look, make your vertical cuts slightly different lengths and angles. The ends of your hair should look like a zigzag rather than a straight line. Repeat with the other sections. Do the same thing to all the other sections of your hair. For the back, lower your head slightly and hold the end up in front of a mirror so you can see it. Dry and style your hair as usual. You can add a feathered style on top of the cut if you want, but even if you just dry your hair and wear it in your usual style, it will still have a feathered effect. Wash and dry your hair. You can get a feathered look just by styling your hair instead of cutting or adding layers to it. Start by washing and drying your hair as usual. Comb your bangs out. Brush your hair and part it as usual, but take special care to comb your bangs out until they are as smooth and straight as possible. Any tangles will show up in your feathers, so make sure they're combed out! Apply hair gel or mousse. Use styling product to keep it stable while you style it. You can use gel or mousse, whichever works better for your hair type. If you have hair that has a hard time holding its shape, you may need more product than someone with naturally textured hair. Roll your bangs out with a round brush . Take a round brush and roll your bangs over and around it. Pull your hair across the center line of your head. The brush should be behind the hair, and the ends should be pushed toward the mirror. You can use any size brush you want, but a smaller brush will create tighter curls. If you part your hair down the middle, simply hold the brush at the center of your forehead. Move a blow dryer from your roots to your end until your bangs are completely dry. Work the brush repeatedly from your roots to your ends, following it closely with your dryer. Keep this process going until all the moisture has been evaporated from your bangs. The heat will help hold the style in and create a feather effect. After you've blow-dried it, gently unroll the brush. Remember to keep the dryer moving. Holding the dryer stationary can burn or damage your hair. Separate the ends of your bangs with your fingers. Use your fingers to gently feather the ends of your bangs. Simply grasp a few strands at a time with your fingertips and pull the ends of your bangs lightly in opposite directions. Repeat until your bangs are feathered. Lock in your hairstyle with hairspray. Spray hairspray on your bangs to keep them in place. Don't use too much or spray too close--this will make your bangs too stiff. Wash and dry your hair. You can get a feathered look just by styling your hair instead of cutting or adding layers to it. Start by washing and drying your hair as usual. Comb your hair out. Make sure your hair is completely free of tangles and is lying as flat as possible against your head. It's much easier to feather hair this way! Part your hair. If you are going for a retro 1970's look, part your hair in the middle. If you want something a little more modern, part your hair to the side. Either side is fine! Separate and clip a section of hair on each side of your face. Separate one section about 2 inches (5.1 cm) wide on each side of your face. Use stylist clips near the root to hold them apart from the rest of your hair. Apply hair gel or mousse (optional). If your hair is very wavy or curly, put in some styling product to keep it stable while you style it. You can use gel or mousse, whichever works better for your hair type. Roll each section around a round brush forward and out from your face. Remove the clips and take a round brush and roll each section around it. The hair should be rolled over the brush and away from your face. Blow-dry against the brush until your hair is dry. Blow dry your hair, working the brush from your roots to your tips and following closely with your dryer. Keep working the brush and dryer over your hair until is is completely dry. The heat will help hold the style in and create a feather effect. After you've blow-dried it, gently unroll the brush. Do not hold the dryer stationary over any given section of hair. This could lead to burning or damage to your locks. Curl the section with a curling iron or curlers. If you choose not to style with a blow dryer, you'll need extra help to hold the curl in. Use a curling iron or curlers to hold the curl. The curling iron should be used on dry hair only. If you use unheated curlers, you'll have to wait overnight to see any effect. Separate the ends of your hair with your fingers. Use your fingers to gently feather the ends of your bangs. Simply grasp a few strands at a time with your fingertips and pull the ends of your bangs lightly in opposite directions. Repeat until you've feathered all the ends of your hair. Lock in your hairstyle with hairspray. When you're done feathering, spray a light mist of hairspray over your entire hair. This will help keeps your feathering bouncy and lifted from your face. If your hair is very fine, you may need to spray the hairspray while your hair is still in curlers. | Wash and dry your hair until it’s damp. Comb your hair out. Part your hair. Divide your hair into about eight sections. Hold the end of each section between two fingers. Pull your hair away from your face. Use feathering shears to cut the tips of your hair. Make random cuts along the tips of your hair. Repeat with the other sections. Dry and style your hair as usual. Wash and dry your hair. Comb your bangs out. Apply hair gel or mousse. Roll your bangs out with a round brush . Move a blow dryer from your roots to your end until your bangs are completely dry. Separate the ends of your bangs with your fingers. Lock in your hairstyle with hairspray. Wash and dry your hair. Comb your hair out. Part your hair. Separate and clip a section of hair on each side of your face. Apply hair gel or mousse (optional). Roll each section around a round brush forward and out from your face. Blow-dry against the brush until your hair is dry. Curl the section with a curling iron or curlers. Separate the ends of your hair with your fingers. Lock in your hairstyle with hairspray. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Work-With-Enamel-Paint | How to Work With Enamel Paint | To work with enamel paint, always apply a coat of primer to the surface you're painting first, which will help the enamel paint stick better. When you're applying the paint, try to use fluid, even strokes since imperfections are more visible with enamel paint. If you're worried about getting an even coat, you can use a paint sprayer instead of a brush. Regardless of the project you're working on, apply at least 2 coats of enamel paint to improve its durability. | Decide if an enamel paint is right for your project. Enamel paints are best suited for use in places outdoors that are exposed to severe weather and fluctuations in temperature. They are also useful inside the home in areas that receive heavy general wear. Due to their dense, high-gloss finish, surfaces painted with enamel paints are easily cleaned and resistant to staining and damage. If the project you're working on requires a piece to be able to withstand lots of abuse, enamel paints are probably right for you. Enamel paints are also a good pick for any material that needs a slick, protective finish. Bathroom fixtures and metal appliances are often finished with enamel paints. Choose the right type of paint. Traditionally, enamel paints are oil-based. The oil content allows the paint to mix and go on smoother, as well as adhere to surfaces longer. With recent increased demand for non-toxic paint alternatives, water-based enamel paints have become more common. Water-based enamel paints can be simpler to work with, as they dry faster and are easier to clean, while oil-based enamel paints last longer and provide a smoother, more durable finish. The choice to use an oil-based vs. a water-based paint is largely preference. Water-based paints will do nicely for basic projects, while heavy duty oil-based paints will hold up to constant wear and harsh outdoor conditions. There exists a wide variety of enamel paints. Before buying paint, take a look at many different kinds to find the one that best suits your project. Use high quality brushes. Not just any type of brush should be used when working with enamel paints. For best results, select a brush that features the right filament type and stiffness for the paint you're using. A Chinese or ox-hair brush, for instance, is a softer-bristled brush that helps spread thick oil-based paints effortlessly. When working with water-based enamel paints, brushes made from synthetic fibers are preferable, as the filaments won't soak up the water contained in the paint and become soggy. Some brushes are designed with angled bristle edges that aid in painting smoother lines. This type of brush would be ideal for working with enamel paint, which demands an even finish. Stick to one type of brush for one type of paint. For instance, while it's okay to use a synthetic filament brush with an oil-based enamel paint, it's better to choose a new brush if you've already used the synthetic brush with a water-based paint. Start with a primer. Primers are special paint products that act to prepare surfaces to be painted with a topcoat. A preliminary coat of primer will fill crevices in wood grain, cover inconsistencies in unfinished materials and give the paint a more uniform area to stick to. Most primers are oil-based, which allows them to form a better seal against the wood and helps paint hold better once the primer is dry. It is recommended that you use a coat of primer before applying enamel paint, especially on indoor surfaces, furniture, cabinets and trim. Look for primers that are approved for use on the type of surface you're painting. Some brands of enamel paint are even formulated with built-in primers which improve the adhesion of the paint. Always use a primer when painting wood and other uneven natural materials, walls, cabinets, trim and any surface with variations in dimension and texture. Utilize the proper brushstroke. Because of its smooth, glossy consistency, enamel paints tend to make painting imperfections more visible. For this reason, it's advisable to use a second “tip off” stroke after brushing on the top layer of paint. To do this, make sure the brush's bristles are wet with paint (but not oversaturated) and angle the brush as you make the second pass so that only the tips run along the area that you just painted. When using the tip off technique, make sure that you drag the brush along the entire length of the painting surface (with the natural grain if you're painting wood) to keep the thickness and orientation of each stroke uniform. Take care to make your brush strokes as fluid and even as you can. Some surfaces, such as furniture and handmade crafts, will be harder to paint than others due to their many irregular contours. Use a sprayer. Enamel paints can also be applied via sprayer, a handheld device that propels paint through tiny holes at the end of a nozzle. A sprayer will ensure that the paint goes on in even coats. Using a sprayer can save you time on jobs where there's a lot of area to cover, such as refinishing outdoor furniture and appliances. A sprayer will help you quickly take care of rugged painting projects such as coating a patio deck or touching up mechanical equipment. Thicker types of enamel paint might need to be thinned before they can be used in a sprayer. Apply two coats. Most home improvement experts recommend applying a second coat on projects for which enamel paints are used because of the need for protective coverage. Allow paint to dry between coats, and tip off the top coat for an even finish. Two coats of paint will be superior to a single coat for seamlessness, durability and color integrity. Use two coats of paint on stairs, outdoor work spaces and any surface that receives regular exposure to the elements. While you should apply the first coat as smoothly as possible, it's not necessary to tip it off; this process will be reserved for the outermost coat. Account for drying time. Under normal conditions, oil-based enamel paints will require between 8-24 hours to dry completely due to their thickness. Water-based paint can dry to the touch in 1-2 hours or less. Temperature and humidity have an effect on drying time, so outdoor projects can be expected to take longer to dry. Freshly painted surfaces should be left alone while drying to prevent smudging and other contact imperfections. Whenever possible, time outdoor painting projects to coincide with warm, dry weather to prevent excessive humidity, temperature spikes or precipitation from potentially sabotaging the drying process. Some paint companies have special quick-drying enamel paint formulas that dry in as little as 15-20 minutes. Touch up worn paint carefully. When reapplying enamel paint to worn and discolored areas, use a single thin coat at a time. Brush the fresh coat on carefully to make sure that the surface remains uniform. Primer shouldn't be needed for touch ups unless you plan on completely stripping the paint from an area first. It's generally a good idea to apply a fresh coat over the entire area being painted, provided that it's not too large. This way you can avoid variations in thickness or a mismatch “seam” where the new coat has been brushed on. Clean enamel paint when needed. Another benefit of the smooth finishes created by enamel paints is that they lend themselves to hassle-free cleaning. Should a painted surface become dirty, simply wet a towel with a mixture of warm water and a mild liquid detergent and wipe away whatever debris is clinging to the paint's exterior. Oil-based enamel paints can be more difficult to clean and may require the use of mineral spirits or diluted acetone. Mineral spirits is a mild solvent used to thin and strip paints. It can be brushed on or applied with a damp towel. Because of its solvent properties, mineral spirits are highly effective at removing dust and grime from dried enamel paint. Remove paint using chemical paint strippers. If you need to take off a coating of paint, you will most likely need a powerful paint stripper. Chemical strippers come in a variety of forms and are one of the only methods strong enough for removing the thick, hardened paint. Apply the paint stripper in heavy globs rather than even coats and allow time for the solvent to take effect. After the chemical stripper has set to work dissolving the enamel paint, remove any remaining paint by going over the area with a medium-grit sandpaper. Chemical paint strippers tend to highly caustic, and some types may emit toxic fumes. Caution should be taken when using chemical strippers to remove enamel paint yourself. If possible, acquire the services of professional paint specialists to strip surfaces finished with enamel paints. | Decide if an enamel paint is right for your project. Choose the right type of paint. Use high quality brushes. Start with a primer. Utilize the proper brushstroke. Use a sprayer. Apply two coats. Account for drying time. Touch up worn paint carefully. Clean enamel paint when needed. Remove paint using chemical paint strippers. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Man-Cave | How to Make a Man Cave | To make a man cave, start by furnishing it based on what you plan to do there. For example, bring in a comfortable sofa and chairs, set up a projector and screen, and put in a refrigerator if you want a home theater. Alternatively, you can put mats on the floor, bring in your dumbbells and weight bench, and wire the room for stereo surround sound to create your very own workout space. Once you have the room set up, make it your own by displaying posters, trophies, or neon signs that reflect your personality and attitude. | Choose the space. Naturally, the word "cave" is very loosely used in the case of developing a man cave. It can be the attic, an unused bathroom, the shed out the back, the garage, or the basement. Or anywhere else that's spare, has adequate elbow room, and is left currently unused or pretty much abandoned. Build a shed or dig out a basement if your options are looking thin. Be prepared to negotiate. Having a man cave in the house may require delicate household negotiations and compromises. You may have to agree to something in exchange for your man cave been allowed into the house. If your man cave is using up the only relaxation space, no one's going to end up happy. Try offering one of the following in exchange, if your partner or housemate is interested: Setting up another room as a sewing room , exercise room, sauna and spa, playroom, model collection space, or astronomy observatory. Promising a certain number of hours each month on household repairs, odd jobs, or chores. Arranging regular dates or family time. Insulate and sound-proof the room. Man caves often start in corners of the house without insulation. Make your man cave warmer and more sound-proof by installing fiberglass or other insulation material between the wall studs. Unless your cave is in a stand-alone shed, or you're living alone, put a priority on sound proofing when choosing insulation material. You don't want your midnight sports or poker game to be interrupted by a tired spouse or neighbor. Paint or wallpaper the room (optional). If you've been relegated to the dingiest, smallest room in the house, bright colors will give a sense of more light coming in, and more space. On the other hand, dark colors are good for home theater setups, or a relaxed bar-like atmosphere. If you couldn't care less and just think a wall is a wall, congratulations. Skipping this step is the first benefit of having a space where you get to make the decisions. Add lighting or curtains if needed. Install recessed lighting or a light on a dimmer switch if you want to watch movies in your man cave. If your man cave has windows, put up blackout curtains so you can pull them closed and game at three in the afternoon without the outside world butting in. Add comfortable seating. Get the comfiest couches, armchairs, recliners, or beanbags you can find. If you're looking forward to a lot of spilled beer and take-out food, find a beat-up leather couch that can handle the damage. If you're building more of a "gentleman's cave," select quality matching furniture instead. Put in tables and other furniture. Most man caves can get away with a couple end tables to put a drink on, and maybe a bookcase to hold trophies, books, and decorations. If you like board games or card games, though, put in a card table and a few compact chairs. Outdoor wooden furniture is more rustic and durable, and fits in with a rugged man cave style. Add the TV and radio. If you watch a lot of sports, save up for a 50 inch+ (127cm) flat screen TV, although keep practicality in mind if you're going to be sitting 5 feet (1.5 meters) away. If television isn't going to be the main entertainment in your man cave, you can put in a small, cheap set, a radio, or nothing at all. If you want a home theater setup, a projector and canvas screen can create the largest image and takes up barely any space when not in use. Put in a bar and/or fridge. If you like mixing drinks or keeping a large booze selection, class up the experience with your own bar counter top and shelving , plus a bar stool or two. If the goal here is to keep a few beers cold, or to store some easy snacks, just go with a mini-fridge instead. If you party in a giant man cavern, buy a kegerator. Hook up a computer. If you have a laptop, just make sure you get internet access. What you look at online is your own business in the man cave. If your home wireless signal is poor in the man cave, try purchasing a WiFi range extender. Install a surround sound system. If you enjoy quality audio, this is another big ticket item to save up for and really spice up your man cave. Keep in mind that most living situations will make sound-proofing a necessity before this goes in. Set up your gaming supplies. From board games to card games, from a pool table to a table tennis table, whatever fits in and makes your world rock is absolutely fine. The man cave is a great place for console gaming, too, especially for less family-friendly games. Include sports equipment. Reserve some space for the physical activity of choice to keep you fit, strong, and manly. Think about dumbbells, a bench press, or whatever you can fit into your space. Create a workbench space. If you're into home projects and have the space, set aside a corner for carpentry, home improvement planning, or other projects. If you are in a garage or basement, you can include a workbench for vehicle maintenance and upgrades. Add anything you desire. There are a thousand ways to customize your man cave. If you have an indoor hobby, make a space for it. Here are even more ideas to customize the space the way you like it: Arcade games and pinball machines Indoor bowling, golf, or other miniature sports Musical instruments you or your buddies can play. A smoke machine or other completely gratuitous, awesome man toys. Add signs to the walls. Neon bar signs make classic man cave décor, as do old-fashioned liquor ads and traffic signs with funny messages or images. You can buy these from specialized stores or online, so there's no need to look for one that "just fell off the truck." You can also search online for "man cave decorations" or "man cave signs." Put up posters or artwork. Display posters of your favorite actors, athletes, or anything you like. Frame your favorite movie posters in lighted frames, or negotiate with other people in your house to move a couple pieces of wall décor into your cave. Posters of models are another classic man cave decoration, although they can be a sore point for some spouses and partners. Display your trophies, medals, collections, and memorabilia. Hang up your medals and place your trophies proudly on the top shelf. If you hunt, fish, or play sports, display your equipment, along with photographs of great moments. Your man cave is also the perfect place to display any collection you have, or at least the most prized examples. Keep reading material and gadgets on hand. There should be plenty of small things for you and your mates to grab during the lull in TV, audio, or video game activity. Include such items as: Magazines and books 3D puzzles, handheld games and toys, and other small time wasters or challenges Strange gadgets, flea market deals, and other odd, interesting stuff you've picked up — especially if your family won't let you keep it anywhere else! | Choose the space. Be prepared to negotiate. Insulate and sound-proof the room. Paint or wallpaper the room (optional). Add lighting or curtains if needed. Add comfortable seating. Put in tables and other furniture. Add the TV and radio. Put in a bar and/or fridge. Hook up a computer. Install a surround sound system. Set up your gaming supplies. Include sports equipment. Create a workbench space. Add anything you desire. Add signs to the walls. Put up posters or artwork. Display your trophies, medals, collections, and memorabilia. Keep reading material and gadgets on hand. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Build-Shoulder-Muscles | How to Build Shoulder Muscles | One of the best exercises to build shoulder muscles is the overhead shoulder press. Use a barbell, a pair of dumbbells, or a shoulder press machine and aim for 2-4 sets of 4-8 reps. You can also do regular lateral raises and bent-over lateral raises to build shoulder muscles, shooting for 1-2 sets of 10-12 reps. Be sure to rest for 60-75 seconds between sets, and change up your exercises and repetition ranges frequently for the best results! | Perform overhead shoulder presses. This workout is great for your anterior deltoids, and it is often considered the most effective exercise for building shoulder muscles. You can use a barbell, a pair of dumbbells, or a shoulder press machine. Barbells are more effective for "maxing out" with a heavy load, meaning that you can lift more. Dumbbells require more coordination to lift, however, and they can help keep you from perpetuating strength imbalances between your shoulders. Enter the starting position. This exercise is best done when standing. Hold the barbell or dumbbells with a palm-forward grip, slightly wider than your shoulders. Hold the weight in front of your head, just above shoulder level. You can do this exercise while seated, although the seated version does not exercise your core as much. If you've had lower back trouble, stick to the seated version. Sit on a press bench with vertical support for your back. Keep your back straight and your feet firmly planted on the ground. Do the press. In one smooth motion, lift the barbell or dumbbell above your head to the point that your elbows straighten. Hold the weight there for a moment, and then slowly lower it to the starting position. Keep the weights in the resting position for two seconds, and then repeat. Take your time, and pay close attention to form. Make sure that you're not favoring one shoulder over the other. Lift heavy. Shoulder presses build muscle most efficiently as a high-weight, low-repetition activity. Begin with 2-4 sets of 4-8 reps each. Do lateral raises. Start in a standing position, arms hanging at your sides, holding one dumbbell in each hand. Lift your arms straight out from your sides until they are parallel to the floor. Bend your elbow, slightly, and tilt your hands forward as if you are pouring a drink. Hold the dumbbells at arms' length for a moment. Then, slowly lower the weights back to the starting position. Exhale when your arms reach the apex of the lift. Then, inhale slowly as you bring your arms back down. Pace yourself. Try 1-2 sets of 10-12 reps, or 4 sets of 6-10 reps, Give yourself 60-75 seconds to rest between each set. Make sure to lift at a steady pace: one second with your arms down, and two seconds with your arms up. You might want to try doing some article circles or shrugs in between each set. Use good form. Keep your back steady and straight throughout each set. Bend your knees very slightly, and keep your weight centered through your spine. Make sure that your elbows are somewhat bent, but not so much that you remove the pressure from your shoulders. Be careful. Keep your arms straight, and do not overdo the number of reps. It is easy to injure your shoulders with this workout. The routine is best performed while standing, although you can also sit on a bench. Make sure that you can keep your back straight. Try the bent-over dumbbell lateral raise. This workout is similar to the standard lateral raise, except that you are bent over forward. You can perform this routine while standing, or you can sit on a press bench and lean over your knees. Try resting your forehead on the bench or another padded surface to help keep it steady. Stand or sit with a dumbbell in each hand. Hold your chest up and keep your back flat. If you are sitting, bend forward over your knees until your forehead nearly touches the bench. If you are standing, then bend forward from your hips to bring your chest parallel with the floor. Let the dumbbells hang beneath your chest. Keep your elbows slightly bent, and let your palms face each other. Perform the raise. Lift the dumbbells up and out until your upper arms are nearly parallel to the floor. Raise your arms in a steady arc, and make sure that you are not favoring one over the other. Hold the weights at the top of the arc for a moment before slowly lowering them toward the starting position. Start the next rep just before your arms hang perpendicular to the floor. Lift heavy weights, and focus on steady gains. Try to make small, measurable gains with each workout. When you work out your shoulders, lift heavy, and stick to 4-7 reps per set. Increase either the weight or the rep number very slightly with each workout. This way, you'll set a pattern of incremental, sustainable gain. Keep a practice of "progressive overload." Lift more and more weight over time so that you are always pushing the limits of your muscles. You will not get bigger shoulder muscles without getting stronger. Imagine that in your most recent workout, you lifted a 55 lb. dumbbell shoulder press in sets of seven reps. Next time, push yourself to do eight reps with the same weight. Alternately, move up to 60 lbs and do seven reps again. Develop all three heads of the deltoid muscle. The deltoid (shoulder) muscle comprises three sections: the anterior (front) head, the lateral (middle/medial) head, and the posterior (rear) head. Try to build muscle in each of these areas in order to balance out your shoulders. The wider and thicker your shoulders are, the more impressive they will appear. Create a diverse exercise routine. Pick four or five workouts that variably focus on your anterior, lateral, and posterior deltoids. Change up the exercises fairly frequently so that you don't get into a rut. For maximum gain, be sure to combine heavy sets with brief rest times. Switch up your repetition ranges. Some days, try to overload your deltoids with a heavy set of low reps. Other days, perform high rep sets with a slightly lower weight. | Perform overhead shoulder presses. Enter the starting position. Do the press. Lift heavy. Do lateral raises. Pace yourself. Use good form. Try the bent-over dumbbell lateral raise. Stand or sit with a dumbbell in each hand. Perform the raise. Lift heavy weights, and focus on steady gains. Develop all three heads of the deltoid muscle. Create a diverse exercise routine. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Roast-Tomatoes | How to Roast Tomatoes | To roast tomatoes in the oven, start by cutting them in half or into slices and removing the stems and seeds. Then, spread the tomatoes out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Next, mix balsamic vinegar with some herbs and spices, and brush the mixture onto the tomatoes. Finally, roast the tomatoes in the oven for 15-30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. | Choose smaller tomatoes for quicker, faster roasting. Cherry tomatoes and grape tomatoes are often used for roasting. These tomatoes cook quickly and are much easier to handle than larger tomatoes. Grape tomatoes are meatier and not as sweet as cherry tomatoes. Smaller tomatoes are often cut into halves, but they can also be roasted whole. Use larger tomatoes if you need ones that hold their shape better. Plum tomatoes are commonly used in roasting, although any type of tomato works. Look for Roma tomatoes, which are a tangy type of plum tomato with few seeds. They hold up well in heat, making them a great snack or ingredient in another recipe. Some large tomatoes are roasted after being cut in half. To maximize your yield, divide each tomato up into slices. Wash the tomatoes under running water and brush off dirt. Hold them under cold water for about 20 seconds. As you wash the tomatoes, lightly rub the tomatoes with your fingers to knock off stubborn dirt particles. Avoid using scrub brushes, since most tomatoes are too delicate to withstand them. Load smaller tomatoes in a colander to wash them more easily. You do not need to use soap or any other products to wash the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half or in slices. Lay the tomatoes on a cutting board, then use a paring knife to split them. For smaller tomatoes, cut them lengthwise to form 2 halves that will lay flat on a baking sheet. Cut larger tomatoes horizontally to form a top and bottom half. For big tomatoes, slice the halves again horizontally. Divide them up into rings about ⁄ 4 in (1.9 cm) thick. You will get 3 or 4 slices from most tomatoes. To avoid extra prep work, leave small tomatoes whole. Whole tomatoes are perfect if you plan on dicing them in a food processor later. They will burst when they're done cooking. Remove the stem and seeds from the tomatoes. Use a paring knife to cut the stem off the top piece of the tomato if it is still present. Then, arrange the tomatoes with the cut side facing up. Scoop out the fleshy parts with the seeds, leaving the meat of the tomatoes intact. To remove seeds from smaller tomatoes, try gently squeezing them. Preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Let the oven warm up for about 15 minutes. Roasting the tomatoes at a high temperature cooks them through relatively quickly. If you need to extend the cooking time, lower the heat setting. The cooking time will change depending on your oven and what temperature setting you use. Pour the olive oil and seasonings into a roasting dish. Add about 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of olive oil to the dish. Mix in about ¾ teaspoon (4.27 g) of salt and ½ teaspoon (1.15 g) of black pepper. Then, chop up garlic and any additional herbs you wish to add and stir them into the oil. For example, you could slice up about 4 cloves of garlic along with ½ a bunch of fresh thyme and rosemary. Place the tomatoes cut side down after mixing them into the oil. Mix all of the tomatoes in the oil until they're well-coated. Make sure they're seasoned to your liking before you move them into the oven. If you mixed the tomatoes in a roasting pan, arrange them so they're in a single layer. Another way to coat the tomatoes is to toss them in a mixing bowl with the oil. Move them to a baking tray or dish afterwards. Roast the tomatoes for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Wait for the tomatoes to soften and begin to wrinkle. Check the edges to make sure they have begun to brown. The tomatoes will still be juicy, so continue cooking them as needed before serving them. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the tomatoes. Large slices of Roma tomatoes require about 10 to 20 more minutes of cooking than grape or cherry tomatoes, for instance. Store any tomatoes you don't use in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Preheating the oven takes 10 to 15 minutes. At a high temperature like this, tomatoes roast in half an hour or less. Reduce the temperature if you prefer a longer cooking time to lock more flavor in the tomatoes, reduce the temperature to about 275 °F (135 °C) and plan on cooking them for up to 2 hours. Your cooking time may vary depending on your oven and the settings you use. Place the tomatoes on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Since this recipe doesn't use oil, you need the parchment paper to prevent the tomatoes from sticking and burning. Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on the sheets. For larger batches of tomatoes, you will need multiple sheets. Mix balsamic vinegar with herbs and spices. For a basic vinegar mixture, pour about 1 ⁄ 2 tablespoons (22 mL) of a quality balsamic vinegar into a separate bowl. Mince up 2 large cloves of garlic and add them in. Also mix in 2 teaspoons (8.0- g) of sugar, 1 teaspoon (5.69 g) of salt, and 1 teaspoon (2.3 g) of black pepper. Finish the mixture with about 2 tablespoons (3.20 g) of chopped parsley and basil. For an easy way to season the tomatoes, try using your favorite balsamic vinaigrette. Be aware of the ingredients, since vinaigrettes already contain oil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Customize the vinegar mix to your liking. For example, try using less black pepper or sprinkling the tomatoes with grated Parmesan cheese after basting them. Baste the tomatoes with the mixture. If you have a basting brush, use it to spread the balsamic seasoning around. Otherwise, scoop up some of the mixture with a spoon. Slowly drizzle the balsamic over the tomatoes, coating them all as evenly as possible. Use a small spoon to avoid adding too much of the mixture to each tomato. Cook the tomatoes for up to 30 minutes. Begin checking the tomatoes after 15 minutes. Wait for the tomatoes to soften. The finished tomatoes will look darker and a little browned. Serve them while they're hot. If you notice the tomatoes splitting apart, get them out of the oven right away to prevent them from overcooking. Store leftover tomatoes in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Preheat the oven to 225 °F (107 °C). Heat the oven for about 10 minutes before putting the tomatoes in. The key to slow-roasted tomatoes is a low cooking temperature. That way, they don't burn despite being exposed to heat over a long period of time. Slow-roasting removes more moisture from the tomatoes, leading to more intense flavors. Place the tomatoes on a clean metal baking rack over a baking sheet. Fit the baking rack over a baking tray or a dish of a similar size. Spread the tomatoes out in a single layer across the rack, keeping the cut sides face up. The tray helps drain the tomatoes so they dry out more efficiently. If you don't have a baking rack, line the sheet with parchment paper or put the tomatoes directly on the sheet. Any juice in the pan will steam the tomatoes, so make sure they're well-cleaned before putting them in the oven. Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes. Coat the tomatoes with about 5 tablespoons (74 mL) of oil. If you have a basting brush, brush the tomatoes with generous amounts of the oil. Otherwise, use a spoon to pour the oil onto the tomatoes. Adjust the amount of olive oil you use according to how many tomatoes you plan on roasting. Season the tomatoes with salt, pepper, and herbs. For a simple seasoning, sprinkle the tomatoes with salt and pepper to taste. You only need a light amount of draw out the flavor, such as a 1 teaspoon (5.69 g) of salt and 1 teaspoon (2.30 g) of black pepper or less. Add additional seasonings according to how you want the tomatoes to taste. For example, mince about 6 cloves of garlic and sprinkle them over the tomatoes. Also, try chopping up about ½ cup (14.37 g) of thyme, rosemary, or other herbs. All of these extras are optional, as the critical part is the oil and salt. Sprinkle on about 1 tablespoon (12.50 g) of sugar to reduce the acidity from the tomatoes if desired. Roast the tomatoes for 4 to 6 hours. The tomatoes will retain their shape despite shrinking and looking wrinkled. Make sure the tomatoes have a dark red color and look a little browned around the edges. To increase their flavor, roast the tomatoes for longer. They can be safely left in the oven for up to 8 hours. Cool the tomatoes before using or storing them. Take the baking sheet out of the oven. The tomatoes will cool much more quickly if you have a rack in place. Eat the tomatoes as-is or add them to a recipe. Store leftovers in sealed jars or containers. They will last about 5 days in the refrigerator and 6 months in the freezer. | Choose smaller tomatoes for quicker, faster roasting. Use larger tomatoes if you need ones that hold their shape better. Wash the tomatoes under running water and brush off dirt. Cut the tomatoes in half or in slices. Remove the stem and seeds from the tomatoes. Preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Pour the olive oil and seasonings into a roasting dish. Place the tomatoes cut side down after mixing them into the oil. Roast the tomatoes for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Place the tomatoes on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Mix balsamic vinegar with herbs and spices. Baste the tomatoes with the mixture. Cook the tomatoes for up to 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 225 °F (107 °C). Place the tomatoes on a clean metal baking rack over a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes. Season the tomatoes with salt, pepper, and herbs. Roast the tomatoes for 4 to 6 hours. Cool the tomatoes before using or storing them. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Friends-With-Someone-Who-Talks-Too-Much | How to Be Friends With Someone Who Talks Too Much | Being friends with someone who talks too much can sometimes be frustrating, but there are some simple steps you can take to limit their talking and get a chance to say something yourself. When your friend goes on too long, try changing the subject of your conversation so you can get a chance to speak. Bringing someone else into the conversation can also help, since they may be able to balance out the conversation. You can also come up with an excuse to end your talk, like that you have somewhere to go or someone else to meet. Alternatively, try intervening more rather than just listening to your friend. There are polite ways you can interrupt your friend to get a chance to talk. For example, during a brief pause try saying, “Were you finished? I'd like to say something.” | Don’t offer positive feedback. You may wrongly assume that gratifying your friend with positive attention may help them finish up faster. It won't. Placating them will probably only encourage them to talk longer. Instead, don't give any positive feedback like saying “Ahh” or nodding your head. Ask them to get to the point. A long-winded friend may not know that they are boring you with their monologues. Once the chat becomes excessive, graciously ask them if they can wrap it up. This tactic would probably be inappropriate for someone you don't know well, but it should be suitable and effective for a friend. For example, you might say, “I'm sorry, you're losing me. Can you summarize what you're trying to say?” Indicate that you’re short on time. Let your friend know that you don't have all the time in the world to listen to them talk. This might help you to become an active participant in the conversation or give you an opener to end the chat. Say something along the lines of “I'd love to hear about your day, but I'm running late for an appointment. Can we start wrapping this up?” You could also consider warning them at the beginning of a conversation that you have a limited amount of time to chat. Try letting them know, "I only have 5 minutes to talk right now, then I really have to get going." Pull someone else into the conversation or change the subject. If you and your friend are in a group setting, one technique is to take away their captive audience—you. Look away and engage with someone else in the group to signal to your friend that they have lost your interest. Another option is to abruptly change the subject. This works best with an environmental stimulus, like telling another friend “Oh, I love your scarf! Did I tell you guys about the new scarves I bought last weekend?” Get lost in thought. If push comes to shove and you can't seem to get away from a chatty Cathy, use your imagination. Recall the plot of your favorite book or movie. Review fast facts for an upcoming test in your head. Or think about what you'd like to have for dinner. Note that this suggestion would probably be considered rude. However, if you have tried other options to no avail, this may be the only way to deal with a friend who talks too much. Also, your friend may not even notice that you're not giving them your full attention. Stop the conversation if needed. As a last resort, you may have to jump ship on the conversation and end it abruptly. You can do this by reminding them of the time or saying you need to go to the restroom. Be sure not to return to the same environment when you're done, however. If you do, they just might start back up again. You might say something short and sweet, like “I'm sorry. I have to go.” Listen for a while. Exercise your active listening skills for a short time as your friend talks. As you're listening, try to understand their message and give them your full attention. Also, think about their emotional experience and motives. Why are they so desperate to talk at you instead of with you? Understanding what your friend is trying to communicate can help you address their needs and get a say in the conversation. Interrupt politely. Once you've had enough of listening and it's clear you won't be getting an opportunity to talk, butt in. You might wait for an obvious pause and then jump in with a response. Do so graciously. Ask if it's okay if you say something or if they were finished. For instance, you might start off by saying “Are you finished? I'd like to say something.” Your friend may demand to finish talking. If so, let them. Paraphrase what they were saying. Proving that you're listening can give you an opportunity to start your side of the conversation. Give a brief summary of their message in your own words. Ask them if your understanding is correct. For example, you might paraphrase by saying, “I thought I'd try to say back what you said to me to make sure I got it right. Is that okay?” Then go on to say something like, “It sounds like you were really frustrated about your score on the math test because you put a lot of effort into studying. You're confused about what you did wrong. Is that right?” Assert yourself if they try to interrupt. As you're trying to summarize, your friend may attempt to take over the conversation again. Politely ask them to wait. You might say, “I listened to you. Please give me a chance to finish what I was saying.” Relay a story or experience of your own. To fully make yourself an equal participant in the conversation, follow up the paraphrasing by offering your own contribution to the conversation. You might use their experience as a benchmark to share a similar experience of yours. For example, you might follow up with, “Once I took a Latin test that I thought I had done well on. When I got my score back, I had a 0. Turns out, I had misread the instructions, which made all of my answers wrong. Luckily, the teacher let me make up the test. Maybe you will be able to do the same thing.” Consider why your friend might like to talk. Some people get chatty when they are nervous, some people struggle to read social cues, and some people just get excited. Try to be understanding of the many reasons your friend could be so talkative. This can help you better approach the subject in a positive and productive manner. Skip the criticisms. It's true, your friend may be selfish or narcissistic, but it won't benefit the friendship to label them. Avoid name-calling or criticisms at all costs—no matter how frustrated you become by your friend's inconsiderate monologues. Tell them how you feel. If you want to maintain this friendship with your sanity intact, you will need to call attention to your friend's bad communication habit. Speak up, gently. Explain your issue with their chattiness by using “I” statements, which decrease the finger-pointing. You might say, “I'm feeling a bit frustrated. Each time we get together, I feel like I can never really get a word in. I'd really appreciate it if we could start having more give and take in our conversations.” Set firm boundaries. If your friend is walking over you in conversation, they may be doing that in other ways, too. After you've brought up the matter of your friend dominating conversations, you can then set firm personal boundaries. Think long and hard about how you would like to be treated by your friend. Then, verbalize these boundaries. By speaking up about being steamrolled in conversation, you have already voiced one boundary with your friend. Change the dynamic of the relationship. If the current dynamic of your friendship isn't working, change it. You can learn to accept your friend as they are. Or you can make some changes that are more tolerable for you, particularly if your friend isn't respecting your boundaries. Changes might include not hanging out with your friend as often, getting together as a group rather than one-on-one, or hanging out in certain contexts that limit talking (like the movies). | Don’t offer positive feedback. Ask them to get to the point. Indicate that you’re short on time. Pull someone else into the conversation or change the subject. Get lost in thought. Stop the conversation if needed. Listen for a while. Interrupt politely. Paraphrase what they were saying. Assert yourself if they try to interrupt. Relay a story or experience of your own. Consider why your friend might like to talk. Skip the criticisms. Tell them how you feel. Set firm boundaries. Change the dynamic of the relationship. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Game-on-Roblox | How to Make a Game on Roblox | To make a game on ROBLOX, start by opening ROBLOX Studio, clicking on "new," and then clicking on "gameplay." Then, choose a game preset, like capture the flag. Once you've chosen a preset, use the editor and toolbox to adjust the terrain and add objects to your game. When you're finished, test your game by clicking on the "test" button. If you're satisfied with your game, save it and publish it on ROBLOX. | Open Roblox Studio. Click or double-click the Roblox Studio app icon, which resembles a blue square with a black diagonal line through it. If you're on the Roblox website, click the green Start Creating button near the bottom of the page, then confirm that you want to allow Roblox to open. Log in if prompted. Enter your Roblox username and password, then click Sign In. Click New. It's in the top-left side of the Roblox Studio window. Click the Gameplay tab. You'll find this option at the top of the window. Doing so opens a list of Roblox preset game types. While you can create your own gametype, doing so requires extensive knowledge of how to code in Lua. Select a gameplay preset. Click one of the seven gameplay presets listed on this page. After doing this, the gameplay preset will begin to open in Roblox Studio. For example, to create a Capture the Flag game, you would click the Capture the Flag option. The gameplay preset may take a few minutes to load. Understand how to use the controls. You can navigate around the game's map using the left and right arrow keys, while scrolling up or down will zoom you out or in (as will pressing the down or up arrow keys). Right-clicking and dragging the map allows you to adjust the camera angle. You'll use the left mouse button for making changes to the map (e.g., adding items or adjusting terrain). Click Editor. This tab is in the "Terrain" section of options at the top of the window. You should see a "Terrain Editor" pane appear on the left side of the window. If you see a pane with "Terrain Editor" listed on the left side of the window, the Terrain Editor is already enabled. Change the ground's appearance. You can change the texture of the ground by using the Terrain Editor's "Paint" tool: Click Paint in the Terrain Editor pane. Scroll down to the "Material" section. Select a ground texture. Click and drag your mouse across the ground where you want to add the texture. Change brush settings. You can change the size and strength of your Paint brush in the "Brush Settings" section of the Terrain Editor by clicking and dragging the respective slider left or right to decrease or increase your selected setting. You can also choose between a circular brush and a square brush by clicking the circle icon or the square icon, respectively. Add hills or valleys. Obstacles such as ditches and hills add depth to your map, especially if you're using a competitive map preset: Hill — Click Add , select a texture, and then click and hold the area that you want to enlarge. Dragging your mouse will allow you to shape the hill. Valley — Click Erode , select a texture, and then click and hold the area in which you want to create a hole. You can drag the mouse to extend the hole into a valley. You can also use Erode on a hill to create a dent or cave in it. Enlarge a hill. After creating a hill, you can enlarge it by doing the following: Click Grow Click and hold the hill that you want to enlarge. Repeat with different sides of the hill until it's the size you want. Smooth over your terrain's jagged edges. If necessary, you can smooth out rough edges in your terrain. This will both add to your game's aesthetic appeal and prevent players from getting stuck on corners: Click Smooth Click and drag your mouse across an area to smooth it out. Enable the Toolbox if necessary. If you don't see the "Toolbox" pane on the left side of the window, click Toolbox at the top of the window to add it to your available options. Search for an object. Type the name of an object type (e.g., weapon or building ) into the search bar at the top of the Toolbox pane, then press ↵ Enter. For example, if you want to add a tree to your map, you'd type tree or plant into the search bar. Select an object. Scroll down through the available objects until you find the one that you want to use, then click it. Add the object to the game files if necessary. If clicking the object results in a prompt which says "Put this tool into the starter pack?", click Yes. This will add the object to the game's files, which will allow you to place the object on the map. Skip this step if the object is an object that's already on the map, as it will already be in the game's files. Drag the object onto your map. Once the object has been added to the map's files, you can click and drag the object onto the map itself. Reposition the object. You can reposition objects by clicking and dragging them around the map. Repeat this process as needed. When you're satisfied with the number of objects on your map, you can proceed with testing the game. Understand why testing is necessary. Testing your game allows you to see the map from the ground level as a player, meaning that you'll be able to see problems with your map (e.g., rough textures or improperly placed objects). It's important to fix any issues with your map before publishing it. Skipping the testing phase may cause you to miss an important issue. Click TEST. This tab is at the top of the Roblox Studio window. Doing so opens the TEST toolbar. Click the Play icon. It's a triangle with a Roblox avatar in front of it that you'll find in the upper-left side of the window. Your game will load. Reposition the camera if necessary. Right-click and drag left-to-right until the camera is behind your Roblox avatar. Wander around the map. You can use the standard W , A , S , and D keys to do so. You can also jump by using the spacebar. Look for errors. Common errors include poorly placed items and items which impede players or make the map difficult to traverse, but you may notice minor graphical issues (e.g., lumpy terrain) as well. Try running a feasible route on the map (e.g., if you made a Capture the Flag map, try capturing and retrieving a flag) to see if there are any issues with the map. Close the testing. Click the red Stop icon in the toolbar at the top of the window to do so. This will exit the testing window and return you to the Roblox Studio interface. If you discovered any errors, fix them before proceeding to the next part. Save your game. Before uploading your game to Roblox's website, you'll want to save a backup onto your computer: Click FILE Click Save Enter a file name in the "File name" text box. Click Save Click FILE. This tab is in the upper-left corner of the window. A drop-down menu will appear. Click Publish to Roblox. It's in the middle of the FILE drop-down menu. Click (Create New). You'll find this option near the top of the pop-up window. Doing so opens the Basic Settings window. Enter a name for your game. Type your game's name into the "Name" text box at the top of the window. Add a description. In the "Description" box, type in a brief explanation of how your game works. Select a genre. Click the "Genre" drop-down box, then click a genre of game. This step is optional, but recommended if you want to narrow down search results for your game. Check the "Public" box. It's at the bottom of the window. If you want to keep the game private, skip this step. Click Create Place. It's a green button at the bottom of the window. Your Roblox game will begin uploading to the Roblox website. Complete the upload. Once Roblox finishes uploading to your profile, click Next , then click Done at the bottom of the next page. This will close the upload window and take you back to Roblox Studio. If you have Builder's Club, you can elect to sell your game or its models instead of clicking Done. | Open Roblox Studio. Log in if prompted. Click New. Click the Gameplay tab. Select a gameplay preset. Understand how to use the controls. Click Editor. Change the ground's appearance. Change brush settings. Add hills or valleys. Enlarge a hill. Smooth over your terrain's jagged edges. Enable the Toolbox if necessary. Search for an object. Select an object. Add the object to the game files if necessary. Drag the object onto your map. Reposition the object. Repeat this process as needed. Understand why testing is necessary. Click TEST. Click the Play icon. Reposition the camera if necessary. Wander around the map. Look for errors. Close the testing. Save your game. Click FILE. Click Publish to Roblox. Click (Create New). Enter a name for your game. Add a description. Select a genre. Check the "Public" box. Click Create Place. Complete the upload. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Bird-Feeder | How to Make a Bird Feeder | To make your own backyard bird feeder, find a clean, empty yogurt container and poke a hole through the bottom. Push a string through the hole and tie a knot so it can't be pulled back out. Melt some lard in a small pan, then stir in some birdseed. Spoon the mixture in the yogurt container and let it harden as it cools. Then, hang the feeder from a tree branch outside. You can also make a similar feeder using a tin can, or even include dowels for the birds to perch on. | Mark 2 round openings on the jug and small holes under them. Take a marker and trace 2 round openings on the sides of the jug across from the handle about 2–4 inches (5.1–10.2 cm) in diameter. Mark the openings about halfway up the jug so you have room to add birdseed without it spilling out. Just beneath the openings, draw a small circle about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter, which is where you'll add your perches. Make sure the milk jug is clean so it doesn't smell or mold. Use a pencil or pen if you don't have a marker. Use scissors to cut the openings and poke out the holes. Take a pair of scissors and carefully cut out the openings along the lines that you marked. Make the cuts even and consistent so there aren't jagged edges in the openings. Then, use the point of the scissors to push through the small holes you marked beneath the openings. The smaller holes don't need to be precise or have smooth edges because you'll be pushing doweling rods through them. You could also use a utility knife if you prefer. Push 5–6 in (13–15 cm) doweling rods into the holes beneath the openings. Doweling rods are small wooden rods used to fit together pieces of wood, but they're also perfect for perches on your bird feeder. Take your doweling rods and push them into the small holes you poked out beneath the openings. Push them in far enough so they're held securely but there's still about 3–4 inches (7.6–10.2 cm) sticking out of the front for birds to perch on as they eat. You can find doweling rods at your local hardware store, department store, or by ordering them online. If you don't have doweling rods, you could use plastic straws or even sticks that fit into the holes. Fill the jug with birdseed and tie a string around the top. Pour birdseed in through 1 of the openings and fill the jug about halfway so the seed doesn't spill out. Wrap a string around the top of the jug and tie a tight knot. You could use string, twine, or wire. Hang the bird feeder outside to attract birds. Tie the string around a tree branch or hang it from your porch so it's easily visible to birds in the area. Hang the feeder near a window so you can watch birds eat from it. Hang the feeder at least 3–4 feet (0.91–1.22 m) from the ground so squirrels and other critters can't get to it. It may take some time for birds to start coming to your feeder. But, once they know where it is and get used to eating from it, you'll likely have a steady stream of feathered visitors! Refill the feeder anytime you notice the seed is low. Use a clean plastic bottle with a cap to make a bird feeder. Choose a plastic juice or water bottle and rinse it out well so there isn't any residue that could invite mold or bacteria. Make sure the bottle has a cap you can use to seal it so the seed doesn't spill out or get wet. A soda bottle works fine as well, just make sure you rinse it out well. Remove any wrappers or labels from the bottle if there are any. Poke 2 small holes in the bottom of the bottle. Flip the bottle over and take a pair of scissors or a knife and poke 2 holes into the bottom. Make the holes spaced apart about ⁄ 2 inch (1.3 cm). Make sure the holes are wide enough to fit twine through them. Thread twine or wire through the holes and tie a knot to make a loop. Take a length of twine or wire and insert it into 1 of the holes you made. Work the twine or wire through the bottom of the other hole and then pull it through. Tie a knot to create a loop that will allow you to hang the bottle. The length of the twine or string will determine how far the feeder will hang. For example, a 12 in (30 cm) length of twine or wire will hang down much further than a 4 in (10 cm) length. The bottom of the bottle will become the top of the bird feeder. Cut out 2 holes 3 inches (7.6 cm) from the bottle cap on opposite sides. Use a pair of scissors or knife to cut out a small hole about ⁄ 2 inch (1.3 cm) in diameter near the bottle cap. Make the opening even so there aren't jagged edges. Then, make another hole the same size directly across from it so there are 2 holes in the bottle. Slide a chopstick through the holes. Take a chopstick and insert it into 1 of the openings you made near the bottle cap. Slide it all the way through the bottle and through the other opening. Push the chopstick until it's sticking out of both holes in equal lengths to create perches for your feeder. Visit your local Chinese restaurant for a cheap pair of chopsticks you can use. If you don't have a chopstick, you can use a stick or a straw. Make 1⁄3 inch (0.85 cm) holes 2 inches (5.1 cm) above the perches. Above the perches, use your knife or pair of scissors to cut out a hole that will allow birds to access the seed inside of the feeder. Make the openings even and consistent without sharp edges that could cut the birds. The openings only need to be large enough for birds to poke their beaks inside and grab some birdseed. Fill the bottle about halfway with birdseed and screw on the cap. Remove the bottle cap and pour the birdseed into the bottle through the opening. Fill the bottle about halfway and then replace the cap. Screw it on tightly so the seed won't spill out. Hang the feeder outside near a window or on a tree branch. Use the loop to attach the bird feeder to a low hanging branch or hang it from a hook on your porch. Place the feeder somewhere birds without obstructions so birds are able to see it and avoid areas where squirrels or other critters can access it, such as near a fence or on a branch with other branches around it that they could use to climb onto the feeder. Avoid areas that make it difficult for birds to access the feeder such as the corner of a shed or covered porch. To refill the feeder, simply take it down and pour more birdseed through the opening. Replace the cap and hang it back up. Coat a pinecone in peanut butter and birdseed and hang it. Choose a pinecone that's nice and open and spread peanut butter all over it and in the crevices with a butter knife. Sprinkle birdseed all over the pinecone so it sticks to the peanut butter. Tie a string to the top of the pinecone and then hang it from a low hanging branch or from your porch to attract birds in the area. Take down the pinecone once the birds pick it clean. Cut a pumpkin in half, fill it with birdseed, and hang it. Take a kitchen knife and cut a pumpkin in half. Scoop out all of the seeds so it's a hollow shell. Push 2 long sticks through the pumpkin so they form a cross over the opening. Knot 2 lengths of rope together at the center and place the knot at the center of the bottom of the pumpkin so it's cradled by the rope. Then, hang the pumpkin from a branch by tying the string or rope around it. Eventually, the pumpkin will fall apart and fall from the branch. Clean it up once it does so you don't attract critters to the area. If the birds eat all of the seed before the pumpkin falls apart, fill it back up! Fill citrus peels with birdseed and hang them with yarn. Cut a citrus fruit such as orange, lemon, or lime in half with a knife and remove the fruit from inside to leave just the peel. Cut 4 pieces of yarn 10 inches (25 cm) long and tie a knot at the end of each piece. Poke 4 holes around the peel with a needle about ⅓ of the way down from the top of the peel. Slide the yarn through the holes on the inside of the peel until the knots are pressed against the peel. Tie all 4 of the strings together in a knot, fill the peel with birdseed, and hang the feeder from a tree. Refill the feeders whenever the seed runs out. When the peels start to look like they're rotting, take them down. | Mark 2 round openings on the jug and small holes under them. Use scissors to cut the openings and poke out the holes. Push 5–6 in (13–15 cm) doweling rods into the holes beneath the openings. Fill the jug with birdseed and tie a string around the top. Hang the bird feeder outside to attract birds. Use a clean plastic bottle with a cap to make a bird feeder. Poke 2 small holes in the bottom of the bottle. Thread twine or wire through the holes and tie a knot to make a loop. Cut out 2 holes 3 inches (7.6 cm) from the bottle cap on opposite sides. Slide a chopstick through the holes. Make 1⁄3 inch (0.85 cm) holes 2 inches (5.1 cm) above the perches. Fill the bottle about halfway with birdseed and screw on the cap. Hang the feeder outside near a window or on a tree branch. Coat a pinecone in peanut butter and birdseed and hang it. Cut a pumpkin in half, fill it with birdseed, and hang it. Fill citrus peels with birdseed and hang them with yarn. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Seduce-a-Woman-Online | How to Seduce a Woman Online | If you're looking to seduce a woman online, you'll want to strike a balance between light flirting and getting to know her. When you first message her, mention something you have in common from her profile. This will be an easy way to start a fun conversation. Avoid sex talk in the beginning, since this can put a lot of women off. Instead, ask open-ended questions to get to know her, like what she does for fun or what music she likes. It's okay to include a few jokes or friendly teasing, but try not to seem mean or crude. For example, if her profile shows that she only likes rap music, say something like, “I see you have a diverse music taste. Just kidding. I love rap too.” | Join a variety of dating sites and use dating apps. You're not going to meet any real women on Craigslist, or in some chatroom. That's how you get catfished. You want to meet real women online and flirt your way into a meet up? Get on dating sites and use dating apps. Use all of them. If you want to be seducing a woman soon, you need to get on all of the following: Tinder Down (aka Bang with Friends) Pure OkCupid eHarmony Match Meet Up Post some flattering pictures of yourself. Yes, real pictures, not pictures of Channing Tatum. Change them up occasionally to attract attention to your profile. Keep them current so your date recognizes you at a glance without disappointment, or you're wasting your time. Make sure they highlight your best attributes. No x-rated shots, or ridiculous drunken night selfies. Also, nobody cares about your car. You're trying to attract women, not a bunch of dudes from AutoZone. Write about yourself honestly. Most apps and sites require you to fill in a short bio section to describe yourself. What do you say? Just the truth. If you want to attract women that you'll be attracted to and who will be attracted to you, then it's a good idea to not try to make yourself sound like something that you're not. Use specific and honest details. What's a regular day like for you? What do you like to do? What do you enjoy? You don't have to make yourself look "good," or sound "smart" to attract a woman's attention. You just need to let your personal sense of humor be on display. That'll be easier to keep up anyway. Look at other profiles for good examples, before you put up much about yourself. Avoid things you see that seem lame, or seem too desperate. try to remember: Lists of travel locations and books you've read can all start to look the same. try to be unique. Don't focus too much on what you are or aren't looking for in a woman because it can rule out both the ones you want and don't want to meet. At the same time, it's good to use words like "casual" and "hang out" if you're not interested in a big relationship, but are interested in hook-ups. Search through profiles to see who catches your eye. This is the fun part. Just cruise around the site for a while and see who catches your eye, and whether or not that woman might be good to get to know for a while. Then you can turn on the charm. Keep an eye out for good buzz-words. If a woman puts up that she's not interested in a long-term relationship right now, that might be someone to check out if you're not either. Depending on what you're interested in, keep an eye out for someone who has the same interests and goals. Keep an eye out for obviously bad signs, too. Anyone who says they "Don't want any drama" is obviously a drama-creator. Anyone who says they Most dating apps will filter so that you only see people in your area, so you don't have to worry about traveling or trying to figure out too many logistics. It's a good idea to avoid starting a long-distance relationship online , unless that's what you're looking for. Send an initial message to make contact. try to remember: For every message you send to a woman, she might get 25-100 others. What are you going to say that will catch her attention? What can you say that will stand out from the crowd? Be personal, specific, funny, and keep it light, above all. Find a specific thing on her profile, or a picture to tease her about. If she has a picture of herself riding a horse in the mountains, write something like, "That horse looks like it would really do some damage to linoleum floors. I guess they probably hassle you about it when you ride it into saloons and such. Good thing I have a car if you ever want to meet for a drink." Write different messages to each person. Copy-pasted messages stand out like turds in punch bowls. Give a woman the courtesy of actually having something to say to her. Avoid coming off as whitebread, or basic. Don't use phrases like, "I'm just a regular average guy, pretty laid back and I like having a good time." So what? Who doesn't? Aim a little higher. Don't go overboard on compliments because chances are she's so used to hearing them that she wouldn't even notice you. Talk to lots of women. People don't like to admit it, but meeting women online is a numbers game. Send out lots of messages, every day, and get to know as many different girls as possible. You have to be willing to put in some hours looking at different profiles, finding girls you'd like to talk to, and actually talking to them. There's no shortcut. You have to do the work. Don't get fixated on seducing one woman. There's going to be a lot of rejection involved in this. Spread the love around. Don't tell her that you like her. This is an absolute must. If you reach out and send someone a message, it's obvious that you're interested. Saying so out loud will only make you look desperate and needy, or insecure. You want to seem like the opposite of that. You want to seem like a mysterious and magnetic personality that she must get to know. In person. Lots of guys launch into compliments and really seem to over-do it. Many women will respond to this, but they're not really interested. If you want to actually get with a girl, start an emotional connection and a conversation, not an empty compliment. Tease her. Some studies show that when we feel both positive and negative emotions at the same time, there is a kind of magnetic reaction that happens, which is often attraction. A common tactic that works especially well online is to gently and kindly tease a woman while you're chatting via text, email, or IM, about something. Just be friendly and joking with a woman. Don't be flat-out mean. There's a difference between saying something gently teasing, "That picture of you on a horse makes me scared you're going to out-drink me and shoot me in the chest with your six gun. But I don't know if you have that in you..." and saying something like, "A woman who likes horses. Typical." That's not funny, or charming. Don't just talk, have something specific and interesting to say. Pick something in her profile, or something that you notice about her in a picture and start there. Never start a chat with nothing but, "hey" or "what up." That doesn't give you any spark. You're going to get nowhere starting a conversation with nothing. If you can't find anything you want to say other than, "Jeez you're hot and I'd love to hang out," lead with a silly or random question to get talking about something more interested: "I'd like to say something more interesting, but I'm a little stunned by your picture. To get around this, I have to ask: If you had twenty minutes left on earth, what would you do first?" Get her talking. Ask questions to get a woman talking, flirting comfortably, and being comfortable with you. Listen to what she says and follow up with witty responses that will keep her interested. You want to make her want to talk to you. Ask open-ended questions, not closed ones. "What's up?" is always going to be, "Not much." Instead, say, "What have you been doing since we talked last?" or better yet, ask follow-up questions. If she mentions a recent trip, ask, "What was that like? What was your favorite part? What was the worst thing you ate?" Give her things to say. Don't push it, and wait patiently for her messages. If you haven't gotten a response right away, don't write again until you do. If the messages drop dead after you gave her something specifically to respond to, the conversation is dead. Don't initiate the sex talk. Guys come off like single-minded hounds way too often on the Internet. If you want to stand out, that's not the way to do it. If you're chatting on a dating site, she knows you're interested. Sometimes, a little innuendo is fine, but keep it G-rated. If you're describing anything graphic, that's not going to be flirtatious, it's just going to be pornographic. Wouldn't you rather wait for the real thing? Never, under any circumstances, should your first message involve any kind of sex joke or reference to a sex act, or a reference to what's between your legs. This isn't a funny way to stand out. It's a juvenile joke that only other dudes will think is funny. Be the one who ends the conversation. Ideally, you want to be in demand. When she think of you, she should be thinking that she wants more. Often, online chats and conversations will kind of peter out naturally, and you'll both just run out of things to say. Before it gets to that, try to cut it off by saying something like, "Well, I've got to get going. My cat is hungry and is looking at me sideways. I'm scared for my face." It's generally good to wait a bit before you talk again, but if you're really having a good conversation, try to keep it going as long as possible. Instead of transitioning to, "Well, I better get going," transition to, "Hey, crazy thought. What if we continued this over a drink tomorrow night?" Wait a while. Generally, you should have a couple of chats, texts back and forth, or funny conversations on the phone before you try to get a woman to meet you somewhere. It might seem like you're being patient, but it might look to her like, "Hey, I think you're really pretty, oh haha you're funny to, want to meet me right now??" If you lead too quickly, it'll be a turn off. There's no good rule of thumb, because every one and every conversation is different. try to feel out each girl you're talking to and wait until she says something positive to you, then don't be pushy. Once you've asked, don't bring it up again until she does. You put it out there, so it's unlikely she'll forget that you're interested. Seem like you have your life together. Women aren't interested in meeting man-boys. If your only interests are Xbox, goofing off online, and watching UFC, those aren't things that girls you hope to hook up with need to know about you. Focus on what you're doing right and how well you're put together, and let a little of the other stuff creep in to show you've got a funny side. Want to come off like someone who's got it together? Talk about what creative projects you've got going on, but without getting into the nitty gritty. Come up with a great way to summarize yourself: "Novelist, explorer of the halfpipe, and body-mod aficionado" sounds a lot better than, "Drop out English major with a skateboard and a septum piercing." Keep some mystery about yourself. If you want to go from "funny online chat guy" to "guy who goes home with someone," you need to learn how to come off as a mysterious sexual force online. That involves a little bit of dynamic mystery in your chatting skills. Pull back a little and don't reveal too much about yourself. Don't be too enthusiastic about anything. Don't overdo it with the, "Hahahahaha ur so funny!!!" when she makes a joke. Instead, just write, "Ha" and keep the conversation moving forward with your own contributions to the fun. Ask to meet in person when the time is right. After you've hooked a woman who enjoys talking to you, it's time to pull the trigger and ask her if she wants to go out. There's no big secret to this, other than doing it specifically instead of vaguely. Don't ask someone if they want to get a drink with you "sometime," say, "I know this place that does a great happy hour on Fridays. Interested? I'll be there anyway with some friends." Keep your first meeting casual. Meet her with some friends so she feels comfortable, or make it a big and fun event that will be pressure free. Good way to do things. Know when to move on. There's no use in barking up the wrong tree. If something isn't working out, it's much better to stop before you make a mistake. If you don't get a quick response, don't just keep sending messages, or start thinking that you're writing messages in a vacuum. She's getting them. If she's not responding, it's because she doesn't want to. Take it easy, and put your efforts elsewhere. You never know when a woman might cycle back through her contact list and say, "Gee, that guy was kind of interesting, maybe I'll send him a message." Never lash out if you get rejected. It's really easy to post that stuff to Facebook and make you look like a total idiot. | Join a variety of dating sites and use dating apps. Post some flattering pictures of yourself. Write about yourself honestly. Search through profiles to see who catches your eye. Send an initial message to make contact. Talk to lots of women. Don't tell her that you like her. Tease her. Don't just talk, have something specific and interesting to say. Get her talking. Don't initiate the sex talk. Be the one who ends the conversation. Wait a while. Seem like you have your life together. Keep some mystery about yourself. Ask to meet in person when the time is right. Know when to move on. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Build-Porch-Steps | How to Build Porch Steps | If you want to build porch steps, measure from the top of the porch to the ground, then take the total height and divide it by the riser, which is usually between 6 and 8 inches. For example, divide 35 inches by a 7 inch riser to get 5 steps. Next, mark the steps on your stringers, cut out the steps with a saw, and attach the stringers to your porch. Connect the riser boards and treads, then finish your steps with a waterproof deck stain. | Familiarize yourself with the components of a set of steps. The rise is the height of porch, or the steps, that you will need. A run is the total length of the steps from the edge of the porch to where the steps end. Stringers are usually 2 x 12-inch (5.1 x 30.5 cm) treated wood boards to which the tread and riser are attached. You can buy pre-cut stringers at most lumber or home improvement stores. The treads are 2 x 6-inch (5.1 x 15.2 cm) treated wood boards that lay parallel to each other to form a single step that is approximately 10.5 inches (26.7 cm) wide. You will attach a riser, a 1 x 8-inch (2.5 X 20.3 cm) board, resembling a toe board, to the back or upright section of the step. Most steps are 6 to 8 inches (15.2 to 20.3 cm) in height. Calculate the run of the steps (how long they will be). Also, check local codes for specifications regarding handrail requirements and permitting. Measure from the bottom of the level to the ground using a 4-foot (1.2 m) level set on the top of the porch. Take the total height and divide it by the height of the riser. This tells you the number of steps you will need. Remember that the riser height averages between 6 and 8 inches (15.2 to 20.3 cm) high. As an example, a height of 35 inches (88.9 cm) divided by a 7-inch (17.8 cm) riser will result in 5 equal steps. Don't forget to consider the blocking or apron at the bottom of the stairs to support the stairs. Multiply 5 steps by 10.5 inches (26.7 cm). That will give you the run (or length) of steps from the face of the porch to the end of the steps. In this case, the run is 52.5 inches (1.33 m). Lay out the steps to be cut from the stringer using a carpenter's square. Have the square set up by clamping a straight edge at the 7-inch (17.8 cm) mark on the short outside section of the square. The long outside section of the square, at that point, will be at the 10.5-inch (26.7 cm) mark. Place the square along the edge of the stringer and mark out the 5 steps beginning at the end. Use a circular saw to cut out the steps and square up the ends of the stringer to the steps. Double check all of your measurements carefully and make sure they are clearly visible, and then use the saw. Note that you will not cut all the way through with the circular saw. Finish the cut with a hand saw or jigsaw. Take the first stringer you cut out and use it as a pattern. Now, mark out the other stringers you need. The spacing of the stringers should not be more than 16-inches (40.6 cm) apart for strength. You would need 4 stringers on a 4-foot-wide (1.2 m) stair. Attach the stringers to the porch using metal stringer hangers and 1.5-inch (3.8 cm) deck screws. Check to make sure that they are plumb and level to each other as you go. The bottoms of the stringers need to be sitting on a concrete pad or brick base and not on bare ground. Connect the riser board (cut to the length and width needed) using 2.5-inch (6.4 cm) deck screws. Install the 2 x 6-inch (5.1 X 15.2 cm) treads (again cut to length) parallel to each other with 1/8 inch (3 mm) spacing between the boards. Attach the treads to the stringers using 2.5-inch (6.4 cm) deck screws. Finish it with waterproof deck stain or exterior porch paint. | Familiarize yourself with the components of a set of steps. Calculate the run of the steps (how long they will be). Measure from the bottom of the level to the ground using a 4-foot (1.2 m) level set on the top of the porch. Multiply 5 steps by 10.5 inches (26.7 cm). Lay out the steps to be cut from the stringer using a carpenter's square. Place the square along the edge of the stringer and mark out the 5 steps beginning at the end. Use a circular saw to cut out the steps and square up the ends of the stringer to the steps. Take the first stringer you cut out and use it as a pattern. Attach the stringers to the porch using metal stringer hangers and 1.5-inch (3.8 cm) deck screws. Connect the riser board (cut to the length and width needed) using 2.5-inch (6.4 cm) deck screws. Install the 2 x 6-inch (5.1 X 15.2 cm) treads (again cut to length) parallel to each other with 1/8 inch (3 mm) spacing between the boards. Attach the treads to the stringers using 2.5-inch (6.4 cm) deck screws. Finish it with waterproof deck stain or exterior porch paint. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Touch-up-Scratches-on-Your-Car | How to Touch up Scratches on Your Car | To touch up scratches on your car, purchase the correct color of paint for your car, and clean the area with the scratch using automotive soap and water. Be sure to dry the area completely and sand off any rusted areas. Carefully apply a coat of primer if there are any bare sections of metal, and then apply the first coat of paint once the primer dries. Dab the paint onto the scratch to allow it to settle in with a smooth finish. Once the paint dries, spray on a layer of clear coat to protect the paint, and add a coat of polish to make the paint shine. | Assess the depth of the scratch. The proper way to touch up a scratch is best determined by the depth and severity of the scratch. In a well lit area, inspect the scratch. Determine how many layers of paint the scratch has penetrated. If it is just through the clear coat, you may be able to buff it out. If it is down to metal, the process will be different. Look for signs of bare metal or any rust that may have developed on the scratch. Scratches in the clear coat can be buffed out, whereas scratches through the paint will need new paint applied. Purchase the correct color touch up paint. Automotive touch up paint comes in a wide variety of colors, so the best way to find the right replacement paint is to look for the paint code in your car's owner's manual. Once you have the paint code, you can purchase touch up paint with the identical code and rest assured that they will match. Heavily faded vehicles may not match with their original paint code, but this shouldn't be an issue for small touch ups. You may also be able to find your car's paint code inside the driver's door on the same panel as the VIN number. Clean the area around the scratch. Use automotive soap and clean water to wash the scratch and the area immediately surrounding it. Make sure there is no debris or dirt stuck to the scratch. Once done, rinse the area thoroughly. Use a hose to rinse the entire area and ensure there is no dirt or debris stuck to the car's paint. Dry the area completely using a towel, or just wait for it to dry. Use sandpaper to remove any rust that developed. Use 120 grit sandpaper to sand away any rust that has developed on the paint or metal. Be extremely careful with where you use the sand paper to avoid damaging the surrounding paint unnecessarily. Remove all rust from the metal before repairing a scratch, otherwise the rust will continue to spread beneath the touch up paint. If the rust has penetrated the metal, that panel will need to be professionally repaired or replaced. Choose the right conditions to repair it. It is best not to touch up scratches while working in direct sunlight. Instead, find a shady area to work on the vehicle, or choose an overcast day. The shade will allow you to choose how to light the area to best identify and repair the scratches, as well as keeping things like soap from drying on the paint. Allowing soap to dry on the paint will dull its finish and possibly damage the paint. Direct sunlight could make the metal on the car hot, which isn't optimal for applying touch up paint. Apply automotive primer to any bare metal. If the scratch has penetrated all the layers of paint down to bare metal, it's important to add a layer of primer. The primer will prevent rust from developing beneath the surface of the paint, as well as providing a good surface to apply the touch up paint to. Use a small brush to apply a thin layer of primer to any exposed paint. Be sure to apply the primer to any metal you sanded rust off of. Add a coat of paint to the scratch. Allow the primer to dry completely. Then, take your automotive paint and apply a layer of it over the area you painted with primer. If the scratch is fairly small, try dabbing the paint onto the scratch and allowing it to spread and settle on its own. Dabbing the paint often yields the flattest finished product. A toothpick may work for thinner scratches. Most automotive touch up paints will not require multiple layers. Put a layer of clear coat of the dry paint. Once the primer and the touch up paint have both dried, you may want to add a layer of clear coat. Because most clear coat comes in a spray can, it's important that you take steps to prevent over-spray, or accidentally applying clear coat to areas you didn't intend to. To prevent this, cut a hole through a piece of cardboard and hold it between the can of clear coat and the scratch, then use the cardboard to help direct the flow of the clear coat spray. Unlike a nozzle, the hole in the cardboard will allow the clear coat to mist onto the surface of the paint, rather than striking it as a jet and dripping. Immediately dab up any dripping clear coat with a clean rag. Use rubbing compound to make the area shine. Ensure the clear coat is completely dry, then apply some polishing compound to the area. Use a polishing wheel to polish the paint with the compound, in order to ensure it appears uniform with the rest of the car's body. The rubbing compound will remove any small gaps in the paint and create a more professional finish. Stop polishing the area when the shiny paint is revealed by the polishing wheel. Wash and wax the car. Rinse the car, then use a bucket of water mixed with automotive soap to wash the entire car. Once done, rinse and dry it, and apply a layer of automotive wax to the entire vehicle so there is a uniform shine to all of the paint. The polishing process can remove some of the protective clear coat over your paint, so applying wax adds a layer of protection for your paint. Clean any dirt away from the scratch. Scratches in the clear coat can be repaired without adding any additional paint. Before you can get started, wash and dry the area around the scratch to make sure there's no dirt or debris that could result in new scratches during the repair process. Bits of dirt could cause additional scratches in the clear coat as you buff the scratch out. Make sure the paint is dry if the scratch remover you purchased requires dry paint. Buff the sanded area with scratch remover. Apply a small amount of scratch removing compound to a buffing pad and apply it to the scratched area in a circular motion. Continue to rub the compound into the scratch firmly until the compound is dry. Read the instructions on the scratch remover your purchase, as some will have variations in their application methods. You can purchase scratch remover at your local auto parts store. Clean away any excess scratch remover compound. Once done, use a clean rag to wipe away any excess scratch remover compound that remains on the paint. There will likely be a build of the compound around the outside edges of the portion you treated. Make sure you to wipe the compound away completely. Wash and wax the vehicle. Fill a bucket with water and a small amount of automotive soap. Then rinse entire vehicle paying close attention to the area you just repaired. Wash the entire car thoroughly, then wax the car. Waxing the entire car will ensure an even finish to the paint. Once the wax is dry, buff it off with a microfiber towel. The repaired scratch should be invisible once the wax is buffed off. | Assess the depth of the scratch. Purchase the correct color touch up paint. Clean the area around the scratch. Use sandpaper to remove any rust that developed. Choose the right conditions to repair it. Apply automotive primer to any bare metal. Add a coat of paint to the scratch. Put a layer of clear coat of the dry paint. Use rubbing compound to make the area shine. Wash and wax the car. Clean any dirt away from the scratch. Buff the sanded area with scratch remover. Clean away any excess scratch remover compound. Wash and wax the vehicle. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Stuffed-Animal | How to Clean a Stuffed Animal | To freshen up your stuffed animal, put it in a garbage bag with a ½ cup of baking soda. Give the bag a good shake and let it sit for 15-20 minutes before brushing off the excess baking soda. If your stuffed animal needs a more thorough cleaning and you've checked the label to be sure it's okay, run it through your washing machine. Put your stuffed animal in a mesh laundry bag to protect it, and use your machine's gentle or delicate setting. | Make sure that you’re able to machine wash your stuffed animal. Read the label of the animal to ensure that you are able to wash it in your machine. You won't be able to machine a stuffed animal if: Your stuffed animal comes with a music box inside. It's very old, fur or limbs are falling apart, or it's fragile to hold. There are items that have been glued on like plastic eyes, legs, arms, ears, or sequins. The animal is wearing delicate clothing that is sewn permanently on and can't be removed like a glittery dress or an easily broken crown. The animal is stuffed with small foam balls instead of batting. Examine the animal carefully. Do you need to remove any parts? Are there any loose strings that need to be taken care of? Make sure that you don't cause any damage to the animal or your machine. Find out what type of machine you have. Stuffed animals are best washed in a machine that does not have an agitator. Machines with an agitator tend to ball up the animal because the agitator displaces the batting. Instead of using a top loading machine, you could take a large load of laundry to a laundromat and wash your stuffed animal with that load. Place your animal in a mesh bag. A mesh laundry bag can be purchased at your local dollar store, fabric store, or laundromat. It gives added protection from snagging and jostling by your machine. Use the gentle or delicate cycle. Even a normal cycle may be too vigorous for your stuffed animal so always wash in gentle or delicate to be safe. Use warm or cool water. Avoid using hot water because it may dissolve any glue causing pieces to fall off. Read the label. Your stuffed animal may say hand wash only or wash on delicate cycle. Your toy may be too fragile for delicate so hand washing may be the best way to give it a thorough clean without damaging it. Don't just spot clean in case the stain has penetrated beneath the surface. If a stain gets into the stuffing, germs and odors can linger. For example, if a child is potty training and urinates on the toy, the insides may be soaked despite rinsing any visual signs of the stain away. Fill your sink with cold water and a cup of delicate soap. Use a plug so your sink fills with water or use a large container, like a bucket or basin, and fill it with cold water and delicate soap. Make sure you read whether the soap is best suited for the material of your stuffed animal. Strong soaps may discolour or damage your animal. Don't use too much soap or it may be difficult to rinse off. Immerse your stuffed animal. Fully immerse your animal so that the soap water mixture gets into the innards and fights the stain thoroughly. Gently clean the animal as it is immersed. Use your hands to gently rub the material and get out any debris or stains. Rinse off all the soap. Thoroughly rinse out all the soap. Get as much water out as possible. Don't shake or twist the animal. Press it between old towels as you squeeze the water out. You may gently ring out your animal depending on its condition. Older animals may easily fall apart if mishandled. Let it dry. Re-fluff and reshape your animal. Allow it to sit and dry. Don't place it directly near heat or sunlight or it might become discolored or misshaped. Spot clean a surface stain. If there's only a little dirt on the surface or your tag says, “surface clean only”, use a gentle cleanser. You may use upholstery shampoo that creates foam to remove the stain. Read the ingredients to make sure there aren't any harsh chemicals that could be harmful to a child. Your child may place the toy in her mouth so be sure that any cleaning agent is safe. There are numerous cleaners that are marketed specifically for cleaning stuffed animals. Find a cleaner that's safe and works for you. You may also use unscented baby detergent with a damp cloth to spot clean. Use a garbage bag and baking soda. If your animal is averaged size, place it in a large garbage bag with ½ cup baking soda. You may add more baking soda if it is quite large. Close the bag firmly and give it a good shake. Keep the bag closed and let the animal sit for 15 - 20 minutes. Open the bag and brush off the excess baking soda. You may use a vacuum if you feel your animal will not get damaged. Do not shake the bag too vigorously if you feel your animal will come apart. Use a clothesline. The wetter your toy, the longer it will take to dry. Make sure all the excess water is gone before drying your animal on a clothesline. On a sunny day, use clothespins to hang your toy and set it to dry. The sun is a natural stain remover and sanitizer. Spot cleaning doesn't require a lot of water, so you probably won't need to hang out an animal that has been spot cleaned. Air dry your animal. Let your stuffed animal air dry if the weather isn't cooperating. Simply let it sit in a protected area, away from pets and children. Use a dryer. If your label indicates that you are able to use a dryer, place your animal in a dryer on low heat or permanent press. You may also use a hair dryer on a low setting or on cool. While heat dries the animal quickly, it can also damage the animal or mat the fur. If your dryer has a fluff air setting, use this to help maintain the fur. Avoid tumble drying. Add towels into your load to soften the movements of your animal. Also use dryer sheets to eliminate static electricity buildup so your little one doesn't get shocked when first holding it. Ensure both the inside and outside are dry. The inside takes longer than the outside to dry. Make sure the inside is dry or else mildew may grow, which can be hazardous to a child's health. Use a dryer or hair dryer for a short period to hasten the process. Reposition and reshape the animal. The stuffing may have jostled during the drying process so reshape your animal and fluff the fur so that it looks like the original version. | Make sure that you’re able to machine wash your stuffed animal. Examine the animal carefully. Find out what type of machine you have. Place your animal in a mesh bag. Use the gentle or delicate cycle. Read the label. Fill your sink with cold water and a cup of delicate soap. Immerse your stuffed animal. Rinse off all the soap. Let it dry. Spot clean a surface stain. Use a garbage bag and baking soda. Use a clothesline. Air dry your animal. Use a dryer. Avoid tumble drying. Ensure both the inside and outside are dry. Reposition and reshape the animal. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Drink-SUPREP-Without-Throwing-Up | How to Drink SUPREP Without Throwing Up | SUPREP is designed to clear out your system ahead of a colonoscopy and, unfortunately, it can make you feel nauseous. However, you can avoid nausea by preparing the drink properly and masking its taste. To mix it properly, dilute it with bottled water according to the directions on the label. In most cases, you'll add 10 fluid ounces of water to 6 fluid ounces of SUPREP. To reduce your nausea, drink the SUPREP slowly so it's not so harsh on your stomach. Try sucking on a piece of hard candy to disguise the taste. You can also sip it through a straw to make yourself drink it slower and minimize how much you taste it. If you do vomit and you're unable to keep any fluids down, contact your doctor. | Split your SUPREP into a nightly and morning dose. Although you need to take both bottles of SUPREP, you should not take them close together. Instead, you'll take one the night before your exam, and the other the morning of your exam. Taking them at the same time increases the risk of vomiting. Ask your doctor for a recommended time frame for taking the medication. It's best to take it well before bedtime, as you'll need to use the restroom often for the next several hours. However, everyone's experience is different. If your colonoscopy is scheduled before 11:00 a.m., then you'll likely take your first dose between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. If your appointment is after 11:00 a.m., then you'll likely take the first dose between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Then, finish your morning dose and accompanying water at least 4 hours before your appointment. Mix your SUPREP with water according to your label’s instructions. SUPREP must be diluted with water. Do not simply sip from the bottle, which increases the likelihood you'll experience nausea or vomiting. The medicine must be diluted before you consume it. Your packaging will give you the proper ratio of water to SUPEP. In most cases, you'll add 10 fluid ounces (300 mL) of water to 6 fluid ounces (180 mL) of SUPREP. Your SUPREP kit should come with a mixing bottle that has a line at the 16 fl oz (470 mL) point. This allows you to pour your SUPREP into the bottle, then add water up to the mark. It's best to use bottled water to dilute your SUPREP. Drink the SUPREP slowly. You might experience nausea and vomiting because you're intaking too much SUPREP at one time. Your body may start to reject the medicine, causing you to vomit. You can avoid this by slowing your pace. Sip rather than taking big gulps. If you feel a little nauseous, take a break before drinking more. Drink 32 fluid ounces (950 mL) of cold water over the next hour. It's best to rinse out your SUPREP mixing container and use it to measure out two 16 fl oz (470 mL) glasses of water. Although this is a lot of water to drink at one time, it's essential for ensuring the medication doesn't make you become dehydrated. You might become dehydrated because the SUPREP causes you to have diarrhea so your colon will be empty for your test. When you have diarrhea, your body loses fluids. You need to drink more fluids to replace what's being lost. Drinking cold water after the SUPREP can also help you avoid nausea and vomiting. It washes away the flavor of the medicine and helps soothe you. Chill your SUPREP in the refrigerator before use. While you can store it at room temperature, drinking it cold can make it go down easier. Place your bottle in the refrigerator for at least an hour before you drink it. It's also a good idea to use cold water to dilute your SUPREP. Even if the medication is at room temperature, cold water can make the mixture more palatable. Only add flavoring to your SUPREP if your doctor provided it in your kit or approved it. Some flavor packets may be okay, but it's possible to mess up your test results. For example, don't use anything with red coloring, as it might look like blood on your test. Sip your SUPREP through a straw. Using a straw helps you drink the medicine slowly. Also, it helps you minimize how much you taste it because it doesn't wash over your entire mouth. Your kit won't come with a straw, so you'll need to get one from somewhere else. You can find one at a local fast food joint, or you could buy a pack of straws. Brush your teeth or use mouthwash to remove the taste. Some people react to the flavor of the SUPREP. It can even make some people feel nauseous. If this is the case for you, it helps to brush your teeth or wash your mouth out with an antiseptic mouthwash right after you drink the SUPREP. When brushing, don't go too far back, as this can trigger a vomiting reaction. Suck on hard candy to disguise the taste. Put the candy in your mouth before you take the SUPREP, then remove it to take sips. You can place the candy in your mouth before each sip if this helps you keep the medicine down. Choose candies that don't have red dyes or soft centers in them. Good options include lemon drops, butterscotch candies, and yellow or white Lifesavers or Jolly Ranchers. If you're in doubt, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Avoid eating solid foods while taking SUPREP. While you're preparing for a colonoscopy, you aren't supposed to eat solid foods. Not only will eating interfere with your test results, it will also likely cause you to throw up. Stick to clear liquids only. To check if a liquid is clear, see if you can read through it. For example, apple juice has a slight color to it, but you can still read or see through it. However, orange juice is completely opaque. You can drink apple juice, but not orange juice. In addition to water, good options for clear liquids include Sprite, lemonade, and broth. Take an anti-nausea medication if you have one. These medications can relieve your nausea, but it's best to talk to your doctor before taking them. If you've experienced nausea in the past, you can discuss anti-nausea medicine with your doctor before your start SUPREP. Common anti-nausea medications include prochlorperazine (Compazine), ondansetron (Zofran), promethazine (Phenergan), metoclopramide (Reglan). If you take an anti-nausea medication, only take one. Always follow the instructions on the label and don't combine multiple medications. Ask your doctor if an anti-nausea medication is right for you. They may prescribe one or recommend an over-the-counter option. Take a 30 minute to 1 hour break before drinking more SUPREP. Give yourself a rest from the SUPREP. Place the unused portion of your medicine in the refrigerator to keep it cool and sip on some cold water. After your break, drink the SUPREP slowly, taking longer rests between sips. If you haven't already, try disguising the taste of the SUPREP as described above. You can use hard candies that don't contain red dyes. Call your doctor to ask for advice. If nothing else is working, your doctor might be able to help. They may offer you another option for clearing your bowel, or you might be able to get an anti-nausea medication. You may need to call the facility where you are having the colonoscopy, depending on your doctor's instructions. They should provide you this information when they prescribe the SUPREP. Notify your doctor immediately if you can’t keep fluids down. When you're taking SUPREP, it's important to drink a lot of extra fluids. The medicine is causing your body to produce diarrhea to clean out your system, so you need to drink more fluids to replace the ones you're losing. If you cannot keep any fluids down, you are at risk for dehydration. Dehydration can be serious, so don't hesitate to call your doctor. | Split your SUPREP into a nightly and morning dose. Mix your SUPREP with water according to your label’s instructions. Drink the SUPREP slowly. Drink 32 fluid ounces (950 mL) of cold water over the next hour. Chill your SUPREP in the refrigerator before use. Sip your SUPREP through a straw. Brush your teeth or use mouthwash to remove the taste. Suck on hard candy to disguise the taste. Avoid eating solid foods while taking SUPREP. Take an anti-nausea medication if you have one. Take a 30 minute to 1 hour break before drinking more SUPREP. Call your doctor to ask for advice. Notify your doctor immediately if you can’t keep fluids down. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Set-Up-a-Fish-Tank-for-Plecostomus-Catfish | How to Set Up a Fish Tank for Plecostomus Catfish | To set up a fish tank for plecostomus catfish, start by adding features to the tank that catfish like, such as substrate or gravel and some rocks to swim around. Avoid adding plants because catfish usually tear these up and this can make a mess and even be a safety hazard for them. Once you're happy with the decorating, fill the tank with dechlorinated water. If you only have chlorinated tap water, buy a dechlorinator from your pet supplier and treat the water first, to avoid stressing your catfish or burning its skin. Install the filter, heating and lighting next and finish by allowing the tank to cycle properly before adding your catfish, to avoid causing shock. | Buy the right size tank. Pleco catfish can be large, so it's important to have a tank big enough for their size and how many plecos you want to have. Plecos can be up to 15-24 inches long when they're fully grown. Your tank should ratio should be 1 gallon of water for one inch of fish. Pleco catfish live for 20-30 years, so it will take them awhile to reach their full grown size. You can always get a new tank when your pleco reaches its full size. For many plecos, a 100 gallon tank is the best size tank. This will make sure your pleco has room to grow. Additionally, this size will allow you to add more plecos later. Purchase and place your aquarium stand. You'll want to make sure that you have a stand to support your large tank. This will make sure your tank is secured and won't fall over. Iron and wood stands are the most common type of stands for aquariums. Wood stands are more expensive, but sturdier. Pur your aquarium stand in a low traffic area to avoid it being knocked over. Keep it out of direct sunlight as well as away from heating or cooling ventilation. Scrub the fish tank once you receive it. Use a clean wet cloth to clean the tank before rinsing it. You'll want to make sure no visible dirt remains on the tank. When cleaning the tank, use a slow, light circular motion. You can damage the tank by cracking or breaking it by using too much pressure when cleaning it. After cleaning the tank, let the tank dry for a few days. This will make sure nothing grows, including harmful bacteria. Be cautious about including plant life with your pleco. Plecos are herbivores and are known to tear up plant life in their tank. It may also be a problem when including artificial plants. Plecos may tear apart any planted plant life in their tank. This can create quite a mess and injure the pleco. Some species of plecos will do fine in a planted tank. Talk to the pet store and do research before choosing a planted tank for your pleco. Purchase or make dechlorinated water. Most tap water has chlorine in it, which can be harmful to your pleco. You can also make your own using a dechlorinator or purchase it at a pet store. Chlorine can cause chemical burns, stress, or excess ammonia for your fish and their tank. You can leave out tap water to get rid of chlorine in your water, but it will not get dissolve chloramine from your tap water. Purchasing a dechlorinator is the best option for making your water safe for your fish. You can add this chemical to tap water in order to get rid of chlorine, chloramine and other potentially harmful chemicals. Buy rocks for your pleco's tank. Plecos do not need substrate, but they do prefer it. Once you find these rocks, place the rocks in the bottom of the tank. Plecos are also fine if there is no substrate in the tank. However, it helps them move around the tank, since they use their sucker to find food throughout the tank. Gravel can work well for plecos. Leave the same batch of gravel once it's added, since it retains beneficial bacteria for your pleco. Use about 1.5-2 pounds of gravel for every gallon of water. The gravel should be cleaned and rinsed before being added to the tank. Fill the tank with dechlorinated water. The tank should be filled to about 2 inches from the top. After filling up the tank, you can put decorations in the tank. Don't pour water on top of the gravel in the tank. It can disrupt the gravel. Use a clean dish to pour your tank water into to keep the gravel settled. Room temperature water is the best to use. Cold water can cause condensation and make you think the tank is leaking. Install your filter into the tank. You'll want to have a filter suitable for the tank size you have. Test it out to make sure it works once it's installed with the water and gravel. All aquariums need a filtration system. Your filter should be able to do mechanical (solid debris), chemical (pollutants), and biological filtration (bacteria). Observe your filter for a few days. Since there are no fish in the tank at this point, observe how well the filtration system works. Install lighting, heating, and a thermometer. Your pleco tank needs to be well lit and heated. It's important to check the water's temperature so your pleco is comfortable and safe. Lighting can bring our your pleco's colors and help plant growth. Limit your lighting to only 7-10 hours per day to avoid bacteria growth in your tank. Heaters set the tank temperature at between 75-80 degrees for tropical fish. Your pleco is adaptable and can handle temperatures as low as the 60s. Use a thermometer to make sure your heater is working and your water temperature has not changed. Plecos can be injured by water that is too cold or too warm. Allow your tank to cycle. Cycling is when you set up a bacteria bed for your filter to work with the fish's natural bacteria, along with ammonia and nitrate. This will help to prevent new tank syndrome. You can cycle your tank with fish or without. If you use fish, get some durable fish that your local pet store can recommend. You can cycle the tank without fish as well. You'll just need to use ammonia and water to get the right chemical makeup for your new tank. Check the ammonia and nitrate level regularly. You'll want it to be just right for your new pleco. Ensure the plecostomus fish are not diseased. Verify their health before you bring them to their new home. Plecos can have a number of diseases, including ich, dropsy, fin rot, and fish fungus. Ich is also called white spot and consists of tiny white spots on the pleco's body. It can be treated using medication available at most pet stores. Dropsy and fin rot are noticeable due to bloating and discoloration. In fin rot, the discoloration is primarily located around the pleco's fin. Fish fungus is white or gray growths that look like cotton balls. It is usually an infection affiliated with another preexisting skin condition. Buy your pleco and bring them to your tank. They will be uncomfortable if put immediately in the water. Bob the fish bag in the tank until the water in the bag is the same temperature as the tank water. Plecos need to adjust to the temperature of the tank. Allow the water they are in to get up to the tank temperature before releasing them. Additionally, plecos can be quite aggressive and territorial when introduced to a new tank. Have them alone in their tank at first. Follow the two female to one male ratio. Plecos can be aggressive towards other male plecos. It's a good idea to determine the gender of your pleco before purchasing them, especially if you plan to have more than one. Female plecos are generally larger than the males. If a pleco has not been treated well, a smaller size may indicate poor treatment. Female plecos have a rounder body, while male plecos are generally skinnier. You can usually observe this when looking at the pleco from above the tank. | Buy the right size tank. Purchase and place your aquarium stand. Scrub the fish tank once you receive it. Be cautious about including plant life with your pleco. Purchase or make dechlorinated water. Buy rocks for your pleco's tank. Fill the tank with dechlorinated water. Install your filter into the tank. Install lighting, heating, and a thermometer. Allow your tank to cycle. Ensure the plecostomus fish are not diseased. Buy your pleco and bring them to your tank. Follow the two female to one male ratio. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Drop-Earrings | How to Make Drop Earrings | To make drop earrings, start by placing a headpin on its side and organizing your beads in a line parallel to the headpin in whatever design you like. When you're pleased with the design, string your beads onto the headpin, starting with the bottom-most bead and ending at the top. Next, bend the free end of the pin into a 90 degree angle and create your loop. Finally, trim away any excess wire and flatten the loop to make it flat and level. | Gather your materials. For each earring, you will need a headpin, a French hook earwire (or other earwire or earpost), and an assortment of beads. You will also need wire cutters, needle-nose pliers, and flat pliers. You can use any combination of beads you like, as long as at least two can fit on a headpin. French hook earwires, also called earhooks, are the portion of the earring that is in direct contact with your ears. As their name suggests, they consist of a large hook, which hangs from your ear. On the opposite end of the large hook is a small circular loop (a "jump ring") used to attach the hook to the decorative portion of the earring. Earwires are typically made of hypoallergenic metals that are resistant to corrosion and discoloration. Lay out your bead design. Before you "string" your beads, it's a good idea to plan your design first. Start by placing a headpin on its side to keep its length in mind. Next, organize beads in a straight line parallel to the headpin. Don't take up more that about two thirds of the headpin's length. Swap beads around until you've found a pattern that works best. Many drop earrings have a large dangling piece at the bottom. Consider a string of small spacer beads on top of one big ornate one. Add your beads to each headpin. "String" your beads onto their headpin, starting with the bottom-most bead and ending at the top. You may find that the design doesn't quite "work" for you once actually on the pin. At this stage, it's easy to simply remove and reorganize the beads as many times as you'd like. Bend the free end of the pin into a 90 degree angle. Hold the pin just above the top button with the tip of either pair of pliers. Use your thumb to press down on the free end of the headpin until it is completely horizontal in relation to the rest of the pin. Create your loop. Grip the headpin with your needle-nose pliers just above the bend. Pull the wire down around your pliers. Rotate your pliers slightly by turning your wrist clockwise. Finish the loop by pulling the end of the wire back around to form a small circle. Trim away the excess and flatten the loop. If there is any excess wire at the end of the bent headpin, trim it away with your wire cutters. The tail end of the loop should just touch the beginning without overlapping. Squeeze the loop with your flat pliers so the entire loop is flat and level. Hang the earrings on the earwires of your choice. Because the loop you just made functions as a jump ring, you can attach your new earrings to any type of earwire or earpost you'd prefer. Simply use your needle-nose pliers to push down on the tail end of the jump ring to open it. Hook the ring around the earwire's own jump ring or other attachment loop. Close the jump ring by pushing up in the opposite direction to complete the loop. Gather your materials. For these earrings, you will need 22 gauge wire, small wire cutters, jeweler's pliers, French hook earwires, and rondelle cut beads. While specialty jeweler's pliers will be easier to work with, any other type of round nose pliers will also work fine. Other small pliers will do in a pinch. Rondelle beads are small, round, flat beads typically used as spacers in beaded jewelry. They can be made of anything from glass to precious gemstones. Pick one to three colors to work with. Depending on the exact size of your rondelle beads, you'll be using about three per earring. Cut your wire. Unravel a small piece of your wire from its spindle. Straighten it out so you can get an accurate measurement. Measure out four inches of wire for each earring and cut using your wire cutters. Bend your wires to form a flat loop. For each earring, use your fingers to bend a length of wire so that it forms an oval or teardrop shape. Have the two ends cross at the top into a V-shape. The entire wire should now resemble a fish. Add your beads. Slide your beads of choice onto each wire loop. Add only about as many will fit on the bottom edge of the teardrop. This will be about three rondelle beads. Make a loop into your right side wire. Use your pliers to hold the right side wire. Twist it gently to form a loop. Fold the right side wire underneath the left. Wrap both side wires into a coil. Using your fingers, wrap your right side wire around the crossing point twice. Trim off the small portion of right side wire that remains. Then, wrap your left side wire around the crossing point from top to bottom. At this point, your earring should be made up of two loops separated by a short, tight coil. Your beads will be at the free end of a much larger loop opposite a tiny, more circular one. Hook each of your earrings onto an earwire. Use your pliers to gently open up each earwire's small circular fastener (its jump ring). Hang each of your earrings onto an open fastener by its smaller loop. Use your pliers to close the earwires back up, and you now have a finished set of handmade earrings. | Gather your materials. Lay out your bead design. Add your beads to each headpin. Bend the free end of the pin into a 90 degree angle. Create your loop. Trim away the excess and flatten the loop. Hang the earrings on the earwires of your choice. Gather your materials. Cut your wire. Bend your wires to form a flat loop. Add your beads. Make a loop into your right side wire. Wrap both side wires into a coil. Hook each of your earrings onto an earwire. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Love-a-Scorpio-Man | How to Love a Scorpio Man | Loving a Scorpio man involves understanding his passionate side, engaging in intellectual debate, and communicating if he is being too dominant. Go into the relationship knowing that your Scorpio man will be a passionate partner. They will have strong emotions about the relationship and expect you to be passionate in return. Scorpio men also love to discuss intellectual issues and they tend to be opinionated. Engage in debates with them and don't be afraid to share your opinion too, as they will love your passion. If your Scorpio man is being too dominant or possessive in the relationship, make sure that you tell him how you feel. Try to be kind when you tell him how you feel, because although Scorpios can seem cool on the outside, they are quite sensitive at heart. | Expect a passionate lover when dating a Scorpio. Scorpio men are devoted and, while they may not wear their feelings on their sleeves, they certainly express strong emotions in their romantic relationships. When a Scorpio is in a relationship, they use their natural ambition to develop a strong, intense relationship. Sometimes Scorpios can be a little clinging. If you want some space, let your partner know! They'll understand your need for alone time. Date a Scorpio if you're in for a long-term relationship. Scorpio men develop strong attachments with their partners, and his feelings are hard to change once he develops them. When a Scorpio man loves, they love for months or years—maybe even the better part of their life. If you want to date a Scorpio, prepare for a long, fulfilling relationship. Ask your Scorpio partner about their special interests. For a Scorpio, a thirst for understanding comes easy. Scorpio men love to learn new things or cultivating more knowledge about their favorite subjects. Engage in topics he enjoys with him and introduce him to new, interesting subjects. If your Scorpio is an astronomer, for example, you might go with him to his favorite museum. Or if he's a hairdresser, you could ask him what he thinks about a popular hairstyle. Scorpios are often interested in deep questions, like the meaning of existence or what happens to a person after death. Recognize the value Scorpio men give to authenticity. Scorpios are attracted to people who they can trust and who reveal their true selves. Be honest with them, and they will return that honesty with you. Don't mask your emotions around a Scorpio, especially about important topics. Watch for a Scorpio's weaknesses: stubbornness, jealousy, moodiness, and spite. When a Scorpio is at their worst, they may act brooding and have a hard time trusting others. They can also become possessive of their partner and are prone to jealous moments. Think about your Scorpio's personality flaws and decide whether they are compatible with your own strengths and weaknesses. Character flaws, horoscope-based or otherwise, do not excuse abusive behavior. If you think you might be in an abusive relationship with your partner, get help immediately. Check whether your sign is traditionally compatible with Scorpios. Although any two committed people can form a healthy relationship if they want it, astrological tradition states that some signs partner better with Scorpios than others. Cancer, Virgo, Capricorn, and Pisces are thought to click best with Scorpios. Leo and Aquarius may not understand Scorpios as well. Don't break up with your partner just because your signs don't align as well. With a little work, you two can still have a meaningful relationship. Engage in intellectual discussions or debates with your Scorpio partner. Scorpio men appreciate a partner with a sharp intellect and confident opinions. If your Scorpio partner is interested in an academic, political, or other topic, ask them about it. Listen to their opinion, then share your own (whether you agree with them entirely or not). You might say, for example, "So I noticed you're part of our school's environmental club. What got you into that?" Avoid discussing controversial topics until you've gotten to know him and can avoid offending him. Scorpios tend to hold strong opinions. Don't be offended if he's a passionate debater. He's not trying to offend you but is just explaining his perspective. Draw out your Scorpio's sensitive side. Scorpios tend to be elusive with their true emotions but, if you can make your Scorpio man feel safe, he may open up to you about his feelings. Listen to him as he reveals this part of himself to help him feel loved. Try not to get overly-sappy. Scorpios tend to dislike sentimentality. Support your Scorpio partner in his goals. Scorpio men are very ambitious and love to feel like their partner has their back. Ask your Scorpio about his goals and how you can support him. When he accomplishes one of his goals, congratulate him to show that you care. Although you don't have to fall into the role of "personal cheerleader," Scorpios do not mesh well with partners who hold them back from their dreams. Give your Scorpio space while he's working on an important project. Scorpios may be intense but, when it comes to their passion projects, they need alone time. Plan outdoor dates with your Scorpio partner. Scorpio men love spending time outside, especially with the people they love. Spend a weekend or afternoon for an outdoor getaway with your Scorpio as your schedules allow. As a fixed water sign, Scorpios love water sports like wakeboarding, fishing, sailing, or water skiing. Make time for emotional and physical intimacy with your Scorpio. True intimacy is something that takes time with a Scorpio, but it is rewarding for both when it's established. Spend time with your Scorpio often to develop both elements of that connection. Don't rush into physical intimacy with your Scorpio man until you're both ready. Having deep conversations with him and building mutual trust is just as vital as kissing or cuddling. Scorpios are usually open about their sexual interests. Use your time dating a Scorpio man to explore your sexuality. Share your feelings and perspective during an argument. If a Scorpio knows what's on your mind, they're much more likely to calm down and reach a compromise. Although Scorpios are intuitive, they are not psychic. Let your Scorpio know what's on your mind, and listen to them when they open up to you. You could say, for example, "When you said that you don't like my dog, it hurt my feelings. My dog means a lot to me, and I guess I felt kind of offended when you insulted her." Tell your Scorpio when he's being too possessive. When a Scorpio man is in love, he may become overprotective of his lover when he's concerned or jealous when he feels insecure.Talk to your Scorpio if you feel smothered to gain more personal space and independence. Be kind when pointing this tendency out to your Scorpio. Usually, his heart is in the right place and he might not even know what he's doing. You may say, for example, "I know that you're worried about me taking the night bus home, but I promise you that I'm safe. This is something I've done many times before. How about I call you when I get home?" Offer tactful criticism to your Scorpio partner. Even if they have a cool outer shell, Scorpios are sensitive at heart. Harsh criticism can hurt your Scorpio's feelings and damage any trust between you and him. Make sure you offer constructive criticism and pair each critical comment with a compliment. You could say, for example, "So today when we were talking with my friend, she said she felt like you were a little standoffish. I know that you didn't mean it because you have such a good heart, but sometimes you can seem a little aloof." Tell your Scorpio partner when they're pushing your boundaries. Scorpio men and women both like to be dominant in their relationships, especially when arguing. If your Scorpio partner is too dominant for your liking, tell them that you value independence and focus on building a balanced relationship. At the same time, don't try to win every disagreement with your Scorpio. Focus more on understanding his perspective and coming to a compromise than shutting down his wants. You might say, for example, "Hey, I know that you want to spend the entire weekend together, but I need some 'me time' tonight. If you could respect that and go out with some friends or family tonight instead, I would appreciate it." | Expect a passionate lover when dating a Scorpio. Date a Scorpio if you're in for a long-term relationship. Ask your Scorpio partner about their special interests. Recognize the value Scorpio men give to authenticity. Watch for a Scorpio's weaknesses: Check whether your sign is traditionally compatible with Scorpios. Engage in intellectual discussions or debates with your Scorpio partner. Draw out your Scorpio's sensitive side. Support your Scorpio partner in his goals. Plan outdoor dates with your Scorpio partner. Make time for emotional and physical intimacy with your Scorpio. Share your feelings and perspective during an argument. Tell your Scorpio when he's being too possessive. Offer tactful criticism to your Scorpio partner. Tell your Scorpio partner when they're pushing your boundaries. |
https://www.wikihow.pet/Manage-Litter-Box-Control-Issues-in-a-Multi-Cat-Household | How to Manage Litter Box Control Issues in a Multi Cat Household | You can manage litter box control issues in your multi-cat household by keeping at least 1 more litter box than the number of cats you have. For example, if you have 4 cats, you should place at least 5 litter boxes throughout the house, in case a cat becomes displeased with its litter box. Make sure to spread the boxes out on all floors of the house in calm, low-traffic areas like a bathroom or basement, as cats prefer the privacy. If your cat is still having issues, talk to your vet to make sure it doesn't have a urinary tract infection. | Keep at least one more litter box than the number of cats in your home. Cats prefer to have their own space, so you need at least one litter box per cat. However, it helps to have one extra, in case a cat is displeased with one of the litter boxes. Thus, if you have four cats, you should have five litter boxes. Spread out your litter boxes. If your cats are always near a litter box, they will be more likely to use it. If your house has multiple floors, try to keep some litter boxes on each level. Put your litter boxes in different rooms. This not only makes sure your cats are near litter boxes, it can help prevent one cat from guarding a litter box to prevent other cats from using it. Be sure that litter boxes are accessible. Don't close the door to the room where the litter box is located. Don't put it where it is likely to be blocked off by desks, counters, or other household furniture. If your cats are having litter box trouble, refrain from using boxes with tops that might make it more difficult for them to enter the box. If there are certain rooms that need to be closed to keep children, dogs, or other household members out, consider adding a cat door. This prevents other pets and children from reaching the litter but still ensures your cat has easy access to their box. Don’t put your litter boxes in heavy traffic areas. Kitties need privacy too. They will be less inclined to go if their litter boxes are in a busy hallway or in a public area around unfamiliar guests. Put your litter box someplace with few distractions. Cats can be finicky. Loud noises and strong smells can make them less inclined to use the litter box. Proximity to the kitchen, where you are cooking smelly food, can deter your cat from using the litter box. A loud washing machine or dryer can also distract your cats from their bathroom routine. Keep it cool. A warm litter box can produce odors that can make it too stinky for your kitties. Thus, keep it away from appliances, like washing machines, that produce heat. If it is near a window, be sure that it is not in direct light for long. Stick to a litter. Though many cats prefer fine-grained, unscented litters, there is no single type of litter that works best for all cats. Consistency, however, is important. If your cat has gotten accustomed to one type of litter, switching it can throw off its bathroom routine. Don’t pile the litter more than two inches high. Many cats prefer to be able to feel the litter box underneath them. Very few cats like to use a litterbox with more than two inches of litter at the bottom. Ask your veterinarian to check for urinary tract problems. Many cats, particularly male cats, urinate outside of the litter box because they have painful urinary tract issues, many of which can be dangerous. If your cat has started to urinate outside of its box for no apparent reason, you should check with a veterinarian to determine if there is a medical cause. Manage stress. Cats often urinate outside of the box because of stressful changes in the house, like new family members. If you can, limit your cat's exposure to these changes, until it acclimates. If this is impossible, talk to a veterinarian about anti-anxiety medication. If, for example, you are getting a new cat, keep the cats separate for a couple of weeks, slowly introducing them to each other. This will help manage stress and reduce urination outside of the litter box. Have your cat fixed. Intact cats are naturally inclined to mark territory with urine. You should have your cats fixed as soon as possible to prevent them from developing this behavior. Reduce access to prime targets for marking. Your cat is most likely to try to mark new things that it wants to establish control over and things that they have already marked. Items brought by guests, for example, should be placed out of reach. Alternatively, consider piling up items to block an area that has already been marked. When you clean areas that have already been marked, don't use cleaners with strong smells. This will only encourage your cat to mark the area again to reclaim its territory. If you can't stop your cat from returning to the spot that it marked, change its associations with the area. Feed and play with him at that location so that in its mind it is something other than the spot that it likes to mark. Clean your litter boxes daily. At least once a day, you should scoop up urine and feces in the litter box. Look around carefully for any clumps and carefully remove them. If your cats are having trouble using the litter box correctly, consider cleaning the litter box even more frequently. Toss the litter out into an outdoor trashcan. Be sure to thoroughly wash your hands after every litter box cleaning. Toss out litter weekly. Approximately once a week you should toss out all the litter in the box and replace it with new litter. Even when scooping out litter, some unsanitary elements remain, making it necessary to periodically toss all the litter. Wash the litter box monthly. At least once a month, you should perform a deep cleaning when emptying the litter. Fill the litter box with hot water and a cleaning solution, like commercial soap or even bleach. Rub it down with a cloth to remove stuck on litter and sanitize the box. Be sure to rinse the box to remove any residual cleaning solution and dry it completely before refilling it. Buy a self-cleaning litter box. Self-cleaning litter boxes have machines that sense when your cats use the box and automatically cleans the box a couple minutes after usage. This will ensure that that the box is constantly clean, making it more likely that multiple cats can comfortably share a single litter box. These litter boxes frequently cost more than $100. However, they can save you money if they stop cats from urinating on expensive furniture or reduce the number of litter boxes required for the household. With a self-cleaning litter box, you will need to remove stored up litter once every few days and replace litter as directed. | Keep at least one more litter box than the number of cats in your home. Spread out your litter boxes. Be sure that litter boxes are accessible. Don’t put your litter boxes in heavy traffic areas. Put your litter box someplace with few distractions. Keep it cool. Stick to a litter. Don’t pile the litter more than two inches high. Ask your veterinarian to check for urinary tract problems. Manage stress. Have your cat fixed. Reduce access to prime targets for marking. Clean your litter boxes daily. Toss out litter weekly. Wash the litter box monthly. Buy a self-cleaning litter box. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Safe-During-a-House-Fire | How to Keep Safe During a House Fire | To keep safe during a house fire, immediately leave your house. If a door feels hot to the touch or there's smoke under it, don't open it and try to find another way out. If there aren't any other doors, exit out of a window if possible. You should also crouch down and stay low to the floor, which will limit your exposure to the smoke since smoke rises. If you need to move through a smoke-filled room, cover your nose and mouth to avoid inhaling the smoke. | React as soon as you hear your smoke alarm go off. If you hear your smoke detector or alarm going off and see fire, try to exit your home as safely as possible. Do not try to grab your phone, valuables, or your other important possessions. Your only concern is to get out of there as fast as possible. Nothing else is as important as this. You should be getting yourself and your family members out safely. If it's nighttime, yell loudly to get everyone up. You may only have less than a minute to escape safely, so ignore all secondary concerns that have nothing to do with staying alive. If you have escaped from a home fire, remember once you get out stay out and dial Triple Zero (000) or 911, depending on where you live. Safely exit through doors. If you see smoke under a door, then you cannot go out that door, because smoke is toxic and fire is sure to follow. If you don't see smoke, put the back of your hand up to the door to make sure it doesn't feel hot. If the door feels cool, then open it slowly and pass through it. If your door is open and there is a fire preventing you from exiting the room, close the door to protect yourself from the fire. If the door is hot or there's smoke under it and there are no other doors to pass through, you will have to try to escape through a window. Be careful! Do NOT break a window except as an absolute last resort. Aside from a risk of injury, this could actually make the fire much worse by providing an extra burst of oxygen that cannot subsequently be stopped. Protect yourself from smoke inhalation. Get low to the floor and crouch or crawl on your hands and knees to evade the smoke. Though you may think that running is faster, encourage your family members to crouch or crawl, too. Smoke inhalation causes people to become disoriented and can even render a person unconscious. Knowing this, you should cover your nose and mouth if you have to walk by or through a heavily smoke-filled room. You can also place a shirt or a wet rag over your nose and mouth, but only if you have time. This will only buy you a minute or so, which is not a lot of time, but it does help to filter those products of combustion which lead to smoke inhalation. Stop, drop, and roll if your clothes catch fire. If your clothes catch fire, immediately stop what you're doing, drop flat to the ground, and roll around until you put the fire out. Rolling around will smother the fire quickly. Cover your face with your hands as you're rolling to protect yourself. Avoid wearing synthetic fibers, as these can melt and stick to skin causing severe burns. Ward off the smoke if you can't get out. If you can't escape your home and are waiting for help, don't panic. You may not be able to get out, but you can still take some measures to ward off the smoke and stay safe. Close your door and cover all vents and cracks around it with cloth or tape to keep the smoke out for as long as you can. Whatever you do, don't panic. You can always reclaim some measure of control, even if you feel trapped. Call for help from a second story window. If you are trapped in your second story room in the event of a fire, do what you can to get yourself to an area where people will be able to hear you or see you. You can take a sheet or something else - white preferably - and hang it out the window to signify that you need help when the first responders get there. Be sure to close the window -- leaving it open draws the fire towards the fresh oxygen. Put something down, such as a towel (or anything that you can find), to prevent the smoke from coming underneath the door. Escape from a second story window if you can. If you have a two-story house, you should have an escape ladder that you can throw out in case a fire or other problem happens. If you really must get out of the window, look for a ledge and if there is a ledge, you can get yourself out onto the ledge facing the building. Always face the building structure when exiting a window on an upper floor. From a second story, if you have to hang, you might get closer to the ground and you could potentially let go and fall to safety. The truth of the matter is that you are probably a lot safer staying put and trying to compartmentalize by closing doors between you and the fire, preventing the smoke from coming into the room, and putting something over your nose and mouth to filter the air and hoping for the best. Do a head count. If anybody is missing, only re-enter the building if it is safe to do so. Tell the first responders immediately on their arrival if you are afraid somebody is missing. Likewise, if everybody is accounted for, let the fire responders know so that they're not sending people in endangering their lives looking for others. Call your local emergency services number. Call 911 in North America, 000 in Australia, 111 in New Zealand and 999 in the UK or 112 from your mobile (this number has priority on the mobile phone network in the UK as too many 999 calls are made unintentionally) 112 is the emergency number in all of Europe and will be directed to the local emergency number by the network if necessary. Use your cellphone or call from a neighbor's house. Do an injury assessment. After making the call and the resources are coming, it is time to check yourself and family members to make sure that there are no injuries. If there are, do what you can to address that and when the fire department arrives, you can ask for directions and help. Get away from the structure. Keep a safe distance between you and the fire. Take the necessary measures after the house fire to be safe. Form and practice your family's escape plan. The best way to prevent house fires is for your family to have a plan of escape in the event of a fire. You should form your plan and practice it at least twice a year to get comfortable with the routine and to ensure that you'll be clear-headed enough to carry out your plan if the time ever comes. Here are some things to keep in mind as you do this: Plan to find two ways to escape from each room. You should always look for a second way out in case the first way is blocked. For example, if a door is blocked, you should find a way out through a window or a different door. Practice escaping by crawling, being in the dark, and having your eyes closed. Make sure your home is prepared. To make sure that your home is prepared for a house fire, check that your smoke detectors are functioning and always have fresh batteries, and make sure that your windows can be easily opened and that their screens can be quickly removed. If you have windows with security bars, they must have quick release devices to allow them to be opened right away. Everyone in your family should know how to open and close these windows. If your home is prepared for a house fire, you'll greatly improve your chances of staying safe during one. Buy collapsible ladders that are made by a nationally recognized laboratory (such as the Underwriters Laboratory, UL), in case you'll need them to get down from the roof. Practice safe behaviors. To prevent your house from catching fire in the first place, there are some safety precautions that you should take: Teach your children that fire is a tool, not a toy. Always be in the kitchen when you're cooking something. Don't leave cooking food unattended. Do not smoke in the house. Make sure you put out your cigarettes completely. Dispose of any electronics with frayed wires, which could lead to a fire. Avoid lighting candles unless they're directly in your light of vision. Do not leave a lighted candle in a room where no one is. always check that you have turned the gas off before leaving the kitchen. try to use a lighter instead of matchsticks. | React as soon as you hear your smoke alarm go off. Safely exit through doors. Protect yourself from smoke inhalation. Stop, drop, and roll if your clothes catch fire. Ward off the smoke if you can't get out. Call for help from a second story window. Escape from a second story window if you can. Do a head count. Call your local emergency services number. Do an injury assessment. Get away from the structure. Form and practice your family's escape plan. Make sure your home is prepared. Practice safe behaviors. |
https://www.wikihow-fun.com/Be-Spontaneous | How to Be Spontaneous | Add some spontaneity into your life by changing your route to work or school, even if it takes you five minutes longer to get there. It might seem like a small change, but you should embrace the opportunity to enjoy some new sights and sounds you wouldn't have experienced otherwise. Another way you can change up your life is by saying “Yes” more often when someone asks you to do something new. You don't have to agree to anything you don't want to do, but you should be open-minded and try not to find a reason to say “No.” While you're at it, aim to do one new thing each week, even if it's as small as going to the movies on a work night or school night. | Stop planning every minute your life. Spontaneity is best achieved when you have no pre-conceived goal or ending in mind for a given experience. If you want to be more spontaneous, make it easier on yourself by giving yourself less of a script. There are no rules to living your life. Heading to the beach for a fun day with your friends? There's no need to plan it out by the minute. What will you eat? Who will drive? What will you wear? Worry about each thing as it comes. Don't worry about planning out every single detail of an experience. Eliminate needless responsibilities from your life. In order to be more spontaneous, you need to have time on your hands to be able to do things on a whim. You can start my looking at your daily routine and cutting everything away from it that you don't need. People, responsibilities, and activities in your life that aren't important? Cut them out. Try to think about everything you usually do, even if you can't cut it out of your routine. Writing it all down can help you remember and visualise your timetable, if it is very busy. Obviously, if you have a hobby, activity or club that you really enjoy, its probably not a good idea to quit it. Use common sense to decide what can be cut away. Try to figure out what you like, and what you are like. Imagine your ideal day, a totally free day that you've got to do whatever you want. What would it involve? Heading to the beach and taking a dip? Playing basketball with your friends? Relaxing with a good book and a cool drink on your porch? Playing guitar on stage? Imagine your ideal life. What brings you happiness in the world? What were the times in your life that you remember being totally happy, or totally relaxed? Try to keep those memories at the front of your mind, and make them a priority in your life. Figure out what's getting in your own way. What's keeping you from living the spontaneous life that you might want to live? Are you scared of putting yourself out there? Do you work in a job that keeps you locked into a computer or an office, and doesn't give you the free time you desire? Are you stuck in a dead-end relationship? When you figure out what's keeping you from living the way you want to live, Try to make a change. Whatever it is that's keeping you from being spontaneous, cut it from your life. Keep your free time and your work time separate. If you organize your time effectively, you have and finish your work in the time you have devoted to work time. Try to remake your routine so that you have at least one day a week with no appointments or commitments. This is great for being spontaneous as you can wake up in the morning and decide on something you want to do for the day based on a whim. Most people have to have some kind of schedule for their day. Even if you want to be spontaneous, it's important to have some idea of what you'll be doing when you wake up, or you may just suffer from indecision. Make your own decisions. Who is in charge of your own life? Too often, we just let our friends make the call and be the deciders. If you're always turning it over to the group to make your plans for you, that might be because your'e "easy going," but it might also be because you're letting others make your decisions for you. Let yourself have opinions and grab onto them. Try an experiment. Instead of "going with the flow," voice a strong opinion next time you're trying to come to a decision as a group. Even if you don't really care where you meet friends for dinner, try picking a place and standing up for it. It might feel good. At the same time, going with the flow is an important part of being spontaneous. Try not to get too hung up on little decisions. Meet new people. Tired of your regular old crew? If you need a change, try hanging out with lots of different kinds of people and meeting as many as possible. Don't just find one social group to associate with, but move between lots of different groups to give yourself a wide social net. If you go to school, don't just hang out with people in your classes. Try sitting new new people every day at lunch. Make friends with some jocks, some geeky kids, and some arty kids. Have lots of friends. Every time you go out, think of it as an opportunity to meet people and make potentially life-changing friends. Don't just "stand in line" at the DMV, chat up your neighbors and find out what their lives are like. Reach out. Try something you think you might not like. Mystery can be intimidating. If you've never tried a particular dish, or never visited a particular place, those things can seem scary. But once you start exploring, you might even start to hunger for more and newer activities. Try a new dish out once a week. Cook something from a cookbook that requires ingredients you've never heard of, or head to a restaurant that you've never eaten at before. Just try it. Try an activity, hobby, book, or movie that you're not sure you're crazy about. Explore something strange or complicated for fun. You may even like it. Just say "yes" more. Do you want to try sushi? Do you want to go to a baseball game? Do you want to take swimming lessons? Why not! Sure! Absolutely! If you're presented with an opportunity, too often we find reasons to say "no." If something seems like a great, or fun chance, try to figure out a way to make it work, even if you're not sure it will fit in with your schedule or your plans. You don't have to agree to things that you don't want to do, or that you don't like, but it's a good idea to be open-minded enough to give something a try. Put your phone away. Want to open yourself up to more spontaneous experiences? Pull your head out of your mobile and look around some. Too often, we're locked in on our e-mail when we're out for a walk, or are neck deep into some podcast when we're commuting. Just be where you are and be doing what you're doing. Stop multitasking and put your phone away. If you feel like you're really attached to your phone, just try putting it on silent. You've got voicemail, and people will be able to leave you a message if there's an emergency. Turn off all but your most important alerts. Does your phone really need to beep if someone messages you on Facebook? Or if someone retweets you? Change your route ever day. Do you have you life on autopilot? Switch it up. You can decide to walk or drive a different way to work or wherever else you have to go today. Even if it takes you five minutes longer one way, what's the difference? Enjoy the new route or method of travel as much as possible. Do you usually drive? Try taking public transportation, or riding your bicycle. Explore different ways of getting where you need to be. Aim for one new thing each day. You can decide on the spot what you want to have for tea. You can decide that you want to watch a new film or even go to the cinema on a worknight/schoolnight, just making sure you don't get to bed too late. Pick back up on the things that you like to develop new hobbies. Find out the you really like reading comic books? Keep up with it. Make sensible spontaneous decisions. Being spontaneous doesn't give you the license to do reckless or dangerous things. Being spontaneous isn't an excuse for abusing alcohol, drugs, or tobacco products. Make smart and informed decisions if you want to be in control of your spontaneous life. | Stop planning every minute your life. Eliminate needless responsibilities from your life. Try to figure out what you like, and what you are like. Figure out what's getting in your own way. Keep your free time and your work time separate. Make your own decisions. Meet new people. Try something you think you might not like. Just say "yes" more. Put your phone away. Change your route ever day. Aim for one new thing each day. Make sensible spontaneous decisions. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Easily-Clean-Baby%27s-Cradle-Cap-Dandruff-Without-Hurting-the-Baby | How to Easily Clean Baby's Cradle Cap Dandruff Without Hurting the Baby | The best way to clean a baby's cradle cap without hurting them is to rub a small amount of baby oil onto their scaly patches. Leave the oil to soak for at least 15 minutes, since this will soften the crusts and make them easier to remove. After the oil has soaked, wash away the crusts and any residue using mild baby shampoo. When your baby's hair is dry, brush out any remaining loose flakes using a soft brush. | Rub a small amount of mineral oil, baby oil, or petroleum jelly into the scaly patches. Allow the oil or jelly to soak in for 15 minutes. This will soften and loosen the crusts, making them easier to remove. Because chemicals can be absorbed through the skin, including the scalp, be sure to read the manufacturers' labels on the products to be sure that they are safe for babies. Don't leave the oil/jelly on the baby, because this will make the crusts sticky and prevent them from naturally coming off. Coconut oil and shea butter are common natural remedies that can be applied. Don't use olive oil because it may encourage the growth of skin yeasts, or malassezia, and this may make the cradle cap worse. Wash the oil off with warm water. Shampoo the baby gently with a mild baby shampoo to remove the oil/jelly and scales. This will also remove any natural oils that may have built up and caused dead skin cells to stick to the scalp, forming scales. While shampooing gently massage the scalp to soften and loosen the scales. This can be done with your fingers, a washcloth, or a soft bristled baby brush. Don't scrub your baby's skin too hard, or you could irritate it. Don't use dandruff shampoos because they may contain chemicals that aren't recommended for babies and could be absorbed through the skin. This would only cause further irritation. Thoroughly rinse all of the shampoo out of the baby's hair to prevent irritation and if necessary, shampoo the baby daily. Brush the loosened flakes out of the baby’s hair with a soft brush. Strands of hair may come away with the flakes, but the hair will grow back. Don't pick at the scales as this may cause an open wound which will make the baby vulnerable to an infection. Brushing the flakes out will be easiest after the bath when the baby is dry. When the flakes are wet, they will stick to the hair. Make a gentle disinfectant out of natural remedies such as apple cider vinegar or baking soda. This will help prevent the growth of bacteria or fungus. Mix one part apple cider vinegar with two parts water. Massage this solution into the cradle cap. Let it sit for 15 minutes or until dry. This will help dissolve and loosen the scales. Mix a paste of baking soda and water. Use 1-2 teaspoons of baking soda and a 1:1 ratio of water. Dab the paste onto the infected area and let it dry on the baby for 15 minutes. Do not apply vinegar or baking soda to broken skin or open wounds because it may sting. Instead, seek medical attention from a doctor. Comb out the flakes using a fine-toothed comb. Gently comb against the hair slowly lifting and removing the loosened flakes. A lice comb works particularly well. The thin narrow teeth will catch even the smallest flakes. Do not scrape off flakes that are still attached to the scalp as this may hurt the baby. Shampoo the baby to wash out any remaining apple cider vinegar or baking soda paste. Be careful to avoid rinsing the apple cider vinegar or baking soda mixture into the baby's eyes. Use a mild shampoo that is approved for babies' sensitive skin. Seek medical advice if home care does not help or your baby’s condition worsens. Signs that your baby should be seen by a doctor include: Symptoms of infection, such as bleeding, pus oozing from below the scales, or extreme redness, pain, or fever. Swelling and severe itching causing the baby to scratch. This may be a symptom of another skin condition called eczema. Cradle cap occurring on areas of the body other than the scalp, particularly the face. Follow any treatment prescribed by the doctor. If your baby's cradle cap becomes infected or very inflamed or itchy, the doctor may prescribe one or more of the following to treat the infection and reduce inflammation: Antibiotics Antifungal cream A dandruff shampoo containing tar, antifungal medications such as ketoconazole, or selenium sulfide A mild steroid cream such as hydrocortisone 1% cream Do not use over-the-counter medications without consulting a doctor. Steroid creams, antifungal medications, or dandruff shampoos containing salicylic acid may be dangerous for the baby when absorbed through the skin. Your doctor may recommend steroid creams or antifungal medications in some cases, and you should always follow her instructions. Dandruff shampoos containing salicylic acid are never used on babies. Also consult your doctor before applying natural remedies with medicinal properties, like Calendula. Calendula is antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, but talk to your doctor before applying it to a baby. | Rub a small amount of mineral oil, baby oil, or petroleum jelly into the scaly patches. Shampoo the baby gently with a mild baby shampoo to remove the oil/jelly and scales. Brush the loosened flakes out of the baby’s hair with a soft brush. Make a gentle disinfectant out of natural remedies such as apple cider vinegar or baking soda. Comb out the flakes using a fine-toothed comb. Shampoo the baby to wash out any remaining apple cider vinegar or baking soda paste. Seek medical advice if home care does not help or your baby’s condition worsens. Follow any treatment prescribed by the doctor. Do not use over-the-counter medications without consulting a doctor. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Modify-Your-T-Shirt | How to Modify Your T Shirt | To modify a T-shirt to make it cuter, try cutting the collar off to make a scoop neck. First, trace around the front collar with 2 inches added to the sides and 1 inch on the bottom. Cut along the lines you drew and either leave the edges raw or hem them for a neater finish. Another way to modify a shirt is to make side tassels. Start by cutting the side seam from the bottom hem to the armpit. Then, cut 2-inch slits into the sides of the shirt 1 to 2 inches apart and tie your tassels together. If you want to lengthen a short t-shirt, wrap lace around the hem and sew it into place. | Turn your shirt inside out and cut the sleeves off. Choose a large, baggy t-shirt that you want to modify. Turn it inside out, then cut the sleeves off right at the seams, so that the original seam is still attached to the body of the shirt. Cut the sleeves apart at the seams. Flatten the sleeves first, then cut the entire seam off. Leave the hem on and set the sleeves aside. Choose a shirt that fits you, then set it on top of the bigger shirt. Turn the smaller shirt inside out first, then tuck the sleeves in so that they are out of the way. Set the smaller shirt down on top of the bigger one. Make sure that the collars and shoulders match up. Make sure that the front of both shirts is facing up. You can also use a fitted t-shirt or a sleeveless shirt for this. Trace around the smaller shirt, adding seam allowances. You'll need to trace around the armholes and the sides of the smaller shirt. Be sure to add a ½ inch (1.27-centimeter) seam allowance. It is best to use a dressmaker's pen (light colors) or a dressmaker's chalk (dark colors) for this. If you can't find one, use a washable pen. If the bigger shirt is too long, you'll need to trace 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) below the smaller shirt as well. Pin the bigger shirt, then cut it. Set aside the smaller shirt, then pin the larger one, just inside the lines that you drew. Cut the shirt with sharp fabric scissors, following the lines that you drew. Remove the pins when you are done, but keep them handy for a later step. The pins are there to keep the fabric from slipping around while cutting the shirt. Pin and sew the sleeves onto the shirt. Open up the shirt and the sleeves. Pin the sleeves to the shoulders with the right sides facing in. Sew the sleeves to the shoulders using a matching thread color, a ½-inch (1.27-centimeter) seam allowance and a stretch stitch. Remove the pins as you sew. Backstitch at the start and end of your sewing to make it stronger. Trim the sleeves down if they are too wide for the shirt. Sew the side seams on the shirt and sleeves. Flatten the shirt so that the seams on the sleeves and sides match up. Sew it using a matching thread color, a ½-inch (1.27-centimeter) seam allowance, and a stretch stitch. Start sewing at the sleeve hem, and finish sewing at the bottom hem of the shirt. Remember to backstitch at the start and end of your sewing. Use sewing pins to hold the shirt together, if needed, but remember to take them out as you sew. Hem the sleeves and bottom if needed. Try the shirt on. If the sleeves or hem are too long, make a mark where you want them to end, then take the shirt off. Fold the sleeves/hem down at the mark. Sew using a matching thread color, ½-inch (½7-centimeter) seam allowance, and a stretch stitch. Trim off the excess hem, if needed, as close to the stitching as you can. Remember to backstitch at the start and end of your sewing! For a more realistic shirt, add a second line of stitching just below the first one. Begin and finish sewing at a seam, not the middle of the hem. This will help disguise the backstitching. Trim off the excess threads, then turn the shirt right-side out. After this, your new shirt is ready to wear! You don't need to serge the seams on the inside of the shirt because the material does not fray. You can, however, trim the seams down to make them narrower. Choose a shirt to modify. This method only works for shirts that are too tight, and within reason. The shirt still needs to fit you reasonably well at the shoulders. While it is possible to make a small shirt bigger, there is only so much you can do. Turn the shirt inside out and cut it apart at the seams. Flatten the shirt first, then cut the seams off, starting at the bottom hem and finishing at the sleeve. You want to cut the side hems on the sleeves off as well, but leave the sleeves attached to the shirt. Find a suitable material for the side panels. You will be using this material to fill in the gaps on the sides of the shirt as well as on the underside of the sleeves. Use a matching jersey material, preferably from a matching shirt; if you can't find any, you can buy some from the fabric store. Having trouble finding the exact color? Consider a contrasting color! If the shirt has a print on it, match the color to that. Cut the material into a tapering rectangle to fill in the gap. Use a measuring tape to measure from the edge of the sleeve to the armpit of the shirt, then down to the hem. Cut two rectangles based on that measurement. Plan on making the rectangles 6 inches (15.24 centimeters) on the bottom and 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) at the top. If you cut the material from another shirt, make the bottom hem the 6-inch (15.24-centimeter) wide edge. Add 1-inch (2.54 centimeters) to the overall length for hem allowances. If you cut the material from store-bought fabric, add 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) to the overall length for hem allowances. You can cut the panels wider/narrower to suit your needs. Pin the panels to the shirt. Turn the panels and the shirt so that the wrong sides are facing out. Pin the front and back left side edges of the shirt to the side edges of your first panel. Make sure that you are pinning the cut edges of the sleeve to the panel as well. Repeat this step for the right side and second panel. If you cut the panels from an existing shirt, make sure that the bottom hems match up. If you cut the panels from store-bought fabric, leave an even amount of panel sticking out of the sleeve and bottom hems. Sew the panels to the shirt. Start sewing at the bottom hem and finish sewing at the edge of the sleeve. Use a ½-inch (1.27-centimeter) seam allowance, a stretch stitch, and a matching thread color. Remove the pins as you sew. Backstitch at the start and end of your sewing. This will make the seams stronger. Hem the panels. Fold the edges down on the top and bottom of each panel until they match up with the existing hems on the sleeves and shirt. Pin them in place, then sew them down. You will need to adjust your seam allowances to match those on the existing hems. In most cases, you'll need to sew two rows of stitching. Remove the pins when you are done, then trim off the excess material, as close to the stitching as you can. Backstitch at the start and end of your sewing. If you cut the material from an existing shirt, you'll only need to do the hem on the sleeve. Add the final touches, then turn the shirt right-side-out. Go over the shirt, and snip off any excess, hanging threads. If you want to, you can cut the collar of the shirt off as well. You can leave the collar raw for a trendy look, of you can hem it. You don't need to finish the inside seams, but you can trim them down to make them narrower. Use a seam ripper to remove the front part of the collar. You only need to remove the collar from the front of the shirt. When you reach the shoulders, stop; leave the back of the collar intact. Snip the collar apart in the middle. Find the middle of the collar, then cut it. You will end up with two straps on either side of the shirt. Cut a V into the front of the shirt. Use the straps from the original collar as a guide so that you don't cut the V too deep. It's okay if you stretch the straps a little, but not too much. The V needs to start at the left edge of the collar, and finish at the right. Pin the left side of the collar down first. Make sure that you are pinning the collar face-down, with the folded edge facing downward, and the raw edge facing up. You will eventually turn the collar up to hide the seam. Pull the collar enough so that it extends to the right side of the collar by ¼ to ½ inch (0.64 to 1.27-centimeters). Fold the end of the collar until it lines up with the bottom of the V. Depending on how much you extended it by, this will be between ¼ and ½ inch (0.64 and 1.27 centimeters). Secure the fold with a pin, if needed. Folding the end of the collar will create a neat seam on the front. Sew the collar down. Begin sewing at the shoulder and finish sewing at the bottom of the V; adjust the folded end, if needed. Use a ¼-inch (0.64-centimeter) seam allowance, a matching thread color, and a stretch stitch. Backstitch at the start and end of your sewing for extra strength. Remove the pins as you sew. Pin and sew the right side of the collar. Pin the right side of the collar, making sure to overlap the left side. Sew it using a ¼-inch (0.64-centimeter) seam allowance, a matching thread color, and a stretch stitch. Remove the pins when you are done. There is no need to fold down the end of the collar for this side. Remember to backstitch at the start and end of your sewing. Hand-sew the end of the right collar down. Use a needle and a matching thread color for this. Make sure that you sew through both layers on the right collar, and only one layer on the left collar. This way, you won't see the stitching on the front. Fold the collar up and press it flat. Fold the collar up so that it sits naturally, like a regular shirt collar. Tuck the hem down so that it is pressed against the shirt material. Iron the collar using the cotton setting on your iron. Cut the collar off to make it a scoop neck. Trace around the front collar, adding 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) on the sides and 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) to the bottom. Flip the shirt over, and trace along the back collar, adding 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) all around. Cut along the lines that you drew. You can leave the edges raw, or hem them for a neater finish. Create a side-tied shirt. Cut the side seams off of a t-shirt, from bottom hem to armpit. Cut 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) slits into the sides of the shirt, 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters) apart. Tug on the tassels to stretch them. Tie each front tassel to the matching back tassel in a tight, double-knot. Cut through both the front and back layers of the shirt at the same time so that the slits are even. Cut the collar off to make it a scoop neck if desired. Extend a short t-shirt with lace. Cut enough lace to wrap around the hem of your shirt, plus an added 4 inches (10.16 centimeters), then cut the lace in half. Tuck each piece of lace into the shirt by ½ inch (1.27-centimeters). Pin one piece to the front hem and the other piece to the back hem; overlap the side edges by 1 inch (2.54 centimeters). Sew the lace down, following the original stitching on the shirt. Backstitch at the start and end of your sewing for added strength. Use gathered lace, or gather it yourself, for a more feminine touch. You can use a similar method to add lace to sleeves. You'll need just one piece of lace for each sleeve, however. Tie dye a shirt for a burst of color. Wash the shirt first, but don't dry it. Bundle it up, then wrap rubber bands around it. Mix up a batch of fabric, then apply it to the shirt using a plastic squeeze bottle. Leave the shirt in a plastic, zippered bag for several hours. Rinse the shirt with cold water, then undo the ties and rinse it with warm water. Skip the bundling and rubber bands, and dip-dye the shirt for an ombre look. Stencil a shirt with fabric paint. Tuck a piece of cardboard inside your shirt. Place a stencil on top and secure it with tape, if needed. Apply fabric paint using a sponge brush; work your way from the edges of the stencil inward. Let the paint dry, then peel the stencil away. For a trendier look, use fabric spray paint instead. For something more unique, use bleach spray. Create your own stencils using freezer paper. Try an iron-on transfer. Purchase a pre-made iron-on transfer design, or print your own using a printer and blank iron-on transfer paper. Cut the design out, place it face-down on your shirt, and iron it following the instructions on the package. Peel the transfer paper away, then wear the shirt! If you are printing out your own design, remember to reverse it first! | Turn your shirt inside out and cut the sleeves off. Cut the sleeves apart at the seams. Choose a shirt that fits you, then set it on top of the bigger shirt. Trace around the smaller shirt, adding seam allowances. Pin the bigger shirt, then cut it. Pin and sew the sleeves onto the shirt. Sew the side seams on the shirt and sleeves. Hem the sleeves and bottom if needed. Trim off the excess threads, then turn the shirt right-side out. Choose a shirt to modify. Turn the shirt inside out and cut it apart at the seams. Find a suitable material for the side panels. Cut the material into a tapering rectangle to fill in the gap. Pin the panels to the shirt. Sew the panels to the shirt. Hem the panels. Add the final touches, then turn the shirt right-side-out. Use a seam ripper to remove the front part of the collar. Snip the collar apart in the middle. Cut a V into the front of the shirt. Pin the left side of the collar down first. Fold the end of the collar until it lines up with the bottom of the V. Sew the collar down. Pin and sew the right side of the collar. Hand-sew the end of the right collar down. Fold the collar up and press it flat. Cut the collar off to make it a scoop neck. Create a side-tied shirt. Extend a short t-shirt with lace. Tie dye a shirt for a burst of color. Stencil a shirt with fabric paint. Try an iron-on transfer. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Citizen-of-Norway | How to Become a Citizen of Norway | To become a citizen of Norway, you'll need to live in the country for at least 7 years. Unless you're an EU citizen or a spouse of a Norwegian national, you'll first need to secure permanent residency. You can apply for this after living there for 3 years on a work or study permit. You'll need to pass a written test, have a clean criminal record, and speak Norwegian fluently. You'll also need to meet a minimum income requirement, which shows that you can support yourself financially. Since Norway doesn't currently support dual-citizenship, you'll need to renounce your old citizenship. | Hold a valid residency permit for at least 3 years. Generally, you become eligible to apply for permanent residency only after having legally lived in Norway under a residence permit for at least 3 years. Residency permits typically are granted for work or study in the country. If you are a spouse or unmarried partner cohabiting with a Norwegian national who works in a Norwegian embassy or consulate, you are exempt from the residency requirement. If you are an EU national, you automatically acquire permanent residency in Norway after living there for 5 years. You must provide proof that you have been living legally in the country for 5 years, and that you are working, studying, or otherwise self-sufficient. Become proficient in the Norwegian language. Although many Norwegians speak English, if you want to become a permanent resident of the country, you must demonstrate your proficiency in the national language. Free online courses in Norwegian are available at https://www.ntnu.edu/learnnow/. There are other options available for learning Norwegian for free, or you can pay for commercial courses or private tutoring. Find links to additional language resources at https://www.kompetansenorge.no/English/Immigrant-integration/#Norwegianlanguagetuition_5. Take Norwegian language and social studies tests. If you are between the ages of 16 and 55, you must pass an oral test in Norwegian at a minimum level of A1, and pass a written test in Norwegian social studies given in the language of your choice. For the Norwegian language test, go to https://www.kompetansenorge.no/norwegian-language-test/. On this page, you can register to take the test either in the summer (June 5 – 12) or winter (November 26 – December 6). The page includes links to study materials and a practice test. To sign up for the social studies test, go to https://www.kompetansenorge.no/test-in-social-studies/. Keep your criminal record clean. During the 3 years you live in Norway prior to applying for permanent residency, you can't have any criminal convictions. You also won't be eligible for permanent residency if you were ordered into involuntary psychiatric treatment or care. Having a conviction doesn't mean you can never become a permanent resident of Norway. However, you may have to wait until at least 3 years have passed since the date of conviction before you can apply. Register on the Application Portal. Most applicants can complete their application for permanent residency using the online Application Portal for the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI). Go to https://selfservice.udi.no/ to create your user account. From your user account on the Application Portal, you can fill out your application, submit your forms, book appointments, and check the status of your application. Demonstrate that you have financially supported yourself. UDI only grants permanent residency to applicants who demonstrate that they met the minimum income requirements for the previous year. In 2018, this amount was NOK 238.784. The applicable minimum income requirements and documentation required to prove your income will be listed on your application. You also cannot have received any social security payments during your residency period prior to submitting your application. Pay your permit fees. As of 2018, the permanent residence application fee for adults is NOK 3.100. There is no fee for children under 18. To check the latest application fees and get information on the method of payment, visit the UDI website. If you completed and submitted your application online, you can pay your fees online at the same time using a Visa or MasterCard. Review your responses to all the questions on your application before you submit it. Once you've clicked through to the payment screen, you won't be able to go back and make any changes. Take your supporting documents to the nearest police station. Once you've submitted your application, you can also make an appointment to hand in the necessary supporting documents at your local police station. To generate a checklist of the documents you're required to bring with you to your appointment, go to https://www.udi.no/en/checklists-container/citizenship-travel-permanent/checklist-permanent-residence/ and answer a few questions about your application. Wait for notification. After you've submitted your application, UDI will begin the review process. It typically takes from 3 to 6 months to process an application for permanent residence. You may be contacted if additional information or documentation is required to before your application can be granted. You can find out the approximate wait time for your application to be processed by visiting https://www.udi.no/en/word-definitions/guide-to-case-processing-times-for-applications-for-permanent-residence/ and answering a few questions. If your application is denied, you can appeal the decision. Information on how to appeal will be included with your notification. Book an appointment at the police station. If your application for permanent residency has been approved, you must visit the police station nearest you to complete the process and get your permanent resident card. Police will take your fingerprints and photo, then order your card for you. You can also book an appointment online from the Application Portal if you have an account set up there. If you have problems setting up an appointment online, call the police station directly. You cannot book an appointment through UDI. Receive your residence card in the mail. Your card will be mailed to you when it's ready. Expect it to take at least 10 business days to arrive. If you have travel plans overseas, make sure to leave plenty of time to get your residence card before you leave the country. Otherwise, you may have difficulty when returning. Even though it has your photo, your residence card is not considered proof of identity. When traveling outside of Norway, you still must carry your passport. Live in Norway for at least 7 years. The "period of stay" condition is the first condition you must meet to be eligible for Norwegian citizenship. Most applicants must live in Norway with a residency permit for at least 7 uninterrupted years. Exceptions are made for some special groups of applicants, such as spouses of Norwegian nationals, athletes, or members of Norwegian nationals living abroad on foreign service missions at a Norwegian embassy or consulate. Brief visits outside the country are allowed without your period of stay being interrupted. However, if you are outside the country for more than 2 months in any given year, your period of stay starts over. Maintain a clean criminal record while living in Norway. To become a citizen of Norway, you must be able to prove that during your period of stay, you have had no criminal convictions or ordered psychiatric treatment. If you have a criminal conviction, you may still be able to get Norwegian citizenship. However, you typically have to wait. The length of your waiting period depends on the penal sanction that was imposed as a result of your conviction. Have your identity clarified. The Norwegian government must confirm your identity with reliable documentation before you are eligible for citizenship. In most cases, this requires you to provide a valid passport from your home country. If for some reason you no longer have a valid passport, other documents, such as a birth certificate, may be used. Norway does not consider documents from some countries, such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia, to be reliable. This is generally because the governments of these countries are not stable, or were recently unstable. If you come from such a country, there are additional steps needed to confirm your identity. Pass an oral Norwegian test at the A2 level. To become a citizen of Norway, you must demonstrate proficiency in the Norwegian language at the A2 level or higher. If you passed the Norwegian test for your permanent residency at the A1 level, you must take it again to reach the A2 level. If you already passed the oral Norwegian test at the A2 level for your permanent residency, you do not have to take the test again. Information about the language test is available on the Skills Norway website at https://www.kompetansenorge.no/English/. Pass the Norwegian citizenship test. When you took the social studies test for permanent residency, you were allowed to take it in the language of your choosing. If you took the test in your own language, you must take it again in Norwegian to qualify for citizenship. Information about the citizenship (social studies) test is available on the Skills Norway website at https://www.kompetansenorge.no/English/. If you took the Norwegian citizenship test in Norwegian for your permanent residency and passed, you do not have to take it again when you apply for citizenship. Complete your application. You can apply for citizenship online using the UDI's Application Portal at https://selfservice.udi.no/. If you already registered with the Application Portal for your application for permanent residency, you can use the same account to apply for citizenship. Once you log onto your user account, click through to complete the necessary citizenship application forms. Make sure all your answers are as thorough and detailed as possible. All fields marked with a yellow star must be completed before your application will be accepted. Pay your application fee. The fee for a citizenship application, as of 2018, is NOK 3.700. Check the UDI website for the most current application fees. There are no fees for children under the age of 18. If you submit your application through the Application Portal, you can pay your application fee at the same time using a Visa or MasterCard. Once you click the "go to payment" button, you will not be able to make any changes to your application online. If you make a mistake, you can correct it when you attend your appointment at the police station. Take your supporting documentation to the police station. After you submit your application, you can book an appointment with the police station nearest you to turn in all required documents that support statements you made in your application. While documentation varies, it generally will include your birth certificate, marriage or partnership certificates, passport, tax return, police background check, proof of your language study, and test results for your language and social studies tests. Go to https://www.udi.no/en/checklists-container/citizenship-travel-permanent/checklist-for-citizenship/ and answer the questions to get a checklist of documents you must bring with you. Wait for an answer to your application. The UDI will begin processing your application after all supporting documentation is received. You may be called in for an additional interview or asked to submit different documents to support your application. To get a reliable estimate of the processing time for your application, go to https://www.udi.no/en/word-definitions/guide-to-case-processing-times-for-applications-for-norwegian-citizenship/ and answer the questions. If your application is rejected, you can appeal the decision. Information about the appeal process will be included in your notification of the UDI's decision. Book an appointment to pick up your citizenship decision. If the UDI grants your citizenship application, you can pick up your papers at the police station nearest you. Your citizenship decision must be picked up in person within 3 months of the decision being made. Once you get your citizenship decision papers, you can apply for a Norwegian passport. Take the notification letter you received with you to the police station, along with your old passport and your permanent residence card. Renounce your former citizenship. Dual citizenship is not permitted in Norway. If you want to become a Norwegian citizen, you must formally renounce your former citizenship. Go to the nearest embassy or consulate for your home country to find out what steps are required to do this. The government has proposed allowing dual citizenship. However, until a law is passed by parliament, you still must renounce your former citizenship to become a Norwegian citizen. If a law was passed, this rule would not change until 2019 at the earliest. Participate in the citizenship ceremony. Once citizenship is granted, you will receive an invitation to a citizenship ceremony where you will formally be made a Norwegian citizen. While this ceremony is voluntary, it is a special event for most new citizens. If you opt not to participate in the ceremony, you're still a Norwegian citizen. | Hold a valid residency permit for at least 3 years. Become proficient in the Norwegian language. Take Norwegian language and social studies tests. Keep your criminal record clean. Register on the Application Portal. Demonstrate that you have financially supported yourself. Pay your permit fees. Take your supporting documents to the nearest police station. Wait for notification. Book an appointment at the police station. Receive your residence card in the mail. Live in Norway for at least 7 years. Maintain a clean criminal record while living in Norway. Have your identity clarified. Pass an oral Norwegian test at the A2 level. Pass the Norwegian citizenship test. Complete your application. Pay your application fee. Take your supporting documentation to the police station. Wait for an answer to your application. Book an appointment to pick up your citizenship decision. Renounce your former citizenship. Participate in the citizenship ceremony. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Dress-Sexy-(for-Larger-Women) | How to Dress Sexy (for Larger Women) | To dress sexy if you're a larger woman, first look for tops with structure or padding in the chest and which fit the body closely without hugging the skin. For a flatter midsection, try tops, skirts, and dresses with cinched waistlines to show off your natural hourglass shape. You can also try curvy fit or stretch denim pants for both comfort and sex appeal. Additionally, wear clothes with solid colors and downward facing patterns, like vertical stripes and chevrons, for a chic and sexy style. | Choose a quality bra. Remember the importance of good quality undergarments for the foundation of any sexy outfit. Find a bra that features comfort in the cups, band, and straps. Look for wide straps to support a larger chest. The center front of the bra should lie flat across your breastbone, the band should lie parallel all the way around your chest without riding up, and there should be no spillover from the cups or gap between breast and cup. Consider your outfit for an evening or other occasion when you want to dress to impress. A strapless top or dress will need a strapless bra, a plunging neckline will need a plunge cut bra, a low back or cutout style will need a low-back or backless bra, etc. Consider a bra that's built into a longer control-top undergarment if you want to offer more support for your entire midsection when wearing a form-fitting sexy outfit. Choose tops that skim the body. Look for tops that fit closely but skim the body without actually hugging the skin for the best long, sexy lines for your torso. Try a plunging neckline to accentuate your chest, or a low back to show off some more subtle skin. Well-fitting, body-skimming fit will keep bared skin from looking overexposed or uncomfortably revealing. Try an off-the-shoulder top or dress for an easy way to bare some skin and show off your shoulders and neck. Look for structured busts. Try tops and dresses that have structure or built-in padding and support for the chest to lend support as well as flatter a fuller chest. Look for structure in the bust particularly when the garment is difficult to wear with a bra and can replace one. Pay attention to the neckline shape as well. Choose a V shape or sweetheart neckline to elongate the body and show off cleavage, or opt for less cleavage but a beautiful frame for your neck and collarbones with a square neckline. Go sleeveless or try sheer sleeves. Wear tops and dresses without sleeves, or opt for sleeves that are sheer as a way to both add some sex appeal and still be a little more covered up if you'd like to be. Look for sleeves with lace detail, cutouts, or sheer sections for extra sexiness on the arms. Opt for sleeves in a kimono or dolman style, or another similar style that floats away from the arm for an elegant and flattering look. Avoid regular t-shirt length short sleeves, which visually cut the arms off at their widest point. Opt for three-quarter length, sleeveless, or a shorter sleeve that lands at a diagonal angle on your arm. Go for cinched waistlines. Look for tops, skirts, and dresses that nip in at the waist to accentuate your naturally sexy hourglass shape. The cinched or narrower section of a garment should hit at your natural waist, which is the smallest part of your midsection, between your ribcage and belly button. Try peplum or wrap style shirts and dresses, which show off the narrowest part of your midsection while flaring away from the stomach below. A wrap dress makes for an attractive everyday look, while peplums easily create a sexy evening look; both can be dressed up or down. Try skirts, shorts, and pants that are intended to be high-waisted, hitting anywhere from the bellybutton up to the natural waist, which accentuates the waist but also creates some support for the lower abdomen if you want it. Look for curvy fit or stretch denim to flatter the waist. Buy pants and jeans that accommodate a larger waist and hip section by looking out for curvy fits, or material with enough stretch to create both comfort and a sexy body-hugging look for the waist, hips, and backside. Make sure that the waist on any pair of pants fits comfortably when standing and sitting. Remember that the waist can stretch with wear, but should fit when just washed as well. Try jeggings or other popular pant styles that feature an elastic waistband for optimal comfort and extra curve-hugging. A wide stretch waistband fits more comfortably than a smaller one that may dig into the waist or lower stomach. Opt for a mid-rise or high-rise fit to slim the lower abdomen for a sleek look. Try solid colors or smaller patterns. Opt for solid colors in dark or jewel tones for a sleek evening look that flatters your waist and hips. Keep patterns subtle and smaller in scale for a chic and sexy style. In general, lighter colors will visually highlight and darker colors will reduce, so choose color for your top to draw attention to your midsection, or dark neutrals to downplay it. Try patterns with geometric shapes that point downward, like vertical stripes or chevrons, for an elongating effect for the middle of the body. You can still use more horizontal or larger patterns for any areas you want to accentuate. Favor thick fabric and use embellishment strategically. Wear tops made with fabric thick enough that it won't cling to your body where you don't want it to. Make sure ruffles, beading, or other embellishments that can be sexy are placed on areas you want to highlight rather than downplay. Embellishments that add volume to a garment should hit only at areas of your body you want to accentuate or widen. However, features like a belt or ruching can help narrow an area like the waist if you want to define that sexy hourglass shape. If you choose thinner fabric for garments around your midsection, look for items that drape, fold, or gather to avoid uncomfortable or unflattering clinging. Wear a tank top or control undergarment underneath a top that is too thin to provide a smooth base. Choose bootcut or slim cut pants. Go for jeans or pants in a straight cut for universally flattering length, whether you opt for a sexy form-fitting skinny style or a bootcut that floats straight away from the legs to the floor. Choose a dark wash on jeans when you want to slim any area of your legs or hips. Alternatively, you may want to add lighter wash or bright color to accentuate the legs and lend balance to a larger torso. Avoid fading and whiskering on denim, or too many embellishments on pockets and seams, in areas you do not want to widen. Choose skirt hemlines at or above the knee. Find skirts and dresses that fall just above the knee for the most universally flattering look for the legs. Also try out a high-low hemline, which is shorter in the front and longer in the back, to get some more coverage while still showing off your legs for an alluring look. Look out for skirts and dresses that feature pleating or lines that fall vertically from the waist to make the lower body look longer. Wear tights to lengthen the legs. Try tights as a way to show off your legs while not actually showing bare skin if it makes you uncomfortable to do so, as well as provide sexy length to the leg. Choose tights in a similar hue as your skirt, dress, or shoes to help create the illusion of extra length in the legs. Try out tights with classic sex appeal like fishnets, lace, or thigh-highs. Choose control-top hosiery for additional support for your midsection if you wish. Try a slit in a skirt or dress. Go for a slit detail up one side or leg of a long skirt or dress, which helps elongate the leg while providing a sultry detail to an otherwise more covered look. If you're not ready to bare skin with a slit, try looking for vertical seams on the front of pants or skirts, which has a similar flattering effect. Wear heels to further lengthen the leg you show off with a slit. Try heels to amp up the sexiness. Accentuate the length and beautiful muscles of your legs by choosing a sexy heel that matches your outfit or accessories. Opt for a pump with a pointed toe for an elongating shape; even a flat with this toe will achieve this effect. Nude color (approximately matching your skin tone) on heels will visually create even more leg length when worn with bare legs or nude hosiery. | Choose a quality bra. Choose tops that skim the body. Look for structured busts. Go sleeveless or try sheer sleeves. Go for cinched waistlines. Look for curvy fit or stretch denim to flatter the waist. Try solid colors or smaller patterns. Favor thick fabric and use embellishment strategically. Choose bootcut or slim cut pants. Choose skirt hemlines at or above the knee. Wear tights to lengthen the legs. Try a slit in a skirt or dress. Try heels to amp up the sexiness. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Play-the-Palace-Card-Game | How to Play the Palace Card Game | Palace is a fun 2-5 player card game where players try to be the first one to run out of cards. To play the game, start by choosing one player to deal first. That player deals 3 cards to each player face down. Players arrange these cards in a row in front of them without looking at them. Next, the dealer deals 6 cards face down to each player for their hand. Each player looks at their hand and chooses 3 cards to place face up on top of their 3 face down cards. In general, players should try to play their 3 highest cards face up. Everyone selects 3 cards from their hand to place face up on top of their 3 face down cards. You typically want to place your 3 highest cards face up. The dealer places the rest of the cards in the deck face-down in the middle of the playing area for the draw pile, then flips the top card over next to it for the discard pile. The player to the left of the dealer goes first. They must play a card that is equal to or higher than the face-up card in the discard pile. They can play multiple cards as long as they're the same rank. 3's are the lowest card and Aces are the highest. 2's reset the deck. A player can play a 2 at any time. After a player plays a 2, they can play any card they want on top of it. After a player plays 1 or more cards on their turn, they draw cards from the draw pile so they always have 3 cards in their hand. If a player can't play a card on their turn, they pick up the whole discard pile and it's the next player's turn. Play continues like this clockwise around the table until the cards in the draw pile are all gone. Then, play continues like normal but players don't pick up from the draw pile. Once a player runs out of cards in their hand, they can play any of the face up cards in the row in front of them. Once a player has played all of their face-up cards, they can flip over a single face-down card in their row. If it's equal to or higher than the card on top of the discard pile, they can play it. If it's not, they have to pick up the discard pile. Once a player plays all of the face-down cards in their row, they win the game! | Draw cards to see who will deal and go first. Have everyone pick a card at random from a deck of cards. The person with the highest card becomes the dealer. The person with the next highest card can choose any seat, and so on. The person to the left of the dealer goes first. In some variations, the first player is chosen once the cards are dealt, and it's based on the lowest card that is face-up. Shuffle 1 deck of cards for 2 players or 2 decks for more players. Shuffle the cards together 5-7 times to make sure they are thoroughly mixed. Make sure not to look at the cards as you're shuffling them! Deal 3 cards to each player face-down. Go around the table, putting 3 cards in front of each player in a row. Keep going around until each player has 3 cards in front of them. No one should look at these cards yet, even the player you dealt them to! Typically, you start dealing with the person on your left. Deal each person 6 cards face-down. Next, count out 6 cards for the person on your left, separate from the 3 you just dealt each person. Keep going around the table until everyone has 6 cards, including yourself. Players can look at these cards, but everyone should keep these to themselves for the moment. Look at your 6 cards and place 3 face-up on your face-down cards. Each player picks up their set of 6 cards. Decide which 3 you want to go on top of your 3 face-down cards. Typically, higher cards are better to place face-up. One variant has the dealer place 3 of the cards face-up on top of the original 3 face-down cards. This makes the game a bit harder, as you can't place easy-to-play cards face-up. Place the remainder of the cards in the middle for the draw pile. If you're the dealer, put the remaining deck where all the players can reach it, as that will be the draw pile. These cards should be face-down. Turn over 1 card from the draw pile to make the discard pile. If you're the dealer, place the card face-up to the side of the draw pile. That will be the starting card for the discard pile, and the player to the left of the dealer will play on it to start the game. One variation says the first player with a face-up 3 starts the game by playing a card from their hand. If no one has a 3, it moves to 4s. Another variation says the person to the left the dealer plays the lowest card in their hand. As an example, say the starting card is a 6. Play cards in ascending order on the start card. If you're the starting player, you play a card that is equal to or higher than the starting card. You can actually play multiple cards, as long as they're all equal to or higher and of the same rank. You can use any higher card, but it's smarter to play your lower cards first. For instance, if the starting card is the 6 of hearts, you can play a 6 of spades, a 7 of diamonds, or a king of clubs. You could also play 2 6s or 3 8s. The cards are ranked with the ace as the highest and the 3 as the lowest. The 2 is a special card that resets the deck. Draw up to 3 cards in your hand. Once you've played, you still need 3 cards to make your hand. Pick up enough cards from the draw pile to equal 3. Don't draw a card if you have 3 cards or more, which can happen later in the game. So if you played 1 card, you pick up 2. In some variations, if you draw a card that's the same number as the last card you played on the pile, you can play it. This rule only applies if the next player hasn't added a card yet. Pick up the whole discard pile if you can't play. You must play a card if you can. If you can't play, you have to pick up the discard pile. Then, the next person has their turn; they can play any card from their hand. Move on to the next person to the left. After the first person plays, go around the table. Each person plays what they can in the middle, then draws up to 3. If they can't play, they pick up what's in the middle. Play continues this way until the draw pile is depleted. Use 2s and 10s as wilds. In most variations of this game, you can play the 2 on top of any card, and it resets the discard pile to this number. You can also play the 10 on any card, but it takes the discard pile out of the game instead of resetting it. The player who put the 10 down then draws up to 3 and plays any card. You can play any card after you play a 2 or 10. Clear the discard pile if 4 of a kind is played. If 4 of the same numbers are played in a row, either by one player or multiple players, it clears the discard pile. Place it to the side, as these cards are out of the game. The player who played the last card can play any card, starting the discard pile again. In some variations, anyone can jump in to finish 4 of a kind. For instance, if the dealer plays 3 7s, someone across the table can play 1 7 to complete 4 of a kind, even if it's not their turn. It then becomes their turn, skipping the other players. Deplete the draw pile completely. To start the last phase of the game, the draw pile must be emptied. When it is, don't shuffle. You simply stop drawing from the middle. Play until your hand runs out. When you can no longer draw, you rely solely on your hand. Keep playing out of it until there are no cards left in your hand. If you can't play, you still have to pick up the discard pile and put it in your hand. Remember, you have to play a card if you can. Move to your face-up cards when you run out of cards in your hand. When it's your turn and you don't have a hand, play one card from your face-up cards. If you have multiple cards of the same rank, such as 2 jacks, you can play them both at the same time. If you can't play a card, you follow the same rule as before and pick up the discard pile. Once you pick up a pile, you must play all of those before playing from your cards on the table. Play your face-down cards to finish the game. When it's your turn and you've played all your face-up cards, pick a card that's face-down on the table. Don't look at it to choose. Simply flip it over. If it plays on the current card by being equal or higher, you can play it. If not, you must pick up the discard pile. If you pick up the discard pile, you must play those before continuing to play your face-down cards. Play all of your cards first to win. You must play all your face-up and face-down cards to win the game. The first person to do so ends the game. The game can continue after the first person is out, but it's more fun to start another game instead. | Draw cards to see who will deal and go first. Shuffle 1 deck of cards for 2 players or 2 decks for more players. Deal 3 cards to each player face-down. Deal each person 6 cards face-down. Look at your 6 cards and place 3 face-up on your face-down cards. Place the remainder of the cards in the middle for the draw pile. Turn over 1 card from the draw pile to make the discard pile. Play cards in ascending order on the start card. Draw up to 3 cards in your hand. Pick up the whole discard pile if you can't play. Move on to the next person to the left. Use 2s and 10s as wilds. Clear the discard pile if 4 of a kind is played. Deplete the draw pile completely. Play until your hand runs out. Move to your face-up cards when you run out of cards in your hand. Play your face-down cards to finish the game. Play all of your cards first to win. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Tide-to-Go-Pen | How to Use a Tide to Go Pen | To use a Tide to Go Pen, uncap the pen and press the tip straight down onto the stain a few times to release some of the solution onto the stain. Then, rub the solution into the stain by running the tip of the pen across the area. The microfiber cloth tip will work to absorb the solution and remove the stain. Wait a few minutes to allow the material to dry and then check to see if the stain is still visible. If it is, then apply more of the solution and run the tip of the pen over it again. When you're done, dry the material by blotting it with a clean cloth. | Test the pen on a hidden portion of fabric. Make sure the fabric of your garment will not react negatively to the solution in a Tide to Go Pen. Before using it on your food or drink stain, test it out on another small area of fabric that is not easily visible on your garment. To use the pen for a test, take the cap off and press the tip of the pen firmly onto the area you want to test on until a small amount of solution comes out. Rub the stain with the pen tip, then wait several minutes until the solution mostly dries on the fabric to determine its effect. The Tide to Go Pen should be safe for use on most garments labeled as a colorfast machine-washable or dry-cleanable item. However, some fabrics may be more susceptible to change colors or other adverse effects, so it's important to do this test first. Remove excess residue from the spill. Gently dab or wipe at a food stain that has any excess matter, like a thick sauce or crumbly food item. Take care not to spread the stain any wider than it already is while doing so. The best way to remove this excess is typically to lay an absorbent paper towel or napkin directly onto the stain, then lift straight up. Or, scoop the excess off with a spoon or knife. Avoid rubbing or swiping at the stain, which could make it spread and worsen. Note that the Tide to Go Pen works best on spills from food and drink, and will not perform as well or at all on stains from materials like blood, grease, ink, and grass. Depress the tip of the pen to release solution. Uncap the pen and press the tip onto the area of fabric where your stain is located, until enough solution comes out to cover the area of your stain. A couple of quick presses with the tip is typically sufficient to release enough of the solution. It doesn't need to be pressed down continuously. Press the tip straight down, rather than at an angle as if you were writing or beginning to rub the stain with the tip. The tip should actually push into the pen, allowing the solution to be released. Rub the dispersed solution into the stain. After pressing the tip down to release solution, rub gently with the pen tip across the area of the stain. The microfiber cloth tip helps to absorb and pick up the stain that the solution pulls out. Rub until you see the stain begin to lighten or disappear altogether. Make sure you are getting solution and rubbing with the tip over all areas of the stain. Add more solution if necessary by depressing the tip again. Each part of the stained fabric should be lightly saturated with solution before rubbing. Wait and reapply as necessary. Wait several minutes for the fabric to dry to determine the success of the stain removal. Repeat the process of releasing the solution and rubbing with the pen tip if the stain is still very visible. Note that the Tide to Go Pen is formulated for stains that have recently occurred and is used to pretreat a stain quickly before it can be washed. Further laundering is expected. After treating with the Tide to Go Pen, the stain on your garment may still appear slightly discolored, show faint residue from the solution, or have a slight odor. These will all typically be removed with further laundering. Blot the fabric dry when finished. Blot away any excess solution once you've treated the stain with the Tide to Go Pen. You can also let it air dry until you can take the garment off and clean it further. Use a dry and clean cloth, napkin, or towel to gently blot at the fabric. There may be some visible residue of the solution after it's dry, which will go away when you wash it later. You should use a damp cloth or napkin to further remove residue of the solution if the treated area of your garment will be exposed to sunlight. This will prevent any lightening that may occur with sun exposure. Treat the stain further if needed. Use another pretreatment stain remover product at home if you find that the Tide to Go Pen hasn't effectively removed the stain. Do this as soon as you are able, and before you machine wash or dry clean your garment. Follow any instructions on your individual stain remover product, as they may vary in their application. Consider the type of food or drink that caused the stain when you treat it further at home. A greasy stain may warrant the use of hot water, for example, while a wine stain needs cool water. Wash the item according to the care tag instructions. Pay attention to the instructions given on care for your specific garment's fabric and style. Wash by hand, machine, or dry cleaning as instructed. Look for the care tag along a collar, waist, or side seam of any garment. If you no longer have one, look for the fabric content. Most common natural and synthetic fabrics like cotton or polyester can be machine washed. Delicate fabrics like silk and cashmere, and items with beaded or embroidered detail, usually require hand washing or dry cleaning. Wash a stained garment as soon as possible for a better chance at getting it out. Dry the garment carefully. Follow the care instructions for your clothing after washing it, taking care not to apply heat from a dryer or iron until the stain is out. Hang, lay flat, or machine dry as instructed. After washing your garment, check to see if there is a remaining stain. If there is, treat it again with a stain remover and rewash. Don't put it in a dryer until the stain is out, otherwise the heat will set it in. You may want to alter the exact drying instructions on your garment's care tag if you are concerned about a stubborn stain. Hang up or place an item on a towel away from sunlight, which are gentler drying options that won't set in any existing stain with heat. Get one from a store with laundry supplies. Find Tide to Go Pens in the cleaning supply section with other laundry and clothing care items. Look for a retail store that sells other Tide products to find this item. Tide to Go Pens are typically found in big-box stores, drugstores, and discount stores in North America. A single Tide to Go Pen retails for about $2.99 USD. Packs of three may be $7.99. Prices vary by store and location. Buy the pen online if you can’t find it in stores. Purchase Tide to Go Pens online if you cannot find them in stores or you don't live in North America, where they are most commonly sold. Check online stores' shipping policies for international shipping. Check the Amazon.com site specific to your country to see if they carry Tide to Go Pens that can be shipped to you. eBay and the online store for Target may also ship internationally. See their websites for details. Note that a shipping and handling fee will typically be charged when ordering online. These fees are often higher for shipping to countries outside the country of origin. Use your Tide to Go Pen until it runs out of solution. Continue to use the same Tide to Go Pen for fresh stain removal until it runs out of solution. You can use the standard Tide to Go Pen size of 10 ml (0.338 fl oz.) for about 10-20 uses. You can store the Tide to Go Pen anywhere at room temperature. Dispose of the product according to your local guidelines for normal landfill trash. If you have frequent need for on-the-go stain removal, or several locations you want them on hand (like a purse, car, and office), you might consider buying a pack of the pens. They can be found online and in stores in multi-packs, often at a better value than purchasing them individually. | Test the pen on a hidden portion of fabric. Remove excess residue from the spill. Depress the tip of the pen to release solution. Rub the dispersed solution into the stain. Wait and reapply as necessary. Blot the fabric dry when finished. Treat the stain further if needed. Wash the item according to the care tag instructions. Dry the garment carefully. Get one from a store with laundry supplies. Buy the pen online if you can’t find it in stores. Use your Tide to Go Pen until it runs out of solution. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-an-Ex-Boyfriend-or-Girlfriend | How to Avoid an Ex Boyfriend or Girlfriend | To avoid your ex, try to keep any contact with them brief, and avoid calling or texting them regularly. If you're hurting after a breakup, use your knowledge of their schedule so you don't have to deal with the added stress of meeting them in awkward situations, like in the locker room. Outside of school, try to avoid events where you know they'll be. Think about ways to make a clean break, like by reaching out to a good friend or starting a new hobby. | Don’t call or text. Use your phone's settings to help you avoid contact with your ex. For example, you can change your ex's name in your address book to “DO NOT ANSWER” to remind you what you must do. Some phones or services will also allow you to block a particular number entirely. Keep any contact short and sweet. If you must talk to your ex, keep the communication brief but friendly. Never flirt, however tempting it may seem. If you start to repeat old arguments or bad patterns, end the conversation immediately: say, “I'm sorry, this conversation isn't going well. I need to end it.” Ask teachers, bosses, or coworkers for help in limiting your exposure to your ex. Working together closely in class, being assigned to the same project, or getting put at the same work table could derail your effort to avoid your ex. You may need to ask others at school or work for help to avoid these situations. For example, you might explain to a teacher that you would prefer not to do a group project with your ex. Or, you could ask your guidance counselor for help in arranging your schedule so that you are not in class with your ex. Plan your schedule to avoid awkward encounters. If you don't run into your ex, you won't accidentally start speaking with him. And you won't see him flirting with someone else, either. If you are in school together, use your knowledge of his schedule to avoid crossing paths in the hallway or by the lockers. Avoid visiting his workplace. For example, if he works for a café, get your hot drinks somewhere else now. Don't go to his favorite hangouts or to his events. If your ex plays basketball, don't go to those games. If he always took you bowling, don't go bowling for a while. Keep in contact with mutual friends, but make your boundaries clear. Don't keep socializing with your ex just because you have mutual friends. Respect that your friends might want to remain friends with both of you. While it can be tempting to try to convince everyone to side with you, it's not healthy. It may be helpful to talk through different scenarios with your friends. For example, you might say: “I don't feel comfortable continuing our movie nights as a small group right now. But, if you throw a big party, it's ok to invite both of us.” Recognize that your needs will change over time. Keep your friends up to date: if it's ok to invite you both to a dinner party now, say so. Leave his friends to him. Just as you need the support of your friends and family as you navigate the break-up, so does your ex. Let your ex rely on his own network of friends and family. Recognize signs of stalking and abuse. Stalking is defined as a pattern of unwanted attention or behavior directed at you that would make a reasonable person fearful. For example, it is stalking to send repeated, intrusive, scary calls, messages, or gifts. A stalker may follow or wait for you in places where she knows she'll find you. Or, he may make threats to harm you or your friends or family. Rely on your instincts: if you feel you are being stalked, seek help, including calling the police. Don't downplay threatening behavior. Keep a record of contact made by a stalker as well as keep any police reports. Set and communicate your own boundaries. Sometimes, an ex's behavior might not rise to the level of stalking. Perhaps she just keeps asking to be friends or to get back together. Or perhaps he's telling you that it's normal for exes to spend a certain amount of time together. You get to set your own boundaries with an ex, even if you feel guilty about ending the relationship. Decide on what boundaries make you feel most able to enjoy your own life. Remember that you don't owe your ex your time and attention. Naming your own boundaries, to yourself and your friends, is the first step. Pay attention to feelings of resentment or discomfort. They are often a sign that you feel your boundaries are being violated or that you haven't set boundaries that truly make you comfortable. Be direct about what your boundaries all. Don't be afraid to sound like a broken record if you need to. Tell your ex: “I'm not ready to be friends. If and when I am ready, I will let you know.” Rely on your friends and family. They are a helpful resource and the first line of defense in preventing your ex from contacting you. Ask your family for help in limiting contact with your ex. For example, your parents might be able to screen calls or other ways that your ex tries to contact you. Don't tolerate friends who won't respect your decision to end contact with your ex. If your friends try to use the situation to stir up drama, they are not real friends. Ask for help in enforcing boundaries and staying safe at school or work. You have the right not to be forced into unwanted contact with an abusive or stalking ex. At school, you might want to start by speaking with a guidance counselor; at work, with Human Resources or a trusted supervisor. Don’t be taken in by promises that your ex will change. If you have been in abusive relationship, your ex might promise that he won't abuse you any more if you get back together. This is part of the cycle of abuse. While your ex might be able to change in time, if he does a lot of work and gets a lot of professional help, you need to be out of the relationship now. Seek legal help if necessary. If your ex absolutely won't leave you alone, in spite of anything you or others say, you might need to get a restraining order. This is a legal document that states the limits on the contact your ex may make with you. Commit to making a clean break. While it's possible to be friends with someone you used to date, you need time to recover from the break-up before that's possible. Friendships between exes are often less satisfactory, in the long run, than friendships between people who never dated. Mark a date on a calendar to solidify for yourself how long it really is. If you had a reasonably healthy relationship, you might be able to say to your ex: “I hope that we can interact as friends in the future. But for now, I need a certain amount of time to work on my own healing. That means I won't accept your calls or talk to you until this date at the soonest.” Remember that not contacting your ex is about moving on, not re-starting the relationship. You need to develop a new sense of yourself that is not based in your old relationship. Rather than focusing on her, focus on your friends and your family relationships, your studies, your work, and your hobbies. Now is a good time to reach out to that friend you really like that you haven't seen for a while. Consider taking up a new hobby, so that you meet new people and build confidence in a new context. Avoid your ex on social media. Staying connected on social media may hold you back from healing and moving on after the end of a romantic relationship. Your focus should be on personal growth, not pictures of her night out or status updates about her new partner – or how lonely she is. Unfriend your ex on Facebook. In addition, there are apps and plug-ins that can block your ex's updates from appearing in your feed and remove any posts that mention him. Unfollow your ex on Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram. Use a “block your ex” plug-in to remove references to your ex from your internet browser altogether. These can be helpful if you just can't resist searching her name from time to time. Don’t fantasize about your ex. The drama of infatuation and romantic relationships can mimic addiction. Recognize that your fantasies are shaped by the best aspects of the relationship and are not an accurate depiction of what it was really like to be with him. Write a journal entry about the positive aspects of the relationship – and of ending it. Personal growth often results from a break-up. Writing a short, personal essay that focuses on the positive effects of the break-up helps to increase positive emotions like gratitude, hopefulness, relief, and satisfaction. Talk to a counselor or therapist. If you find yourself unable to get over your ex, or overwhelmed with feelings of sadness, despair, or fear, you should talk to a therapist. A counselor will also be able to help you develop strategies for any interactions you need to have with your ex. Take time to find the right therapist for you. You might need to talk to a few different people or get recommendations from several different sources, including your school and your doctor's office. It's worth it to find someone you feel comfortable with. Stay away from drugs and alcohol. Increased substance abuse often occurs when someone is experiencing a break-up. But relying on alcohol or drugs will only cause new problems for you. Take your time to figure out what happened. While your friends might advise you to get over a relationship quickly by finding someone new, you're better off taking time to understand what went wrong first. Talk to a counselor or trusted, mature friend about the relationship and how it ended. | Don’t call or text. Keep any contact short and sweet. Ask teachers, bosses, or coworkers for help in limiting your exposure to your ex. Plan your schedule to avoid awkward encounters. Keep in contact with mutual friends, but make your boundaries clear. Recognize signs of stalking and abuse. Set and communicate your own boundaries. Rely on your friends and family. Ask for help in enforcing boundaries and staying safe at school or work. Don’t be taken in by promises that your ex will change. Seek legal help if necessary. Commit to making a clean break. Remember that not contacting your ex is about moving on, not re-starting the relationship. Avoid your ex on social media. Don’t fantasize about your ex. Write a journal entry about the positive aspects of the relationship – and of ending it. Talk to a counselor or therapist. Stay away from drugs and alcohol. Take your time to figure out what happened. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Over-a-Bad-Day | How to Get Over a Bad Day | To get over a bad day, take time to do something you enjoy, like reading a good book, going for a walk, or playing video games. You can also try doing something creative, like drawing, writing, or playing an instrument, which can help reduce stress. Or, you can do a physical activity, like yoga or running, to release stress and improve your mood. Whatever you decide to do, try to remember that what you're experiencing is temporary, and tomorrow is an opportunity to start fresh. | Focus on your physical senses if you’re feeling stressed or anxious. It's important to give yourself time to process the negative feelings you are experiencing. As soon as you're able to do so, take a few minutes to just breathe and focus on what you are seeing, smelling, feeling, and hearing. This will help ground you in the present moment and break the cycle of stress and anxiety. If you can, find a quiet space where you can be by yourself, without distractions. Reflect on your emotions without judgment. It's okay to feel upset when you're having a bad day. Instead of ignoring your emotions or trying to make yourself cheer up, take a moment to identify and acknowledge what you're feeling. Putting a name to your feelings can help them seem less overwhelming. For example, you might think to yourself, “I'm feeling disappointed and mad at myself for getting a bad grade on that assignment.” Don't try to judge or analyze your feelings—for example, don't tell yourself, “It's ridiculous to be so upset about this!” Just make note of your feelings and let them be. Try to identify the source of your negative feelings. Reflect on the negative feelings you are experiencing and think about what could have triggered your bad day. Was it stress at work? Anxiety over a test? Frustration towards someone you know? Try to label the source of your bad day in 3 words or fewer. For example: “frustration with Lisa” or “stress from clients”. Studies show that the simple act of putting your feelings into words can dramatically reduce the effect of those feelings. Acknowledge that not all bad days have an obvious cause. Sometimes you may experience days when you feel down, anxious, or exhausted for no apparent reason. This is especially true if you struggle with issues like depression or anxiety. If this happens to you, remind yourself that you don't need a reason to feel bad—some days are just more difficult than others. If you can't identify a reason for your mood, focus instead on helping yourself feel better in the moment. For example, you might have a drink of water or eat a healthy snack. If you're tired, take a brief break from whatever you're doing and rest. You can also try a few simple stress-relieving activities, like going for a walk, meditating, or doing a little yoga. Share your feelings with someone you trust. It may be tempting to keep your dark mood to yourself, especially in a busy communal environment like the office or the classroom. However, connecting with other people when you're down can help you feel better. Reach out to a friend, loved one, or trusted colleague. Say something like, “Hey, I'm having a rough day. Mind if I vent a bit?” Remind yourself that what you’re experiencing is temporary. When you're in the middle of a bad day, it's easy to feel like things will be terrible forever. However, remember that this bad day will not last forever, and neither will the things you are feeling right now. Just because a bad experience is temporary does not mean your feelings about it at the time aren't valid. Be patient with yourself and allow yourself time to be upset. You might tell yourself something like, “This day has been awful and I feel really down about it right now, but today won't last forever.” Try to view tomorrow as an opportunity to start fresh. Do deep breathing exercises. Breathing deeply can signal your brain and body to relax, instantly helping you feel a little better when you're under stress. If you're feeling overwhelmed or upset, take 3 to 10 deep, controlled breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Breathe so that your belly expands, rather than your chest. If you can, find a quiet place to sit or lie down while you breathe. Put one hand on your belly and the other on your chest so that you can feel the motions of your body. Close your eyes and focus on the physical sensations of breathing. If you have the time, you can also try more advanced breathing exercises. For example, try slowly breathing in for 4 counts, holding your breath for 7 counts, and breathing out for 8 counts. Repeat this process 3 to 7 times. Focus on a creative activity. Creative activities are not only calming, but they can be a healthy outlet for your feelings and frustrations. If you're having a bad day, try to set aside a few minutes to do something expressive, whether it's drawing, knitting, writing, or playing an instrument. Even if you don't consider yourself the artistic type, you can still get stress-relieving benefits from simple activities like coloring, doodling, or doing paint-by-numbers. You could also write down your feelings in a journal. It doesn't have to be anything polished or profound—just getting your feelings out on the page in a few words can help them feel more manageable. Take a little time to do something you enjoy. Treating yourself to something fun can do a lot to lift your spirits and help you feel better after a stressful day. If you can, set aside at least a few minutes to do something that reliably cheers you up. This could be anything from watching a video that always makes you laugh to buying a favorite snack. If you're not sure what might help, try making a list of 5 simple, easily attainable things that you always enjoy. For example, your list could include things like “reading some of my favorite book” or “playing through a level of a video game that I like.” Avoid putting things on your list that you can't control (e.g., “days with warm weather”) or that are not realistic right at this moment (such as “going on a cruise”). Spend time with friends and family. If you can, schedule a little face-to-face time with someone you care about. Play a game or go see a movie together, go for a drink to blow off some steam, or simply have a friend over for a cup of tea. Spending time with loved ones is a great way to shift your mood and prevent you from focusing on negative thoughts or the events of your bad day. If you don't have any friends or family nearby, try giving someone you know a call or having a chat online. Go for a run, a jog, or a walk. One of the best ways to get over a bad day is exercise. In fact, regular exercise can increase your energy level and help you deal with stress. Doing something physically active can also help ground you in the moment and take your mind off your worries. Work out your body and give your mind a rest. If you don't have time for a full workout, even taking a 10-minute walk around the block can help. Do restorative yoga postures. Yoga is a gentle form of exercise that engages both your mind and your body, helping to reduce stress and increase your sense of wellbeing. If you're having a rough day, try to take a few minutes to do some simple yoga poses. If you're stuck at work or school, you can even do some poses, such as the lotus position, while sitting at your desk. The lotus position is an easy, calming pose that you can do anywhere. Sit comfortably in your chair or on the floor with your neck and spine straight and erect and cross your legs. Place your hands on your thighs, palms up, with your thumbs and first fingers touching. Breathe deeply through your nose for 10-15 breaths. Fuel yourself with a healthy meal or snack. Eating healthy foods can help you feel better both physically and emotionally. Choose foods that can boost your mood and increase your energy levels, such as leafy greens, whole grains, lean proteins (like fish, poultry breast, or beans), and healthy fats (like those found in nuts and vegetable oils). While sweet baked goods, candy, or greasy foods may be tempting while you're feeling down, these can deplete your energy and leave you feeling worse. If you are going to go for chocolate as your comfort food, opt for dark chocolate. Dark chocolate has high levels of phenylalanine, which can stimulate your brain to release serotonin, a natural feel-good chemical. Get 7 to 9 hours of high-quality sleep. Sleep helps your body and mind recover from the stresses of your day. Aim to go to bed early enough that you can get 7 to 9 hours of sleep (or 8 to 10 if you're a teen). Unfortunately, stress can make it harder for you to sleep. If you're concerned you might have trouble nodding off after your bad day, try the following: Turn off all bright screens at least half an hour before you go to bed. Unwind before you sleep with some light stretches and a warm bath or shower. Read a little bit of a relaxing book and listen to some calming music. Make sure your room is dark, quiet, and comfortable (e.g., neither too hot nor too cold). Drink a warm, caffeine-free beverage, such as a mug of warm milk with a little honey mixed in. | Focus on your physical senses if you’re feeling stressed or anxious. Reflect on your emotions without judgment. Try to identify the source of your negative feelings. Acknowledge that not all bad days have an obvious cause. Share your feelings with someone you trust. Remind yourself that what you’re experiencing is temporary. Do deep breathing exercises. Focus on a creative activity. Take a little time to do something you enjoy. Spend time with friends and family. Go for a run, a jog, or a walk. Do restorative yoga postures. Fuel yourself with a healthy meal or snack. Get 7 to 9 hours of high-quality sleep. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Arrange-Refrigerator-Shelves | How to Arrange Refrigerator Shelves | To arrange refrigerator shelves, put fruit like apples and bananas in the low humidity drawer as they last longer with less moisture. However, place vegetables in the high humidity drawer, since they do better with a little more moisture. For meats like chicken or sausage, store them at the back of the bottom shelf, which is the coldest part of the fridge. You should also keep eggs and milk on the coldest shelf to stop them going bad. | Put your fruit in the low humidity drawer. Fruit keeps best when it isn't exposed to too much moisture. Most refrigerators have a special drawer that has the lower humidity than the other shelves and drawers. Sometimes it's labeled "low humidity," and other times it's labeled "crisper." This is where you should store your fruit, from apples to bananas to grapes. If you're planning on eating fruit quickly, however, you may want to store it on the top shelf. Fresh berries, for example, will go bad faster than apples, so you might not want to store them in the crisper. Store the carton on the middle or top shelf, where you'll see it and reach for it before they start to shrivel. Produce stored in the crisper may be stored either loose or in open plastic bags. Don't store fruit in tightly-sealed plastic bags, since this can cause many types of fruit to rot more quickly. Keep your vegetables in the high humidity drawer. Most vegetables benefit from a little extra moisture - hence the sprinklers you see wetting down the produce section in the grocery store. Most refrigerators have a drawer that is labeled "high humidity," usually right next to the low humidity drawer. Store your whole vegetables there either loose or in open plastic bags to keep them fresh. If you're storing salad or cut vegetables, however, they'll go bad more quickly than vegetables that remain whole. For this reason, you should store them on the middle or top shelf and so you'll see them and use them quickly. To help vegetables keep longer, don't wash them before storage. Getting vegetables wet increases the chance that bacteria will grow and they'll begin to rot. Humidity is good, but you don't want the vegetables to be sitting in water. If you do need to wash them, dry them completely before storing. Store meat in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Whether you need to store chicken breasts, steak, sausage, or turkey, it should go in the coldest part of the refrigerator. In most cases, that's at the back of the bottom shelf, although some refrigerators have a designated meat drawer. If you store meat on the top shelf, it's likely to go bad more quickly. Make sure your meat is kept separate from the rest of the items in your refrigerator. It should be wrapped in plastic and stored as low as possible, so that if any juices escape other items won't get dripped on and contaminated. Clean the area where you store meat more often than you clean the rest of the refrigerator. Keep milk and eggs on the coldest shelf, too. Many people store milk and eggs on the door of the refrigerator for easy access. However, the door is the warmest part of the refrigerator, so storing them there will cause them to lose freshness faster. Store your milk and eggs on the bottom shelf, or whichever shelf is coldest in your refrigerator. Unless you go through eggs quite quickly, it's better to store them in their original carton instead of transferring them to the egg containers on the inside of the door. Cream, buttermilk, yogurt, and similar products should also be kept on the cold shelf. Store deli meats and cheeses in the shallow meat drawer. If you have cold cuts from the deli, cream cheese, and other types of cheese, put them in the shallow meat drawer, which usually slides out from the middle or top shelf. This is also a good place to store bacon, hot dogs and other preserved meats. It's slightly cooler than the rest of the refrigerator, though not as cold as the back of the bottom shelf. Clean this drawer as regularly as you clean your other meat storage spot. Put condiments and drinks on the door. Condiments usually contain a lot of salt, vinegar and other preservatives that prevent them from going bad quickly, so it's fine to store them in the warmest part of the refrigerator: the door. Drinks also tend to keep longer than food. Designate the bottom shelf for the larger, heavier items, like orange juice, beer or soda. Put sweet condiments like jams, jellies and syrups on another shelf, and save the savory condiments like mustard and soy sauce for the last shelf. Even though butter is a dairy product, it's fine to store it in the butter compartment on the door. Butter doesn't need to be kept as cold as milk. If you're a condiment lover, it can be easy to let your condiment area get pretty messy with expired food. Go through the area regularly and toss out anything that's expired or mostly used up. Store leftovers and ready-to-eat foods on the top and middle shelf. Cooked food is fine to keep on the top or middle shelf. Use the the top and middle shelves to store any items that don't need to be kept especially cold: cooked baby food, pizza, dips and sauces, tortillas, and so on. The top or middle shelf might also be the right place to keep a pitcher of water, medicine you need to keep cold, and other items that need to be cool, but won't easily spoil. Try using refrigerator baskets. Using baskets to organize your food is a great way to keep everything separate and accessible. You can buy baskets to store on your shelves and designate each basket for a different type of food. Label the baskets so you know what goes there. For example, if you buy a lot of cheese, you could have a separate basket just for cheeses. Baskets sized especially to fit in the door shelves are also available. Using baskets is a helpful way to keep condiments from getting too messy. When something spills, you can just remove the basket and clean it out. Use a lazy Susan. This trick is so useful, it's a wonder refrigerators don't come with lazy Susans already installed. Get a plastic lazy Susan (a circular spinning shelf) to put on the middle or top shelf of your refrigerator. Place items you're in danger of forgetting about, like leftovers, on the lazy Susan. This eliminates the common scenario of discovering months-old leftovers in the back of the fridge from time to time. It's also a good way to make sure you use up salad items, cut vegetables, fruit, and other items that tend to go bad quickly. Consider designating one lazy Susan for items you want to use right away. Consider lining the shelves for easy cleanup. Using shelf liners protects your food from getting contaminated and makes cleanup much easier. If you need to store meat on a shelf above your produce drawer, for example, having a plastic liner under the meat will prevent your produce from getting dripped on. Every week or two, just take out the liners and change them out for fresh ones. Purge your refrigerator often. Don't let expired items or moldy leftovers hang around and clog up your fridge. You'll end up having to squeeze fresh items in wherever they'll fit, which is a recipe for forgetting what you have on hand. Every week or so, go through your refrigerator and get rid of anything you're not going to use. Don't store shelf-stable items in the refrigerator. Use your refrigerator to chill perishable items, and keep things like bottled water, cans of soda, extra condiments and other non-perishables in your pantry instead. This will make more room for the items that actually need to stay cold. Transfer your nonperishable to the refrigerator as you need them. Label everything before storing. If you're one of those industrious people who make a big casserole or batch of soup in order to freeze portions for later meals, make sure you label everything with the name and date. That way your food won't end up as a nameless, freezer-burned bag that you can't remember putting there several months ago. Keeping your freezer organized with labeled items will help you actually use up all the items you store there. Put the items that store longest in the back. Make sure you know how long everything will keep in your freezer, then put the items that store longest in the back or bottom of your freezer. Items that need to be used more quickly should be kept toward the front, so you'll see them and use them. For example, frozen vegetables, fruit, meat and so on may keep for months or longer, so should be stored behind other items. This will prevent them from getting warmed up every time you open the freezer. Ice cream, popsicles, ice cube trays, and other items that you use up more quickly should stay near the front of the freezer. Use proper storage methods to prevent freezer burn. Frozen items don't tend to spoil, but freezer burn can still ruin their taste and texture, rendering them inedible. In addition to organizing your freezer so that the items that keep the longest are in the back, you should also use good freezer storage methods to protect the food from exposure to air and moisture. Use air-tight freezer bags or bins to store all items. Double-bag items that need to stay in the freezer for more than a few weeks. Storing items in flimsy sandwich bags doesn't protect them from getting freezer burn. Use thick freezer-safe bags instead. | Put your fruit in the low humidity drawer. Keep your vegetables in the high humidity drawer. Store meat in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Keep milk and eggs on the coldest shelf, too. Store deli meats and cheeses in the shallow meat drawer. Put condiments and drinks on the door. Store leftovers and ready-to-eat foods on the top and middle shelf. Try using refrigerator baskets. Use a lazy Susan. Consider lining the shelves for easy cleanup. Purge your refrigerator often. Don't store shelf-stable items in the refrigerator. Label everything before storing. Put the items that store longest in the back. Use proper storage methods to prevent freezer burn. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-Expository-Essay | How to Write an Expository Essay | Before you write an expository essay, take some time to jot down ideas for your essay. Try the clustering method by writing a brief explanation of your subject in a bubble in the center of your page. Then, draw 3 or more lines extending from the circle and jot down idea bubbles that connect to your main theme. Once you have a plan for your expository essay, write out an outline to organize what you're going to say. Make sure to begin your outline with an engaging introduction sentence. After the introduction sentence, provide some background information and include your thesis statement, which is your main argument. If you're writing a 5 paragraph essay, you should include 3 body paragraphs after your introduction then a conclusion paragraph that summarizes your main points. However you organize your essay, make sure to include credible sources for important information, like statistics, so your teacher knows that it's accurate. | Define your purpose for writing. Think about why you are writing an expository essay. Jot down some of the reasons why you are writing an expository essay and what you hope to do with your completed essay. If you are writing an expository essay for an assignment, read the assignment guidelines. Ask your instructor if anything seems unclear. Consider your audience. Think about who will be reading your expository essay. Consider the needs and expectations of your readers before your begin writing. Jot down some of the things that you will need to keep in mind about your readers as you write your expository essay. If you are writing your essay for a class assignment, consider what your instructor will expect you to include in your essay. Generate ideas for your expository essay. Before you begin writing your essay, you should take some time to flesh out your ideas and get some things down on paper. Invention activities like listing, freewriting, clustering, and questioning can help you to develop ideas for your expository essay. Try listing. List all your ideas for your expository essay. Then look over the list you have made and group similar ideas together. Expand those lists by adding more ideas or by using another prewriting activity. Try freewriting. Write nonstop for about 10 minutes. Write whatever comes to mind and don't edit yourself. After you finish writing, review what you have written. Highlight or underline the most useful information for your expository essay. Repeat the freewriting exercise using the passages you underlined as a starting point. You can repeat this exercise many times to continue to refine and develop your ideas. Try clustering. Write a brief explanation of the subject of your expository essay on the center of a piece of paper and circle it. Then draw three or more lines extending from the circle. Write a corresponding idea at the end of each of these lines. Continue developing your cluster until you have explored as many connections as you can. Try questioning. On a piece of paper, write out “Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?” Space the questions about two or three lines apart on the paper so that you can write your answers on these lines. Respond to each question in as much detail as you can. Make an outline. Once you have gotten some of your ideas on paper, you may want to organize those ideas into an outline before you begin drafting your essay. You can draft an outline to plan out your whole essay, develop more ideas, and figure out if you have forgotten anything.s Find appropriate sources. See your assignment guidelines or ask your instructor if you have questions about what types of sources are appropriate for this assignment. Books, articles from scholarly journals, magazine articles, newspaper articles, and trustworthy websites are some sources that you might consider using. Trustworthy internet sources usually include academic institutions like universities or research labs, government websites, and non-profit organizations. Evaluate your sources to determine their credibility before you decide to use them. There are several things that you will need to consider in order to determine whether or not a source is trustworthy. Identify the author and his or her credentials. Think about what qualifies this person to write about their subject. If the source has no author or the author does not have adequate credentials, then this source may not be trustworthy. Check for citations to see if this author has researched the topic well enough. If the author has provided few or no sources, then this source may not be trustworthy. Look for bias. Think about whether or not this author has presented an objective, well-reasoned account of the topic. If the author seems to value a particular argument or slant that is not supported or only thinly supported by fact, then this source may not be trustworthy. Consider the publication date to see if this source presents the most up to date information on the subject. Cross-check some of the information in the source. If you are still concerned about a source, cross check some of its information against a trustworthy source. Read your sources well. Make sure that you understand what the author is saying. Take time to look up words and concepts that you do not understand. Otherwise, you might end up misreading and misusing your sources. Take notes while your read your sources. Highlight and underline significant passages so that you can come back to them. As you read, take note of significant information in your sources by jotting the information down in a notebook. Show when you have quoted a source word for word by putting it into quotation marks. Include information about the source such as the author's name, article title or book title, and page number. Write down the publishing information of each source. You will need this information for your "References," "Bibliography," or "Works Cited" pages. Format this page according to your instructor's guidelines. Develop your tentative thesis. Effective thesis statements express the main focus of a paper and state an arguable claim. A thesis is often one sentence in length but may be longer depending on your topic and the detail of your essay. Make sure your thesis is arguable. Do not state facts or matters of taste. For example, "George Washington was the first president of the United States," is not a good thesis because it states a fact. Likewise, "Die Hard is a great movie," is not a good thesis because it expresses a matter of taste. Make sure your thesis provides enough detail. In other words, avoid just saying that something is "good" or "effective." Instead, say what makes something "good" or "effective. Begin with an engaging sentence that gets right into your topic. Your introduction should immediately begin discussing your topic. Think about what you will discuss in your essay to help you determine what you should include in your introduction. Keep in mind that your introduction should identify the main idea of your expository essay and act as a preview to your essay. An engaging hook can take many forms. You could start with an anecdote, an informative and attention-grabbing quote, a bold opinion statement, or anything that will make your readers want to continue with your essay. Provide context. Provide enough background information or context to guide your readers through your essay. Think about what your readers will need to know to understand the rest of your essay. Provide this information in your first paragraph. If you are writing about a book, provide the name of the work, the author, and a brief summary of the plot. If you are writing about a specific day in history, summarize the day's events. Then, explain how it fits into a broader historical scope. If you are writing about a person, name the person and provide a brief biography. Keep in mind that your context should lead up to your thesis statement. Explain everything your reader needs to know to understand what your topic is about. Then narrow it down until you reach the topic itself. Provide your thesis statement. Your thesis statement should be 1-2 sentences that express your main argument. If your essay is purely informative, it should address your methods for presenting your information to your readers. Determine how many paragraphs to include. The most common length for an expository essay is five-paragraphs, but an expository essay can be longer than that. Refer to your assignment guidelines or ask your instructor if you are unsure about the required length of your paper. A five-paragraph essay should include three body paragraphs. Each body paragraph should discuss a piece of supporting evidence that supports your thesis. Even if your essay is longer than five paragraphs, the same principles still apply. Each paragraph should discuss a piece of supporting evidence. Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence. The topic sentence introduces the main idea of the paragraph. It should introduce one piece of supporting evidence that supports your thesis. If you're working with a specific text, you may start with a direct quote or a properly cited paraphrase of the argument you're referencing. For example, if you are writing an expository essay about the use of dogs in the US Marine Corps during WWII, your main ideas and topic sentences could be something like: "Dogs played an active role in Marine Corps missions in the Pacific." "The Doberman Pinscher was the official dog of the US Marine Corps during WWII, but all breeds were eligible to train as war dogs." "War dogs were even eligible to receive military awards for their service." Elaborate on your supporting evidence. After you have stated your topic sentence, provide specific evidence from your research to support it. Offer a new piece of evidence for every body paragraph in your essay. Most of your evidence should be in the form of cited quotes, paraphrases, and summaries from your research. Your evidence could also come from interviews, anecdotes, or personal experience. Try to provide at least two to three pieces of evidence to support each of your claims. For example, if a paragraph starts with, "War dogs were even eligible to receive military awards for their service," the supporting evidence might be a list of dogs who got awards and the awards they were given. Analyze the significance of each piece of evidence. Explain how the evidence you have provided in that paragraph connects to your thesis. Write a sentence or two for each piece of evidence. Consider what your readers will need to know as you explain these connections. Conclude and transition into your next paragraph. Each paragraph should transition into the next. The conclusion of each body paragraph should sum up your main point while showing how it works with your next point. For example, imagine that you want to connect two paragraphs that begin with these sentences: "The Doberman Pinscher was the official dog of the US Marine Corps during WWII, but all breeds could train as war dogs." And, "War dogs were, in fact, eligible to receive military awards for their service." Your concluding sentence would need to combine the idea of dog breeds with the idea of dogs receiving military awards. You could write, "Even though Dobermans were the most common breed used in WWII, they were not the only breed, and were not the only dogs recognized for their help." Restate and rephrase your thesis. The first sentence of your concluding paragraph should restate your thesis. But you should not just restate your thesis. You should also say what the evidence you have provided has added to your thesis. For example, if your original thesis was, "Dogs used by the United States Marine Corps during WWII played a significant role in the Pacific theater,” then your restated thesis might be something like, “Dogs of all breeds and sizes had an important and honored role to play in WWII, especially in the Pacific theater.” Note that the second sentence repeats the information provided in your original thesis. It just says it in a new way while also hinting at the information you included in the body of the essay. Summarize and review your main ideas. Take one sentence to summarize each main piece of supporting evidence, as presented in your essay's body. You should not introduce any new information in your conclusion. Revisit your most compelling claims and discuss how they all support your main point. Offer a final thought or call to action. Use your last sentence to make a final statement about your topic. This last part of your final paragraph is your opportunity to say what should happen next. You can offer a solution or ask a new question about your topic. Explain how the topic affects the reader Explain how your narrow topic applies to a broader theme or observation Call the reader to action or further exploration on the topic Present new questions that your essay introduced | Define your purpose for writing. Consider your audience. Generate ideas for your expository essay. Make an outline. Find appropriate sources. Evaluate your sources to determine their credibility before you decide to use them. Read your sources well. Take notes while your read your sources. Develop your tentative thesis. Begin with an engaging sentence that gets right into your topic. Provide context. Provide your thesis statement. Determine how many paragraphs to include. Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence. Elaborate on your supporting evidence. Analyze the significance of each piece of evidence. Conclude and transition into your next paragraph. Restate and rephrase your thesis. Summarize and review your main ideas. Offer a final thought or call to action. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Raise-Your-Blood-Sodium-Level | How to Raise Your Blood Sodium Level | If you need to raise your blood sodium level, decrease your water intake to 1000-1500 mL each day. Drink sports drinks any time you sweat a lot to help balance the sodium electrolytes in your bloodstream. In addition, you should eat a diet that's high in salt any time your sodium is low. For example, bacon, cheese, sweet potatoes, olives, and soy sauce are all good additions to increase your sodium levels. | Watch for symptoms if you have a condition that increases your risk. Having a diagnosed condition increases your risk of low blood sodium. This means that you'll need to be extra careful and be on the lookout for symptoms. Some of the health conditions that put you at risk of low blood sodium include: Having kidney disease, heart disease, or liver cirrhosis Being older, such as over the age of 65 Engaging in intensive exercise regularly, such as triathlons, marathons, and ultramarathons Taking certain medications, such as antidepressants, diuretics (blood pressure medication), and some pain relievers Call your doctor if you experience symptoms of low sodium. A mild or moderate case of low sodium is usually not an emergency, but it is important to watch for symptoms if you're at risk of low blood sodium levels. However, keep in mind that symptoms of low sodium may also be symptoms of another medical issue. Call your doctor if you experience: Nausea Headaches Cramping Weakness Seek immediate medical attention for severe symptoms of low sodium. Decreased sodium electrolytes in the body can be harmful to you, especially if it's severe. The condition can even be fatal if it's left untreated. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of the following: Nausea and Vomiting Confusion Seizures Loss of consciousness Get your blood sodium level tested if you think it might be low. If you experience symptoms of low sodium or otherwise suspect that your sodium levels are low, visit your doctor. The only way to confirm low blood sodium level is with a blood or urine test. Low blood sodium can be a serious condition, so it's important to get treatment right away if you suspect a problem. Stop taking your medication if your doctor instructs you to. There are several drugs that can cause low blood sodium levels, and stopping the medication may be all it takes to correct the problem. Tell your doctor about any prescription, over-the-counter, or illegal drugs you take regularly. Some of the drugs that commonly cause hyponatremia include: Thiazide diuretics Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) Carbamazepine (Tegretol) Chlorpromazine (Thorazine) Indapamide (Natrilex) Theophylline Amiodarone (Cordarone) Ecstasy (MDMA) Treat any underlying conditions that may be causing low sodium. If your low sodium levels are the result of another condition, it will require treatment. Treating the underlying problem may resolve the low sodium levels. However, if the condition is not treatable, then you will require medication. Health issues that may cause low blood sodium include: Kidney disease Heart disease Liver cirrhosis Syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuretic hormone (SIADH) Hypothyroidism Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) Severe burns Gastrointestinal illnesses that cause diarrhea and vomiting Ask about medications to treat low sodium levels. If your low sodium levels don't improve using other treatment options or if there are not any other options, then your doctor may prescribe a medication that will raise your blood sodium levels. Use it exactly as instructed and don't take more than the recommended dose. Tolvaptan (Samsca) is a common medication that is used to treat low sodium. Tell your doctor about any other medications you are taking and follow your doctor's instructions for how to take this medication. If you take Tolvaptan, consult with a nephrologist so you don't increase your blood sodium levels too much. Get intravenous fluid for severely low sodium levels. Intravenous isotonic saline solution may be required if a person goes into shock as a result of volume depletion caused by low sodium. This would be an acute or severe case of low sodium. Immediate intravenous fluids should help to restore balance, but a hospital stay will also usually be required in this situation. Sepsis or a blood infection can cause your blood sodium levels to drop severely. Limit your water intake to 1–1.5 L (34–51 fl oz) per day if your doctor advises it. Drinking too much water can dilute the sodium in your bloodstream causing your sodium levels to decrease. It may be possible to increase your blood sodium levels by cutting down on your fluid intake. However, check with your doctor before doing this. Limiting water consumption usually only happens if you're diagnosed with low sodium due to syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (SIADH). Your urine and thirst level are good indicators of whether or not you are getting enough water. If your urine looks pale yellow and you are not thirsty, then you are well-hydrated. Drink sports drinks if you're active. If you're an athlete or a person who performs a lot of activities and who sweats a lot, you may find sports drinks helpful for maintaining normal sodium levels. Drinking sports drinks will help you replenish the lost sodium electrolytes in your bloodstream. Drink a sports drink before, during, or after your workouts. Sports drinks contain essential electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium. Avoid taking diuretics unless your doctor advises you to do so. Unless you have a pre-existing medical condition and have a prescription from your doctor, don't take diuretics. These are better known as “water pills” because they stimulate urine production thus preventing water retention in the body. However, these medications can also cause dehydration. Thiazide diuretics are known to cause low blood sodium levels. | Watch for symptoms if you have a condition that increases your risk. Call your doctor if you experience symptoms of low sodium. Seek immediate medical attention for severe symptoms of low sodium. Get your blood sodium level tested if you think it might be low. Stop taking your medication if your doctor instructs you to. Treat any underlying conditions that may be causing low sodium. Ask about medications to treat low sodium levels. Get intravenous fluid for severely low sodium levels. Limit your water intake to 1–1.5 L (34–51 fl oz) per day if your doctor advises it. Drink sports drinks if you're active. Avoid taking diuretics unless your doctor advises you to do so. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Eat-in-Moderation | How to Eat in Moderation | To eat in moderation, follow the guideline that a balanced meal includes half a plate of vegetables, a quarter plate of lean protein, and a quarter of a plate of carbs. To help yourself stick to this guideline, put away excess food right after serving meals. It'll keep you from going back for seconds, plus, you'll have leftovers tomorrow. Additionally, don't eat when you're distracted. Instead of eating in front of the TV, bring your food to the table, eat one bite at a time, and put down your fork between bites. | Use your plate to portion meals. A balanced meal consists of 1/2 a plate of vegetables, 1/4 a plate of lean protein, and 1/4 of a plate of high quality carbs. If you are eating a high calorie meal and are trying to lose weight, consider using a smaller plate to trick yourself into feeling as though you are eating more! Measure foods when necessary. You don't want to get bogged down measuring everything you eat. However, if you have a weakness for certain high-calorie foods like pasta, use a measuring cup to determine portion sizes. Since measuring cups will not always be handy, learn shortcuts for estimating portion sizes. A balled up fist approximates one cup. When you look at your open palm, the portion of hand (except your fingers and thumb) is a good estimate of one protein portion. Put excess food away after serving meals. Don't leave pots of food sitting on the table or nearby counter when eating. After you dish out appropriate portions, put excess food away to avoid eating multiple, unnecessary courses. As a reminder, place storage containers on the counter before you finish preparing meals. Avoid eating when distracted. Distractions promote overeating, so don't eat in front of a television or while rushing around in your car. Instead, sit down at a table, focus on your food, and savor every bite! Eat as slowly as possible. Eating slowly gives your brain the chance to register feeling full. You often need much less food than you realize. Take small bites to pace yourself. Put your fork or spoon down in between bites. Share desserts to consume smaller portions. You don't need an entire piece of cake or a whole scoop of ice cream. Share with friends or family to reduce portion size. If you're alone, share with your future self and put at least half of the desert away before you're done! Control snacking habits. Don't just open a bag of chips and reach in. Instead, portion snacks by pouring them into small, plastic bags or bento box-style food containers. Better yet, whole foods like carrots and apples make great snacks because it's easy to determine how much you're consuming. Eat a healthy snack before dining out. Never show up at a restaurant or party hungry! It's much harder to control your portions when you're hungry or chatting away with friends. Consider snacking on hummus and carrots, yogurt, or fruit and low-fat cheese before leaving home. Use to-go containers at restaurants. Most restaurant portions are twice the necessary size. Ask for a to-go container shortly after your food arrives to remind yourself not to eat it all. Before digging into your meal, set a goal for how much to bring home--such as 3 slices of pizza or half of a chicken dish. Plate takeout food rather than eating out of the box. It's almost impossible to estimate how much you're eating when you're sharing multiple cartons of takeout with friends. Dish your food onto a plate and evaluate how much you really need. Look up your ideal calorie intake. While moderate eating tries to get away from obsessive calorie counting, you want to make sure you have a general grasp on what constitutes a healthy meal for you. The average individual needs 2,000 calories daily, but this can change based on age, gender, height, and weight. To calculate how many calories you need a day, visit https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/calorie-calculator/itt-20402304. Plan and prepare weekday meals that meet your dietary needs. Preparing these meals ahead of time will help you avoid impulse snacking. It also guarantees that for most of your meals, you will be able to control portion size in advance. You can plan your meals with apps like Cook Smart and Plan to Eat. Talk to a dietitian or doctor if you're considering fasting. Recently, many people have shared stories of success with “intermittent fasting”--eating normally most of the time while severely restricting intake at scheduled intervals. While scientists have observed some evidence for this approach, recent fad diets exaggerate the pros and under-emphasize the risks of these approaches. The 5:2 Diet involves eating regularly for 5 days and then restricting one's calorie intake by 25% for 2 days. The 16:8 Plan sets hourly guidelines. Eat normally for 8 hours and fast for the remaining 16 hours. Spend time with other people who eat healthy food. You don't want to end friendships with unhealthy eaters, but research shows that people who spend time with healthy eaters, adopt those habits. So try to make plans with people who already have the habits that you want to possess yourself! Exercise regularly to stay in a healthy mindset. Exercise increases your appetite, but this doesn't mean that you'll overeat. On the contrary, setting the intention to exercise 3-5 times a week will build your self-control and commitment to good health. Make sure to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. Staying rested will enable you to control impulsive eating. Research has shown that getting 8 hours of sleep dramatically decreases impulsive snacking and overeating. | Use your plate to portion meals. Measure foods when necessary. Put excess food away after serving meals. Avoid eating when distracted. Eat as slowly as possible. Share desserts to consume smaller portions. Control snacking habits. Eat a healthy snack before dining out. Use to-go containers at restaurants. Plate takeout food rather than eating out of the box. Look up your ideal calorie intake. Plan and prepare weekday meals that meet your dietary needs. Talk to a dietitian or doctor if you're considering fasting. Spend time with other people who eat healthy food. Exercise regularly to stay in a healthy mindset. Make sure to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-More-Money-and-LP-on-the-Sims-Freeplay | How to Get More Money and LP on the Sims Freeplay | To get more money and LP on The Sims FreePlay, inspire your Sims by fulfilling their needs, then caffeinate your Sims to give them energy and send them to work to earn money. They can also go on a drive to earn money and LP. Try to do time-consuming tasks to earn experience points so you can level up, which leads to more land value and increased LP. Then, raise your land value by building houses, businesses, and workplaces! | Get your Sims inspired. Inspired Sims earn more Simoleons when they complete tasks. You can inspire Sims by fulfilling their needs: Select a Sim to see their needs. Take note of the bars that are low. Use the fridge to address Hunger. Use the TV or computer to address Fun. Use your pet, other Sims, or the phone to address Social. Caffeinate your Sims. A large chunk of the day is often lost because your Sims have to rest; you can change this by allowing them to drink coffee. When your Sims drink coffee, they can work through the night rather than resting. Use the Sim's dog to dig up money and Lifestyle Points. After the dog digs up Lifestyle Points, praise him so he knows that he will get praised if he digs up Lifestyle Points. This will mean more rewards for you later. You can also buy the bone for 2LP for your dog. It will get you Simoleons and LPs faster. The more expensive your cat or dog is, the faster it will gather Simoleons and LP. If your dog doesn't have the dig/pounce sign on it, get a toddler to play with it or an adult to praise it. Do this twice and it should run or slowly walk away. Usually this will lead it to find something, and repeating the process can get you even more stuff. Go to work. When your Sims go to work, they earn money, which they keep. Similarly, when you go to work regularly, you get promoted, which will earn more Simoleons and XP after a work day. Working regularly will help you achieve a large number of the goals in the game as well. Grow vegetables. When they are completed, you will earn more money depending on what you grew. Overnight, while you're asleep, have your Sims gardening (all the ones who aren't at work or busy). If you garden 7 or 8 hour crops at night, you'll wake up to lots of Simoleons and XP. Make sure they are inspired because they'll earn 1.5X the Simoleons. Try planting bell pepper seeds, as bell pepper seeds are free and it only takes 30 seconds for them to grow and be ready to sell! After they are ready you can sell them for a few Simoleons. Carrots are another good choice when farming Simoleons. You can dedicate one lot in your town to gardening. Place at least one garden on the lot per Sim in your town, get all or most of your Sims inspired at once, and take them all to the lot to garden. Compete at the Competition Center. Using the Competition Center is a good way to earn a few extra LP, though it will take your Sim out of play for 24 in-game hours. In order to ensure that your Sim will rank first at the Competition Center, be sure the hobby in which they'll compete is at level 6. Level 6 Sims won't always win, but they have the highest chance of doing so. Spam the one-minute cooking challenge. Prompting all of your Sims to gather at their own individual ovens and cook will allow you to farm LP in waves. Since the cooking challenge awards 5 LP upon completion, this is the most efficient way to earn LP. Expensive ovens are a waste of money in this context, so stick to the cheap model. Go for a drive. When you go for a drive, it can earn you money and lifestyle points. The kind of car that you drive will determine how many Simoleons per minute you earn; for example, using a luxury (3-star) car will earn around 250 Simoleons every 2.5 minutes. Clean up excretions. If you don't let the Sims go to the bathroom, they will wet their pants. Cleaning it up will earn you points. Similarly, if you shake your device, your Sims will get sick and throw up. If you clean up the vomit, you can earn points. Doing this too often might make your smartphone or tablet freeze up, so use it sparingly. Participate with social media. The Sims FreePlay Facebook page will often have special offers and giveaways. If you Like the Facebook page, you will be updated every time there is a new event. You can earn Simoleons, LP, and a variety of other items this way. Save your Simoleons and LP. Be smart about what you buy. Don't waste your money on anything you won't use. Like in real life, this habit is key to a successful budget. Save items you can reuse. For example, put a cradle in the inventory once a baby is born; other couples can use it and it saves money so you don't have to buy a new one. Be careful of spending real money. Don't waste your real money for Simoleons and LPs. You can earn plenty if you're patient, and spending real money on this can become a habit. Level up. If you raise your Sims FreePlay level, you will gain more lifestyle points and money. You can do this by having a very good relationship with a Sim (like being a Sim's partner or best friend) since this will earn you milestones, or doing things that take a lot of time to complete. When you level up, you can build houses, businesses, and workplaces, all of which increases your land value and earns you more money. Do things that take a lot of time to complete. This will earn you a lot of experience points, which helps you level up. Greater levels give you more land value, earning you money and eventually Lifestyle Points. Complete the goals. There are a variety of goals in Sims FreePlay, involving just about every aspect of gameplay. These could involve getting your Sim a job, completing a business, collecting taxes, and more. Completing goals will earn you money, XP, and Lifestyle Points. Goals change on a regular basis, so be sure to complete as many as you can. Increase your land value. The higher the value of your town, the more Lifestyle Points you get. Raise your land value by building more houses, businesses, and workplaces. Buying expensive furniture and other items will also increase the land value for that property. Buy the Community Center. You can take Sims to the Community Center (located in the upper-left side of the map) in order to complete quick XP-building challenges. This will both increase your town's property value and allow your Sims to level up quickly. | Get your Sims inspired. Caffeinate your Sims. Use the Sim's dog to dig up money and Lifestyle Points. Go to work. Grow vegetables. Compete at the Competition Center. Spam the one-minute cooking challenge. Go for a drive. Clean up excretions. Participate with social media. Save your Simoleons and LP. Level up. Complete the goals. Increase your land value. Buy the Community Center. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Meat-Samosa | How to Make Meat Samosa | To make meat samosas, start by heating oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and fry the onions. Add a combination of minced lamb, beef, and chicken to the pan until it's fully browned. After that, mix peas in and cook the mixture over low heat for 20 minutes. Once it is completely cooked and has cooled, pour the meat mixture into a cone made of filo dough and pinch the edges to seal it. Then, deep fry the samosas until they are golden brown. | Heat the oil . In a large frying pan, heat the 4 tablespoon (59.1 ml) of oil. Fry the onions. Over a medium heat, stir fry the onions for about 1 minute. Now add the spices and chilis and fry until onions are golden brown. Add the meat. Now add the minced meat and fry it until it is browned. Stir for a few more minutes and add peas. Cook the meat . Cover and cook on a low heat for 20 minutes until the meat is cooked (tender). Add oil if the pan seems to be too dry and make sure you stir it occasionally. Add salt if necessary. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool . Preparing the cone . Take a sheet of the ready made samosa pad or 2 sheets of Filo pastry and make a triangle cone by folding the edges around themselves and sealing the edges with the beaten egg using a pastry brush. Make sure to leave one side open to add the filling. Fill it with meat mixture. Now fill the samosa cone with minced meat. Lift and pinch the corners together and continue along the seam towards the corner. View the video to see how this is done. Cover the finished samosas with a moist cloth as you continue to make more. Deep fry the samosa gently until it they are golden in colour on each of their sides. Do not fry them fast as it may make them stiff. Serve hot with a ketchup and enjoy with your family and friends. | Heat the oil Fry the onions. Add the meat. Cook the meat Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool . Preparing the cone . Fill it with meat mixture. Cover the finished samosas with a moist cloth Deep fry the samosa Serve hot with a ketchup |
https://www.wikihow.com/Prepare-Paneer-Butter-Masala | How to Prepare Paneer Butter Masala | To prepare paneer butter masala, start by sauteeing bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, red chili, and coriander seeds in butter for 30 seconds. Then, add onion, ginger, tomatoes, and red chili powder, and cook everything on high heat for a few minutes until the oil starts to reduce. Next, puree the mixture in a food processor, and transfer it to a pan with some butter over medium-high heat. Finally, add diced paneer and water, reduce the heat to low for 5 minutes, and stir in some cream before serving. | Cut your paneer into one-inch cubes. Tofu can be substituted if you can't find paneer or you want to make a vegan dish. Chop your tomatoes and slice your onion. Pre-measure your spices and place them in small bowls near the stovetop. This will help you to add them quickly and avoid burning your spice mixture (masala). Put a deep sauté pan, frying pan or kadai/karahi on your stovetop. Turn the burner to medium high heat. Add three tbsp. of butter and your oil. Melt together. Toss in bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, red chili and 1 tsp of crushed coriander seeds. Sauté the mixture for 30 seconds. Add the onion. Sauté for thirty seconds. Add in the ginger and garlic pastes. Continue cooking for 30 more seconds. Throw in the tomatoes, coriander powder and red chili powder. Cook on high heat until you see oil start to leave the spice mixture. This will take at least three to four minutes. Puree the masala in a food processor or food mill. Be careful when transferring hot ingredients. Wipe the cooking pan clean. Heat the pan on medium high heat. Add the rest of the butter and the pureed mixture. Cook for two minutes. Toss in the paneer. Salt the mixture to taste. Pour in the water. Reduce heat to low and cook for five minutes. Mix in your kasoori methi. Remove from heat immediately after. Pour in the cream. Sprinkle with crushed coriander seeds. Serve with rice, naan or rotis. | Cut your paneer into one-inch cubes. Chop your tomatoes and slice your onion. Pre-measure your spices and place them in small bowls near the stovetop. Put a deep sauté pan, frying pan or kadai/karahi on your stovetop. Add three tbsp. Toss in bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, red chili and 1 tsp of crushed coriander seeds. Add the onion. Add in the ginger and garlic pastes. Throw in the tomatoes, coriander powder and red chili powder. Puree the masala in a food processor or food mill. Wipe the cooking pan clean. Add the rest of the butter and the pureed mixture. Toss in the paneer. Pour in the water. Mix in your kasoori methi. Pour in the cream. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Beautiful-Hair | How to Get Beautiful Hair | To get beautiful hair, try to only wash your hair 2-4 times a week since washing it every day strips away natural oils. Also, when you wash your hair, use lukewarm or cool water since hot water can damage and dry your hair out. You should also try to let your hair air dry or gently dry it with a towel since using a hairdryer every day can damage your hair. If you don't already, get your hair cut every 6-8 weeks to get rid of split ends. | Determine your general hair type. Hair type is based on many factors including curl pattern, texture, hair porosity, hair density, hair width, and hair length. These factors all create your unique hair type and dictate what products and hair care procedures would work best for you. If you know your hair type (straight, curly, dry, thin, color treated, etc.), finding specific hair products at the store should be easy. Use the products that correlate with the type of hair you have. Nearly every hair care brand has multiple versions of their product to fit customers' different hair needs. It is best to determine your hair type when your hair is in it's most natural state. If you don't know your hair type, or your hair spans over a few different types, you can always ask your hairdresser for some advice the next time you get your hair cut or treated. If you have dyed hair, look for products specifically made for color treated hair. These specialized products usually have moisturizing benefits since hair dyes contain harsh chemicals that dry out hair. These products will also help maintain color and luster of treated hair. Use products that work with your natural hair type. You want to use products made for the kind of hair that you have, so you can easily control and style your hair in a way that works best with your hair type. For example, if you have oily hair, you're going to want to avoid shampoos that add moisture, and instead look for products that help with balancing or clarifying. Curly or coarse hair should look for products that reduce frizz, and depending on how your want to style your hair, look for products that are curl defining or curl softening. Flat or thin hair should look for products that add volume but are also gentle for washing. Since oil shows more easily on people with thin hair, they might have to wash their hair more frequently. Colored or treated hair should try to use products specifically made for color treated hair for two reasons: first, these products have amino acids and conditioners that help fortify the already damaged hair. Second, these specific products are more gentle on your hair so your hair can retain the color. There are many reasons that hair color fades (sun exposure, adding on chemicals from further treatments, chlorine, etc.), but shampooing is the biggest culprit because people shampoo so regularly. Ask your hairdresser for recommendations. Hairdressers are used to working with many different hair types each day, so they might have some helpful insight on what products would work well with your hair (especially if you have been a long time customer and they are very familiar with your hair). They can offer a variety of brands ranging from salon products to products that can be found in your local grocery store. Shampoo your hair sparingly. Many people shampoo their hair every day when they shower, but in reality, shampooing hair every day can cause more harm than good. Your hair creates natural oils to keep the your hair naturally hydrated. Daily shampooing can strip your hair of these natural oils, causing your scalp to overproduce oil to compensate for the oil being washed away. A good rule of thumb is to try and shampoo hair between 2-4 times a week. In place of washing your hair with shampoo, you can try simply rinsing your hair with water to freshen up your look, or use a dry shampoo between shampoo uses to lessen the look of greasy hair. Shampoo correctly. Many people simply lather the shampoo all over their hair, but an important key in attaining beautiful hair goes beyond applying the shampoo, and includes taking care of the scalp. This involves massaging the scalp while shampooing. Massaging the scalp can help relieve stress and bring more blood flow to the area, promoting hair growth and strengthening the roots of the hair. Use the correct amount of shampoo. Too often, people overuse the amount of shampoo they need. People who have medium to long hair should use about a quarter sized amount of shampoo. People who have medium to short hair should use about a nickel sized amount. Avoid using hot water to wash hair. It is best to wash with lukewarm or cool water because hot water strips moisture from your hair and dries it out. The cooler water is gentler on your hair and helps to seal in shine. Get rid of excess water. Squeeze out the water remaining in your hair after you're finished shampooing. You want your hair to be relatively dry before you apply conditioner, because excess water can prevent conditioner from penetrating the hair and supplying its hydration. Apply the conditioner from the middle of the hair shaft down to your ends. Again, the amount of conditioner depends on the length of your hair, but more often than not, a nickel sized amount is sufficient. The ends of your hair are the furthest from your oil-producing scalp. They tend to be the driest, and therefore need the most attention with conditioner. Leave the conditioner in for 2-5 minutes. This time allows your hair to absorb the conditioner. You can make use of this time by washing the rest of your body or shaving. Brush your hair. Not everyone has a hair type that is conducive to frequent brushing, but if you do, it is important to brush your hair a few times throughout the day to keep it from getting tangled. This will ensure silky smooth hair for the majority of the day. After showering, it is best to comb hair instead of brushing. Brushing wet hair can cause breakage because wet hair is more fragile than dry hair. Combs are easier on the hair while also being effective in removing tangles. It is important to keep brushes clean by removing accumulated hair in the bristles. To clean your brush, simply remove the hair within the bristles along with any leftover product, and scrub the brush with either a mixture of baking soda and water, or a small amount of shampoo and water. Cut back on applying heat to your hair. Excessive heat (from blow dryers, flat irons, curling irons, rollers, etc.) can damage hair and cause breakage and dryness. Try using heated tools every other day rather than daily. Protect your hair from heat. Use a heat protecting spray or treatment when using hot hair tools. These protective treatments will help add and maintain moisture to your hair while acting as a barrier to the damaging heat. Be sure to pay special attention to the ends of your hair, which tend to receive most direct heat. Dry your hair naturally with the help of a towel. Drying your hair with a towel can help save time and energy wasted by blow drying hair that is dripping wet. Also, allowing your hair to dry naturally before you start blow drying can also keep your hair from being exposed to additional and unnecessary heat. Avoid using the highest heat settings on your hair tools. Again, applying heat can be very damaging to hair, so use the medium to low settings for drying and styling. The air used to dry your hair should be at a temperature where you can comfortable blow air into the back of your hand and it doesn't cause discomfort. Keep the blow dryer at a distance. Blow dry your hair from a distance of about 2-3 inches. This lessens the direct contact with the heat on your hair and helps to ensure that you aren't scorching your scalp or hair. Also, point the dryer down onto your hair instead of pointing it directly on the side of your head. This will help reduce frizz. Get a haircut every 6-8 weeks. Cutting your hair every 6-8 weeks doesn't actually help your hair grow, but trimming does, therefore, if you're going to the salon, you don't have to chop it all off, especially if you don't have split ends. Trimming it will help your hair look and feel all around healthy. Ease up on elastic hair ties. Elastic hair ties are extremely helpful for keeping hair out of the way while playing sports, taming wild manes, and quickly pulling your hair out of your way, but they can also be rough on your hair. The elastic ties can pull on your hair strands (especially when you tie your hair back really tight), and this tight pulling can cause hair to break. Instead of tying your hair up in tight ponytails or taut buns, try using headbands, scrunchies, or bobby pins to put back your hair without causing as much damage. Deep condition your hair. Deep conditioning once a week or a couple times a month is great way to sustain smooth and hydrated hair. There are many deep conditioners that you can buy at the store, but there are other homemade alternatives as well. If you're looking to add moisture and softness to your hair, you should look for deep conditioners that have cetyl, stearyl, and cetearyl. If you are trying to strengthen your hair, you should look for ingredients like keratin, amino acids, hydrolyzed proteins, and henna. When you apply your deep conditioner, you should expect to keep it on for 5-30 minutes. This gives your hair time to absorb the nutrients and hydration properties of the conditioner. | Determine your general hair type. Use products that work with your natural hair type. Ask your hairdresser for recommendations. Shampoo your hair sparingly. Shampoo correctly. Use the correct amount of shampoo. Avoid using hot water to wash hair. Get rid of excess water. Apply the conditioner from the middle of the hair shaft down to your ends. Brush your hair. Cut back on applying heat to your hair. Protect your hair from heat. Dry your hair naturally with the help of a towel. Avoid using the highest heat settings on your hair tools. Keep the blow dryer at a distance. Get a haircut every 6-8 weeks. Ease up on elastic hair ties. Deep condition your hair. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Itchy-Feet | How to Stop Itchy Feet | To stop your feet from itching, apply a moisturizer or cream each day if the itchiness is caused by dry skin. Another option is to soak your itchy feet in cool water or cover them with a cool cloth, which soothes the itchiness. If you enjoy taking a bath, add 2 cups of oatmeal and 1 cup of baking soda before you get in to create a natural soothing treatment for your feet. If you think you have athlete's foot, which results in red rashes between your toes, remove your socks and shoes so your feet can dry out after exercise. Additionally, get an over-the-counter powder or spray to treat athlete's foot. If your attempts to treat your itchy feet at home don't work, make an appointment with your doctor to get a prescription treatment. | Moisturize dry skin. Dry skin can be very itchy, especially for older adults whose skin may be thinner. If your itchy feet have dry, flaky skin, use a daily moisturizing cream, lotion, or ointment on your feet every day. Rub it into your heel, sole, sides and tops of your feet, and between your toes. Look for a product with a petrolatum base, which can soften and moisturize even dry, cracked skin. Use cool water. Soak your feet in cool water, or place a cool wet cloth against the itchy areas of your feet. Cool water can be soothing to irritated, itchy skin.You can do this daily, or even several times daily - but if soaking often, be sure to moisturize your skin afterwards. If you're using a cloth for your feet, reserve it just for that purpose in case you're dealing with a fungus. Try an oatmeal soak. Oatmeal baths have traditionally been used to soothe itchy skin. Add two cups of ground oatmeal and one cup of baking soda to your bath, and soak your feet for a natural itch remedy. This safe and gentle remedy can be used daily. Experiment with a saltwater soak. Soak your feet in salt water to relieve aching and potentially help with itching and irritation. Dissolve 2 teaspoons of salt for each pint of warm water you use. Use a shallow pan or a few inches of water in the bathtub - enough to cover the tops of your feet. Soak for 5-10 minutes. See how salt water works for you. It may help, but the salt could also worsen any itching by drying out the skin even more. You can do this hourly until your itching improves. Salt can dry out your skin, so rinse your feet in cool water and moisturize your feet after your salt soak. Identify and avoid irritants. Itchiness can be caused by even a mild allergic reaction to something you're wearing or a product you're using. Try making one small change at a time to identify your trigger – switch laundry detergent, change your soap, and wear only natural cotton socks. If you can identify what is causing your itching, avoid your trigger in the future. OTC antihistamines may relieve itching that's caused by allergic reactions. Recognize athlete’s foot. One of the most common causes of itchy feet, athlete's foot usually causes a red, scaly rash on and in between your toes. Your feet may be itchiest right after removing your socks and shoes. You might get athlete's foot on just one foot or on both. Athlete's foot is caused by moisture, often from exercise or heat. Be sure to remove your shoes and change into dry socks so that your feet can also dry. You might also get blisters on your feet, or ulcers – areas where your skin rubs off. One type of athlete's foot starts on the sole of your foot and causes dryness and scaling that travels over the side of your foot. Get an over-the-counter (OTC) antifungal medication. Mild athlete's foot can often be treated with OTC powders, sprays, or ointments that fight fungal infections. You can ask your doctor for recommendations, or speak with the pharmacist at your local drug store. Common brands are Tinactin, Micatin, Lamisil, and Lotrimin-AF. Rinse your feet and dry them really well, especially in between your toes. Then apply the medication to the tops, bottoms, and sides of both feet, and in between all your toes. Use the medicine two times every day until the rash goes away. Simple athlete's foot should heal in about a week. Try putting antifungals sprays or powders in your shoes to dry them out when you're not wearing them. If your case takes longer to heal (4 to 6 weeks), then you may need an oral anti-fungal medication. Get prescription medication for stubborn athlete’s foot. If OTC medications don't clear up your athlete's foot in 4-6 weeks, you may need prescription-strength medication. Visit your doctor to discuss this option. Stronger medication may be available to put on your feet, or you might need to take an antifungal medicine as a pill. Oral antifungal medications can affect your liver, so let your doctor know if you have or have ever had liver problems. Keep your feet dry to prevent athlete’s foot. Athlete's foot, caused by a fungus, thrives in damp environments. Keep your feet dry, and change your socks and shoes as soon as possible if they get wet. Dry your feet thoroughly before putting your socks on. Try to minimize how often your shoes are trapped in non-breathable socks. For instance, you might change into a fresh pair of socks each day at lunch, or wear sandals when you get home from work. Athlete's foot is also highly contagious, so if you share a swimming pool or locker room with others, protect yourself. Wear shower shoes in the locker room and shower, and don't share towels or linens with someone who has an infection. Clean your feet regularly, washing between your toes with soap. You can also use a hairdryer to make sure that your feet dry properly. Get a prescribed corticosteroid cream. If simple moisturizing doesn't improve your itchy feet, visit your doctor. They can prescribe a steroid cream that can be very effective in improving itchiness. Topical steroids (those you rub on your skin) can also improve redness and many rashes, including very itchy blisters from a condition called pompholyx (an allergic reaction). See your doctor for a diagnosis. Most often, itchy feet are caused by a benign condition. Sometimes, however, itchy feet can be a symptom of a more serious problem. If you try self-treatment at home that doesn't resolve your problem within two weeks, see your doctor. Rarely, itchy feet can be an indication of an underlying condition. Treat scabies. Scabies are small mites that burrow into your skin, causing severe itching that's especially bad at night. Suspect a scabies infection if multiple people in your household have developed similar symptoms of severe itchiness, or if you have small blisters or burrow-marks in your skin. Visit your doctor for medication like 5% Permethrin cream, Lindane, Crotamiton, or Ivermectin. Look for rashes on other parts of your body – not just your feet. Scabies will also usually show up in the armpits or groin. Wash all the clothing, bedding, and linens in your home in hot, soapy water, then dry on high heat. This can help prevent reinfection. | Moisturize dry skin. Use cool water. Try an oatmeal soak. Experiment with a saltwater soak. Identify and avoid irritants. Recognize athlete’s foot. Get an over-the-counter (OTC) antifungal medication. Get prescription medication for stubborn athlete’s foot. Keep your feet dry to prevent athlete’s foot. Get a prescribed corticosteroid cream. See your doctor for a diagnosis. Treat scabies. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Prune-Pepper-Plants | How to Prune Pepper Plants | You may need to prune your pepper plant to remove unhealthy foliage and help the healthy peppers grow. To remove unhealthy portions of your plant, pinch the dead leaf or branch between your fingers and pull it off. Use pruning shears to remove thicker portions of the plant if you can't pinch them off. Pepper plants may not produce tasty peppers if the plant gets too big, so cut your plant back when it's roughly 1 foot (30.5 cm) tall. Find the spot where the main stem splits into two large stems, then cut off one or more of the stems above that spot just above a node using pruning shears. As your plant matures, look for smaller stems that grow in toward the center of the plant and cut them off beneath the lowest node on each stem. You should also trim any flower buds before they bloom so the plant can continue to mature. | Use your fingers or small scissor cutters when first pruning your pepper plant. Early on in your pepper plant's life it may be easier to use your hand, rather than a pruner, to 'pinch' off unwanted stems and buds. Pinch the plant at the desired point between your finger and your thumbnail until you feel the stem break. Then gently and carefully remove the unwanted section of the plant. If you prune by hand, dip your fingers into a solution of powdered milk and water when moving between plants. The protein in the milk solution can deactivate viruses and bacteria that might otherwise spread between your different plants. Begin pruning when your pepper plant is about a foot tall. Remove the top half of the plant, ensuring that a few leaves remain on the plant. At this point the plant should have a sizable root system, which it will use to quickly strengthen the remaining stem and grow new buds. The center stem of most pepper plants will likely look like a 'Y' when the plant is this tall. Make sure the point you are pruning from is above this 'Y', as this is the base of your pepper plant. Pruning excess foliage at this stage will encourage the plant to strengthen that base. Cut back excess leaves and stems at each node. Nodes are sections of a stem where new leaves and stems can develop. If these areas look overly crowded, or underdeveloped, prune them back. While it may feel a bit harsh, limiting leaf production ensures that the leaves you do have left are fully developed. It also promotes further stem growth. If you are leaving very few leaves per node early on in the growing season, try to leave a few more as the season progresses. By the mid-to-late growing season, the stem structure should be fairly strong, and leaving additional leaves allows the plant to best use increasing levels of light. These leaves can also provide shade for incoming fruit. Prune out inward-facing stems. As your pepper plants grow and mature, keep an eye out for stems and leaves growing inward toward the center of the plant. Space there is limited and too crowded to support full-sized pepper production. Encourage your plant to grow outwards, especially towards its base. This will also keep its center of gravity low so it is less likely to tip over. Keep new shoots from growing around the base of the stem as well, in order to provide space for peppers to hang down. Remove the first few flowers that appear. If your pepper plant seems to be growing well, remove the first few blooms that appear. Early flowers that set and begin to grow fruit take energy away from the plant that could better be used to grown the plant larger and sturdier first. Prune out excess flowers. To ensure that your peppers have enough room to grow, remove flowers that appear at the crown (or top) of the stem, as well as flowers at the first, third, fifth, etc. nodes of the main stems. Pruning out flowers at regular heights not only encourages controlled growth but helps keep your plant from putting all its energy into pepper production at once. Trim back all non-essential branches a few weeks before the first frost. As the season draws to an end, trim back all the parts of the pepper plant that don't already have maturing fruit on them. Remove branches with flowers and any peppers unlikely to ripen before the frost. This ensures that the plants remaining energy is used to ripen and mature your final peppers. | Use your fingers or small scissor cutters when first pruning your pepper plant. Begin pruning when your pepper plant is about a foot tall. Cut back excess leaves and stems at each node. Prune out inward-facing stems. Remove the first few flowers that appear. Prune out excess flowers. Trim back all non-essential branches a few weeks before the first frost. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Blood-Stains | How to Remove Blood Stains | To remove a fresh blood stain from fabric, start by rinsing the fabric under cold water. Then, apply a generous amount of dish soap to the stain, and scrub the area vigorously between your hands. Once you've worked up a good lather, rinse the fabric with cold water, and repeat if necessary. You can also try applying hydrogen peroxide, but keep in mind that it can bleach or weaken delicate fabrics. Pour hydrogen peroxide over the stain, then wipe away the foam that appears. Repeat this process until the blood disappears. To remove a dried blood stain, try covering the stain with toothpaste. Let the toothpaste dry then rinse the fabric with cold water. To get rid of any leftover residue, wash the stain with soap and cold water. Always avoid putting bloodstained fabric in the dryer, since heat can set the stain and make it harder to remove. | Rinse the garment under cold water. This is the easiest way to get rid of fresh blood, and it works well if you can catch it right away. If your stain is in a carpet, mattress, or heavy furniture that cannot be soaked, use a clean cloth or sponge to blot the stain. Don't use hot water - this could cause the blood to set in the fabric. Try hydrogen peroxide next. This works with wet and dry blood, depending on the fabric. Before deciding to use hydrogen peroxide, note that it may bleach or weaken certain fabrics, and can cause stains itself. So use it cautiously and make sure to pretest the hydrogen peroxide on a small, inconspicuous spot on the stained item. Hydrogen peroxide can safely and effectively remove blood stains from porous surfaces like concrete. Pour hydrogen peroxide on the stain. Dilute the hydrogen peroxide with 50% water if you are treating delicate fabrics. Take care not to let the foam spread outside the original stain area. Replenish the hydrogen peroxide several times, as the chemical action slows and the foam becomes stable. Wipe away the foam using a cloth and pour on a bit of hydrogen peroxide again until the stain is gone or extremely faint. Wash the stained item with cold water and normally used soap or detergent. You can also soak the entire garment in a bowl of hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the stained clothing from the hydrogen peroxide and rinse it out in cold water. Use salt and water for delicate fabrics. Act quickly - the faster you can treat the stain with salt and water paste, the less time is has to set into the fibers. Using a paste of salt and water is a great way to get rid of blood stains from items that cannot be put in the wash like mattresses. Rinse the stain under lots of cold water. If you have access to running water, put the stain under the tap and let the cold water run through it. You will be able to wash away a lot of the blood this way. If your stain is on a carpet or a piece of heavy furniture , mix some ice and water into a bowl or bucket and take it to your stained area and blot the stain with a dish towel or a sponge. Rub the fabric together under the water if possible to release more of the remaining stain. If you are able to treat the stain within 10 to 15 minutes of it happening, you may be able to wash it out completely. However, if you still see signs of the blood, get some salt. Mix a little water with salt to create a paste. You want to saturate the stain with salt, so the amount of paste you will need depends on the size of your stain. Rub the salt and water paste onto the stained area. The abrasiveness of the salt granules and their dehydrating properties will loosen the remaining blood stain and draw it out of the fibers. Rinse the salt away with more cold water. Check if the stain is gone. When the stain is gone or you can't wash away any more of it, put the fabric into a normal wash cycle with laundry detergent. If the stained item cannot be put in the wash, use as much cold water as needed to rinse away the blood and salt. Try soaping the stain if you're using a public bathroom to clean the stain. Sometimes you don't have hydrogen peroxide or salt on hand. This method is similar to the salt method, but instead of salt, you rub soap or shampoo directly into the stain. If you are using this method on carpets , mattresses or furniture it's important not to use too much soap, since it's difficult to wash it out. Soak the stained area in cold water. Rub a generous amount of soap or shampoo right onto the stain. Scrub the area hard between your fists, with your palms facing each other. Work up a good lather. Add more water if needed. Rinse in cold water and repeat until the stain and the lather are gone. Do not use hot water. Hot water makes the stain set in. Try ammonia for tough stains. Mix 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) of ammonia with 1/2 cup of cold water and pour it on more stubborn stains. When the stain is gone, rinse with more cold water. Avoid using ammonia on linen, silk or wool. Use toothpaste on clothes and linens. This method is best used on fabrics that can be washed in a washing machine or thoroughly washed by hand. If you use this method on carpets, rugs or furniture, you run the risk of the smell of the toothpaste permanently permeating into the fabric. Apply toothpaste on the blood-stained area. Let the toothpaste dry. Rinse the toothpaste away with cold water. Wash the stained area with soap and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Repeat if necessary. Try using meat tenderizer on sturdy fabrics. Both blood and meat are organic material that can be broken down by the action of enzymes: proteases, celluloses and lipase. Commercially-made unseasoned meat tenderizers can be effective when applied liberally to dry blood stains. Dishwasher powder or capsules usually contain these enzymes as well. This method is best used to clean sturdy fabric like jeans jeans, but not delicate fabrics. Avoid enzymes on linen, silk or wool. These products break down proteins and could damage the silk , linen and wool fabric which are made of proteins. Fill a small bowl with 1 cup of cold water. Drape the bloody region of the fabric into the shallow water. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) of the enzyme product directly onto the wet stain. Leave for as long as 1 day. Every few hours, massage the paste into the stain. Wash the garment as you normally would. Use saliva to clean delicate fabrics. Using saliva can be an effective way to remove blood stains, because the enzymes in saliva that help digest food also break down the proteins in blood, and it's those proteins that make blood so difficult to clean. Note that this method is best used on small stains. Gather some spit in your mouth. Spit on the blood-stained area. Rub the stains out. Soak the fabric in cold water. Remove blood from hardwood floors. Hardwood finishes like wax, urethane, and polyurethane protect the hardwood floor from moisture, wear and most stains. In most cases the blood can be wiped away with a rag and either water or a common household cleaner. Remove blood from satin sheets. Satin is a delicate fabric and should be handled with care. Using gentle removal agents like salt and cold water will often do the trick, especially if the blood is still fresh. . Remove blood stains from a mattress Mattresses cannot be put in the wash, so make sure to keep whatever cleaning solution you use to a minimum. Using a paste is a great way to get rid of the blood stain, since you don't want too much moisture to be absorbed by your mattress. Remove blood stains from carpet. There are several methods to use to remove blood stains from a carpet. It is recommended that you use the "gentlest" method (Water Method) first and then proceed with the "stronger" removal methods for stubborn blood stains. Remove blood stains from concrete. Concrete is porous so blood would tend to get deeper into it, making it harder to remove. Special treatment like the chemical method is the effective way to remove blood stains from concrete. . Remove blood stains from jeans Cold water treatment is an effective way to remove fresh blood stains from jeans, while dried blood stains can be removed by using common household products like salt, ammonia and baking soda. Remove blood stains from silk fabric. Use only the gentlest removal agents like salt, saliva and dish washing soap when trying to remove blood stains from washable silk. Avoid using ammonia or chemical cleaners, which could damage the fabric. | Rinse the garment under cold water. Try hydrogen peroxide next. Use salt and water for delicate fabrics. Try soaping the stain if you're using a public bathroom to clean the stain. Try ammonia for tough stains. Use toothpaste on clothes and linens. Try using meat tenderizer on sturdy fabrics. Use saliva to clean delicate fabrics. Remove blood from hardwood floors. Remove blood from satin sheets. . Remove blood stains from carpet. Remove blood stains from concrete. . Remove blood stains from silk fabric. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Tie-a-Scarf-Around-the-Neck | How to Tie a Scarf Around the Neck | To tie a scarf around your neck in a modern loop, drape the scarf over your shoulders with one end slightly longer than the other. Loop the longer end around your neck once, then adjust the loop so that the ends are about the same length. If you would prefer to use a European loop, fold the scarf in half lengthwise and drape the folded end over one shoulder. Pull the non-folded end through the loop created by the fold, then tighten and adjust the scarf. | It’s simple to do and you can throw it on over almost any outer layer: introducing the one loop. Drape the scarf over your shoulders with one end slightly longer than the other end. Loop the longer end around your neck once, then adjust the loops until they're the same length. This look keeps you warm and cozy without a ton of effort! If you're wearing a jacket with a hood, situate the scarf in between the hood and your neck. That way, you can still put your hood up if it starts to rain or snow. Cool and casual, this easy toss is very European. Drape your scarf over your shoulders with the right side slightly longer than the left. Toss the right end of the scarf up over your left shoulder to wrap it around your neck, but leave the hanging end behind your back. This toss is so easy to do, you won't even have to think about it! Be warned, though: if it's really windy out, this easy toss won't stand a chance (meaning, you may have to adjust it throughout the day). Now we’re getting a little more intricate. Drape your scarf over one shoulder, leaving one end much longer than the other. Loop the long end around your neck twice, then tuck it into the second loop around your neck. Tie the ends together in a simple knot to keep them in place, then situate the knot so it's slightly off-center for a fashionable twist. It's like a take on the classic airline stewardess neckerchief, only this will keep you much warmer. Ever wanted to cover up your neck but all your turtlenecks were dirty? Loop your scarf around your neck 3 to 4 times so it completely covers your neck. Tie the ends of the scarf together in a knot, then tuck the knot underneath the scarf itself to hide it. Adjust the top of the scarf so it fits over your neck just like a turtleneck. Use this method to spice up a plain T-shirt or long sleeve when your wardrobe is bumming you out. Who needs an infinity scarf anymore? Tie the ends of your scarf together in a double knot to make a circle. Pull the scarf on over your head, then twist the hanging end over itself to make a figure-eight shape. Pull the smaller loop over your head again, then adjust the hanging ends so they aren't bunched underneath each other. For XXL scarves (meaning extra extra LONG), loop the scarf around your neck 3 times instead of just 2. Great for shorter scarves, the pull-through can be done lickety-split. Fold the scarf in half lengthwise, then drape it over your shoulders. Fit the hanging ends of the scarf through the loop portion, then pull the ends through to tighten it around your neck. Adjust the loop so it's situated on top of your chest and let the ends hang downwards. Put your scarf on underneath your jacket, then zip it up to cover the ends of the scarf while leaving the top poking out. It's like a pocket square for your neck! It’s like dressing up as a cowboy for adults. Fold the scarf in half twice to make a small square. Then, fold the square diagonally to make a small triangle in the front of the scarf. Take the two points of the triangle and tie them together behind your neck, then adjust the scarf so it sits on top of your chest like a neckerchief. For extra cowboy style, use a handkerchief instead of a scarf. Someone alert the paparazzi, here you come! Drape the scarf over your shoulders, keeping both ends the same length. Wrap one end of the scarf up and around your neck, letting the fabric fan out over your torso. Tie the end of the scarf to the other hanging end, keeping the knot up on your shoulder. Let the bulk of the fabric fan out over your belly, and enjoy your celebrity scarf look. Throw on a large pair of sunglasses and your best sassy attitude to complete your look. A scarf tied up so nicely, it’s almost like magic. Drape the scarf over your shoulders with one end slightly longer than the other. Loop the longer end around your neck just one time, then tug the hanging end up through the loop just a little bit to make a circle of fabric up top. Pull the other hanging end of the scarf through the semi-circle you just made, then adjust the hanging ends so they're balanced. Dress like your sweetheart, but make it fashion. Drape the scarf over your shoulders with one end slightly longer than the other. Tie the ends together in a loose knot near the bottom of your scarf, then slide the knot upwards so it sits just above your belly button. (Don't worry, you can wear this style even if you don't have a boyfriend—or you are the boyfriend!) It’s like folding a pretzel (only less delicious). Fold the scarf in half lengthwise, then drape it over your shoulders. Fit the hanging end of the scarf into the loop and pull it through to knot the scarf around your neck. Pull on the folded end and twist it over itself twice, then put the hanging end of the scarf back through the small loop you just made. Adjust the scarf if you need to and make sure it hangs straight down so you look polished and professional. | It’s simple to do and you can throw it on over almost any outer layer: Cool and casual, this easy toss is very European. Now we’re getting a little more intricate. Ever wanted to cover up your neck but all your turtlenecks were dirty? Who needs an infinity scarf anymore? Great for shorter scarves, the pull-through can be done lickety-split. It’s like dressing up as a cowboy for adults. Someone alert the paparazzi, here you come! A scarf tied up so nicely, it’s almost like magic. Dress like your sweetheart, but make it fashion. It’s like folding a pretzel (only less delicious). |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Eyebrows-Grow | How to Make Eyebrows Grow | To make eyebrows grow, use a soft facial brush to scrub your brow area, which will improve circulation and encourage hair growth. Additionally, you can try an exfoliating scrub or make your own sugar scrub. You can also make your brows grow by eating nourishing foods, like walnuts, mangos, and kale, all of which provide the vitamins and minerals needed to maintain healthy hair. | Plan to wait for several months. Eyebrows take a long time to grow back fully after they've been overplucked. For some people, it might only take six weeks, but others may have to wait a full year before their eyebrows regain their former shape. The best thing you can do for your brows is to be patient. Look at it this way: at least your brows won't need a lot of maintenance for a while. Stop plucking and waxing. You probably already know this one, but it's worth emphasizing that plucking or waxing around your eyebrows isn't going to help them grow faster. In fact, sometimes plucking and waxing eyebrows damages the hair follicle permanently, preventing the hair from ever growing back. Grow them in rows. If you can't stand the idea of letting all your hairs grow out before you shape your eyebrows, try the row-growing strategy. Allow a row of hair to grow out and pluck the stray hairs around it. When the row is finished growing in, start on the next row. Continue growing your brows out a row at a time until they're finished growing back. This method gives your brows a neater appearance while still allowing you to grow them back. The row-growing method may take quite a long time, so be prepared to wait even longer than you would if you just let your brows grow back all at once. Try exfoliating. While you're waiting for your brows to grow, stimulating the skin in the area may help the hairs come through faster. Use a soft facial brush to scrub your brow area in a circular motion, removing dead skin cells and spurring circulation in the area. You can also use an exfoliating scrub in your brow area. Buy a scrub at the store or make your own sugar scrub. Don't scrub too hard; rub the skin in gentle circles. Using too much pressure may loosen the hairs that are still in place. Use a brow serum. Brow serum is a product that is designed to stimulate growth at the follicle level with peptides. Some people have greater success with serums than others with these serums; they can be quite expensive, and they don't work quickly. If you'd like to give one a try, look for eyelash serums as well, which contain the same active ingredients and are more widely available at drugstores. There is some debate over the effectiveness of brow serums, in general, so keep that in mind when choosing whether to spend money on them. While no hair growth serums formulated for eyebrows have been scientifically proven to work, you can check reviews from unbiased sources to determine if you want to try a specific product anyway. Eat nourishing foods. Stimulate hair growth the natural way by making sure you're getting the vitamins and minerals you need to maintain healthy hair and skin. Get plenty of protein, vitamin B, iron, zinc, and omega 3's. Add these healthy foods to your diet: Walnuts, avocados, and olive oil Carrots, mangos, and sweet potatoes Lean meat, salmon, and other fish Leafy greens like spinach and kale Use a brow pencil. While you're waiting for your brows to grow, you can draw them in quite effectively using a brow pencil. Choose a pencil that matches your brow color or is a shade lighter. Make short, thin strokes in the same direction as your hair growth. When using a brow pencil, subtle strokes are better than thick ones. Don't go overboard trying to give yourself the popular bushy look; stick with filling in the gaps for now. For a bolder nighttime look, go a shade dark than your brow color. Use brow powder. Brow powder is formulated to stick to your existing brow hairs and make them look fuller and more filled in. It's a good way to add some heft to your brows if your hair tends to be sparse. Choose a shade that matches your brow color and use a brush to apply it in the direction of your hair growth. Employ concealer to cover the stubble. When your hairs first start to grow back, they may have the appearance of stubble. Resist the impulse to pluck and use a little concealer there instead. Go for a chemical-free concealer so that you won't risk impeding your hair growth. Try applying Vaseline on your eyebrows before going to bed. Do this for at least one month, and have patience. The petroleum jelly will condition your skin and hair follicles, which can revitalize dry, brittle strands of eyebrow hair and ultimately lead to better growth. If you want your eyebrows to instantly look thicker and better for an occasion, you could apply Vaseline immediately beforehand to fake the appearance of thicker brows. | Plan to wait for several months. Stop plucking and waxing. Grow them in rows. Try exfoliating. Use a brow serum. Eat nourishing foods. Use a brow pencil. Use brow powder. Employ concealer to cover the stubble. Try applying Vaseline on your eyebrows before going to bed. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Cheesecake | How to Make a Cheesecake | To make a cheesecake, first make a crust by mixing 2 cups of crushed graham crackers, 2 tablespoons of sugar, salt, and 5 tablespoons of melted butter and press it into a springform pan lined with foil. Bake the crust at 350 °F for 10 minutes, then let it cool for an hour. Meanwhile, make the filling by beating 16 ounces of cream cheese until it's smooth, then add 14 ounces of condensed milk, 1/4 cup of lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Pour it into the crust and refrigerate until it's firm. | Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Prepare a springform pan by surrounding it with aluminum foil. Surrounding the pan with aluminum foil will prevent water from leaking into the pan if you end up preparing a baked cheesecake, but this step is not necessary if you plan on using the crust for a no-bake cheesecake. Place an 18- by 18-inch (46- by 46-cm) square of aluminum foil beneath the springform pan. Fold the sides of the foil around the pan, doing so gently to prevent yourself from ripping the foil. Repeat this procedure using a second sheet of aluminum foil with equal dimensions. Crimp the foil around the edge of the pan. Note that a springform pan is necessary. This pan is designed so that the sides can be separated from the bottom, making it easier to remove your cheesecake after it is done. Crush the graham crackers. Place the graham crackers in a large resealable plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into fine crumbs. Alternatively, you could crush the graham crackers by pulsing them in a food processor or blender. This may actually allow you to achieve finer crumbs in a shorter period of time. Transfer the crumbs to a large bowl when done. Mix the crumbs with the other crust ingredients. Mix the crumbs with the sugar and a pinch of salt first. Then, stir in the melted butter. You could stir the butter into the crumbs using a wooden spoon, but your hands will do a more thorough job. Just make sure the wash them, first. If using salted butter, skip the salt. Pack your crust into the springform pan. Put all but 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the crust mixture into the pan. Pack the crumbs in gently, leaving a slight rise along the inside edge. Leave roughly 2 inches (5 cm) of crust along the edge of the pan. The remaining cup can be used to fill in any holes in the crust that form as you pack the crust or after you remove the finished cheesecake from the pan. Use your hands to pack down the crust. Alternatively, you could use a metal measuring cup to get a smooth, even crust by packing the crumbs down with the bottom of the cup. Bake for 10 minutes. Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. It may look slightly darker or glossier, but otherwise, there should be no visible change. Cool. If you plan on using the crust for a no-bake cheesecake, you must cool it first before filling it. Cool the crust for at least 1 to 2 hours. It should be no warmer than room temperature. Note that you do not need to cool the crust if you plan on using it for a baked cheesecake. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (160 degrees Celsius). If you had baked your crust just prior to this, you will need to reduce the temperature of the oven. Beat the cream cheese. Cut room temperature cream cheese into chunks and beat with an electric mixer for 4 minutes on medium speed. If possible, use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. The cream cheese should become smooth and creamy when done. Let the cream cheese sit out at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes prior to use to soften it up. Softening the cream cheese will allow it to become fluffier once you beat it. Add the sugar. Add the sugar to the cream cheese and continue beating for another 4 minutes. Add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Add each ingredient separately, beating for one minute after each addition. Each egg should also be added separately. For best results, allow the eggs to sit out at room temperature for 10 to 30 minutes prior to use. Slowly add the sour cream and heavy cream. Add one after the other, beat well until incorporated thoroughly. Give the sides of the bowl a final scrape and beat the filling once more to incorporate anything scraped from the sides. Pour the filling. Slowly pour the cream cheese filling into the springform pan over the graham crust. Smooth the top of the filling using a rubber or silicone spatula. Place the springform pan into a roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with enough boiling water to cover the bottom half of the springform pan. Prepare 2 quarts (2 liters) of boiling water. You may not need all of it, though. The water should not be high enough to leak over the top of the springform pan and into the batter. Sitting the cheesecake in a hot water bath will reduce cracking. Without the hot water bath, the cheesecake filling is likely to form deep, unsightly cracks in the top as it solidifies. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Place the cheesecake and water bath in the preheated oven and cook for a full 1 1/2 hours. The filling should seem fairly solid once done. Cool in the oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and crack the door open by about 1 inch (2.5 cm). Let the cheesecake cool for the first hour in the oven. This is a gentle cooling cycle that also helps prevent the cheesecake from cracking. Cool in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Cover the top of the cheesecake with aluminum foil and chill for at least 4 hours before serving. You could also chill the cheesecake overnight. Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Cube the softened cream cheese and place it in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes or until smooth The cream cheese must be at room temperature when you use it; otherwise it will not be fluffy enough after you beat it. Let the cream cheese sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes before use. Add the condensed milk. Pour the condensed milk into the cream cheese a little at a time, beating well to incorporate it. Continue until all of the condensed milk is fully mixed in. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber or silicone spatula in between additions to make sure that all of the cream cheese and condensed milk gets mixed. Mix in the lemon juice and vanilla. Add the lemon juice and vanilla to the filling and beat well to fully incorporate. You may need to beat for another 1 minute or so. Give the sides of the bowl a final scrape. Pour the filling into the cooled crust. Smooth the top surface of the filling with a rubber or silicone spatula. Make sure that the crust is completely cool before adding the filling. Otherwise, you may have trouble cooling the filling properly. Refrigerate until firm. Cover the cheesecake and chill for 2 1/2 to 3 hours before serving. Make mini cheesecakes. Combine standard cheesecake ingredients and bake in muffin tins, silicone liners, or ramekins. Similarly, you could bake mini black-bottom cheesecakes by replacing the graham crackers with chocolate wafer cookies and baking the desserts in muffin tins. Bake a chocolate cheesecake. Replace the graham crackers with chocolate cookies and add semi-sweet chocolate to the filling. For an even richer variation, make a brownie cheesecake by replacing the bottom crust with a layer of baked brownie. You can use this altered crust with a standard filling or a chocolate filling. You could also bake a white chocolate cheesecake, instead. Just like chocolate cheesecake uses semi-sweet chocolate in the filling, white chocolate cheesecake uses white chocolate in the filling. . Prepare a caramel cheesecake Scatter chunks of caramel over the crust before adding the cream cheese filling. Once you finish baking the cheesecake, drizzle melted caramel over it for an even stronger caramel flavor. Make your treat even more elaborate by turning it into a turtle cheesecake. The addition of pecans and chocolate chips can completely transform a caramel cheesecake into something even sweeter. . Create a fancy yet simple raspberry swirl cheesecake Raspberry jam is swirled into the cream cheese filling before the cheesecake is baked, resulting in elegant swirls. Alternatively, make a simple raspberry coulis , a classic sauce to top a plain cheesecake. . Celebrate all things sweet with a candy bar cheesecake Line your crust with chopped candy bars before pouring the filling in and baking the cheesecake as normal. Garnish with additional chocolate or candy pieces. Try a Toblerone cheesecake as a variation on the candy bar cheesecake. Use melted Toblerone milk chocolate to create a rich chocolate filling and top the cheesecake with shavings or chunks of Toblerone chocolate bars. Make a Butterfinger cheesecake, instead. Crushed Butterfinger candy bars are mixed into the filling and sprinkled on top of the finished cheesecake. . Try a vegan cheesecake Believe it or not, cheesecake can be turned into a vegan dish by using vegan cream cheese, silken tofu, vegan sour cream, and soy creamer. This cheesecake should be baked in the oven. . Try something new with a goat cheese cheesecake You can prepare cheesecake using creamy goat cheese, cream cheese, and sour cream. This cheesecake will be slightly firmer and slightly tangier than a standard cheesecake. Finish a special meal with a seasonal cheesecake. Certain seasonal flavors can be incorporated into your cheesecake with relative ease. Finish Christmas dinner with a Christmas cheesecake. You can either prepare an eggnog and fruitcake cheesecake or a gingerbread cheesecake. Polish off Thanksgiving dinner with a pumpkin spice cheesecake or cranberry cheesecake. Finish any holiday meal with a chilled banana pudding cheesecake or a baked Bailey's cheesecake. | Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Crush the graham crackers. Mix the crumbs with the other crust ingredients. Pack your crust into the springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (160 degrees Celsius). Beat the cream cheese. Add the sugar. Add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Slowly add the sour cream and heavy cream. Pour the filling. Place the springform pan into a roasting pan. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Cool in the oven for 1 hour. Cool in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the condensed milk. Mix in the lemon juice and vanilla. Pour the filling into the cooled crust. Refrigerate until firm. Make mini cheesecakes. Bake a chocolate cheesecake. . . . . . Finish a special meal with a seasonal cheesecake. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Kite-for-Kids | How to Make a Kite for Kids | To make a kite for kids, start by trimming wooden dowels so you have a 24-inch and 20-inch piece. Then, cut a notch into the ends of each dowel. Next, form a lowercase “t” shape with the dowels and tie them together with a piece of string. Then, bring the string around the edges of the kite through the notches in the dowels before tying it off in the center. Once you've completed the frame, cut the kite's shape out of fabric or paper with a 1-inch border around the edge. Finally, fold the border of the paper over the string, and secure it with tape. | Gather all the materials needed to make the frame. It's helpful to have your materials close by and ready for you to quickly and easily make the frame. You can get these materials at your local craft store. 4 wooden dowels that are 3/16 inch in diameter Hand saw Craft knife String, twine, or fishing line Cut 3/16 inch diameter wooden dowels to the length of your kite supports. The vertical support of the kite will measure 24 inches. The horizontal support of the kite will measure 20 inches. Make sure to ask an adult for help when cutting the dowels. Measure the lengths of the dowels. Mark the dowels with a pencil at the desired length. Cut the dowels with a hand saw to prevent splintering. Cut notches into the dowels. Use a craft knife to cut small notches into the ends of the dowels. Cut a notch on each end of the dowel perpendicular to the length of the dowel. The notch should go across the dowel, not be in line with it. Craft knives are very sharp, so make sure to get an adult to help you with cutting or cut the notches for you. Mark the dowels. Use a ruler and your pen, pencil or marker to make measurements on the two dowels. On the 24 inch dowel, make a mark 6 inches from one end. One the 20 inch dowel, make a mark 10 inches from one end. Align the two dowels. Line up the two marks you made on the dowels by placing the shorter dowel on top of the longer dowel perpendicular to it. The two dowels should make a cross. Tie the dowels together. Use the string, twine, or fishing line to tie your dowels together where they meet in the center. Tie the string in a knot around the two dowels and then wrap the string around the dowels making an x shape as you wrap. Hold the dowels perpendicular in a cross shape as you wrap the string around them. Make sure you are wrap the string tightly. Tie a knot in the string after you have securely fastened the two dowels together. Do not cut the string off after wrapping the dowels together, you will string the frame together next. Wrap the string around the outside of the frame of the kite. Bring the string up to top of the dowel cross and wrap it around the notch at the top. Pull the string around each of the four ends of the kite frame in a clockwise direction. Wrap the string around each dowel as you go around the frame. Bring the string back to the center to tie it off around the x in the center. The string should be in the shape of a kite. Pull the string tight as you pull it around the dowels so it is taut. Pick material to make the sail from. You can make the sail of your kite from several different materials. Decide what look you want for your kite. Some materials can be decorated to make your kite unique. You can use any of the following: Heavy duty garbage bag Lightweight paper Lightweight fabric Newspaper Plastic bag Get together all the materials needed to create the sail. You should have all of your tools and materials gathered in one place before you start a project. Material for the sail Scissors Strong tape Cut the sail of the kite. Lay the kite frame down on the sail material, and trace a slightly larger kite shape. The outline of the kite should be 1 to 2 inches bigger than kite frame. Use the scissors to cut out the kite shape on your sail material. Attach the sail to the kite frame. Fold the edges of the sail over the string on the frame and secure it with strong tape. Reinforce the top and bottom of your kite. Use tape to reinforce the top and bottom tips of your kite by placing 1 to 2 extra pieces of tape across them. Gather the tools and materials needed to make the kite’s string and tail. Having all of your materials in one place before you begin will save you time as you are finishing up this project. Pen String Ribbon Tape Make the kite’s brindle. A kite's brindle is a string that extends the length of the frame and has the flying string attached to it. Use a pen to poke a small hole in the top and bottom tips that you have reinforced with tape. Cut a 2 foot piece of string Tie the string in a knot around the top hole. Tie the other end to the bottom hole. Attach the flying string to the brindle above the point where the dowels cross. Hold the kite up by the brindle. Find the point along the brindle where the kite hangs parallel to the ground; this is the spot where you want to attach the flying string. Tie the end of the string in a knot around the brindle. You will hold the rest of the string when you are flying the kite. Use the ribbon to create the kite’s tail. Attach the ribbon by tying it to the hole at the bottom tip, or by taping it to the bottom. Your tail should be about 6-20 feet long depending on the weight of your kite. Cut small pieces of ribbon to tie bows around the tail. Experiment with different lengths of tails for maximum stability. Fly your kite. Take your kite out on a windy day to watch it fly! Bring tape with you to help fix any damages that might occur while flying or landing. | Gather all the materials needed to make the frame. Cut 3/16 inch diameter wooden dowels to the length of your kite supports. Cut notches into the dowels. Mark the dowels. Align the two dowels. Tie the dowels together. Wrap the string around the outside of the frame of the kite. Pick material to make the sail from. Get together all the materials needed to create the sail. Cut the sail of the kite. Attach the sail to the kite frame. Gather the tools and materials needed to make the kite’s string and tail. Make the kite’s brindle. Attach the flying string to the brindle above the point where the dowels cross. Use the ribbon to create the kite’s tail. Fly your kite. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Annotate-a-Poem | How to Annotate a Poem | To annotate a poem, start by reading through the poem once without writing anything down so you have an idea of how it makes you feel. Then, mark important words or phrases with a highlighter pen during your second reading. For example, you could highlight lines that are repeated, or a memorable piece of imagery. You should also summarize what's going on in each stanza to help you focus on what the poem is about. Additionally, write down any questions you want to discuss with your teacher or a classmate. | Read through the poem a few times to get your first impression of it. Don't stop to try to figure out what the poem might mean. Just read the entire poem a few times from start to finish and consider how it makes you feel. After you finish reading, answer the following questions in the margins or your notebook: What is the subject of this poem? Who might the speaker be? What could the poem mean? How do I feel after reading the poem? When might this poem take place? Did any significant images stand out? What? Read the poem aloud to yourself, if you can. The way a poem sounds is important because it is very much an oral art form, so it's best to read it aloud. You'll more easily recognize the meter, rhyme scheme, and rhythm when you read aloud. Additionally, you'll hear the effect of the way the poet arranged the words. You'll likely need to read the poem aloud several times, especially when you start looking for sound devices later in your annotation. Look for a quiet location where you can read the poem. You may not be able to read the poem too loudly if you're taking a test or in a place where you can't talk, such as a library. If this is the case, read the poem quietly under your breath. This isn't exactly the same, but it can help you if you're trying to annotate the poem during a test or a similar situation. Scan the poem to find its meter. Recognizing the meter will help you understand the poem's form and structure. Read the poem aloud line by line. As you read, mark each unstressed (soft) syllable with a “u” and every stressed (hard) syllable with a “/”. If you notice a pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables, draw a line between each set of syllables to mark the feet of the poem. A metrical foot of a poem is a single set of syllables within a pattern of syllables in the poem. For example, if a line of poetry has a meter of “u/u/u/u/u/,” then a foot would be “u/.” A formal poem is likely to have a meter, while an informal poem may not. After you identify the number of feet, count the syllables in each line. Three feet is trimeter, 4 is tetrameter, 5 is pentameter, and so on. If you're having trouble identifying the meter, try tapping a hand along as you read. Tap softly for unstressed syllables and harder for stressed syllables. Notice the pattern of the tapping. Keep in mind that this can take some practice, so be patient with yourself. You will encounter the iamb most often, which is 1 stressed and 1 unstressed syllable, but you will also encounter other patterns, such as the dactyl, trochee, anapest, pyrrhic, and spondee. Determine the poem’s rhyme scheme, if it has one. The rhyme scheme will help you determine the poem's form, as well as if the poem is formal or informal. To find the rhyme scheme, use letters to mark repeating rhymes. Start with an “A” on line 1, then use a new letter for a new sound or the same letter for a repeated sound. Continue until you finish marking the poem. Here's how you would label the rhyme scheme of Shakespeare's Sonnet 12: When I do count the clock that tells the time, A And see the brave day sunk in hideous night; B When I behold the violet past prime, A And sable curls, all silvered o'er with white; B When lofty trees I see barren of leaves, C Which erst from heat did canopy the herd, D And summer's green all girded up in sheaves, C Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard, D Then of thy beauty do I question make, E That thou among the wastes of time must go, F Since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake E And die as fast as they see others grow; F And nothing 'against Time's scythe can make defense G Save breed, to brave him when he takes thee hence. G Identify the poem’s form, if it has one. A poem's form can add to its meaning because it gives the poem structure. You can recognize form by looking at the rhyme scheme and meter of the poem and its stanza arrangement. Once you know the poem, consider why the poet may have chosen to use that structure for their poem. For example, the poem may be a sonnet , haiku , villanelle , acrostic , narrative , ballad , or blank verse poem. A poem that appears to have no form is called free verse. These are the most common forms used in poetry. A formal poem is more likely to adhere to a form, while an informal poem may not. An informal poem may loosely follow a form or may be free verse. If you're having trouble figuring out which form the poem is, try searching the rhyme scheme on the Internet. Begin highlighting important or confusing lines on your second reading. Don't worry about highlighting everything important in one pass. Read the poem as many times as necessary to help you understand its meaning. Always read through the poem without stopping the first time. Then, start your annotation process on the second reading. Use multiple colors of highlighters to organize your thoughts. Make each color represent a different piece of information. This will help you as you study the poem and write your notes. For example, yellow might represent passages you think are important, blue might identify words you don't know, and pink could highlight passages you don't understand. Use a system that works for you. If you only have one highlighter, that's okay! Use it to identify passages you think are important or don't understand. Highlight important passages so you can analyze them. Use your yellow highlighter to identify the key passages in the poem, such as repeated lines, imagery, or emphasized words and phrases. Mark any passage that seems significant to you. For example, you might highlight repeated words or lines. Also, identify what you have gleaned from the poem so far in your first readings and highlight anything that seems important or meaningful to you. Later, you can draw quotes from your highlighted passages, if you're writing a paper on the poem. Mark words you don’t know so you can look them up. Use a blue highlighter to indicate words that you either don't know or don't understand in the context of the poem. Then, look them up in your dictionary or online, depending on what's available to you. If you know the word but aren't sure what it means in the context of the poem, analyze the sentence itself so you can use context clues to figure out what the poet means. If this doesn't help, you can use online resources to look at how people typically interpret that word in this particular poem. Keep in mind that poetry often uses words that have multiple meanings. Write out all of a word's definitions if you are unfamiliar with them. This will aid you in your analysis. Don't just skip over words you don't know. The poet chose that word for a reason, so it's important that you understand its meaning. It will help you more easily understand the poem's overall meaning. Highlight confusing lines so you can work out their meaning. Use your pink highlighter to mark lines that don't quite make sense. For example, you might struggle to understand the line because of inverted syntax, a reference you don't know, or a seeming contradiction. Highlight the line so you can spend more time on it. Inverted syntax means that the order of the words in a sentence is rearranged. For example, “Fruit blossomed on the tree” is normal syntax. Inverted syntax might read, “On the tree blossomed fruit.” It's okay if you use two colors on the same line. For example, you might think a line is important but not understand it. In this case, you could mark it both yellow and pink. To keep the colors from bleeding together, highlight the top of the line in one color and the bottom of the line in another color. Begin writing notes on the poem on the second reading. After reading it for enjoyment the first time, start making notes on your paper. Add new notes each time you read the poem. Once you've highlighted your passages, go back through the poem and analyze the highlighted text in the margins. Record your thoughts about the poem. Whenever you have a new thought or reaction, stop and write it down. At the end of each stanza, jot down a summary, your reaction, or any questions you have. As you read the poem, try to answer these questions for yourself. If you're writing an essay about the poem, you can use these notes later to pull commentary for your analysis. If you can't figure out the answer to one of your questions, talk to your instructor or a classmate. As another option, you might search for secondary sources online to help you better understand the poem. Identify literary devices used in the poem to understand the meaning. Poets use literary devices to convey meaning in poetry. Additionally, literary devices also enrich the poem, making it more interesting to the reader. Here are some common literary devices used in poetry: Figurative language includes descriptions and abstract images. For example, referring to a clock as a “pair of hands stealing hours” is figurative language. Symbols are objects, characters, situations, places, or words that have a meaning other than their literal meaning. For instance, the whale in Moby Dick is a symbol for nature, which can't be conquered. Metaphor is the comparison between two seemingly unlike things, such as “her memory is a cup of sorrows.” Simile is the comparison of two seemingly unlike things but uses the words “like” or “as” to make the comparison. An example is “hot as the scorching sun.” Metonymy occurs when the poet refers to something using a word closely related to that thing. For example, they might refer to blood as “the lifeforce in your veins.” Synecdoche occurs when the poet uses part of something to stand for the entire person or object. They might write “The greybeards pondered,” instead of writing “The old men thought.” Hyperbole is an extreme exaggeration, such as “petals from a million roses.” Verbal irony is when someone says one thing but means another. A good example of irony is sarcasm, such as when you're having a bad day and say, "What a great day!" Recognize the sound devices used in the poem. Sound devices add richness and texture to the poem. Additionally, they allow the poet to more easily convey meaning. Look for these sound devices, which won't be present in every poem: Alliteration is the repetition of the same letter sound in a line. For example, “Blackberries blooming on a prickly bush” is alliteration because of the repeating "b" sound. Assonance is the repetition of a vowel sound within a line or lines. As an example, “Sweet tea flowed free” has a repeating “e” sound. Consonance is the repetition of a consonant sound within a line or lines. For instance, “Tickets sold, I kicked the lock” has a repeating “k” sound. Rhythm is the pattern of the sound, which is created by the meter. Onomatopoeia are sound words, such as “bam” and “pow.” Off rhyme occurs when two words nearly rhyme but not quite. For instance, “off” and “loft” almost rhyme. Examine the poem’s imagery to help you recognize the themes. Imagery evokes your senses so you can better enjoy the poem. It might trigger your sense of sight, sound, smell, touch, or taste. Note passages in the poem that contain words or phrases that help you experience the poem, then analyze what the poet might want you to take from them. Go through the poem and underline the descriptive words and phrases that trigger your 5 senses. For example, in Shakespeare's Sonnet 12 above, we see barren trees that have lost their leaves and sable hair that has turned grey. This helps us understand that Shakespeare is reflecting on the passage of time. Summarize what’s happening in each stanza or section. It's very hard to summarize a poem, but making brief summaries for yourself can help you figure out the poem's meaning. Jot down what you think each passage is talking about, and identify any notable images in that passage. Later, this can help you analyze the poem. For example, we might summarize the first four lines of Shakespeare's Sonnet 12 like this: “The narrator is watching time pass, which turns youth into old age.” Identify the speaker of the poem. The speaker in the poem is the narrator. If you think the speaker is the poet, consider their persona. What is their perspective? What do they seem to think or feel according to their words? However, remember that the poet as the speaker isn't always the case. It's important to know who the speaker is to help yourself understand the poem. Here are some questions to ask yourself: Could the speaker be the poet? Does the speaker provide their name? Does the image of the speaker match your image of the poet? What does the language used in the poem tell me about the speaker? What does the speaker's attitude suggest about the speaker? What is the setting? What is the situation in the poem? How might I describe this speaker? Determine the tone of the poem. The tone is the mood or attitude of the speaker toward the subject. It can help you understand the messages within the poem, as the tone shows what the poet wants you to feel about the subject. Consider how the poem made you feel, as well the language used in the poem. For example, Shakespeare's Sonnet 12 has a dark tone, as the speaker describes time stealing away youth. However, it has a mocking twist at the end, as the speaker notes that having children can defy time as you live on through them. Focus on the sentences in the poem rather than the line breaks. While line breaks are important to the structure of the poem, the poet still expresses their thoughts in sentences. Read through the line breaks and stop at punctuation when you're studying the poem's meaning. Notice if the lines use enjambment or end-stopped lines. Enjambment means that thoughts continue across multiple lines or couplets, while end-stopped lines end with punctuation. After you have gotten a sense of where the lines break, think about why the poet may have arranged their words in this way. For example, does this arrangement place more emphasis on certain words? If the poem lacks punctuation, stop at the line breaks. However, consider if the poet didn't use punctuation because they intended for you to stop at the line breaks, or if the poet didn't use punctuation because the thought continues to the next line. Find the setting of the poem. The setting of the poem is when and where the poem takes place. This can help you understand the context of the poem. You can determine the setting using the descriptions in the poem. If it's not clear where the poem is set, the historical and cultural context of the poem may help you understand it. You can determine the historical and cultural context of a poem by examining the language the poet uses, the situation the poem presents, and the background of the poet. It's also helpful to read about the era when the poet wrote the poem. Although historical and cultural context are important, don't make them the focus of your interpretation of the poem. Determine the poem’s themes to understand its meaning. The themes are the underlying messages or major ideas expressed in the poem, such as love and loss. The poem will have one or more themes that the poet is trying to get across. These themes will be the heart of the poem's meaning. Here are some questions to help you find the themes: What is the speaker's attitude toward the subject? What does the imagery suggest about the subject? What events happen in the poem? What does the setting look like? How does the poem make me feel? Why might the poet have written this poem? Who is the poem directed toward? Decide what the title tells you about the meaning of the poem. Poem titles may add to the meaning of the poem. For example, some poets may choose a title to tell you what they were thinking about when they wrote the poem. However, some poems may be untitled or take their title from the poem itself. For example, Shakespeare's Sonnet 12 takes its title from its number in the sequence of poems. The title doesn't tell you anything new about the poem. However, if the title were “When I Look Upon My Love,” you would know the occasion of the poem, which could help you understand the meaning in more detail. | Read through the poem a few times to get your first impression of it. Read the poem aloud to yourself, if you can. Scan the poem to find its meter. Determine the poem’s rhyme scheme, if it has one. Identify the poem’s form, if it has one. Begin highlighting important or confusing lines on your second reading. Use multiple colors of highlighters to organize your thoughts. Highlight important passages so you can analyze them. Mark words you don’t know so you can look them up. Highlight confusing lines so you can work out their meaning. Begin writing notes on the poem on the second reading. Record your thoughts about the poem. Identify literary devices used in the poem to understand the meaning. Recognize the sound devices used in the poem. Examine the poem’s imagery to help you recognize the themes. Summarize what’s happening in each stanza or section. Identify the speaker of the poem. Determine the tone of the poem. Focus on the sentences in the poem rather than the line breaks. Find the setting of the poem. Determine the poem’s themes to understand its meaning. Decide what the title tells you about the meaning of the poem. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Set-a-Timex-Ironman | How to Set a Timex Ironman | To set your Timex Ironman, you'll first need to select the correct date and time. Push down on the “Set/recall” button until the Set menu appears. Then, use the plus, minus, and “Mode” buttons to select the correct date and time. When you're done, press the “Set/recall” button to save your changes. Once you've set the time, you can also set alarms. Just press the “Mode” button until the alarm menu appears on the display. Select it by pressing the “Set/recall” button, then select the time for your alarm using the plus and minus buttons. After you set the alarm, you can also choose how often it should ring, such as daily, on week days, or at weekends. | Press and hold down the “Set/Recall” button to open the time set menu. This button is located at the top left side of your Timex. Hold the button down for 3-5 seconds to enter the time set menu. After that time, the screen will read “Set” across the top. At any time during this process, pressing “Set/Recall” again closes the time set menu and saves all your changes up until that point. If you've made all the changes you wanted to make, then press “Set/Recall” to save them without scrolling through the whole menu. Select the time zone with the “+” or “-” buttons. The Timex allows you to set the time for 2 or 3 different time zones, depending on the model. You'll automatically be in time zone 1 when you enter the time set menu. If you want to set time zone 2 or 3, press the “+” button to move the time zone forward. Press the “-“ button to move it back. The + button is located on the front of the watch directly below the watch face, and the - button is located on the bottom right side of the watch. On some Timex models, the + button reads “Start/Split” and the – button reads “Stop/Reset.” This feature is useful for checking the time in another part of the world quickly. If you do business or have to make a phone call to different time zones, it's handy to stay organized. Set the time with the “Mode” and + or - buttons. The Mode button is in the lower left of the watch. On the digital screen, this area will read “Next.” This button cycles the menu between the hours, minutes, seconds, day, and date, in that order. Press it to make the hours on the watch face flash. Use the + or – buttons to cycle the hours forward or backwards. Then press Mode again to make the minutes flash. Cycle through the minutes with the + or – keys as well, then do the same for the seconds. If you only wanted to set the time and leave the date alone, press Set/Recall after this step to save your progress and close the menu. Choose the current day of the week. After setting the time, press Mode again. The day section above the time will start flashing. Cycle forward with the + button and backwards with the – button. Then press Mode again when you've chosen the right day. Set the date with the Mode and + or – buttons. When you press Mode after setting the day, the month (in number form) will start flashing. Select the correct month with the + and – buttons. Then press Mode again and select the current date. Choose if you want the time displayed in 12 or 24-hour mode. When you press Mode after setting the date, the menu changes to 12 or 24-hour time mode. The mode you're currently in will flash. Use the + button to cycle between both time settings, and press Mode when you pick one. The advantage of 24-hour time is that you don't have to check if the time is AM or PM. It's easier to tell what part of the day it is with a quick glance. Save your changes by pressing the Set/Reset button. This button closes the menu and brings you back to the normal watch display. The changes you made will be saved. If the time or date looks wrong, you may have set them incorrectly. Press Set/Reset again to open the time menu back up and check your settings. Press Mode until ALARM appears on the watch display. Cycle through the options to get to the alarm menu. If your Timex model allows you to set multiple alarms, select ALM1 by pressing Stop/Reset. To set multiple alarms, keep pressing Mode to find ALM2 and ALM3. Select each one with Stop/Reset. Use Set/Recall and the + and – buttons to set the alarm time. Set/Recall opens the alarm menu. By default, the time will appear and the hours will be flashing. Adjust the hours up and down with the + and – buttons. Press Mode (Next) to make the minutes flash and do the same thing. Press Mode once more to select whether you want the alarm to sound in the AM or PM. If your watch is set to 24-hour time, you don't have to select AM or PM. Decide if you want the alarm to ring weekdays, weekends, or daily. Press Mode after setting the alarm time. The option above the time will begin flashing. This will say “Daily,” “Wkday,” or “Wkends,” depending on where you last had it set. Press Start/Split to cycle through the options and select how often you want the alarm to sound. If you only want the alarm to ring on one day, disable it after it rings. Press Set/Recall to save the alarm. This programs the alarm into your watch memory. The alarm will sound on the times and days that you set it to. A small clock icon appears on the left of your watch display to let you know that an alarm is active. Open the alarm menu and press Start/Split to turn the alarm off. Get to the alarm menu by cycling through the Mode button until you reach ALARM. Then press Start/Split to toggle the alarm off. To reactivate the alarm, do the same actions and hit Start/Split to toggle the alarm back on. Press Mode until “Chrono” appears on top of the screen. Chrono is the mode you use to track your split and lap times. It's the second option after the main clock. If you scroll too far and miss Chrono mode, keep pressing Mode to cycle through the watch options. The watch modes are Clock, Chrono, Timer, and Alarm. Cycle back to Chrono if you miss it the first time. Set the Lap and Split setting by pressing Set/Recall. You have 2 options for the Chrono setting. One displays the current lap time larger with the overall split time smaller. The other reverses the order, and shows the split time larger. Cycle between them with the Start/Split button. Then press Set/Recall again when you pick a format. If you're trying to improve your lap time, set the Lap to appear larger. This way, you can see how your laps are measuring up. If you're just timing your run without tracking laps, then displaying Split larger is more useful. The watch keeps the format that you picked for every time you use the Chrono unless you change it again. Start the Chrono with the Start/Split button. This begins the timer. Start your workout and use the Chrono to check your current time. If you're only measuring your overall run or exercise time, then just let the timer go. If you want a specific lap or split time, the Chrono can also measure this. Get your current lap time by pressing the Start/Split button. If you're tracking your lap progress, press the Start/Split button when you complete a lap. The timer display will show your lap time for 10 seconds so you can read it. The timer continues running in the background and switches back after 10 seconds. You can use this feature for any measurement. Whether you're tracking your time per lap, mile, kilometer, or another distance, the Chrono will measure it when you hit Start/Split. Repeat this for as many laps as you're running to get the time for each lap. Pause the timer with the Stop/Reset button. If you need a break or want to talk to someone, pause the timer by pressing Stop/Reset. Then when you're ready to start again, press Start/Split to resume the timer where it paused. Be careful not to accidentally hit Stop/Reset again to start the timer. This will erase your current workout and you'll have to start over. Store the workout by pressing Set/Recall when you’re done. When you're done, stop the timer by pressing Stop/Reset and then holding the same button to reset the data. If you want to store and review your workout results, hold Set/Recall to save the data. Review your workout by pressing Set/Recall. This brings you to the workout data menu. All the results you've stored are on this menu by date. To review your workouts, use + and – to scroll to the one you want to view. Then press Next (or Mode) to open a specific workout. When on a specific workout, you can view each lap of your run plus the total time. To clear a workout, hold Stop/Reset for 5 seconds. When the watch beeps, the last stored workout is deleted. Continue holding the button to erase all workouts and free up all the watch memory. | Press and hold down the “Set/Recall” button to open the time set menu. Select the time zone with the “+” or “-” buttons. Set the time with the “Mode” and + or - buttons. Choose the current day of the week. Set the date with the Mode and + or – buttons. Choose if you want the time displayed in 12 or 24-hour mode. Save your changes by pressing the Set/Reset button. Press Mode until ALARM appears on the watch display. Use Set/Recall and the + and – buttons to set the alarm time. Decide if you want the alarm to ring weekdays, weekends, or daily. Press Set/Recall to save the alarm. Open the alarm menu and press Start/Split to turn the alarm off. Press Mode until “Chrono” appears on top of the screen. Set the Lap and Split setting by pressing Set/Recall. Start the Chrono with the Start/Split button. Get your current lap time by pressing the Start/Split button. Pause the timer with the Stop/Reset button. Store the workout by pressing Set/Recall when you’re done. Review your workout by pressing Set/Recall. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Wear-a-Pashmina | How to Wear a Pashmina | To wear your pashmina, tie it into a knot around your neck to keep yourself warm during the winter, or tie it into a circle and wrap it twice around your neck to mimic the look of an infinity scarf. For an entirely different look, wear your pashmina as a head scarf by knotting it at the base of your neck, or wear it as a shawl by unfolding it completely and wrapping it around your shoulders. | Wrap your pashmina loosely around your neck. Unfold your scarf so that all of the material is exposed. Then, wrap the scarf around your neck once. Tighten the loop around your neck, or leave it loose and hanging near your bust. You can choose to have the tails hanging in either the front or around your back. Make this a casual and trendy outfit by pairing it with a fitted t-shirt and jeans. Tie a knot in your pashmina. Wrap the scarf around your neck so that both the tail ends are hanging in the front. Then, simply tie a knot like you would to tie your shoes. You can tighten this knot to sit at the base of your throat or you can leave it looser for a more relaxed look. Knotting your pashmina during the winter will keep your neck especially warm. You can also try a more complicated knot such as a hacking, twisted, or chain link knot. Create a faux-infinity scarf with your pashmina. Tie the two ends of your pashmina together to create a loop. If your pashmina has fringe, use a few pieces of fringe to make a double knot. If not, use the corners of the rectangle to tie two knots at the two places where the corners meet. Then, place this large loop around your neck so that the knots rest on the back of your neck. Double the loop around to create a large circular scarf with no ends hanging down. Make your pashmina resemble a neck tie. Wrap the scarf around your neck so that the two tails are in the front, with the right tail hanging a little longer than the left tail. Take the right tail and wrap it over and around the left tail, so that it is back on the right side. Wrap it again over and under the left tail, but when you get to the underside, pull it up through the loop, around your neck, and down through the smaller loop you just made on the left tail. For a fun, trendy look, pick a vibrantly colored or patterned pashmina to wear like this. Pair it with an asymmetrical skirt or a pair of high-waisted jeans. Tie your pashmina into a bow. Wrap your scarf around your neck and tie it in a loose knot similarly to how you tie your shoelaces. Create two half-loops or “bunny ears” out of the tails of the scarf. Cross these to form an “x,” and then wrap one under and between the two loops. You should be left with a large bow, which you can twist and adjust to your liking. Wear a pair of matching chandelier earrings to create a graceful, elegant outfit. Use your pashmina to create a loose head scarf. Place the middle of the pashmina horizontally flat across the top of your head. Either knot the tails at the nape of your neck or just make an “x” with them. Either way, the tails of the pashmina should drape over your shoulders and fall forward onto your chest. If you'd like to go incognito or vintage, add a pair of sunglasses to your outfit. Tie your hair back with your pashmina. Fold your scarf up so that the fabric is a bit thicker and not very wide. Wrap the scarf along your hairline above your forehead and let the ends hang down your back. Then tie the scarf in a double-knot at the nape of your neck so that it will not slide off. Leave the ends trailing down your back, or sweep them forward over your shoulder to hang down your front. Wear your pashmina as a shawl. Open your scarf so that it is unfolded completely and the entire scarf is exposed. Wrap it around your back and around your shoulders, so that the ends hang loosely between your arms and your sides. If you want to secure the scarf, tuck the ends back behind you under your armpits and tie it in a double knot or pin it together in the front with a stylish broach. Make your pashmina into a chic cape. Unfold your pashmina entirely and place the open scarf around your shoulders, keeping one side longer than the other. Drape the longer side across the opposite shoulder so that it will be securely positioned. Hit the beach wearing your pashmina as a cute cover-up. Lay your pashmina out flat and then fold it in half, connecting opposite corners that are diagonally across from each other. With each hand, pick up the two corners of this triangle you've formed that have the smallest angles. Wrap the pashmina around your waist and tie the corners together a couple inches above your right or left hip bone. If your pashmina sarong is patterned, the clothing that you wear underneath should be solid. You can also wear your pashmina tied this way over the top of a dress, leggings, or a fitted pair of pants. Create a belt with your pashmina. If you are wearing a skirt or dress and want to accentuate your waist, wrap your pashmina around your waist and tie it in a knot. Leave the ends hanging loose, or wrap it around your waist again and tuck the ends back into the loop. Try out some of the knots used to secure pashminas around the neck as a scarf, but instead secure it around your waist as a belt. Wear your pashmina as a skirt. If you want to have a fun, loose-fitting skirt, try making one out of your pashmina. Open the garment so that it is entirely open and exposed. Then, hold one end flat to your side and wrap the other around your body 1-2 times until the end meets the first end you are holding to your side. Tie the two together with a double-knot or safety pin them for security. | Wrap your pashmina loosely around your neck. Tie a knot in your pashmina. Create a faux-infinity scarf with your pashmina. Make your pashmina resemble a neck tie. Tie your pashmina into a bow. Use your pashmina to create a loose head scarf. Tie your hair back with your pashmina. Wear your pashmina as a shawl. Make your pashmina into a chic cape. Hit the beach wearing your pashmina as a cute cover-up. Create a belt with your pashmina. Wear your pashmina as a skirt. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Dog-Walker | How to Become a Dog Walker | To become a dog walker, start by getting experience with an established dog walking agency. Next, consider getting certified in dog safety and training through programs like dogTEC's Dog Walking Academy, which will be a big plus in the eyes of your future clients. Then, research what other dog walkers are charging in your area and price your services competitively. It's also important to advertise online and with flyers to get your name out there and gain your first clients. | Start working for an agency. A good place to learn the ins and outs of the dog walking business is under someone who is already in it. Look for a large, local dog walking agency and contact the people there to ask if they need any help. This can be a way to both learn about the business and animal safety. In the long run, this is often the best path to your own business. You probably do not want to invest a lot of time and money into a business until you understand things like how to write a contract, how to find customers, and how to be licensed to operate a business. This is a good way to learn all of those things. Get certified. Programs like dogTEC's Dog Walking Academy will teach you about a variety of dog safety and training subjects. Though they cost money, you can earn the money back. Clients will be reassured by the fact that you have professional certification. You can parlay this into higher rates or more clients. Do independent research. Go to a library to check out dog books or subscribe to dog magazines. You want to know enough about dog breeds to determine which dogs you should be careful around. You should be able to understand dog body language, how to implement dog training strategies, and understand pack behavior. Get to know the dog. When you visit the house to meet the owner, try to establish a relationship with the dog. Play with it and pet it. It will be more likely to warm to you if it knows that the owner endorses your presence in the home. You should also be sure that when you meet the owner you bring a note pad and take notes. The owner will likely tell you some important details about diet and behavior that are worth keeping track of. Bring relevant supplies. You should make sure that you have a more than adequate supply of leashes. Bring a bag to dispose of poop. Keep a water bottle with you as well as a variety of dog treats. Find a quiet place to walk. You want to take the dog to a place where they are not likely to encounter an aggressive dog. Avoid dog parks. Find a walking path that does not have much traffic. Take the dog on the walk. Talk to the dog. Familiarize yourself with the dog's walking speed and try to keep pace. Allow the dog to use the restroom. When the dog pees, give it time to do its business without bothering it. When it poops, remember to pick it up with a scooper and place it in the bag. Give the dog a treat if it behaves well. Be careful in case of conflict. If there is another dog or a stranger in the area and one of the dogs gets aggressive, try to calm it down and walk away. Carry a canister of citronella with you, in case of emergency. The spray will deter dogs from approaching you, but will not cause any physical harm to them. Good signs that a dog is aggressive are ears that are tilted back, close to the head; eyes that are narrow and starring intensely; lips open to display teeth; tense body position; tail pointed straight up and puffed out; and growling. Refrain from walking too many dogs at once until you have experience. A professional dog walker can often handle as many as six large dogs at the same time. However, you should always familiarize yourself with a new dog before you attempt to introduce it to other dogs. Be especially cautious about walking an aggressive breed in the company of other dogs. You can refuse to work with certain breeds of dogs if, for whatever reason, you find that you have difficulty building a relationship with them. Research local regulations. Some cities require that as a business operator, or a dog walker in particular, you obtain a specialized license. Oftentimes you will also be required to have insurance. Even if you aren't required to get insurance, you probably should to cover liability if a dog is hurt or damage is caused to someone's property while you are in charge of the dog. Consider searching the local municipality's website or going to city hall to get information about local laws. Get some background in business. To run a business you need to know something about accounting and advertising. You need to know how to write a contract for your clients. Consider taking some courses at a local community college, or checking out some business books at the library. It is especially important that you can write a contract that covers you for any liabilities and ensures that clients are obligated to pay you appropriately. Consider reviewing the contracts used by other dog walkers in the area. Get referrals. When advertising a business, it is important to have people who can testify to the fact that you know what you are doing. It might be best to start working with people who you already know well. You can even consider charging below market rate to the first customers to get started. Research rates. Research what other dog walkers in the area are charging and charge accordingly. Consider how much income you want to make and calculate how many customers you would need to meet that goal. Advertise. To get customers, you need to get your name out there as many ways as possible. You should have your own website and you should post information about your services on as many other sites as possible. Try specialized websites like dogwalker.com. Bring flyers to pet shops, veterinary clinics, and dog owner organizations. See if there is a professional organization for dog walkers in the area that you join for networking opportunities. Be sure to keep a business card with you at all times, in case, after striking up a conversation with someone you meet, you find a potential client. You want to make sure that you can capitalize on this by giving her a way to reach you. Begin pet sitting. Once you have dog walking clients, it often makes sense to parlay them into extra business pet sitting. You will need to check in regularly to make sure that water and food bowls are full, play with the dog, and take the dog for walks. This will involve spending more time unattended in the person's house, so you should be especially mindful to respect their space; do not search around or consume anything in the house. Before choosing this route, make sure that it is cost effective. Would you be making more money walking dogs than pet sitting? Is pet sitting getting in the way of your more lucrative dog walking jobs? When pet sitting, be sure to communicate with the owners every couple of days to reassure them that their dog is doing well. You can even text a picture! Try dog grooming. Cutting nails and hair involves a different skill set than dog walking. However, if you have a good professional relationship with a lot of dog owners and a friendly relationship with the dogs, you can consider grooming. Alternatively, you can hire a groomer to work with you. Franchise. Once you have a successful business with more customers than you can manage, consider bringing in some more people. Search for people who are experienced, reliable, and trustworthy. Vet all candidates thoroughly. When franchising, you should have franchise contracts that are well constructed by a professional. You should also have guidebooks that subordinates study to establish a uniform standard of care for your furry friends. | Start working for an agency. Get certified. Do independent research. Get to know the dog. Bring relevant supplies. Find a quiet place to walk. Take the dog on the walk. Allow the dog to use the restroom. Be careful in case of conflict. Refrain from walking too many dogs at once until you have experience. Research local regulations. Get some background in business. Get referrals. Research rates. Advertise. Begin pet sitting. Try dog grooming. Franchise. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Become-President-of-the-United-States | How to Become President of the United States | To start your presidential campaign, register with the Federal Election Commission and publicly announce your candidacy. Then, win primary elections and caucuses around the country and beat out any other candidates at your political party's national convention. Once you've earned your party's nomination, run in the general election and earn enough electoral college votes to win the presidency. | Prove you are a natural born American Citizen. This is a constitutional requirement. You need to be born in the United States or be born to a natural-born American parent. Turn 35 years old. The constitution also prohibits anyone who is not yet thirty-five years of age from becoming president. The average age of a man entering the Oval Office for the first time is 55 years old. In case you're curious, he's also married, has children, doesn't have a beard, and has a decent likelihood of being born in Virginia. Live in the United States for at least 14 consecutive years before you run for president. This residency requirement is found in Article II of the Constitution with the other two eligibility requirements. Get plenty of education. While there are no educational requirements or experience necessary per se, most presidents have had advanced degrees and studied Law or Business before entering Politics. You're best off taking classes in History, Sociology, Law, Economics and International Relations. While you're at college, it's a great idea to volunteer on political campaigns (to get an idea of how they operate) and for the community at large. Getting active, involved, and recognized by your community (and as a leader at that) is best done as soon as possible. 31 presidents have had some sort of military experience, but that number is highly skewed to the past -- it's not as common as it once used to be. So while joining the military is an option, it's not a necessity. Seek out a politically-related career. Though this isn't written in the books, generally presidential hopefuls start in the political arena on a much smaller scale. So get involved in your community! Run for mayor , governor , senator , or some other representative of your state. It's the best way to get your name out there. You don't have to do this. You could be some type of community organizer, lawyer, or activist, too. It's just that getting your name in the ring, getting to know people, and getting people to know you is the simplest way to getting your name on the big ticket at the end of it all. The sooner you pick a political party, the better. You'll have a consistent political record, start meeting people that will be totally worth knowing, and be able to develop your reputation from the get-go. It'll be a lot easier to get funding in 15 years when you desperately need it! Talk to your family and supporters. Becoming president includes a grueling campaign where every bit of your personal and professional life will be picked apart by the media and your competitors. You will need support. It'll be tough on you, but it'll also be tough on your family. You'll be flitting to and from during your campaign with very little time for your spouse and children. Is it worth it? Form an exploratory committee. This committee can "test the waters" or determine what your chances are. It's the standard first step to starting out on the presidential path. Appoint a campaign manager to put together this committee for you. This should be someone you know and trust, who has experience with politics, fundraising and campaigns. Utilize your exploratory committee to assess the level of visibility you have in the public (i.e, your chance at succeeding) and recommend campaign strategies, themes, and slogans. The committee should also recruit potential donors, endorsements, staff and volunteers, and write position papers and speeches. If it all goes well, they'll start organizing in the key beginning states (Iowa, New Hampshire, etc.) Register with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Once you begin receiving donations or spending money in excess of $5,000, you must register. While this doesn't mean you're officially running, the FEC basically assumes that you are. You wouldn't be tossing around this kind of money otherwise. Be sure to file a Statement of Candidacy within fifteen days of reaching the $5,000 threshold. After that statement is filed, you have ten days to file a Statement of Organization. You must also report campaign income and expenditures to the FEC on a quarterly basis. By the way, Obama's presidential campaign in 2008 cost $730,000,000. Declare your candidacy publicly. This is an opportunity to hold a rally for supporters and voters. Most presidential candidates hold a rally in their hometown or some other significant location. So bust out the t-shirts, the buttons, and the bumper stickers. It's campaign time! Raise money. Presidential campaigns are expensive. According to the final federal finance report, the campaign cost of the 2012 presidential election tallied out at around $2,000,000,000. So if you can get anywhere near half of that, you're set. Diversify fundraising strategies. You can rely on a political party if you are the chosen candidate of that party. If you face other party members in a primary or you do not belong to a major party (that above figure being why most join one of the two major parties), you will need to raise money from other sources. Raise money from large donors as well as small. In 2012, presidential candidates were attending events that cost donors $1,000 a ticket and appealing for $3 donations online. Appeal to average Americans. To become president, you will need to shake hands, attend small town events and visit factories, veterans, churches, farms and businesses. You'll need to put away those diamond cufflinks of yours and roll up your khakis. Al Gore said he invented the Internet. John Edwards had an affair. Mitt Romney said half of US voters don't pay taxes. That's just three things Americans don't like. Wherever you are -- whether you think you're being recorded or not -- be on your best behavior. The public doesn't easily forget these things. Win primary elections, caucuses and delegates. Each state has a different way of choosing a president -- a caucus, a primary, or some combination of the two. Winning those grants you delegates that choose you to be on the presidential ticket, celebrated at the party's national convention that year. Every state is a bit different, and the party themselves are different as well. Republicans have "pledged" and "un-pledged" delegates; Democrats have "pledged delegates" and "super delegates." Some are a winner-take-all system, while others give you a percentage of delegates to match the percentage of votes you received. Attend your party's convention. Once you emerge as the strongest candidate in your political party, you will hold a convention where all the delegates will pledge their support for your candidacy. It used to be that the convention was actually where the delegates voted, but now there's media coverage where everyone already knows who won, so it's a bit more symbolic. Either way, it's a party in your name. It's one day where each party prefers to concentrate on how awesome they are instead of how terrible the other is. So enjoy the short-lived positivity! This is also where you will declare your running mate. This is pretty big -- if people don't approve of your choice, you could lose votes. So think it through! Run in the general election. This is a narrow field that often pits two major candidates against each other, one from the Republican Party and one from the Democratic Party. It's about to get real. Enter the race as a third party if you do not have the backing of a major party, but still want to be president. Other parties that support presidential candidates include the Green Party, Natural Law Party and Libertarian Party. Presidential candidates have also run as Independents. Campaign, campaign, campaign. You'll be flying from San Francisco to Chicago to New York City in one day. You'll be exhausted and running on fumes and adrenaline. You'll be shaking hands, smiling, and making speeches like you're some sort of unstoppable robot. And maybe you are! The campaign is generally broken down into three parts: grassroots, on the ground and in the air. Grassroots is what you've already done -- put down your roots, gotten stable; on the ground is what you're doing now -- almost literally hitting the ground (from coast to coast) running; then you'll go in the air -- media frenzy after media frenzy. Stick to your views and your promises and stay strong. You've made it this far. Now all you've got to do is be your charismatic self, make sure your speechwriters are on top of their game, and avoid scandals and flip-flopping. Get the word out there about what you believe in and what you want to do for the country. And then stick to it. Keep your image as consistent and clean as possible. Not only will it be your word, but it'll be your image everywhere -- commercials that you've endorsed (including attack ads), YouTube videos, pictures from your past, etc. No matter what gets thrown at you, you gotta take it in stride. Rock the debate. Not only do you have to know your views, you gotta know your opponent's views, too. You gotta speak in a way that is convincing to the general public, simultaneously beefing up your own campaign and deflating the other. And you have to master the body language and tone, too. You took speech in college, right? When John F. Kennedy stared right into the camera with his tan, young self, sweaty, coming-out-of-the-flu Nixon didn't stand a chance. Charisma will get you a long way here (and for the rest of your life and all of this campaign). If you've gotten this far, you're probably pretty used to the bright lights and constant pressure. But if this takes it to a whole other level, as a general rule of thumb: never let them see you sweat. Win the presidential election. You will need to do more than win the popular vote, which is the tally of all votes in your favor. You will also need to win the electoral college. 270 votes and you've got it! As the votes roll in on that first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, try not to bite your nails off or pull out your hair. You can sleep when all is said and done. Each state has a certain number of electors based on its size and population. To become president, one candidate must have more electoral votes than the other. In the event of a tie, the House of Representatives will decide who wins the election. Get inaugurated on January 20th. Woohoo! All that work, all that money, all that living out of a suitcase and stress -- it's over! Well, until you have to start solving the world's problems. You get a couple months to recuperate and then that Oval Office is all yours. How are you gonna decorate everything?! When you make it to the White House, nobody wants a president that sees the world in his or her own view, the citizens want their changes not yours. We as people see the flaws in our country and can easily change them. Give the citizens more power! Why do we need a president when you can make your own changes and people can join your movement and if successful, citizens will change it all. | Prove you are a natural born American Citizen. Turn 35 years old. Live in the United States for at least 14 consecutive years before you run for president. Get plenty of education. Seek out a politically-related career. Talk to your family and supporters. Form an exploratory committee. Register with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Declare your candidacy publicly. Raise money. Appeal to average Americans. Win primary elections, caucuses and delegates. Attend your party's convention. Run in the general election. Campaign, campaign, campaign. Stick to your views and your promises and stay strong. Rock the debate. Win the presidential election. Get inaugurated on January 20th. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Install-a-New-Handlebar-Grip | How to Install a New Handlebar Grip | To install new rubber handlebar grips, start by spraying WD-40 underneath the old grips and sliding them off, or cutting them off with a razor blade. Then, wipe down the handlebars with soapy water to remove any grease and debris. Next, spray hairspray, hand sanitizer, or another alcohol-based product inside the new grips so they slide on easier. Finally, push the new grips onto the handlebars, twisting them as you go. | Carefully slide or cut off the old grip. Sometimes, careful cutting with a razor blade is necessary; try not to scratch your chrome. If you want to save the grips without cutting, spray WD-40 between grip and handlebar, giving it 5-10 minutes to work its way into the grip. Twist to spread the WD-40 inside the grip and pull it off easily. Stick a screwdriver between the bar and the grip if you cannot get under the grip well, using it to prop the grip up while you spray it down. If stuck, you can use compressed air from a compressor or can to remove a grip. Clean bar with soap/water to remove WD-40, dust, and gunk. Give the bars a good clean scrub, using an old rag or sponge to get them as clean as possible. This will make it much easier to get the new grip on and keep it there. When done, dry the whole thing off. If they are open on the ends, make sure you dry off the inside of the handlebar as well. Water left in there after putting the new grip on can lead to rusting. Use 3-4 long, plastic ties as "runners" to slide your grip on. Place the plastic ties in the grip on different sides, then use these smooth, low-friction areas to slide the grip onto the bike. Then simply pull the ties back out to finish installing. Note that lock-on grips are gaining popularity -- they require a hex wrench (Allen key), but you can easily loosen the bolt, slide the grip on, then tighten it in place. Apply a spray of hairspray, hand sanitizer, or other quick-evaporating substance inside the grip. If you don't have plastic ties, a little bit of an alcohol-based product, such as hairspray or sanitizer, may help you slide the grip easily. As a bonus, the grip will definitely stay on once you've got it in place. While not strictly necessary, this step can prevent the grip from immediately slipping off the bar if you have issues. Push the grip all the way onto the bar, twisting to align their contours. It can help to twist as you push, working it onto the handlebar bit by bit. While the snug fit may make it hard to get the grip on, you'll be thankful later when it doesn't come off mid-ride. Cut or unwind the old handlebar tape. You will rarely have to cut the tape off, and you should be careful not to nick the actual handlebar if you do. More often than not, you can simply unwind the old tape off the bike. Remove the cap at the end of the handlebars, using a flat-head screwdriver if needed. Before removing, note how far up the bars the old tape went. This is a good guide for when to end your own tape-up. Wash off any lumps of adhesive left by the old tape. Use a gentle degreaser, or some simply warm water and dish soap, to lightly remove the rest of the adhesive. Set up your workstation and prepare the bars for taping. Take some electrical tape and wrap any cables lightly to the bars, if they are not already pre-attached. Note where you want the tape to end, and get your knife or scissors ready to cut the excess tape when you're finished. Feeling extra pro -- wrap some double-sided tape around the bottom 2-3 inches of the bar to help keep your tape in place. Start each handlebar from the bottom, wrapping clockwise on the right and counter-clockwise on the left. Handlebars need to be wrapped in a way that prevents unwinding while you ride. Starting from the bottom prevents the wrap from sliding down under your hands. Furthermore, wrapping in the right direction for each hand prevents you from unwrapping as you ride (many people, when tired, clench their hands and twist them outwards). Pull the tape tight -- you want a lot of tension for a tight, waterproof grip. Leave about half the tape hanging off the bottom of the bar on the first pass, wrapping 3-4 times as you work up. Move up the bar, overlapping slightly for 3-4 wraps. Then push the cap into the exposed wrap, sucking it into the inside of the handlebar so that the cap holds the bottom of the tape in place. Repeat on both sides. Work slowly, overlapping about a quarter of the tape with every turn, as you move up the bar. If there is adhesive in tape, it is often covered. Pull off the covering now and slowly, tightly wrap the tape up and around the bar. You may have to pull and work the tape multiple times, making sure there are no gaps. It is often best to test the tension of the tape before starting. Give a good tug to feel how tightly you can pull on the tape without ripping it. To avoid gaps where the bar bends, you may have to overlap a bit more. Lift the lever body (rubber covering at brakes/shifters) and wrap past this point to get to the top of the bars. The top of the handlebars, the flat part, need to be wrapped in reverse. As you finish the bottom of the bars, get as close to the levers as you can. Then skip over a small area where the bars bend and just start wrapping the top of the bars. Reverse your wrapping direction for the top of the bars. This will be easy if you skip past the lever covering, as outlined above. Most riders will rotate their wrists back on the top bar, potentially unraveling the tape. This is why you change directions when getting to the top bar: The right side should be wrapped counter-clockwise. The left side should be wrapped clockwise. Cut the tape at your desired length and finish wrapping. You can "overwrap" it, then use a pen to mark the points you want to cut it. Then simply follow this line with scissors for a clean, professional tape-up. Add some 2-3 wraps of electrical tape to hold the wrap in place. At the very end of the tape, use some "finishing tape," to secure the wrap in place. Add enough that it cannot be easily unwound, usually using 1-2" on the tape and 1-2" on the bike frame. For a better hold, use a lit match to melt the tapes together in a few places, "welding" your handlebar tape on. | Carefully slide or cut off the old grip. Clean bar with soap/water to remove WD-40, dust, and gunk. Use 3-4 long, plastic ties as "runners" to slide your grip on. Apply a spray of hairspray, hand sanitizer, or other quick-evaporating substance inside the grip. Push the grip all the way onto the bar, twisting to align their contours. Cut or unwind the old handlebar tape. Wash off any lumps of adhesive left by the old tape. Set up your workstation and prepare the bars for taping. Start each handlebar from the bottom, wrapping clockwise on the right and counter-clockwise on the left. Leave about half the tape hanging off the bottom of the bar on the first pass, wrapping 3-4 times as you work up. Work slowly, overlapping about a quarter of the tape with every turn, as you move up the bar. Lift the lever body (rubber covering at brakes/shifters) and wrap past this point to get to the top of the bars. Reverse your wrapping direction for the top of the bars. Cut the tape at your desired length and finish wrapping. Add some 2-3 wraps of electrical tape to hold the wrap in place. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Shell-Pine-Nuts | How to Shell Pine Nuts | If you want to shell soft pine nuts, place them in a large plastic bag and squeeze all of the air out of the bag. Place the pine nuts on a flat surface and run a rolling pin back and forth across the bag until you hear the nuts start to crack. This can take a while, so if you have a lot of pine nuts, you might want to work in smaller batches. Once you've cracked all of the shells, remove the nuts from the bag and peel off the remaining shells with your fingers. | Gather your unshelled pine nuts. If you have simply purchased shelled pine nuts, then you can skip this step. However, if you're looking to gather your own pine shells, then you should know that it's a lengthy process that can take months. Here's what you have to do: For the gray pine, you should collect the cones in September or October and keep them in an airy, but dry place, such as a garage. The cones should still be tightly closed at this point. Wait for the cones to slowly open, revealing their nuts. Then, bang the cones around in a gunnysack until all of the nuts fall out. Alternately, you pick them out by hand, if you don't mind getting resinous pitch stuck to them. Toss out the winged part of the shell that connects the shell to the cone. Remove any nuts with holes in them; this means bugs have gotten to them. Identify your species of pine nut. It's important to know which type of pine nut species you're dealing with. Pine nuts can have soft or hard shells, and hard-shelled nuts shouldn't be cracked with your teeth, or you could hurt yourself. Here are the main types of pine nut you need to know: The New Mexico pinon pine nut. This is a buttery nut that is wild and hand harvested. These are the most valuable pine nut in the world and they have a hard shell that is too hard to crack with your fingers or teeth. The Italian Stone pine. This nut is popular in Europe and throughout the Mediterranean. It is a longer, rounder nut. The Chilgoza pine nut. These nuts are typically found in Afghanistan or Pakistan and they are long and boat-shaped with a sharp end. They are typically shelled by roasting over an open fire; they are more rare. The gray pine nut. Typically found in Northern California, these nuts have a bit of a softer shell. The Nevada pine nut. These are sweeter, fruitier, larger, and easier to shell. Make sure to refrigerate your nuts. Unshelled nuts have a long shelf life if they are kept refrigerated, so make sure you place them in the fridge if you don't plan on shelling them right away. However, once unshelled, your nuts may only last a few weeks, or even just a few days, without the refrigerator, so you should refrigerate them as soon as you can if you don't plan on eating them right away. Many people like to put pine nuts in the freezer to give them an extra crunchy taste and to make them last longer, while others maintain that this takes away some of their rich, nutty flavor. Use a hammer on tougher pine nuts. If you don't care about maintaining the integrity of the nut and are working with a tougher nut to crack, then you may just want to place the nuts on a solid surface and hit them with a hammer. Aim to do it a bit more softly so you crack the shells without pulverizing the nuts. Now, this is likely to make a big mess or put a dent in your floor, so try placing them on a piece of cardboard or in a thick plastic bag outside, so you don't have any property damage as you try to break those stubborn nuts out of their shells. This method is not for the faint of heart and does require some power. Once you're done, you can remove the nuts from the bag and peel off the extra shell. Shell the pine nuts with a can opener. That's right. If you place the pine nut in the notched section of the can opener, right where the handles meet up, you can use the can opener as a kind of improvised nutcracker. This may do some damage to your can opener and it may take quite a while, as you'll be shelling the nuts one nut at a time, but it will give you the results you're looking for. Once you've cracked all of the shells of the nuts using a can opener, you can peel the remaining shells away with your hands. Use a pine nut shelling machine. If you want to invest in a pine nut shelling machine, this can make your job much easier. Though you'll have to pony up some money up front, it can save you money in the end if you plan on regularly shelling pine nuts. Pine nuts are much cheaper shelled than unshelled, so this may save you money in the end. Here's all you have to do to use one: Place pine nuts of a similar size into the machine so that it is adjusted for their side. When you've finished with nuts of that size, put in nuts of a different size. Wait for the nuts to come out of the machine without their shells. Brush off any extra shells and enjoy. Use a roller to shell pine nuts. For softer pine nuts, you can simply place these nuts in a big plastic bag, push all the air out of it, place it on a flat surface, and then use a wooden roller to roll back and forth over the nuts. Continue doing this until you hear and see the shells of the nuts cracking, revealing the meat of the nut. This can take a little while, and you can roll the roller over smaller batches of nuts for best results. Once you've cracked all of the shells, simply remove the nuts from the plastic bags and peel off the remaining shells with your fingers. Use your mouth. Though using your mouth to crack pine nuts isn't the most recommended method, it will work in a pinch if you're using soft-shelled seeds such as the gray pine nut. Simply do what you would do to crack a sunflower seed's shell: place the nut in the back of your mouth and bite down on it a bit gently, until you hear the shell cracking. Then, remove the nut from your mouth and peel away the rest of the shell. Be careful not to bite down too hard if you want to keep your teeth healthy. This method is one of the best for preserving the original shape of the pine nut, if that's important to you. Use your thumb and forefinger. If you have a soft nut on your hands, then you may be able to crack it with the force of your hands alone. Simply place the nut between your thumb and forefinger and apply pressure to it until you hear and see a crack. Then, use your hands to peel the nut the rest of the way. This will be a repetitive motion and may take a while, but it can be better to use your hands than your teeth. This will also take a while because you'll be shelling each nut individually. Enjoy. Once you've shelled your nuts, you can enjoy them raw or use them in a variety of recipes. They are tasty, fairly rare, and add a buttery, rich flavor to any meal. Here are some things you can do with them: Enjoy them raw, as a snack. Use them to make pesto to use in pasta or fish or poultry-based dishes. Lightly toast them in the oven and enjoy their crisp taste. Add them to any salads, from goat cheese and beet salads to salads with brie and orange slices. | Gather your unshelled pine nuts. Identify your species of pine nut. Make sure to refrigerate your nuts. Use a hammer on tougher pine nuts. Shell the pine nuts with a can opener. Use a pine nut shelling machine. Use a roller to shell pine nuts. Use your mouth. Use your thumb and forefinger. Enjoy. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Dye-Eyelashes | How to Dye Eyelashes | If you want to dye your eyelashes at home, first, choose an eyelash dye in the color you want. Don't use standard hair dye, as these have chemicals that are dangerous to put near your eyes. Once you have your preferred eyelash dye, mix the dye and activator in a container according to the instructions on the box. Then, use a cotton ball to apply petroleum jelly around your eyes as a barrier, which will make it easier to wipe away any excess dye. With your barrier in place, dip the applicator wand into the dye and brush it onto both sides of your lashes. When your eyelashes are fully covered, wipe away any dye that got onto your skin and wait 15 to 20 minutes before washing your eyelashes with warm water. | Choose an eyelash dye kit. You have many different colors to choose from, but just like mascara, black and brown are the most common. There are also color-tinted options, like blue or bright red. Most of these color tints are not especially noticeable, but they can create a more cohesive appearance with dyed hair. There are a few different types for you to choose from, just like hair dye. Vegetable dyes, like henna, are the most commonly used, since eyelashes are a sensitive area. You may be able to find chemical-based dyes for eyelashes, but you should use caution when using them. You are most likely to find eyelash dye at beauty supply stores and online, since it is considered a specialty product. Never use standard hair dyes when dealing with your eyelashes, as they contain chemicals that are dangerous to apply near your eyes. Instead, look for a dye specifically formulated for use with lashes and brows. Do a sensitivity test with a bit of color and a drop of activator. Combine a small amount of color, no more than the size of half a pea, with a drop of activator. Apply the dye to the skin behind your ear, inside the elbow, or anywhere relatively hidden from view. Let the dye remain on your skin for 30 minutes before washing it off. Monitor the spot for 8 to 24 hours before proceeding. If the test spot begins to itch, burn, or become inflamed, you are likely having an allergic reaction to the dye and should not use the dye on your eyelashes. It is important to do this before mixing the rest of the dye, because prepared dye may spoil if you wait a full 24 hours. Combine the color and the activator to mix the dye. Follow the directions provided in the kit to squeeze the recommended amount of color, typically less than 1 inch (2.5 cm), out of the tube and onto the mixing tray. Add 2-3 drops of activator to the color, being careful about the amount, as adding too much activator can make the dye runny. Thin, watery dye will not stay on the applicator wand well. Most kits come with a tube of dye, a bottle of activating solution, a brush or mascara style wand, a stirring stick, and a mixing tray. Stir the mixture together until it thickens. A thicker mixture is more effective and safer. Runny, thin dye may leak or drip into your eyes. Mix the activator and color together until it has the consistency of toothpaste and does not drip off the stirring stick. This will adhere to your lashes much more easily than a liquid mixture. Wash your face and eyes. It's important for you to remove makeup and any dirt that may have collected around your eyes and lashes before beginning to apply dye. Use your normal facial cleanser and an eye-safe makeup remover to wash your face. Be sure to dry your face afterward. Use a cotton ball or pad to apply petroleum jelly around your eyes. Vaseline or petroleum jelly creates a barrier around your eyes. Apply it as far down as your lashes extend when you blink, as well as to the outer corners of your eyes, the upper lash lines, and the lids. The dye shouldn't stain your skin in the first place, but the barrier of petroleum jelly will make it much easier to wipe stray dye away afterward. Dip the side of the applicator wand into the prepared dye. Turn the wand around several times so that all sides pick up the dye. You can get better coverage by covering the entire wand surface in dye, and avoid having to repeatedly apply the dye to get a fuller, deeper look. The applicator may be paintbrush-style or a wand very similar to the kind you use when applying mascara. Look into a mirror as you apply the dye and keep your hands steady. The dye will sting if it gets into your eyes and may cause some irritation. If you get dye in your eyes, wash it out immediately before doing anything else. If you are unable to keep your hands steady, consider getting your eyelash dyeing done professionally at a salon. Brush the dye on sections of your upper lashes, one eye at a time. Use the applicator to spread the dye onto the topsides and undersides of your upper lashes, getting as close to the roots as possible and working in sections. Brushing the dye onto small sections will help make sure you dye each individual lash. This will work with either a mascara wand-style applicator or one that resembles a paintbrush. You can wiggle the brush upward to apply the dye more evenly, making sure that you coat the ends of your lashes. Blend the dye into your lower lashes in small sections. Work in sections on the topsides of your lower lashes, and then work on the undersides. Squint your eyes and look up to help keep dye out of your eyes as you work on the undersides of your lower lashes. Use the mirror to check that the lashes have been thoroughly coated. Wait 15 to 20 minutes to let the dye set. Your eyelashes need to absorb the dye fully, so giving them ample time to set will keep them looking darker for longer. Try not to touch or mess with your eyes, or look down for too long during this time. Dab the wet dye off with warm water and cotton pads. Dip the cotton into warm water, close your eyes, and wipe your lash lines. Rinse or replace the pad and repeat 3 or 4 more times. You can also apply a saline solution to your eyes. This will ensure that no dye residue remains stuck inside the eye. If your eyes sting when you open them, shut them tight again and rinse a few more times. Re-dye your lashes every few weeks. Store-bought dyes typically last for 4 to 6 weeks. If you like the results, you'll need to repeat the process when the dye starts to fade to keep the look going. | Choose an eyelash dye kit. Do a sensitivity test with a bit of color and a drop of activator. Combine the color and the activator to mix the dye. Stir the mixture together until it thickens. Wash your face and eyes. Use a cotton ball or pad to apply petroleum jelly around your eyes. Dip the side of the applicator wand into the prepared dye. Look into a mirror as you apply the dye and keep your hands steady. Brush the dye on sections of your upper lashes, one eye at a time. Blend the dye into your lower lashes in small sections. Wait 15 to 20 minutes to let the dye set. Dab the wet dye off with warm water and cotton pads. Re-dye your lashes every few weeks. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Pass-an-Abstract-Reasoning-Test | How to Pass an Abstract Reasoning Test | An abstract reasoning test is designed to evaluate your ability to see trends and patterns in data sets, and if you know what to look for you can pass your test. Abstract reasoning test questions usually feature a series of patterns or shapes that are all related. Start each question by taking inventory of the building blocks of the pattern. Look for predictable changes from 1 image to the next and keep an eye out for details like the number and size of the shapes, the number of sides that each shape has, and the shading and orientation of each shape. Then, start looking for rules that dictate how these shapes change. For example, the pattern may suggest that shaded shapes may have 2 more sides than non-shaded shapes, so if the last shape is a shaded triangle, then the next shape would be a non-shaded pentagon. | Evaluate the pattern or shape. Abstract reasoning test questions generally feature a series of patterns or shapes that are all related, and solutions are often simple. Start each question simply by taking inventory of the building blocks of the pattern. Look for predictable changes from one image to the next, taking note of things like: The number of shapes The size of the shapes The number of sides each shape has The shading of each shape The orientation of each shape Look for the pattern rules or relationships. The patterns in an abstract reasoning test are dictated by a set of rules or relationships. Once you've taken notice of the shapes within a pattern, start looking for the rules that dictate how these shapes change. The items that you noted when evaluating the pattern will often relate to the change in the shapes. For example, the pattern may dictate that the biggest shape in an image has two more sides than the previous image. So the first image may show a triangle, while the second will show a pentagon. Check to see if the pattern you're hypothesizing is correct perfectly matches the sequence. Depending on the level of test you are taking, the pattern may have more than one rule governing it. Evaluate each part of the pattern carefully to see if there are multiple rules. Always be prepared for the chance that a pattern may have more than one rule. Choose the answer that should come next in the pattern. Once you've figured out the rule for the pattern, pick the answer that should come next in the pattern sequence. Be sure to look at each answer option carefully, since they are typically designed to look similar. For example, if each shape in a pattern has two more sides than the previous shape, your test may show a triangle, a pentagon, and a septagon. The answer you would choose, then, would be a nonagon, or a polygon with nine sides. If none of the answer choices follow your rule, then you probably have the wrong rule and need to rethink the pattern. Take an abstract reasoning practice test. You can find these online or in test prep books. Take a few different practice tests from a few different sources to get a broad variety of questions. The more you practice taking the test, the more comfortable you will be with the format. Start by taking a practice test before you start any other test prep. This will give you a baseline you can use to measure improvement. Then, use a different practice test every few days to check your progress. The number of practice tests you should take will ultimately depend on how long you have to prepare for your exam. Since many test takers only have a few days to prepare, they may only have time for a few practice tests. Most practices tests will help prepare you for a range of test levels from basic to advanced. Learn the common types of abstract reasoning exercises. Abstract reasoning tests often use predictable exercises and transformations to determine the test patterns. Sometimes, a test will use just one exercise per pattern, while other times, it may use many exercises with a pattern. Take a look at examples of the different types of patterns to better understand what kind of changes they dictate. Common exercises and transformations include: Clockwise and counterclockwise rotations Mirroring Movement along vertical, horizontal, or diagonal axes Movement by degree intervals, such as 45, 90, 180, etc. Color alternation, generally between black and white Check website study guides. Unlike the SATs or ACTs, there aren't a lot of books to help you study for an abstract reasoning test. Many test makers and test centers, though, offer online study guides. These guides can help you determine what you should be focusing on as you go through your test prep. If you can, look for a guide put out by the maker of your test or your testing center. These will likely most closely mirror the test you will take. There are some books about passing diagrammatic reasoning tests, but these are generally authored by third parties and aren't put out by major publishers. Use puzzles to help you practice. If you have at least a few days to prepare, spend a little time each day doing puzzles. These could be traditional jigsaw puzzles or puzzle games like sudoku. Puzzles help engage the same types of thinking that you will need for your abstract reasoning test. Jigsaw puzzles, for example, help you visualize geometric transformations by requiring you to fit puzzle pieces together. Puzzle games likewise call on you to use critical reasoning to find relationships and patterns. Manage your time during your test. Many abstract reasoning tests are timed. Before you start your test, evaluate the amount of time you have and the number of questions you need to answer. Set a time limit for each question. This will prevent you from spending too long on difficult-to-answer questions. If, for example, you have 30 minutes to complete a 30 question test, your time limit would be a minute per question. You may even bump that down to 45 seconds per question so that you have time to review at the end. Don't stress about the ones you skip. Once you've finished answering the questions that come easier to you, you will be able to go back and tackle the hard ones with your extra time. Take a deep breath before you start. Abstract reasoning tests can seem difficult because they ask you to use skills you don't engage every day. Immediately before you start your test, take a few deep breaths, and remind yourself that you have prepared. If you find yourself particularly frustrated with a question, take a deep breath in and skip it. Start the next question with a clear mind, and come back to the difficult question later. Read all pre-test instructions carefully. Before the timer starts on your test, you will typically be given a set of instructions. These may outline how to select answers, how to navigate the testing software or website, and how to submit your test. Read these fully and completely before you start the clock. Knowing what to expect from the test interface will help you focus on the test itself, rather than worrying about software navigation or how to submit your results. | Evaluate the pattern or shape. Look for the pattern rules or relationships. Choose the answer that should come next in the pattern. Take an abstract reasoning practice test. Learn the common types of abstract reasoning exercises. Check website study guides. Use puzzles to help you practice. Manage your time during your test. Take a deep breath before you start. Read all pre-test instructions carefully. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Check-a-Power-Supply | How to Check a Power Supply | To check your computer's power supply, try using a paperclip in order to see if it's still receiving power. Start by shutting off your computer and unplugging the supply unit from the wall. After unplugging the unit, open your computer case and disconnect the power supply cables from the components. Once you've disconnected all the cables, straighten out and bend a paperclip into a U-shape to use as your tester. Then, insert the ends of the paperclip into the green and black pins on your 20/24 Pin connector, which is typically the largest connector for the power supply. At this point, you can plug your power supply back in and turn it on by flipping the switch in the back. If the power is working, you'll be able to hear or see a fan moving. If it doesn't turn on, it's likely that your power supply is dead. | Shut down your computer. Once the computer has been shut down, or if it isn't starting to begin with, flip the switch on the back of the power supply. Unplug the power supply from the outlet. Open your computer case. Disconnect the power supply cables from all of the components inside the case. Follow each cable from the power supply to the component to make sure that everything is properly unplugged. Make note of where everything was plugged into for when you reassemble the case. Make a paper clip tester. You can use a paper clip to help test your power supply and trick it into thinking that it has been switched on. To do this, straighten a paperclip and then bend it into a “U” shape. This paperclip will act as the pins that are inserted into the power supply that give it the “Power ON” signal. Find the 20/24 Pin connector that normally attaches to your computer’s motherboard. It is typically the largest connector for the power supply. Find the green pin and a black pin (pins 15 & 16). You will be inserting the ends of the paperclip into the green pin (there should be only one) and a neighboring black pin. Before you do this, double check to make sure that the power supply is completely disconnected from any power outlet, that it is switched off, and that it is not connected to any computer components. The green pin is typically pin 15 on a pin chart. Insert the paperclip. Once you have placed the paperclip into each of the pins, place the cable somewhere where it won't be disturbed. Plug the power supply back into the outlet, and flip the switch in the back. Check the fan. Once the power supply is receiving power, you should be able to hear and/or see a fan moving. This will let you know that the power supply is at least working. If the power supply does not turn on at all, double check your pins (after unplugging) and try again. If it still does not turn on, then it is most likely dead. This test will not tell you if the power supply is functioning as it should, just that it is turning on. You will need to perform the next test to ensure that it is outputting correctly. Check the output through software. If your computer is functional and you can load your operating system, try using software to check your power supply's output. SpeedFan is a freeware program that will read your computer's diagnostics and report back your temperatures and voltage's. Check the readouts to ensure that they fall within accepted tolerances. If your computer does not work, skip to the next step. Shut down the computer. Unplug the power supply from the outlet. Turn off the power switch on the back of the power supply. Open the computer and disconnect all of the components from the power supply. Follow the cables from the power supply to each component to ensure that everything has been properly disconnected. Test the power supply with a power supply testing unit. These are available online and from computer stores, and are not very expensive. Find the 20/24 pin connector on the power supply. This is typically the largest cable for the power supply. Connect the power supply testing unit to the 20/24 pin connector. Plug the power supply back into the outlet and turn it on. Your power supply should turn on automatically and your power supply tester will light up. Some power supply testers require you to turn on the power supply using a switch or button on the tester. Others will turn on automatically. Check the voltages. The 20/24 pin connector will have multiple readouts, but there are 4 essential measurements you need to look for: +3.3 VDC +5 VDC +12 VDC -12 VDC Ensure that the voltages are within normal accepted tolerances. +3.3, +5, +12 can all be within +/- 5%. The -12 can be within +/- 10%. If any of the readings are outside that range, than the power supply is bad and needs to be replaced. Test the other connectors. Once you've verified that the main connector is outputting power properly, test each of the other connector cables one by one. Unplug and turn off the power supply between each test. Test the power supply with a multimeter. Straighten a paperclip and then bend it into a “U” shape. Find the green pin on the 20/24 pin connector. Plug the paperclip into the green pin (pin 15) and into one of the neighboring black pins. This will trick the connector into thinking it's plugged into the motherboard. Plug the power supply back in and turn it on. Find a pinout chart for your power supply. This will let you know which pins provide which voltages. Set your multimeter to the VBDC setting. If your multimeter does not auto-range, set the range to 10V. Connect the negative probe of the multimeter to a ground (black) pin on the connector. Connect the positive probe to the first pin that you want to test. Make a note of the voltage displayed. Check the voltages to make sure they fall within the tolerance threshold. If any of the voltages are outside of the tolerance range, then the power supply is defective. Repeat the process for each of the peripheral connectors. Refer to the specific pinout charts for each connector to see which pins to test. Reassemble your computer. Once you've tested and verified all of the power connectors, you can reassemble your computer. Ensure that all of your devices are properly plugged back in, and that all of the motherboard connectors are properly seated. Once you have finished reassembling the computer, you can try powering it on. If you are still having computer errors, or your computer will not start, move on to other troubleshooting steps. The first place to check will be your motherboard. | Shut down your computer. Open your computer case. Make a paper clip tester. Find the 20/24 Pin connector that normally attaches to your computer’s motherboard. Find the green pin and a black pin (pins 15 & 16). Insert the paperclip. Check the fan. Check the output through software. Shut down the computer. Test the power supply with a power supply testing unit. Test the power supply with a multimeter. Reassemble your computer. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Buy-a-Kids%27-Bike | How to Buy a Kids' Bike | To buy a kids' bike, start by choosing a wheel size that's appropriate for the child's age range. Next, make sure the size of bike frame can accommodate the child's body. The rider should be able to straddle the bike and dismount easily. Be sure to go with a size that fits the child now rather than buying something too big that they can "grow into." Lastly, check the other movable parts of the bike, like the brakes and chains, to make sure they're functioning properly. | Buy a helmet. A helmet is standard equipment and should be purchased before buying a bike. Ensure the helmet fits the child's head size correctly and that the chin strap is snug, but not too tight.Look at pictures of properly fit helmets to find a helmet that fits your child. Choose additional safety equipment. You may consider buying a bell or reflectors for your child's bike. Other safety gear to consider includes knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards. Consider the bicycle frame. Cheaper bikes tend to be made out of cheaper materials, which also tend to be heavy. Because children's bikes have a smaller wheel diameter, they are harder to pedal, so you want to choose a lightweight bike. Choose a bike frame made from metal alloys and not steel. Choose a braking method. Children under the age of 5 tend to lack the coordination and skill to work hand brakes and should use pedal brakes. Pedal breaks are activated when the child pedals backward. If you choose a bike with hand brakes, make sure they can easily be grasped and that your child knows how to use them, as it can be dangerous if your child does not know how to stop her bike. Consider whether to buy a bike with gears. Gears will help your child navigate hills and different terrain. Using gears are for more advanced riders, so make sure your child has mastered basic skills such as hand braking, turning, and safety before graduating to more advanced stages. Consider purchasing a bike second-hand. Many bikes are available for purchase from a garage sale or through an online marketplace. Children will outgrow their bikes, so consider purchasing a quality second-hand bike as opposed to a new bike. Look at yard sales or thrift stores for used bikes. Make sure the second-hand bike is in good condition before purchasing it. Check the recall list in your area to see if the model you plan on buying has been recalled. Carefully choose wheel size. Children's bike sizes are determined by wheel diameter, not seat height and frame size (as is the case with adult bicycles). Smaller children's bikes have a smaller wheel diameter whereas bikes for older children have a larger wheel diameter. Ages 4 to 5: Wheel diameter of 12 inches (30 cm), child's inseam 14–17 inches (36–43 cm). Ages 6: Wheel diameter of 16 inches (41 cm), child's inseam 18–21 inches (46–53 cm). Ages 7-8: Wheel diameter 20 inches (51 cm); child's inseam 22–25 inches (56–64 cm). Ages 9+: Wheel diameter 24 inches (61 cm), child's inseam 26 inches (66 cm) or larger. Choose a bike that is size appropriate. The rider should be able to dismount easily and should be able to straddle the bicycle easily on flat feet. When riding, your child's hands and arms should rest comfortably, not needing to outstretch to turn the handlebars. Knees should not hit the handlebars. Do not choose a bike your child will "grow into". Children will have a difficult time balancing and maneuvering a bike that is too big and heavy, or they may get frustrated or injured dealing with skills that are above their level. Don't put your child in this vulnerable position as it could prove fatal on an open road. Check the bike's brakes. The brakes are the most important part to function on the bike. Make sure the brakes function properly. If the bike has hand brakes, make sure that the brake pads align on the back tire. Check the front wheel. Make sure the wheel spins freely, but doesn't move when pushing it side to side. A quality wheel will have a metal hub, spokes, and rim. Check the frame. Make sure the metal cannot be bent by hand. Ensure that the frame is aligned by examining the bike head-on, so that the tires and frame all line up. Check the material of parts. Parts made with plastic will not endure as long as metal-based parts. Parts made of steel tend to be heavy, especially in the tire rims. If purchasing the bike second-hand, make sure it is in full working order before buying. Ask if any maintenance work has been applied to the bike, such as oiling the chain. Assess any wear on the brake pads. Consider whether to use training wheels for young riders. Training wheel use is debated, and many parents choose not to use training wheels because they can encourage children to reach much higher speeds than their skills can handle. This can result in the child being unable to stop or steer, causing larger accidents. However, other parents believe that training wheels can be helpful for very young children who need to build confidence or learn how to be cautious. Make sure that your training wheels have adjustments so that you can move them higher off the ground as your child improves. You want your child to get a sense of balance while still having the support of the training wheels. Never push your child to remove the training wheels. | Buy a helmet. Choose additional safety equipment. Consider the bicycle frame. Choose a braking method. Consider whether to buy a bike with gears. Consider purchasing a bike second-hand. Carefully choose wheel size. Choose a bike that is size appropriate. Do not choose a bike your child will "grow into". Check the bike's brakes. Check the front wheel. Check the frame. Check the material of parts. Consider whether to use training wheels for young riders. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Care-for-Bi-Racial-(Black-and-White)-Hair | How to Care for Bi Racial (Black and White) Hair | To care for biracial hair, use a mild, moisturizing shampoo to avoid drying out your hair's natural oils. You should also use instant conditioner if you have thick, curly hair, as this will give it body and shine. Also, only wash your hair with shampoo every seven to ten days to avoid dryness, brittleness, and damage from overwashing. However, if you workout or sweat often, you can rinse your hair more often with just water. Additionally, blot your hair dry with a towel as rubbing it can cause frizziness and breakage. | Use a mild, moisturizing shampoo. Though biracial hair can vary from individual to individual, in general, a mild, moisturizing shampoo is best. Look for a shampoo with a balanced pH value of 5, which will help to maintain your hair's natural pH level and keep it healthy. Look for the following ingredients in your shampoo: Water Lauroamphoglycinate, a moisturizer Cocoamphacarboxyglycinate, a moisturizer Sulfosuccinate, a mild cleanser A list of recommended shampoos for biracial hair can be found online. Avoid shampoos that contain drying ingredients. Many products in commercial shampoos can strip your hair of its natural oils and be detrimental to biracial hair. Read the ingredients list on shampoos and avoid products that contain the following ingredients: Isopropyl alcohol Mineral oil/ petrolatum Polyethylene glycol (PEG) Propylene glycol (PG) Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)/ Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) Go for an instant conditioner if you have thick, curly hair. An instant conditioner will coat the strands of your hair and give it body as well as shine. It will also flatten the raised cuticles in your hair, making it soft and easy to style, and protect your hair from damage. Look for instant conditioners that contain a combination of lanolin, cholesterol, sulfonated oil, vegetable oil, proteins and polymers. You can find instant conditioner that are “rinse out” or “leave in”. You can try both on your biracial hair or your child's biracial hair to determine which type will work best for you. Leave-in conditioner can be beneficial for hair that is going to be combed out or blow dried. However, if you have curly hair that has a finer texture, leave-in conditioner may leave a film or residue on your hair. Try a penetrating conditioner if you have damaged hair or a dry scalp. A penetrating conditioner is a deep conditioner that will absorb right into your hair and improve the appearance of damaged hair. This type of conditioner is good if you have split ends, uneven hair growth, hair that is dyed or colored, or hair that has been exposed to chlorine. It's also good for a dry scalp. Many penetrating conditioners are made from animal proteins and keratin. You should allow this type of conditioner to stay in your hair for 15 minutes before rinsing it out. You can use a penetrating conditioner once a month if you do not have damaged hair but are looking to moisturize your hair every now and then. Wash your hair every seven to ten days. Overwashing your hair can lead to dryness, brittleness, and damage. You can use other products to style and maintain your hair between washing so it remains healthy-looking and clean without daily shampooing. If you workout every day or sweat often, you can rinse your hair out with water. Avoid shampooing your hair too often, as it can dry out and damage your hair. To wash a biracial child's hair, have the child kneel in a chair and bend over the sink or under the faucet in a bathtub. If you are washing your own hair, you should position yourself over a sink with the shampoo next to you. As well, a removable spray nozzle or a detachable showerhead can make the shampooing process easier. Use about 1 tablespoon of shampoo. Massage the shampoo into the child's hair. Use the ball of your fingertips, not your nails, to gently massage her scalp with in and out motions. Move your fingers from her hairline and the nape of her neck toward the center of her scalp. If the child has tightly curled hair, avoid gathering her hair into a pile at the top of her head, as this can lead to tangles. Instead, work from the hairline and massage her scalp, letting her hair fall naturally. If the child has thicker hair, you may need to apply and rinse out the shampoo two to three times. You can do one to two minute rinses in between the shampooing. It can also help to wash thicker hair in sections, pinning back each section and washing one section at a time. Condition your hair right after you shampoo it. Conditioner is a key step to caring for biracial hair as it can help to smooth your hair cuticles and keep your hair feeling soft and clean. You should always apply a conditioner after shampooing. Squeeze all excess water from your hair before conditioning it. Divide the hair into sections and put a handful of conditioner in the palm of your hand. Massage the conditioner using your finger pads. You can also use a wide-tooth comb to work the conditioner into your hair. Work the conditioner through the ends of your hair, as the ends tend to get very dry and are prone to tangling and knotting. Rinse out the conditioner or leave it in for 15 minutes if if it is a leave-in conditioner. You can skip the rinse step for leave-in conditioner if your hair is very dry and needs moisture to look good when combed or styled. If your hair feels very dry, you can wrap a moist warm towel or a shower cap over your hair and let the conditioner set in your hair for 15 minutes. Then, rinse it out. Dry your hair by blotting it with a towel. Avoid rubbing your hair as this can cause frizziness and breakage. Instead, blot your hair with a towel and allow your hair to air dry. If you are planning to comb out your hair, you should do so right after you have shampooed and conditioned your hair. Combing out hair when it is wet may be easier than doing it when your hair is dry and lead to less breakage. Create a styling tools kit. Biracial hair can be tricky to style, as it is often thick, curly, and unruly. You can tackle biracial hair by ensuring you have a styling tools kit that contains several essential styling items, including: Combs: You should have several combs on hand, including a wide-tooth comb, which will help to detangle your hair, a rattail comb for parting hair and removing dirt or residue in your hair, and a pick with wide teeth to help comb out your hair. A soft or medium boar bristle brush: This type of brush is good for biracial hair as it will not break or damage your hair. Avoid brushes with plastic or nylon bristles. A spray bottle: You can fill the spray bottle with one part natural oil (such as olive oil, rosemary oil, almond oil, or lavender oil) and six parts water. You can also use a detangler spray that contains natural oils. A blow dryer: Use a blow dryer that has a comb attachment and/or a diffuser attachment. These attachments can help to dry your hair quickly and prevent tangles. Hair clips: These will come in handy when parting and dividing your hair. Styling gel: This can help to keep your hair in place and ensure it looks sleek and clean. Natural oils: Oils like sage, olive, rosemary, and almond are good for your hair and your scalp. You can apply them every time you style your hair and/or once a day. Comb out your hair after it has been washed and conditioned. Combing out your hair is one the best ways to keep your hair looking healthy and clean. It will also lead to less tangles and make it easier to maintain your hair. To comb out your hair, you will need a rattail comb, a wide-tooth comb, a boar-bristle brush, hair clips and hair oil. Use the rattail comb to divide your hair into four to eight sections. If you have finer hair, you may only have four to five sections. Usually, the tighter your curls are, the more sections you will have.. Be gentle when you divide your hair and avoid digging the comb into your scalp. If there are any tangles in your hair, use your fingers to pull the strands apart. Once you have separated a section, twist the section into a tight twist and secure it with a clip. Then, unclip one section of hair and get your wide-tooth comb ready. Comb your hair at the ends and work your way up to the roots. Use the wide-tooth comb and work from the ends up to the roots using quick movements. Try not to comb too aggressively, as you want to avoid pulling out your hair or damaging it. Work one section at a time, unclipping each section and combing from the ends to the roots. Apply a small amount of oil to your scalp. Once you have combed out all the sections of your hair, apply a small amount of oil to your scalp and massage the oil into your hair. Use only natural oils and avoid heavy oils like lanolin, petroleum, and mineral oils. They will clog up your scalp and attract dust and dirt. You can then use the boar bristle brush to brush the oil into your hair, working section by section again. If you have very thick hair, you may skip this step to prevent your hair from getting too frizzy. Blow dry your hair for a straight hair look. Blow-drying your hair can help to straighten your hair without using harsh chemicals and make it easier to comb your hair or style it into braids. Blow-dry your hair in sections, after you have combed out your hair and added oil to your scalp. Use the comb attachment on the blow dryer. Blow dry in sections, drying the ends first. Once you dry the ends of a section, move up your hair and dry the hair closest to your scalp last. Use natural oils on your scalp. Oiling your scalp with natural oils on a daily basis can help to keep your scalp from drying out. You should also massage your scalp on a daily basis when applying the oil to promote circulation and oil production. Oils like jojoba, argan, castor, and emu can all be beneficial for biracial hair. Shea butter is also known as a good oil for biracial hair. You should get in the habit of spritzing your hair with water throughout the day, as this will ensure your hair stays silky and moist. Carry a small bottle of water with you and spray your hair throughout the day to maintain a healthy look. Wrap your hair in a scarf or a cap before bed. Wrapping your hair in a scarf or a hair wrap before you go to bed can help to reduce frizziness and prevent your hair from drying out. Another option is to use satin pillowcases, as the satin can help to reduce static and frizziness in your hair. Clean your styling tools once a week. Brushes, combs, and picks can collect dirt, oils, residue, and smells. Give them a good clean at least once a week by soaking them overnight in a mixture of shampoo and warm water. You should also replace any brushes, combs, or picks that are missing teeth or appear damaged. This will prevent your hair from becoming damaged when you use your styling tools. Apply a clarifying shampoo every four to six weeks. A clarifying shampoo can help to remove any residue that has built up on your hair due to the use of hair products and styling products. You can also do a hot oil treatment on your hair once a month to help remove residue on your hair. You can do this at home or get a hot oil treatment done at a professional salon. Hot oil treatments often use natural oils like shea butter or lemongrass oil. Apply the hot oil treatment on your hair and scalp. Then, cover your hair with a plastic cap or a towel and let it sit under a dryer for 15-20 minutes before rinsing it out. Get your hair trimmed every six to eight weeks. Maintain your hair by getting frequent trims. This will promote healthy hair growth and prevent the development of split or dry ends. Book consistent appointments with your hairdresser, every six to eight weeks, so your hair gets the trimming it needs to stay healthy. | Use a mild, moisturizing shampoo. Avoid shampoos that contain drying ingredients. Go for an instant conditioner if you have thick, curly hair. Try a penetrating conditioner if you have damaged hair or a dry scalp. Wash your hair every seven to ten days. Use about 1 tablespoon of shampoo. Condition your hair right after you shampoo it. Dry your hair by blotting it with a towel. Create a styling tools kit. Comb out your hair after it has been washed and conditioned. Use the rattail comb to divide your hair into four to eight sections. Comb your hair at the ends and work your way up to the roots. Apply a small amount of oil to your scalp. Blow dry your hair for a straight hair look. Use natural oils on your scalp. Wrap your hair in a scarf or a cap before bed. Clean your styling tools once a week. Apply a clarifying shampoo every four to six weeks. Get your hair trimmed every six to eight weeks. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Bunt-a-Baseball | How to Bunt a Baseball | If you want to bunt a baseball, start moving into the bunting stance as soon as the pitcher gets into the stretch. Leave your bottom hand in the same spot as when you usually hit, but slowly slide your other hand up the bat to where it begins to thicken. Tilt the bat upward slightly so it's at a 30-45° angle to the ground, and turn your back foot toward the pitcher. Angle your bat in the direction you want the ball to go, and lower your body to hit the ball, rather than dropping the bat. | Decide whether you want to "show bunt" or not. "Showing bunt" means stepping into the batter's box and immediately getting into bunting position, with two hands on the bat. You show bunt when everyone knows you're going to bunt — if you're a pitcher for example. You may not want to show bunt if you want to lay down a surprise bunt. As soon as you show bunt, the third and first basemen on the other team should begin to move in towards the batter's box to field the bunt. If you're trying to surprise them and increase your chances of laying down a successful bunt, you probably don't want to show bunt until the pitcher starts his motion. As the pitcher gets into the stretch, start moving into your bunting stance. Leave your bottom hand in the same spot as when you usually hit. Slowly slide your top hand to where the bat begins to thicken into the barrel. The barrel of the bat should be tilted upwards slightly so it's at a 30° to 45° angle from the ground. The barrel should rest above the hands at all times. If clutching onto the barrel of the bat, be sure to keep your thumb and index finger firmly behind the barrel. You don't want any fingers sticking out, and you certainly don't want the front of the bat — the part that's closest to the pitcher — being blocked by overeager fingers. Turn your back foot towards the pitcher as your square up to bunt. You don't want both feet to form a straight line with the plate, as this will leave you very exposed, and won't let you explode out of the batter's box if you happen to lay down the bunt. Instead, turn your back foot towards the pitcher and square off your upper body towards the pitch. If the pitch comes inside, you can quickly turn your body back to avoid being hit. Pull your bat back if the pitch isn't a strike. In a suicide squeeze situation, you want to bunt any pitch you can make contact with. Otherwise, you only want to bunt strikes. If the pitch is down low, up high, or way outside or inside, simply pull the bat back to indicate to the ump that you're taking the ball, not trying to bunt. If you just keep your bat over the plate, the ump is likely to call a strike. Angle your bat in the direction you want to place the bunt. Where you place your bunt has a huge impact on whether you beat out the throw. If you want to place your bunt on the third base side, angle your bat so that it squares off with the third baseman. If you want to place your bunt on the first base side, angle your bat so that it squares off with the first baseman. Take a look at the infield before you get in the batter's box. If the third baseman, for example, is playing close to the grass or is shaded closer to the shortstop than he should be, you probably want to aim your bunt as close to the third baseline as possible. There's no consensus about where the best place is to place your bunt. Some say that bunting it between the pitcher and the third baseman is ideal, as they might get confused about who's going to field it. Others think that bunting towards the second baseman forces the second baseman to make a really tough throw, across his body. If there's a runner on first base, try to bunt towards the second baseman. If there's a runner on second base, try to bunt in between the third baseman and the shortstop. Bend at the knees to make contact with the ball instead of dropping your bat. Dropping your bat to bunt a low pitch is very difficult and requires amazing hand-eye coordination. Bending your knees is relatively easy — anyone can do it. Keep your eye on the ball as it comes in to the plate. As the pitch comes, look the ball into the bat. You want your eyes focused on the ball as much as possible. Pull the bat back slightly right before the ball makes contact. If you leave your bat rigid when it makes contact with the ball, the ball is more likely to bounce off of it harder, tumbling easily into the mitt of the pitcher, third-, or first baseman. If you pull your bat back slightly right before making contact, the ball should travel just the right amount — equal distance from the catcher, pitcher, and any infielder. This helps you achieve the perfect bunt. Try to make contact with the ball on the lower part of the barrel, sending the ball down into the ground instead of up into the air. If you hit the ball on the bottom half of the barrel, the ball will travel down onto the ground, where it will need to be fielded. If you hit the ball on the top half of the barrel, it will travel up into the air, where it can easily be caught. Be careful about bunting with two strikes. If you foul a ball off while bunting with two strikes, you're out. Many batters transition to their hitting stance with two strikes and try to hit. Take cues from the third base coach about whether or not you should try bunting with two strikes. As soon as you make contact with the ball, explode out of the batter's box toward first base. If you're a left-handed batter, you can "pull" the bat with you towards first base before you've made contact. (This is called a "pull" or "drag" bunt and it's hard to do!) | Decide whether you want to "show bunt" or not. As the pitcher gets into the stretch, start moving into your bunting stance. Turn your back foot towards the pitcher as your square up to bunt. Pull your bat back if the pitch isn't a strike. Angle your bat in the direction you want to place the bunt. Bend at the knees to make contact with the ball instead of dropping your bat. Keep your eye on the ball as it comes in to the plate. Pull the bat back slightly right before the ball makes contact. Try to make contact with the ball on the lower part of the barrel, sending the ball down into the ground instead of up into the air. Be careful about bunting with two strikes. As soon as you make contact with the ball, explode out of the batter's box toward first base. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Identify-Symptoms-of-a-Head-Injury | How to Identify Symptoms of a Head Injury | To identify symptoms of a head injury, first check for any physical signs, such as bleeding from the head, nose, or ears. In the next few hours and days after a possible head injury, keep an eye out for other abnormal physical symptoms, including headaches, loss of balance, and nausea. Also look for cognitive changes, such as memory loss, disorientation, and mood swings. If you recognize any of these symptoms, get medical attention promptly. | Be aware of your risk. Head trauma can happen to any person who bumps, bangs, or scratches his or her head. Injuries can happen as a result of car accidents, falls, collisions with other individuals, or simply bumping your head. Although most head trauma results in minor injuries and don't require hospitalization, it's still important to check yourself or any person after a mishap. This can help ensure that you don't have a serious or potentially life-threatening head injury. Check for external injuries. If you or another person have any type of accident or mishap that involves their head or face, take a few minutes to do a thorough search for external injuries. This can alert you to injuries that require immediate attention and first aid as well as any that may become a more serious problem. Make sure to thoroughly check every part of the head using your eyes and by gently touching the skin. Such signs might include: Bleeding from cuts or abrasions, which can be severe because the head more blood vessels than any other part of your body Bleeding or fluid leakage from the nose or ears Black-and-blue discoloration below the eyes or ears Bruising Bulging bumps, sometimes called “goose eggs” Foreign objects lodged in the head. Observe physical symptoms of injury. In additions to bleeding and bumps, there are other physical signs that a person may have a head injury. Many of these can indicate a serious external or internal injury. The signs may be present immediately or develop over the course of a few hours or days and require immediate medical attention. Make sure to watch yourself or another person for: Cessation of breathing Severe or worsening headache Loss of balance Loss of consciousness Weakness Inability to use an arm or leg Unequal pupil size or abnormal eye movements Seizures Persistent crying in children Loss of appetite Nausea or vomiting Lightheadedness or spinning sensations Temporary ringing in the ears Becoming very sleepy Watch for cognitive signs of internal injuries. Physical signs of injury are often the easiest way to identify a head injury. In some cases, you may see no apparent cuts or bumps or even experience headache. However, there are other potentially serious signs of head injury for which you should watch. Seek medical attention if you see any of the following cognitive symptoms of head injury: Memory loss Changes in mood Confusion or disorientation Slurred speech Sensitivity to light, sound, or distractions. Continue to monitor for symptoms. It's important to recognize that you may not detect any symptoms of a brain injury. The signs may also be subtle and not appear for several days or weeks following the trauma. For this reasons, it's important to keep watch on your health or that of a person who had any type of accident related to the head. Ask friends or family members if they have noticed any potential symptoms in your behavior or can see visible physical signs such as discolored skin. Seek medical attention. If you recognize any symptoms of a head injury and/ or have any doubts about it, see a doctor or call emergency services. This can ensure that you do not have any serious or life-threatening injuries and get proper treatment. Call emergency services if you notice any of the following signs: severe head or facial bleeding, severe headache, loss of consciousness or breath, seizures, repeated vomiting, weakness, confusion, unequal pupil size, or black and blue discoloration below the eyes and ears. See your doctor within a day or two of any serious head injury, even if it didn't require emergency attention. Make sure to tell your doctor about how the injury occurred and any measures you've taken to relieve it at home, including pain medications or administering basic first aid. Be aware that the precise identification of the type and severity of a head injury are next-to-impossible for a first aider to assess. Internal injuries require assessment by medical specialists at appropriate medical facilities. Stabilize the head. If someone has a head injury and is conscious, it's important to stabilize his or her head while you are providing care or waiting for medical attention. Placing your hands on both sides of the person's head can keep it from moving and causing further injury as well as allow you to provide any necessary first aid. Place a rolled up coat, blankets, or articles of clothing next to a victim's head to stabilize it if you are providing first aid. Keep the person as still as possible with the head and shoulders slightly elevated. Avoid removing any helmet a victim is wearing to prevent further injury. Avoid shaking a person, even if he or she seems confused or loses consciousness. You can simply tap the person without moving him or her. Stop bleeding. If there is any bleeding with either a serious or non-serious injury, it's important to control it. Apply clean bandages or cloths to get bleeding from any type of head injury. Use firm pressure to apply the bandages or cloths unless you suspect a skull fracture. In this case, simply cover the bleeding site with a sterile dressing. Avoid removing bandages or cloths. If the wound bleeds through any dressings, simply place a new one over the old cloth. You should also avoid removing any debris from the wound. If there is a lot of debris, lightly cover the wound with bandages. Be aware that you should never wash a head wound that is bleeding a lot or is very deep. Deal with vomiting. There may be vomiting present with some head injuries. If you've stabilized the head and the person begins vomiting, you'll need to prevent choking. Rolling the person on to his or her side as one unit can minimize the risk of choking by vomiting. Make sure to support the person's head, neck, and spine as you roll the individual to the side. Apply ice packs for swelling. If you or another person has swelling at the site of a head injury, use ice packs to reduce it. This can control inflammation and any pain or discomfort the person is experiencing. Place ice on injury for 20 minutes at a time up to three to five times a day. Remember to get medical attention if the swelling doesn't decrease within a day or two. If the swelling gets worse, is accompanied by vomiting and/ or severe headache, seek immediate medical attention. Use a commercial ice pack or fashion one with a bag of frozen vegetables or fruit. Remove if it gets too cold or causes you pain. Putting a towel or cloth between your skin and the pack can prevent discomfort and frostbite. Monitor the victim continuously. If a person injured his or her head, it's a good idea to keep an eye on the person for a few days or until medical professionals arrive. This can alert you to provide assistance if the person's vital signs change. It can also reassure and calm the injured person. Watch for any changing in the person's breathing and alertness. If the person stops breathing, begin CPR if you are able. Keep talking to the person to reassure him or her, which can also help you recognize and changes to speech or cognitive ability. Make sure any victim of a head injury avoids alcohol consumption for 48 hours. Alcohol can obscure potential signs of serious injury or a deterioration in the person's condition. Remember to get medical attention if you are unsure about any change in the condition of someone with a head injury. | Be aware of your risk. Check for external injuries. Observe physical symptoms of injury. Watch for cognitive signs of internal injuries. Continue to monitor for symptoms. Seek medical attention. Stabilize the head. Stop bleeding. Deal with vomiting. Apply ice packs for swelling. Monitor the victim continuously. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Prevent-Laminitis-in-Horses | How to Prevent Laminitis in Horses | To prevent laminitis in a horse, avoid letting it graze on grass for more than 2-3 hours a day since green pasture grass is high in starch and sugar, which can cause laminitis. You should also exercise your horse regularly to prevent obesity since obese horses are more likely to develop laminitis. Also, take care of your horse's hooves by cleaning them every day, having them trimmed every 6-8 weeks, and avoiding rough terrain if your horse doesn't have shoes on. | Feed horses 1.5–2% of their body weight in hay each day. Hay provides horses with carbohydrates and fiber but, unlike grasses, it contains very little sugar. As long as your horse is active and healthy, feed it up to 2% of its body weight in dry, high-quality hay daily. If you don't have access to high-quality hay, you can substitute a horse feed purchased from a local tack store. So, if your horse weighs 800 pounds (360 kg), give it 12–16 pounds (5.4–7.3 kg) of hay daily. Let your horses eat in a grassy pasture for only 2–3 hours a day. Green pasture grass contains high levels of starch and sugar, which may trigger laminitis if horses eat too much of it. To guard against laminitis, when lush grass starts growing tall around spring time, turn horses out to pasture for only 2–3 hours, then bring them back to their paddock. In general, you don't need to monitor how much grass horses eat during their 2–3 hours of grazing. Only in the case of an overweight horse will you need to restrict the amount of food you give to your horse. Do this only in consultation with a veterinarian. Try a grazing muzzle if your horse is overweight or you don't have a dry paddock for your horse after their grazing period. This will control how much your horse can eat. Preventing laminitis may mean changing horses' pasture schedules to protect them from consuming too much starch and sugar. Try turning your horses out at night when the starch and sugar content in the grass isn't as high. Feed horses only 1–2 portions of sugar- and starch-rich foods a week. While horses like to eat sweet foods, they can have a harmful effect on the health of the horse's feet. It's fine to give your horse a sweet treat 1–2 times a week, but sugary and starchy food shouldn't make up a large portion of the animal's diet. Foods rich in sugars and starches include apples and other fruit, carrots, grains, and sweet green grass. If you notice a horse's hooves becoming brittle, or if a farrier suspects your horse may be susceptible to laminitis, cut out these foods altogether. For example, each week, you could give your horse 1 apple and 1 carrot. If you're concerned about laminitis, work closely with your veterinarian to figure out a dietary plan that works for your horse. Add a hoof supplement to your horse’s diet if its hooves are weak. If you or the farrier notices that a horse's hooves are brittle and dry, purchase a dietary supplement to strengthen the hooves. A good hoof supplement contains biotin, zinc, calcium, and copper may have other hoof-strengthening vitamins. Follow the directions printed on the supplement packaging, and you're your horse as much of the supplement as directed. Biotin supplements contain vitamin B, which helps hooves grow. Biotin is found naturally in alfalfa, barley, and oats. However, these low concentrations are often not sufficient to help prevent laminitis. Have your pasture grass analyzed for fructans. Fructan is a type of sugar found in grasses. Not all horses respond to sweet grasses the same, and not all lush grasses have the same levels of fructans. If you'd like a better understanding of how much fructan the grass in your fields contains, bring a sample to your veterinarian and ask for an analysis. The higher the amounts of fructan in the grass, the less time your horse should spend eating it. The level of fructan in grasses can vary with the changing seasons. For example, if winters become milder and summers become wetter, a longer growing season will result in higher rates of fructans. Fructan levels are at their highest in spring and autumn. Store grain and feed securely so that horses can’t get to it. Horses like to eat, and if they find a bag of oats left unattended, they will consume all of the food that they can find, which could cause laminitis. Use plastic storage bins with locking tops. This will keep horses as well as rats, mice, and other rodents out of the grain. Keep the grain containers behind a closed door, such as in a tack room or storage shed. Exercise your healthy horse regularly to prevent obesity. Obese and overweight horses have a much higher risk of contracting laminitis than do horses at a healthy weight. So, take your horse on a trail ride 4–5 times a week, or train it in an arena or paddock for an hour or 2 daily. If your horse doesn't lose weight with more exercise, talk to your vet and put together a weight-reducing diet for the horse. Laminitis occurs more often in obese horses since the animal's heavy body puts more weight on the hooves than they can support. Check and clean your horse’s hooves every day. Maintaining your horse's clean, healthy hooves is a crucial part of preventing laminitis. Clean any dirt, stones, and other objects from the central “V” of the hooves with a hoof pick. While you're cleaning, inspect the horse's hooves and make sure there are no signs of laminitis. Signs of laminitis include tenderness and heat in the hooves. Additionally, you might feel warmth or softness around the coronary band, which requires veterinary care. A horse with laminitis will also be hesitant to walk, or may only walk in circles. If the illness has progressed, you'll notice the fronts of the horses hooves beginning to turn upwards. Call your vet immediately if you suspect your horse has laminitis. If you see signs of sore feet (e.g., a horse refusing to let you touch one foot), contact your veterinarian. Have your farrier trim your horse’s feet every 6–8 weeks. Regular hoof trims will prevent laminitis, keep the hooves from growing too long, and ensure that your equine has well-balanced feet. Talk with the farrier and make sure that they're trimming the toe of the hoof to prevent harmful wear and tear on the horse's foot that could lead to laminitis. A farrier is an individual who attaches the shoes to horses' feet. If you don't have a reliable farrier, ask your veterinarian and other horse-owning friends for a recommendation. Avoid riding on rough terrain if your horse doesn’t have shoes on. Good riding practices are an important part of preventing laminitis. If your horse isn't shod and will be moving quickly along any hard surface (including asphalt, concrete, and rocks), its hooves could be concussed. These hoof concussions and bruises can leave the animal at risk for foot ailments, including laminitis. So, either ask your farrier to put shoes on your horse, or stick to riding on soft surfaces. If you use your horse for work (e.g., pulling a carriage or farming), make sure to shoe the horse before having it work on hard surfaces. Repetitive stress injuries from riding unshod on hard surfaces can cause laminitis. Use bedding that does not contain black walnut shavings. Black walnut shavings are incredibly harmful to horses' hooves and can cause laminitis literally overnight. You can often recognize black walnut among the horse's bedding shavings: it has a dark brown color, unlike most other woods used in horse bedding. Before purchasing bedding from a tack and horse supply store, confirm that black walnut comprises 0% of the bedding. Ensure that the placenta comes out of a mare after it gives birth. If any part of the placenta stays inside of the mare after she gives birth to a foal, it can cause a serious internal infection. If left untreated, this infection can cause laminitis (among other life-threatening conditions). So, watch closely as your mare gives birth and confirm that she produces a placenta. If you have a vet on hand during the birth, they can also look for the placenta. The placenta is about 2 by 2 feet (0.61 m × 0.61 m) and has a pink, reddish color. It's covered in veins and has a thin, white, “bag”-like structure at 1 end. After the placenta comes out, put it in a bucket for safe-keeping so that your vet can examine it when they come to check the foal. The vet will be able to tell you if the entire placenta came out. If your mare doesn't produce a placenta within 2 hours after giving birth (and you don't have a vet on hand), call a veterinarian immediately. This is a medical emergency. Inspect your horse’s hooves for laminitis if it’s recently been ill. In some situations, horses can contract laminitis in 1 or more feet after they've had a serious illness, even if the illness has nothing to do with the digestive tract or feet. If you notice heat or tenderness in the horse's hooves, take them to a vet and mention your concerns about laminitis. Illnesses that can trigger laminitis in horses include: Colic (especially if it arose following a surgery) Pneumonia Potomac Horse Fever | Feed horses 1.5–2% of their body weight in hay each day. Let your horses eat in a grassy pasture for only 2–3 hours a day. Feed horses only 1–2 portions of sugar- and starch-rich foods a week. Add a hoof supplement to your horse’s diet if its hooves are weak. Have your pasture grass analyzed for fructans. Store grain and feed securely so that horses can’t get to it. Exercise your healthy horse regularly to prevent obesity. Check and clean your horse’s hooves every day. Have your farrier trim your horse’s feet every 6–8 weeks. Avoid riding on rough terrain if your horse doesn’t have shoes on. Use bedding that does not contain black walnut shavings. Ensure that the placenta comes out of a mare after it gives birth. Inspect your horse’s hooves for laminitis if it’s recently been ill. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Play-Baccarat | How to Play Baccarat | Baccarat is a casino card game where players bet on which of 2 hands they think will score the highest. Baccarat can be played with just 1 player or all the way up to 14 players. At the beginning of the game, players place a bet on either the Player, Banker, or Tie space on the table. The payout for the Player and Banker spaces are both 1 to 1. However, if a player bets on the Banker space and Banker wins, the casino takes a 5-percent commission from their bet. The payout for the Tie space is 9 to 1 or 8 to 1 depending on the casino. Once every player has bet, 2 hands of 2 cards each are dealt on the table, one for Player and one for Banker. Everyone at the table plays with these 2 hands. Cards 2 through 9 are worth face value, tens and face cards are worth 0, and aces are worth 1. The values of the 2 cards in a hand are added together to determine the score for that hand. For example, if Player was dealt an ace and a 10, their score would be 1. If a score is 2 digits, the left digit is dropped. For example, if the 2 cards in Banker's hand add up to 13, the 1 would be dropped and their score would be 3. Whoever scores closest to 9 wins. If Player's hand wins, anyone who bet on the Player space wins the payout. If Banker's hand wins, anyone who bet on the Banker space wins the payout. If Player and Banker tie, anyone who bet on the Tie space wins the payout. Sometimes, a third card will be dealt. If Player's score is 0 to 5, they receive a third card. If Banker's score is 0 to 2, they receive a third card. The value of the third card is added to their score. If either Banker or Player has a score of 8 or 9, both hands stand and no additional cards are dealt. | Know that you can bet on either of two hands. One is the Banker's hand, the other is the Player's hand. A player may bet on either hand. Bets must be placed on either the Player or Banker before cards are dealt. Know how cards are dealt. Two cards are dealt to both the Player and the Banker. A player or casino operator holding the shoe slides one card out and places it face up in the Player's box on the felt table. The next card, the first of the Banker hand, is placed in the Banker's box on the table. The house then deals another Player card, then the second Banker card. The dealer's first round consists of two cards for both the Player and Banker. Announce the point total of both of sets of cards. Tens and face cards all are worth zero points; all other cards are worth their face value, with the ace worth one point. If a total is more than 10, the second digit is the value of the hand. For example, a 9 and a 6, which total 15, make up a five-point hand. In order to win, your bet must be on the hand that totals closer to nine. Understand the "natural" win. If in the first two cards dealt, the point total is 8 or 9 for either the Player or the Banker, this is called a natural win and the game is over. Bets that have already been placed are cashed out. Determine whether the player gets a third card by looking at the point totals. The Player hand is completed first. A total of 8 or 9 for the Player will get no additional cards. The Player stands on totals of 6 or 7. On any other total, 0-5, the Player draws a third card, unless the banker has 8 or 9, in which case the bank hand wins with no further draw. Know the rules governing the third card for the Banker. If the Player stands pat (or draws no new cards), the Banker draws with a hand total of 0-5 and stays pat with a hand total of 6 or 7. All other hands are dependent on the third card the Player draws: If the Player's third card is 9, 10, face-card or Ace, the Banker draws when he has a 0-3, and stays with a 4-7. If the Player's third card is 8, the Banker draws when he has a 0-2, and stays with a 3-7. If the Player's third card is 6 or 7, the Banker draws when he has a 0-6, and stays with a 7. If the Player's third card is 4 or 5, the Banker draws when he has a 0-5, and stays with a 6-7. If the Player's third card is 2 or 3, the Banker draws when he has a 0-4, and stays with a 5-7. Once all cards are dealt, calculate the winning hand. The winning hand is that which totals closer to 9. In the event of a tie, neither hand wins or loses. Sometimes a commission is paid out of winnings when betting on the Banker's hand. | Know that you can bet on either of two hands. Know how cards are dealt. Announce the point total of both of sets of cards. Understand the "natural" win. Determine whether the player gets a third card by looking at the point totals. Know the rules governing the third card for the Banker. Once all cards are dealt, calculate the winning hand. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Store-Bananas | How to Store Bananas | To store bananas, first separate them from the bunch. Then, slow down the ripening process by wrapping the stem of each banana with plastic wrap. Wrapping the stems will slow down the release of Ethylene, a gas that causes fruit to ripen quickly. Next, place the bananas in the fridge, away from other fruits and vegetables. Store them for 1-2 weeks. To store bananas for even longer, first peel the bananas. Then, slice the bananas into 1-2 inch pieces and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place them in the freezer for 2 hours. Next, transfer the frozen slices into a resealable bag or container, and store for up to 6 months. Try your frozen bananas in smoothies or baking! | Choose bananas based on their degree of ripeness. Depending on when you want to use them and how you wish to store them, you may want them to be more or less ripe. If you're shopping just for yourself, then you may want greener bananas so they aren't all ripe right away. If you're shopping for a family or a few people who will eat them quickly, then ripe bananas are the way to go. Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing your bananas: Green bananas are not ripe yet. Buy green bananas for maximum storage life without freezing. Choose firm fruit without dark spots or abrasions on the peel. Ripe bananas have turned their adult color. Most bananas are yellow when ripe, but some varieties are brown or red. The more the banana's adult color appears on the peel, the riper it is. Brown-spotted bananas are the sweetest. As the small brown spots grow on the peel, the fruit inside ripens even further. When the peel shows more brown or black than yellow, the fruit is over-ripe. Avoid bananas that have a gray tint and look dull in color. This is a sign that the bananas were refrigerated, which interferes with proper ripening. Remove bananas from plastic produce bags as soon as you get them home. Never store bananas in plastic bags, which hold too much moisture and could cause the fruit to rot. There is an alternative theory. The bananas may remain fresh longer inside the bag; take one out and leave the rest in the bag to test this. If the one that is removed ripens faster, then the bag may prove capable of retaining freshness. However, this may depend on the humidity and heat levels in the room where you're storing the bananas. Store green bananas at room temperature. Refrigerating or freezing bananas before they ripen prevents the fruit from being able to properly ripen even after brought back to room temperature. Put green bananas into a brown paper bag to speed up the ripening process. Add an apple or a tomato to the bag to ripen the bananas in less than 1 day. Another way to speed up the ripening process is to place the bananas near other ripe fruit in a bowl, such as other ripe bananas. Leave yellow-green ripening bananas exposed to air at room temperature for a few days. Be patient. Though it's true that the warmer the room, the sooner they will ripen, you should avoid placing the bananas in direct sunlight. Hang the bananas on a banana tree. If you're a true banana lover, then a banana tree is a great investment. You can find free-standing banana trees that you can place on your countertop, as well as mountable banana hangers. Banana trees and hangers allow air to circulate and avoid "resting bruises" on the fruit. Keep ripe bananas at room temperature if you will be eating them within a few days. Eat or refrigerate the bananas as spots develop on the skin and before they are overripe. Keep sliced bananas fresh. If you've sliced a banana, whether it's to put it in the fridge or to make a delicious fruit salad, you should cover the slices in a bit of lemon juice, pineapple juice, or vinegar, all of which will keep it fresher for longer. Pull the bananas apart from the bunch. If your bananas are already pretty ripe, then you can keep them fresh and yellow for longer by pulling each banana away from the bunch. This will keep each banana fresher for longer. Store the ripe bananas with unripe fruit. Take an unripe pear or avocado and place it near the bananas, and it will slow down the ripening process of the bananas, while ripening faster itself. It's a win-win situation! Wrap the stems of the bananas in plastic wrap. This will prevent ethylene gas, which is produced naturally during the ripening process, from reaching other parts of the fruit and making it ripen too fast. You can even place some tape over the plastic wrap for some extra security. Every time you remove a banana from the bunch, rewrap it carefully. Alternately, you can just separate the bananas from the bunch and then wrap the stem of each one individually. This takes a bit of love, but it's worth it! Put the bananas in the produce drawer of your refrigerator after they are fully ripe. Refrigeration slows the ripening process considerably, but does not stop it. The peel will continue to turn brown, but the fruit will stay fresh and firm for 1 to 2 weeks. According to Dole Bananas, storing ripe bananas in the refrigerator will preserve their delicious taste for longer, even though their peels may turn black. Peel the bananas before freezing them. Put as many as will fit into a zipper storage bag or plastic container and store in the freezer. Note: Freezing bananas in their peel will make it impossible to peel them if frozen. And once they thaw, they turn into a goopy mess. Add frozen, peeled bananas to smoothies. Store bananas in the freezer for several months. When thawed, you can use the bananas to bake and cook, as well as in fruit sauces and smoothies. You can also drizzle them with just a bit of lemon juice to keep them from turning brown. Peel bananas and cut them into chunks or mash them before freezing. Portion the banana into the amounts you need to make a recipe. Put portioned bananas into zipper freezer bags or plastic containers and store them in the freezer. Make banana bread with overripe bananas. Banana bread is a delicious treat that is designed to be made with overripe bananas. If it's too late for you to store them and eat them enjoyably, then it may be time to make this delicious treat. After all, you don't really want to waste what was once a tasty bunch of bananas, do you? All you need is a few simple ingredients, which include bananas, nuts, flour, eggs, butter, and cinnamon. | Choose bananas based on their degree of ripeness. Remove bananas from plastic produce bags as soon as you get them home. Store green bananas at room temperature. Leave yellow-green ripening bananas exposed to air at room temperature for a few days. Hang the bananas on a banana tree. Keep ripe bananas at room temperature if you will be eating them within a few days. Keep sliced bananas fresh. Pull the bananas apart from the bunch. Store the ripe bananas with unripe fruit. Wrap the stems of the bananas in plastic wrap. Put the bananas in the produce drawer of your refrigerator after they are fully ripe. Peel the bananas before freezing them. Store bananas in the freezer for several months. Make banana bread with overripe bananas. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Include-Your-Cat-in-Holiday-Celebrations | How to Include Your Cat in Holiday Celebrations | Before including your cat in holiday celebrations, you should first designate an area of the house where your cat can be alone so it has a place to relax and de-stress. Make sure to fill the room with essentials like food, water, and a litter box, as well as comfort items like blankets and toys. When it's time for the festivities, you can give your cat a present, like a climbing tree, and let it unwrap the gift for some extra fun. Additionally, if your cat feels comfortable wearing a costume, you might try dressing it up. | Consider traveling by car. Traveling by car is a safe way to transport your cat to your holiday destination. You can make the trip go smoothly by placing your cat in a pet carrier and making sure you bring enough food and water for the cat. You should also take rest stops every two hours and use a leash during these breaks to let your cat defecate or urinate. Don't ever leave your cat alone in the car. Make sure your cat is prepared for air travel. If you decide to fly with your cat, you will need to make sure they have the proper health clearances including immunizations. If possible, fly with your cat in the cabin instead of cargo. Make sure you do not feed the cat for at least four hours before flying, and do not give it tranquilizers. Contact the airline to get details on the health requirements your cat must meet in order to travel. Find a cat friendly hotel. If you are staying in a hotel for the holiday, you will need to make sure it is pet-friendly. Call the hotel before you book to find out the pet policy, and be aware that many hotels will charge an additional pet fee. You can also try renting a house or apartment through a site like Airbnb, which might make for a more comfortable holiday stay for your cat. Arrange for your cat's stay with your holiday host. If you are staying with friends or family for the holiday, you will need to discuss the details of your cat's stay with them. Make sure they are comfortable with your cat staying at their home and ask them what you should bring to make the visit go as smoothly as possible. Bring along the essentials. If you are taking your cat to your holiday destination, you will need to bring along its bed, food and water bowls, toys, treats, and enough food to last throughout the holiday. You will also need to take a litter box and litter for your cat. If you are flying, you can purchase these items once you arrive instead of packing them. Designate a safe space for your cat. Cats can get overwhelmed when the house fills with holiday guests. Make your cat as comfortable as possible by designating a room or part of the house that can serve as a comfortable retreat from the holiday mayhem. For example, you can designate your office as a safe space. Do not let your guests enter the space. It is important that your cat feels safe in its retreat space. Instruct your guests that they should not enter the retreat area. If your pet is comfortable with certain guests, you can allow them to enter the space with your approval. Fill the space with comfort items. Place objects that comfort your cat in the space. For example, you can fill the space with warm blankets, your cat's favorite toys, or a scratching post. These items will help your cat feel comfortable in the space. Equip the space with essentials. Your cat's comfortable holiday retreat should include all the items the cat needs to survive. You should place your cat's bed, plenty of food and water, and the litter box in the space. Provide entertainment for your cat. You should make sure your cat has plenty of ways to entertain itself while hanging out in the safe space. Place your cat's climbing tree in the space. You can also give your cat puzzle toys or long lasting cat chews to keep it occupied. Make your cat homemade holiday treats. You can make the holidays special for your cat by making homemade treats. Try creating some tasty tuna bites for your cat. You can also make cheese treats or holiday cat cookies with chicken. Each of these treats can be made by combining simple ingredients and cooking the treat on a stove or in the oven. Buy your cat presents. No matter what holiday you are celebrating, you can make it special for your feline friend with a gift or two. Try giving your cat a new climbing tree, a puzzle toy, or a fancy cat bed. You can wrap the gifts and have your cat unwrap them for extra entertainment. For example, tear a small hole in the paper of the gift and then entice your cat to claw at the paper. Dress your cat in a costume. Who doesn't love a cat that is all decked out in a festive costume? You can make the holiday special by dressing up your cat. Try turning your cat into a lion for Halloween. You could also dress your cat up as one of Santa's elves for Christmas. If you celebrate Easter, try an Easter bunny outfit. Make sure your cat is safe in its costume by avoiding outfits in which they could get their claws, legs, or heads stuck. Always supervise your cat when it is wearing a costume. This will prevent potential injuries that may result from costume malfunction. | Consider traveling by car. Make sure your cat is prepared for air travel. Find a cat friendly hotel. Arrange for your cat's stay with your holiday host. Bring along the essentials. Designate a safe space for your cat. Do not let your guests enter the space. Fill the space with comfort items. Equip the space with essentials. Provide entertainment for your cat. Make your cat homemade holiday treats. Buy your cat presents. Dress your cat in a costume. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Seduce-Someone-Using-Only-Your-Eyes | How to Seduce Someone Using Only Your Eyes | To seduce someone using only your eyes, be the one to initiate eye contact with the other person to show that you're confident. When you look at them, flash them a genuine smile so they know you're friendly and wouldn't mind being approached. If they smile back and seem interested, try glancing them up and down or giving them a seductive look. Don't stare for too long or you could make them feel uncomfortable. Instead, occasionally look back at them and smile to show them that you're still interested. | Take the initiative to make eye contact. If you want to seduce someone, do not be shy. Take the initiative to make the initial eye contact. This displays confidence, which many people find attractive. People tend to be interested in those who are interested in them. If you're making the effort to meet someone's gaze from across the room, this will intrigue them. Try to make eye contact first rather than waiting to be noticed. Look for cues that another person may be interested in you. Use this an opportunity to make initial eye contact. Cues can be subtle, like someone giving a quick glance in your direction. Women may sometimes run their fingers through their hair to convey attraction. Start with a couple of brief glances. If you're shy, start things off with a couple of brief glances. A double take definitely conveys interest. Try glances at someone briefly, looking away, and then glancing again. This can show a potential partner that you're attracted to them and want their attention. Watch someone from the corner of your eyes. In addition to making direct eye contact, watching someone from the corner of your eyes can be helpful. If you've not yet had an opportunity to start a conversation, simply watch someone from the corner of your eyes for a few minutes. Spend 5 or 10 minutes side eyeing someone you find attractive. Be cool and do make it too obvious. See if this person is looking at you as well. It can help to side eye someone while laughing at something a friend said. Laughter is infectious and can be attractive to someone you're trying to seduce. Smile. A warm smile is conveyed by your eyes as well as your mouth. If someone meets your gaze from across the room, smile. A genuine smile can show someone you're friendly and would not mind being approached. Hold a person's gaze for a few moments and then offer a smile. Match eye contact with confident body language. Use your body to convey confidence in addition to your eyes. Matching a confident gaze with a confident helps bolster attraction. Keep your body relaxed and comfortable. Try to avoid tensing muscles. Stand up straight with your shoulders back slightly. Give someone a seductive look when they smile back. If you smile at someone, wait for a smile back. When the person returns your smile, give him or her a seductive look. Use your eyes to show your sexual interest. Making a curved grin with your mouth, glance the person up and down. This indicates you're checking out their body and are measuring your attraction to them. To show the person you like what you see, make eye contact and offer another brief smile. Keep up what you're doing, but occasionally make eye contact. After giving "the look" continue talking to your friends. Keep smiling, laughing, and engaging in conversation. However, every once in awhile look back at the person you are trying to seduce. Occasional brief glances are an invitation for the person to approach you. Seal the deal with eye contact after making conversation. Even after you've gotten someone to make conversation, eye contact is important. Throughout the conversation, continue making eye contact, side eyeing the person, and glancing them up and down. Keep up flirting with your eyes throughout your conversation. This can help convey sexual interest. Do not overdo it. While eye contact is key to attraction, being too enthusiastic can be off-putting. Try to avoid going overboard with eye contact. Once you've initiated conversation with someone, glance away while he or she talking now and again. Do not be rude by glancing away to look at your phone or someone else. Just briefly glance to the left or right to avoid being overwhelming with eye contact. You should strive to look at someone's face about three quarters of the time you're talking to that person. Keep your glances between one and seven seconds. This shows a genuine interest, which can be attractive, but does not overwhelm a potential partner with eye contact. Use eyebrows. Raising your eyebrows can be seductive. Raising your eyebrows conveys interest and recognition. When you're talking to someone, raise your eyebrows when conversation begins. This can increase your chance of seducing this person. Avoid leering. The way you look at someone can effect your likelihood of seducing that person. Maintain level, steady eye contact when talking to someone rather than looking using the corner of your eyes. Side-eyeing can help with making initial eye contact. However, people tend to respond better to occasional direct eye contact during conversation rather than side-eyeing. Glance the person up and down. On occasion, glance the object of your attraction up and down. This can help convey attraction. You can also tell if a person is interested in you based on how they look at you. If someone glances at your hips and thighs there's a good chance they're interested in you. When you're interested in someone, you can show this by eyeing their head and shoulders while they talk. This tends to convey attraction, which might help in seducing someone. | Take the initiative to make eye contact. Start with a couple of brief glances. Watch someone from the corner of your eyes. Smile. Match eye contact with confident body language. Give someone a seductive look when they smile back. Keep up what you're doing, but occasionally make eye contact. Seal the deal with eye contact after making conversation. Do not overdo it. Use eyebrows. Avoid leering. Glance the person up and down. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Use-Vagisil | How to Use Vagisil | To use Vagisil to relieve vaginal itching, apply a small, 1-inch line of cream to the outside of your vagina only, like around your labia and vulva. After putting the medicine on your vaginal area, allow it to absorb into your skin. You can reapply the cream 3 to 4 times per day, or as needed. If you still have symptoms after using Vagisil, contact your doctor or gynecologist since you might need a prescription-strength medicine. | Use the smallest amount needed. Using too much Vagisil can lead to severe side effects, so only apply a small amount. The amount of Vagisil cream that you use should be about as long as your fingertip (about one inch long). Apply Vagisil to the outside of your vagina only. Do not insert Vagisil into your vagina. Only use it on the parts of your vagina that are outside of your body, such as your labia and vulva. Use your finger to rub the cream into the outer areas of your vagina to help soothe itching. Do not apply Vagisil to large areas of your body. Applying Vagisil to large areas of your body may cause severe side effects, so only use it on the affected areas of your vagina. If your itching extends beyond the area that a small amount of Vagisil will cover, then call your doctor or gynecologist. Allow your skin to absorb the Vagisil cream. The product works by blocking the nerve signals that cause itching. This will provide some temporary relief from vaginal itching. Just keep in mind that it might take a few minutes for the medicine to work, so try to be patient. Reapply three to four times per day. You should not use Vagisil more than four times per day. If you still have symptoms after using Vagisil, then contact your doctor or gynecologist. You may require a prescription strength medication. Seek immediate medical attention for serious side effects. The active medicine in Vagisil (benzocaine) can cause some severe side effects, but only when used in the mouth; however, seek emergency medical treatment if you experience any of the following symptoms: Light-headedness Fast heart rate Shortness of breath Bluish, grayish, or pale lips, fingernails, or skin Watch for signs of an allergic reaction. Benzocaine topical can also cause an allergic reaction for some people. Stop using Vagisil and call your doctor if you notice: Severe stinging, burning, or sensitivity Swelling, redness, or warmth Oozing Blistering Look for common side effects. Some side effects are normal, so do not panic if you notice some mild side effects from using Vagisil. Common side effects of using Vagisil include: Minor burning or itching Mild redness or tenderness White, dry flakes at application site Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve. Vagisil is meant for temporary, short-term use only. If your symptoms last for more than seven days and they do not seem to be getting better, then call your doctor or gynecologist. Vagisil is not designed to treat itching caused by an infection. If you have signs of an infection, like abnormal vaginal discharge, odor, or open sores in the area, then you should seek medical care instead of using Vagisil. | Use the smallest amount needed. Apply Vagisil to the outside of your vagina only. Allow your skin to absorb the Vagisil cream. Reapply three to four times per day. Seek immediate medical attention for serious side effects. Watch for signs of an allergic reaction. Look for common side effects. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Be-an-Effective-Public-Speaker | How to Be an Effective Public Speaker | To be an effective public speaker, start by practicing your speech ahead of time in front of a mirror so you can see how you'll appear to the audience. Then, make note cards you can refer to during your speech, but try to memorize the key points so you can speak smoothly to your listeners. Additionally, use gestures to emphasize your points, like holding up 1, 2, or 3 fingers to indicate your 1st, 2nd, or 3rd major idea. You should also try to engage your audience by having them ask questions or offer suggestions as part of your speech. | Know your audience. This includes the expected size of the audience, as well as their age, gender, educational background, and socioeconomic status. It's also important to know their level of knowledge about the topic you're presenting. Finally, consider how the audience views you and what they will likely expect to gain from your presentation. For example, will you be presenting to people who are relatively new to the topic, or are you speaking at a professional event where people will have some familiarity? You'll need to adjust your material to fit their needs. You want to avoid talking over people's heads, but you also want to avoid giving them a lot of information they already know. Similarly, your presentation will differ depending on how the audience views you. If they see you as an expert on the topic, your speech should convey that knowledge and authority. Determine the appropriate tone for your speech. You can think about the tone of your speech as the mood of the speech. It will be determined by the audience, occasion, topic, and purpose of your speech. You'll also want to consider your personality, as you'll want to use a tone that's natural for you. If your topic is serious in nature, you may use a grave tone. Alternatively, you might choose a humorous tone for a speech delivered at a celebratory dinner. Generally you can use a conversational tone for any speech, regardless of the topic or size of the audience. Most important is to be authentic! Keep in mind that you don't need to use the same tone for your entire speech. For example, your presentation may start out serious but end with a fun, interactive segment. In this case, you'd want to adjust your tone as the presentation progressed. Conduct research, if necessary. If you're already an expert on your topic, then you may be able to compose your speech from memory or from your own notes. However, it's important to do research if there are any gaps in your knowledge. Keep in mind that the audience may notice those gaps and ask questions. Also, audience members may appreciate statistics and facts that back up your points. If you know a lot about your topic, you might want to start writing your speech before doing research. This way you won't waste time reviewing information you already know. For example, a biologist may be able to give a speech about cell division without doing additional research. Similarly, you'd likely be able to write a speech for your parents' anniversary without conducting research. If you don't know much about your topic, do a little research, and then start outlining your speech. For example, if you were giving a speech to celebrate a local landmark, you might want to look up the history of the landmark and important details before you start writing. Outline your speech if desired. Many people find that outlining helps them organize their thoughts and create a well-crafted speech. First, write your thesis, purpose, or controlling thought at the top of the page. Then, write out your main supporting points. Finally, write the conclusion that you want the audience to draw. Stick to 3-5 main points in a single speech. Avoid providing so much information that the reader can't retain it. After you have a basic outline, you can make notes about what you want to say under each bullet point. You don't need to write full sentences. Just write down enough words for you to remember what you want to say. An example thesis for a speech might look like this: “In this new exhibit, the artist's personal history and passion for color come together to recreate a world that the viewer can almost touch.” Create a “hook” to engage your audience. A hook is a sentence or phrase that captures the audience's attention. In many cases, it gives them a personal stake in what you have to say. Alternatively, it may set up a question that you will answer in your speech. What's important is that you give the audience a reason to want to listen. Ideally, your hook should come within the first 30 seconds of your speech. For example, “Like you, I once struggled to organize my time. Now, I get more done in a day than I did in an entire week,” or “When I started my research, I asked myself one question: How can we achieve the impossible?” Add anecdotes or jokes. Although the audience wants to hear your speech, people lose attention quickly. Stories, particularly personal ones, and jokes help hold their attention and make your speech more enjoyable. Additionally, they help people relate to you. Just be sure not to say anything offensive or inappropriate. Audiences love to hear personal stories! They are one of the best ways to make your speech engaging and to pull the audience in. For example, you might start a speech about your scientific research by telling a story about a mishap from your first day in the lab. You might open a training presentation at work with a joke about work meetings. Anticipate audience questions. If you have an idea about what the audience might ask, you can provide those answers in your speech. This ensures that your audience gets what they want from your presentation. Additionally, it'll prevent you from getting caught off-guard if there's a question-and-answer session. Consider your audience again. What do they expect to get out of your speech? What is their knowledge level? Use this information to consider what kinds of questions they may ask. Make presentation materials, such as note cards. Although you don't want to simply read your speech, having notes can keep you on track and ensure that nothing gets skipped. It's a good idea to write out your major points so that you can glance down for a reminder, if you need it. You may also want to jot down a few words to remind yourself of important concepts that you don't want to forget. Don't write out full sentences, as this is more likely to trip you up. Just write the key words. Note cards work well, but some people may prefer to print out an outline on paper. Be flexible. Planning is a big help, but it's impossible to foresee everything. Don't let last-minute changes throw you off. You don't have to follow your prepared speech exactly. For example, you may plan your speech for a group of experts but realize on the night of your presentation that the audience has less background knowledge than you expected. In this case, you could present less of the material you'd planned to share but provide more explanation so that a beginner will understand. Practice your speech in the mirror. It's normal to be nervous before speaking in public, even if you're used to it. You can alleviate your nervousness by practicing the speech beforehand. Give your speech out loud, preferably in front of a mirror. This will allow you to watch yourself so that you can practice how you're going to stand, what gestures you'll make, and any movements you'll make. Film yourself giving your speech. Filming yourself is even more helpful than practicing in the mirror because you can experience what the audience will see! As you watch the video, pretend that you are an audience member. Make notes about what you like about your presentation, as well as what you might like to change. You may want to film yourself more than once if you have things you want to work on. Alternatively, you could have your friend watch you practice the speech and then give a critique. Time your speech. Your speech likely has a time limit, so you want to make sure that you fit within that window. Similarly, you don't want to end your speech too early. Luckily, practice can ensure that your speech fits into your time slot. Use the timer on your phone, a clock, or a handheld timer to time your speech. Make adjustments as necessary. It's best to practice your speech a few times before you start timing it, so that your delivery is smooth. At first, you might spend a few extra seconds here and there trying to remember what it is you wanted to say. Memorize your main points. This will make it easier for you to deliver your speech. Additionally, it'll ensure that you cover all of your material. Don't try to memorize your whole speech. Not only is this difficult, but it can make your delivery a bit robotic. Knowing just the main points will keep your flow natural. Practice using your visual aids, if you have them. Visual aids like PowerPoint, posters, or video presentations can support your speech, but they can also detract from your presentation if you experience a glitch. Incorporate them into your practice sessions so that you get used to transitioning through them without issue. Get used to presenting alongside your visual aids without reading directly from them, as people don't like being read to. Keep in mind that there may be technical issues and you may not be able to access a powerpoint or prezi. Make sure you can deliver your speech without these things, if necessary. Mingle with the audience members before you give your speech. This gives you an opportunity to gauge their potential response so that you make adjustments in your delivery, such as omitting a joke. You can also get a better idea about what they hope to get from your speech. Finally, this allows the audience to see you as a person, making them more likely to relate positively to you. Stand by the door and greet people. Introduce yourself to people as they find their seats. If you're sitting in the audience before your speech, talk to the people around you. Review your notes before your speech. Glance over them once or twice on the day of your presentation. This will refresh your memory so that you are less likely to forget information. Don't stress! Trust yourself to remember what you need to say. Articulate your words. Speak in a slow, clear voice, taking the time to enunciate each word. At times, it can feel like you're talking too slowly, but it actually makes it easier for the audience to follow your speech. It helps to breathe deeply as you're giving your speech so that you're less likely to talk too fast. Use gestures to emphasize your points. This can include intentional hand movements and your movements on the stage. For example, you might want to use your fingers to indicate the point you're on, or drive your hand down to emphasis a point. Use gestures that are natural for you, as forcing them will look fake. However, you should avoid nervous gestures. Make sure your movements are intentional, not a result of fidgeting. Adjust to follow the audience’s reaction. Sometimes audiences react differently than you expected, and that's okay. For example, they may not enjoy your humorous elements. If this happens, adjust your tone and delivery slightly to meet their reactions. For example, if your audience is laughing at your jokes, let the room quiet down before continuing. If they aren't laughing, but are smiling or nodding, you don't need to cut out your jokes. Recognize that larger audiences may provide more intense reactions than smaller ones, as people feel less self-conscious in large groups. If your audience seems to be lost, you might lighten your tone and give more explanations. Use audio-visual aids only as needed. Unnecessary audio-visual aids can be distracting to audience members. This detracts from your speech. Don't read from slides, as people don't enjoy being read to. You can use audio-visual aids in fun ways to add to your presentation. For example, you might include a short video about the latest discoveries in your field. Involve the audience. This is one of the best ways to keep your audience engaged. It can also help them remember more from your speech. You can do this by asking them to respond to you or allowing them to ask you questions. Ask the audience to repeat your key phrases. You could also get the audience to make a particular sound or gesture at certain points in the speech. Ask the audience to offer examples or suggestions. Take audience questions. Be yourself. Although it might be tempting to adopt a persona, don't try to be someone you aren't. The audience is there to see you! Have the confidence to put a bit of yourself into your speech. Remember, it's possible to give a professional speech and still be yourself. For example, if you are boisterous and lively in life, then be like that when you speak. However, don't try to force yourself to act that way if it isn't natural. Calm yourself if you start to feel nervous. Feeling nervous before speaking in public is totally normal, so don't give yourself a hard time. If you start to feel nervous, you can try a few techniques for calming yourself down: Imagine your presentation going well. Focus on the purpose of your speech rather than your nervous feelings. Breathe deeply to calm yourself. Jog in place or wave your arms above your head to burn off nervous energy. Limit your caffeine consumption before you're scheduled to present. | Know your audience. Determine the appropriate tone for your speech. Conduct research, if necessary. Outline your speech if desired. Create a “hook” to engage your audience. Add anecdotes or jokes. Anticipate audience questions. Make presentation materials, such as note cards. Be flexible. Practice your speech in the mirror. Film yourself giving your speech. Time your speech. Memorize your main points. Practice using your visual aids, if you have them. Mingle with the audience members before you give your speech. Review your notes before your speech. Articulate your words. Use gestures to emphasize your points. Adjust to follow the audience’s reaction. Use audio-visual aids only as needed. Involve the audience. Be yourself. Calm yourself if you start to feel nervous. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Perfume | How to Make Perfume | To make perfume, first pick a "carrier" oil, like jojoba or grape seed. Then add the scents you want, like lavender, jasmine, and vanilla, for example. Be sure to pick a combination of short, medium, and long-lasting scents so your fragrance lasts as you wear it! Next, add alcohol, like vodka, to hold your scents together. Store your perfume in dark glass bottles to preserve your scent over time, and let it sit just a couple of days for a light scent or several weeks for a stronger one. | Know the different notes. Perfumes are a blend of different levels of scent, also called “notes”. When you spray a fragrance on your skin, it moves through these notes in the following order: Top notes are what you smell first. They are also what disappears first, usually within 10 to 15 minutes. Middle notes appear as the top notes die off. These are the fragrance's core, determining which family the perfume belongs to — for example, oriental, woody, fresh, or floral. Base notes accentuate and fix the fragrance's middle notes, also known as its theme. They comprise the fragrance's foundation, making the scent last up to 4 or 5 hours on your skin. Familiarize yourself with popular top notes. Popular top notes include basil, bergamot, grapefruit, lavender, lemon, lime, mint, neroli, rosemary, and sweet orange. Familiarize yourself with popular middle notes. These include black pepper, cardamom, chamomile, cinnamon, clove, fir needle, jasmine, juniper, lemongrass, neroli, nutmeg, rose, rosewood, and ylang-ylang. Familiarize yourself with popular base notes. These include cedarwood, cypress, ginger, patchouli, pine, sandalwood, vanilla, and vetiver. Know the ratios. When mixing a fragrance, first add your base notes, then your middle notes, then finally, your top notes. The ideal ratio for blending notes is 30% top notes, 50% middle notes, and 20% base notes. Some perfumers recommend combining a maximum of 3 to 4 dominant notes. Know the basic recipe. To make a perfume, you need more than just the top, middle, and base notes: you also need something to add them to. Your process begins with a carrier oil. Popular choices include jojoba, sweet almond, and grape seed oil. Next, you'll slowly add drops of your base, middle, and top notes to the carrier oil. Finally, you'll add something to help merge the ingredients together. Alcohol is a popular choice because it evaporates quickly and helps diffuse the perfume's notes. A common choice amongst DIY perfumers is a high-quality, 80- to 100-proof (40% to 50% alc/vol) vodka. If you're looking to make a solid perfume (more like a lip balm), use melted beeswax for the fixative instead of alcohol or water. Find out what notes your favorite perfumes contain. If you're unsure of how to structure a perfume, have a look at the ingredients of your favorite commercial scents. If you have trouble finding the ingredients or separating them into notes, the Basenotes website is a great resource for breaking down the notes in popular perfumes. Buy dark glass containers. Many people recommend using dark glass containers because the dark glass helps protect your perfume from light, which can shorten its lifespan. You'll also want to make sure your glass containers haven't previously contained any food items, as any residual scents will transfer to your perfume. The exception to this would be if you actually wanted to use the scent of what was in the glass container before. (Warning: peanut-butter-banana-chocolate perfume might taste better than it smells!) Buy a carrier oil. A carrier oil is what carries the scents in a particular fragrance on to your skin. These are generally unscented, and are used to dilute concentrated oils and aromatics that can otherwise irritate your skin. Your carrier oil can really be anything. You can even use olive oil if you don't mind the scent. One popular perfumer simmers rose petals in virgin olive oil, then combines it all with vitamin E oil to stabilize it. Buy the strongest alcohol you can find. A common choice amongst many DIY perfumers is a high-quality, 80- to 100-proof (40% to 50% alc/vol) vodka. Other DIY perfumers favour 190-proof (80% alc/vol) alcohol. Popular choices for 190-proof alcohol include organic neutral grape alcohol and the much cheaper Everclear, which is a grain spirit. Select your scents. Your perfume can be made out of a wide variety of ingredients. Common aromatics for perfumes include essential oils, flower petals, leaves, and herbs. Decide on a method. The method for making perfume will vary slightly depending on your materials. Two common aromatics used for perfume are plant materials (flowers, leaves, and herbs) and essential oils; the methods vary for each of these. Obtain a clean glass container. The type of container isn't as important as the material: just make sure that a) it's clean and b) it's glass. The container also needs to have a tight-fitting lid.But having dark containers also helps for preserving. Perfumers generally recommend using dark glass, which can lengthen the fragrance's life by protecting it from light. Avoid using jars that have previously contained food items, even if they've been washed out, as the glass might pass the scent on. Obtain an odorless oil. Popular choices for use in perfumes include jojoba oil, almond oil, and grape seed oil. Collect flowers, leaves, or herbs whose scent appeals to you. Be sure to collect plant materials when the scent is strong and the leaves are dry. Letting them air out can leave them limp and with a less effective scent. You may want to collect and dry more plants than you need, just in case you want to add more to strengthen the oil's scent later on. Remove any unwanted plant materials. If you're using flowers, use only the petals. If you're using leaves or herbs, remove any twigs or other bits that might interfere with the scent. Bruise the plant materials lightly. This step is optional, but may help to bring out the scent more. You'll just want to lightly press on the plant materials with a wooden spoon. Pour some oil into the glass container. It need only be a small amount — just enough to properly coat and cover your petals/leaves/herbs. Add the plant materials to the oil and shut the lid. Ensure that the lid is closed tightly. Let the jar sit in a cool, dark place for one to two weeks. Open, strain and repeat. If the oil doesn't smell as strong as you'd like it to after one to two weeks, you can strain out the old plant materials and add new ones to the scented oil, then store it once more. You can repeat this process for several weeks or even months until the oil has reached the desired strength. Be sure to keep the oil! It's the old plant materials that you want to discard. Preserve your scented oil. Once you're happy with the oil, you can add 1 or 2 drops of a natural preservative such as vitamin E or grapefruit seed extract to your scented oil to help extend its life. If you'd like to turn the oil into a balm, you can also add some beeswax to it: melt some beeswax in the microwave, combine it with the perfume, then dump the whole mixture into a container to cool and solidify. Gather your materials. You'll need the following ingredients: 2 tbsp carrier oil (jojoba, almond, or grape seed will do) 6 tbsp 100- to 190-proof alcohol 2.5 tbsp bottled (not tap) water 30 drops of essential oils (at least 1 of each: base, middle, and top) Coffee filter Funnel 2 clean glass containers Pour 2 tbsp carrier oil into the glass bottle. Add your essential oils. You'll want to add roughly 30 drops in total. Start with your base notes, then add your middle notes, then add your top notes. The ideal ratio is 20% base, 50% middle, and 30% top. Pay attention to the scents that you are adding: if one scent is much stronger than the rest, you'll want to add less of it so that it doesn't overpower everything else. Add the alcohol. Use a high-quality alcohol with a high alcohol content. Vodka is a popular choice amongst DIY perfumers. Allow the perfume to sit for at least 48 hours. Shut the lid and allow the perfume to cure for at least 48 hours. You can leave it for up to 6 weeks, which is when its scent will be at its strongest. Check the bottle regularly to see where the scent is at. Add 2 tbsp bottled water. Once you're happy with the scent, add 2 tbsp bottled water to your perfume. Shake the bottle vigorously. Do this for 1 minute to ensure that the contents are well blended. Transfer the perfume to another bottle. Using a coffee filter and a funnel, pour your perfume into a clean, dark glass bottle. You can also transfer it to a fancy bottle if you're giving it as a gift. You may want to label the bottle with the ingredients and a date on it so that you can keep track of how long it lasts. That way, you'll know whether you should make more or less the next time around. Try a variation. To make a solid perfume (like a lip balm) instead of a spray/liquid perfume, try substituting the water with melted beeswax. You would add the melted beeswax to your perfume and then pour the warm mixture into a container to solidify. You can buy beeswax at most health food stores. | Know the different notes. Familiarize yourself with popular top notes. Familiarize yourself with popular middle notes. Familiarize yourself with popular base notes. Know the ratios. Know the basic recipe. Find out what notes your favorite perfumes contain. Buy dark glass containers. Buy a carrier oil. Buy the strongest alcohol you can find. Select your scents. Decide on a method. Obtain a clean glass container. Obtain an odorless oil. Collect flowers, leaves, or herbs whose scent appeals to you. Remove any unwanted plant materials. Bruise the plant materials lightly. Pour some oil into the glass container. Add the plant materials to the oil and shut the lid. Let the jar sit in a cool, dark place for one to two weeks. Open, strain and repeat. Preserve your scented oil. Gather your materials. Pour 2 tbsp carrier oil into the glass bottle. Add your essential oils. Add the alcohol. Allow the perfume to sit for at least 48 hours. Add 2 tbsp bottled water. Shake the bottle vigorously. Transfer the perfume to another bottle. Try a variation. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Wax-out-of-Fabrics-and-Carpet | How to Get Wax out of Fabrics and Carpet | To get wax out of fabric or carpet, start by letting the wax dry completely so you don't accidentally rub wet wax deeper into the fibers. Then, scrape up the dried wax with a butter knife or spoon and shake or vacuum over the material to dislodge any loose pieces. Next, cover the remaining wax with a double layer of paper towel and apply hot air to the area with a blow dryer, pressing down on the paper towels to absorb the wax. For materials that are more heat resistant, you can use an iron instead. Finally, wash the area to remove any remaining residue. | Let the wax dry completely. When you knock over a candle or get wax on the carpet, your clothes, or another piece of fabric, you must give the wax time to dry before you can clean it. Otherwise, you risk pushing the wax deeper into the fibers if you try to wipe it up when it's wet. Wax doesn't take long to dry. For small amounts, the wax will be dry in a couple of minutes. For larger spills, you may have to way 15 to 20 minutes. To speed up the process, apply an ice cube to the affected area to dry the wax faster. Scrape up the excess. When the wax is dry, use a butter knife or spoon to scrape the wax and break it up. Pick up any large pieces that flake off and throw them in the garbage. Avoid spreading the loose wax flakes around as much as possible, as this could make cleanup more difficult. On fabric, peel the fabric away from the back of the wax to dislodge the larger pieces. Vacuum the area. When you're removing wax from a rug or carpet, vacuum the area thoroughly to suck up any pieces or flakes of wax that you scraped off. This will prevent wax from melting into the carpet in a larger area when you go to remove it. Instead of vacuuming fabrics, take the material outside and shake it out to remove loose wax pieces. Test the area for heat sensitivity. The easiest way to remove wax from fabrics and carpeting is with an iron, but only if the material can withstand the heat. Set an iron to low and let it preheat. Once hot, apply the iron to an inconspicuous area of the fabric or carpet for 30 seconds. Remove the iron and inspect for damage, melting, or warping. During the test, remove the iron immediately if the carpet or material starts to smoke, smells like burning, or begins to melt. Cover the wax with paper towel. Grab two pieces of paper towel and lay the double layer on top of the wax spill. For moveable carpets, rugs, and fabrics, place two sheets of paper towel on the underside of the spill as well. When you heat the wax, the paper towels will absorb it. You can also use a single layer of a white or brown paper bag if you don't have paper towel. Just make sure there's no ink, wax, or printing on the bag. You can also use blotting paper, which is an absorbent material meant to soak up oil and other liquids. Heat the area with an iron. Turn an iron on to the low temperature setting and wait for it to heat up. When the iron is hot, press it gently into the paper towel where the wax is. Move the iron slowly from side to side to warm the area. As the wax heats and re-melts, the paper towel will absorb it. Don't use steam settings to heat the wax, as it will soak the paper towel and prevent it from absorbing the wax. You can use this method to remove wax from carpeting, leather, faux leather, denim, suede, micro suede, and other materials. Use a blow dryer instead. For materials that didn't pass the heat test, use a blow dryer on the hot setting to heat the wax. Hold the blow dryer 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) from the carpet. Direct the hot air at the wax spill and apply gentle pressure to the paper towel with your other hand. You may have to use the blow dryer instead of the iron for materials that can melt, such as synthetics like polyester, faux fur materials, and other polymer-based fabrics. Replace the paper towels as needed until the area is clean. As the paper towels becomes saturated with wax, replace the sheets above and below the material with fresh sheets. This will allow the wax to continue absorbing, and prevent it from spreading to a larger area. Continue heating the wax with the iron, saturating the paper towels, and replacing the paper towels until the towels stop absorbing wax. Wash the area. For machine washable fabrics like clothing and table cloths, treat the area with a stain remover and then launder it in the washing machine. For non-washable materials like carpeting, spray the area with carpet cleaner and blot it with a clean cloth until the area is clean and dry. After you remove the wax from the area, there may still be colorant or residue left on the material, and that's why washing is necessary. Use candle holders. Wax spills often occur when lit candles aren't secured properly and fall over. You can prevent this from happening by using candle holders that are the appropriate size for the candle you're burning. Holders are especially important with taper candles, the tall skinny candles, that aren't designed to stand up on their own. If you're burning a taper candle that's slightly small for the holder, wrap the base of the candle with aluminum foil before inserting it into the holder. Place candles on plates. This will protect the table and tablecloth underneath from wax spills and runoff. You can use a ceramic plate, aluminum pie plate, or other flat dish. This is especially important with votive and pillar candles that don't necessarily need candle holders. A protective base is also important with taper candles, because wax can drip off the side of the candle holder and onto the surface below. Keep candles away from edges. Candles that are too close to a table edge or ledge are a risk for being knocked over. Not only will this spill wax on carpeting and other materials, but it's also a fire hazard. When burning candles, place them in the center of a large table to prevent accidents. Don’t move lit candles. A lit or recently lit candle will have liquid wax on the top of the candle, and this is very easy to spill. To prevent this from happening, it is imperative that you do not to move a candle once it's lit, and to always give candles plenty of time to cool down after you blow them out. Choose your candle placement wisely before you light it to avoid having to move it when the wax is hot. Remove rugs before using hair removal wax. Hot hair removal wax is another type of wax that can cause spills on fabrics and carpets. To prevent this, always use the wax in an uncarpeted area of the house, such as a bathroom. If there are any area rugs in the bathroom, move them out of the room before you melt the wax. | Let the wax dry completely. Scrape up the excess. Vacuum the area. Test the area for heat sensitivity. Cover the wax with paper towel. Heat the area with an iron. Use a blow dryer instead. Replace the paper towels as needed until the area is clean. Wash the area. Use candle holders. Place candles on plates. Keep candles away from edges. Don’t move lit candles. Remove rugs before using hair removal wax. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Draw-the-Eiffel-Tower | How to Draw the Eiffel Tower | To draw the Eiffel Tower from the front, start constructing the basic shape by drawing a curved triangle, and then another smaller one inside of it. Then, capture the levels of the tower by drawing two horizontal lines just below the inner tip, and two more horizontal lines about halfway down the structure. To form the arch at the base of the tower, draw half an oval to connect the two sides. Finally, add details like X's between the columns to replicate the steel structure. | Draw a straight guide line down the middle of your paper. Lay your paper vertically so you can fit the entire tower on your sheet. Use a pencil and ruler to make a straight vertical line in the center of the page to use as your guide. Since the Eiffel Tower is symmetrical, it will look the same on both sides of the line. Make sure there's a small gap between the top and bottom of the page and the center line so you have room to draw the tip and legs of the tower. Work lightly so you can easily erase your marks if you make a mistake. You can work with your paper horizontally, but you won't be able to draw your tower as tall as you would if it was vertical. Put a square with a triangle on it on top of the line. The top of the Eiffel Tower has a viewing platform and antenna that are shaped like a square and triangle when you look at them from the front. Draw in a small square that's about the size of your thumb nail at the top so the line goes through the middle of it. Once you have the square drawn, put a triangle with a steep point on top of it for the antenna. Don't draw the square and triangle too big or else you won't be able to draw the rest of the tower proportionally correct. Sketch in 2 horizontal rectangles perpendicular to the line for the viewing platforms. Find the halfway point of the center guide and make a narrow horizontal rectangle that's about twice the width of the square. Then find the halfway point between that rectangle and the bottom of the line so you know where to place the second rectangle. Make the second rectangle about twice the length of the first one. Make curved lines from the corners of the square to the corners of the bottom rectangle. Place your pencil on one of the bottom corners of the square on top. Draw a curved line down so it goes through the top corner of the upper rectangle and ends at the top corner of the lower rectangle. Repeat the process from the other bottom corner of the square on the opposite side of your tower. Don't extend the curved lines all the way to the bottom of the page since the legs on the bottom of the Eiffel Tower are straighter. Draw curved lines that are parallel to the first ones you drew so they come from the center. Start your lines about a third of the way down the center guide for your tower. Draw a line on one side of the guide so it follows the same curve as the line you just drew. End the curved line so it's about a third of the way in from the end of the bottom rectangle. Draw another curved line on the opposite side of the guide following the curve on that side. It's okay if your curves aren't perfectly parallel with one another since the Eiffel Tower starts to get wider near the bottom. Put in 45-degree angled lines coming down from the bottom rectangle. Start your first line in one of the bottom corners of the lower rectangle, and extend it down away from the center guide. Once the end lines up with the bottom of the center guide, stop drawing the angle. Start the next angled line a third of the way from the end of the rectangle. When the ends of the angles line up, connect them with a straight horizontal line. Repeat the process on the other side of the tower. Remember the Eiffel Tower is symmetrical so the left and right side should look the same once you're finished. Add an upside-down curve between the tower’s legs to connect them. The Eiffel Tower has curved supports between the legs to keep it sturdy. Start the curved line about a third of the way down the leg and make it arch up toward the center of the bottom rectangle. Make the curve symmetrical across the center guide to connect the legs. Don't let the top of the curve touch the bottom of the rectangle. Sketch horizontal lines between the parallel curves to make the girders. Start from the tip of the tower and work your way down toward the legs to split them into equally sized rectangles. As you get closer to the bottom, allow a little more space between the horizontal lines to make them further apart. When you're finished, the legs should have 3-4 rectangles, the area between the viewing platforms will have 3-4 rectangles, and the area between the top viewing platform and tip will have 15-16 small rectangles. Draw an X in each rectangle of the girders. Put an X between each of the lines you just drew to add the cross supports to the tower's girders. Make sure the center of the X is in the middle of each rectangle so the tower looks correct. Once you fill in the rest of the triangles, your Eiffel Tower is finished! You can also add small X-shapes along the viewing platforms and on the bottom arch if you want to add more detail to your drawing. Finished. Draw a straight line down the middle of your paper. You can either position your paper vertically or horizontally when you start drawing the Eiffel Tower. Work lightly in pencil to add a line down the center of your paper to use as a guide. Be sure to leave a small gap at the top and the bottom of the sheet so you have room to add some details later. Sketch in sweeping curved lines on either side of the center line. Start one of your curved lines on the right side of the guide you drew earlier. Leave a small gap between the guide and the curved line at the end. As you draw the line toward the bottom of your paper, make the curve get further away from the line. Make another curved line that's symmetrical to the first one on the other side of the guide. Your drawing will look similar to a triangle with curved sides. The perspective of the drawing resembles standing near the base of the Eiffel Tower and looking up at it. Make horizontal rectangles to split the center line into thirds. Measure a third of the way down the length of the guide line and make a narrow horizontal rectangle that extends slightly past the curved lines on each side. Then measure another third down the center guide so you know where to place the next rectangle. Make the second rectangle about twice as thick and long as the first one so it looks like it's closer to you. The rectangles are the bottoms of the Eiffel Tower's viewing platforms. Put 2 upside-down curves below the bottom rectangle to make the legs. The curves on the bottom will be the arch that spans between the tower's legs. Start from the center guide just below the bottom rectangle and curve it out until it's parallel with the first sweeping curve you made on the side. Repeat the process on the other side of the tower so the arch is symmetrical. Make another curved line just underneath the first one so it looks like an archway. Draw a triangle with curved sides so its point extends up past the top rectangle. Start the base of the triangle on top of the lowest rectangle about a third of the way in from each end. Make a curved line up from the lower rectangle that's parallel with the outer curve of the tower so it goes through the top rectangle. End the line halfway between the top rectangle and the end of the guide line. Draw the other side of the triangle coming up from the other side to form a point on top. It's okay to draw the lines through the rectangles at first. Just be sure to erase them so they aren't in your final drawing. Add straight horizontal lines between the curves to form the girders. Once you have the base of the structure drawn, start adding the support girders on it. Begin at the tip of the tower and draw straight horizontal lines from one of the outer curved lines to the other to make small rectangles. Make the lines closer together near the top and further apart near the bottom to show that they're closer to you. When you're finished, there will be 15-16 lines from the tip to the top viewing platform, 3-4 lines between the viewing platforms, and 3-4 lines on each leg. Make Xs in each of the spaces along the girders. Add an X-shape between each of the horizontal lines you just drew to make the cross supports. Make sure the ends of the X extend into the corners of the space so it looks like they're connected to the tower. Sketch lines inside of the archway to add the supports. The direction you draw your lines depends on where it is along the arch since you're drawing in perspective. Start by drawing a straight vertical line between the 2 curves of the arch so it's along the center guide. As you add lines along the arch, angle them in toward the center. The lines near the bottom of the arch will be nearly horizontal. When you're finished, you should have about 6 evenly spaced lines on each side of the guide. If you want to add more depth to your drawing, make small rectangles instead of single lines. That way, the supports will look three-dimensional. Put a rounded square on top of the tower to add the point. At the top of your tower, make a square with rounded corners so it extends slightly out from the tip. Don't overlap any lines with parts of the tower you already drew or else the drawing will look messy. Once you have the point on top of the tower, your drawing's finished! Finished. | Draw a straight guide line down the middle of your paper. Put a square with a triangle on it on top of the line. Sketch in 2 horizontal rectangles perpendicular to the line for the viewing platforms. Make curved lines from the corners of the square to the corners of the bottom rectangle. Draw curved lines that are parallel to the first ones you drew so they come from the center. Put in 45-degree angled lines coming down from the bottom rectangle. Add an upside-down curve between the tower’s legs to connect them. Sketch horizontal lines between the parallel curves to make the girders. Draw an X in each rectangle of the girders. Finished. Draw a straight line down the middle of your paper. Sketch in sweeping curved lines on either side of the center line. Make horizontal rectangles to split the center line into thirds. Put 2 upside-down curves below the bottom rectangle to make the legs. Draw a triangle with curved sides so its point extends up past the top rectangle. Add straight horizontal lines between the curves to form the girders. Make Xs in each of the spaces along the girders. Sketch lines inside of the archway to add the supports. Put a rounded square on top of the tower to add the point. Finished. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Buy-Silver | How to Buy Silver | To buy silver, your best bet is to go through a reputable dealer so you don't have to worry about being scammed or charged an unfair price. If you live in the United States, you can find a list of reputable dealers by visiting the U.S. Mint's website. However, if you're just looking to buy scrap silver, you can try looking for ads online, asking friends or family, or putting an ad in your local newspaper. You can even find scrap silver in items at garage sales and thrift stores. | Consider the kind of silver you’d like to buy. You can buy physical silver (scrap silver and bullion), paper silver (which buys you the rights to physical silver that you won't have to store yourself) and silver futures, which is a way to bet on what you think silver will be worth in the future. If you want to own tangible silver, beware of bait-and-switch techniques where a seller offers papers that claim to grant you ownership of physical silver held elsewhere. Find a reputable dealer. To avoid scams and other unfavorable buying situations, find a reputable dealer. In the United States probably the best way to connect with a reputable dealer is viewing the list of recommended dealers on the US Mint's website. Type "coin dealer database US Mint" into your favorite search engine, and that will connect you to a page on the US Mint's website where you can search for national and local dealers that have been vetted by the Mint. Determine silver's market value. In financial markets there's something called a troy ounce that shows the price of a precious metal per raw ounce. Look up the current value to make sure a seller is not charging you considerably more than market price for silver. (A price slightly higher than market value would not be unusual, but you should be able to find silver at market price if you look hard enough.) Negotiate terms. In any sale of silver, there are often specific terms that need to be negotiated between seller and buyer. Without considering these issues, you may be selling yourself short when purchasing physical silver. If you are buying "paper" silver (documents granting silver ownership), determine how the seller holds the physical silver represented by the paper. For example, buyers have reported that commercial banks may offer paper representing physical silver, only to encounter frustrating delays and obstacles when the customers demand to receive actual silver. Discuss numismatic and raw values for silver. Some sellers offer silver coins as physical silver. In this kind of transaction it's important for the buyer to understand how numismatic (coin) value may affect a purchase. Without going over this critical detail, you could end up paying too much for your silver. (In other words, don't pay a numismatic price unless you specifically want coins, which typically fetch a higher price than bullion does.) Ask about premium fees. Some sellers (such as banks) charge extra fees for the sale of silver. This can cause a buyer to lose ground the moment they make a purchase. Demand that your seller honor a fair transaction value for silver so that you can see an immediate gain if the price of silver increases. Ask about buybacks. Some sellers will buy back physical silver that they sell to you, and others won't. Keep in mind that without a buyback agreement, you may suffer losses when you try to sell your silver if you cannot find a buyer who will honor fair market values based on the original sale price as well as current market realities. Get cost-basis information for tax filing. Another important step in buying silver or any other precious metal is to get documentation of your sale and the cost of the silver. This is so that you can declare your cost basis when you sell the silver in the future. Without this information, the federal IRS could cause problems with your sale when you pass the metal on to another buyer. Know how to identify real silver. Genuine silver jewelry or silverware will be stamped with the number 800 or 925 or a promise that the silver is sterling (e.g., "Ster," "Sterling" or "Stg"). If you cannot find an identifying mark on your silver, here are three tests you can perform if you're trying to tell real silver from fake silver. Real silver rings. Either flick a silver coin into the air or tap it with another coin to produce a sound. The sound you should hear with silver is a ringing sound, high-pitched and bell-like. If you flip a 1932-1964 quarter (90% silver) and a post-1964 quarter (90% copper), you should hear the difference immediately. Real silver melts ice. Place an ice cube on a block of silver or a silver coin and watch the ice cube melt faster than it would if it were merely left out at room temperature. Silver melts ice quickly because it has very high thermal conductivity. In other words, ice "sucks" the heat out of silver. Real silver isn't magnetic. Get a rare-earth neodymium magnet. Tilt a silver bar at a 45° downward slope, and let the neodymium magnet slide down the bar. On real silver the magnet will make a slow descent down the bar. On non-silver materials, it will either stick to the top of the bar or slide down very quickly. Ask friends and family if they have any scrap silver they'd like to sell. Many people have broken or damaged silver jewelry that they'd be happy to sell at a reasonable price. Some may even give you things for free. Place ads. Use Craigslist, your local newspaper, or even your local radio station to make it known that you're interesting in buying scrap silver. Watch for a fair deal. Ask around in the community before taking the first deal you see. (Online testimonials should be viewed with skepticism.) If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Using the US Mint's list of recommended dealers is a good starting point. Find your own sources. Look at online auctions, garage sales, flea markets, thrift shops, and consignment stores. Online auctions will generally have higher prices, but the trustworthy ones will also have ways for you to verify that what you're purchasing is actually silver. You can sometimes find hidden treasures in the bulk and miscellaneous baskets at second-hand shops – and for a fraction of what they're worth. In particular, look for thick rings, broken jewelry, and silverware. Get to know local pawnshop owners. While pawn shops aren't necessarily the first place you'll want to go to find silver, getting to know the owners can provide you with a lot of valuable insights and possibly set you up with contacts. If you're lucky, you'll find a pawn shop that doesn't have the resources or inclination to deal with scrap silver and will work out a deal to put you in touch with potential sellers. Look for silver in unexpected places. In addition to jewelry, silver can be found in circuit boards, old electronics, mobile phones, photographic plates and old cameras. Look for dead electronics in thrift shops and scrap yards or whenever a school or office building is upgrading its equipment. Break your silver down. Take out any non-silver components and collect all the silver pieces in sealable containers. Note that some jewelry will be worth more in an unaltered form than when broken down for scrap. Think about investing in silver coins. Silver coins derive their value both from their silver content and the numismatic value of the coin. In most cases, numismatic value is the main component. What this means is that the characteristics of the coin — primarily its condition and the history attached to it — mean more to collectors than the actual value of the silver when determining price. For this reason many investors caution against investing in silver coins if you're not interested in numismatics at all. Because of the collectible nature of silver coins, their prices can be very volatile. In fact, their prices can shift dramatically due to market demands, often for reasons that have nothing to do with the price of silver. If you're going to invest in silver coins, be aware of this before embarking on your journey. Try your hand at investing in silver bars. Silver bars consist of almost pure silver. Because of this unique feature, they often trade at above-market price. You can find silver bars at major banks or bullion dealers. Silver bullion is effectively the same thing as silver bars. Bullion coins are made of precious metals, designed to store value instead of being used in commerce. As such, you can buy silver bullion coins if you're not committed to the notion of having silver bars. Silver bars come in different shapes and weights. 1 oz., 5 oz., 10 oz., 100 oz. and 1000 oz. bars are the standard, although there are certain manufacturers who design even lighter bars. What you need to know when thinking about weight is this: the smaller the bar, the higher the premium you'll pay per ounce. So the best value is to buy larger bars. Consider investing in silver "rounds. " A silver round is a cross between a bar and a coin. Like bars and bullion, rounds have no numismatic value. They look like coins, however, and usually contain a troy ounce of silver (1/12 of a pound). When purchased from a private manufacturer, they are often minted with a custom design. Consider investing in an ETF. An exchange-traded fund is a mutual fund that tracks an index or commodity (like silver) but is traded like a stock. While ETFs are similar to index funds, there is often no commission fee associated with the buying or selling of the ETF, unlike some index funds. When you choose to invest in an ETF, you're not actually buying physical silver or even the right to redeem silver. Normally, you're just making a bet that the price of silver is going to rise. If, on the other hand, you're convinced the price of silver is going to go down, or you simply want insurance in case the price of silver drops, you can also short sell ETFs. ETFs provide a very high level of liquidity, meaning that they can be cashed in quickly without substantially affecting their value. Consider investing in a mining company. It's a riskier proposition, but a potentially lucrative one. Consider these caveats, however: The price of a mining company's stock may go down even though the value of the commodity goes up. Even if the price of silver is appreciating, you could lose money on your investment if the mining company you invest in suffers from bad management or has a poor financial quarter. Investing in mining companies is risky. With greater risk comes potentially greater reward. If you can stomach the increased risk, or if you have an appetite for it, investing in mining operations can yield hefty rewards. Know that owning physical silver is probably more useful than owning a non-physical security certificate. Physical silver -- coins, bars, bullion or rounds -- is widely used both as currency and in industrial manufacturing. This makes physical sliver more versatile than "paper" silver, though not necessarily as liquid. If you're planning on investing in silver, consider starting with the physical metal before venturing into other more-complex forms of ownership. Use silver as a hedge. In a time of economic uncertainty and slow growth, silver is an excellent hedge. A hedge is a strategy that reduces your risk of losses when the market fluctuates, usually by investing in an offsetting position. Silver is a good hedge against currency inflation. That's because if the value of currency drops, precious metals like silver and gold remain relatively stable or even increase in value. Don't buy on hope or sell on fear. Many buyers of silver and gold approach such an investment from the wrong angle: they buy when they notice the price going up (since the "value" is increasing), and they sell when they notice the price going down (when the "value" is diminishing). This is a classic violation of the first principle of investing — buy low and sell high. Think of things the other way around. Instead of buying when everyone else is confident, and the price of silver is high, buy when everyone else is worried, and the price of silver has dropped. Instead of buying when prices are high, that's the time to be selling. Instead of selling when prices are low, that's the time to be buying. Although this is an emotionally difficult path to tread, it's the best way to make money over time. Take a look at a historical graph of silver prices. Over the last few decades the price of silver has periodically fallen to about $5 an ounce. If you can afford to wait until silver falls to that level again, invest in it at that time. When economic times are uncertain and the price of silver goes up, unload your silver for a hefty profit, or keep it as a hedge against currency depreciation. Remember that the silver market is very volatile. If you're not ready for a rollercoaster ride when you buy silver, perhaps it isn't the right investment for you. Of course, if you happen to buy silver when it's bottomed out, most of the future volatility will be to the upside. Even then, however, expect tortuous price fluctuations as consumer sentiment and monetary policy change periodically. | Consider the kind of silver you’d like to buy. Find a reputable dealer. Determine silver's market value. Negotiate terms. Get cost-basis information for tax filing. Know how to identify real silver. Ask friends and family if they have any scrap silver they'd like to sell. Place ads. Watch for a fair deal. Find your own sources. Get to know local pawnshop owners. Look for silver in unexpected places. Break your silver down. Think about investing in silver coins. Try your hand at investing in silver bars. Consider investing in silver "rounds. Consider investing in an ETF. Consider investing in a mining company. Know that owning physical silver is probably more useful than owning a non-physical security certificate. Use silver as a hedge. Don't buy on hope or sell on fear. Remember that the silver market is very volatile. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Cloudy-Glasses | How to Clean Cloudy Glasses | To clean cloudy glasses, make your own lens cleaner by mixing a drop of dish soap with equal parts warm water and isopropyl alcohol or witch hazel. Once prepared, spray the homemade solution on the lenses and wipe them down with a clean microfiber or cotton cloth. Additionally, make sure to keep your cleaning cloth free of dust and dirt or else you could accidentally scratch your glasses. When not in use, keep your microfiber cloth as well as your glasses in a protective case to keep excess dust away. | Acquire a soft, clean cloth. In most cases, when you purchase your glasses from an optometrist, optical office, or eye boutique, you will also receive a microfiber cloth intended for cleaning your lenses. This cloth is ideal for cleaning smudges and cloudiness. If you've lost or misplaced your microfiber cloth, find a soft, clean substitute cloth. Cotton, so long as it's clean, should be suitable. It is important to use fabric that is not treated with fabric softener as that can cause streaks on the lenses. You should avoid using: coarse fabrics, like wool and certain synthetic fabrics, facial tissue, or toilet paper, as these will cause tiny scratches to form on your lenses over time. Make use of glasses cleaner. These solutions are specially formulated to cut through dirtiness without doing harm to your lenses or coatings that may be on your lenses. Spritz a moderate amount of the cleaner onto your lens and wipe it clean with your soft, clean cloth. Do not use your saliva to clean your lenses. Saliva won't clean especially well and is unhygienic. Clean with dish soap and warm water. If you don't happen to have glasses cleaner on hand, you can use a drop of dish soap and warm water to cut through grime and leave your lenses pristine. Use your fingers and carefully spread the soap over the surface of your lenses. Rinse the lenses clean of soap with warm water, and you're ready to move on. Wipe your glasses with your soft cloth. After applying your cleaning solution, you can take your soft cloth and wipe your lenses dry in gentle, circular motions. You should try not to use scrubbing motions, which can lead to lens damage over time. Inspect lenses for stubborn stains. Depending on just how dirty your glasses really are, you may need another application of cleaner before you lenses become fully clean. After using your cleaner or dish soap and hot water, wipe your lenses with your soft cloth. Break up nose pad residue. Oil and dust can collect in the nook between your nose pads and lenses, creating a cloudy film in the area close to your nose. By using a soft bristle toothbrush, dish soap, and warm water, you can bust up this grimy buildup, though you should be careful not to scrub your lenses with the toothbrush. Fill a basin or container with warm water and soap. Dip your cleaning toothbrush into the solution and swish it around. Gently scrub at the metal arm that connects your nose pad to your glasses frames. Swish your toothbrush in your water/soap solution to remove dirt and gunk that accumulates on your brush. Rinse your glasses under warm water. Check for remaining grime and buildup and repeat scrubbing until fully clean. Gather your supplies. Homemade lens cleaner won't damage the coating on your lenses like some other cleaning agents might, but you can count on it to cut through the clouds and smudges on your glasses. This is also a cheap alternative to ready-made eyeglass cleaner in the event that you ran out or weren't given any at your previous visit to the eye doctor. To make your own lens cleaner, you will need: Dish soap Isopropyl alcohol (or witch hazel) Measuring cup Microfiber cloth Small spray bottle Water Prepare your supplies. You should clean your spray bottle and measuring cup before mixing your glass cleaning solution. This is because any dirt or dust left behind in these can contaminate your homemade lens cleaner. This is especially important if you are using a general purpose spray bottle that might have previously contained other household cleaners. Mix the liquids of your cleaner in equal parts. Now that your measuring cup and spray bottle are clean, you should measure your water and isopropyl alcohol in a 1-to-1 ratio and add each to your spray bottle. Swirl your bottle gently to mix the solution. For example, you may want to combine 1 ounce of water with 1 ounce of isopropyl alcohol in your spray bottle. Add your dish soap. For this recipe, you will only need a very small amount of dish soap to give your lens cleaner some added smudge-fighting action. Put one drop of dish soap into your mixed solution of water and isopropyl alcohol. Cap your bottle and swirl its contents gently to infuse the solution with soap. Apply your cleaner and wipe away the clouds. Spray a moderate amount of your lens cleaner onto each lens. Now you can take your clean microfiber cloth and wipe away all the gunk that has accumulated on your glasses. If you don't have a microfiber cloth intended for glasses, clean cotton should do the job. Use a clean, soft cloth always. The microfiber cloth that may have come with your glasses is ideal for cleaning your lenses, but even this can become dirty over time. Using a cloth that has dust on it will cause your lenses to develop small pits and scratches over time, creating cloudiness. To avoid this, only clean your glasses with a clean, soft cloth. Protect your lens cloth from the elements. The more dust and grime that is on your lens cleaning cloth, the more damage you will do to your lenses over time. Every time you dry, wipe, or polish your lenses, you will be scraping these particles against your glasses. To keep your lens cloth cleanest, you may want to hold it in a glasses case that you carry with you throughout the day. You might also put this cloth in a plastic baggie or other container and tuck it away in a backpack or satchel. Wash your lens cleaning cloth. Depending on the cloth your are using, cleaning procedure can vary. A soft cotton piece of fabric can be washed normally, but you should follow the directions that came with your cloth. For cleaning a microfiber cloth, you should: Separate it with like-fabric items. Add a small amount of liquid detergent to your washing machine. Do not use fabric softener — this remains on the cloth and can leave streaks when using it on lenses. Set your washing machine to cold. Insert your microfiber cloth and like-cloth items into the wash. Air dry or use a dryer on a low/no-heat setting. Clean your lenses regularly. Over the course of a day your glasses will normally collect dust, dirt, and oil from your face and hands. By cleaning your lenses regularly with glass cleaner or warm water and a drop of dish soap, you can cut down on the overall daily cloudiness you may experience. Keep your glasses in a case when you're not wearing them. This will keep dust from settling on the glasses and protect them from harm if they are knocked over. Instead of placing your glasses on your bedside table at night, for instance, place them in their case and then put that on your bedside table. This will also protect your glasses from getting broken or damaged if you knock them over when not in use. | Acquire a soft, clean cloth. Make use of glasses cleaner. Clean with dish soap and warm water. Wipe your glasses with your soft cloth. Inspect lenses for stubborn stains. Break up nose pad residue. Gather your supplies. Prepare your supplies. Mix the liquids of your cleaner in equal parts. Add your dish soap. Apply your cleaner and wipe away the clouds. Use a clean, soft cloth always. Protect your lens cloth from the elements. Wash your lens cleaning cloth. Clean your lenses regularly. Keep your glasses in a case when you're not wearing them. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Your-Dog-Safe-in-Extreme-Weather | How to Keep Your Dog Safe in Extreme Weather | If you want to keep your dog safe in extreme weather, make sure its ID tags are updated, so you can find it again if it gets lost. When it comes to thunderstorms, keep your dog calm by praising it and giving it treats, or consider purchasing a tight-fitting calming jacket if your dog is especially sensitive to stormy weather. However, if you're worried about extreme heat, focus on keeping your dog hydrated and inside as much as possible, and avoid leaving them in the car. In cases of extreme cold, don't leave your dog outside and consider buying a short-haired dog a sweater to wear during walks, for extra protection. | Make sure your dog’s identification tags are updated. Put your dog's name, your name, address, and cell phone number on your dog's tags. It's preferable that your dog wears a collar with tags at all times, especially before a storm or disaster. Consider having your dog microchipped, but remember a microchip works best when paired with an identification tag. If your dog goes missing during extreme weather or an emergency situation, the average person won't be able to scan for a microchip. They will, however, be able to read a tag with your name and number listed. The best protection for your dog is a combination of tags and a microchip. Chips can be scanned by most vets, shelters, and dog wardens, and offer an additional layer of security if your dog's tags become lost. An individual can have a professional scan for a chip, which will pull up your contact information and help them reunite you with your pet. Keep your dog calm during storms. Sensitivity during a storm can lead to anxious behavior, so it's important to try to keep your dog calm. Try staying in an interior room without windows, give your dog praise and treats when it's calm during a storm, and consider investing in a snug-fitting calming jacket. Know which evacuation shelters are pet friendly ahead of time. Call your local emergency management office and ask about area pet-friendly shelters. Keep a list handy of shelters or hotels that are dog-friendly options before an extreme weather emergency occurs. Be sure to ask about any breed or size restrictions. Make a reservation as soon as you decide to evacuate or if a mandatory evacuation is ordered. Make a storm or disaster kit. Prepare food and water for you and your pet for at least five days. Include your pet's medications, proof of its vaccinations, and copies of medical records. Keep emergency numbers handy, such as your vet's number and the contact information of an emergency animal clinic in your area or near where you're staying during an evacuation. Be sure to pack a manual can opener if you include canned food in your emergency kit. Pack a portable pet first aid kit that includes gauze, saline solution, hydrogen peroxide, and pet bandages. Train your dog to quickly go to a safe area. In the event that you don't evacuate during extreme weather, make sure your dog knows how to follow the “Come!” command word. If you need to quickly proceed to your basement or safe interior area to escape an extreme weather threat, pulling a stubborn dog will cost valuable time. Practice drills regularly. Start off by offering your dog a treat when teaching your dog to come or proceed to a designated safe area. Be sure to gradually eliminate a treat reward, since you might not be able to find a treat in the event of an emergency. Choose an emergency caregiver. You might be out of town or away from your home during an extreme weather event, so ask a neighbor or local friend or family member to act as an emergency caregiver. It's best to choose someone you trust and who has experience handling pets. Make sure they have a key, list of care instructions, emergency contact numbers, and access to your dog's medications. Avoid leaving your dog in the car. Do your best to never leave your dog unattended in a car for any amount of time during hot weather. Extreme heat in a parked car can lead to organ damage or death within as little as ten to twenty minutes. If you see a dog kept in a parked car during extreme heat, take down the car's make, model, and license plate. Ask nearby businesses to make an announcement to try to find its owner. If you can't track down the owner, call the non-emergency line of the nearest police precinct or your local animal control office. Keep your dog inside as much as possible. During hot spells, your dog is better off inside, preferably in an air conditioned environment. Watch the humidity level in addition to the temperature. Dogs can't cool themselves as efficiently as humans, and can't keep their body temperature in check if the humidity is too high. If you do let your dog outside during hot weather, make sure it has access to shade. If your yard has no shade trees, use a doghouse or tarp to provide shade. Provide plenty of water. Keeping your dog hydrated is key to helping it maintain its body temperature during extreme heat. Make sure it can access water at all times. Change the water in its bowl regularly to ensure it always has cool or cold water to help it avoid heatstroke. Take breed-specific precautions for long-haired or short-snouted dogs. If you have a long-haired dog, keep it inside during hot weather. Take your long-haired dog to the groomer to have its coat trimmed short at the beginning of summer. If you have a bulldog or other short-snouted breed, avoid giving it too much exercise or leaving it outside during extreme heat. Short-snouted dogs can't cool themselves as effectively as longer-snouted breeds. Know how to treat heatstroke. Signs of heatstroke include heavy panting, glazed eyes, rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, excessive drooling, and lack of coordination. If your dog shows signs of heatstroke, move it into the shade or air-conditioned area. Apply wet, cold towels to its head, neck, and chest, and take it to a vet or emergency pet clinic as soon as possible. Take your dog to the vet for a cold weather wellness exam. Cold or stormy weather can worsen conditions like arthritis. Just prior to the start of winter or a cooler season, take your dog to the vet, especially if your dog is older or has a history of arthritis or other joint issues. Ask the vet for any necessary medications or advice about your dog's specific needs. Avoid leaving your dog outside in cold temperatures. When keeping your dog warm during extreme cold, think about how comfortable you'd be in a given temperature for a prolonged period of time. If you wouldn't be comfortable outside, it's probably too cold for your dog. Try to avoid long walks during extreme cold. Consider taking your dog out more frequently if it's an active breed and requires a significant amount of exercise, but limit walks to around 15 minutes. If you do let your dog play in the yard during cold weather, make sure it can access a draft-free shelter. Provide an insulated doghouse, and cover its floor with wood shavings, hay, or a blanket. Give your a short-haired dog a sweater for walks. Avoid longer walks during extreme cold, especially if you have a short-haired dog. Clothe your short-haired dog before going outside in a breed-specific, snugly fitting garment. While being sure it fits well enough to provide warmth, make sure it doesn't restrict your dog's movement. It's best to avoid sweaters or jackets with full sleeves, as these get in the way of a dog's natural gait. Check your dog’s paws for injury and deicers. Cold temperatures can lead to cracked or irritated paws, so check them daily during cold spells. Use a wet towel to wipe your dog's paws and belly after each walk to remove salt or chemical deicers, then dry these areas off using another towel. Consider applying petroleum jelly or using booties to keep your dog's paws free from irritation and help prevent salt or chemical buildup. Bathe your dog less frequently during the cold. Bathing a dog too frequently during periods of cold weather can remove oils necessary for keeping its skin and coat healthy. This can lead to dry, flaky, and irritated skin. Bathe your dog only when absolutely necessary during extreme cold. Consider investing in a moisturizing shampoo if you do need to give it a bath. Ask your dog's vet if they recommend a moisturizing cream or rinse if you notice your dog scratching excessively or see flakes or red patches. | Make sure your dog’s identification tags are updated. Keep your dog calm during storms. Know which evacuation shelters are pet friendly ahead of time. Make a storm or disaster kit. Train your dog to quickly go to a safe area. Choose an emergency caregiver. Avoid leaving your dog in the car. Keep your dog inside as much as possible. Provide plenty of water. Take breed-specific precautions for long-haired or short-snouted dogs. Know how to treat heatstroke. Take your dog to the vet for a cold weather wellness exam. Avoid leaving your dog outside in cold temperatures. Give your a short-haired dog a sweater for walks. Check your dog’s paws for injury and deicers. Bathe your dog less frequently during the cold. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Boost-Your-Girlfriend%27s-Self-Esteem | How to Boost Your Girlfriend's Self Esteem | If you feel like your girlfriend could use a self-esteem boost, you can help by talking positively about her and being a reliable source of support. Give her genuine compliments so she knows you value her. For example, you could say that she gave a great answer in history class or that you love her smile. Make sure to remind her of her achievements, like volunteering or being great in math, since people with low self-esteem often overlook their own accomplishments. When she talks about difficulties she's having, be supportive by listening carefully and using kind words of encouragement to show that you understand how she feels. This may include challenging her insecurities by telling her that you love her freckles or how she helps others. You can also suggest she practice good self care, like going to the spa, since activities like this can help people feel better. | Be aware of her vulnerabilities. We all have vulnerabilities in life. But those who have low to little self-esteem usually have a higher level of vulnerability and need extra support. As a partner to your girlfriend, much of that support will come from you in the form of empowerment, empathy, compassion, and love. Avoid the urge to judge her thoughts and actions and give her a strong sense of security, as you're the one she will mainly lean on. Be attuned to her vulnerabilities, but also try to guide her into understanding that she is in control and responsible for her own thoughts, actions, and insecurities. Even with your support, love, and stability, only she can choose to change her thoughts in a more positive way. Try to learn how much love and guided support to offer, how to help when her insecurities crop up, and how to assist her in resolving underlying issues. Make your compliments genuine and realistic. Complimenting your girlfriend can make her feel better about herself, and make you feel positive, too. Just make sure you stick to sincere and reasonable compliments. Exaggerating or lying about a feature that you don't actually like may worsen the problem. The key to a genuine compliment is looking for something good in her and sharing it freely without expectation of getting anything back. For example, you might say, “Your smile is beautiful” or “That outfit looks great on you.” It can also help to not focus too much on her appearance. Tell her she did a great job calming down an irate toddler, or she gave a really awesome answer in today's history class. Note positive aspects of her personality. Although your girlfriend will appreciate compliments about her appearance, the best compliments point to someone's positive traits. This shows her that she is so much more to you than just her looks. Talk about things besides her beauty, such as her personality, her intelligence, or her kindness. You might say, “You know that was really admirable how you helped your friend back there,” or “I can't believe how giving you are. That's one of the things I love most about you.” Give her compliments that uniquely describe her. "You're funny" is a generic compliment that is easy to shrug off. "Your sci-fi satires are hilarious " is much more specific, and is harder to discount. Remind her of her accomplishments. If your girlfriend has low self-esteem, she may have trouble noticing her strengths. Make it your job to remind her of your many talents and achievements whenever she seems to forget. Sharing these sorts of compliments will make her feel good about who she is as a person. For instance, you might say, "I think it's amazing that you choose to spend your evenings and weekends volunteering at the shelter," or "Algebra is so confusing to me. I'm glad I'm dating a math whiz who can help me understand." Tell her she’s beautiful on regular days. Your girlfriend probably expects to be showered with praise when she's all made up and dressed up, so reserve praises for when she's looking like her normal self, too. For example, if you come over late at night when she's in her pajamas, tell her how beautiful she looks. Make her feel loved. This can be done by giving her little gifts you find when you're out and about. You might also give her flowers, text or call her randomly during the day, make her food, take photos to say "This reminded me of you," or plan a special date. Take into account her interests and favorite things. Some girls think that the perfect surprise date is a walk on the beach, others prefer a hike through the woods, and some would rather sit in front of the TV with popcorn and a warm blanket. Figure out what she likes and do it for her. Be yourself around her. As simple as it seems, showing her that you're comfortable around her demonstrates trust and respect. It encourages her to be herself around you, too. Don't pretend like you're perfect. If you snort when you laugh, or have weird eating habits, expose them. That way she'll feel less pressure to be perfect as well. Take part in her interests. Engaging in her interests helps her know that you care about her, and also care about the things that matter to her. You don't have to lose yourself trying to show you're interested in her pastimes. Taking part in just one of her hobbies or interests is enough to show you care. For example, if she's in robotics club, ask to come see the robot she's working on sometime. You might also show interest in her friends, like asking about one friend who was sick or one whose parents are going through a divorce. Ask her how you can help. Some partners take it upon themselves to try to “fix” whatever problems their partner is dealing with. Truth is, your girlfriend may not always need you to solve a problem. She may just want you to be there for her. Learning to do this will strengthen your relationship and help her feel more loved by you. Depending on the situation, she may want advice, help fixing the problem, or just someone to listen to her. Ask how you can help by saying, “Is there anything I can do?” Then, really listen to her answer. If she doesn't need your help and simply wants validation, respond with empathy, like “I'm really sorry to hear that." "So, you're worried about your brother, huh?" or "That stinks." Avoid eyeing other girls. The worst thing you can do in a relationship is make your girlfriend feel like she has to compete with other girls for your attention. She should feel like she's the apple of your eye, which means showing her respect and not ogling at other girls or engaging in excessive flirting. Doing this can only make a girl with low self-esteem even more insecure. When you're around other girls, be sure you include her in the conversation and make it obvious who you're with. Never leave her feeling like she has to compete. Be patient. Even with all your love and reassurance, your girlfriend may still suffer from low self-esteem. This isn't a problem that can be resolved overnight. In the long run, you'll see that only she is responsible for improving her self-esteem. All you can truly do is try to love her through the process. Listen with empathy. Being empathetic means being able to listen to someone and identify with their feelings, while being aware that their feelings are distinct and separate from your own. Approaching your girlfriend with empathy will make her feel less alone and that she can count on you as a source of stability in times of distress. Try to practice the following empathetic skills: Show her respect and acceptance regardless of what she feels and experiences. Her thoughts, feelings, and emotions are real and true to her. Be nonjudgmental, supportive, and a tender guide to self-empowerment. Use kind words of encouragement, but also try to gently guide her towards improved self-esteem. Speak less and listen more. When you guide her towards improved self-esteem, make sure that she also understands the decision to change relies solely upon her. Always be a source of stability and support that she can rely on in time of need. Treat other girls with respect and don't trash-talk them. Being judgmental towards other girls will tell her that judgmental remarks are okay and normal for her to experience, both from other people and from herself. Mind how you describe other girls, and avoid comparing her to them. If you respond judgmentally to other girls (e.g. "girls who plaster their faces in makeup are so fake"), then you'll just be increasing the insecurity of your girlfriend. Steer clear of negative body comments. If you're prone to body complaints yourself, you won't be helping your girlfriend develop a positive body image. Avoid body-shaming comments about yourself and others. For example, don't say, “I look so scrawny. I need to get in the gym.” Saying something like this only brings the focus to things you don't like about your body. It also reinforces negative body comments. Recommend body-nourishing self-care practices. Negative self-criticisms and insecurities can grow in the mind when a person is low on self-care. If your girlfriend is feeling down on herself, inspire her to pour love and compassion back into herself. Encourage her to develop a self-care practice that makes her feel good about the body she has. Suggest that she visit the spa for a massage, sign up for a yoga class, or start journaling about her feelings. You might also spend an evening cooking a healthy meal together. Challenge her insecurities. Your girlfriend may not be aware of her harsh self-criticisms. By calling her out on them and challenging them, you can help her realize that she isn't being fair to herself. This can also teach her how to reframe negative thought patterns. Become a kind and gentle voice that defends her from her self-hatred. Contradict her when she says something negative about herself. For example, if she says "Nobody wants to see this in a bikini," then you can reply, "Really? I would." Does she think something is a flaw? Challenge that perspective. Tell her that you love her freckles, her gap teeth, her strong opinions, or the way she snorts when she giggles. Explain that because it's part of her, you think it's adorable. Notice dangerous questions. For example, if she asks, "Do you think I'm fat?" then cut to the heart of the problem. Tell her that she's beautiful, and ask why she's asking. Share encouraging media. Girls are exposed to a lot of negative media that makes them second-guess their appearances and their bodies. Shun unrealistic images of bodies in magazines and on TV. Use a critical voice about how “real” these images are. Instead, share media with her that uplifts all bodies, no matter the shape or size. You might share a board on Pinterest, a page on Instagram, or a blog that feature body-positive women with your girlfriend. Set a good example. You can help your girlfriend treat herself well by taking good care of yourself. Practicing healthy habits will help you feel good and have the energy to be a good boyfriend. Try to maintain a balanced life, with plenty of sleep, exercise, nutritious meals and time spent on hobbies and other things you like. When you spend time doing positive activities, you will inspire your girlfriend to do the same. Suggest she talk to a counselor. Low self-esteem and a poor body image can take a toll on your girlfriend's well-being. It can even bring down the vitality of your relationship. If, no matter how hard you try, she can't overcome insecurities, you may need to seek professional help. A mental health therapist or counselor can determine the root cause of your girlfriend's low self-esteem and work with her to build a healthier outlook. | Be aware of her vulnerabilities. Make your compliments genuine and realistic. Note positive aspects of her personality. Remind her of her accomplishments. Tell her she’s beautiful on regular days. Make her feel loved. Be yourself around her. Take part in her interests. Ask her how you can help. Avoid eyeing other girls. Be patient. Listen with empathy. Treat other girls with respect and don't trash-talk them. Steer clear of negative body comments. Recommend body-nourishing self-care practices. Challenge her insecurities. Share encouraging media. Set a good example. Suggest she talk to a counselor. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Be-More-Enthusiastic | How to Be More Enthusiastic | If you're having a hard time being enthusiastic about life, take some time to define your goals for the future and identify actionable steps you will take to achieve them. If you're overwhelmed by the future, start with smaller goals that you can realistically accomplish. For example, if your goal is to someday start a business, start with the first step of taking a business class. It's easier to be enthusiastic about your goal if you know exactly how you'll achieve it! Additionally, focus on getting healthy with a nutritional diet and regular exercise to naturally give yourself the physical and mental energy you need to be enthusiastic. | Find yourself. It's pretty hard to be enthusiastic about life when you're living someone else's. Not being yourself is just so draining; no wonder it's hard to muster up enthusiasm. In order to channel that gusto, you gotta be yourself first and foremost. Pretending to be something you're not takes up all your resources you could be using on doing what you actually enjoy and could get excited about. A lot of us try super hard to fit into a mold that society has deemed correct. Boo. We're not going to enjoy the things our friends enjoy, we're not going to get fulfillment out of the things that fulfill others. So don't waste your time! It's only when you're naturally you that you can find what drives you and grab a firm hold. Then you can work on being enthusiastic. Figure out why you're lacking enthusiasm. You're on this page for a reason. Most likely someone around you is giving you crap about your lack of energy. Very few people look objectively at themselves and say, "Hmm. I wonder why I'm not peppier." But whatever your reason, you probably have an inkling as to why. Is it your job? Your love life? Or is it more of a universal, 24/7 thing that's dragging you down? It's natural to get stuck in a rut. These things happen. They also end at some point. But then there's clinical depression and that's a whole other can of worms. If it's something you've never thought about, think about it now. Is it a lack of enthusiasm or is it a bigger issue? What's your gut tell you? Start thinking positively. If someone handed you a math test and said, "Here's the exam. It's stuff you didn't even dream of touching in college. Good luck, kid," how might that feel? Pretty daunting, probably. If instead they said, "Here's the exam -- it's gonna be tough, but it's doable," what would you think then? You'd be a lot more motivated and feel a lot better about taking that exam! The same goes for enthusiasm; you're not gonna get excited about something if it's terrible! Think about it. How easy is it to be excited about something that's doable and that you know you're capable of achieving? It's a lot harder to get enthusiastic about things that we straight up don't think will ever materialize. And what's often the difference? Our way of thinking. Sometimes, that's literally the only obstacle. Define your goals and how you'll achieve them. Now that you're at least trying to think positive, what are the goals that you'd like to achieve? How would you go about achieving them? What do you want to be enthusiastic about? It's hard to be enthusiastic when we're floundering about life without purpose. Knowing exactly what you want to do and exactly how you want to go about it is giving you something to be enthusiastic about. If you want to get skinny, it's hard to be enthusiastic about wanting to get skinny. But if you're working out 30 minutes a week and eating tons of veggies, that's direct behavior to get excited about. Convince yourself. It's all well and good to have goals, but you gotta actually believe that you can achieve them. If your goal is too lofty, bring it down a notch. Bring it down a notch until you can readily believe that it's something you can make happen. If it's realistic, the only thing stopping you is you. Having a goal of becoming the King or Queen of England would be pretty damn hard to get excited about. Make sure your goals are feasible -- if in doubt, just start on a slightly smaller scale. Want to start your own business but don't know thing one about it? Make goals of taking business courses and networking. Smaller things that are totally doable and totally useful. Get over your fear of disappointment/making the wrong decision/looking silly. Often when we're not enthusiastic, it's because we've made up some excuse as to why not to be. We don't want to be enthusiastic because we don't want to get our hopes up, we're not enthusiastic because we're too unsure to be enthusiastic, or we're not enthusiastic because we're worried others will judge us. These are all crap reasons! Your enthusiasm should be undaunted and unaffected by others or by insecurities. What's stopping you? Realize that your desire to be enthusiastic is there -- it's just buried under a pile of worry and fear. When we grow up, often adults call that "reason." It's very much so a learned thing. We had it when we were children; it's time to get it back! Find what you really enjoy and do it all the time. It's no way to live life unhappy. Working a pointless job, drinking away the weekends, surrounding ourselves with meaningless relationships -- it all can get quite bleak. It's no wonder being enthusiastic is a struggle when we're behind a screen 8 hours a day, eating junk and lamenting our current circumstances. However you can, find something you enjoy and stick with it. Do it as much as you can. Give your life that spark it needs to generate enthusiasm. It does not matter what it is. Whether it's building model airplanes, cooking, karate, or German karaoke, do it. Make time for it. Rearrange your schedule. Sacrifice other obligations. Make it a part of your routine. If it gives you drive and ignites a fire within you, latch onto it and latch onto it good. The enthusiasm will flow from there. Keep good company. Ever been in a room full of naysayers, raggin' on the government, current trends, all their coworkers and acquaintances? It sucks and it's super contagious. Before you know it, you're hating on everything, too. Don't do it! These people take what little enthusiasm can be mustered and pulverize it into oblivion. If you want to work on your positivity and enthusiasm, these people need to play a much smaller role in your life. The first step is to end your toxic friendships. If you get about 5 seconds to think about it, you'll probably have a good idea of who this means. Once the negativity is expunged, think up of three people that truly make you feel downright good. When you have free time, they should be the people you go to. They can be enthusiasm role models to boot! Get healthy. You know how people say if you eat junk food, you'll feel crappy all day? Well, it's true. And it's a lot harder to feel mentally in the zone when you're not physically in it, either. So eat healthy! Your enthusiasm is worth it, right? Here's another example: have you ever been laying in bed all day, wondering why you're so exhausted? And then you realize it's because you haven't done a damn thing all day. Getting up and exercising would make you that much more energized. So start exercising! That endorphin rush will be step one to feeling the inspiration flow through your views. Get a good night's sleep! It's so hard to be enthusiastic when we're tired. In fact, we're pretty much the opposite of enthusiastic when we're exhausted. If you haven't been sleeping lately, that could be a cause of your lack of energy. So rest up! Make a list of things you're grateful for. You know that positive thinking is imperative to being enthusiastic, but finding the motivation for that positivity can be tough. To lessen the burden, make a list of things you're grateful for. Seeing a concrete list of everything you have going for will make it hard to deny why you should be enthusiastic. Don't give up after 5 minutes. Sometimes it's hard to think of things we're grateful for because we have them. We have them 24/7, so their awesomeness goes away. Your legs. Remember those? Those are awesome. Aren't you glad you have them? Act enthusiastic. You know that ol' saying "practice makes perfect?" Well, it's crap. But practice does make habit. Act enthusiastic for long enough and eventually it'll be your go-to emotion. It'll take some time, but it's definitely doable. So don that enthusiastic hat of yours and start faking it! Yeah, it's gonna suck for a bit. It's gonna feel like you're being a phony. Smiling and laughing and saying things like, "Oooh, yeah!" are going to feel foreign. If nothing else, start saying them sardonically. Be chipper to poke fun at the anti-chipperness of your personality. Find an excuse to fake it until you're not faking it any longer. Exclaim things. Alright, so maybe you're not really in the mood to put in tons of effort. But you are of the practice makes habit sort of mind, so how can you fake it? Start by exclaiming things. Whether it's "Hell yeah!" or "jolly good," or "Well sit me down and call me Sally!" is up to you. The more you react and with pizzazz, the more people will be fooled. Imagine your friend Ted walks into the room. You two make eye contact, give each other a nod, and you say, "Sup." Not even in question form. Just "sup." He responds with, "Yo." Greeting exchanged. Now imagine Ted walks into the room and you say, "HEY, TED! OHMIGOSH I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU!" and then you run around to room, arms flailing like the T-Rex you've always wanted to be. Who's enthusiastic now, huh? Move around. So an integral part of "HEY, TED! OHMIGOSH I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU!" was the running around bit. You can't really sit back in your armchair, eyebrows unmoving, glued to the Discovery channel and exclaim those words with the same effect (well, you could...). So the next time you find yourself thinking, "It would be appropriate to be excited right now," do something with yourself. Jump up and down. Wave your arms like a madman (don't do this in public). Hi-five your grandma (especially if she's the one who wants you to be more energetic). Make a choice and commit to it. You could do a happy dance. You could make a finger gun and pretend you're the Fonz. You could point your thumbs at yourself and talk about how awesome you are. Why don't you try them all out and see what reactions you get? Get theatrical. When you're thinking "enthusiasm...enthusiasm," instead try thinking, "bigger." How can you make everything you're doing bigger? Try remembering this: you're not in a movie. There is no camera. You're on a stage where you have to show 1500 people in the 4th balcony that's practically a half mile away of what you're feeling, thinking, and doing. How might your behavior get grander? The next time your roommate walks in and says, "Hey, roomie. I just made cupcakes!" you're not going to respond with, "Oh, awesome, thanks. I love cupcakes." No, no, no. You're going to punch the air John Bender Breakfast Club style, get on both knees and exclaim, "My cupcake queen, how can I repay thee?" and then run to the kitchen and shove a cupcake in your face. You're truly taking one for the team. Go you. Use your face. All of this advice just won't jive with those around you if your face doesn't match your words, tone, or body. When Ted walks in the room, smile. Widen your eyes. When roommate #2 informs you she's made you cupcakes, drop your jaw in gratitude. Whenever you're faking an emotion (you can be enthusiastically negative, by the way), make sure you're covering all your bases. You know exactly how to do this. You've seen people before and what facial expressions go with what emotion. The only thing you have to change is to make it bigger, making sure it registers with people. You gotta make sure your enthusiasm is heard and seen. Go for volume. So about that "heard" part. It's not so much that loudness equates with enthusiasm, it's just that quietness usually equates with a lack of enthusiasm. So when you're telling Ted how happy you are to see him, don't do it in a whisper. When you're overjoyed about cupcakes, put your lungs to work. There's no need to scream, but your enthusiasm should be a bit unconstrained, if you will. Take whatever's normal for you and bump 'er up a notch. Think of what a teenage girl does when she sees Robert Pattinson or Justin Bieber. She screams and gets all flitty. Don't do that. But do make a note. When enthusiasm needs to be displayed, channel your inner Team Edward (but feel free to keep it at a dull roar). If nothing else, do it satirically. Only you need to know that you're poking fun at those around you. Why do they demand enthusiasm anyway? Ask questions. A simple way to seem enthusiastic is to ask questions. It shows you're interested and engaged in the moment. And then what happens when you ask questions? People respond and they might say something that actually sparks your interest, if it didn't before. So make the first step! Ask questions, get the ball rolling, and see how it grows from there. It's easy to write off a topic/thing/person as uninteresting, judging a book by its cover, if you will. Resist! If you're tempted, make it a point to pry a bit further. You may find that lifting the veil sparks your curiosity. And that curiosity may lead you to finding something worth being enthusiastic about! Laugh. One of the simplest ways to get happy is to start laughing. Start laughing and being happy and enthusiasm will follow. It can naturally put you in a better mood and get the creativity and positivity flowing. Get awe-ful. After a certain amount of time in an environment, the novelty of it all goes away. You quit noticing what once stopped you dead in your tracks with its beauty. You stop asking questions and wondering. You stop feeling awestruck. When that happens, enthusiasm escapes like grains of sand through your fingers. All of a sudden life is drab and unremarkable. Don't let that happen. Simple things like the beauty of a sunset can bring enthusiasm back. The architecture of your favorite local building. Heck, a group of children building snowmen. When you stop and smell the roses, you just might stop and find what'll keep you going -- what can be downright inspiring. Try new things. A simple way to start getting awestruck again is to try to new things. Life can get boring doing the same ol', same ol' -- so mix it up! It's impossible to maintain enthusiasm about something you've been doing year in and year out. And it's ridiculous to expect yourself to be enthusiastic if you don't have an exciting routine! Even the smallest of change-ups can do wonders. Have you been running 3 miles (4.8 km) a day for the past six months? Find a new trail! Start cooking at home. Pick up a hobby. Go thrift shopping. Explore the tourist attractions in your area. It doesn't have to be big; it just has to be different. Keep learning. Imagine a relationship with a person that you've known your entire life. It probably starts getting a little boring when you stop learning about that person, when you know everything there is to know. The same goes for life! If you quit learning, you'll run out of reasons to get inspired. So do more thorough research, seek out experts, tap into your network. Whatever it is you want to do, dig in deeper. It doesn't have to be book learning. You can learn from those around you, you can learn from yourself, heck, you can learn from wikiHow. Just keep seeking knowledge -- the more you know, the more interesting things become. Life included! | Find yourself. Figure out why you're lacking enthusiasm. Start thinking positively. Define your goals and how you'll achieve them. Convince yourself. Get over your fear of disappointment/making the wrong decision/looking silly. Find what you really enjoy and do it all the time. Keep good company. Get healthy. Make a list of things you're grateful for. Act enthusiastic. Exclaim things. Move around. Get theatrical. Use your face. Go for volume. Ask questions. Laugh. Get awe-ful. Try new things. Keep learning. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Reduce-Allergic-Swelling | How to Reduce Allergic Swelling | To reduce allergic swelling, take an over-the-counter antihistamine and apply a cool compress to the swollen area in 20 minute intervals. If you feel your throat swelling, you can try using your inhaler, but if the situation feels like an emergency, administer an Epipen or go to an emergency room immediately. You can also ask your doctor about prescription oral corticosteroid medications like prednisone to prevent future reactions. | Take an antihistamine. This will lower your body's response to the allergen, which can reduce your swelling. You can find an antihistamine over-the-counter, but your doctor could also prescribe one that best fits your needs. Some antihistamines cause drowsiness, may be fast acting, and can be taken in different doses. For daytime use, choose one that is labeled as non-drowsy. For example, cetirizine (Zyrtec), loratadine (Claritin), and fexofenadine (Allegra) are all popular non-drowsy options that also give you 24-hr relief from allergy symptoms. Be sure to follow all of the instructions on the packaging. Don't take an antihistamine for longer than a week without talking to your doctor. Talk to your doctor before taking an antihistamine. Apply a cool compress to the area for up to 20 mins at a time. A cool compress, such as an ice pack, will reduce your body's inflammatory response. This will reduce both your swelling and pain. Don't put ice up against your skin without first wrapping fabric around it. Otherwise, you could damage your skin. Stop taking any medication, supplement, or herb not prescribed by a doctor. Unfortunately, these items can cause allergic reactions in some people. Even common over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen can trigger some people. Get your doctor's approval before you start taking it again. Use your inhaler if you have one and experience throat swelling. This will help open your airways. However, if you have trouble breathing, then it's important that you see the doctor immediately. Get emergency treatment if you're having trouble breathing. Use an Epipen for emergency situations. The active ingredient in an Epipen is epinephrine, which is a type of adrenaline. It can help relieve the symptoms of your allergic reaction fast. After you administer the medicine, visit your doctor immediately. If your doctor has not prescribed an Epipen for you, visit an emergency room, where they can administer the medication. Visit your doctor if your swelling persists or is severe. Swelling that doesn't impede your ability to breathe should respond to at-home treatment. If it doesn't get better after a few hours or starts to get worse, you should seek medical assistance. The doctor can prescribe a stronger treatment, such as corticosteroids. You should also see the doctor if you've never experienced swelling before. Seek emergency medical care if you're having trouble breathing, have abnormal breathing sounds, or feel faint. Ask your doctor for an oral corticosteroid. These medications reduce inflammation in your body, which in turn reduces swelling. They're often used after antihistamines alone have been ineffective at reducing swelling. For example, your doctor may prescribe prednisone. Corticosteroids can have side effects, including fluid retention that can cause swelling, high blood pressure, weight gain, glaucoma, mood issues, behavioral issues, and memory problems. For a severe reaction, the doctor may administer corticosteroids via an IV. Follow all of your doctor's instructions for taking your medication. Get allergy testing to discover your triggers, if necessary. Your doctor may order allergy testing. If this occurs, you'll visit an allergy specialist. A nurse will scratch your skin with a small amount of various allergens. They'll then monitor your reaction to each substance to see if you are allergic. Your specialist will evaluate your test results. Based on this information, the specialist can recommend good treatment options for you, such as avoiding your triggers and possibly getting allergy shots. A single reaction, especially if it's mild, may not warrant testing or regular treatment. A severe reaction, though, or reactions that occur enough to disrupt your daily life should be tested. Avoid your triggers. These are the things that you're allergic to, such as foods, substances, or plants. Staying away from them is the best way to prevent the swelling that comes along with an allergic reaction. Here are some ways to do that: Check ingredients lists on foods you want to eat. Ask people about the contents of foods and drinks. Don't take medications, supplements, or herbs without talking to your doctor. Keep your home clean and as free of allergens as possible. For example, keep dust at bay by cleaning often with a duster that traps particles. Use a HEPA air filter. Don't go outside during peak pollen hours. Alternatively, wear a face mask. Don't interact with animals whose dander triggers you. Take your medications. Your doctor may recommend taking a daily antihistamine. This could include a non-drowsy 24-hour option like cetirizine (Zyrtec) or loratadine (Claritin). In some cases, your doctor may prescribe other medications as well, such as an inhaler or corticosteroid. Take your medications as prescribed by the doctor. If you skip your medication, then your body will be more susceptible to your triggers. Avoid things that aggravate swelling. This often includes getting very hot, eating spicy food, or drinking alcohol. Although they may not be the direct cause of your allergic swelling, they can make it worse or make your body more prone to swelling. Ibuprofen and ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors can also worsen swelling. If the doctor has prescribed one of these, talk to your doctor before stopping, as they may decide that the benefits of taking them outweigh the risk of swelling. | Take an antihistamine. Apply a cool compress to the area for up to 20 mins at a time. Stop taking any medication, supplement, or herb not prescribed by a doctor. Use your inhaler if you have one and experience throat swelling. Use an Epipen for emergency situations. Visit your doctor if your swelling persists or is severe. Ask your doctor for an oral corticosteroid. Get allergy testing to discover your triggers, if necessary. Avoid your triggers. Take your medications. Avoid things that aggravate swelling. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Lip-Gloss-with-Petroleum-Jelly | How to Make Lip Gloss with Petroleum Jelly | To make lip gloss with petroleum jelly, start by putting 2 tablespoons of petroleum jelly in a microwave-safe bowl. Then, microwave the jelly in 30-second intervals until it's fully melted, stirring it after each interval. Next, add 1 packet of drink mix to the jelly and stir everything together. Finally, pour the mixture into a small, clean container and let it cool and harden before using it. | Put 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of petroleum jelly into a small, microwave-safe bowl. You will need to melt the lip gloss before you pour it into its final container. Cut off a small piece of lipstick, and add it to the bowl. The more lipstick you use, the more opaque your lip gloss will be. For a shimmery lip gloss, use a lipstick that already has some sparkle to it. Microwave for 30 seconds, until melted. This will help the lip stick mix into the petroleum jelly better. Stir the mixture with a spoon until it is smooth. The mixture should be smooth, and without any lumps. If it is not smooth after you stir it, microwave it for another 30 seconds and stir again. Add a few drops of almond oil and 3 to 5 drops of flavoring. The almond oil will leave your lips supple, and the flavoring will give it a nicer taste. You can use extract or candy-making flavoring. Use no more than ¼ teaspoon (1.25 milliliters) of almond oil, or your lip gloss may start to separate. You can also use some essential oil instead of the flavoring. Essential oil is very potent. Start with one drop, stir, then add more if needed. Stir with a spoon until everything is smooth and evenly mixed together. There should be no lumps, clumps, streaks, or swirls. Pour the mixture to a small container. Once you get the color you like, pour the mixture into a small container. Use a mini spatula, butter knife, or spoon to help guide it into the container, if needed. You can find small containers in the paint section of an art store. You can also use clean and empty lip gloss containers, contact lens cases, and pill boxes as well. Wait for the mixture to harden before you use it. If you are in a rush, put it into the fridge for a few hours. As the lip gloss cools, it will become more solid. You can apply it using your finger or a q-tip. Assemble a double-boiler. Fill a medium-sized bowl with 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters) of water, and place a heat-safe bowl on top. The bottom of the bowl should not be touching the water. Try to use a glass bowl. It will help things heat more evenly. Add 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of petroleum jelly, 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of shea butter, and ¼ teaspoon (1.25 milliliters) of coconut oil to the bowl. The shea butter and coconut oil will moisturize your lips, while the petroleum jelly will hold everything together. If you can't find coconut oil, try some jojoba oil or almond oil instead. Both are very moisturizing. If you can't find or don't like shea butter, try cocoa butter or coconut butter instead. Both will give the lip gloss a subtle taste. Melt the petroleum jelly, butter, and oil over medium heat. Stir the ingredients often so that they melt evenly. The texture should be smooth, and there should be no lumps or clumps. Take the melted mixture off heat, and stir in some color or flavor, if desired. Lift the bowl off of the saucepan and set it down onto a stable, heat-resistant surface. For extra flavor, stir in 3 to 5 drops of your favorite extract. For extra color, stir in some loose eyeshadow or powdered blush. You can also use some powdered drink mix to give you both color and flavor. Pour the mixture quickly into a clean, empty container. You can use an empty lip balm container or even a clean contact lens case. You can also use small containers meant for storing excess paint; you can find them in the painting section of an arts and crafts store. Let the lip balm cool before you use it. If you are in a hurry, put it in the fridge for a few hours. As it cools, it will become solid again. You can apply it with your finger or a q-tip. Place 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of petroleum jelly into a small, microwave-safe bowl. This will be enough for one color/flavor. If you'd like to make more colors or flavors, you will need to make separate batches. Put the bowl into the microwave, heat it for 30 seconds, then stir it with a spoon. The petroleum jelly should be clear and smooth, with no lumps or clumps. If the petroleum jelly is not fully-melted, microwave it for another 15 to 30 seconds, and stir it again. Keep microwaving and stirring the petroleum jelly until it is completely melted. Stir in up to 1 packet/envelope of drink mix. The more mix you use, the darker color you will get. The flavor will also be stronger. You can use any type of mix you like, but berry-flavored ones will give you the typical pink color. You can also try mixing different drinks together to create a "fruit punch" type flavor. Be mindful of the colors, however. Pour the mixture into a clean, small, empty container. You can find empty containers in the paint section of an art store; they are used for storing extra paint, and make great lip gloss containers. You can also use empty lip gloss containers, clean contact lens cases, and pill boxes as well. Let the mixture cool before you use it. If you are in a hurry, you can put it into the fridge for a few hours. As it cools, it will harden and become more solid. You can apply it using your finger or a q-tip. Add 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of petroleum jelly into a small bowl. You will be mixing the lip gloss in this, and then transferring it into another container later. Find some powdered eyeshadow or blush. If you can't find any, scrape some eyeshadow into a plastic. You can use a spoon, fork, or toothpick to get it out. Crush it into a fine powder using a spoon or fork. Make sure that there are no clumps or chunks, or your lip gloss will turn out grainy. For a shimmery lip gloss, use an eyeshadow or blush that already has some sparkle to it. Stir the eyeshadow into the petroleum jelly. Use something thin, like a chopstick or toothpick. Keep stirring until everything is evenly combined. There should be no streaks, swirls, chunks, or clumps. Transfer the mixture to a small container. Once you get the color and texture you like, scoop the mixture into a small container. Use a mini spatula, butter knife, or spoon to help you. You can find small containers in the paint section of an art store. They are meant for storing excess paint, but they make great lip gloss containers. You can also use empty lip gloss containers, clean contact lens cases, and pill boxes as well. Let the lip gloss harden, then use it whenever you want a touch of color or sparkle on your lips. If you are in a rush, leave it in the fridge for a few hours until it hardens. You can apply it using your finger or a q-tip. | Put 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of petroleum jelly into a small, microwave-safe bowl. Cut off a small piece of lipstick, and add it to the bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, until melted. Stir the mixture with a spoon until it is smooth. Add a few drops of almond oil and 3 to 5 drops of flavoring. Stir with a spoon until everything is smooth and evenly mixed together. Pour the mixture to a small container. Wait for the mixture to harden before you use it. Assemble a double-boiler. Add 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of petroleum jelly, 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of shea butter, and ¼ teaspoon (1.25 milliliters) of coconut oil to the bowl. Melt the petroleum jelly, butter, and oil over medium heat. Take the melted mixture off heat, and stir in some color or flavor, if desired. Pour the mixture quickly into a clean, empty container. Let the lip balm cool before you use it. Place 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of petroleum jelly into a small, microwave-safe bowl. Put the bowl into the microwave, heat it for 30 seconds, then stir it with a spoon. Stir in up to 1 packet/envelope of drink mix. Pour the mixture into a clean, small, empty container. Let the mixture cool before you use it. Add 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of petroleum jelly into a small bowl. Find some powdered eyeshadow or blush. Stir the eyeshadow into the petroleum jelly. Transfer the mixture to a small container. Let the lip gloss harden, then use it whenever you want a touch of color or sparkle on your lips. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Heart-and-Mind-Work-Together | How to Make Your Heart and Mind Work Together | To make your heart and mind work together, identify what your core values are, like family or career success, so that they can guide your rational thoughts. You should also try keeping a journal, which may help you pinpoint your values or key beliefs. When you face a difficult decision, such as where to live or who to marry, use your values to help your rational thought process reach a decision. If you find this difficult, try prioritizing your values so you know which ones are more important to you. Before you make the final decision, use your rational mind to find out as much as you can about its implications. Then, combine this knowledge with your values to decide. | Start with the mind. People generally consider the “rational mind” to be a good thing. We think of it as a function or process that guides our actions, logically, usually by avoiding emotion or biased judgment. Mind helps us to maximize good or benefit. For this reason, many philosophers tout mind as better than our more intuitive reactions. What is the mind? This is a big philosophical question. Let's be clear that we're not just talking about your brain. The mind is more than just your brain. In part, it's the seat of consciousness, the “I” that makes you who you are. The mind is also responsible for higher thought. It combines sense, thinking, judgment, and memory. It allows you to weigh cost and benefit to make reasoned decisions. Recognize rational patterns of thought. Rational thinking is the ability to take many variables into account and to access, organize, and analyze information to reach a sound conclusion. Whether it is planning a budget, weighing the pros and cons of a new job, or arguing politics with friends, you use rational thinking every day. Rational thinking is very human. In fact, it's what separates us from other animals and is how we are able to use tools, build cities, develop technology, and spread as a species. So, it is a very valuable, useful trait. Learn the advantages and disadvantages of the mind. As you can see, rational thinking is a big reason why we are here today. This does not mean that more is necessarily better, however. Star Trek fans know that super-rational beings like Mr. Spock or Data are not really human because humans also need emotion. We are not like machines. To a certain point, rational thinking is beneficial. We can distance ourselves from strong emotions that might otherwise direct our decision-making. If emotion guided us, would people leave home to go to college, for example? Many would not – the emotional strain and distance from loved ones would be too powerful, even if they knew, in their mind, that college was good for them. Rational thinking can sometimes go overboard, however. We would probably be paralyzed if we based our decisions only on reason. All choices, big and small, involve so many variables that it would be impossible to decide without listening to the heart. What should you eat for breakfast, for example? Should it be the healthiest food? The best-priced food? The most time-saving? Without a bit of heart, you would never be able to decide. Learn to discern your heart from your rational mind. People often talk about having a “feeling” or “gut instinct.” It is hard to define. Think about it as a way of knowing that takes into account different things than your normal, rational thinking. The heart may be based on thing things like the past (your experiences), personal needs (how you feel), and the present (other people around you, choices, etc.). All of this can lead to a different calculation than reasoning alone. Try to tell distinguish what comes from your heart. Did a thought just pop into your head, for example? Reason usually relies on analysis – step by step thought: i.e., “Well, if I don't do X, Y will happen. Therefore I should do X.” The heart does not always follow this pattern. What about that “feeling”? Sometimes intuition comes to us as vague sense. It's hard to describe. It's hard to even know what the feeling means. You may feel uncertain about changing jobs and not know why, for example. Outwardly, everything about the new job is great, but you still feel a nagging sense that something will go wrong. This is intuition. Listen to your heart. Your inner voice may not always be clear, but it's trying to tell you something. Learn how to listen to it. To start, you'll need to temporarily drown out our rational thought processes and focus on the voice. There are some ways that you can do this. Keep a journal. Writing your thoughts on paper may help open up the unconscious mind. Write what comes to you; be spontaneous. Begin sentences with phrases like, “I have a feeling that...” or “My heart tells me that...” The point is to follow emotional responses rather than rational ones. Temporarily drown out your inner critic. It may take some effort, but be watchful over your rational processes. Listening to the heart is hard because we try to rationalize it away. Allow yourself to write or think without letting in the doubting voice that says, “This is silly.” Find a quiet place. One of the best things for opening your heart is quiet contemplation. This could be meditation. Or, it could just be taking a walk by yourself in a park or woods. Find a place where you can let your thoughts and emotions flow freely. Don’t overrate the heart. Intuition is only one way of knowing. But it is not necessarily better than your sense of reason or the best way to make decisions. While you should try to listen to your heart, don't trust it automatically. Sometimes it's wrong. Say that you are on a jury. The accused insists very persuasively that he is innocent – he stirs your confidence. However, all the physical evidence says that he committed the crime. Do you listen to your reason or your intuition? In this case, your intuition is probably false. Think too about the possible consequences of relying only on the heart. Would you bet your life savings on a gut instinct, for instance? Say that your financial planner advises you to invest in secure mutual funds, but you have a really good feeling about an up-and-coming company called Enron. It is probably better to listen to the rational advice of an expert than to trust your instinct. Identify your core values. Mind and heart don't have to be mutually exclusive. That is, you can find ways to make them work together. Start with your values. The heart often speaks to a sense of deep-seated values that don't always get included in your rational thought process. The reconciliation starts here. You need to be able to identify what your deepest values are and let them guide your rational thought. Try to deconstruct your values, if you have never really thought about it before. How were you raised? Ask yourself what values your parents emphasized – wealth, education, status, appearance? Were you rewarded for high achievement in school, for instance? How do you live now? You should be able to see how your values have shaped your life. Do you live in the city, the suburbs, or the country? What led you there? What do you do for a living? Someone who teaches probably values money less than someone who is a banker. On the other hand, a banker may put less importance on education than a teacher. What do you spend your money on? This more than anything else says a lot about what values drive your behavior. Do you spend money on cars? Travel? Clothing? Or perhaps the arts and charity? Think about decisions in terms of your values. The aim of thinking in terms of your values is not to tame your rational mind, but to work with it. Since values usually lie behind your heart, you should try to harness them and use them within your rational thought process. Who should you marry? Where should you work? These are things that need rational consideration, but that should also align closely with your most cherished values. Gain as much information as you can about choices. What is the probable benefit of a decision? Will it be something you'll ever regret? Your rational mind and heart may be giving you conflicting thoughts about a decision, and you will need to seek out all possible detail and evaluate it. Identify problems: what might go wrong? Say that you are thinking of getting married and really want children. However, your girlfriend has said she isn't interested in having a family. While your rational mind may say that you love her, you should also listen to your heart and recognize that the importance you place on family does not align with her values. Explore options: think carefully about what's best for you. Sometimes, your first intuition will be right. However, at other times your heart needs to be balanced with a rational decision. Consider your highest values before deciding. One way to help you come to a good decision is to consider the problem in terms of your highest values. How do the possible solutions relate to your values? You may have to make a map of your values – going from most important to least – in order to see where they land in your personal hierarchy. Back to the problem of marriage. If family is a make-or-break issue for you, marrying someone who doesn't want children could be a disaster, even if you love her. But if you value close bonds with your partner more than having children, there might be room to negotiate. Make a decision based on a rational look at your intuitive values. It seems strange, right? Thinking rationally about the heart? Just remember that the two are not contradictory. You only have to learn to listen to your heart and discover what lies behind it. Think carefully and let your values play a big role in decision-making, but do so rationally. Make choices that best serve your values and that prioritize the ones that are most important to you. Keep practicing. Eventually, you'll start to find personal power in your decisions and create a marriage of your heart and mind. By listening to your heart, you can train your mind to work in harmony with it. | Start with the mind. Recognize rational patterns of thought. Learn the advantages and disadvantages of the mind. Learn to discern your heart from your rational mind. Listen to your heart. Don’t overrate the heart. Identify your core values. Think about decisions in terms of your values. Consider your highest values before deciding. Make a decision based on a rational look at your intuitive values. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Fill-Out-a-W%E2%80%904 | How to Fill Out a W‐4 | To fill out a W-4 for your job, first fill in the personal information in boxes 1 and 2, like your name, address, and Social Security number. Then, in box 2, check the appropriate box to indicate whether you are married or single. Once you've filled this out, record your personal allowances in line H. You can find more information about personal allowances, like if you have children, on the W-4 worksheet. After the personal allowances line, write a dollar amount in line 6 if you want any additional money withheld from your paycheck. This is optional. Finally, sign and date the W-4 form so it's valid. | Read the basic instructions provided by the IRS at the top of the form. A personal allowance reduces your taxable income. The more allowances you claim on your W-4, the less money will be withheld from your paycheck for taxes. In contrast, if you claim fewer allowances, more money will be withheld from your paycheck for taxes. Determine if someone is claiming you as a dependent. Generally, parents claim their children as dependents, but you can claim other relatives if you provide over half of their support and they meet the other IRS requirements to qualify as a dependent. If no one is claiming you as a dependent, you can enter a "1" in the blank provided for line A on the form. Select your tax filing status. On line B, enter "1" if you will file your taxes as married filing jointly. On line C, enter "1" if you will file taxes as head of household. On line D, enter "1" if you will file as single or married filing separately and only have one job; you're married filing jointly, have only one job, and your spouse doesn't work; or your wages from a second job or your spouse's job (or the total of both) are $1,500 or less. Add allowances for children that qualify for the child tax credit. If your total income will be less than $71,201 ($103,351 if married filing jointly), enter “4” for each eligible child. If your total income will be between $71,201 and $179,050 ($103,351 to $345,850 if married filing jointly), enter “2” for each eligible child. If your total income will be between $179,051 and $200,000 ($345,851 to $400,000 if married filing jointly), enter “1” for each eligible child. If your total income will be higher than $200,000 ($400,000 if married filing jointly), enter “0”. Add allowances for other dependents that qualify for credit for other dependents. If your total income will be less than $71,201 ($103,351 if married filing jointly), enter “1” for each eligible dependent. If your total income will be between $71,201 and $179,050 ($103,351 to $345,850 if married filing jointly), enter “1” for every 2 dependents (for example, enter “0” for 1 dependent, “1” if you have 2-3 dependents, and “2” if you have 4 dependents). If your total income will be higher than $179,050 ($345,850 if married filing jointly), enter “0”. Add allowances for other credits. If you have other credits, see Worksheet 1-6 of Pub. 505 and enter the amount from that worksheet. If you use Worksheet 1-6, enter “-0-” on lines E and F. Add up the number of allowances you have claimed on the worksheet and enter it in line H. You will put this number on line 5 of your W-4 form. For example, if you are married with 2 children who qualify for the tax credit, your spouse does not work, and your income is $100,000 you would claim a total of 11 allowances: 1 on Lines A, B, and C and 8 on LIne E. Read the statement under line H to determine whether you need to complete the other worksheets. If you plan to itemize your deductions, you'll need to complete the Deductions and Adjustments Worksheet. If you have more than one job, or if you're married and both you and your spouse work, you'll need to fill out the Two-Earners/Multiple Jobs Worksheet. If neither of those descriptions applies to you, you can enter the amount from line H directly into line 5 on your withholding allowance certificate. Fill out the personal information that is required. In the boxes numbered 1 and 2, you will enter your first and last name, address, and Social Security number. Identify whether you are single or married. In box 3, you must check the appropriate square to indicate whether you are single, married, or married but want taxes withheld from your paycheck at the higher single rate. You are considered single if you are unmarried, divorced, or legally separated according to state law. You also are considered single if you are married but your spouse is a nonresident of the United States. You are considered married if you are married according to state law. If your relationship status on the last day of the year is "married," then for the purposes of federal taxes you are married for the entire year. You can choose to withhold taxes at a single rate, which is higher, if you are married but would prefer to have more money kept from your paycheck. Record your total personal allowances. Take the number you entered in line H of your Personal Allowance Worksheet, or the result from the other worksheets you needed to use on the second page, and write it in box 5. Consider whether you want any additional money withheld from your paycheck. You may want additional money withheld, for example, if you have other taxes such as self-employment taxes to pay. If you do, write down that amount as a dollar figure in box 6. Read the exemption claim. If you had no tax liability last year, and expect a full refund this year, you can write "exempt" in box 7. Sign and date your W-4 form. You've finished filling out the form, but it isn't valid until you sign and date it, declaring under penalty of perjury that all the information you provided is true and complete. When you've completed and signed your form, return it to your employer. Check your pay stubs to ensure the proper amount of money is being withheld each pay period. Review your W-4 form on an annual basis. You may want to add allowances if you received a large refund and would like to keep more money in your paycheck. In contrast, you may want to decrease your number of allowances if you had to pay the IRS last year. If any event happens that changes your withholding status, such as a birth or a divorce, you must file a new W-4 with your employer within 10 days of the event's occurrence. Figure out if you need to use the deductions and adjustments worksheet. You should use this worksheet only if you plan on itemizing your deductions such as mortgage interest, or taking certain credits or adjustments. This worksheet also takes into account other non-wage income you might have, such as dividends and interest. Determine your estimated itemized deductions for the year. Deductions reduce your tax liability. You can take the standard deduction or itemize your deductions. Typically people choose to itemize their deductions when their total itemized deductions are greater than the standard deduction. For example, suppose you are single when you file your taxes in 2019. Your standard deduction would be $12,200. When you add up your itemized deductions, the total is $5,000. In that situation, you probably would choose to take the standard deduction. Enter the dollar amount of your estimated itemized deductions in the blank on line 1. Enter the appropriate standard deduction in the blank on line 2. The worksheet provides the standard deduction amounts based on your filing status. For example, if you are single in 2019, you would enter $12,200 on line 2. Subtract the standard deduction from your estimated itemized deductions. If the result of that calculation is zero or a negative number, write "0" in the blank on line 3. To continue the previous example, subtracting $12,200 from $5,000 would produce a negative number, so you'd enter "0" on line 3. Calculate an estimate of any adjustments to income. Adjustments, also called "above-the-line deductions," are amounts such as traditional IRA contributions or student loan interest that you claim directly on your 1040. Enter the amount of any adjustments on line 4. To continue the example, suppose you paid $2,000 in student loan interest that you planned to claim on your taxes. You would enter $2,000 on line 4. Add lines 3 and 4 and write that number on line 5. This is the total amount of deductions, credits, and adjustments you estimate you will claim in the year you fill out the W-4. If you are claiming tax credits, you will have to complete an additional worksheet to convert those credits to withholding allowances. The total in the example for line 5 would be $2,000. Write your estimated non-wage income in the blank on line 6. Non-wage income includes money you receive without working for it, such as interest or alimony. If you received $500 in interest income, for example, you'd enter $500 on line 6. Subtract the amount on line 6 from the amount on line 5 and enter the result on line 7. If the result is zero or a negative number, enter "0." To continue the example, you would subtract $500 from $2,000. The result is not zero or a negative number, so you would enter the result of $1,500 on line 7. Divide the amount on line 7 by $4,200 and write the result on line 8, dropping any fraction. In the example, you would divide $1,500 by $4,200 and the result would be 0.357. You would drop the decimals and enter "0" on line 8. Enter the number from line H on your Personal Allowances Worksheet on line 9. Since in the example you are single with no dependents, you have "1" on line H as well. Add the numbers on lines 8 and 9 and write the total on line 10. If you're planning on completing the Two-Earners/Multiple Jobs Worksheet, enter the total on the first line of that worksheet. If you don't need that worksheet, enter this number on line 5 of your Withholding Allowance Certificate. To finish up the example, you would enter "1" on your Withholding Allowance Certificate. Decide if you need to use this worksheet. The Two-Earners/Multiple Jobs Worksheet is designed to make sure that single people with more than one job, or married couples who both work, have the correct amount of taxes withheld from their paychecks. You should only use this worksheet if the instructions under line H on your Personal Allowance Worksheet directed you to do so. Use the table provided to find the number that applies to the lowest paying job and enter that number on line 2. However, if the highest paying job pays $75,000 or less and the combined wages for you and your spouse are $107,000 or less, don't enter more than “3.” Compare the number you just entered on line 2 with the number you entered on line 1 from your Deductions and Adjustments Worksheet. If the number on line 1 is greater than or equal to the number on line 2, subtract line 2 from line 1. Enter that number on line 3 and on line 5 of your Withholding Allowance Certificate, and you are done with this worksheet. If the number on line 1 is less than the number on line 2, enter "0" on line 5 of your Withholding Allowance Certificate. You should then complete the rest of the worksheet to figure out what additional amount to have withheld from your paycheck. This will help you avoid having to pay the IRS when you file your taxes. Figure out how much additional money should be withheld from your paycheck. If you entered "0" on line 5, the worksheet includes some additional calculations so you won't be facing a big tax bill in April. Line 4 instructs you to enter the number from line 2 of the same worksheet. This was the number that corresponded to the lowest paying job. Assume, for example, that number was "3." On line 5 you'll need to enter the number from line 1 on the same worksheet, which was the final number you arrived at on line 10 of your Deductions and Adjustments Worksheet. To continue the example, assume that number was "1." Now subtract line 5 from line 4 and enter the result in line 6. In the example, the result would be "2." Using table 2 provided on the worksheet, find the amount that corresponds to the highest paying job. Assume you are married filing jointly, and your highest paying job pays $50,000 a year. According to the table, you should enter $500 on line 7. Now multiply line 7 by line 6 and enter the result on line 8. This is the total amount of additional withholding needed. In the example, that number would be $1,000. All you need to do now is divide that number by the number of pay periods remaining in the year. This depends on how often you're paid and what time of year you start. If you started the job for which you're filling out a W-4 in February and will be paid monthly, you would divide $1,000 by 10 because there are 10 pay periods left in the year. The result of that calculation, $100, is the additional amount of money that needs to be withheld from your paychecks. This is the amount you'd enter on your Withholding Allowance Certificate. | Read the basic instructions provided by the IRS at the top of the form. Determine if someone is claiming you as a dependent. Select your tax filing status. Add allowances for children that qualify for the child tax credit. Add allowances for other dependents that qualify for credit for other dependents. Add allowances for other credits. Add up the number of allowances you have claimed on the worksheet and enter it in line H. Read the statement under line H to determine whether you need to complete the other worksheets. Fill out the personal information that is required. Identify whether you are single or married. Record your total personal allowances. Consider whether you want any additional money withheld from your paycheck. Read the exemption claim. Sign and date your W-4 form. Review your W-4 form on an annual basis. Figure out if you need to use the deductions and adjustments worksheet. Determine your estimated itemized deductions for the year. Enter the appropriate standard deduction in the blank on line 2. Subtract the standard deduction from your estimated itemized deductions. Calculate an estimate of any adjustments to income. Add lines 3 and 4 and write that number on line 5. Write your estimated non-wage income in the blank on line 6. Subtract the amount on line 6 from the amount on line 5 and enter the result on line 7. Divide the amount on line 7 by $4,200 and write the result on line 8, dropping any fraction. Enter the number from line H on your Personal Allowances Worksheet on line 9. Add the numbers on lines 8 and 9 and write the total on line 10. Decide if you need to use this worksheet. Use the table provided to find the number that applies to the lowest paying job and enter that number on line 2. Compare the number you just entered on line 2 with the number you entered on line 1 from your Deductions and Adjustments Worksheet. Figure out how much additional money should be withheld from your paycheck. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Begin-a-Novel | How to Begin a Novel | To begin a novel, try to come up with a first line that engages the reader's interest while introducing the style of the narrator, like in Nabakov's line, “Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins." Additionally, consider starting the story in the middle of some action, like a character rushing to catch a train or being surprised by something, so that the reader becomes enthralled right away. Alternatively, try starting with interesting dialogue, such as "You missed the train again!" to make the reader want to know more about the characters. | Do writing exercises. To generate ideas for your novel, do writing exercises using writing prompts. Create your own writing prompts or use existing writing prompts to get your creative juices flowing. Sit down and do timed free writes using the writing prompts so you can start to get your ideas down on the page. For example, you may do writing prompts that focus on creating a specific element of your novel, such as character or setting. A writing prompt about your main character's worst day ever may be a good way to generate scenes with the main character for your novel. You can find a list of writing prompts at Writer's Digest.com. Develop an engaging main character. Think about who is going to populate your novel. Who is your main character? What do they want? What kind of story will they tell? Build your main character and use them as a driving force in your novel. Give your main character a name, a gender, a profession or something that occupies their time, such as school or college. Determine their physical attributes, such as their height, weight, eye color, and skin tone. Think about what clothing they wear and any personal items that they carry with them or have around often. Give your main character a backstory that includes past memories, experiences, and important moments. For example, you may have a main character who had a traumatic childhood. You may not include the backstory in your novel but it can help you flesh out your main character more on the page. Create a central conflict. Brainstorm a central conflict for your novel. What does your main character want? What do your other characters want in the world of the novel? What are the obstacles that will make it difficult for your characters to get what they want? Having a central conflict or problem in the novel will raise the stakes for the reader and motivate them to continue reading. For example, you may have a novel set in a dystopian future where abortion is illegal all over the world. You may then have a character who needs an abortion but is unable to do so safely and legally in the world of the novel. The central conflict of the novel will then be her attempt to get an abortion by other, illegal means. Pick a specific setting. Focusing on a specific setting can help you flesh out the world of your novel. Think about where you want to set your novel and in what time period. Maybe you want to set the novel in the past, in a small town based on your hometown. Or perhaps the novel will be set in the future, in a big American city. Choose a setting and determine the details of the setting for the novel. For example, you may choose a setting that uses landmarks in New York City and make them more futuristic. You may then put a bubble over New York City, which will limit how your characters can move in and out of the city on their own. Focus on a central theme. Consider focusing on a central theme in your novel, such as love, loss, grief, or connection. Make the theme specific to your characters and your setting. Think about how you can explore a central theme through scenes in your novel and through the actions of your characters. For example, you may have characters who are a family of immigrants living in a small American town. You may then explore themes like identity, family loyalty, and love through your characters and your setting. Choose a specific genre. To help you get ideas for your novel, you may select a genre that you enjoy reading and write the novel within that genre. For example, if you like reading historical romance novels, you may decide to write your own historical romance novel. If you enjoy science fiction novels, you may try your hand at writing science fiction. There are a wide range of genres in writing, from literary fiction to science fiction to romance to crime to thriller. You may read books in a few genres to find the one that speaks to you as a writer. Use a plot diagram. A plot diagram can help you organize your novel and identify the key moments in your novel. You can then use the plot diagram to help you write the novel. A plot diagram has six main sections: the setup, the inciting incident, the rising action, the climax, the falling action, and the resolution. Identify each section in your novel to help you plot out the story. For example, you may have a setup like a college student returning home to their small American hometown in time to celebrate Ramadan with their family. The inciting incident may then be the impending death of her mother. The rising action could be the college student's lack of connection to her family and friends. The climax could be the death of her mother. The falling action could be dealing with the death of her mother. The resolution could be the college student's decision to remain in the small town and care for her remaining family members. Make a chapter by chapter plan. Another way you can organize your novel is to make a chapter by chapter plan that you can follow. Break down your novel into chapters and make headings for each chapter. Then, create an outline for each chapter that notes the basic action of the chapter as well as the characters involved and the setting. When you start writing, you can fill in the gaps in each chapter. For example, you may have Chapter 1: Introduction of Main Character, where you introduce your main character and the setting to the reader. You may then have Chapter 2: Exploration of the Setting, where you delve more into the setting and the minor characters. Try the snowflake method. The snowflake method may be a good option if you are looking for another approach to plotting out your novel. The snowflake method consists of: a one sentence summary of the novel, a one paragraph summary of the novel, character synopses, and a spreadsheet of scenes. These four elements can help you get a better sense of where your novel is headed, making the actual writing of the novel much easier. For example, you may have a one sentence summary of your novel like, “A young Muslim woman returns to her small American hometown and tries to reconnect with her family.” You can then extend this one sentence summary to create a one paragraph summary, character synopses, and a spreadsheet of scenes. Create an engaging opening line. The first sentence of your novel will act as guidepost for your reader. It should present the tone, voice, and style of the novel. It should also keep the reader engaged and make them want to read more. You want an opening line that is not boring or familiar. For example, you may have an opening line that states an interesting fact about your main character or your setting. Carson McCullers' The Heart is a Lonely Hunter has a compelling opening line that states a fact about the setting and her characters: “In the town there were two mutes, and they were always together.” Another option is to have an opening line that introduces the voice and style of the narrator. Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita is a good example of this, with the opening line, “Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins.” Start with action. Begin your novel with danger, action, or surprise. Start mid-scene or at a crucial point in a scene. Have your main character doing something dangerous or provocative. Show your main character making a crucial decision. Introduce the reader to the world of the novel through action so they are carried away and keep reading. For example, you may start with your character making the decision to return to their hometown, despite their complicated feelings towards their family. Or you may begin with a character hurrying to catch a train back to their hometown, a frantic rush to the station that will keep the reader engaged. Begin with dialogue. Another way you can opening your novel is to start with interesting dialogue. Have your main character speak to another character at a crucial point in a scene. Choose dialogue that will set the tone and mood for the novel. This way, your reader will be interested in your story right away. Make sure the dialogue introduces setting and character. For example, you may have an opening line like, “'You missed the train again,' Melanie said to her sister, Ness.” This opening line introduces both characters, their relationship, and a conflict or issue. Leave the reader with questions. A good opening for a novel will leave the reader wanting more. It will also present questions or complications that will be teased out over the course of the novel. Try not to pack too many details or moments into your opening scene. Instead, present just enough to motivate the reader to keep going and to help them stay grounded in the world of the novel. One option is to start with an opening that lays out most of the main plot. Then, revise it so only the most necessary information is still present in the opening, but the reader is left wondering about the main plot as a whole. Taking out a few details can make your opening stronger and more engaging. | Do writing exercises. Develop an engaging main character. Create a central conflict. Pick a specific setting. Focus on a central theme. Choose a specific genre. Use a plot diagram. Make a chapter by chapter plan. Try the snowflake method. Create an engaging opening line. Start with action. Begin with dialogue. Leave the reader with questions. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Not-Get-Nervous | How to Not Get Nervous | It can be really hard to keep yourself from being nervous, but if you have to give a presentation, take a few deep breaths and take a sip of water to calm yourself. You can also listen to music you like to take your mind off of your nerves. Then, once you start to relax, try to dismiss fears that you can't control, like wondering what the audience is thinking while you're making a public speech. Instead, focus on what you can control, like making sure you speak clearly. No matter what the situation, remember that it's normal to get nervous, and it happens to everyone. | Establish a breathing routine. Yoga practitioners around the world manipulate their breathing patterns every day in an effort to calm the mind. Long, peaceful breaths cue our minds and bodies that everything is okay. Short, harsh breaths do the opposite. By breathing correctly, you can tell your body how to feel. Close your eyes and slow down your breathing rate to relax your mind and your body. You can regulate your breath by counting to a certain number or repeating "Now I breathe in, now I breathe out." Go to your "happy place" or visualize success. Happy Gilmore wasn't full of it when he used a visualization technique to quell his anger before making a golf shot. You can use a "happy place" visualization to remove yourself from a place of nervousness and visit a stress-free place of happiness, whether it be a shopping mall or a deserted beach. Visualize yourself succeeding in the thing that is making you nervous. Positive visualizations can turn into actual successes if you truly believe that you can succeed. Remember to think happy thoughts and utilize your imagination to imagine positive rather than negative situations. Develop a mantra. A mantra is a phrase or saying that is repeated over and over either aloud or in one's mind as a meditative exercise. Come up with words that inspire or calm you and repeat them every time your nervousness starts to creep up. It can be helpful to close your eyes while chanting a mantra. These mantras can consist of phrases like, "You can do it!", or "You got this!" Meditate or perform a body scan. Meditation, though difficult to master, is an awesome way to calm your nervousness. Find a quiet place, take a comfortable seat or lie on the ground, and attempt to notice your thoughts without bias or judgement. If you find it too difficult to entirely clear your mind, try a body scan instead where you focus your attention to one part of your body at a time. Start by bringing your attention to your feet and slowly scan up the body, paying attention to how you feel at each stage. Write down your nervous thoughts. Instead of trying to banish nervous thoughts or feelings, take the time to feel them and then let them go. By writing down why you are nervous and how you are feeling, you can confront your nervousness rather than trying to ignore it altogether. Once you've written down your feelings, either throw the paper away as a symbolic gesture or keep it to consider it during the day. Play soothing music. Make a playlist of music that soothes and calms you. When nervous feelings arise, listen to your playlist and allow yourself to sink into the music. Drink water. Calm your nervous system and nourish your body by drinking water. While you should always be drinking an adequate amount of water, doing so at the time you experience nervousness can be very helpful. Massage your temples. Close your eyes and use your middle finger to massage your temples on the side of your eyes. Your temples are pressure points and massaging them can be very relaxing and stress-relieving. Exercise or take up yoga and/or tai chi. Getting exercise is one of the best things you can do to reset your mind and body and relieve the jitters. If you are particularly nervous about an upcoming work presentation or a date with your beautiful neighbor, log at least 30 minutes of cardio activity per day. Yoga is not only a physical practice but an intensely mental practice that also teaches you to regulate your breathing. Try a yoga class or follow an at-home instruction to see if it helps calm your mind. Take up tai chi. Tai chi is a non-competitive series of flowing body motions that are designed to relax the body and mind and channel energy to positive outcomes. Make sure you are getting enough sleep and are eating a healthy diet. Your diet and sleep patterns not only affect your overall health, but they can affect your stress-level, and thus your tendency to get nervous, as well. Aim to get the recommended 8 hours of sleep per night and do your best to avoid fatty, greasy, and sugary foods. Accept uncertainty. Some people have a difficult time not trying to control every aspect of their life. Release your controlling grip and tell yourself that there are some things you just can't predict. While you can steer your life in a certain direction, you'll inevitably take a few wrong turns or be thrown off course by a third party. And hey, that's ok! If life were all planned out, it'd be boring as all get out. It's the uncertainty that makes it worth living! If this is an issue for you, consciously put uncertainty in a positive light -- what little surprises will happily greet you today? Focus on the present instead of living in the past or future. What's done is done and what hasn't happened yet, well, hasn't happened. Don't stress yourself out by dwelling on an embarrassing moment or expecting one to happen. There is such a thing as a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you concentrate on messing up your big speech tomorrow, you might end up messing up your big speech tomorrow. Focusing on the now grounds you in what's going on and lets you keep a level head. Practice being comfortable in situations that make you nervous. You can't avoid everything, but by practicing being in uncomfortable situations, you can grow to ease your nerves over time. If getting up on a stage in front of a crowd is something that makes you intensely nervous, try practicing on smaller stages alone before working your way up to bigger stages. Foster a support group of family and friends that will help you meet those challenges with poise. Imagine the person who is making you nervous in a vulnerable situation. This is the old "imagine the crowd in their underwear" trick, but it can actually work! Even though your boss might be extremely intimidating, tell yourself that s/he is only just another human being. S/he too probably feels nervous at times and has been in several vulnerable situations before. The old adage, "Everybody poops" is an old adage for a reason! Prepare yourself for good days and bad days. Even if you adopt several relaxation techniques into your daily routine, there will still be days when the nervousness will win. Prepare yourself for both success and failure and take each step day by day. Evaluate the rationality of your nervousness. Are you feeling nervous about something that you can solve or are you nervous about something beyond your control? If you are nervous about a possible situation rather than an actual one, tell yourself that it is beyond your control. What's the point in being nervous about something that's going to happen either way? Nervous about the apocalypse coming? Easy to see that that's pointless -- how is your problem different? If your problem is actual and solvable, take action to find possible solutions. For example, if you are nervous about making your rent payment on time, call your landlord and ask about a potential extension. Let go of the idea that your nervousness has positive effects. Many people develop a routine of extreme nervousness because they think that it is doing them some good or pushing them to perform. But in the end, being nervous is just time wasted that you could have spent feeling, well, almost anything else! Feeling nervous that a worst-case scenario is about to happen to you sometime in the near future doesn't lead to any positive outcomes. You won't be any more prepared and you'll have lost that precious time to enjoy yourself. Approach your nervousness rationally and don't allow your body to be controlled by nervous thoughts. Assert your rational mind and let the nervousness know who's boss. P.S. -- It's you. Remember that it's natural to get nervous. Try to practice self-compassion and recognize that you are bound to be nervous at some points in your life. Recognize whether or not your nervousness is negatively impacting your life. You may be jeopardizing relationships simply as a result of your nervousness. If your nervousness prevents you from run-of-the-mill daily activities, you may be anxious. Being nervous when it comes to life's challenges is healthy and normal, but if you're nervous and you don't why, there may be a bigger problem at hand. Talk to a doctor about potential anti-anxiety medications. If your nervousness is so intense that it causes panic attacks, you may be a potential candidate for anti-anxiety medication. While anxiety medicine won't cure your tendency to feel nervous, it will ease your nervousness temporarily. Anti-anxiety medication may cause undesirable and dangerous side-effects, including addiction and depression. Consider these issues and exhaust other options before resorting to medication. Popular anti-anxiety medications include benzodiazepines, antidepressants, and beta-blockers. Among antidepressants, both SSRIs and SNRIs are commonly prescribed; SSRIs help boost serotonin, while SNRIs increase norepinephrine and serotonin. Ask your doctor which medication is right for you. Most anti-anxiety medications kick-in about 30 minutes after ingestion. Hire a psychotherapist. Many people find it particularly helpful to talk to a professional therapist about their nervousness or anxiety. Establish whether group or individual counseling is right for you and make an appointment to speak with a therapist. | Establish a breathing routine. Go to your "happy place" or visualize success. Develop a mantra. Meditate or perform a body scan. Write down your nervous thoughts. Play soothing music. Drink water. Massage your temples. Exercise or take up yoga and/or tai chi. Make sure you are getting enough sleep and are eating a healthy diet. Accept uncertainty. Focus on the present instead of living in the past or future. Practice being comfortable in situations that make you nervous. Imagine the person who is making you nervous in a vulnerable situation. Prepare yourself for good days and bad days. Evaluate the rationality of your nervousness. Let go of the idea that your nervousness has positive effects. Remember that it's natural to get nervous. Recognize whether or not your nervousness is negatively impacting your life. Talk to a doctor about potential anti-anxiety medications. Hire a psychotherapist. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Look-Your-Best | How to Look Your Best | To look your best, emphasize your favorite features, like buying more v-necks to show of your neckline or picking certain colored clothing to compliment your eye color. If you have features you don't like, avoid draping them in extra clothing, which can make you look frumpy. Instead, pick clothes that fit your body properly to look put together. In addition to what you wear, improve your posture by holding your shoulders back and keeping your head upright, which will let you appear more confident. You can also get a healthy glow by taking good care of yourself, so drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to stay well hydrated and get plenty of sleep to look and feel your best. | Think about your favorite features. Maybe you have sunset-hued hair that cascades down your back. Maybe your eyes are a deep, coffee-brown color. Maybe you have elegant collar bones, strong, sturdy thighs or set of wide, quarterback-caliber shoulders. Whatever it is, don't be afraid to play it up! When you shop for clothes, choose your hairstyle, and pick out colors to wear, think about how you can make your favorite features stand out. The change you make can be small, like buying more v-necks to reveal your pretty neck, or putting your baseball hats away to show off your high, handsome forehead. On the other side of the coin, you can downplay features you don't want to show off. Don't get too carried away with this, though - it'll be obvious you're trying to hide something. Instead, focus on the features you're proud to accentuate. Show off your hair. Hair is one of the first things people notice about each other, so looking your best means finding a style and hair care routine that makes your hair look great. No matter what your hair color, texture and length, there's a style out there that will bring out its beauty. To find that look that works best for you, try the following: Find a haircut that works for your face shape. For example, longer, layered looks look great with oval-shaped faces, while pixie cuts are pretty on rounder faces. Care for your hair in a way that keeps it healthy. Dyeing it too much, using glue-in weaves, chemical straightening and other treatments can damage your hair, making it look dry, dull or limp. Style your hair every day before you go out, even if it just means combing it and adding some pomade or gel. If you're going to a fancy event, take the time to wash, dry and style it well. If you have facial hair, keep it neat and trimmed, whether you have a full beard or long sideburns. If you're losing hair, there are a number of methods you can try to make it thicker. However, don't feel like you have to cover it up with a combover or cap. Getting regular trims and washing your hair regularly will keep you looking nice. Own your hair, no matter what it looks like! Play up your eyes. Your eyes are an important feature to think about when you're getting ready for your day - after all, everyone you talk to is going to have the opportunity to look at them closely. Making your eyes look great starts with getting a good night's sleep, but there are a few things you should do in the morning to make sure they look bright and attractive: Moisturize the area around your eyes. Use a cream to moisturize your eyelids, under your eyes, and in the creases near your temples. You can use a moisturizer every night before going to sleep, too. Keep your eyebrows neat. Use a tweezers to shape your eyebrows , or go to a salon to get them waxed or threaded. This will bring out the best in your eye shape. Take care of undereye circles by applying cool cucumber slices or teabags for 5 minutes. Wear eye makeup if you'd like. Eyeliner, eye shadow, and mascara work together to make your eyes look bigger and brighter. Smile more often. Wearing a genuine smile will truly capture people's attention. If you tend to walk around looking solemn, you'll give people the impression you're closed off, and they'll look away. Plus, frowning creates wrinkles and doesn't give your facial features the chance to shine. Having an easy smile is a simple way to make yourself look better every day. If there's anything preventing you from wanting to smile more, take measures to change it. For example, if you're self-conscious about your teeth, have them straightened or whitened. Brushing your teeth every morning before you go out will help your smile look bright and attractive. Condition your lips with chapstick so you won't hesitate to smile wide. You might also consider using a lip scrub to exfoliate your lips if they tend to get dry and flaky. Have beautiful posture. Improving your posture is an easy fix that will make a huge difference in your appearance right away. If you tend to hunch a little bit, make a conscious effort to stand up straight. Throw your shoulders back and keep your head erect. When you're seated, don't slouch in your chair. No matter what type of figure you have, you'll look better if your posture is upright and elegant. Improving your posture takes some practice. You'll have to consciously stand up straight and sit erect for weeks before it comes naturally. It can help to stretch and do light exercises each day. Wear clothes that fit. This is an important way to look your best, but it eludes a great number of people. You may aspire to fit into a size that's a little too small, or perhaps you drape yourself in fabric in order to hide something you don't particularly want to show off. Either approach to wearing clothes results in a distorted look. Put your best foot forward by choosing clothes that are the correct size for you. Believe it or not, you will look a lot better! Wearing a bra that fits well can drastically change your appearance. Spring for a great bra and you'll notice the difference. Shapewear only goes so far to smooth out your curves. The better approach is to choose clothing that fits well, rather than trying to squeeze into a size too small. Don't feel like you have to cover up. Do you love wearing shorts in the summer, but you're embarrassed to expose your thighs? Wear them anyway! Wear sleeveless shirts, take off the bulky sweatshirt, and put on strappy sandals when you feel like it, no matter your body shape. If you're covering yourself up when you wish you could wear something less confining, it will show in your demeanor. Unless you want to do this for personal reasons, there's no reason you can't bare as much skin as you want, no matter your size or shape. That said, don't bare too much skin in venues where it's inappropriate. You wouldn't want to show up in a short cocktail dress when everyone else is wearing formal floor-length gowns, or wear a sleeveless shirt to a nice event where others are wearing collared button-downs. Experiment with different styles. Your style should start with what feels good to wear, be it high heels and pearls or a t-shirt and shorts. Work on figuring out what style of clothing makes you feel the most like yourself, and the most confident presenting yourself to other people. It doesn't matter what your style is; as long as its an expression of your personality, you'll be able to rock it. If you've always worn a black hoodie and jeans, and you're not sure how to branch out, start by changing up one piece at a time. Wear a neatly ironed collared top instead of a sweatshirt one day. Does it make you feel good? Do you feel like yourself in it? If not, try a different style next time. Keep changing it up until you start getting a feel for what you like. Swapping clothes with a stylish friend can be a helpful way to experiment without shelling out too much money. Also consider shopping at thrift stores, where there's a huge selection of a range of different styles. Find a style icon. It can really help to have good examples of the type of people wearing the clothing and hairstyles you like. Is there a celebrity or other public figure whose style is particularly attractive to you? Once you have a few people in mind, pay attention to how their wardrobes are built. What colors and fabrics do they tend to rely on? How is their clothing usually cut? What accessories do they wear most often? When you have a clear picture, you can start incorporating similar pieces into your wardrobe and trying them out for yourself. Style blogs are filled with pictures of people trying out different outfits. Find a few bloggers who have taste similar to yours and following along - they'll often give details about where their clothes come from. The great thing about blogs is that they're created by people of all backgrounds, shapes and sizes, so unlike fashion magazines, they reflect reality. That's a lot more helpful when it comes to figuring out what might work for your particular features. Wear colors that accent your complexion. Do you lean toward cool tones or warm tones? Do you love black and white or prefer muted earth colors? Preferences aside, knowing what looks great with your particular complexion can help you look more beautiful. As a general rule, try to choose colors that don't exactly match your skin - contrast is good! If your skin is dark, choose warm-toned pastels, bright colors and rich, deep colors like copper and gold. If your skin is medium, choose jewel colors or shades of blue or red, and steer clear of brown or tan colors. If your skin is olive, go with pink, red, green or brown to bring out the best in your skin. If your skin is fair, peach, strawberry, navy and dark green will all help accent your rosy hue. Don't be afraid to stand out from the crowd. It's also OK to throw style rules out the window and just wear whatever you want - as long as you feel comfortable in it. Maybe you've heard that tall people shouldn't wear high heels - so what? If you like them, wear them. Or on the other end of the spectrum, it's commonly said that shorter people shouldn't wear maxi skirts - but if you have a gorgeous one in your closet, you'd better not let it languish there! What matters when it comes to style is your confidence. If that's there, heads will turn as you pass by, and people will want to know your secret. Use accessories to add interest to your outfits. Sunglasses, jewelry, watches, bags, and other accessories can add just the right touch to an outfit. They help you look more put together, which is an important part of looking your best. After getting dressed, decide how to complete your look. A solid-colored top usually pairs well with a statement necklace, which adds a bit of interest to the look. If your hair is pulled back, consider putting on a pair of earrings to draw attention to your chin. Men can accessorize with watches, ties and cufflinks, as well as other jewelry. Have the right outfit for different occasions. Part of looking your best is looking the part - and that means putting a little forethought into your outfits. While there's nothing wrong with standing out, you should do it in a way that also allows you to fit in. Don't wear something so out of place that people are distracted by your outfit instead of seeing the person wearing it. If you're going to a special event, find out if there's a dress code. Find a way to adhere to it that allows you to express your personal style. Take care of your skin. No matter what you're wearing, if your skin looks dull and dry you won't be showing the world your best self. Have a skin care routine that makes you look fresh, healthy and vibrant from head to toe. This will mean different things for different people, but there are a few general approaches that make sense for everyone: Wash your skin without using harsh detergents. Use a gentle soap that will encourage your skin to retain moisture, which helps it look healthy. Exfoliate your skin a few times a week. Use a dry brush or a body scrub to slough off dead skin cells. Moisturize your skin with lotion, cream or oil to keep it supple and soft. Trim your nails and maintain body hair. These two simple grooming habits will help you look clean and fresh, even if you're not wearing anything particularly special. Give yourself a manicure or pay for one every few weeks. Decide what hair you want to keep and what you want to remove. Shave, wax, or thread the hair that you'd prefer not to have. Eat nutritious food. For a healthy body shape and vibrant hair and skin, it's important to eat plenty of vitamins every single day. Cut back on sugar, processed foods, refined flour, salty food, and fried food for better overall health - and a more beautiful appearance. Incorporate more of the following foods into your diet: Fruits and vegetables. The importance of eating a variety of fruits and vegetables- preferably steamed, sauteed or blended, rather than juiced, fried or boiled - cannot be understated. Try to make fruits and veggies the bulk of your diet. Healthy fats. Eat avocados, nuts, fish, eggs, and other healthy fats containing omega-3 fatty acids for healthy skin, hair and organs. Lean protein. Go for chicken, fish, eggs, lean beef, pork, tofu, and other good sources of protein. Steer clear of processed meats, like lunch meat or beef jerky, since these have lots of additives. Whole grains. Oatmeal, spelt, whole wheat, and other whole grains are also part of a balanced diet. Drink lots of water. If you feel tired, dull, and a little lifeless, perk yourself up by drinking water. Lots of it. It will have a huge impact on the appearance of your hair and skin, as well as giving you more energy - which, in turn, will also help you look your best. Aim to get at least 8 glasses every single day. Replace sugary drinks with water or herbal tea whenever possible. Avoid drinking too much alcohol - over time, it will definitely affect the appearance of your body and face, not to mention making you feel ill or sad the day after drinking. When you do drink, have a glass of water for every glass of alcohol. Stop smoking. Using tobacco products is a sure way to age your skin and hair, and that won't help you look your best. Start taking steps to quit smoking and using other tobacco products as soon as you can. Find an exercise you love. Getting your blood flowing and strengthening your muscles will help you look your very best. Your skin will have a healthy flush, your posture will improve, and your arms, legs and torso will look more shapely. If you don't already exercise, it's never too late to start. Weight training is key when it comes to building muscle. Consider joining a team to get exercise and socialize at the same time. Try yoga if you're not into high-energy sports. Take good care of yourself. Part of looking your best is being aware of your body's needs and making time to meet them. When you're feeling run down and stressed, your body suffers, and it shows. It's important to learn how to take care of yourself well. You'll know you're doing it right when you look in the mirror and see that healthy, happy glow. Get plenty of sleep. Try starting a schedule so you can make sure you get at least 7 to 8 hours every night. Take time to relax. Whatever you do to relax, make time for it several times a week. Take a long, hot bath, go for a walk, hang out with friends, play some video games, read a book or cook yourself a healthy meal. Go to the doctor regularly. Staying on top of any health problems is an important part of self care, too. Take care of medical problems before they get out of hand. | Think about your favorite features. Show off your hair. Play up your eyes. Smile more often. Have beautiful posture. Wear clothes that fit. Don't feel like you have to cover up. Experiment with different styles. Find a style icon. Wear colors that accent your complexion. Don't be afraid to stand out from the crowd. Use accessories to add interest to your outfits. Have the right outfit for different occasions. Take care of your skin. Trim your nails and maintain body hair. Eat nutritious food. Drink lots of water. Stop smoking. Find an exercise you love. Take good care of yourself. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Activate-a-Chase-Credit-Card | How to Activate a Chase Credit Card | To activate your Chase credit card online, visit the URL on the back of your credit card and create an online account. If you already have an account, you just need to log-in. Then, find the credit card account you want to verify by clicking on the "My accounts" tab. Finally, click the activation button and don't forget to sign your card with a ballpoint pen. If you're having trouble activating your card, call Chase customer service on 1-800-432-3117. | Take your card out of the envelope. Your credit card will arrive in the mail. It may be in an unmarked white envelope or, in some cases, a box. Inside will be your credit card as well as the terms of use and a guide to benefits. You should activate your card as soon as you receive it. If you wait more than a month or two, the bank may assume that the card is lost and cancel it. Call the activation phone number. The phone number is usually on a sticker that is attached to the front of the card. Do not remove this sticker until you have activated your card. Look on the back of your card for your customer service number. Try to use the same phone number that you put on your credit card application. To prevent identity theft, the bank may compare the number you are calling from with the number on your application. Enter the requested information. To activate your card, you may be asked to say or dial your credit card number, the last four digits of your Social Security number, your date of birth, and any personal identifying questions that you answered when applying for the card. Personal identifying questions may include “What is your mother's maiden name” or “What was the street you grew up on?” If you are calling from a different number than the one on your application, you may be asked more questions for security purposes. State whether you would like to activate your cash back bonuses. Chase offers 5% cash back bonuses that must be activated once every three months. When you first activate your card, you may be asked if you would like to activate this bonus for the current quarter. Say yes or no. Remove the sticker once the card is activated. In most cases, the card will automatically activate after providing the right information. You can now take off the activation sticker and use your card for purchases. Sign your new credit card. Credit cards are not valid unless signed. Make sure that you sign your credit card on the back where it says "Authorized Signature." For an extra layer of protection, you can sign "See ID" instead of your signature. Visit the credit card verification website. You can find the website's URL on the back of your card or by going to https://www.chase.com/personal/credit-cards/verify-credit-card. Create an online Chase account. If you already have an account, you can just log in. If you don't, click “Not Enrolled. Sign up now.” To create an online account, you will need to provide the following information: Your new credit card number Your Social Security number or tax identification number Your billing address Your email Find your credit card account on the online portal. Click on the “My Accounts” tab and select the credit card that you would like to activate. It will ask you to activate the card. Click the activation button. Your card should be ready to use! Activate individual perks by going to the "Card Benefits" page. This may be under the “Rewards Activity” tab or the “Use Points” tab if you have a Sapphire Reserve card. The benefits that you are eligible for should appear. These may include 5% cash back or airline miles. Some benefits may need to be reactivated each quarter. Sign the back of the card. Your credit card is not valid unless you sign it. Use a ballpoint pen and sign the back where it says signature. Write either your name or "See ID." Let the ink dry for a minute before putting your card away. Try again from your home phone. In some cases, if you don't call from the phone number that you put on your application, the bank might flag your card. Try again when you are using the same phone number you applied with. If you can't remember which number you used, visit a bank. If the bank flags your card, you may need to get a new one. Visit your bank or call customer service if you suspect this to be the case. Call customer service. If you're having difficulty activating your card, call the Chase customer service line by using the phone number on the back of your card or by calling 1-800-432-3117. Tell them that you can't activate your card. Send an email through the "Secure Message Center" on your account. Once you sign in, you can find the "Secure Message Center" by going to the side menu and clicking "Secure Messages." Select "Compose Message." Tell the bank that you are unable to activate your card. They may send you a new one. Walk into a bank. If you would rather talk to a person, any banker at a Chase branch should be able to activate your card for you. Bring all of the paperwork that came with your card as well as photo identification. You can locate the nearest Chase branch at https://locator.chase.com/. | Take your card out of the envelope. Call the activation phone number. Enter the requested information. State whether you would like to activate your cash back bonuses. Remove the sticker once the card is activated. Sign your new credit card. Visit the credit card verification website. Create an online Chase account. Find your credit card account on the online portal. Activate individual perks by going to the "Card Benefits" page. Sign the back of the card. Try again from your home phone. Call customer service. Send an email through the "Secure Message Center" on your account. Walk into a bank. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Restraining-Order-in-Washington-State | How to Get a Restraining Order in Washington State | You can file a restraining order in Washington state if someone is harassing you to protect yourself and your family. There are 2 main types of restraining orders. A domestic violence protection order will protect you from an abusive partner who has physically harmed or stalked you in the past. A civil anti-harassment order will protect you from someone you had a less intimate relationship with or a partner who was abusing you in a non-physical way. You can file the order with your local court or the county court where the perpetrator lives. Get the relevant form from your local court clerk, fill it in, then give it back to the clerk. You may need to briefly talk with the judge to discuss your reasons and get a temporary order, which will be effective until your hearing date to keep you safe. | Learn about restraining orders. When a court issues a restraining order, it commands the person restrained to stop doing things. If the person continues to do them, then he or she can be held in contempt of court, which carries fines or even jail time. Generally, restraining orders can prohibit people from doing the following: contacting your or attempting to contact you trying to place you under surveillance coming within a certain distance of you possessing a firearm staying in the home or entering the residence Decide which order you need. The two most common types of restraining orders are domestic violence protection orders and civil antiharassment protection orders. You should decide which one you need before filling out the necessary paperwork. Different protective orders apply depending on your relationship to the abuser. Domestic violence protection orders. Generally, these protection orders are available when you are being abused by someone within your home or by someone with whom you have had an intimate relationship in the past or present. Civil antiharassment protection orders. You do not need to have any particular relationship with the harasser to seek this protection order. For example, you could be harassed by a complete stranger. These orders are also available if the harassment you face by a domestic partner does not rise to the level of harassment necessary to get a domestic violence protection order. Understand temporary orders. When you file for your restraining order, the judge will likely grant a temporary order without a hearing (“ex parte”). Temporary orders cannot become final orders until the judge gives the alleged abuser an opportunity to respond. Temporary orders can be granted on the same day that you apply for them and take effect immediately. The court will schedule a hearing for a couple weeks later. At this point, you will have to attend a hearing and argue why the temporary order should be replaced by a final order. Get legal assistance. You might want to meet with a lawyer depending on your circumstances. For example, if you are seeking a protection order as part of a divorce or separation, then you should certainly get a lawyer. Restraining orders can be much broader when granted during a divorce. For example, the person restrained can be prevented from disposing of assets. You can also be granted temporary custody of your children. You can find a qualified attorney by contacting your county's bar association, which should run a referral program. If you are low-income, then you should contact CLEAR, which is the central organization that handles intake for legal aid organizations in the state. You can contact them at 1-888-201-1014. Someone should be available from 9:15 am to 12:15 pm to answer your call. Find the correct court. You can get a protection order by filing forms in the county where you live or where you used to live. If you have moved to avoid detection by the abuser, then you might want to file in the county where you used to live. If you want to keep your address confidential, then ask the court how you can do that. Identify your abuser. You can seek a domestic violence protection order only against certain people, depending on your relationship together: a spouse or former spouse a domestic partner or former domestic partner (includes same-sex couples) a person you have had a child with any adult related by blood or marriage any adult who has resided with you, now or in the past a person you are dating or have dated, regardless of whether you have lived together step-parents and grandparents step-children and grandchildren Check if the abuse qualifies as “domestic violence. ” You can get a domestic violence restraining order when the abuser's behavior meets the state's definition of “domestic violence.” The following behaviors qualify: physical harm assault, including sexual assault bodily injury stalking any behavior that puts you in fear of immediate physical harm, assault, or bodily injury (including biting, hitting, pushing, slapping, or choking) Get the forms. You will need to fill out forms to request a restraining order. You can get the forms from the court clerk. Go to the clerk and tell him or her that you need a restraining order. Explain who is harassing and abusing you. Type the information into the forms or print legibly using black ink. Make sure you fill out the forms completely. If you need additional space, then attach a piece of paper. Sign and date the attached papers. File the forms. Take the forms to the court clerk and ask to file. You do not have to pay a filing fee. You will have to verify the information in the petition by swearing an oath. You will probably have to sign in front of a notary public. Be sure to bring sufficient personal identification, such as a valid driver's license or passport. Meet with the judge. After filing, you will need to meet briefly with the judge to talk about your case. A temporary restraining order can be issued, which will be valid for 14 days. If the judge grants you a temporary protection order, take the order (signed by the judge) and give it to the court clerk to file. Make sure to get several copies. You will need one for yourself and possibly one for your children's school. Serve notice on the abuser. Whether the judge grants a temporary protection order or not, you will very likely receive a date for a full hearing. At this hearing, the defendant will be able to represent him or herself. You need to serve notice on the defendant at least five business days before the hearing. You will need to send a copy of your petition as well as a copy of any temporary restraining order granted. You can have the sheriff serve notice on the abuser. You should not try to serve notice yourself. Attend your hearing. Before your temporary restraining order expires, you will need to attend a hearing. The defendant will be given notice of the hearing and can choose to attend to defend against the restraining order. If you prevail, then the restraining order can be extended for one year or longer. To prepare for the hearing, you should bring evidence of any abuse you have suffered. Bring abusive communications, such as emails, letters, notes, or voice mail messages. If you were beaten or struck with an object, then bring photographs of your injuries. Also bring copies of medical and police reports that relate to any abuse. The judge will want to see them. When it is your turn to speak at the hearing, tell the judge why you need the protection order and offer to show your supporting documentation. Get your final restraining order. If the judge decides to make the restraining order permanent, then be sure to get several copies. You will want one to store at home and one to keep on you at all times. You might need additional copies for your child's school or daycare. Identify the harassment. Under Washington law, “harassment” is defined as a series of acts over a period of time, which seriously alarm, annoy, or harass you. The acts cannot serve a “legitimate purpose” (such as political protest). Furthermore, the harm must reasonably cause you emotional distress or cause you to reasonably fear for the well-being of your child. Determine if you need a domestic violence restraining order instead. You can get a civil antiharassment restraining order if you do not qualify for a domestic violence restraining order but are nevertheless the victim of violence or potential violence. For example, you can get the civil antiharassment order if you are being abused by someone who you do not live with and have never had an intimate relationship with (such as a neighbor or stranger). You can also get a civil antiharassment order if the harassment you suffer doesn't rise to the level of “domestic violence” as described by the state statute. Get the forms. You can get the forms from the court clerk. Tell the clerk that you want a civil antiharassment restraining order. Although the clerk cannot provide legal advice, he or she can give you the correct forms. Fill out the forms in black ink, writing legibly. You may be able to fill out the forms on a computer at the clerk's office. File the forms. Take all completed forms to the court clerk and ask to file. You will probably not have to pay a filing fee if you are the victim of stalking, sexual assault, or domestic violence. Ask the court clerk when you should pick up your temporary protection order. Civil antiharassment protection orders can be granted “ex parte,” which means the accused will not have a chance to speak at the hearing. Serve notice of the hearing. You will need to give the harasser notice of the full hearing. At the hearing, the defendant can argue that you should not get a final protection order. Ask the court clerk for what methods of service are acceptable. You must make service at least five days before the hearing date. Attend a full hearing. If you are granted a temporary restraining order, it is good for 14 or 24 days (the judge will tell you which). Before the expiration, the judge will schedule a full hearing to determine whether the protection order should be extended. Civil antiharassment protection orders can be extended to one year or extended permanently. Be sure to bring evidence of the harassment. For example, you might have taken pictures of slurs written by a neighbor on your property. Also, witnesses might have observed the person harassing you. Ask these people to attend the hearing where they can testify on your behalf. Read the order. Once you get a copy of your temporary or final protection order, be sure to read it. The order defines what the defendant cannot do. You should understand the limitations being put on his or her conduct so that you can know when to report violations. If you lost your copy of the restraining order, then contact the court clerk and ask for a copy. Keep a copy on you at all times. You should always have your copy of the restraining order in case you need to show it to the police. Also keep another copy in a safe place at your home. Call the police if the abuser violates the order. If the abuser shows up at your house or place of work in violation of the order, then call the police. They will arrest the abuser and possibly hold him or her in jail. Arrest is mandatory for violations of domestic violence protection orders. The abuser can then be charged with contempt or a criminal violation. Violation of a civil antiharassment protection order is a gross misdemeanor. The harasser could face criminal charges or contempt. Renew the protection order. You can renew both a domestic violence protection order and a civil antiharassment protection order. At any point in the three months before the expiration of the order, you can file a petition with the court for renewal. Ask the court clerk for a form petition that you can fill out. You will have to serve notice on the person restrained and attend another hearing. | Learn about restraining orders. Decide which order you need. Understand temporary orders. Get legal assistance. Find the correct court. Identify your abuser. Check if the abuse qualifies as “domestic violence. Get the forms. File the forms. Meet with the judge. Serve notice on the abuser. Attend your hearing. Get your final restraining order. Identify the harassment. Determine if you need a domestic violence restraining order instead. Get the forms. File the forms. Serve notice of the hearing. Attend a full hearing. Read the order. Call the police if the abuser violates the order. Renew the protection order. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Balance-Work-and-Family | How to Balance Work and Family | If you want to balance work and family, it's important to organize your schedule day-to-day so you can plan out time for friends and family. Treat your family as if they matter just as much as the most important business meeting and don't miss your “scheduled meetings” with them. An easy way to get in family time is by eating meals as a family and using that time to stay connected. You can also block off evenings and spend it with your partner or enjoy a bedtime routine of bathing and reading to your children. | Decide what your values are for yourself and your family. A value is a principle, standard, or quality considered worthwhile or desired. Values guide our actions and structure our lives. Areas where we often have strong values include housework, meal times, child care, car and house maintenance, relationships between spouses and parents and children, education, money, politics, religion, etc. Specifying your values is key to managing work and family demands. They tell you what is important in your life and what matters to you. All too frequently, we don't acknowledge or question our values until a problem arises. Think carefully and deeply. Most of us have some general sense of our values, but this is often vague. Many of our values remain unconscious. These values - the ones we hold but are not entirely aware of - often contribute to feelings of stress; this stress can be understood and managed once we become more in tune with our values. Consider values that conflict with one another. For example, what if you believe that one should be at work early and you also believe that the kitchen should always be clean before one leaves the house? How do you rectify these competing values? Such conflicts are stressful and can leave you feeling drained and unsatisfied until you examine these values and reflect on how they interact. Modifying or prioritizing our values can be one way of easing role strain and conflicts between values. For example, do you value being at work early more or less than leaving the house clean? Decide which is more important to you and go from there. Set goals. Goals are important in our lives and help us decide how we use our time. Goals include statements such as "I want to own my own business by the time I am 40," or, "I want to finish college before I start a family." Our predetermined values shape our goals and give us the push needed to achieve those goals. The values underlying these two goals might include a high regard for initiative, achievement, and education. Distinguish between concrete goals and more abstract goals. Some goals may be concrete and specific, like the two examples above. Other goals, however, will likely be more abstract, relational and more reflective of your well-being and place in the world. For example, you may strive to build supportive relationships with friends, raise healthy and responsible children, or cultivate a deeper and more spiritual understanding of yourself. Rank goals. To ease role strain we can choose to put some goals on hold, let go of some, and modify others as needed. Think about the things you want most out of our life when determining this ranking. Consider social and individual expectations, perceptions, and attitudes. Everyone has ideas about how things "should" be done and how people "should" behave in certain situations. Often these expectations, perceptions, and attitudes come from a combination of our own individual values and generally accepted social norms. Identifying the "shoulds" in your life may be harder than figuring out our goals because the former often exist below the surface. However, holding onto attitudes and expectations that don't fit your current needs can cause conflict and stress. Many of us hold high expectations about "having it all," about being everything to everyone, and being "perfect" in every area of our lives. But in trying to reach these unrealistic expectations, we often find ourselves exhausted, burned out and incapable of effectively fulfilling any one part of our lives. Instead of getting to this point, pause and reflect on the attitudes and expectations you have and adjust those that do not support what you need at a given time. Be flexible and adaptable. Forgive yourself when things are missed and don't get done. In other situations, accept that things will pop up that will require your attention and may result in you having to readjust your goals. Negotiate with your spouse, partner, co-workers, and boss for what you need. Be open to and try to embrace change. Never get too comfortable, because just as soon as things seem to be under control, they can change at a whim! Set priorities. Prioritizing is central to effective time management. Juggling work and home life and trying to find time for time with friends and family and on your own is not easy. Even if we are using our time efficiently, this doesn't mean that we are using it effectively. In other words, we might be doing things right, but we aren't necessarily doing the right things. Often, we don't plan and schedule activities that move us toward our goals, especially those goals that aren't concrete. One way around this is to prioritize your goals and decide which are most important in the short-term, medium-term, and long-term. Once you have determined which goals are most important for you, start working towards those ones first and foremost. Don't lose sight of your other goals, but try to focus in on those that require your immediate attention. You may also need to realize when you must leave work at work. Measure your goals against your available time. Ask yourself what you need to do on a given day to reach the goal you have set for yourself. Figure out a benchmark for your goal. How will you know when you've reached the goal? Set boundaries and limits. These determine how you take charge of your time and space and help you get in touch with and manage your emotions. Boundaries express the extent of your responsibilities, power, and agency; they also inform others what you are willing to do and accept. Be willing to say "no." Remember that being able to say "no" when pressed to take on additional responsibilities is your prerogative; in fact, it is what is key to effectively balancing work and family. For example, if your boss asks you to work over-time but you have already promised to attend your child's school event, you can say that you have already made a commitment and try to find an alternative solution that accommodates your existing commitments. Set boundaries literally on your time. Carve up your daily tasks into increments of time; figure out how long you can and are willing to spend on a given task. Get organized on a day-to-day level. Create daily routines and a structured plan each day rather than reacting to whatever comes up. Plan ahead and anticipate your needs. A good idea is to have a backup plan ready in case of emergencies so that you are prepared with a contingency plan should the need arise. Establish a supportive network that you can draw on. Connect with friends, relatives, neighbors, coworkers, and professionals. Be ready and willing to ask for help if you need it. Build breaks into your daily routine. It's a good practice to make time for other activities besides work so that your days are balanced, enjoyable and fulfilling. Make time healthy habits, such as eating health food, exercising, meditating and taking other forms of quiet time. Many gyms, for example, are open over the lunch hour and may offer a reduced corporate membership. Block out time your calendar for your family and friends. You block out time for meetings at work, so apply the same principle to your home life? Scheduling this time with family in advance will make it hard to cancel at the last minute and helps set that time in stone. Treat your family as if they matter just as much as the most important business person in the world and don't miss your "scheduled meetings" with them. Eat meals as a family. Studies have shown that sharing a family meal together benefits the spiritual, mental, and physical well being of the entire family. Families that eat together have lower rates of substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and depression, as well as higher grades and self-confidence. Eating together helps keep a family connected and engaged with one another; it can become one of the most enjoyable parts of the day for kids and parents alike. Make time for the big and small moments in life. Take time to celebrate major milestones, achievements, graduations, birthdays, and holidays together with your family. Even marking smaller accomplishments (e.g., your child's winning goal in the championships) with a small token or special gathering will help each family member feel special and valued. Take evenings off. Do something basic with your partner and/or family. It doesn't have to be a special event or take long, just something where you are together with them, such as watering the garden or taking care of the lawn, going for a drive or walk together, etc. As long as you are relaxed and listening, they'll feel that they're getting the attention they need and want. Enjoy the bedtime routine if you have children, including bathing them, reading to them and putting them to bed. Spending these moments with them lets them know that you care and are available for them. Use the rest of the evening to catch up on the day with your spouse or partner. Consider this like a debriefing session; ask questions about one another's day and offer advice or guidance, or simply listen. The day-to-day is just as important to a healthy, mutually beneficial and sustaining romantic relationship as the grand gestures and proposals. Cut out time-wasting activities. We waste a lot of time in our daily lives thanks to television, Internet, video games, etc. Try removing any unnecessary distractions that don't really add any value to or enhance your live. Set specific times for activities like web-surfing, watching TV, and playing video games. Pick and choose what you will do and for how long. For example, if you have a favorite TV show that airs on Thursday nights for an hour, set aside the time to watch it, but do other things before, rather than watch more TV as you wait. Consider TV-watching an activity that is time-bound, rather than a way to pass the time. When in doubt, ask yourself "what matters most in my life?" Returning to and reflecting on your core values is a good way to pull yourself away from wasting time and spend that time on something that matters. Talk to family and friends about your workload. Address how they feel about your work-life balance. By keeping the lines of communication open, you are avoiding building up resentment among those affected by your actions. Explain to your family and friends why sometimes you are not able to do everything they would like you to do (e.g., you have to miss a school event because of a work obligation). Openly explaining the situation can help others understand and empathize with your situation. Re-assess what it means to be in control. Many times we feel we have more control if we do everything ourselves. However, this can keep us from reaching our real goals; we're not super-humans after all! Delegate or divide work to accomplish priority needs and wants. Although many of us resist reallocating home and work tasks for fear of losing control, we stand to gain from delegating work. We will not be overextended and will be better able to successfully meet the remaining and important tasks. Delegating is not easy work because it relies on trusting others with things that matter to us; however, it is key to finding that work-life balance. For example, you may ask the babysitter to get started on cooking dinner before you get home from work or ask him or her to do some light cleaning. This will give you a bit of a jump ahead on your household responsibilities. Make compromises. Try to find ways to simplify your life where possible and given your particular circumstances. For example, if you feel rushed for time to go grocery shopping each week, try online shopping. You can pick what you want and have it delivered to your house. A few extra dollars may be worth it to save a lot of time, depending on your situation. Look locally for projects, organizations, and businesses that might be able to help you save time, such as dry cleaners that offer early morning pickup and drop off or milk delivery services. Let go of the guilt. Stop the burden of guilt from hanging over your day. Many people feel guilty for being at work instead of at home; the opposite is also true. This is a zero-sum game. Accept that having or doing it all is a myth. Instead, realize that the most important thing is that you do the best you can given your situation and limitations. Rather than constantly feel guilty, re-focus your energy on doing the very best you can do everyday - in all capacities of your life - with the time you have. Incorporate relaxation and downtime into your schedule. Do something that relaxes you as an individual. Exercise, go for a long walk, listen to music, read, cook or do a yoga class. Take downtime for yourself; this is necessary self-care that will make you more able to deal with the stresses of your day-to-day life. Consider starting meditation to achieve greater balance and deeper meaning. Make one night a week a fun night for yourself and your family. Plan a movie night, games night or family night out. Everyone gets caught up in their daily routines and schedules so it's a good idea to have one night a week where everything stops and the entire family comes to together to reconnect. Avoid negative people in your life. Surround yourself with people who boost your energy and make you feel positive, directed, and grounded, while avoiding those who gossip, complain, or have generally negative attitudes. | Decide what your values are for yourself and your family. Think carefully and deeply. Consider values that conflict with one another. Set goals. Distinguish between concrete goals and more abstract goals. Rank goals. Consider social and individual expectations, perceptions, and attitudes. Be flexible and adaptable. Set priorities. Measure your goals against your available time. Set boundaries and limits. Get organized on a day-to-day level. Build breaks into your daily routine. Block out time your calendar for your family and friends. Take evenings off. Cut out time-wasting activities. Talk to family and friends about your workload. Re-assess what it means to be in control. Delegate or divide work to accomplish priority needs and wants. Make compromises. Let go of the guilt. Incorporate relaxation and downtime into your schedule. Avoid negative people in your life. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Voodoo-Doll | How to Use a Voodoo Doll | Once you've made your voodoo doll, clear it of all previous energy by placing your hand over the doll and focusing your energy on making it new and pure. Once neutralized, hold the doll and focus on the desired effect you hope to bring, such as marriage or money. Then, prick corresponding body parts, like the head or the heart, with colored pins to focus energy on those areas. If you wish to inflict evil, you can also use pins to represent physical harm. | Envision the person you have in mind. When making a voodoo doll, picture the person you you would like the magic to affect and how you would like it to affect them. Because voodoo largely depends upon the connection between you and the voodoo spirits, it's important that the doll you are holding symbolizes the person who will gain good or evil in their life. Make a voodoo doll with a picture. One of the ways to create a replica of a person through a voodoo doll is by printing out a full size picture of the person and sewing it together with fabric. Once you have found a picture or printed one out, cut around the body frame of the person in the picture and then use fabric for the back. As you begin sewing the fabric and picture together, fill the doll with stuffing. Make a voodoo doll with personal objects. Maybe you don't have a picture of the person you want to represent or you'd rather make a voodoo doll from something associated with that person. A lock of hair or piece of clothing will serve this purpose. Find some yarn, string, or fabric and sew or piece together a simple doll. Then, sew the object you have to represent the person to the doll you have created. Clear your voodoo doll. Before you plan to use your voodoo doll you will need to clear it of all previous energy, thus neutralizing it and giving you a clean slate to perform actions on it. To do this, place your hand over the object and direct your energy through it, focusing on making it new and pure. You can also wash your doll in salt water, cover it with purifying incense such as sage or sandalwood, allow natural light such as sunlight or moonlight to cleanse it, or bury it in the Earth and allow the universe and Mother Nature to transform the energy. There will likely be previous energy attached to any object you use in making your voodoo doll, so always remember to clear that object so that the energies don't become confused and muddled. To make the clearing process easier, use objects and supplies that have had little contact with others, unless you are specifically using that object to represent someone. Concentrate on your desires. One purpose of a voodoo doll is to provide meditation and focus. While holding your voodoo doll, focus on the desired effect you hope it will bring. You can buy voodoo dolls online that symbolize aspects of life like fertility, marriage, luck, prosperity, etc. or that represent one of the spirits. This process may require patience and clearing your mind of distractive thoughts. That is why it's also referred to as meditation because it's the practice of calming your soul in order to be more spiritually in tune with your desires. You can bring about good not only to yourself, but to others. If you'd like to bring others good fortune, use the same process but have a doll that represents them instead and focus on the desires you wish for them. Use different colored pins. There are traditionally seven colored pins you can use to indicate areas of your life you want to focus on. This technique goes hand in hand with the focusing technique, but focusing and meditating comes first, and then using the pins follows. After you have decided what aspect of life you'd like to change, prick the corresponding colored pen into your voodoo doll. The head represents things that have to do with knowledge, the heart is used for emotions, and the stomach is used for gut feelings or intuition. So, if you desire power in your life or a friend's life, then use the red pin to prick the head. If you desire love, use the blue pin to prick the heart. These are the different colors and what they symbolize: Yellow: success Green: money White: healing Red: power Purple: spirituality Blue: love Black: repelling negative energies Petition the spiritual beings of Voodoo. Loa, the twins, and the dead are all spiritual beings of Voodoo that interact to bring you different things. In order to summon the spirits, a voodoo doll of the spirit must be created or obtained, you must focus on the desires you hope the spirit will bring you and light a candle in the appropriate color of the spirit, and then a sacrifice must be offered to the spirit. It may be helpful to create an alter for your doll so that you can light a candle to the spirits and offer your sacrifice there. Loa interact with people of the Earth and they are the spirits of the major forces of the universe--good, evil, reproduction, health, and all aspects of daily life. There are so many different types of loa and so they can not all be listed, but with adequate research you should be able to find the loa you wish to appeal to. The twins are a mysterious set of forces of contradictions: happy and sad, good and evil, ect. When honored, they may help you have the better side of life. The dead are the souls of one's own family members who have died, but family has not yet "reclaimed" them. If the family dead are ignored they can be dangerous, but if honored and cared for they can be helpful. Use colored pins for harm. While the colored pins can be used on a voodoo doll of yourself or someone else for good, some can also be used for evil. For example, if you wish to exert power over an individual, use the red pin, focus on the power you want the individual to submit to, and prick the voodoo doll of the individual in the head. Appeal to a spirit to act on your behalf. Using the voodoo doll that represents the spirit you wish to call upon, create an alter for your doll, focus on the person you wish to harm or cause misfortune to, and petition the spirit to act on your behalf. In the same way as you would petition a spirit for yourself, light a candle that corresponds to the spirit and possibly offer a sacrifice. Revert to classic torture techniques. If you wish to invoke harm upon someone through a voodoo doll representing them, you can use regular pins or needles, rope, wire, water, or any sort of torture device you wish. Then, following the focusing technique, concentrate on the person you wish to harm and the actions you are carrying out. Make sure you clear the doll of all previous energies. If the doll is in any way associated with someone else, they may experience the harm as well and you wouldn't want that! Most experienced practitioners of Voodoo suggest only to use your doll for good, because as the saying goes "what goes around comes around." | Envision the person you have in mind. Make a voodoo doll with a picture. Make a voodoo doll with personal objects. Clear your voodoo doll. Concentrate on your desires. Use different colored pins. Petition the spiritual beings of Voodoo. Use colored pins for harm. Appeal to a spirit to act on your behalf. Revert to classic torture techniques. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Back-Pain | How to Get Rid of Back Pain | To get rid of back pain, apply an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables to your back for 20 minutes at a time during the first few days after your injury. Then, apply a heating pad or warm compress for 20 minutes at a time going forward, which will relieve pain and promote healing. If your back pain persists, try taking an over-the-counter pain reliever, like ibuprofen. You can also try doing simple stretches while lying on the floor as long as they're not causing you any pain. | Ice your back as soon as you feel the pain. When you are first injured, ice can help tame your inflammation. Apply ice packs, frozen vegetables, or a frozen towel to your back during the first 24-72 hours of your injury. After that, switch to heat. Apply cold for 20 minutes at a time. Don't apply cold therapy more than 10 times in a 24 hour period. Put a cloth between your skin and the ice. Apply heat going forward. After the initial period of icing your injury, apply heat. Heat will stimulate blood flow and promote healing. Make a warm compress or buy one. Electric heating pads, hot water bottles, heated gel packs, and saunas can all help. Dry or moist heat may be applied. Try 15-20 minute sessions for minor injuries, and up to two hours at a time for more serious pain. A hot shower can also help alleviate sore muscles. Stretch. Once your pain has subsided, try some simple stretches at home. Not all stretches work for all kinds of back pain, so only do stretches that feel like they are relaxing your muscles and relieving your pain. Try lying on your back on the floor. Slowly bring one knee up to your chest. Hold it for a count, then slowly extend your leg back to the floor. If your back hurts when you bend it forward, try stretching in the other direction. Lie on your stomach and prop yourself up on your elbows. If that feels fine, place your palms on the floor and extend your elbows slowly so that you are pushing yourself up from the floor. Keep your pelvis on the floor. If a stretch is painful, cease to do it until you have consulted with your doctor. Seek the advice of a chiropractor or your primary care physician to learn about the proper stretching techniques. Engage in light activities. While you may need to spend some time lying on the floor, rest is not generally a recommended cure for back pain. Rather, continue your ordinary routine as much as you can, but scaled back slightly. For instance, try going for walks, stretching, and otherwise moving around. Stop any activity that is too painful. When you need to rest, try lying on your back on the floor. Prop your knees up with pillows for more comfort. Light movement can increase blood flow to your muscles and help loosen them up. Visit a doctor if the pain is severe or long lasting. If your back pain does not resolve within a few days, visit your doctor. Back injury that results from a fall or other physical trauma require x-rays and other medical attention. If the pain is severe and unaffected by rest, contact your doctor sooner. Seek immediate care if your pain is accompanied by numbness or tingling. Let your doctor assess you. Your doctor will look at your movements, and will check to see if you can sit, stand, walk, and lift your legs in different ways. You will be asked to rate your pain on a scale of 1-10. Depending on your symptoms, your doctor or chiropractor may order any number of tests, including: X-rays. MRIs or CT scans. Bone scans. Blood tests. Nerve studies. Attend physical therapy or visit a chiropractor. Adjustments and physical therapy are the most effective form of back injury recovery. Physical therapists and chiropractors can relieve your pain with adjustments, ultrasounds, electrical stimulation, and other techniques not available to you at home. Learn stretches and exercises from your physical therapist or chiropractor, and follow their instructions for home treatments. Make sure you get a physical therapist or chiropractor your doctor trusts. Check that they're in communication about your treatment over time. Get a custom stretching routine. Your physical therapist or chiropractor may recommend certain exercises and postures for you to do at home. Do these as prescribed. Don't rush when you stretch: move slowly so that your muscles have a chance to relax. Not all back pain responds to the same stretches. Doing the wrong stretch can worsen your injury. Consider steroidal injections. If conservative management like self-treatment, physical therapy, or chiropractics haven't helped, your doctor may want to give you a cortisone or numbing injection in the space around your spinal cord. This will reduce inflammation around the nerve, which can substantially reduce the pain you are in. The effects only last a few months, though, and the procedure can't be repeated too many times. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. Your doctor may want you to get a steroid shot so that you can get through an effective physical therapy program. Discuss surgery with your doctor. Surgery is rarely necessary for back pain, and is not reliably effective. However, it may be worth considering as a last resort, in cases of severe pain or increasing weakness, or if there's an immediate, threatening condition. Your doctor may recommend surgery if you have a structural problem, such as a narrowed spine or a severely herniated disc. Lift properly. When lifting things, avoid relying on your back. Instead, stand close to the object you are about to lift. Face the direction you intend to carry the object. Tighten your abdominal muscles, stand with a wide stance, and bend your knees. Do not lift suddenly, and do not twist or bend sideways while lifting. For heavy loads, lift with straight arms, and tuck your chin in. Improve your posture. Try to sit and stand in a relaxed position. Imagine a string pulling up your head from the crown. Straighten your neck so that it supports the weight of your head. Roll your shoulders back and relax them. Tighten your stomach muscles so they support your spine. If you have to stand for while, relieve pressure on your lower back by propping one foot on a stool. You can also rotate your ankles one foot at at a time to relieve pressure on the lower back. When sitting for a length of time, sit with your legs and arms parallel to the floor. Sit back in your seat for support. Settle your feet on the floor. Shift positions often to keep your muscles from tensing up. Strengthen your core muscles. A lack of exercise can lead to weak back muscles, which can lead to back injury. While core muscle strength is not definitively linked to lower back injury risk, there is some evidence to support it. Try core stabilization exercises such as plank, side bridge, and supine bridge. Balance exercises, such as single leg stance, may also increase core strength. Try leg jumps and bounding, as well as regular strength training exercises such as lunges, squats, and hamstring curls. Be mindful of your stress. If you have back pain, your attitude toward it may shape your recovery. Stress, worry, anxiety, and depression can make it harder to recover from back injury. Anxiety, in particular, can worsen your experience of pain. Mindfulness is incredibly effective at improving your experience of back pain. Consider taking a course in mindfulness-based stress reduction. Cognitive-behavioral and self-regulatory therapies may help. Ask your physician to refer you to a qualified therapist. See an acupuncturist. Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine. It involves long sterilized needles that are inserted into key points of your body. Acupuncture is effective at treating many forms of pain, though studies have not clearly shown what its most effective uses are. It is as safe as other forms of medicine, as long as the needles are sterilized and the acupuncturist is experienced. Find an acupuncturist who is licensed by the state. Try acupuncture in combination with visiting a chiropractor and attending physical therapy. Get a good massage. Back pain caused by muscle tension or overuse can be relieved by massage. Let your masseuse know where you hurt, and speak up if they do anything that feels painful or wrong. The body compensates for pain by using other muscles that are not usually used. These muscles become sore and tight, and massage can relieve some of this tension. Go to yoga or pilates classes. Taking classes with an experienced yoga or pilates teacher can be an excellent way to strengthen and relax your back muscles. Some kinds of yoga will be better for your back than others. Ask your doctor or physical therapist for recommendations. When you stretch, stop if something hurts or feels off. You may need to skip or adjust some stretches to accommodate your injury. | Ice your back as soon as you feel the pain. Apply heat going forward. Stretch. Engage in light activities. Visit a doctor if the pain is severe or long lasting. Let your doctor assess you. Attend physical therapy or visit a chiropractor. Get a custom stretching routine. Consider steroidal injections. Discuss surgery with your doctor. Lift properly. Improve your posture. Strengthen your core muscles. Be mindful of your stress. See an acupuncturist. Get a good massage. Go to yoga or pilates classes. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Cook-a-Bone-in-Ham | How to Cook a Bone in Ham | To cook a bone-in ham, remove the skin from a defrosted ham, and preheat the oven to 300 °F. Position the ham in a roasting rack, and place it in the oven. For a 10 to 14 pound ham, plan to cook for 22-25 minutes per 1 pound. Halfway through cooking, remove the ham to add spices or a glaze, before returning it to the oven. Remove the ham from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 150 °F. Let the ham rest for 15 minutes before serving! | Determine the size of ham you need. Generally bone-in roasts weigh 10 lbs. (4.5 kg) or more. They can feed a large family on a special occasion. Pick an uncooked ham, if you want to cook it yourself. Most spiral hams or honey-baked hams are pre-cooked, meaning you simply have to warm it up in the oven for 10 minutes per lb. (0.45 kg). You may be able to pick between a half-ham roast and a full-ham roast. Cooking times will vary, but preparation is very similar. Cook a 1/2 lb. (0.22 kg) of ham for each person you plan to serve. Increase the amount to ensure leftovers. Make sure the label indicates the ham bone is still in the ham. Most hams in supermarkets are boneless. You may need to inquire with a local butcher or pig seller in the area, if you can't find an uncooked, bone-in ham at the supermarket. Choose a ham that has had its skin removed, if you want to save preparation time. You can remove the skin yourself at home. Pay attention to the expiration date. If your ham is fresh, it should have a cook-by date that is within a week. A frozen ham may be prepared within a few months. Place your ham in the refrigerator, if it is frozen. It will take between 2 and 4 days to defrost completely before you can cook it. Take the ham roast out of the refrigerator. Unwrap it completely. Discard any juices. Excise the skin with a sharp chef’s knife or boning knife. You can cut horizontally, parallel to the meat. Leave some fat on the ham's surface for flavor. Choose a glaze or spice blend. Some hams come with a glaze that you can mix with water. Cut a crisscross design into the surface of the ham. Your diamonds should be 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) deep, cutting through the fat and slightly into the top of the flesh. Scoring will let the glaze seep in and render the fat from the top. You can use a clean piece of cardboard to guide the knife along the top like a ruler. Stud the ham. If you like a traditional flavor and look, stud each of the diamonds with cloves. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit (149 degrees Celsius). Prepare your ham for cooking early on in the day, when you want to serve it. A 20 lb. (9 kg) ham can take 7 hours to cook, while a 10 lb. (4.5 kg) ham takes between 3 and 4 hours. Cook 10 to 14 lb. (4.5 to 6.4 kg) hams for 22 to 25 minutes per lb. (0.45 kg). Cook a larger ham for 18 to 22 minutes per lb. Always check the core temperature with a meat thermometer. Place the ham roast in a roasting rack. Choose a shallow rack with a sturdy pan to catch drippings. Put the ham in the oven. Test the ham halfway through the cooking time. When a meat thermometer reaches 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54 degrees Celsius) in the center, you can start to baste or glaze the roast ham. Remove the ham from the oven for a few minutes. Brush your glaze mix onto the surface of the ham. If you are basting the ham with its own juices, use a baster. Cover the surface of the ham with pineapple slices for extra flavor. Place the ham back in the oven. Baste or glaze the ham every half an hour. Cover it with aluminum foil if the surface appears too brown or dry. Remove the ham when the central internal temperature reaches 150 degrees Fahrenheit (66 degrees Celsius). Place it on a carving board to rest for 15 minutes and cover it with aluminum foil. Insert your carving knife in the side of the ham. Cut inward until it reaches the bone. Cut in a circular motion around the bottom of the bone. Remove the knife. Slice at a slant from your initial cut into the bone. Cut a 1-inch (2.5 cm) slice of ham from skin surface to the bone. Repeat until the top section of the roast fans out into slices. Serve the top slices. Then, cut away the sides of the ham along the fat lines on each side. Flip the ham over. Carve the slices from top to bone, just as you did on the first side. Reserve the bone for soup. Finished. | Determine the size of ham you need. Pick an uncooked ham, if you want to cook it yourself. Make sure the label indicates the ham bone is still in the ham. Choose a ham that has had its skin removed, if you want to save preparation time. Pay attention to the expiration date. Place your ham in the refrigerator, if it is frozen. Take the ham roast out of the refrigerator. Excise the skin with a sharp chef’s knife or boning knife. Choose a glaze or spice blend. Cut a crisscross design into the surface of the ham. Stud the ham. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit (149 degrees Celsius). Prepare your ham for cooking early on in the day, when you want to serve it. Place the ham roast in a roasting rack. Put the ham in the oven. Remove the ham from the oven for a few minutes. Place the ham back in the oven. Remove the ham when the central internal temperature reaches 150 degrees Fahrenheit (66 degrees Celsius). Insert your carving knife in the side of the ham. Cut in a circular motion around the bottom of the bone. Slice at a slant from your initial cut into the bone. Serve the top slices. Flip the ham over. Finished. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Thinking-About-Your-Ex | How to Stop Thinking About Your Ex | Going through a break-up can be very painful, even for months afterwards, but there are several techniques that can help you make peace with it and move on from your feelings for your ex. The first thing to do is to let yourself grieve and feel your emotions without judgement and without trying to suppress them. Let yourself cry, and talk about your pain with someone you trust. You might even want to try having an imaginary conversation with your ex, allowing you to air your grievances and get some closure without having to talk to them. To totally move on from your ex, it's important that you don't contact them at all, and get rid of items that remind you of them, especially photos. You should also unfollow them on social media, even if things ended amicably, because seeing their updates online every day will make it nearly impossible to really move on. | Grieve. The ending of a relationship can often feel similar to the death of a loved one. It's okay to mourn this loss. Painful emotions cannot simply be swept under the rug. In fact, you will find it much easier to move past your hurt if you confront your emotions without judgement. Trying to suppress your thoughts will only make them stronger. You may even begin to dream about your ex if you don't allow yourself to experience your thoughts and emotions. Cry if you want. It feels better when you let all that out, instead of keeping it bottled up inside you forever. Talk with someone you trust. Sometimes you just need someone to listen rather than offer advice. Even if you cannot understand why it happened, talking about it can help you accept that the relationship is over. If you don't feel comfortable talking to a loved one about the breakup, consider seeing a therapist or joining an online support group. It might also help to have an imaginary conversation with your ex about all of your pent-up grievances. This will allow you to talk through all of your feelings without actually having to have contact with your ex, and may help you find closure. Let go of anger. If you're obsessing about the terrible things you ex did to you, you will never be able to move on! No matter how angry you are, it's important to stop ruminating on these negative thoughts. When dealing with recurring thoughts, it's helpful to confront them head-on. Think about why you are having the thought, how the thought may be distorted or untrue, and what kind of negative effect the thought is having on you in the moment. The more you acknowledge your ruminations, the easier it will be to let go of them. Be honest with yourself. After a breakup, people are often dishonest with themselves about the quality of the relationship or the reasons why it ended. It's important to carefully consider how happy you really were in the relationship and what caused the breakup. This will allow you to move past idealizing what might not have been a great relationship in the first place. It will also help to ask yourself what your role was in causing the breakup, as this might help you let go of some anger. Get the help you need. A breakup can have seriously negative effects on your mental and physical well-being, especially if you find that you're still dwelling on it months later. Breakups have been associated with weakened immune systems and an increased risk of illness. People who have not gotten over a breakup within 16 weeks can even experience physical changes in their brains that reduce their motivation, concentration, and emotions. It is critical to get professional help before your physical health begins to suffer. A therapist can help by listening to you, encouraging you to confront your feelings, and teaching you new ways to do with your pain. Remind yourself to let go. There are a variety of behavioral techniques you can try to stop obsessive thoughts about your ex. All of these techniques rely on your ability to recognize when a thought about your ex enters your mind and to take a specific action to stop that thought from coming back. Remember that these techniques are to be used for obsessive thoughts only! If you have not yet dealt with your feelings and taken the time to grieve, you should not try to suppress your thoughts. You can try wearing a rubber band around your wrist and snapping it each time you think about your ex. You can write down the thoughts you are having about your ex on a piece of paper and then throw it away. You can try a visualization exercise, which requires you to visualize a specific scene whenever a thought of your ex occurs to you. For example, you could think of a stop sign in order to remind yourself that you need to stop what you are doing. If you do this consistently, the association should become automatic. Avoid contact with your ex. Even if you think you want to be friends with your ex, it's important to give yourself some time away from him or her. You must fully heal before you can begin spending time with your ex again. If you don't allow for any healing time, you may continue to think of your ex as your partner because your bond as a couple will not have been broken. Take a moment to think about why you want to be friends. If it's because you're scared about living your life without your ex, you may be using it as a way to avoid dealing with the grief of the breakup. Most people do not end up being friends with their exes. Don't feel bad if it just doesn't feel right, even after you've had your time to grieve. Get rid of shared belongings. If you find yourself thinking about your ex whenever you look at the watch he got you for Christmas or the DVD collection you bought together, it might be time to part with these things. If you don't want to throw items away, consider donating them to charity. Remove any pictures of your ex from your house. If you lived together and you can't get rid of all of your shared belongings, it might help to revitalize your space with some new energy by changing the paint color or reorganizing the furniture. This will help it feel like your own place instead of the place you shared with your ex. Avoid checking up on your ex. You will never be able to stop thinking about your ex if you are getting status updates about him or her on your phone all the time. Even if things did not end with animosity, it may be a good idea to unfriend your ex on social media. Similarly, it's a good idea to stop driving past your ex's house on your way to work or asking your mutual friends about how your ex is doing. Alter your daily routine. People often develop a routine with their significant others, and following the same routine after you break up can emphasize feelings of loneliness and trigger thoughts about them. Create a new routine all your own. Instead of making your signature Saturday breakfast, try taking a walk and trying out a new cafe. Be social. Surrounding yourself with friends and loved ones will help keep your mind on all of the positive aspects of your life, and off of your ex. It's also important to commit yourself to the hobbies and activities that you most enjoy, especially if your ex kept you from pursuing them. If your social life revolved around your ex, it's important to get out there and make new friends. Try joining clubs or participating in volunteer activities to meet new people. If you relied on your ex for emotional support, try relying on someone other than a romantic partner for this kind of support, like a best friend or a sibling. You might be surprised to discover just how much support you really have! Staying busy really will help you move on faster. If you find yourself thinking obsessively about your ex when you are at home alone, come up with something to do, whether it's having dinner with a friend, visiting a museum by yourself, or going for a walk. Think about your future. You may have planned a future with your ex, and if you did, it's understandable that everything might feel uncertain now. Try to focus on the positives by reminding yourself of all of the great things you can and will accomplish in the future without your ex. Try to enjoy your present-day life as well. Even though you may want to be in a relationship, there are lots of benefits to being single too, so try to enjoy it while it lasts. Focus on taking care of yourself. In order to boost your mood, it's important to practice healthy habits. Make sure you exercise regularly and get plenty of sleep. Committing yourself to a healthy lifestyle will not only make you feel good, but it may just offer you the escape you need from thoughts about your ex. Meditating might help you regain your positivity and let go of the stress associated with your breakup. Find new love when you're ready. There's no golden rule for when you should start dating again after a breakup, so do whatever you feel is right for you. Avoid jumping into a new relationship just because you don't want to be alone, but don't be afraid to put yourself out there either! Some people struggle with continuing to think about their exes even though they are in new, healthy relationships. If this is the case for you, it will do no good to simply try to suppress those thoughts. Instead, actively replace the thought with a memory of a time when you felt a lot of love for your current partner. Love is a strong emotion that can help you resist the temptation to contact your ex. | Grieve. Talk with someone you trust. Let go of anger. Be honest with yourself. Get the help you need. Remind yourself to let go. Avoid contact with your ex. Get rid of shared belongings. Avoid checking up on your ex. Alter your daily routine. Be social. Think about your future. Focus on taking care of yourself. Find new love when you're ready. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Japanese-Maple-Bonsai-Tree | How to Make a Japanese Maple Bonsai Tree | To make a japanese maple bonsai tree, choose the maple branch you'd like to grow a new tree from during early summer. It should be about the diameter of your little finger. Make one circular cut around the base of the branch where the roots will sprout, and a second cut two branch widths below the first. Then, connect the two cuts with a third straight cut. Peel the bark between the two circular cuts, also removing the green layer under the bark. Wipe the top cut with rooting hormone or a rooting gel. Afterwards, wrap the unpeeled area with wet sphagnum moss first then plastic, and tie in place. Sever the cutting from the tree below the new roots when the roots thicken and turn brown. Finally, unwrap the plastic and plant the new tree in a pot with pebbles at the bottom, and insert a stake to keep the tree from moving and damaging its roots. Scroll down for more information on how to care for your new bonsai tree! | Take a softwood cutting of your chosen cultivar of maple in early summer. Maple trees are easy to grow from cuttings. Select a maple tree branch that is appealing in shape. The size of the branch can be up to the diameter of your little finger. There are many possible cultivars of Japanese maple. Select according to what you're wanting––some will grow larger than others, some have rough bark and some require grafting. It's a good idea to take several cuttings; that way, you will be assured that one will take well (sometimes the roots are weak, rot or simply don't form). Note that red-leafed cultivars of the Japanese maple tend to have weak root systems and are usually grafted onto other rootstocks. Unless you know how to graft or have someone knowledgeable to help you, it might be a good idea to avoid the red-leafed cultivars until you are more experienced. Cut around the base of the branch where the roots will sprout. Make a circular cut through the bark and into the hardwood underneath. Make a duplicate cut about two branch widths below the first cut. Make a straight cut to connect the first two cuts. Peel off the bark between the first two cuts. The bark should peel off fairly easily. Make sure none of the cambium layer (the green layer under the bark) is left. Dust the top cut with rooting hormone or wipe with a rooting gel. Wrap the area with the wet sphagnum moss, then wrap it with plastic and tie in place. Keep the moss wet. After several weeks, you should see roots through the plastic. Alternatively, stick the branches into a gritty compost of good quality. Keep this compost medium moist. Expect roots to form within 2 to 3 weeks if the stock taken is healthy and the conditions are warm and moist. Separate the tree. When the roots start to thicken and turn brown, separate your new tree by cutting it off below the new roots. Place small pebbles for drainage in the bottom of a pot. Partially fill the container with good quality topsoil (a good mix consists of about 80 percent bark and 20 percent peat, as this tends to promote fine fibrous feeder roots and gives good drainage. Unwrap the plastic and without disturbing the roots, plant your new tree, adding additional soil as needed to firmly set the tree in place. The addition of sphagnum moss is helpful in hard water areas. Insert a small stake. A stake will help to keep the tree from moving; while it is establishing itself, any movement can damage its delicate roots. Enjoy your new tree! Find a suitable outdoor area to keep your bonsai, such as a porch, garden bed area or patio. Bonsai are not meant to be indoor plants; if brought indoors, only keep them inside for a one to two days before returning them outdoors again; only bring them in when in leaf, or only for an hour during winter. Keep the bonsai maple tree sheltered for the first few years. Don't leave it outside where frost can get to it for the first 2 to 3 years, as this can kill it. Avoid placing the plant anywhere windy and do not let it sit in direct sunlight for the whole day. Feed a balanced feed after the buds form until late summer. During winter, feed with a low- or zero-nitrogen feed. Never let a bonsai tree dry out. It needs to be kept slightly moist at all times. Wherever possible, use rainwater rather than tap water; it's healthier for the tree. Regular spraying with water is helpful for healthy growth. Learn to "style" the tree as it gets established. This is where you learn to reproduce what nature normally does, to give the tree the look of a real tree. It consists of careful pruning and wiring. Getting this aspect right can take a lot of practice but that's all part of the fun of growing your own bonsai. | Take a softwood cutting of your chosen cultivar of maple in early summer. Cut around the base of the branch where the roots will sprout. Make a duplicate cut about two branch widths below the first cut. Make a straight cut to connect the first two cuts. Peel off the bark between the first two cuts. Dust the top cut with rooting hormone or wipe with a rooting gel. Separate the tree. Place small pebbles for drainage in the bottom of a pot. Insert a small stake. Enjoy your new tree! |
https://www.wikihow.com/Sell-Shoes | How to Sell Shoes | If you want to sell shoes, greet each customer who enters your store with a friendly smile. Ask the customer what they're looking for, and ask the person about their hobbies and what they do for a living to learn about their footwear needs. A customer who works in an office building, for instance, might need comfortable dress shoes, while someone who rock climbs might need non-slip boots. Once you have an idea of what they're looking for, measure the person's foot, and have them try on the shoes to ensure a perfect fit. | Understand your product better than your customer. Your customer is coming to you for knowledge, expertise, and the best shoe they could possibly wind up with. In this situation, you need to be the expert. Don't just show them the shoe, but also help them learn something new about the product. What materials is it made out of? What season is it from? What was it inspired by? This can also help you offer them something else, should the first shoe they're drawn to not work. With an encyclopedic knowledge of everything you have to offer, you're bound to find something that catches their eye. Get to know who your consumer is and what they are looking for. With time, you'll slowly be able to recognize types of customers (generally speaking, of course). You'll recognize those customers with a sense of purpose and those customers who are just browsing, those that know exactly what they're looking for and those that haven't a clue. But beyond this, ask them questions. Get to know them. When you have their information handy, it ultimately saves them time and money! Aim to greet and meet every customer that walks in your door. Smile and get to them as soon as possible, but without pouncing, to start building a relationship. Give them a second to evaluate the store and then ask how their day is going and how you can help. Have the customer sit to try on the shoes. Offer to measure both of their feet to make sure their size is 100% accurate. This will vary by brand a bit, too. While they are sitting ask them what the shoes are going to be used for to help you identify their needs and improve their experience. Run to storage and bring back the shoes requested, possibly also bringing back pairs that are slightly bigger or smaller, just in case (especially if they said sometimes they go back and forth between two sizes). Offer selection. Let's say you have a customer that came in looking for a nude, matte heel. They pick out one and request you to go get their size. While you're retrieving that pair, get a few more nude, matte heels you think they might like. They might not even have noticed the others in their haste to find the perfect shoe. This goes double if you know of any shoes you don't have on display. This is why it's best to know your inventory like the back of your hand – there could be a sale in there that you wouldn't otherwise make. Educate your customer about the product. Teach them about the quality, fashion, comfort and value of their shoe; that way you can provide solutions and benefits to your customer. If you know of any feedback on that shoe, tell it to your new customer. Let them know that other customers say it's super comfortable, or that one pair tends to outshine another, for example: In today's day and age, we're used to having all the information at our fingertips. There's an app for everything, answering all of our questions. But when it comes to the brick and mortar shoe store, you are the go-to guru. By giving them all information possible, you prevent them from returning the shoe, being unhappy with it and ensure they get what they're looking for out of something they could use daily. Get or create an inventory of shoes. In order to sell shoes, you gotta have shoes to sell. You could buy them directly from a distributor or you could even make them yourself. Just make sure you're getting them for a good rate! You'll need a variety of shoes in just about every size, and multiples at that. This is a large investment, especially if you can't sell them all. If you don't have thousands of dollars to spend on fancy kicks, team up with an existing shoe seller that needs your expertise. Open up a shop online. With technology these days, almost anyone is capable of almost anything. Whether you have three pairs of shoes to sell or 30,000, you can get your product online. You'll need some sort of storefront to do so – here are the major ones to consider: Your own website eBay Etsy Craigslist Google Shopping campaign Include all the necessary details in the description of the product. No one will buy the shoe if they know nothing about it. If it's lacking in description, not only is it a deterrent to buy, but it comes off as shady, too, making your website or ad look sketchy – why would a seller purposefully withhold information? Here's what to consider: List the manufacturer's original size and its international equivalents. If the original size is not known, list length and width measurements inside and out. Describe the color, type (dress, casual, athletic, etc.) and style (oxford, brogue, pump, etc.) as accurately as possible. List the materials the shoe is made from and describe the method of construction if possible. If the shoes are not new, describe the condition specifically noting any flaws. Give each shoe a few photos. Take clear, well-lit photographs from all angles and show as many as you can. Size is only important for fit. Shoe buyers are usually most interested in style, so photos are very important. Get good photos taken of your shoes, hiring a photographer if you have to. They should be realistic, but flattering. Make sure each shoe is against a white background and every detail can be seen from various angles. Include brand-specific differences, too. Sometimes brands differ in their sizing (length and width) from the norm. If this is the case, include these details, like the length of useable sole. That means measure the shoe inside along the insole from heel to toe. A 9 or 39 in one brand can differ significantly from another. Let's say a Steve Madden 9 may measure 9 and 3/4" while a Jimmy Choo 39 may measure 9 and 7/8". Small differences do matter, especially when buying through a screen. If you include the insole measurement it can save some back and forth questioning with buyers. If the shoes are used, be honest. When it comes to the condition of used shoes, give as accurate a description and documentation as possible. If the shoes are not new, "gently used or worn" can be rather non-descript. Explain how they are used – i.e. "worn twice; some wear on tread, minor scratches on heel, but leather upper pristine." This grants the customer a sense of solace and makes you appear responsible and honest. Include photos of any flaws or wear. This can help avoid an angry buyer down the line who may feel they were not well-informed and were duped. Small additions such as those to your listings can help avoid delayed contact with buyers or potential buyers who may have questions. The more complete your listing the more attractive it will be to others. Work out the appropriate shipping rates. If your shoes are a reasonable cost but your shipping rates are outrageous, your customers will find somewhere else to go that's more reasonable. Offer them several options, ranging from super-quick delivery to something cheaper and not so speedy. And make sure the shoes can get there without incurring any damage. Sometimes you can ship items like shoes for less without the box. It's always nice for buyers to have more than one shipping option. Allowing them to choose if they want the original shoe box or not is a good option for saving a little on shipping. Offer deals and market your site. If you're a budding entrepreneur (and even if you're not), you'll need a way to get your shoes, well, on the feet of potential customers. Offer deals to first-time buyers and returning buyers. Purchase ad space on other websites, like Facebook. Get word of mouth going in your area so you can slowly expand your audience. Shoes aren't in the same category as a lot of other things – they're something that customers are always looking for a discount on. If you're having trouble selling a specific style, brand, or size of shoe, slap a discount sticker on it. You may see it fly off your shelves at its new cost. Throw out a celebrity's name. Many humans are pretty basic when it comes to the art of persuasion. We all want to be fashionable, cool, and look good. If you say that Kobe Bryant or Kim Kardashian, for example, wears these exact brand of shoes, there's is a chance that that will perk up their interest. We often look to celebrities for cues on what's trendy, and this is the perfect time to put this factor to good use. That being said, for some people this can backfire. Try your best to read the customer. If they dress and act like they value being their own individual, you might want to stay away from the celebrities. Some people hear "Kim Kardashian" and they want to run in the opposite direction. Become their friend. We've all had experiences with salespeople that are sallow, unfriendly, and just don't seem to want to get a sale. What do we, as the customer, do in that situation? Leave, generally. To get that sale, be friendly and personable. Talk about your own shoe woes if it's fitting. Make yourself a person that knows a lot about shoes and has plenty of experience that just so happens to be selling them, too. If you are friendly and open, they will likely trust you more – and return in the future. Customers need to be judged on their lifetime value, not the value of their current purchase. A high-roller that comes in spending $1,000 on one pair of shoes one time is less valuable than a lower-class customer that spends $50 on shoes once a month for the next few years. Keep this in mind when choosing which clients to gush over – it's not as obvious as it seems. Flatter them with comments on their style. When they're debating between which shoes to buy (or if to buy at all), keep throwing out the compliments (so long as they're believable, of course). If they're wearing fancy shoes, they are dressing to impress. Flatter them by saying, "I can tell that you are very classy," etc. If they're wearing Nikes, they are probably a casual or sporty kind of person. No matter what they are wearing, praise them. Let them know they should trust their buying choices. Praise how the shoes look on, too. That is, if they look good. If they're trying on multiple pairs, let them know which one looks best on them and why. Don't be ridiculous. If you have customer that clearly just rolled out of bed, don't compliment them on their hair and makeup. Talk to them about a shoe that compliments their hectic schedule and lather on the flattery when it slips on their foot. They look like they're getting ready for the red carpet know, don't they? Create a sense of urgency. If you get a customer that seems to be dilly-dallying, you can try giving them a cause to buy and buy now. Either this special discounted price is going to be gone shortly or the shoe itself is about to be gone from the shelves. They can't wait – if they do, it'll be gone. Try the "out of stock" trick. If you can see they are looking at a particular shoe, tell them you'll see if you have any more in stock. Go in the back, wait a few minutes, and come out triumphant! Tell the customer this is the "last" in stock and they are so lucky! Close the sale. When you close the sale, remember to thank your customer for their business. Give them a business card, let them know about any upcoming promotions, and tell them that if they have any problems at all, they should come back and you can work something out to make sure they're happy. Next time they need a pair of shoes (or friends of theirs need a recommendation on where to buy shoes), your name will be the first to come up. If possible, give them incentive to come in again. Have a promotion running where if you buy a product now, next month you can buy another pair at 1/2 off. Aim to turn your new customers into returning customers. And the more memorable you make their customer experience, the more likely this is to happen. | Understand your product better than your customer. Get to know who your consumer is and what they are looking for. Have the customer sit to try on the shoes. Offer selection. Educate your customer about the product. Get or create an inventory of shoes. Open up a shop online. Include all the necessary details in the description of the product. Give each shoe a few photos. Include brand-specific differences, too. If the shoes are used, be honest. Work out the appropriate shipping rates. Offer deals and market your site. Throw out a celebrity's name. Become their friend. Flatter them with comments on their style. Create a sense of urgency. Close the sale. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Move-Out-of-State | How to Move Out of State | If you're moving out of state, research the cost of living in your new state so you'll know how much it will cost to live there and can start saving up money before you go. You should also make plans for where to stay when you first arrive. For example, you may want to look into extended-stay hotels or short-term apartment rentals where you can live while you look for more permanent housing. Once you're in a new state, remember to change your address with the post office and your banks and credit card companies. Also, be sure to get a new driver's license and register your car. | Create a list of your essential things. Write down a list of the things that are essential to move. Items such as important furniture, clothes, and kitchenware would be the types of items you'd want on your list. Tables, chairs, and bedroom furniture would be considered important furniture Small shelves or desks that could easily be replaced can be left behind. Make a pile of things to donate or sell. When you make a big move you have to be picky about what you bring with you because the more things you take, the more expensive the move will be. Go through your home to make a pile of things you can part with so you only move with the essentials. Anything small that you can purchase new after you move should be donated or sold. Old clothes, shoes, and linens should be purged before the move. Getting rid of any furniture that you aren't attached to will help make less cargo space to move. Invite friends to help you pack. Your friends can help you sort your items. Let your friends pick a favorite item to keep when you move. Having extra hands help you pack boxes will also help the process go faster. Get rid of any hazardous material. You shouldn't pack any corrosive, flammable, explosive, or otherwise hazardous materials. These can be dangerous to move, and many moving companies won't allow these items to be packed. Cleaners, such as house cleaners, should be used up or given away before moving. Wall paint and paint thinners should be disposed of and not packed. Gasoline and propane tanks should also not be packed to move. Find out how much cargo space you'll need. You will need to know how big of a truck or container you need when you start researching moving methods. Estimate the amount of space you'll need by measuring your big pieces of furniture, and then estimating the amount of boxes you will have and the space they will take up. Typical moving trucks are about 8 feet tall, stacking boxes strategically will save you space. It's best to overestimate rather than underestimate so you end up having enough room for all of your things. Calculate the volume of your boxes by multiplying the Length X Width X Height for each box and then multiply by the number of boxes you will be packing. Moving trucks and storage units provide dimensions in Cubic Feet. Knowing the approximate volume of space your items will take up will let you know how large of a moving container you will need. Research different moving methods. There are many different ways to move your things in a long distance move. Research different companies and methods to find which fits your budget and is right for you. Hire a moving company to load your things on a truck and drive it to your new home. Movers will then unload your things into your new home. Rent a storage container. Many companies will drop a storage container at your home a few days before the move for you to pack your belongings into. They will come pick it up and put it on a truck to ship to your new home when you are ready to move. Once there, they'll drop it at your new home for you to unload yourself. Rent a moving truck. Some companies let you rent a moving truck to pack and drive yourself. This can sometimes be the most cost-efficient method, although you will have to consider the cost of gas.Typically there are several different sizes of trucks to choose from as well as an option to tow your car behind the truck. In order to move your belongings quickly across country, air cargo may be an option. Contact freight carriers to obtain quotes for air cargo. Purchase moving insurance to protect your belongings. Most moving companies will have an option to purchase insurance for your move. It's a good idea to get the insurance so that your things arrive safely and you aren't liable for anything that might go wrong. Get a quote. Once you decide which method you want to use for moving, ask the company for a quote on your move. They will give you a detailed breakdown of the cost. Make sure the quote includes any insurance cost or taxes so you understand the full amount of the move. Ask about extra delivery fees or if assistance loading and unloading is included. Calculate the cost of getting to your new home. If you are driving to your new home, you need to calculate the cost of gas to make the drive. If you're flying to your new destination, find out what the average cost of a one way plane ticket for each member of your family will be for your flight. Determine the number of miles you'll be driving. Divide the number of miles by the average miles per gallon your car gets. Multiply by the national price average for a gallon of gasoline. Budget for hotels and food while you move. If you're moving somewhere that you can't drive to in one day, you'll need to include money for your hotels. You also need to budget for your meals while you're on the trip, including snacks. Choosing hotels with free breakfast can be a budget-friendly deal to help you save on food. Acquire packing supplies. You will need boxes, packing papers, packing cushion, and packing tape to get all of your things ready to move. Purchase boxes from local shipping or hardware stores, including boxes made for specific items like plates or glasses. Ask retail stores for free, discarded boxes from shipments they receive. Purchase packing paper, or you can use recycled newspaper from friends and family. A trick for free packing cushion is to use your hand towels to wrap things like plates or glasses as a cushion. Use the right size boxes for your things. It's best to pack heavy items such as books in smaller boxes so they are easier to pick up and move. Save big boxes for light weight things like pillows, linens, and clothing. Pack boxes by the room. Keep items from the same room in the same box. Avoid putting items from different rooms in the same box to help you label things more accurately. This will make unpacking easier when you get to your new home. Label your boxes. Make sure you clearly label all of your boxes so you know where to put them when you unpack. It's helpful to label the boxes on three sides so no matter how you load the boxes you'll be able to read the label. It's a good idea to label the boxes with the contents of the box as well as the room they go in. Keep out your essential everyday items. You might arrive to your new home before your belongings do, so it's important to keep your everyday items like toiletries with you as you travel. You should bring a week's worth of clothes, shoes, and accessories with you. Toiletries and medications should be packed with you on your trip. Jewelry or irreplaceable keepsakes should travel with you to ensure they don't get damaged or lost. Plan for temporary housing when you arrive. Moving to a new city requires you to secure new housing. Look for long term hotels that can provide weekly rates if you are not sure where you are planning to stay in your new state. Contact friends or family in the area to see if you can spend a few nights and save money when you arrive. Many rentals require a walkthrough before signing a lease. It can be difficult to obtain a lease for a new apartment when are still living in another state. Research differences in cost of living. Moving to a new state means moving to a new economy. Check government economic data to determine how the cost of groceries, insurance, or housing vary from state to state. Inform your financial institution about your move. Make sure that you contact your bank before you move to let them know you will be traveling. Making purchases across several states in the course of a day can raise red flags at banks. Tell your bank your moving plans to avoid fraud alerts. Change your address as soon as possible to receive any banking updates or statements. Check if your roadside assistance plan goes across state lines. Make sure that you will have access to emergency roadside assistance if you have car troubles. Truck rental and moving companies often offer separate coverage for emergency assistance. Make sure you inquire about coverage when you are choosing a moving method. Change your address. When you move you need to put in a change of address to the post office to begin receiving mail at your new home. You can do this by going to your local post office or online on the usps website. Update your credit cards and other correspondence. It's important to update your credit card companies with your new address so you don't miss a bill and fall behind. You should also update any magazine subscriptions, membership clubs, or other bills with your new address. Change your car insurance to the new state. Your car insurance is tied to the state you are in, so when you move to a new state, it's important to change your insurance. If you have a nation wide insurance company, you can call to let them know you have moved, and they will start your insurance policy in the new state. You can also change insurance companies and start a new policy. Get a new driver's license and license plate. When you move to a new state, you need to change your driver's license and car tag to the new state. Most states require you to already have your car insurance changed before getting a license plate. Check the local dmv to find out what costs will be associated with getting a new license and license plate. Make sure you find out how long you have before you have to get these things changed. Some states give you 90 days to get it changed, but others only give you 30 days. Register to vote in your new state. It's important to register to vote when you move so you don't forget about it, and aren't unregistered when an election comes around. Some states have you can do this when you get your new driver's license. | Create a list of your essential things. Make a pile of things to donate or sell. Invite friends to help you pack. Get rid of any hazardous material. Find out how much cargo space you'll need. Research different moving methods. Purchase moving insurance to protect your belongings. Get a quote. Calculate the cost of getting to your new home. Budget for hotels and food while you move. Acquire packing supplies. Use the right size boxes for your things. Pack boxes by the room. Label your boxes. Keep out your essential everyday items. Plan for temporary housing when you arrive. Research differences in cost of living. Inform your financial institution about your move. Check if your roadside assistance plan goes across state lines. Change your address. Update your credit cards and other correspondence. Change your car insurance to the new state. Get a new driver's license and license plate. Register to vote in your new state. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Treat-Conjunctivitis-in-Cockatiels | How to Treat Conjunctivitis in Cockatiels | If you notice swelling around your cockatiel's eye membranes, crusting around its eyes, or other eyelid irregularities, it may have conjunctivitis and will need to be taken to an avian vet. Once your vet confirms your cockatiel has conjunctivitis, they will likely recommend a prescription ointment or drops, but may prescribe oral medications, antibiotic ointments, or sprays as well. If your bird's conjunctivitis is because of nematodes, small flukes will irritate your bird's eye. To get rid of flukes, purchase a carbamate powder from your vet or a bird supply store, then apply it to your bird's eye. You can also care for your bird at home by giving it sterile water eye drops and removing crusty buildup from around its eye with a soft, warm, wet cloth. | Get your bird examined by an avian vet. The condition can be caused by a lot of different things, such as bacteria, fungi, nematodes, protozoa, and injury. Your vet will examine your bird, including lifting the eyelid. They may also test the discharge from the area to look for a bacterial or fungal infection. Your vet will also determine if your bird has an upper respiratory infection, since they can cause conjunctivitis. There are a few other conditions that are similar to conjunctivitis, which is another reason why it's so important to get your bird tested before treatment. Give your bird prescription medication. Your vet may prescribe topical medication, such as ointment or drops, to give to your cockatiel. The vet may also prescribe oral medications, antibiotic ointments, or sprays for the bird. For fungal infections, the vet will prescribe topical antifungals. These medications are often only available by prescription, so you will need to obtain them from your vet. Apply carbamate powder. If your bird has conjunctivitis due to nematodes, the small flukes will irritate the bird's eye. To get rid of the flukes, you can apply topical carbamate powder to the eye. You can get this powder from the vet or a bird supply store. Wipe the eye with water. Since the cockatiel's eyes are crusty, you should help clean them. Dip a soft cloth in warm water. Gently wipe and dab at the bird's eye to remove the buildup around the membrane. Be very careful to avoid touching your bird's eyeball. Clean any debris. Your bird may get conjunctivitis if debris gets into their eye. This can cause irritation and swelling. Look at your bird's eye and see if there is any debris inside. If there is, use a warm damp cloth to gently remove it. Common debris that can get in a bird's eye include dust or cracker crumbs. Use eyedrops. You can help your cockatiel's irritated eye by dropping sterile eye drops into the eye. This helps keep the eye lubricated and reduces discomfort. You can use this if the conjunctivitis is caused by debris, or if you have to wait to take the bird to the vet. Be careful to only use sterile water eye drops, unless your vet provides you with a prescription eye drop. Notice any swelling of the eye membranes. The conjunctiva is the light pink membrane that surrounds the whites of your bird's eyes. When they have conjunctivitis, this membrane gets inflamed. Look for red or irritated areas around the bird's eyes. Look for crusting around the eyes. Birds that have conjunctivitis may also produce a clear or cloudy discharge from their eye. This causes a crusty, thick build up around the area. It may crush along the swollen membrane, or get inside the bird's eyes. Check for eyelid irregularities. Another symptom that may occur with conjunctivitis is problems with the eyelid. The lower eyelid may droop or hang down slightly. The bird may also have a prolapsed third eyelid, where you can see the reddish membrane. A bird's third eyelid is a nearly clear membrane that allows the bird to clear dirt and debris from its eye while still maintaining nearly clear vision. Monitor for excessive preening. Birds with conjunctivitis may start to preen more than they used to. You may notice that the feathers around the eyes are wet, or that the feathers on the wing or leg are wet and matted due to increased rubbing. Watch for rubbing of the eye. Some birds may rub the eye repeatedly against their cage or try to scratch the eye with their foot or wing. They may even rub the infected eye with the ball of the foot. | Get your bird examined by an avian vet. Give your bird prescription medication. Apply carbamate powder. Wipe the eye with water. Clean any debris. Use eyedrops. Notice any swelling of the eye membranes. Look for crusting around the eyes. Check for eyelid irregularities. Monitor for excessive preening. Watch for rubbing of the eye. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Buy-an-Apartment-Building | How to Buy an Apartment Building | To buy an apartment building, start by visiting potential purchases with a real estate agent so you can decide what you want to buy, like a mixed-occupancy building or resident-only building. Then, request the rent roll from the current owner, which contains all of the tenants' names and the rent they pay, so you can calculate if the purchase will be financially viable. Once you've found a property you want to buy, hire an inspector with experience in commercial buildings to examine it. If you're satisfied with the result, make an offer. | Work with a real estate agent. An agent can help you find appropriate properties in areas that are worth investing in. You could do a lot of this research on your own by looking online and talking to other investors in the area. But an agent can save you time and money. Ask other landlords which agent they used and if they would recommend this person. Ask what they liked about him or her. Find an agent who does real estate work full-time. Someone who works part-time might not follow the market closely. Also make sure the agent has experience purchasing apartment buildings. Identify the type of building you want. There are different types of apartment buildings you could buy. You should talk with a real estate agent about your preferences. For example, a building might be mixed use. This means it has apartments in it along with commercial real estate that you could rent out. A building that is occupied will be easier to finance, so check to make sure how many units have a tenant. Also consider the size of the building. A loan for an apartment building with one to four units will not be much different than a loan for buying a house. However, if the building has five units, then a lender will consider it an apartment building. Visit buildings. You want to see the building in person, so tag along with your real estate agent to look. Take notes as you walk through the buildings. Unless you are trying to flip a building, you might want to avoid any apartment building that is too run down. Ask the current owner about tenants. Check how many units are rented, how long the tenants have been there, etc. Question the current owner about why they are selling. Perhaps the owner wants to switch investments, or maybe the neighborhood is going downhill and they are losing money. The reason why they are selling could influence whether you purchase the building. Don't make an emotional decision. Instead, try to analyze each building as an investment. Request the rent-roll from the seller. To properly assess the building, you should request certain information from the seller. For example, make sure to get the rent-roll, which should include the following: complete list of units names of tenants terms of each lease monthly rent size of the units numbers of bedrooms and bathrooms in each unit Analyze what you could be charging for rent. The current landlord might be undercharging rent. You should research what the market rates are in the area and calculate the likely rent accordingly. Check websites like padmapper.com to see what rents are like in the neighborhood. However, you should go around and see the properties in person to check that they are equivalent to the units in the building you have looked at. You can also call property management companies and ask what they think you could charge for your units. Calculate likely expenses. You should ask the current owner for the building's Profit and Loss statement (called the “P & L”). However, you should study it critically. The seller has an incentive to bend the truth. You can double check some of the information by doing the following: Estimate the amount of maintenance necessary. Newer units might need around $500 per unit a year. Obtain tax information by calling the county assessor's office. Get an insurance quote from a company that insures commercial properties. Call property management companies and ask how much they charge. They usually charge a percentage of your gross expected rent. Determine how much you can spend. You need to understand the finances of being a landlord. Lenders will want to see that your property is profitable before lending the money. You also want to confirm in your own mind that you'll be able to make your loan payments. Consider the following: Most lenders will probably want 25-30% as a down payment. Check if you have this amount of money. You'll need to calculate the net operating income. This is the amount of money you'll make minus expenses. Analyze your cash flow. This is the amount of money coming in relative to the amount you are spending. If you don't know how to analyze the finances, then contact a Certified Public Accountant who can help you. Make an offer. Your offer will depend on how much money you want to borrow and what you think the apartment building is worth. Talk with your real estate agent about what is a realistic offer. In a hot real estate market, you might not want to be aggressive because buyers might be snapping up buildings. Instead, you can expect to pay close to what the seller is asking. Negotiate at least a 90-day escrow period. This will give you 60 days to have inspections done and then an additional 30 days after that to close. Hire an inspector. You should have the building inspected before going through with the purchase. Make sure that the inspector has experience with commercial properties. You can find an inspector by asking your real estate agent. Before hiring, ask the inspector what they will check. A standard inspection will look at electrical wiring and the building's structure. If you want more checked, then make that clear to the inspector. If there are problems with the building, then you can have your lawyer approach the seller and request a credit. This credit will reduce your purchase price. Review your credit history. A lender will pull your credit history to decide if you are a good credit risk. For this reason, you should review your credit history before applying for a loan. You can get a free credit report from each credit reporting bureau every year by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com or calling 1-877-322-8228. Study the report for errors. For example, information might be included on your report that isn't yours. Instead, it might belong to someone else with a close name or Social Security Number. Also, credit reports sometimes list the incorrect payment status on accounts or don't include remedied problems, such as an account paid in full. If you find errors, then dispute them with the credit reporting bureau whose report contains the error. It can take up to 60 days to complete the dispute process, so plan accordingly. Understand commercial loans. There are two types of loans available to purchase apartment buildings. A non-recourse loan is secured with the building itself. They are available to certain buyers if the building is worth $2.5 million. The other type is a recourse loan. With this loan, you will be personally liable on the loan. This means that if you default, the lender can come for your personal assets, such as your home. Loans can be long term (up to 30 years) or short term (five, seven, and 10 years). Interest rates can be fixed or variable. If you pick a variable rate, then the interest rate will change as the loan matures. Gather required documents. You'll need to submit quite a bit of paperwork to a lender when you apply for a loan. You will probably need to submit the following, so gather it ahead of time: property description, including year of construction and number of units pictures of the property map showing the property's location and competitor apartment buildings plans for upgrades information on rents copies of floor plans purchase price and closing costs names of others involved in the transaction (such as attorneys, real estate brokers, and title companies) Apply for a loan. You can apply for a loan with many different lenders and the choose the one that offers the best terms. Share your supporting documentation with them and then complete the required application. After you submit the application, a loan officer will review your application. They may reach out to you for additional information. You'll then receive a term sheet or letter of intent from all lenders you applied to. This document will identify all the parties, the type of security, the amount financed, and other key terms. The purpose is to make sure everyone understands the terms of the loan. You sign the letter of intent or term sheet for the most attractive loan. Submit it to the lender. You may need to pay a deposit at this point or submit supporting documents, such as an appraisal. Wait to receive the final, full loan commitment from the lender. Hire a lawyer. You should avoid trying to draft legal documents yourself. Instead, hire a real estate lawyer so that it is done right. In addition to writing the purchase agreement, your lawyer can handle other tasks: Negotiate with the seller if repairs need to be made before closing. Set up escrow. Research the title to make sure that it is clear. Create a business to own the building. Many owners hold the apartment building through a business, such as a limited liability company (LLC). If you own it through an LLC, then you will be personally shielded from any liability related to the building. For example, if someone slips and falls, they might sue the owner for negligent maintenance. If you own the building through an LLC, then the person suing you can't get your personal assets. However, if a bank requires that you sign a personal guarantee on a loan, then the bank can come for your personal assets. You can create an LLC on your own by filing Articles of Organization with your state. Alternately, you could have your attorney create it for you. You will also need to get any necessary licenses and permits required by your state and local governments. You can check with your state's Secretary of State website for more information. Perform pre-closing diligence. Commercial real estate closings are generally more complex than simple residential closings. Accordingly, you need to do more diligence. Discuss the following with your lawyer, who should guide you through the process: Have an ALTA title survey done. A typical mortgage plot plan is not sufficient for commercial real estate. Find an escrow agent. Review tenant leases. Analyze zoning restrictions. Review the assignment and assumption of tenant leases. Consider assignment of any service contracts to the building. Review disclosures about the property. Identify any required permits, especially if you intend to make improvements on the property. Attend the closing. If you are buying the building as an LLC, then remember that your business representative must attend the closing. The closing package should contain the following documents: quitclaim deed title affidavit other affidavits assignments of leases assignments of contracts Hire a property management company. You must decide whether you want to live onsite and manage the property. If not, then you'll need to hire a property management company. The company will handle the daily management of the property. For example, they will make sure rent is paid on time and also coordinate to have repairs made. You can find a property management company by talking to other landlords or contacting your nearest apartment association. You might also look online. Be sure to interview potential candidates about their business experience and the services they offer. Ask how much they charge. Typically, a property management company will charge 5-10% of the rent you collect. | Work with a real estate agent. Identify the type of building you want. Visit buildings. Request the rent-roll from the seller. Analyze what you could be charging for rent. Calculate likely expenses. Determine how much you can spend. Make an offer. Hire an inspector. Review your credit history. Understand commercial loans. Gather required documents. Apply for a loan. Hire a lawyer. Create a business to own the building. Perform pre-closing diligence. Attend the closing. Hire a property management company. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Treat-Tonsillitis | How to Treat Tonsillitis | To treat tonsillitis, it's important to make an appointment with your doctor or visit an emergency facility so you can start taking antibiotics as soon as possible. To relieve the pain, gargle warm salt water, avoid irritants like cigarettes, and take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) as needed. Get plenty of rest, be sure to stay hydrated, and try to eat normally to keep your strength up. If you aren't feeling better after a few days of treatment, talk to your doctor about getting a tonsillectomy. | Get lots of rest at home. People often take one to three days off of work or school, depending upon the severity of their infection. This can be followed by about one full "restful week," often going to work, but postponing social commitments, chores, and other events until you are feeling better. Speak as softly and as little as possible as you are recovering. Drink liquids and eat soft foods to soothe pain and discomfort. You can create a soothing mixture to help relieve tonsillitis pain. Combine 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of honey, 1 teaspoon (2.6 g) of cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of apple cider vinegar mixed in hot water and drink as needed. Water also helps to prevent dryness and additional irritation of the tonsils. Hot teas, warm broth, and other warm liquids can be soothing on the throat. In addition to hot drinks, cold ice pops can also soothe throat discomfort. Gargle with warm water and salt. Mix 1 teaspoon (5.6 g) of salt into an 8 ounce (236 mL) glass of warm water. Gargle the salty water, spit it out, and repeat as necessary to relieve the sore throat caused by tonsillitis. Remove any environmental irritants. It is important to minimize any irritants that can worsen tonsillitis, such as dry air, cleaning products, or cigarette smoke. Also, try using a cool-air humidifier that adds moisture to the room. Try lozenges. Many lozenges contain topical anesthetic within them, which can help to diminish pain in your tonsillar area and throat. Consider "alternative remedies. " Always consult your doctor prior to trying any of the following alternative remedies, to ensure they are safe for you in consideration of any other medical conditions you may have. There are not recommended for children and adolescents. Options to consider include: Papain. This is an anti-inflammatory enzyme that may help to reduce inflammation of the tonsils. Serrapeptase. This is another anti-inflammatory enzyme that may help in tonsillitis. Slippery elm in lozenge form. This has been shown to aid in pain relief. Andrographis. This is aimed at treating symptoms of fever and sore throat. Confirm your diagnosis by a throat swab and culture. If you believe you have tonsillitis, it is important to see either your family doctor or an emergency doctor (if you cannot get in to see your family doctor on the same day) to get a throat swab to determine the diagnosis. The biggest concern with tonsillitis is when it is caused by Group A Strep bacteria. This will require medical treatment with antibiotics, as failure to treat it can lead to potentially dangerous complications down the road. Your doctor may be able to tell if you have a strep infection with a visual assessment. If you have discolored tonsils, an empty cough, swollen lymph nodes in your neck, and a fever, it's likely they'll need to run further tests with a throat swab. The good news is that seeking medical treatment promptly usually resolves the infection without complications. Tonsillitis may also be caused by other things, such as a viral infection. It is not always caused by strep bacteria; however, it is always best to be seen by a healthcare professional to rule this out and stay on the safe side. Ensure adequate fluid and calorie intake. One of the key things that doctors will want to check in on if you have tonsillitis is whether you are able to consume adequate fluids and food daily. The main thing that would prevent you from achieving these goals is tonsils that are so swollen or painful that it hurts to eat or drink. Doctors recommend controlling your pain via medication so you can continue to eat and drink. In extreme cases of tonsillar swelling, doctors can administer corticosteroid medication that diminishes the swelling. If you are unable to eat or drink, your doctor will likely prescribe IV fluids and calories to tide you by until the corticosteroid and pain medications can take effect and decrease the pain and swelling in your tonsillar area enough for you to consume food and drinks orally. Take pain medications. In almost all cases of tonsillitis, your doctor will recommend acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) as needed for pain control. Both of these medications are available over-the-counter at your local pharmacy; follow the recommended dosing on the bottle. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) tends to be the better choice as it combats fever as well as pain. Most cases of tonsillitis are the result of an infection, so acetaminophen can help to bring your fever down too. However, you must be careful with acetaminophen, as it is added to so many medications, which makes it easy to overdose. Make sure to keep track of the total dosage and avoid taking more than three grams per day. Do not drink while taking acetaminophen. Take antibiotics as directed by your doctor. You may be required to take penicillin for 10 days if the doctor determines that bacteria caused your tonsillitis. Request an alternative antibiotic if you are allergic to penicillin. Finish the antibiotics even if you feel better. Neglecting the remainder of your treatment may result in tonsillitis symptoms returning or worsening, or you may develop complications down the road if you do not finish your prescribed treatment. Ask your doctor about what to do if you forget or miss a dose of the antibiotic. Get a tonsillectomy. If antibiotics do not help, or if you experience chronic or frequent tonsillitis, then a tonsillectomy may be the last resort. Frequent tonsillitis happens when a person experiences infection multiple times over one to three years. Doctors perform a tonsillectomy to remove the two tonsils from the back of the throat. Besides being the final treatment option for tonsillitis, a tonsillectomy also alleviates sleep apnea or other breathing problems related to enlarged tonsils. Doctors generally finish the surgery in one day, but patients fully recover in approximately 7 to 10 days. In the United States, criteria for a tonsillectomy are normally 6 or more tonsillar infections over the course of 1 year, 5 infections over 2 consecutive years, or over 3 infections per year over 3 consecutive years. | Get lots of rest at home. Drink liquids and eat soft foods to soothe pain and discomfort. Gargle with warm water and salt. Remove any environmental irritants. Try lozenges. Consider "alternative remedies. Confirm your diagnosis by a throat swab and culture. Ensure adequate fluid and calorie intake. Take pain medications. Take antibiotics as directed by your doctor. Get a tonsillectomy. |
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