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https://www.wikihow.mom/Reduce-Fever-in-a-Toddler
How to Reduce Fever in a Toddler
To reduce a fever in a toddler, give them a bath in lukewarm water, since water that's a bit lower than body temperature provides the quickest relief for a fever. Alternatively, place a cool washcloth over their forehead. You should also encourage them to drink lots of fluids, like water or non-caffeinated herbal tea, which will help combat dehydration. Additionally, ensure they're wearing 1 layer of loose, light clothing to help with air circulation and reduce their body temperature. If your toddler's fever is high, talk to your doctor about giving them a fever-reducing medicine, such as acetaminophen or paracetamol.
Assess your toddler's fever. Take your toddler's temperature using a digital thermometer. You get the most accurate reading by taking it rectally, but you can also take it under the armpit (however this is the least accurate measure). Never mix-and-match using the same thermometer. You can also take a toddler's temperature on the forehead with a temporal artery scanner and with an in-ear thermometer. Babies and toddlers tend to have higher body temperatures and a greater range of body temperature variation than adults. This is partly because of their bodies' greater surface-area-to-volume ratio and partly because their immune systems are still developing. Normal body temperature for a toddler is 97 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit (36 - 37.2 degrees Celsius). A low-grade fever in toddlers is in the 99 to 100.9° F (37.3 - 38.3° C) range. A temperature of 101° F through 103.5° F (38.4 - 39.7° C) usually indicates illness that needs monitoring. Most fevers in this range are caused by viruses or a minor infection. A temperature of over 103.6° F (39.8°C) should be treated or lowered (see next steps). If the fever goes down using the methods described in the next section, the doctor's visit can often wait until the morning. If not, you should take your toddler to the ER immediately Please note: this article discusses fever as a sole symptom. If there are other worrisome symptoms or if the child has a chronic condition that might be of concern, seek medical attention immediately. Give your toddler a bath. Because water moves heat away from the body faster than air does, a bath is an effective method to reduce fever and works faster than medications. You can also use a bath to reduce fever while you are waiting for acetaminophen (Tylenol) or another pain-reliever/fever-reducer to kick in. Use lukewarm water. Never use cold water to reduce fever. Water temperature that is a little less than the body temperature provides the quickest fever reduction. Avoid using rubbing alcohol in the bath water--that is an old recommendation and no longer encouraged by health care providers. You can also place a cool and damp washcloth over your toddler's forehead or body to reduce fever. Encourage your toddler to drink plenty of fluids. Fever can lead to dehydration, which can be a serious medical condition, and thus, it is essential you offer your child plenty of fluids to keep them hydrated. Pure water is always the best choice but other options also work if your child is picky. Offer your child fruit juices diluted with water or water flavored with fresh fruits. You can also offer iced, non-caffeinated herbal teas (such as chamomile and peppermint) or electrolyte solutions such as Pedialyte, which can be offered to children at any age. Be vigilant and watch for signs of dehydration. The higher the fever is the higher the risk of dehydration becomes. Signs of dehydration include concentrated urine, which is darker yellow and perhaps strong smelling, infrequent urination (6+ hours between wettings), dry mouth and lips, absence of tears when crying, and sunken eyes. If your toddler shows signs of dehydration, seek medical attention. Optimize skin temperature and room temperature. Dress the child in one lightweight layer of clothing for optimal thermal control. Each layer of clothing traps more heat next to the body. Loose and thin clothes allow air to circulate more freely. Keep a thin blanket close by if your child feels cool or complains about being cold. A mechanical or electric fan moves the air more quickly and can help in taking heat away from the skin. If you do use a fan, monitor your toddler constantly to avoid too much cooling. Don't aim the fan directly at your child. Give your toddler a fever-reducing medication. Medicating fever is something you should do only when needed to make the child more comfortable or to bring down a high fever that can cause serious complications. Low to mild fever is usually best left untreated unless other complications exist, whereas moderate to high fever, or fever associated with other symptoms, can and often should be treated with fever-reducing medications. Acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or paracetamol can be given to infants and toddlers. Consult your doctor on the correct dosing. Ibuprofen (such as Advil and Motrin) can be given to children 6 months or older. Consult your doctor on the correct dosing. Aspirin is no longer recommended for any child under the age of 18 years due to its association with Reye's syndrome. Fever-reducing medications are available in suppository and liquid forms for children. Administer the appropriate amount, which is determined based on the age and weight of the child. Never exceed the recommended dose or dosing interval. Keep a record of times and amounts of medications you give to your child. If your child is taking prescription medications, please check with his or her doctor before using any over-the-counter fever reducers for toddlers. If your toddler is vomiting and unable to keep down the medicines, you might consider using acetaminophen suppositories. Check the label for proper dosing. If the fever-reducing medication does not lower fever temporarily, seek medical attention. Ask your doctor if your child needs antibiotics. Antibiotics are used for bacterial infections and cannot be used to treat viral infections. High and unnecessary use of antibiotics has provoked bacteria into evolving resistance. Due to this, the current recommendation is to use antibiotics as conservatively as possible. If your child does take antibiotics, make sure they finish the entire prescription. Understand what causes fever. To a certain degree, fever is our friend. It is our body's natural response to a wide range of causes, including the following: Bacterial infections, such as streptococcal bacteria that cause strep throat or ear infection, can cause fever and are often treated with antibiotic therapy. Viral infections such as cold, flu, and other typical childhood illnesses (chickenpox and measles). Viral infections cannot be treated with antibiotics and often the only means of treatment are waiting it out and treating the symptoms. Viral infections are the most common cause of a fever in a toddler, and fevers can often last 3-4 days. Teething often produces low-grade fever. Immunizations are developed to generate a mild immune response and thus can often result in low-grade fever. A fever can occur if your child is overheated due to being in a hot environment and has heat exhaustion or heat stroke. This is a medical emergency. Rarely, fever can be caused by an inflammatory condition such as arthritis or by other serious medical conditions, including some cancers. Know when to call your doctor. Monitoring your toddler's fever is a bit of a balancing act—you don't want to overreact but you don't want to underestimate the situation either. Generally the younger the child is the more serious the matter is. There are some general guidelines based on your child's age: 0-3 months: fever of 100.4 F (38 C) is the point at which you should call the doctor right away, even if no other symptoms are present. Any baby under 2 months will need to be seen right away. 3 months to 2 years: fever below 102 F (38.9 C) can normally be dealt at home (see previous section). 3 months to 2 years: fever above 102 F (38.9 C) may need medical treatment. Call your child's pediatrician for further directions. This is especially important if there are other symptoms, if the fever does not responded to medication, or if it continues for more than a day or two. Recognize the signs of other serious symptoms. Parents often have some intuition about the seriousness of a child's medical situation. Also children develop patterns in their responses to illnesses, and parents are often quick to notice anomalies. Fever accompanied by lethargy and/or listlessness may be signs of something more serious. If your toddler has serious symptoms such as disorientation, bluish color around the mouth or fingertips, seizure, severe headache, stiff neck, difficulty walking, or difficulty breathing, call 911 immediately!
Assess your toddler's fever. Give your toddler a bath. Encourage your toddler to drink plenty of fluids. Optimize skin temperature and room temperature. Give your toddler a fever-reducing medication. Ask your doctor if your child needs antibiotics. Understand what causes fever. Know when to call your doctor. Recognize the signs of other serious symptoms.
https://www.wikihow.com/Give-a-Lizard-a-Bath
How to Give a Lizard a Bath
To give a lizard a bath, all you need to do is place a water bowl filled with clean, fresh water in its habitat so it can bathe itself. Just make sure you change out the water every day and disinfect the bowl with bleach and water once a week. If you have a large lizard, like a Chinese water dragon or an iguana, you may want to get a tank with a built-in pool so your lizard has enough room to bathe itself.
Place a water bowl in your lizard’s habitat so it can bathe at any time. Most lizards enjoy soaking from time to time. Provide a shallow water bowl that is big enough that the lizard can completely submerge itself in it. Make sure the bowl is heavy enough that it won't tip over and keep it filled with clean, fresh water at all times. Having access to a bath is especially helpful when your lizard is shedding, since the moisture can help soften and loosen the dead skin. You can also gently mist your lizard with a plant mister 2-3 times weekly. Change out the water in your lizard’s bowl daily. Empty your lizard's bowl and refill it with clean, room-temperature water every day. If you provide water for your lizard in a large, shallow bowl, the water will evaporate quickly. The water can also become contaminated if your lizard defecates or gets food or substrate in it. You may need to change the water more frequently than once a day if it becomes dirty quickly. Clean and disinfect the water bowl weekly. Once a week, remove the bowl from the enclosure and scrub it down with a mild dish soap and hot water. You can disinfect the bowl by letting it soak for 2-3 minutes in a solution of 1–3 fluid ounces (30–89 mL) of bleach per 1 US quart (0.95 L) of water. Rinse the bowl thoroughly in clean water before refilling it and putting it back in the tank. If you notice mineral deposits on the water bowl, try soaking it for a few minutes in warm white vinegar, then scrub the bowl and rinse it thoroughly in fresh water. Offer built-in bathing areas for larger lizards. Some types of large or partially aquatic lizards, such as Chinese water dragons and iguanas, can benefit from having a larger bathing area in their enclosure. Consider buying or building a “water terrarium” with a built-in pool for lizards like these. Familiarize yourself with the needs of your lizard's species before adding a large water feature to its environment. If your tank has a built-in pool, you will need to provide a filtration system to help keep the water clean between changes. Even with a filter, it's important to completely change out the water and clean the swimming area at least once every 3-4 days. You may also need to put a heater in the water to maintain an appropriate water temperature for your lizard (e.g., around 83–85 °F (28–29 °C) for an iguana). Examine your lizard to determine if it needs help shedding. If your lizard is shedding, keep a close eye on it to see if the old skin appears to be coming off as it should. Most lizards complete a healthy shed in 1 to 3 weeks. If your lizard still hasn't completely shed its skin at the end of a few weeks, it could probably benefit from a soak. Un-shed skin tends to build up in areas such as around the lizard's toes and tail, in the folds of skin around the neck and dewlap, and on features such as crests and spikes. Soak your lizard in warm water for 10-15 minutes. If your lizard is having a difficult shed, place it in a tub of shallow water and let it soak briefly to soften the un-shed skin. Keep the water temperature around 85–88 °F (29–31 °C). Gently massage your lizard's body as it soaks to loosen the dead skin. For smaller lizards, such as tiny anoles or house geckos, provide a humidified hideout rather than attempting to soak the lizard. You can purchase a humidity hide box at a pet supply store or build your own. Cut a hole in a lidded plastic container so that your lizard can enter, and fill two thirds of the container with moistened sphagnum moss. Wrap your lizard in a moist towel for 5 minutes to soften any remaining skin. If your lizard still doesn't manage to shed completely after a bath, take a warm, damp towel and loosely wrap the lizard in it. Make sure the lizard's head is exposed. Wrap a dry towel around the wet towel and let the lizard remain wrapped for about 5 minutes. After you take the lizard out of the wrap, check to see if there is still any dead skin around the toes and tail. If your lizard has a crest, spikes, or dewlap, check these areas as well. Rub mineral oil on any stubborn spots while the lizard is still damp. Right after bathing your lizard or placing it in a moist wrap, look to see if there are any especially thick or toughened layers of dead skin still clinging to areas like the toes or tail. Rub a little mineral oil onto these spots while they are still wet to lock in moisture and help soften the skin further. Take care not to get any mineral oil in your lizard's eyes. Gently massage any areas with stubborn dead skin. After bathing your lizard and applying mineral oil, carefully rub any areas where dead skin still remains. This can help loosen the skin so that it comes off more easily. Don't try to peel or pull off any skin if it doesn't come off readily. You may need to repeat the process of bathing your lizard and applying mineral oil over a couple of days in order to fully loosen any stubborn skin. If your lizard is still having a lot of trouble shedding, take it to the vet for an evaluation. There might be an underlying health issue contributing to the problem. Inspect your lizard for signs of mites. Lizard mites can give your lizard a dull appearance and may eventually cause illness if they are not treated. If you suspect your lizard has mites, look closely at its skin, especially around the eyes and in any folds or crevices. The mites will look like tiny, reddish dots moving around on your lizard's skin. If you do find mites, you can treat the problem by giving your lizard a Betadine bath. You might also see dead mites floating in your lizard's water bowl. Fill a shallow tub with warm water and dilute Betadine. Put enough water in your bathing tub to reach about shoulder height on your lizard. Use water that is around 80–85 °F (27–29 °C). Add enough Betadine (povidone-iodine) to make the water the color of weak to medium-strength tea (i.e., clear and light to medium brown in color). You can buy Betadine online or from most pharmacies. Let your lizard soak in plain water before putting it the Betadine bath. Fill a separate tub with plain, warm water and put your lizard in it for a few minutes. This will give the lizard an opportunity to drink, so it will be less tempted to drink the Betadine solution. This will also give your lizard a chance to relieve itself before you put it in the Betadine soak. Put your lizard in the Betadine bath and let it soak for a few minutes. While the lizard is soaking, gently pour some of the bath water over it to make sure that any parts that are not submerged are exposed to the Betadine. Take care not to get any Betadine solution in your lizard's eyes. If your lizard is very small (e.g., an anole or house gecko) or belongs to a species that doesn't spend a lot of time in water (such as a spiny-tailed lizard ), don't leave it soaking in the tub for a long time. Just place the lizard in the bath long enough to cover it in the solution, then remove it. Larger or more aquatic lizards, such as iguanas or Chinese water dragons, can soak for up to half an hour. If your lizard relieves itself in the water, empty the bath and refill it with a fresh Betadine solution. Wipe the lizard with a Betadine-soaked cloth after it’s done soaking. Dip a soft cloth in the Betadine solution, then use the cloth to gently wipe your lizard's body. Focus on areas like the joints between the legs and the body, any folds of skin around the head and neck, and any spikes or crests. Use a cotton swab to apply betadine solution to the lizard's face, being careful not to get any in the eyes or nose. Closely inspect any areas where mites might hide out, such as in between spines along the lizard's back. If you see any mites hiding in those areas, swab them down carefully with a Betadine-soaked cotton swab. If you're concerned that your lizard is too small to soak, skip the bath and just wipe down the lizard with the Betadine-soaked cloth. Rinse your lizard with clean water. After you've thoroughly treated your lizard with the Betadine solution, place it in a new bath with fresh water. Make sure the water is 80–85 °F (27–29 °C). Pour a little of the water over the lizard to rinse off any remaining betadine. If your lizard is too small or does not like soaking in a bath, you can simply rinse it with warm water instead of soaking it. Keep the lizard in a warm, dry holding area until you are able to finish cleaning and disinfecting its habitat. Otherwise, it may become re-infested with mites. Disinfect your lizard’s habitat before putting your lizard back. If you bathe your lizard and then return it without cleaning the habitat first, the mite infestation will quickly return. Before you put the lizard back, remove all the contaminated substrate and dispose of it, preferably outside your home. Wipe down all surfaces of the enclosure with hot, soapy water and rinse it thoroughly. Boil any rocks or branches from the habitat in water for 20-30 minutes. If the habitat is glass, you can soak it for 10 minutes in a solution of ⁄ 2 cup (120 mL) of bleach per 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water. You can also use this solution to disinfect food and water dishes, rocks and branches, and décor. Make sure to rinse off the bleach solution thoroughly with clean water. Wipe down any light fixtures and heating elements with a damp cloth to remove stray mites, eggs, and mite feces. Vacuuming around the enclosure will also help pick up any stray mites that have gotten out of the habitat. Fumigate the tank with a no-pest strip. While cleaning and disinfecting the tank will remove most of the mites, you can kill any that remain by fumigating the tank with a pesticide. Put the no-pest strip on a piece of foil in the bottom of the tank and seal up the tank to make it air tight. Leave the strip in place for about 3 hours, then remove it and ventilate the tank for several more hours before putting your lizard back in. You can purchase no-pest strips online or at many department or home-supply stores. If you can't find a no-pest strip, you can use a cat flea collar instead. Help the ventilation process along by opening a window and turning on a fan in the room where you keep the tank. Keep an eye out for a returning mite infestation. Check the lizard and its environment regularly over the next 2 to 6 weeks. If you see any sign of the mites returning, repeat the bathing and disinfection process. You may find it helpful to replace your lizard's regular substrate with paper towels for the next few weeks, since mites show up best against a light background.
Place a water bowl in your lizard’s habitat so it can bathe at any time. Change out the water in your lizard’s bowl daily. Clean and disinfect the water bowl weekly. Offer built-in bathing areas for larger lizards. Examine your lizard to determine if it needs help shedding. Soak your lizard in warm water for 10-15 minutes. Wrap your lizard in a moist towel for 5 minutes to soften any remaining skin. Rub mineral oil on any stubborn spots while the lizard is still damp. Gently massage any areas with stubborn dead skin. Inspect your lizard for signs of mites. Fill a shallow tub with warm water and dilute Betadine. Let your lizard soak in plain water before putting it the Betadine bath. Put your lizard in the Betadine bath and let it soak for a few minutes. Wipe the lizard with a Betadine-soaked cloth after it’s done soaking. Rinse your lizard with clean water. Disinfect your lizard’s habitat before putting your lizard back. Fumigate the tank with a no-pest strip. Keep an eye out for a returning mite infestation.
https://www.wikihow.com/Show-Lyrics-on-Spotify-on-PC-or-Mac
How to Show Lyrics on Spotify on PC or Mac
To show lyrics on Spotify on a PC, start by typing “Store” into the search bar and selecting “Microsoft Store” from the list of options. Then, type “Musixmatch” into the search bar and select “Musixmatch Lyrics & Music Player,” which is the red icon with overlapping triangles inside. Next, click “Get” to install this free app on your computer. Once you have the app, go to your PC's “Start” menu, navigate to the “All Apps” area, and open the Musixmatch app. Finally, open Spotify and play a song to see the song's lyrics in the Musixmatch window.
Open the Windows Store. You can get Musixmatch for free from the Windows store. To open it, type store into the search bar, and then click Microsoft Store in the search results. Type musixmatch into the search bar. A list of matching search results will appear. Click Musixmatch Lyrics & Music Player. It's the red icon with overlapping triangles inside. Click Get. Or, if you've used this app before, click Install. The app will now install on your computer. Open Musixmatch. You should find it in the All Apps area of the Start menu. This opens the main Musixmatch screen, which is where your Spotify lyrics will appear. If you still have the Windows store open, you can open it by clicking Launch. Open Spotify. It's in the All Apps area of the Start menu. Play a song in Spotify. A few seconds after the song begins to play, the lyrics will appear in the Musixmatch window. Go to https://about.musixmatch.com/apps in a web browser. You can download the free Musixmatch app to view lyrics for your favorite songs on Spotify. Click Download the Desktop app. The app will download to your Mac. If you have an ad blocker, you may need to disable it before you start the download. Don't worry, the download is safe. Double-click the installer file. It's in your Downloads folder. This is the file you just downloaded. Its name begins with “Musixmatch” and ends with “.dmg.” Verify the installation. Depending on your version of macOS, you may need to verify the installation first. Here's how: Click the {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/f\/ff\/Macapple1.png","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/ff\/Macapple1.png\/29px-Macapple1.png","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":476,"bigWidth":"29","bigHeight":"30","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>I edited this screenshot of a Mac icon.\n<\/p><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a><br>\n<\/p><\/div>"} menu. Click System Preferences. Click Security & Privacy. Click the lock icon and enter your admin password. Click Allow for “Musixmatch”. Drag the Musixmatch icon to the Applications folder. Wait a few seconds for it to copy to the folder. Open Musixmatch. Double-click the Musixmatch icon in the Applications folder to open the app now. This opens the Musixmatch window, which is where songs lyrics will appear. Open Spotify. It's the green icon with three curved black lines in the Applications folder. Play a song in Spotify. A few seconds after the song begins to play, the lyrics will appear in the Musixmatch window.
Open the Windows Store. Type musixmatch into the search bar. Click Musixmatch Lyrics & Music Player. Click Get. Open Musixmatch. Open Spotify. Play a song in Spotify. Go to https://about.musixmatch.com/apps in a web browser. Click Download the Desktop app. Double-click the installer file. Verify the installation. Drag the Musixmatch icon to the Applications folder. Open Musixmatch. Open Spotify. Play a song in Spotify.
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Pizza-Without-an-Oven-at-Home
How to Make Pizza Without an Oven at Home
To make pizza without an oven at home, start by getting some pre-made pizza dough from the grocery store and heating 1 teaspoon of cooking oil in a skillet over medium high heat. While the oil is heating, roll out your dough into a circle that's slightly smaller than your skillet. Once the oil is hot, place the dough in the pan. After about a minute, flip the crust and top it with pizza sauce, shredded cheese, and any toppings you like. Finally, cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat down, and let the pizza cook for 5 minutes before removing it from the skillet.
Dissolve the yeast. Pour the lukewarm water into a medium sized mixing bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer. Add in the yeast to the water and let the yeast dissolve for about 10 minutes. You should see that the mixture becomes bubbly and that the yeast granules dissolve into the water. If you don't want to prepare your own dough, buy pre-prepared dough at the grocery store. Add flour and salt. Pour in the 2 cups (473.17 ml) of all purpose flour and the 1 ½ (7.39 ml) teaspoons of salt into the bowl of yeast and water. Use a spatula or spoon to stir the ingredients vigorously until they make a shaggy dough. The dough doesn't have to be completely homogenous, as you will knead it. Knead the dough for 5-8 minutes. Knead the dough, either by hand on a counter or table or by using the low setting on a standing mixer. To knead by hand, place the dough on the counter and begin to stretch and squeeze it, folding it over on itself and stretching it again. Keep kneading for about 5-8 minutes until the dough is smooth and expands back out when you poke it. If the dough is incredibly sticky, add a small amount of flour and rework it. Avoid adding too much flour, as this will make the dough have a thicker, heavier consistency. Let the dough rise for 1 hour. Once you have kneaded the dough into a smooth ball, pour cooking oil on a paper towel and use it to lightly oil the interior of a large bowl. Place the dough ball inside the bowl, cover the bowl with a cloth, and let the dough rise for 1-1 ½ hours until it is twice its size. If you are in a rush, you can skip the process of letting the dough rise and move on to preparing the pizza. Be aware that the crust of the pizza will be very thin and crisp as opposed to fluffy. If you are preparing the dough in advance for the next day, let the dough rise for 30 minutes, then place it in the fridge in a covered bowl until you are ready to use it. Slice the pizza toppings. While the dough is rising, you can begin to prepare the pizza toppings. Slice your favorite toppings, whether it be veggies like mushrooms or green bell peppers or meat like cooked sausage or ham. Slice about 1-2 cups (240- 480 ml) in total of the pizza toppings and put them aside. Roll the dough into a circle. Take the dough out of the bowl and divide the dough into two equal sized balls. Pour a small amount of flour onto a clean counter or cutting board, then use your hands to spread out the flour into a thin, even layer. Place one ball of dough on the counter and roll it using a rolling pin to create a circle with a diameter that is slightly smaller than the pan you will be using to cook the pizzas. Repeat with the other dough ball. Once you've rolled the dough, use your hands to encourage the dough into a circle shape if need be. Heat a large pan. Place the pan or skillet you will be using to cook the pizza over medium high heat. Add a teaspoon or so (about 4.92 ml) of cooking oil and swirl so that the cooking oil coats the bottom of the pan. You can also use two equal sized pans if you want to cook both pizzas at the same time. Other than a skillet, you can also make stovetop pizza using a tawa , a thin metal pan common throughout parts of Asia. Cook the dough on one side. Once the pan has heated, carefully drop one pizza dough circle into the pan and cook for about 1 minute until you see bubbles forming on the dough and the edges getting slightly golden. If the bubbles are large, you can deflate them by poking them with a spatula. You also can keep them if you wish; they will turn crispy when fully cooked. Flip the dough. After the one minute of cooking is up, flip the dough circle over using a spatula. Then spread half the pizza sauce over the dough except for the outer two inches (5 cm) or so, as this will be the crust. Sprinkle on half the cheese and add half the pizza toppings. Cover the skillet and turn down the heat. After you have added all the pizza toppings, place the lid on top of the pan or skillet you are using and turn the heat down to medium. Covering the pan traps the heat so that the cheese can melt and the toppings can cook. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Leave the pan or skillet covered for 4-5 minutes. After the five minutes are up, take the lid off the pan. If the cheese has melted and the bottom of the pizza looks golden brown, the pizza should be done. If not, replace the lid back on the pan and check every minute or so until the pizza is ready. Place the pizza on a cutting board and cool. Once the pizza is ready, use a spatula to take it out of the pan and place it on a cutting board to cool. In the meantime, make another small pizza using the other dough circle. Once both pizzas are cooked and have cooled enough to eat, slice and enjoy your pan made pizza! Turn the grill on to 600 degrees F (315.55 C). Heat the grill up to 600 degrees F (315.55 C). Next to the grill, set up a table that can hold all of your toppings and the two pizza doughs, as well as tongs, a pastry brush, a spatula, a large spoon and an oven mitt. Choose direct as opposed to indirect heat if that is a setting on your grill. The hotness of the grill will give you crispier pizza with a deliciously charred crust that tastes almost like wood fired pizza. Brush one side of the dough with olive oil. Use a pastry brush to brush olive oil onto one side of one of the pizzas, or onto both pizzas if your grill can fit them both at the same time. Lay the dough on the grill. Lay the dough on the grill with the side coated in olive oil facing down. Try to fit both pizza doughs on the grill if you can. Coat the side facing up in olive oil as well. Cook for three minutes. Keep the pizza dough in the uncovered grill for three minutes. After three minutes, the dough should look set and less soft than before, yet not too crispy. Flip and top the dough. Use the tongs or a spatula to flip the dough after three minutes. Right after you flip it, use a large spoon to spread sauce over the dough, sprinkle the cheese, then add the toppings. Remember if you are cooking one pizza at a time to add only half the toppings you prepared. Grill for three to five minutes. Close the lid of the grill and cook the pizza for another three minutes. Check after three minutes to see whether the pizza looks done. If the edges are crispy and the cheese has melted, remove the pizza. If not, put the top back on the grill and check every thirty seconds or so until the pizza looks done. Remove the pizza from the grill. Use a pair of tongs or a spatula to transfer the pizza from the grill to a cutting board. If you are cooking the pizzas one at a time, put the next circle of dough onto the grill and repeat the steps of grilling, topping, and removing the second pizza. Cool and serve the pizza. Let the pizza sit for about three minutes or so to let it solidify and cool slightly. Then use a large knife or pizza wheel to cut the pizza into slices and enjoy it while it's hot.
Dissolve the yeast. Add flour and salt. Knead the dough for 5-8 minutes. Let the dough rise for 1 hour. Slice the pizza toppings. Roll the dough into a circle. Heat a large pan. Cook the dough on one side. Flip the dough. Cover the skillet and turn down the heat. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Place the pizza on a cutting board and cool. Turn the grill on to 600 degrees F (315.55 C). Brush one side of the dough with olive oil. Lay the dough on the grill. Cook for three minutes. Flip and top the dough. Grill for three to five minutes. Remove the pizza from the grill. Cool and serve the pizza.
https://www.wikihow.com/Play-Petals-Around-the-Rose
How to Play Petals Around the Rose
To play Petals Around the Rose, have a friend roll at least five dice and get them to ask you how many petals are around the rose. To figure this out, first pay attention to any dice showing a middle dot, they are the roses. Then, count the dots surrounding the middle dot, they represent the petals. If you're confident that you have the correct answer, tell your friend and have them roll the dice again so you can test your understanding.
Get at least four or five dice. Five is the optimal number of dice to begin with. You can play the game at a more advanced level with more dice. Play with a friend who already knows the solution. The aim of the game is to determine how many petals around the rose there are each time multiple dice are rolled. Get someone to facilitate the game for you. They will roll the dice and tell you the number of petals around the rose. The facilitator should not disclose the reasoning behind this number. That's for you to work out! Eventually, when you solve the puzzle, you will be able guess the number of petals on a particular roll of the dice on your own. Roll the dice. Your friend (who already knows the solution) will reveal how many petals around the rose there are for this roll. At first, it will be unclear how they got this number. Get them to roll the dice several times and tell you how many petals there are each time. Can you see a pattern emerging that determines the number of petals around the rose each turn? Take your time. It may take several rolls to figure out the solution. Pay attention to the name of the game. Solving this puzzle requires you to exercise your problem-solving skills. Think 'outside the box' or laterally to assess the information you have in front of you. This will help you see the hidden rules of the game determining the number of petals around the rose. For example, the game is called "Petals Around the Rose" and this name is significant. Why might it be called petals around the rose ? How might this name relate to the faces of the dice you are seeing? Look at the dice with dots in the middle. Dice showing 3 or 5 have dots in the center of their face. These dice represent the roses. The petals are the dots surrounding this center dot. For example, a die with a 5 on it has 4 petals around the rose. A die with a 3 on it has 2 petals around the rose. A die with 1 only has one dot on its face. It is a rose without petals. Disregard the dice showing even numbers. Dice showing 2, 4 or 6 do not have a dot in the middle of their face. They are not roses and you can disregard them. They don't count when you are adding up the total number of petals around the rose for a particular roll. Add up the total amount of petals and get the answer for each roll. If there are no petals or roses, the answer is zero. For example, if you get a roll with 5, 4, 6, 1, there are 4 petals around the rose. 4 and 6 are even numbers so the dice showing these numbers do not count as roses. The die with 1 represents a rose without a petal. The die showing a 5 has 4 petals around the rose. Therefore, the total number of petals around the rose is 4. If you get 2, 4, 6, 1, then the total number of petals will be zero. There are no dice with dots in the center and therefore no roses. Get 4 - 5 dice and a willing friend. Challenge a friend to play the game and solve the puzzle for themselves. Roll the dice. Ask your friend, "How many petals around the rose are there?" Be prepared to roll the dice as many times as necessary. Remember that different people will take different lengths of time to work out the solution. Some even say that the smarter you are the longer it takes you to work it out! Tell your friend this if they are struggling to work out the solution. It will inspire them to keep going. Tell your friend the number of petals around the rose for each roll. Let them know the number of petals but don't reveal the logic behind it. Offer some helpful hints. Remind them that the name of the game is significant. Also, the answer will be either an even number or zero. Allow them several chances to guess the answer. If your friend thinks they have worked out the solution, test them by rolling the dice and asking them how many petals around the rose there are. If they guess correctly over several rolls, they have worked out the solution. Keep one person from blurting out the answer if playing in a group. This will keep the game fun for all members of the group and allow everyone to work it out in their own time. Tell the first person to solve the puzzle that they are a Potentate of the Rose and they must guard the secret.
Get at least four or five dice. Play with a friend who already knows the solution. Roll the dice. Pay attention to the name of the game. Look at the dice with dots in the middle. Disregard the dice showing even numbers. Add up the total amount of petals and get the answer for each roll. Get 4 - 5 dice and a willing friend. Roll the dice. Tell your friend the number of petals around the rose for each roll. Allow them several chances to guess the answer. Keep one person from blurting out the answer if playing in a group.
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Snow-Cone-Syrup
How to Make a Snow Cone Syrup
To make snow cone syrup, start by bringing 2 cups of granulated sugar and 1 cup of water to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring continuously. Then, let the mixture boil for 1 minute before removing it from the heat and gradually adding a packet of flavored drink mix. Next, stir the drink mix into the water and let the mixture cool for around 10 minutes. Finally, use a funnel to pour the syrup into a dispenser bottle.
Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring them to a boil. Stir 2 cups (200 g) of granulated sugar and 1 cup (240 mL) of water together in a small saucepan and place the pan over medium high heat. Continually stir the mixture until it begins to boil, which should take around 3-5 minutes. Medium high heat on a stovetop is the number that is roughly ¾ of the way between the lowest and highest settings. For example, on a dial that went from 1 (low) to 8 (high), medium high would be 6. Boil the water for 1 minute, then remove it from heat and add the mix. Let the water boil until the sugar is completely dissolved, which shouldn't take longer than 1 minute. Slowly sprinkle the drink mix into the water once you've taken the saucepan off of the stove. Don't dump the whole packet of drink mix into the water all at once, since this will cause it to clump. 16 ounces (450 g) of drink mix is normally the amount that comes in a single-serving packet. These can be bought at any grocery store or supermarket. Stir the drink mix into the water and allow it to cool. Stir the mix into the water until it's completely dissolved, which normally takes 1-2 minutes. Then, allow the water to cool to room temperature. The water probably won't take more than 10 minutes to sufficiently cool down. Use a funnel to pour the syrup into your dispenser. If you plan to pour the syrup onto snow cones using a dispenser bottle, then you'll definitely need to use a funnel to transfer the syrup from the saucepan to the bottle to avoid making a mess. Don't be alarmed if the syrup seems thicker at this point than it was in the saucepan; it's perfectly normal for it to thicken as it cools. If you have any leftover syrup that won't fit in your dispenser, transfer it into a separate airtight container you can place inside the refrigerator. Store the syrup in the refrigerator until you use it. The syrup is ready to use immediately, if you have your shaved ice at the ready. However, it will keep in the fridge for up to 1 month if you decide not to use it immediately. Combine the sugar and chopped or mashed fruit in a saucepan. Use about 2 cups (200 g) of granulated sugar and 20 ounces (570 g) of chopped or mashed fruit for the best results. The fruit can be frozen or fresh, although fresh fruit will cook more quickly. Whether you chop it or mash it, make sure the pieces of your fruit aren't larger than 1 inch (2.5 cm) across to ensure that they cook properly. Some good examples of different fruit to use for your syrup include raspberries, mangoes, blueberries, and pineapples. Place the fruit over medium heat and simmer it for 3-4 minutes. You'll want to simmer the fruit and sugar until all the fruit has softened and the sugar has completely dissolved. This process usually takes 3-4 minutes, although it may take a few minutes longer if you used frozen fruit. Remove the pan from heat after 4 minutes and allow the fruit to cool. Medium heat is the middle setting on your stovetop dial. For example, if the numbers on your dial ran from 1 (low) to 8 (high), medium heat would be 4. It should take the fruit 15-20 minutes to cool down. Move the fruit over to a food processor and blend it into a smooth puree. Even if the fruit has already been mashed and then softened in the saucepan, it will still need to be even more processed before it can be used on a snow cone. It should take about 30 seconds for the fruit and sugar concoction to be blended into a smooth syrup. If you don't have a food processor or blender, you can also try running the concoction through a sieve. Pour the syrup into a strainer to remove any seeds. If you come across large chunks of fruit in the syrup, take these out as well or run the syrup through the food processor again until the chunks are gone. If the syrup is so thick that it doesn't easily pour, add a little water to it to thin it out. Note that if the syrup is too thick to easily pour into a strainer, it'll probably also be too thick to easily use on snow cones. Use your syrup immediately or store it in the refrigerator. Snow cone syrup made from real fruit is at its best when you use it immediately. However, if you'd rather store it and use it later, simply transfer it to an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator. If you store the syrup in the refrigerator, aim to use it within 4-7 days of making it.
Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring them to a boil. Boil the water for 1 minute, then remove it from heat and add the mix. Stir the drink mix into the water and allow it to cool. Use a funnel to pour the syrup into your dispenser. Store the syrup in the refrigerator until you use it. Combine the sugar and chopped or mashed fruit in a saucepan. Place the fruit over medium heat and simmer it for 3-4 minutes. Move the fruit over to a food processor and blend it into a smooth puree. Pour the syrup into a strainer to remove any seeds. Use your syrup immediately or store it in the refrigerator.
https://www.wikihow.com/Put-Your-Leg-Behind-Your-Head
How to Put Your Leg Behind Your Head
Putting your leg behind your head requires some advanced flexibility, but it's a great way to stretch and show off to your friends. Start in a sitting position with your legs extended in front of you. Bend your right leg, bring your knee to chest level, and hold it there for a few minutes. It's important that you go slowly while doing this move so you don't injure yourself. After a few minutes, or when your leg feels loose, grab your right foot and bring it up to your chest. Hold it there for a few seconds to loosen up your leg. Then, grab the underside of your ankle and gently rotate your leg up and out while pulling your knee back. Sit for a few moments with your foot on your shoulder. If you feel comfortable, you can gently pull your leg behind your head so your lower calf rests on your neck.
Sit on a padded surface on the floor. Place a yoga or exercise mat on the floor to sit on. Sit upright comfortably with your legs out in front of you and your knees slightly bent. Bring your leg up to chest level. You need to ease your way up to putting your leg behind your head so that your don't injure yourself; start by only bringing it chest level. Sit up straight on the floor with both legs straight out in front of you. Bend one leg at the knee, and cradle it in your arm. Rotate your hips to lift your leg up to your chest. Use your arms to hold your leg there for a few minutes. Make sure you are sitting up straight and not slouching. Get your leg over your shoulder. When you are able to bring your leg to your chest and easily hold it there, you can start to move it behind your shoulder. Sit up straight and grasp your leg to pull it gently upward. Bring your leg up to your chest and hold it for a few seconds. Hold your foot with one hand and your calf with the other hand. Both hands should be under your leg in front of you to push your leg upward and outward. Gently rotate your leg up and out while pulling your knee back, so that your calf rests on your shoulder. Again, make sure you are sitting up straight. You want your leg to go over your shoulder; do not round your back to get your shoulder under your leg. Hold this pose for a few seconds and then release your leg down to relax your muscles. Pull your leg behind your head. If your leg feels comfortable sitting behind your shoulder, it is time to bring it completely behind your head. Bring your leg up to your chest and hold to stretch. Transfer your hands to hold your foot and calf with your palm up Lift your leg up by straightening your knee a little. Bow your head down toward your chest. Move your leg to rest on your shoulders behind your head. When you are ready, lift your head up to look forward. Open your hips. Stretch your hip and leg muscles to rotate your upper thigh outward. Rotating your thigh outward is an external hip rotation and helps increase flexibility and hip mobility. Simple hip opening stretches can help you achieve this. Lay down on your back with your legs bent at the knee and your hips firmly on the floor. Bring your knees towards your chest, keeping your legs wide, so that your feet are in the air. Grab your feet and gently try to pull them down towards the floor. As you pull your feet down, flatten your hips to position your knees to the outside of your body rather than over your chest. Stretch your legs for a few seconds and then release them to relax. Repeat this for a few minutes. Stretch your legs in a “Z” position. Sit on the floor with one leg stretched out front and bent at the knee, and the other leg stretched behind you and bent at the knee. Your legs should make a “Z” shape. Sit in the stretch a few minutes. Lean forward to bring your head down towards the floor. Do a single pigeon pose. Use the yoga pose “single pigeon” to stretch out your thighs and rotate your hips. Start in the “Z” position and then lengthen your back leg until it is straight behind you. Sit in this position for a few minutes. Repeat the stretch switching which leg is forward.
Sit on a padded surface on the floor. Bring your leg up to chest level. Get your leg over your shoulder. Pull your leg behind your head. Open your hips. Stretch your legs in a “Z” position. Do a single pigeon pose.
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Plantain-Chips
How to Make Plantain Chips
To make sweet and spicy plantain chips, start by peeling a plantain and cutting it up into thin slices. Then, transfer the slices to a bowl, and season them with olive oil, chili powder, paprika, and sugar. Next, spread the slices out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Finally, bake the chips for 20 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, flipping them over halfway through.
Preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Peel the plantain. Using a sharp knife, cut off the top and bottom stem of the plantain then gently slide the knife down and remove the peel with your fingers. Slice the plantain. With a sharp knife, chop the plantain into very thin slices, if it's too thick it won't turn into chips. Season the plantain. Place plantain slices in a large bowl. Add olive oil, chipotle chili powder, smoked paprika, and sugar. Toss with hands until the seasonings are well incorporated. Prepare cookie sheet. Lay some parchment onto the cookie sheet and place the plantain leaving room between them. Bake the plantain chips for 16-20 minutes and flip after 8 minutes. Remove from oven when the edges begin to brown. Wait for plantain chips to cool down and serve. Preheat oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Peel the plantain. Using a sharp knife, cut off the top and bottom stem of the plantain then gently slide the knife down and remove the peel with your fingers. Slice the plantain. With a sharp knife, chop the plantain into very thin slices, if it's too thick it won't turn into chips. Season the plantain. Place plantain slices in a large bowl. Add olive oil, salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Toss with hands until the seasonings are well incorporated. Prepare cookie sheet. Lay some parchment onto the cookie sheet and place the plantain leaving room between them. Bake the plantain chips for 16-20 minutes and flip after 8 minutes. Remove from oven when the edges begin to brown. Wait for plantain chips to cool down and serve. Preheat oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Peel the plantain. Using a sharp knife, cut off the top and bottom stem of the plantain then gently slide the knife down and remove the peel with your fingers. Slice the plantain. With a sharp knife, chop the plantain into very thin slices, if it's too thick it won't turn into chips. Season the plantain. Place plantain slices in a large bowl. Add olive oil, salt, garlic powder and freshly ground pepper to taste. Toss with hands until the seasonings are well incorporated. Prepare cookie sheet. Lay some parchment onto the cookie sheet and place the plantain leaving room between them. Bake the plantain chips for 16-20 minutes and flip after 8 minutes. Remove from oven when the edges begin to brown. Wait for plantain chips to cool down and serve. Preheat oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Peel the plantain. Using a sharp knife, cut off the top and bottom stem of the plantain then gently slide the knife down and remove the peel with your fingers. Slice the plantain. With a sharp knife, chop the plantain into very thin slices, if it's too thick it won't turn into chips. Season the plantain. Place plantain slices in a large bowl. Add olive oil, cinnamon, and sugar. Toss with hands until the seasonings are well incorporated. Prepare cookie sheet. Lay some parchment onto the cookie sheet and place the plantain leaving room between them. Bake the plantain chips for 16-20 minutes and flip after 8 minutes. Remove from oven when the edges begin to brown. Wait for plantain chips to cool down and serve.
Preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Peel the plantain. Slice the plantain. Season the plantain. Prepare cookie sheet. Bake the plantain chips for 16-20 minutes and flip after 8 minutes. Wait for plantain chips to cool down and serve. Preheat oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Peel the plantain. Slice the plantain. Season the plantain. Prepare cookie sheet. Bake the plantain chips for 16-20 minutes and flip after 8 minutes. Wait for plantain chips to cool down and serve. Preheat oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Peel the plantain. Slice the plantain. Season the plantain. Prepare cookie sheet. Bake the plantain chips for 16-20 minutes and flip after 8 minutes. Wait for plantain chips to cool down and serve. Preheat oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Peel the plantain. Slice the plantain. Season the plantain. Prepare cookie sheet. Bake the plantain chips for 16-20 minutes and flip after 8 minutes. Wait for plantain chips to cool down and serve.
https://www.wikihow.com/Choose-a-Swimsuit
How to Choose a Swimsuit
To choose a swimsuit, start by deciding how much coverage you want. A traditional one-piece will give you the most coverage, a bikini will bare the most skin, and a two-piece tankini falls somewhere in between. When choosing a color, keep in mind that light colors can accent body parts and dark colors will disguise areas you're less comfortable with. Whatever style and color you choose, make sure the suit fits you snugly without being too tight and stays in place when you move around.
Choose a one-piece if you want full coverage. A traditional one-piece swimsuit will cover your entire torso, so this is the most modest option. One-piece swimsuits are also often better for exercise, so you might go with this option if you plan to swim laps or do water aerobics. You can find more daring one-piece styles if desired, such as a swimsuit with a deep v-neck, low-back, 1 strap, no straps, or side cutouts. Go with a high back one-piece to hide back fat and a low-back one-piece to show off your back. Try a swim-dress if you also want coverage for your hips and thighs. Consider a "modest swimsuit." These cover a wide range of swimsuit types, but the common factor is covering up more skin than a typical tank-style swimsuit. Some women require swimsuits for religious reasons. Some just enjoy the coverage. Others love not having to wear as much sunscreen. Select a bikini if you are comfortable baring your midsection. Bikinis are the most daring type of swimsuit because they only cover your breasts and private area. This means that your entire midriff and back will be visible. If you are comfortable showing off your body, then this is a great option for you. You can purchase a bikini as a set, or get a coordinating top and bottom to wear together, such as a string bikini top with a bikini skirt bottom, a high-waisted bottom with a strapless top, or a full coverage top with a low-rider boyshort. Keep in mind that you may need a different sized bottom and top, which is another reason why it may be better to buy them separately. Opt for a tankini if you want a more modest two-piece. You can find tankinis that provide full coverage of your waist, or that show part of your midsection. Select a tankini that shows an amount of skin you are comfortable showing. This is also a great option if you are pregnant since you can get a loose-fitting top to drape over your belly. For example, if you want full coverage, then get a tankini top that overlaps the bottom. If you want to show part of your hips and waist, then get a tankini that falls just above your belly button. Look for details on top to enhance a small chest. Ruffles, bold colors and prints, and padding can all help to accentuate your chest. If your chest is on the small side and you want to make it seem bigger, then opt for a swimsuit with extra elements to enhance and draw attention to your chest. Get a supportive top if you are full-chested. Whether you are opting for a bikini, tankini, or 1 piece, you will want to have good support if you have a full chest. Check the straps and cups on any suit you consider to see if they are well-constructed and sturdy. Go with a halter, racerback, or something with thick straps. Avoid string bikinis, strapless suits, and less supportive swimsuits if you have a full chest. Wear dark colors to minimize and light colors to accent a body part. Light colors draw attention while dark colors are less noticeable. Choose light colors for the part of your body you want to stand out or highlight, and dark colors for the part you want to minimize. For example, you could pair a black bottom with a bright red top to minimize your backside and accent your bust. Or, pair a white bottom with a navy blue top to minimize your bust and accent your bottom. Choose full-coverage bottom to distract from your hips. These types of bottoms provide full coverage for your hips, which can help to make them seem smaller and hide imperfections. Go with one of these types of bottoms if your hips are a concern for you. For example, you could opt for a bikini, tankini, or one-piece with a sash-bottom, swim-skirt, or boycut bottom. Opt for a suit that fits you well above all else. Try on any type of swimsuit that appeals to you, but don't get a swimsuit that does not fit you well. The swimsuit should be snug, but not uncomfortably tight on your body. You can also go with something that provides more or less coverage depending on what feels best to you. For example, if you feel more comfortable in a string bikini than a one-piece, then that is what you should look for. However, if you don't like showing this much skin, choose something that provides more coverage, such as a one-piece or tankini. If the swimsuit is baggy or you find it difficult to breathe, then you might want to go with another option. Move around in the swimsuit to ensure that it moves with you. Walk around, squat, do some jumping jacks, and bend over. Try a variety of movements to make sure that the swimsuit will not come off, bunch up, or expose you as you move in it. For example, if the swimsuit bunches up along your backside when you walk, then it might not be a good choice. Check the thickness of the swimsuit to see if it's durable. Feel the material of the swimsuit. If it feels flimsy or cheap, then it will probably not last very long. Opt for swimsuits made from materials that feel durable and thick. Even if the swimsuit is lined well and you cannot see through it, thinner materials will not hold up over time. Look at yourself from behind to make sure your bottom does not sag. The way your backside looks in the swimsuit can also give you a hint about its quality. Check to see if the back of the swimsuit is taut and flattering. If the bottom of the suit looks baggy or saggy, it may not be a high-quality suit. Compare the color of the suit to your skin tone. Swimsuits come in a wide range of solids colors and prints, so you can express your style with the color you choose. Find a color or print that appeals to you and that will complement your skin tone. For example, you might opt for a red and white polka dot swimsuit for a vintage look, a swimsuit with pink roses on it for something feminine and romantic, or a dark brown swimsuit that complements your skin tone. Look for swimsuits with built-in hardware. It can be fun to pair a necklace or pair of earrings with your swimsuit. However, you run the risk of losing jewelry while at the beach or pool. Instead, try getting a swimsuit with built-in hardware. This gives the appearance of jewelry without the risk of losing it. For example, you might opt for a black one-piece swimsuit with silver accents along the neckline or a bright blue string bikini with rainbow-colored beads on the ends of the ties. Pick a chic coverup to wear over your swimsuit. Choose a coverup that matches or complements your swimsuit and wear it on your way to and from the pool or beach. This will make it easy for you to slip it off to go for a swim, and back on again to go about your day. For example, you could opt for a lavender-colored coverup to wear over a plum one-piece suit, or pair a zebra print coverup with a white bikini.
Choose a one-piece if you want full coverage. Select a bikini if you are comfortable baring your midsection. Opt for a tankini if you want a more modest two-piece. Look for details on top to enhance a small chest. Get a supportive top if you are full-chested. Wear dark colors to minimize and light colors to accent a body part. Choose full-coverage bottom to distract from your hips. Opt for a suit that fits you well above all else. Move around in the swimsuit to ensure that it moves with you. Check the thickness of the swimsuit to see if it's durable. Look at yourself from behind to make sure your bottom does not sag. Compare the color of the suit to your skin tone. Look for swimsuits with built-in hardware. Pick a chic coverup to wear over your swimsuit.
https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Brushes
How to Clean Brushes
To clean brushes, all you need is some water and dish soap. First, get the bristles wet by running them under lukewarm water. Add a drop of gentle soap or cleaner to the palm of your hand. Run the bristles of the brush across your hand to get it nice and soapy. Repeat the process with each brush 1 at a time and set them aside. Then, run the brushes under the running water again to rinse out the soap from the bristles. Use your fingers to strain the excess water out of each brush and shape the bristles back into place. Lay the brushes on a clean towel with the bristles hanging off of the edge to dry.
Clean your brushes once a week if possible. Brushes and sponges hold onto a lot of germs. After all, they have a buildup of skin and oil from your face. Your best bet is to clean them weekly, which will help keep the germs off your face, as well as increase the life of your brushes. If you can't manage cleaning them that often, make sure you do the brushes you use near your eyes at least every other week. You definitely do not want germs near your eyes. Get the bristles wet by running them under water. Turn the tap onto lukewarm water and let the water run over the brush heads. Try not to go above the metal clasp that holds the head on, as you may weaken the glue. Add a drop of soap to your hand. You can use any gentle soap or a cleaner made specifically for makeup brushes. Another option is dishwashing soap, which works because it helps to degrease the brush. You only need a little bit in the palm of your hand. Mix olive oil into the soap to help hydrate the bristles and keep them from drying out. Rub each brush into the soap. Run the bristles of the brush across your hand, getting it soaped up well. Rub it around in the soap to make sure you get the soap all in the bristles, but don't be too rough, as you can cause the brush to lose its shape. Do each brush one at a time and set it aside. You may need to add more soap if you have a lot of brushes. Don't rub the soap and water into the base of the brush head's base or else it will weaken the glue holding it in place. Place the brush under running water again. Now, rinse out the soap from the bristles. Let the water run over each brush head for at least 20-30 seconds to make sure all the soap is out before moving on to the next one. Use your fingers to strain the water out. Squeeze from where the bristles meet the brush handle down to the tip of the bristles. Don't pull too hard, as you may pull bristles out in the process. You can also use a clean towel to help squeegee out the water. Don't rub the brush on the towel, though, just use your fingers to gently wrap the towel around the brush head and squeeze the water out. Lay the clean brush on a towel as you move on to the next one. Shape the bristles back into place. If any brush heads look a little misshapen after being washed, use your fingers to gently reshape them. If you let them dry while they're out of shape, they'll stay that way. Lay the brushes on a clean towel with the bristles hanging off the edge. This position lets the bristles dry in the appropriate shape. Leave them there overnight so they dry out completely. Don't let the brush heads dry on a towel, as that can allow too much water to stay in the bristles, causing mildew. Don't hang the brushes vertically since it can cause water to drain into the base that holds the bristles and break the glue. Squeeze out as much excess paint as you can. Use up the paint in your brush by running it across the object you're painting. Then, push the brush into the inside wall of the can and scrape it across the top edge of the can as you come out. That will squeeze out the rest of the paint. Choose the best solvent for the paint you're using. You use solvents to remove the paint. The back of the paint can will tell you what to use. You'll need to use different solvents for oil-based paints and latex-based paints, for instance. Pick the right solvent, or you'll end up with a mess. Typically, you can use soap and water for latex paints. However, for oil paints, you'll usually need mineral spirits or turpentine, which you can find at a home improvement store. One homemade paint solvent you can try on a variety of paints is water and fabric softener. Mix 0.5 cups (120 mL) of water into 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water. If you have brushes that have hardened paint on the bristles, you can purchase a solvent that revives the brush after soaking it for 24 hours. Move the paintbrush around in the solvent. Dunk the brush in and swirl the solvent around with the brush. Press the brush against the side of the container, too, or scrape on the top as necessary. If you need to, don a glove and use your fingers to rub the bristles. For dried paint, let the paintbrush soak in the solvent for 10 minutes. Shake the solvent off over the container. Use a hair comb to help break apart paint stuck in the bristles. Make sure to clean your comb before using it on your head again. Wash the solvent off in soap and water. If you used a solvent like paint thinner or mineral spirits, dip the brush in a bucket of water mixed with a capful of dish soap or laundry detergent. Work the brush for about a minute, then rinse it with cool water. If you need to clean off the bristles with your fingers, be sure to wear a glove. If you're using a natural-bristle brush, make sure not to leave it in the water for more than a minute, as it can absorb water and destroy the bristles. Don't rinse paint thinner directly into the drain. Instead, let it solidify in the jar and then throw the whole thing away in a hazardous waste station. Shake the water off and wrap the paintbrush to help it retain its shape. If you have one, use a paintbrush spinner to shake the excess water off. If you don't, shake out as much of the water as you can and then squeeze it with an old towel. Wrap the paintbrush in a piece of thick paper and secure it with twine or yarn, tying it loosely. Wrapping the brush will help it retain its shape. Squeeze out the extra paint with newspapers. Wrap a small piece of newspaper around the bristles of the brush and press the paper together against the bristles near the metal ferrule. Pull the bristles through the newspaper as you continue to press the paper together. Move the paintbrush through the newspaper a couple of times, using a clean area each time. Dip the brush in a small container of paint thinner for oil paint. Rub the brush around the bottom of the container to work the thinner in and the paint out. Tap the paintbrush on the side, then move it back through the newspaper to help remove more paint. You can find paint thinner at most arts and craft stores. You may need to do this a few times. If you're using acrylic paint, skip this step. Rub soap into the bristles of the brush. You can use hand soap, brush soap, dishwashing soap, or even shampoo. Put some in your hand and rub the brush into it, working the soap into the bristles of the brush. You can also use your fingertips to help rub the soap into the bristles. You may need to rinse the soap off your hand if it gets too stained with paint. Just add fresh soap and keep working. If the paint is stuck in the bristles, try using an ammonia-based glass cleaner to remove it. Some brush soaps will also help bring your brush back to its original condition. Rinse out the soap with lukewarm water. Run the brush under the tap, using your fingers to rinse out the bristles. Keep rinsing until the water runs clear of both soap and paint. Make sure to get the bristles clean all the way up to the metal ferrule. Dry the paintbrush between clean newspaper. Shake off any excess water first. Hold the newspaper around the bristles and pull the bristles through it. Do this a few times on different clean areas of the newspaper to finish drying the brush. Store brushes with the bristles in the air to help them keep their shape. Alternatively, store brushes horizontally.
Clean your brushes once a week if possible. Get the bristles wet by running them under water. Add a drop of soap to your hand. Rub each brush into the soap. Place the brush under running water again. Use your fingers to strain the water out. Shape the bristles back into place. Lay the brushes on a clean towel with the bristles hanging off the edge. Squeeze out as much excess paint as you can. Choose the best solvent for the paint you're using. Move the paintbrush around in the solvent. Wash the solvent off in soap and water. Shake the water off and wrap the paintbrush to help it retain its shape. Squeeze out the extra paint with newspapers. Dip the brush in a small container of paint thinner for oil paint. Rub soap into the bristles of the brush. Rinse out the soap with lukewarm water. Dry the paintbrush between clean newspaper.
https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Permanent-Marker-from-the-Skin
How to Remove Permanent Marker from the Skin
To remove permanent marker from your skin, rub it with an alcohol-based product like hairspray, hand sanitizer, bug spray, or rubbing alcohol. If you don't have an alcohol-based product on hand, try rubbing it with an oil instead, like coconut oil or baby oil. You can also rub the permanent marker with sunscreen or shaving cream to get it off your skin. If you have baby wipes or makeup wipes, you can try scrubbing it with those as well.
Spray the stained skin with hairspray. Hairspray has many uses beyond styling hair, and lucky for you, removing permanent marker is one of them. Choose an alcohol-containing hairspray, move into a well-ventilated area, and spray the hairspray onto the stain so that it is completely coated with the liquid. Use your fingertip or a cloth to rub the hairspray into the stain. When most of the ink has been dissolved, wash your skin off with soap and a bit of warm water and pat it dry. Clean with hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer can also be a savior because it contains a good amount of alcohol, which works to thin and erase the ink from a permanent marker stain. Squirt some hand sanitizer onto your hand, and then rub it onto the mark using a circular motion. Doing this for 15-30 seconds should cause the marker to dissolve slowly as it mixes with the sanitizer. Rinse your skin off with warm water, and repeat the process until you've conquered the stain. As a bonus, your skin will be germ free! Try using cleansing wipes that contain alcohol as an alternative to using hand sanitizer. Spray the stain with bug spray. Bug spray can fight permanent marker stains even better than it fights those pesky gnats. Similar to hand sanitizer, insect repellent contains isopropyl alcohol, which dissolves permanent marker ink. Spray a heavy amount of bug spray over the mark/stain and use your finger or tissue to rub it onto your skin. Continue spraying the repellent and rubbing the marker stain until it dissolves completely. Then wash your skin with soap and water. Use rubbing alcohol. Even the most stubborn permanent marker stains are no match for the powers of isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. Simply pour some rubbing alcohol directly onto the stain and use your fingertips or a rag to rub it onto the marker. The marker should fade relatively quickly. Continue rubbing the mark until all the ink is gone. Finish off by washing your skin with warm water and a bit of soap. Use a rag or towel you don't mind getting dirty. Permanent marker will stain your rag just like it stained your skin. Wipe the stain with coconut oil. Coconut oil is an effective stain remover, plus it gives your skin a little extra sweet-smelling moisture. Before you use the coconut oil to remove the stain, wash your skin with warm water and a little bit of soap, and pat it dry. Apply a small amount of the coconut oil to your marked skin with your hands. Rub and wipe the coconut oil against your skin with your fingers or a tissue until the marker is completely gone. Pour on a bit of sunscreen. Sunscreen is your skin's best friend in the sweltering sun and during permanent marker stain crises. Coat the marker stain with a thick layer of sunscreen, and then rub it with your fingertips in a circular motion. Continue adding sunscreen and rubbing it in until all the marker has been dissolved. Rinse everything off with warm water, and you're good to go. Either cream or spray-on sunscreen will work. Rub the mark with baby oil or baby lotion. Baby oil and baby lotion are gentle but strong cleansers that can remove permanent marker stains while moisturizing your skin (and smelling great, too). To target an annoying smudge, apply the baby oil or lotion to a tissue and use it to blot and rub the marker stain. Then wash the area with warm water to remove the marker and the excess oil or lotion. Use shaving cream. Apply a nice, fat dollop directly on the stained area of skin. Then use your fingers or a tissue to rub the shaving cream into the stain. Apply more if the stain is still there. Continue rubbing the mark until you lift all of that stubborn ink from your skin, and then wash your skin with warm water. Wipe off the marker with baby wipes. To remove a permanent marker stain with baby wipes, simply grab a baby wipe, rub at the marker stain until it is dissolved, and rinse your skin with warm water. Try to use baby wipes as opposed to heavy-duty wipes, as baby wipes are more gentle on the skin. Use makeup remover or makeup remover wipes. To use a liquid makeup remover, apply a small amount onto a paper towel or cloth, and then rub at the stained area of skin. If you are using makeup wipes, the process is even easier. Simply rub and wipe the irksome stain away. Use white cream toothpaste. Teeth aren't the only thing that toothpaste leaves sparking clean. To clean permanent marker stains with toothpaste, first choose a white cream toothpaste--gel toothpaste won't work as well. Run warm water and dampen your skin where the mark is and spread on a thick layer of the toothpaste. Let the toothpaste set for 1-2 minutes before you use your fingertip or a damp rag to rub the toothpaste into the skin. Rub it until the ink has dissolved completely, and then rinse with a little warm water. Spread butter over the marker stain. You can experience the joy of butter without the calories by using it as a stain remover! Take a dollop of butter and smear it on the permanent marker stain. Let it set for 2-3 minutes, and then use a rag to rub it into the stain. Continue rubbing until the ink has dissolved, and then use hot water and soap to rinse off the butter and the ink. Use nail polish remover or acetone. Although not technically a 'skin product', nail polish remover and acetone will dissolve permanent marker ink and nail polish alike, all without damaging your skin. Unfortunately, nail polish remover evaporates fairly quickly, so you may have to use multiple applications. Pour some of the remover/acetone onto a cotton ball or rag, and rub the mark with it. Continue adding more polish remover and rubbing until the persistent smudge is gone. Then, wash off your squeaky-clean skin with warm water and pat dry.
Spray the stained skin with hairspray. Clean with hand sanitizer. Spray the stain with bug spray. Use rubbing alcohol. Wipe the stain with coconut oil. Pour on a bit of sunscreen. Rub the mark with baby oil or baby lotion. Use shaving cream. Wipe off the marker with baby wipes. Use makeup remover or makeup remover wipes. Use white cream toothpaste. Spread butter over the marker stain. Use nail polish remover or acetone.
https://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Falling-for-Your-Ex-Boyfriend
How to Avoid Falling for Your Ex Boyfriend
If you're trying to avoid falling for your ex-boyfriend, do your best to keep him out of sight, so he'll be out of mind! Try not to see or spend time with him, in real life or on social media. Do your best to avoid temptation by not hanging out with his friends, either, who will just remind you of him. For a while, you also might want to stay away from special places you used to go together so you're not tempted to rekindle the flame.
Stay away from him. When it comes to dealing with the fallout of a breakup, follow the motto, "Out of sight, out of mind." The less you run into your ex, the better. There may be times when you're forced to see him or you run into him by accident. Outside of these times, do your best to avoid contact. In today's world, "staying away" also means cutting off contact via social media. Unfriend him, stop following his posts, delete his number in your phone. Break the chain that connects you, at least temporarily. You can possibly reconsider making some new connections later on. Avoiding him isn't a way of showing that you hate your old partner. Instead, you're showing that being around this person makes you feel confusing, uncomfortable emotions (which is most likely true). Avoid his friends when you can. Breaking up can be especially hard if you were used to spending lots of time with his friends. However, if you can, limit your exposure to these people. Being around your ex's friends will only remind you of the memories you shared with your ex and you will have trouble getting over him. Cutting off contact with these friends will probably only exacerbate your sense of loss, but it is a pain you need to go through in order to get past your ex and move forward. You may be able to reconnect with some of these friends later on. If you don't have many friends who aren't close to your ex, hang out with a few of your most trusted friends that you can count on to be sympathetic. You may also want to try to focus your efforts on making new friends (though this can be tough if you're feeling blue). Avoid places and activities that may trigger temptation. It may be hard to (at least temporarily) give up your favorite restaurant, or listening to your favorite band, or doing the crossword in the Sunday paper, but if these are things you shared with your boyfriend, they could become temptation traps. You might associate such things so strongly with him that you can't help but pine for him. Remember, you're trying to break a type of addiction, and if you were trying to quit drinking, you wouldn't hang out at your favorite bar. Eventually you should be able to reclaim favorite places and things for yourself, but it is best to play it safe by not risking temptation while your breakup is still fresh. The worst-case scenario would be running into your ex at your favorite restaurant or the first spot where you kissed, so avoidance is the most prudent option. Stay polite but distant when you can't avoid contact. Sometimes, you may be forced to see your ex face-to-face. Maybe he's in your biology class, or lives down the street, or works at your local grocery store. In these cases, it's not worth your effort to make a scene or try to hurt his feelings. Instead, smile and be pleasant, but keep your conversations short. Doing this will help prevent him from bringing back any difficult emotions. Despite its common existence in sitcoms and other forms of popular culture, it is rarely a good idea to be "just friends" with your ex. If he was at fault for the breakup, you are only minimizing or even validating his mistreatment of you by deeming him worthy of friendship. Even if the breakup was mutual or faultless, you'll find it even more difficult to escape the "addiction" of your romantic feelings for him if he's always around as a friend. Remember, happiness is the best revenge. If you're angry at your ex over the breakup, showing him that you're doing well without him is a great way to subtly show him the mistake he's made. Don't view your relationship through rose-colored glasses. In the time after a breakup, it can be difficult to think about your old relationship logically. Give yourself a few days to mourn, but then try to see things how they really were. The simple fact that you broke up in the first place means that your relationship wasn't perfect. Remembering the bad parts of the relationship alongside the good will make it a lot harder to fall for your ex again. Not sure what went wrong? Search your heart. Be honest with yourself. Was one of you unhappy? Did you have different life priorities? Was there a lack of trust? Were you treated with respect? Were you betrayed? Honestly examining a past relationship can not only help you move on from it, but also better prepare you for the next one by helping you to identify potential problems and "warning signs" ahead of time. Don't devote yourself to getting revenge. After a nasty breakup, the urge to get even with your ex may be strong. You may start to think that bashing up his car or embarrassing him in front of his new partner are good ideas. They aren't. This sort of behavior shows that you're still obsessed with your old partner. To others, it can seem petty and childish, leading to embarrassment for you in the long run. Don't give in to hate. Instead, work to get over your ex so that you never have to think about him again. Depending on why you broke up in the first place, you may even feel guilty after a mean-spirited prank. If your boyfriend cheated on you, you may indeed hate his guts. If he never betrayed your trust, though, and you broke up after a fight or something similar, you may not really want to see him unhappy. The minuscule rush you may feel after exacting your revenge on your ex can never make up for the extra time you wasted obsessing over him instead of moving on with your life. In almost every case, revenge is not "a dish best served cold"; it is a dish best not served at all. Distract yourself with things you enjoy. After a breakup, it's OK to treat yourself a little. Not only will this make you feel better, it's also good for resisting the urge to spend time with your ex. When you're at home feeling down and starting to think that a reunion would be a good idea, divert your attention to something you know you love. Basically, you want to replace one "addiction" for another, healthier one. For example, you can try putting on your favorite music, baking your favorite pastry, or playing your favorite sport. With luck, you won't be thinking about your ex for long. Consider relying on portable distractions when you get wistful for your ex outside of the house (like, for example, on the train). Playing music, movies, or games on your phone, or putting a good old-fashioned book in your backpack, can be very useful for this. Stay off the topic of boys when you're with your friends. Spending time with your most trusted friends is a fantastic idea after a breakup. However, some topics of conversation aren't very helpful. Try to avoid talking about boys when you're hanging out. Your ex is especially off limits, but boys and romance in general should also be avoided. Hearing your friends talk about their partners can make you miss your ex, even if he has nothing to do with these people. This can, understandably, be a little awkward to bring up. It's OK to say something like, "Hey, do you mind if we don't talk about boys tonight?" Your friends should get the idea, but if they don't, you might follow up with something a little more pointed, like "I'm just trying to get my mind off the subject." Watch out for what is known as the "white bear" example, though. (The name comes from the idea that if someone tells you not to think of a white bear, the first image likely to pop into your head is a white bear.) If you make too big a deal about not talking about your ex or boys/relationships in general, you may inadvertently steer the conversation that way. Focus on the positives of being single. Though it may not seem like it at first, being without a partner can have some major benefits. Keeping these in mind will make getting back with your partner seem much less appealing. Here are just a few things the newly-single you can be happy about, guilt-free: You now get to spend more of your money on yourself. You now have time to pursue more of your favorite hobbies and interests. You no longer have to do things that you don't like just to make your partner happy. You don't have to hang out with any of your partner's unappealing friends. You are now free to pursue other, even better guys. Keep active. Breaking up can leave you feeling depressed and sapped of energy for a while. As soon as you can, take the opportunity to get up, get out of the house, and start being active in all of your favorite ways. Physical exercise is especially valuable as it has proven anti-depressant effects. However, almost any sort of activity is a good idea. Simply venturing outdoors and doing something can make you feel better. Keep your mind and body busy by volunteering, tackling a home improvement project, or some other tasks that force your mind away from your ex. Eventually, by giving your mind other options to focus on, the urge to think about your ex will diminish and vanish. Don't be afraid to check out other guys. Even if you broke up on good terms, your ex isn't the only good guy in the world. There are good people everywhere, but it's up to you to meet them! Don't let yourself get into the mindset that your ex was the only one you can ever love. As soon as you feel those familiar "sparks" with someone new, you'll realize just how wrong you were. You may be concerned about getting into a "rebound" relationship, perhaps with someone who isn't as good as you deserve or someone who is too much like your ex (and acting almost as a replacement). You may want to take some time before getting involved with someone else, but that doesn't mean you can't look! Have fun "scouting" the area before you decide to wade back into the dating waters.
Stay away from him. Avoid his friends when you can. Avoid places and activities that may trigger temptation. Stay polite but distant when you can't avoid contact. Don't view your relationship through rose-colored glasses. Don't devote yourself to getting revenge. Distract yourself with things you enjoy. Stay off the topic of boys when you're with your friends. Focus on the positives of being single. Keep active. Don't be afraid to check out other guys.
https://www.wikihow.com/Treat-Hyperthyroid-Disease-in-Cats
How to Treat Hyperthyroid Disease in Cats
To treat hyperthyroid disease in cats using oral therapy, see your vet for a proper diagnosis and a prescription for the medication “methimazole.” Since this medication needs to be administered twice daily, set a reminder schedule to help you remember to give your cat the medication every morning and evening. Follow your vet's instructions on giving the medication and make regular visits to the vet to have your cat's progress checked. If you notice side effects, such as vomiting and weight loss, or more serious ones such as facial itching or difficulty urinating, let your vet know as you may need to consider a different treatment. As long as your cat tolerates the oral medication well, you'll need to keep administering it for the rest of its life to keep your cat healthy.
Watch your cat for signs of hyperthyroidism. Thyroid hormones affect many organs in your cat's body. Therefore, elevated thyroid hormone levels can cause a wide range of clinical signs, the most common of which are weight loss and increased appetite. Other clinical signs include increased activity/restlessness, excessive thirst, and increased urination. Cats with hyperthyroidism can have also diarrhea, pant more, and shed more often. Your cat's coat may look matted or greasy if she has hyperthyroidism. Your cat may also be unusually cranky or aggressive. Remember that hyperthyroidism's clinical signs often resemble those of "older cat" diseases, like diabetes and chronic kidney disease. Your veterinarian will be able to be able to perform specific diagnostic tests to confirm hyperthyroidism. Touch your cat’s neck. If your cat has hyperthyroidism, you will likely be able to feel the enlarged thyroid glands. They are located underneath your cat's neck, next to his trachea. One or both glands will be enlarged. Both glands are enlarged in about 70% of feline hyperthyroidism cases. Sometimes, the thyroid glands can become so enlarged that they "sink" into the chest. In this case, you would not be able to feel them. Perform a physical examination. If you suspect your cat has hyperthyroidism, take her to your veterinarian, who will be able to confirm a hyperthyroidism diagnosis.Testing your cat's thyroid hormones will likely confirm hyperthyroidism. However, since hyperthyroidism can affect many parts of your cat's body, your veterinarian will also perform a thorough physical examination of your cat to assess her overall health. For example, if your veterinarian strongly suspects hyperthyroidism, he will take a close listen to your cat's heart. Cats with hyperthyroidism often have a quick heart rate. Your veterinarian may want to run an ultrasound test to look at your cat's heart. Hyperthyroidism in cats can cause the heart muscle to become thickened. In addition to the physical examination, your veterinarian will take blood and urine samples to rule out other diseases like diabetes and kidney failure. Measure your cat’s thyroid hormone levels. Your veterinarian will take a blood sample to test your cat's thyroid hormone levels, namely T4. Most likely, your cat's T4 levels will be high. T4 levels will be normal in 2 to 10% of cats with hyperthyroidism. These normal levels could be due normal hormone level fluctuations. Concurrent illness can also lower elevated T4 levels in hyperthyroid cats. If your veterinarian strongly suspects hyperthyroidism, she may want to check your cat's thyroid hormone levels several times before confirming the diagnosis. Identify the treatment options for hyperthyroidism. There are three ways to treat hyperthyroidism in cats: oral medication, surgical removal of the thyroid glands ("thyroidectomy"), and radioactive iodine therapy. Each of these treatment options has its advantages and disadvantages, so it is important to understand how each one works before deciding which one would be best for your cat. For example, oral medication is relatively inexpensive, but could be impractical if your cat doesn't like getting pills. Discuss treatment options with your veterinarian. The best way to determine which treatment options will work best for your cat is to talk with your veterinarian. He will be able to explain each option in each detail and provide a professional opinion as to which one will be most effective for your cat. Oral therapy works by decreasing the production and release of thyroid hormones into the body. It is not curative, but can effectively control hyperthyroidism. Oral therapy is lifelong. A thyroidectomy is a straightforward procedure to remove the overactive tissue. It is curative in most cases, but won't stop the second thyroid from becoming overactive in the future. Although surgery can be expensive, it can actually end up costing less than lifelong oral therapy. Disadvantages of surgery include the risk of anesthesia in older cats and the rare possibility of damaging nearby healthy tissue, such as the parathyroid glands. Radioactive iodine therapy is quickly becoming the therapy of choice for feline hyperthyroidism. The iodine is injected through one of your cat's veins. It then concentrates in the thyroid gland where it destroys only the hyper-functioning tissue. It is curative and usually requires only one treatment. Radioactive iodine therapy is expensive and requires hospitalization of at least several days. It is usually performed at a specialty veterinary hospital. Decide which treatment option is best for your cat. There is a lot to consider when deciding how to treat your cat. For example, if your cat hates being pilled, then oral therapy is probably not a good choice. If she is too sick for surgery, then you should consider oral therapy or radioactive iodine therapy. Your veterinarian will also consider the health of your cat's heart and kidneys when developing a treatment plan. In fact, whether or not a cat has kidney failure often plays a role in how to treat hyperthyroidism. Think about your finances when deciding between treatment options. If you are concerned that you will not be able to afford treatment, talk with your veterinarian to see if there is a treatment option that will be affordable and effective. Give your cat oral therapy. If your veterinarian has determined that oral therapy is the best way to treat your cat's hyperthyroidism, then you will need to give your cat a medication called methimazole. It usually needs to be given twice daily. Depending on your work schedule, it may be easiest to give one pill in the morning, and one in the evening. Thyroid hormone levels return to normal within several weeks of therapy. However, your cat will need to take methimazole for the rest of his life to keep the levels in a normal range. Your veterinarian will need to check your cat's thyroid hormones levels regularly for as long as your cat is on oral therapy. About 10 to 15% of cats experience side effects, such as vomiting and loss of appetite. These side effects may resolve themselves during the course of treatment. Infrequently, cats will suffer from serious side effects, including severe facial itching and liver problems. Take your cat to your veterinarian if he is not tolerating the medication very well. Schedule a thyroidectomy for your cat. Your veterinarian may recommend surgical removal of your cat's thyroid glands. Fortunately, the thyroid adenomas causing the hyperthyroidism are fully contained within the thyroid gland. Therefore, removing the thyroid gland will also fully remove the adenomas. Before surgery, your veterinarian may want to put your cat on methimazole for one to two months to bring the thyroid hormone levels down to the normal range. The risk of hypothyroidism is low, since there are thyroid cells in other parts of your cat's body that will produce thyroid hormones after surgery. Your veterinarian can prescribe medicine if your cat becomes hypothyroid after surgery. Thyroid cells in other parts of the body ("ectopic thyroid") can sometimes cause a cat to remain hyperthyroid after surgery. If this is the case, your veterinarian may recommend either methimazole or radioactive iodine therapy. Your veterinarian will want to check your cat's thyroid hormone levels once or twice a year after surgery. Even if your cat's thyroid hormone levels return to normal after surgery, they may increase later. Allow your cat to undergo radioactive iodine therapy. With radioactive iodine therapy, your cat will not need to be anesthetized and will not have any side effects after the procedure. For the procedure, your cat will receive an intravenous injection of radioactive iodine. After the injection, your cat will stay at the veterinary hospital until her radiation levels are within an acceptable range, during which time she will not be able to accept any visitors. The radioactive iodine will travel only to the thyroid gland (and any ectopic thyroid tissue), and will not harm any other organs in your cat's body. Thyroid hormone levels typically return to normal within one to weeks following the procedure. Radioactive iodine therapy is curative in about 95% of feline hyperthyroid cases. Your veterinarian may recommend a repeat treatment if your cat's thyroid hormone levels do not return to normal. Follow at-home care instructions after radioactive iodine therapy. Although your cat will not have any side effects following radioactive therapy, you will need take a few extra precautions with him in the first two weeks after bringing him home. For example, you should use only flushable litter. Also, limit your handling of him to 10 minutes a day. Wash your hands after you handle him or anything else cat-related (e.g., cat litter, food and water bowls). If your cat is indoor/outdoor, keep him indoors for the first two weeks after the procedure. Do not handle your cat during those first two weeks if you are pregnant. Also, young children should not handle him during that time frame. Feed your cat a specialized diet. Instead of these other therapies, your veterinarian may recommend feeding your cat a special cat food that is iodine-free. Since iodine is needed to build thyroid hormones, the lack of iodine in your cat's food would prevent thyroid hormone production in your cat's body. This is a good option for indoor cats in single-cat homes. Such a specialized diet will likely not be available at your local pet store, so you will need to purchase it through your veterinarian.
Watch your cat for signs of hyperthyroidism. Touch your cat’s neck. Perform a physical examination. Measure your cat’s thyroid hormone levels. Identify the treatment options for hyperthyroidism. Discuss treatment options with your veterinarian. Decide which treatment option is best for your cat. Give your cat oral therapy. Schedule a thyroidectomy for your cat. Allow your cat to undergo radioactive iodine therapy. Follow at-home care instructions after radioactive iodine therapy. Feed your cat a specialized diet.
https://www.wikihow.com/Write-Neatly
How to Write Neatly
If you'd like to write more neatly, start by sitting at a table with your back straight and your shoulders pulled back, since good posture helps keep you stable and balanced as you write. Once you're sitting correctly, position your paper at a 45 degree angle before you start writing. Then, hold your pen or pencil lightly in your hand, with your index finger on top of the pen and your thumb on the side. As you write, try to use your whole arm to move the pen across the paper, instead of just your hand, for a smoother, steadier movement.
Gather the best materials. All you need is a piece of paper and either a pen or a pencil — it seems simple enough, right? However, poor quality materials can make a significant impact on the legibility of your writing. The page should be smooth — not rough enough to catch the tip of your pen and create snags in the line of your letters, and not so smooth that the tip of your pen goes sliding about without your control. Use lined paper sized appropriately for your comfort level — wide-ruled if you write large letters, college-ruled if you write small letters. Note that in many professional contexts, adults are expected to write within the limits of college-ruled paper, but feel free to use wide-ruled if you are still young and in school. Experiment with different types of pens to see which one works best for you. There are several styles, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. Fountain pens use liquid ink and have a flexible writing tip that allows for stylized, better handwriting. While it delivers a beautiful line, a good fountain pen can be pricey, and it takes a good deal of practice to perfect the fountain pen technique. Ballpoint pens use a paste ink which some find unappealing compared to liquid ink; however, they can be extremely inexpensive. Note that you'll get what you pay for with ballpoint pens — a cheap pen will deliver poor handwriting, so it may be worth it to spend a little extra money. Rollerball pens have a “ball” delivery system much like a ballpoint pen, but many people prefer them because they use the higher quality liquid rather than paste ink. However, they don't last as long as ballpoint pens do. The gel ink used in gel ink pens is thicker than liquid ink and results in a smooth feel and line that many people enjoy. Gel ink pens come in a wide variety of colors but can dry out quickly. Fiber tip pens use a felt tip to deliver ink, and many writers enjoy their distinctive feel when drawn against a page — smooth, but with a little friction or resistance. Because the ink dries quickly, these pens are a good option for left-handed writers whose hands smudge their words from left to right. Find a good writing table. The first step to developing good posture while writing is actually to use a good writing surface. If the table is too low, people have a tendency to slump down and round their spines, which can result in chronic pain and injury. If it's too high, people carry their shoulders higher than is comfortable, resulting in neck and shoulder pain. Sit at a table that allows you to bend your elbows at approximately a 90-degree angle when writing. Develop good writing posture. Once you've found a table that will discourage you from slumping or hitching your shoulders up, you need to hold your body in a way that prevents the back, neck, and shoulder pain that can accompany improper posture. Sit in your chair with both feet flat on the ground. Sit up straight, keeping your back and neck as straight as possible. You can take breaks from time to time if the posture is difficult, but over time, the muscles will develop and allow you to maintain good posture for extended periods. Instead of dipping your head down to look at the page while you're writing, keep your head as straight as possible while casting your eyes down. This will still result in a slight dip of the head, but it should not be hanging down toward the page. Position the page at an angle between 30 and 45 degrees. Sit flush with the edge of the desk, then turn the page you're writing on until it sits at an angle somewhere between 30 and 45 degrees to your body. If you are left-handed, the top edge of the page should point to your right; if you are right-handed, it should point to your left. As you practice writing, make small adjustments to find the angle that feels most comfortable to you and allows you to write most legibly. Stretch your hands before writing. The rise of computers and cell phones for written communication has had a significant negative impact on handwriting — one study revealed that 33% of people have trouble reading their own writing. Another symptom of this decline is the infrequency with which people write by hand these days; if you don't stretch your hands to prepare them for sudden increase inactivity, you'll find yourself cramping up sooner than you'd like. Clench your writing hand into a gentle fist and hold the position for thirty seconds. Then spread your fingers wide and stretch them for thirty seconds. Repeat four to five times. Bend your fingers down so the tip of each one touches the base of each finger joint where it meets the palm. Hold for 30 seconds, then release. Repeat four to five times. Place your hand palm-down on the table. Lift and stretch each finger up one at a time, then lower it. Repeat eight to ten times. Hold your pen/pencil properly. Many people grip the pen too hard in an effort to gain control over their strokes, but that often results in sore hands which lead to sloppy writing. The pen should lie lightly in your hand. Place your index finger on the top of the pen, about one inch away from the writing point. Place your thumb on the side of the pen. Support the bottom of the pen against the side of your middle finger. Let your ring and pinky fingers hang comfortably and naturally. Engage your whole arm when writing. Much bad handwriting results from a person's inclination to “draw” their letters using their fingers alone. Proper writing technique engages muscles all the way from the fingers up to the shoulder and results in a smooth movement of the pen across the page rather than the start-and-stop motion often found with “drawing” writers. Your fingers should act more as guides than as the force behind your writing. Focus on the following: Don't write using your fingers alone; you should engage the forearm and shoulders as well. Don't pick up your hand to move it every few words; you should be using your whole arm to move your hand smoothly across the page as you write. Keep your wrist as stable as possible. Your forearms should move, your fingers should guide the pen into different shapes, but your wrist should not flex very much. Practice with simple lines and circles. Using the proper hand position and writing motion, write a row of lines all the way across a lined sheet of paper. The lines should slant slightly to the right. On the next line of the page, write a row of circles, trying to keep them as even and round as possible. Practice the proper technique on your lines and circles for 5-10 minutes every day until you see in your pen control. Focus on keeping your lines the same length and at the same angle. Circles should have uniform roundness across the board, be the same size, and should close cleanly. At first, your lines and circles may seem sloppy. Your lines may be of varying lengths, they may not all be drawn at the same angle, etc. Some of your circles may be perfectly round, while others are more oblong. Some may close neatly, while others may have an overlapping hang-off where the pen mark ends. Even though this activity seems simple, don't be discouraged if your lines and circles are sloppy at first. Keep working at it for short periods of time on a regular basis, and you will see a distinct improvement with practice. This increased control over lines and curves will help you shape clearer letters. Move on to writing individual letters. Once you've gotten comfortable using the proper posture, handgrip, and writing motion with your lines and circles, you should turn your attention to actual letters. But don't jump ahead to practicing with full sentences just yet — instead, practice writings rows of each letter, just like you did when you were first learning to write as a child. Write each letter at least 10 times in capital and ten in lower-case across a lined page. Go through the alphabet at least three times each day. Work toward uniformity across the board: each individual “a” should look the same as all the other “a”s, and the angle of the letter “t” should be the same as that of the letter “l.” The bottom of each letter should rest along the line on the page. Practice writing out entire paragraphs. You can copy a paragraph out of a book, write a paragraph of your own, or simply copy a paragraph out of this article. However, you'll cover all your bases if practice writing with pangrams, or sentences that include every letter of the alphabet. You can have fun trying to come up with your own pangrams, look them up on the internet, or use these examples: The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dogs. Jim quickly realized that the beautiful gowns are expensive. Few quips galvanized the mock jury box. Pack my red box with five dozen quality jugs. Take it slow. Don't expect your handwriting to miraculous improve overnight — it might take a long time to erase the improper muscle memory developed over years of writing poorly. However, with time and patience, you'll see a marked improvement in your handwriting. Don't rush your words. Although in some contexts — for example, if you're taking notes for a class or business meeting — you may have to write quickly, whenever possible slow down your writing process and focus on creating uniformity throughout your letters. Over time, as your hand and arm grow more accustomed to this new writing motion, you can speed up your writing while trying to maintain the same legibility as your slower practice-writing. Write by hand whenever possible. If you're serious about improving your handwriting, you have to make a commitment to it. Although it may be tempting to simply take notes on a laptop or tablet rather than a pen and paper, your handwriting will begin to slip back into sloppiness if you don't keep training your writing hand and arm. Bring the techniques from your practice sessions into the real world: carry a good pen and pad of good paper with you; look for writing surfaces at an appropriate height; maintain good writing posture; hold the pen properly, with the page at a comfortable angle; and let your fingers guide the pen while your arms do the work of moving it across the page. Use the same quality materials and posture as you did with print. The only difference between writing in print and in cursive is the shape of the letters. Keep all of the advice from the first two sections of this article in mind as you practice cursive: have good quality materials, a writing desk of appropriate height, good posture, and proper hand positioning around the pen. Jog your memory on the cursive alphabet. You were probably taught how to write all the letters in both lower and uppercase as a child. However, if you, like many adults, have gone many years without practicing your cursive script, you may find that you don't recall how all of the letters are formed. Though many of the letters are fairly close to their print counterparts, some — the “f” in both lower and upper cases, for example — are not. Purchase a cursive handwriting book from the “school” aisle at the store, or go to a teaching supply store if you cannot find it there. If neither of those options pans out for you, buy one online. You can also find the letters easily online for free. Practice each letter in upper and lowercase. Just as you did with print writing, you should practice each cursive letter discretely, as you did as a new student of cursive. Make sure that you are following the correct stroke pattern for each letter. At first, leave each letter isolated. Write a row of ten capital A-s, a row of ten lowercase a-s, a row of capital B-s, etc., making sure that each iteration of the letter stands alone. But remember that in cursive, letters connect to one another. After you've grown comfortable practicing the letters in isolation, repeat the previous step, but connect each letter to the next. Note that there is no convention in cursive for uppercase letters being connected in a row; therefore, you would write a single uppercase A and connect it to a string of nine lowercase a-s. Perfect the connections between different letters. The biggest difference between cursive and print, other than the shape of the letters, is obviously that the letters in a word are all connected by the pen stroke in cursive. As such, it's important that you be able to connect any two letters together naturally without having to think too hard about what it should look like. To practice this, follow staggered patterns through the alphabet, rotating through day-to-day to both keep you from getting bored and to help you cover all the various connections over time. Front to back, working to middle: a-z-b-y-c-x-d-w-e-v-f-u-g-t-h-s-i-r-j-q-k-p-l-o-m-n Back to front, working to middle: z-a-y-b-x-c-w-d-v-e-u-f-t-g-s-h-r-i-q-j-p-k-o-l-n-m Front to back skipping one letter: a-c-e-g-i-k-m-o-q-s-u-w-y; b-d-f-h-j-l-n-p-r-t-v-x-z Back to front skipping two letters, and always ending with : z-w-t-q-m-k-h-e-b; y-v-s-pm-j-g-d-a; x-u-r-o-l-i-f-c And so on. Create as many different patterns as you'd like — the goal is simply to focus thoughtfully on creating the connections between different letters. The added benefit of this exercise is that since the letters do not create actual words, you cannot speed through the writing. By forcing yourself to slow down, you will practice writing the letters and connecting them in a deliberate and thoughtful manner. Write out sentences and paragraphs. Just as you did in the previous section, you should move on to actual words, sentences, and paragraphs once you have grown comfortable with the individual letters. Use the same pangrams you practiced on with your print handwriting. Move your pen slowly but surely. With print handwriting, you lift the pen after every letter or a couple of letters, depending on your personal style. However, with cursive, you will have to write many letters before you can lift your pen. This can cause problems in terms of fluidity of penmanship. You may be tempted to rest your hand after every letter or two. Not only does this interrupt the flow of the word, but it can also result in inkblots if you are using a fountain or other liquid ink pen. Write as slowly and deliberately as necessary to make sure you don't have to rest your pen in the middle of a word. The cursive script should progress through a word at an even, smooth pace.
Gather the best materials. Find a good writing table. Develop good writing posture. Position the page at an angle between 30 and 45 degrees. Stretch your hands before writing. Hold your pen/pencil properly. Engage your whole arm when writing. Practice with simple lines and circles. Move on to writing individual letters. Practice writing out entire paragraphs. Take it slow. Write by hand whenever possible. Use the same quality materials and posture as you did with print. Jog your memory on the cursive alphabet. Practice each letter in upper and lowercase. Perfect the connections between different letters. Write out sentences and paragraphs. Move your pen slowly but surely.
https://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Your-Older-Brother-from-Annoying-You
How to Stop Your Older Brother from Annoying You
Being annoyed by your older brother can be really frustrating, but by ignoring his actions as much as possible, you can deal with it. Try going to another room in the house when he bothers you so you have some space. You could also spend more time hanging out with friends. This will give him fewer chances to annoy you while helping you feel better. Another thing you can try doing is improving your relationship with him. If you do things to annoy him, stop and you may find that he stops too. Try to find a common activity that you both like doing, such as playing video games or basketball outdoors. That way, you'll have more fun when you're together.
Understand your older brother. Adding a new member to any family causes change. Before you came along, your older brother probably got more attention than he gets now from your parents. Whether or not you think it's fair, your older brother is competing with you. For example, maybe he was the one in the family who was good at soccer; maybe he was very proud of this. If you start playing soccer and do well, your brother may resent your success and feel like his own identity is being threatened. Your brother might feel jealous of you, because he may feel that you're the favorite of your parents. Simply understanding these things about your brother will allow you to take a walk in his shoes and be able to talk to him more easily. Pick your battles. Maybe your older brother bothers you so much that you want to pull your hair out. Maybe he's a good older brother overall, but does a couple of annoying things here and there.If your brother's only occasionally annoying, there's no shame in letting those minor annoyances slide. Sometimes it's best to let the small things go. Realize that arguing over the small things can be even more exhausting than what's actually annoying you in the first place. Think about all the things you can expend energy on that you enjoy. Get interested in things your older brother likes to do. Your brother is likely annoying you either because he wants attention from you, or he wants you to stop getting attention from your parents or others. To redirect your older brother's energy, try to focus positive attention towards him by showing interest in the things he likes to do. This tactic may backfire if your brother thinks you're trying to “steal his thunder” by sharing in his interests. But, for example, if both you and your brother like the same video game, you may have fun playing that game together. Try a new activity with your brother. If you and your brother don't have much in common, trying something new together may bring you guys closer. Think about something you want to try but haven't yet tried with anybody. Maybe trying such an activity with your brother will make it “your thing”. Don't be jealous of other people's sibling relationships. You may think your friend's older brother is the coolest guy alive. You may wonder why your friend's older brother seems to be supportive and fun in a way your older brother never is. Well, stop wondering. Envying other people's sibling relationships is a waste of your energy and does nothing to improve your relationship with your brother. Keep in mind that you don't know everything about your friend's relationship with their older brother. It's possible that their older brother can be just as annoying as yours. Ignore your older brother. Your brother may be uninterested in hanging out with you. He may just want to pester you. If that's the case, he'll find that not getting a reaction out of you gets really boring really fast. If you have a history of always reacting, ignoring him might not work the first time. He will likely be persistent, thinking that he can get a reaction out of you eventually. It will take a lot of willpower, but if you keep ignoring him for long enough, he will likely lose interest and move on to a different activity. Alternatively, ignoring your brother's annoying behavior might cause him to "snap out of it" and start treating you kindly again. Speak honestly and openly to your brother. Though you may not have considered it, there is a chance that your older brother doesn't realize that he is annoying you.He may think he is being funny, and doesn't realize how frustrated you are. Rather than assuming that your brother knows how you feel, speak to him directly and openly share your observations, feelings, and wants so that he has a complete understanding of his effect on you. When communicating, it's important not to blame your brother or assign him negative motivations. For example, don't say, “You're happy when I'm miserable! That's why you're annoying me!” Rather, say something like, “I don't like when you throw my games across the room, and I really want you to respect me and my things just like I respect yours.” It's important that you are calm when communicating. Stop annoying your brother. It's rare for one person to be 100% at fault in a dispute. Often, both people share some of the responsibility.Playing the blame game with your brother will only result in the problem lasting longer than it has to. If you know there are some things you do to annoy your older brother, stop first and he will likely return the favor. If your brother started the problems, you may feel that it's not fair for you to stop first. Maybe you think because he's older, he should be the mature one and stop the annoying behavior before you do. Rather than focusing on what is “fair,” focus on what will get you the result you want. Tell a parent or guardian. Your parents or guardian likely want you and your sibling to get along. Telling an authority figure of the problems between you and your brother will allow the the authority figure to start a productive conversation between you and your sibling. You're likely to get better at handling difficult situations with the help of your parents. Going to your parents, however, should not be your first move. It's a valuable skill to learn how to get along with your brother without your parents' involvement. Go to another room. Having private space will allow you to feel empowered, which, in turn, translates to a greater ability to express yourself. This feeling of empowerment will be especially beneficial when dealing with a difficult sibling. Consider asking your parents for your own room, as this will give both you and your brother ownership of your own separate spaces, and decrease the amount of time you get in each other's way. If you have to share a bedroom with your older brother, take advantage of the common areas of your home, such as the living room or kitchen. Enjoy the control you have over private spaces such as your own dresser or your own book shelf. Hang out with your friends. It's natural for siblings to grow tired of each other. Hanging out with your friends will not only allow you to have some time away from all the annoyance your brother is creating at home, but will lift your spirits. Your friends are bound to have similar experiences as you, and connecting with them will show that you're not alone in your struggles. You may also get some fresh ideas about how to solve the problem with your brother. Do your friends also annoy you? If so, consider what it is about their behavior that may be similar to your older brother's. Look inside yourself to see if there's anything you might be doing to cause annoying behavior in other people. Join an after-school activity. Your parents may not be around very much to referee behavior between you and your older sibling. Joining an after-school activity will not only allow you to have fun doing activities you enjoy, but will also reduce stress at home for you, your siblings and your parents. Just because your brother is older doesn't mean you can't lead by example. Seeing you join an activity may increase your brother's interest in pursuing activities of his own, leaving you both happier and more likely to get along at home. Develop new interests. If your brother plays basketball, consider trying an unrelated activity like, say, drawing or volunteering at the library. By exploring new interests, you can create your own path rather than feeling the need to compare yourself to your brother. Think of what type of person you are and what type of person you want to be. Are you a creative person who likes to think about why things are the way they are? Consider a hobby in the arts. Are you more scientifically inclined? Talk to your science teacher about ideas for ways to conduct experiments out of school.
Understand your older brother. Pick your battles. Get interested in things your older brother likes to do. Try a new activity with your brother. Don't be jealous of other people's sibling relationships. Ignore your older brother. Speak honestly and openly to your brother. Stop annoying your brother. Tell a parent or guardian. Go to another room. Hang out with your friends. Join an after-school activity. Develop new interests.
https://www.wikihow.com/Cite-a-Textbook-in-APA
How to Cite a Textbook in APA
To cite a textbook in APA in text, include the author's last name in parentheses at the end of the sentence you're sourcing, followed by the publication date. For example, you would write, "(Johnson, 2018)." If there are multiple authors, list all of their last names in parentheses. You can also mention the author's name in the sentence itself and then just include the publication date in parentheses. For example, you could write, "According to Johnson, the theory is not sound (2018)."
Put the author’s or editor's name first. Write the author's last name, the initial of the author's first name, then the initial of the author's middle name. For edited books, write the editor's name in the same format, then write "Ed." for a single editor and "Eds." for multiple editors after their names. If the book has authors and editors, list the authors first, followed by the publication year and title, then include the names of the editors. Format: Author, A. A. Example of an edited book: Duncan, G. J., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (Eds.). Example of an edited book with an author or authors: Plath, S. (2000). The unabridged journals. K. V. Kukil (Ed.). Include the publication year. Put the year of publication in parentheses after the author's name, and end it with a period. Format: Author, A.A. (Year published). Example: Smith, P. (2012). Add the title of the textbook. Next, write the title of the work in italics. Capitalize only the first letter in the title. Use a colon if there is a sub-title, capitalize the first word of the subtitle and put the entire thing in italics. Format: Author, A.A. (Year of publication). Title of work: Subtitle Example: Smith, P. (2012). Cut to the chase: Online video editing and the Wadsworth constant Include the edition of the book next. Don't put the edition in italics, though. The edition should be listed after the title or subtitle if there is one. Add a period at the end. Format: Author last, first name initial. Middle name initial. (Year published). Book title: Subtitle (number ed.). Example: Smith, P. (2012). Cut to the chase: Online video editing and the Wadsworth constant (3rd ed.). End with the publisher’s location and the publisher’s name. For location, use the city and state using the two-letter postal abbreviation without periods. Put a colon between the location and the name of the publisher and include a period at the end. Format: Author last, first name initial. Middle name initial. (Year published). Book title: Subtitle (number ed.). City, State: Publisher. Example: Smith, P. (2012). Cut to the chase: Online video editing and the Wadsworth constant (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: E & K Publishing. Write the author/editor, publication year, title, and edition. The first part of an online textbook citation looks identical to a print textbook citation. The only information you should leave off is the location and publisher information. Format: Last, F. M. (Year Published). Book title. Add the URL where you accessed the textbook. At the end of the citation, write "Retrieved from" and then copy the URL. Example: James, H. (2009). The ambassadors. Retrieved from http://books.google.com. For a textbook with software, include the software edition. Example: George, D., & Mallery, P. (2002). SPSS for Windows step by step: A simple guide and reference (4th ed., 11.0 Update). Retrieved from https://www.sampleurl.com Include the doi number if it’s available. If there is a doi number for the online textbook (which is basically like a social security number for a book's web location), you should write the citation with it. Doi numbers are usually found on the first page near the copyright or on the database landing site that you used to access the book. Example: Rodriguez-Garcia, R., & White, E. M. (2005). Self-assessment in managing for results: Conducting self-assessment for development practitioners. doi: 10.1596/9780-82136148-1 Note where you got the information within the actual text. You will need to cite the textbook next to information you use from it within the text of your paper. Introduce the author or authors in the sentence. One way to cite a textbook in APA format is to introduce the author in the sentence. Use the last name only. If there are no authors, but there is an editor, the editor should be listed instead. End with the publication year in parentheses. Example: According to Smith, the theory is not sound (2000). Example two: Clark and Hernandez believe otherwise (1994). Cite quotations from the text in your article. If you use a quotation or direct passage from the textbook, you also need to indicate the page. List the page number at the end of the quote as noted (p. page number). Example: According to Jones (1998), "Students often had difficulty using APA style, especially when it was their first time" (p. 199). Cite the author or authors in parentheses within the text. If you do not introduce the author in the sentence, you must include the author's last name in the parentheses that follow the quoted or borrowed text. If there are multiple authors, list all of them. Put a comma after the last name of the author and then the year of publication. Example: This belief was proven wrong thanks to new research (Johnson, 2008). Studies indicate otherwise (Smith, Johnson & Hernandez, 1999).
Put the author’s or editor's name first. Include the publication year. Add the title of the textbook. Include the edition of the book next. End with the publisher’s location and the publisher’s name. Write the author/editor, publication year, title, and edition. Add the URL where you accessed the textbook. Include the doi number if it’s available. Note where you got the information within the actual text. Cite quotations from the text in your article. Cite the author or authors in parentheses within the text.
https://www.wikihow.com/Brown-Chicken
How to Brown Chicken
To brown chicken, heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Next, season the chicken and place it in the skillet in a single layer. Then, let the meat cook on the first side for 8-10 minutes without stirring it. Finally, flip the chicken over and cook the other side for 8-10 minutes. Once both sides of the meat are browned, remove the chicken from the skillet with tongs and continue with your recipe.
Bring the chicken to room temperature. Browning works best if the chicken is at room temperature. Before you begin cooking, remove your chicken from the refrigerator and spread it out on a plate. Allow 20-30 minutes for the chicken to sit before you begin cooking. Bacteria begins to grow if raw chicken is left unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours. Trim and rinse the chicken. The next step in preparing your chicken is to trim any fat using a sharp knife, and discard the fat. Then rinse your pieces of chicken under cold water. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Your pieces of chicken need to be dry in order to properly brown. Using paper towels, carefully blot each piece of chicken on both sides until it is dry. Heat oil in a skillet. To brown your chicken, you'll want to use either olive oil, canola oil, corn oil, or butter. Measure out 1-2 Tablespoons of your chosen oil and add it to a heavy skillet. Then heat this over medium-high heat until hot. Non-stick pans are not designed to be used for high-heat cooking. Instead, use a stainless steel or iron skillet. Season the chicken. If your recipe asks you to season the chicken, now is the time to do so. Sprinkle salt, pepper, or other seasoning on each side of each piece of chicken. Place the chicken in the skillet. Use tongs to place the chicken in a single layer without crowding it. If the chicken is too crowded in the pan, it will steam rather than brown. If you have more chicken than will fit in your skillet, brown your chicken in two or more rounds. Cook the chicken for 8-10 minutes on one side. Leave the chicken to cook in the pan on medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes. It is important not to flip, turn, or stir the chicken during this time. Flip the chicken and cook for 8-10 minutes on the other side. Using a set of tongs, carefully flip each piece of chicken. If the chicken sticks to the bottom of the pan, give it another minute before flipping. After your chicken is flipped, give it another 8-10 minutes to brown on the other side. Remove the chicken with tongs. After the chicken has been browned on each side, remove each piece of chicken using tongs. Place your chicken on a clean plate and set it aside. Repeat this process with additional pieces of chicken. If you were not able to fit all of your chicken into your skillet without crowding, you'll need to repeat this process with the rest of your chicken. Begin by adding 1-2 teaspoons of fresh oil to your hot pan, then add your chicken. Cook it on each side, then remove it from the pan. Continue with your recipe. Now that all of your chicken has been browned, you can continue with your recipe. Bake, braise, or simmer the chicken according to your instructions. Chicken is fully cooked when it is no longer pink in the middle and an internal thermometer reads 165 F (73.8 C).
Bring the chicken to room temperature. Trim and rinse the chicken. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Heat oil in a skillet. Season the chicken. Place the chicken in the skillet. Cook the chicken for 8-10 minutes on one side. Flip the chicken and cook for 8-10 minutes on the other side. Remove the chicken with tongs. Repeat this process with additional pieces of chicken. Continue with your recipe.
https://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Eggs
How to Cook Eggs
To cook scrambled eggs, first whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Then, pour the mixture into a medium-hot skillet. When your eggs have started to set around the edges, use a spatula to flip them over, and continue cooking them until they're solid. Alternatively, you can make fried eggs by cracking them into a medium-hot skillet and cooking them for about 3 minutes, or until the egg whites have set. Take your eggs off the stove immediately if you like them sunny-side up. If you prefer your eggs over easy, flip them and cook them for another 1-2 minutes to set the yolks.
Spray a medium skillet with cooking spray. Set the skillet on the stove and heat it for several minutes over medium heat. Note that you can use 2 tsp (10 ml) of butter or margarine instead of the cooking spray, if desired, but the cooking spray affects the flavor less and makes the dish somewhat healthier. Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl and add the milk, salt, and pepper. Beat well by hand with a wire whisk until all of the ingredients have been combine and the mixture appears mildly frothy. The eggs are the only essential ingredient, so you can choose to opt out of the milk, salt, and pepper if desired. Milk creates a richer taste, however. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/69\/Cook-Eggs-Step-2Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-2Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/69\/Cook-Eggs-Step-2Bullet1.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-2Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} If you beat the eggs lightly, the final result will be fairly dense. If you beat the eggs significantly, though, you will beat more air into the mixture and your scrambled eggs will have a lighter texture as a result. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/6f\/Cook-Eggs-Step-2Bullet2.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-2Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/6f\/Cook-Eggs-Step-2Bullet2.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-2Bullet2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Pour the egg mixture into the skillet. Add the beaten eggs to the hot skillet and allow them to cook until they begin to set around the edges. Cook the eggs on medium heat to avoid overcooking or burning them. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/c4\/Cook-Eggs-Step-3Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-3Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/c4\/Cook-Eggs-Step-3Bullet1.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-3Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Note that the eggs should still look liquidy along the top surface when you prepare to turn them for the first time. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/07\/Cook-Eggs-Step-3Bullet2.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-3Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/07\/Cook-Eggs-Step-3Bullet2.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-3Bullet2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Turn and fold the eggs until thoroughly cooked. Once the eggs begin to set around the edges, use a heat-resistant spatula to carefully pull the eggs toward you, flipping them over so that the bottom portion comes to the top while the liquid underside gets swapped to the bottom. Pull the eggs toward you by scraping the spatula beneath them from the side opposite you and dragging the spatula toward you so that the eggs are flipped over. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a0\/Cook-Eggs-Step-4Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-4Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a0\/Cook-Eggs-Step-4Bullet1.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-4Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Periodically flip the eggs as they cook, resting 20 seconds or so in between each flip. Do not move the eggs around too frequently. Otherwise, they may end up breaking into pieces that are too small and difficult to eat. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d4\/Cook-Eggs-Step-4Bullet2.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-4Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d4\/Cook-Eggs-Step-4Bullet2.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-4Bullet2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Keep turning the eggs in the pan until all traces of liquid have been removed. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/09\/Cook-Eggs-Step-4Bullet3.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-4Bullet3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/09\/Cook-Eggs-Step-4Bullet3.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-4Bullet3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Serve immediately. Scrambled eggs are difficult to store and reheat, so you should enjoy them as soon as they finish cooking. Place eggs in a pot of water. Put your eggs in a medium to large saucepan and fill the pan with enough water to cover the eggs completely. Note that the eggs should be at room temperature before you begin to boil them for best results, as this generally prevents eggs from cracking as they boil. You can use cold eggs, but cold eggs are more likely to crack. Also note that older eggs are better to boil than fresh eggs. The shell will be easier to remove from the fully cooked egg if you start with an egg that is at least a few days old. The closer the eggs are to their expiration date, the easier it will be to peel them once done. Bring the water to a boil. Heat the water over medium-high heat until it reaches a rolling boil. Do not salt the water since doing so will increase the length of time needed to boil the water. Turn off the heat and cover the pan. As soon as the water begins to boil, turn the heat off, cover the saucepan, and let the eggs cook in the still-hot water for several minutes until they reach desired doneness. The precise time will vary based on how large your eggs are and whether you want them to be soft-boiled, medium-boiled, or hard-boiled. Soft-boiled eggs have a firm white but a runny yolk. Achieve this by cooking medium eggs 4 minutes, large eggs 4 to 5 minutes, and extra large eggs 5 minutes. Medium-boiled eggs have a firm white and a semi-firm yolk with some hint of liquid running throughout. Achieve this by cooking medium eggs 5 minutes, large eggs 6 minutes, and extra large eggs 7 to 8 minutes. Hard-boiled eggs have a firm white and firm yolk. Achieve this by cooking medium eggs 12 minutes, large eggs 17 minutes, and extra large eggs 19 minutes. Place the eggs in cold water. As soon as the eggs have finished cooking, remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and dunk them into a bowl of cold ice water. Let the eggs sit for at least 10 minutes in the ice water. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/5a\/Cook-Eggs-Step-9Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-9Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/5a\/Cook-Eggs-Step-9Bullet1.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-9Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} This is not a crucial step, but dunking the eggs in cold water will stop the cooking process and ultimately make it easier for you to peel the eggs. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/cd\/Cook-Eggs-Step-9Bullet2.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-9Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/cd\/Cook-Eggs-Step-9Bullet2.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-9Bullet2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Peel and enjoy. If eating medium-boiled or hard-boiled eggs, gently crack the shell against a hard surface and use your fingers to peel the shell from the egg white. If eating soft-boiled eggs, slice a portion of the side away and eat the egg out of the shell with a spoon. Simmer water in a medium saucepan. Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water and set it to a simmer over medium heat. Do not allow the water to reach a full boil. Break the eggs and lower them into the simmering water. Break each egg one at a time into a ladle or serving spoon and lower the spoon into the pan until it hits the bottom. Slide the egg off so that it sticks to the bottom of the pan. Allow it too cook there for a full 1 minute. Add the eggs to the simmering water one at a time. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/56\/Cook-Eggs-Step-12Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-12Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/56\/Cook-Eggs-Step-12Bullet1.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-12Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} You can technically break the eggs directly into the water instead of lowering them in with a spoon or ladle, but breaking the eggs into the water may make it more difficult to control how the eggs turn out. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/02\/Cook-Eggs-Step-12Bullet2.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-12Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/02\/Cook-Eggs-Step-12Bullet2.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-12Bullet2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Loosen and continue cooking. After cooking the eggs on the bottom of the pan for 1 minutes, gently scrape them up from the bottom of the pan using a heat-resistant spatula. Continue cooking for another 3 to 5 minutes. The yolk will still be fairly runny once done. Remove with a slotted spoon and serve. Lift each poached egg from the water, draining away excess water through the slots in the spoon. Enjoy immediately. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius). Meanwhile, prepare two 6-oz (180-ml) ramekins by greasing them with the butter. You could spray the ramekins with cooking spray for a lighter alternative, if desired. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b7\/Cook-Eggs-Step-15Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-15Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/b7\/Cook-Eggs-Step-15Bullet1.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-15Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} If you do not have ramekins, you can use any small oven-safe cooking dish of similar size. A jumbo muffin pan should work, for instance. Add the cream and eggs to the ramekins. Pour the cream into the ramekin first. Gently crack the eggshell on the side of the dish and drop the egg directly onto the cream. Do not break the yolk and do not stir the egg and cream together. Note that each ramekin should contain half the cream and two of the four eggs. For presentation purposes, use a dinner spoon to carefully shift the yolks to the center of the dish. Sprinkle the eggs with salt, pepper, and cheese. Lightly sprinkle these seasonings over the eggs in the ramekins but do not mix or stir them in. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Place the eggs in your preheated oven and cook until the whites are set. Note that the yolks should still be soft, though. Let set for 2 to 3 minutes before serving. Remove the eggs from the oven and allow the to sit out briefly so that the internal temperature drops and the cooking process halts. Spray a frying pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set the frying pan on the stove over medium to medium-high heat and wait several minutes for it to get hot. Ideally, the pan should be hot enough so that a drop of water immediately sizzles away into steam if dropped inside. Crack the eggs into the pan. Gently tap the shell on the side of your pan or on the countertop. Break the egg open and let it drop directly into the pan. Cook one egg at a time to prevent the whites from running together. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/81\/Cook-Eggs-Step-21Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-21Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/81\/Cook-Eggs-Step-21Bullet1.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-21Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Drop the eggs carefully so that the yolks do not break. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/57\/Cook-Eggs-Step-21Bullet2.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-21Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/57\/Cook-Eggs-Step-21Bullet2.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-21Bullet2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Cook the eggs until the whites set. This should take about 3 minutes. You should not flip, turn, or otherwise move the egg during the cooking process. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/1c\/Cook-Eggs-Step-22Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-22Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/1c\/Cook-Eggs-Step-22Bullet1.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-22Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} The yolks should be left in liquid form. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/27\/Cook-Eggs-Step-22Bullet2.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-22Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/27\/Cook-Eggs-Step-22Bullet2.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-22Bullet2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Enjoy. Use a spatula to gently lift the egg out of the frying pan and onto your serving plate. Work carefully to prevent the yolk from bursting open. Coat a frying pan with nonstick cooking spray. Heat the pan on the stove over medium to medium-high heat. Give the pan several minutes to become sufficiently hot. To check the temperature, sprinkle a small amount of water into the pan. If the water immediately sizzles once it comes into contact with the pan, your pan is hot enough. Break each egg into the frying pan. Tap the egg on your counter or the side of your pan to gently crack the shell. Break the egg open, dropping it directly into the pan. Cook one egg at a time to prevent the whites from running together. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/05\/Cook-Eggs-Step-25Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-25Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/05\/Cook-Eggs-Step-25Bullet1.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-25Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Drop the eggs carefully so that the yolks do not break. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/3b\/Cook-Eggs-Step-25Bullet2.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-25Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/3b\/Cook-Eggs-Step-25Bullet2.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-25Bullet2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Let the whites set on one side. After 2 or 3 minutes, the egg whites should be completely set on the bottom and mostly set on the top. Note that the yolk will still be runny. Flip each egg and continue cooking. Gently slide a spatula under your egg and flip the egg over so that the yolk is now on the bottom. Let cook for another 1 or 2 minutes, or until the yolk is set. This must be done very carefully so that the yolk does not break as you flip it. Even if the yolk does break, however, the egg will still be edible, even though it may not look visually impressive. Serve. Gently slide the egg out of the frying pan and onto your serving plate using a spatula. Pour 2 Tbsp (30 ml) butter or cooking oil into a frying pan. Heat the pan on the stove over medium to medium-high heat. The butter should be completely melted. If using cooking oil instead of butter, wait until the oil becomes glossier and easier to maneuver around the pan. Note that nonstick cooking spray will not work with this method. Break each egg into the pan. Gently crack each egg on the counter or on the side of your pan and break it directly into the hot oil or butter. Cook one egg at a time to prevent the whites from running together. Drop the eggs carefully so that the yolks do not break. Let the egg whites set. Let the eggs cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the egg whites have completely set on the bottom and are mostly set on the top. The egg yolk will still be liquidy. Pour hot oil over the egg and cook slightly. Carefully use a spoon to remove some of the hot butter or oil from the pan. Drizzle this hot butter or oil over the top of the egg and let the egg cook for an additional 1 minute or so. The egg yolk of each egg will be partially set, but not completely solid. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/96\/Cook-Eggs-Step-32Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-32Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/96\/Cook-Eggs-Step-32Bullet1.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-32Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Enjoy. Gently slide the egg out of the frying pan with a spatula and transfer to a serving plate. Enjoy immediately. Whisk eggs with broth and soy sauce. Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and beat them gently by hand using a wire whisk. Gradually add the stock and soy sauce as you whisk the eggs to combine them. Divide the mushrooms into four ramekins. Evenly distribute your mushrooms into four separate ramekins. Shiitake mushrooms are the most traditional, but you can substitute them for your favorite mushroom or a more accessible one if desired. You can also add up to 1 cup (250 ml) chopped cooked chicken broth or seafood, if desired. Pour the egg mixture into each cup. Pour an even amount of the egg mixture over the mushrooms in your ramekins until each ramekin is filled. The ramekins should be filled anywhere between 1/2 to 3/4 high. Boil 1 inch (2 1/2 cm) of water in a steamer. As soon as the water reaches a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. Note that a heavy saucepan with deep sides will work in the absence of a steamer. Place the ramekins in your steamer. Transfer the ramekins to the steamer, arranging them in a single, even layer. Cover and let cook for 12 minutes. If you have a steamer tray, place the ramekins on the tray to keep them out of the water. If not, they may be placed in the water as long as the water does not threaten to overflow into the dish. When done, the eggs should have a firm but silky texture slightly reminiscent of tofu. Serve. Lift the ramekins out of the steamer and enjoy immediately. Beat the ingredients together. Crack the eggs into a microwave-safe dish and beat by hand using a wire whisk. Add the milk, salt, and pepper and continue whisking until thoroughly combined. Note that you could use a 12-oz (375-ml) coffee mug or two 6-oz (180-ml) ramekins instead of the larger dish. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a3\/Cook-Eggs-Step-40Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-40Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a3\/Cook-Eggs-Step-40Bullet1.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-40Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Microwave for 45 seconds on high. The eggs should begin to form large curds. Stir the eggs so that the solid portions and liquid portions swap places. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f3\/Cook-Eggs-Step-42Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Cook-Eggs-Step-42Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f3\/Cook-Eggs-Step-42Bullet1.jpg\/aid2959041-v4-728px-Cook-Eggs-Step-42Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Microwave another 30 to 45 seconds. The eggs should be set or near set once you finish microwaving them. Cook for 30 seconds first. If the eggs do not seem solid enough, cook for the additional 15 seconds. Enjoy immediately. Scrambled eggs do not store or keep well, even when made in the microwave, so you should enjoy them immediately. Finished.
Spray a medium skillet with cooking spray. Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet. Turn and fold the eggs until thoroughly cooked. Serve immediately. Place eggs in a pot of water. Bring the water to a boil. Turn off the heat and cover the pan. Place the eggs in cold water. Peel and enjoy. Simmer water in a medium saucepan. Break the eggs and lower them into the simmering water. Loosen and continue cooking. Remove with a slotted spoon and serve. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius). Add the cream and eggs to the ramekins. Sprinkle the eggs with salt, pepper, and cheese. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Let set for 2 to 3 minutes before serving. Spray a frying pan with nonstick cooking spray. Crack the eggs into the pan. Cook the eggs until the whites set. Enjoy. Coat a frying pan with nonstick cooking spray. Break each egg into the frying pan. Let the whites set on one side. Flip each egg and continue cooking. Serve. Pour 2 Tbsp (30 ml) butter or cooking oil into a frying pan. Break each egg into the pan. Let the egg whites set. Pour hot oil over the egg and cook slightly. Enjoy. Whisk eggs with broth and soy sauce. Divide the mushrooms into four ramekins. Pour the egg mixture into each cup. Boil 1 inch (2 1/2 cm) of water in a steamer. Place the ramekins in your steamer. Serve. Beat the ingredients together. Microwave for 45 seconds on high. Microwave another 30 to 45 seconds. Enjoy immediately. Finished.
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How to Optimize Your Website
To optimize your website, start by using a free online tool to research popular keywords that are relevant to the content on your website. Then, strategically incorporate some of those keywords into the content on your website, like on your home page, in your header tags, and in your page URLs, which will help your site perform better with search engines. Just make sure you don't overuse the keywords since search engines might penalize you for spamming.
Analyze and study your website. Your first and most important step for SEO is to analyze your website to determine what changes, if necessary, should be made. This process includes assessing the site navigation, context, and overall cosmetics of the website. Once you've determined common issues (e.g., lack of site traffic on a specific page), you can proceed. It is a good practice to develop a task sheet to better proceed with the optimization of the website. Remember that search engines look at domain names, title tags, and header tags to assist them in ranking the website according to relevance. Thus, it is important to maintain consistency in text with the subject of your site. Review your competition's website(s). By knowing your competition in the industry, you will gain a better understanding of what exactly needs to be accomplished. It is helpful to find the top 5 to 10 competitors in your industry and find out what methods they are employing, including their chosen keywords and site structure. While you don't want to copy competitor websites outright, knowing their strategies will help you identify weak points in your own. Research keywords. Identify keywords related to your site's content. These can be popular search terms that lead people to your site, words related to your overall topic, and the topic of a specific page or blog post. If you're not sure which keywords are popular search terms, there are services online that can help you evaluate keywords, many of them with free trials. Place keywords strategically throughout your content. Having keyword-rich content is the key to performing well with search engines. Some search engine bots may penalize you for keyword spamming, however, so learn where to focus your efforts: Use the keywords liberally on your home page. Include keywords in header tags, title tags, and meta tags. Include keywords in the anchor text used to describe links. Use keywords in the URL of new pages. . Include meta and title tags HTML's meta tag does not alter the content visible on the website; meta tags exist only for search engines and other bots. Some ways in which you might use meta tags to boost your website's search ratings include the following: Place a meta title tag at the top of each page to identify the document's overall content to search engines. Write an accurate meta description tag, since it is often used by search engines to describe a site in search results. Add a meta keyword tag as well to reveal the most important keywords for each page to search engine bots. Keep in mind that Google's search bots do not look at meta keywords, but other search engines often do. Develop some base traffic reports. These reports are used to determine the current traffic to your website to see what kind of activity is taking place, where your traffic is coming from, and what pages are the most popular on your website as well as how they currently rank. If you are not already monitoring your web traffic, you will want to do this for at least a month to get a feel for your current volume. Statcounter is good for monitoring. This step is crucial in the SEO process because the reports will also be used to gauge activity prior to your optimized performance. Keep providing new content. New content is a critical factor in keeping site visitors interested and coming back for more. This in turn will lead to higher search engine rankings. When writing new content, keep in mind that each page should have at least 350 words. Update your content at least once per week for optimal results. Get other websites to link to you. Building good incoming or back links can also increase your search engine ranking and website traffic. List your website in relevant directories and forums, and ask websites on similar topics to link to content on your website. Most major search engines rank web pages based partially on the number and the quality of links that point to the site. Finding a journalist or website owner who will cover your website and link to it will create an organic piece of content which may boost your search results listing. Create a site map. Site maps are XML files that list every URL in your website. Your web host may provide this file, or you may have to make it yourself: find an example site map file and replace the example URLs with URLs of pages on your website. Once every page is listed, upload the site map file to the root folder of your web server. Search online for "submit a sitemap" to find sites where you can submit your link. Having a site map will also help you keep track of your current links, allowing you to update or remove non-working links as part of your optimization efforts. Remember to update your site map as you replace or update links. Nothing turns people off to your site more than hosting broken links. Avoid using frames whenever possible. Frames, which are being used less and less, enable you to split a page into pieces and section off static content to decrease download times. However, using frames can prevent search engine bots from accessing your entire website. Providing a site map may fix this problem. Validate your HTML code. While search engines don't care whether your HTML code is error-free, they rely on the basic correctness of the code to find out which portions of your web page to index. If your HTML code contains errors, it is possible that only portions of your web page are included in the search engine's database. You can use W3C or another site to validate your HTML by checking it for errors. Tweak your website as needed. You'll need to re-optimize and re-assess your website at least once every three months, though performing optimization assessments once per month won't hurt your website. Generating a new report each month will give you an idea of which keywords are most successful (and which ones are falling flat), allowing you to increase usage of the proper ones and remove the inefficient ones. Keywords change alongside their respective trends, so monitor and update your keywords as your website's audience changes. Or you can Chose a keyword which have more density. Use CTAs in your content. A CTA (Call to Action) consists of a short paragraph (e.g., three or fewer short sentences) which encourages a reader to take action by clicking a link, calling a number, or enrolling in your services. In most cases, you'll want to provide a link for the reader to select. When effective, CTAs improve the amount of time for which readers stay on your site. Providing internal links in your CTA will keep the reader engaged with your content. Avoid linking to external (e.g., other website) resources in your CTAs. Use a readable URL. By default, most websites list different pages as "url/number" (e.g., "www.yoursite.com/12345"), making specific pages difficult to remember for human readers. Enabling a "permalinks" option for your website's pages will allow you to create a memorable name for each page (e.g., "www.yoursite.com/how-to-eat-salad"). Using recognizable words instead of strings of numbers will be especially helpful when encouraging others to view a specific page on your site by sending them a link, as they'll be able to see at a glance what the page is about. Most website hosting services have an option to use title-based links rather than procedurally generated (numerical) links in the Settings section. Create a 404 page. The infamous 404 page is encountered when a person misspells or incorrectly types a section of your website's URL into the address bar (e.g., "www.yoursite.com/handburgers" instead of "www.yoursite.com/hamburgers"). By default, the 404 page results in an error, but you can create your own 404 page to address common issues. A great 404 page should include a link to the main site, a table of contents for popular links, and a concise but light-hearted message informing the user that they've entered a broken link. As with most accessibility features, you can usually create a 404 page from within your website hosting service's Settings page. Make sure you have a site navigation section. This section can take many forms, but it usually appears as a hamburger menu ( ☰ ) in one of the upper corners of the site page. Users can click the menu icon to view a list of common pages (e.g., Help , Downloads , etc.). If possible, implementing an in-site "Search" function will also help users search your site for more specific content or features. Even if your "navigation" section is just a row of title tabs across the top of the website's home page, having the option to jump between pages is valuable. Keep your content concise. It can be difficult not to get wrapped up in the process of implementing keywords to the point that your content ends up being lengthy, but shorter sentences are preferred by the bulk of readers. This doesn't mean that your overall content needs to be short; your content should be at least 350 words, and in some cases may perform better in the 800 to 2000 word range. Ensure that mobile phone optimization is enabled. Virtually every website hosting service offers a mobile view preview when designing your site; make sure that you use this feature to ensure that mobile users aren't seeing a confusing, cluttered, or inefficient layout. Since most of your site traffic most likely comes from mobile users, this is a crucial step. Try visiting your site from a mobile browser and looking for issues or irritating features. This will help you determine which parts of the design require your attention. Reduce your use of intensive applications. Website that use lots of Flash or Java can take much longer to load. Try not to rely on these for your basic web page, and don't make Flash videos play automatically. This is an issue with sites which automatically play embedded (e.g., YouTube) videos as well. Optimize your images. Large, high-quality images can slow down your website considerably, and may burn through your server hosting space as well. Many photo editors and website hosts alike offer an option to optimize your photos for web publishing, so take advantage of this option. Most website hosting services also offer an option to load images as viewers scroll down rather than loading a whole page's worth of images at once. While images are important when attempting to make your site more attractive, they can considerably slow down traffic from slower browsers and platforms. Don't overuse images. Minify CSS and Javascript code. Minification removes all unnecessary characters from code, typically white space, new lines, and comments, which will both help your site load faster and boost your website's search engine optimization. Closure Compiler by Google can minify Javascript for free, while other free minimizers can be applied to different types of code (e.g., HTML). You will still be able to edit your code with the human-readable organization. The code is minified only when it is uploaded to the server. Use the latest version of PHP. Make sure you are using the latest version of PHP so you can benefit from the latest improvements. While the PHP developers try to keep the language backwards-compatible, you will probably need to spend some time updating your code in accordance with the latest changes. If you're using a website hosting service such as WordPress or Weebly, you shouldn't have to worry about manually updating your website's PHP. Make sure your website caches files locally. Enabling this option for your webpages' files, photos, and other content will ensure that users who allow cached content won't have to retrieve the content every single time they revisit your site. Any users who clear their browser's cache and cookies before revisiting your site won't benefit from this, but the bulk of people who come across your site will be positively impacted.
Analyze and study your website. Review your competition's website(s). Research keywords. Place keywords strategically throughout your content. . Develop some base traffic reports. Keep providing new content. Get other websites to link to you. Create a site map. Avoid using frames whenever possible. Validate your HTML code. Tweak your website as needed. Use CTAs in your content. Use a readable URL. Create a 404 page. Make sure you have a site navigation section. Keep your content concise. Ensure that mobile phone optimization is enabled. Reduce your use of intensive applications. Optimize your images. Minify CSS and Javascript code. Use the latest version of PHP. Make sure your website caches files locally.
https://www.wikihow.com/Measure-a-Hockey-Stick
How to Measure a Hockey Stick
To measure your hockey stick, start by putting on your skates so you're the same height you'll be when you're playing. Next, stand up straight, place the toe of your stick on the ground, and lean the stick against your body. If your stick reaches somewhere between your chin and your nose, you have the correct length. However, if you need to change your stick's length, cut it down to size or add a wooden plug to the butt end to increase its length.
Determine what type of hockey you will be playing. If you are playing ice hockey or playing in roller blades, you will need a longer stick than if you were playing street hockey or playing in shoes. Wear the proper foot wear. If you will be playing street hockey, wear shoes and measure your hockey stick. If you will be playing in skates or rollerblades, make sure to wear them or add inch or two to the length of your your hockey stick. Stand up straight and look forward. Place the shaft of your stick parallel to your body and let the toe of blade touch the ground. The stick should be between your chin and nose. A long stick is anything above the nose and anything below the chin is short. Determine what type of player you are. The length of your hockey stick is a personal preference and your style of play may determine what length you need. The dangler is a short hockey stick meant for skilled stick handlers. A short stick is easier to move around as it is lighter and easier to keep closer to the body. It also helps when pulling a deke. The grinder is an average hockey stick used by players who get into the corners, dig at pucks, and station themselves around the net. With an average length you may be able to poke check easier, intercept passes, or hammer a slapshot. The defensemen is a long hockey stick that allows you to reach and poke the puck away from attackers, intercept passes, or stop the puck before it leaves the offensive end. It will also provide more power to your slapshot. Stick length is completely a personal preference and there is no absolute rule in choosing. Don't be afraid to experiment with what suits your game. Adjust your stick length. It may be difficult to find the perfect length that's right for you so cut down your hockey stick to your preference. You may also add a wooden plug to the butt end of your stick to lengthen it. This is common amongst younger players who experience a growth spurt and need to lengthen their stick to match their height. Cutting your stick will affect the flex of your stick. Know when the stick is too long. If you are skating on ice or moving with the stick handle jutting out behind the top of your hand two to five inches then your stick is too long. The stick should be flat on the ice with both your hands free to pass, your body upright, and eyes looking ahead. If you find your back hurting it may be because your stick length is causing you to move in an unnatural manner to compensate. Choose the correct size. A stick that is too small or is not stiff enough may easily break. If a stick is too long or too stiff it may be difficult to handle the puck, pass, or shoot. Determine which stick fits your height and length. Determine the right stick classification. Sticks usually come in four sizes: youth, junior, intermediate, and senior. Each size has a larger flex and larger shaft circumference. Easily determine stick length by standing without your skates and placing the toe of the stick between your feet. Make sure it touches the ground and is vertical against your body so that it reaches your nose. If the stick is too long, mark where your nose in and cut the stick to length. The stick should come to your chin if you're wearing skates. You may also insert an end plug if you cut the stick too short or if you experience a growth spurt. Stick length is a personal preference. Women use flexible senior sticks or whichever stick is most comfortable. Players 4 - 8 years old use youth sticks; ages 7 - 8 use junior; ages 10 - 15 use intermediate; and players aged 14 and older use senior sticks. Select your prefered materials. Sticks can be composed of a variety of materials including: kevlar and graphite, fiberglass and carbon, fiberglass and wood, and wood. Before purchasing a stick ask: Are you using the stick for street hockey or ice? Is this stick right for your skill level? Is this my first stick? Has it been a long time since the last stick? A heavier stick gives you a better feel for the puck. It will improve your shot as you practice and help with your stick handling, passing, and shooting on ice. Wood sticks are prefered for beginners or casual street hockey enthusiasts. Sticks made out of a combination of carbon-fiber, graphite, kevlar, resin, fiberglass, or other high quality materials are meant to improve your performance. They will be more durable, lighter, and provide greater torque. The price will reflect the quality of your stick. The lighter your stick the faster the energy transfer to your shots and passes. Manufacturers may also include technology in the blade for better feel. Choose between a one or two piece stick. A one piece stick has the blade fused to the shaft. This is the most common stick as it guarantees the manufacturer's specifications. A two-piece stick means that the blade and shaft are separate units. You are able to mix and match to your personal preference and you are able to salvage one part if the other breaks. Understand flexibility. You want the shaft of your stick to bend a little to help with accuracy and puck speed. Manufacturers will offer a variety of flexibility in the form of different rating systems. The flex can be broken down into senior, intermediate, junior, or youth. Youth (Approximately 30 flex) 0-60lbs Junior (Approximately 50 Flex) 60-100lbs Intermediate (60-70 flex) 100-150lbs Senior Mid (Approximately 75 flex) 150-170lbs Senior Regular (Approximately 85 flex) 170-200lbs Senior Stiff (Approximately 100 flex) 200+ lbs Generally the higher the flex number, the stiffer your stick will be. Correct flex allows the player to bend the shaft during a wrist or slap shot. It is a measure of the weight required to create a 4 inch bend on the stick when it is supported by two points 48 inches apart. The flex will change if you cut the size of the stick. Each inch that is cut may increase the stiffness of your stick by 10%. Generally, the taller and heavier the player is, the greater the flex is needed for the stick. Get a grip. A stick with a smooth surface is known as a non-grip whereas a sticky textured surface is a grip. A non-grip may aid in passing, handling, and shooting because your hand can easily move up and down the shaft. However, if you find that moisture on your gloves or from the ice makes it difficult to handle your stick, you may need to choose a grip. Some sticks have a grip on the entirety of the stick while others have a grip strategically placed. You may also use a coating as your grip or choose a stick where the grip is incorporated into the texture. You want maximum control during your playing conditions so choose your preference accordingly. Determine kick point based on your position and skill level. The kick point is where your stick will flex as you shoot or pass. Defenseman with a powerful slap shot and forwards who like to take one-timers should opt for a mid to low kick point. Players who are more agile and skilled in stickhandling that prefer wrist shots should opt for a lower kick point. Mid kick: this is the traditional flex profile that gives you the feel for the wood and composite. Low kick: this is a flex point at the taper and towards the blade. It creates a quicker release. Constant flex: this is designed to react to your bottom hand. The flex begins from the bottom hand and works down the rest of the shaft. Dua-kick: this flexes in two points. If your bottom hand is lower down the shaft the stick will load more power higher in the shaft. If your bottom hand is higher up, the flex creates a more accurate and accurate. High kick - this uses the entire stick to load energy. The flex is at the top of the shaft. Know your dominant hand. If your hold the top of your stick with your right hand and use your left hand at the bottom of the shaft, you are a left handed player and need a left handed stick. The same applies to a right handed player but in reverse. Evaluate the best blade pattern for your game. Different manufacturers have different specs and pattern names for different curves. The pattern of your blade is completely up to your preference. You may have to try several before you find what's best for you. Understand blade lie. The lie of a stick is the angle that the shaft takes when the bottom of the blade is sitting flat. The lie is part of the pattern and is up to your personal preference. The more vertical and upright your stick, the greater the lie. A stick normally has a range between 4.0 to 6.0 going up in half increments. The blade pattern can determine the curve type, curve depth, blade toe, face angle, blade length, and blade lie of your stick. Take the most important factors into consideration. You should note the weight, flex, and performance of your stick. This is all personal preference and will take time to understand the right combination for you. Don't invest in a stick that's beyond your skill level. Also factor in the amount of usage you plan to get.
Determine what type of hockey you will be playing. Wear the proper foot wear. Stand up straight and look forward. Determine what type of player you are. Adjust your stick length. Know when the stick is too long. Choose the correct size. Determine the right stick classification. Select your prefered materials. Choose between a one or two piece stick. Understand flexibility. Get a grip. Determine kick point based on your position and skill level. Know your dominant hand. Evaluate the best blade pattern for your game. Understand blade lie. Take the most important factors into consideration.
https://www.wikihow.com/Introduce-Two-Dwarf-Hamsters
How to Introduce Two Dwarf Hamsters
To introduce two dwarf hamsters, place a mesh divider down the center of the cage and place a hamster on each side. Let the hamsters see and smell each other with the divider between them for a few days before letting them interact. Next, wait until both hamsters are awake and dim the lights in the room to create a soothing environment. Then, remove the divider and watch them closely. If they start to fight, replace the divider and try again in a few days.
Get hamsters that are the same sex. Having a same-sex pair of hamsters will help to ensure that you do not end up with baby hamsters to care for, and it will also increase the chances that the two hamsters will get along. A reputable breeder or a pet shop employee should be able to sex the hamsters for you. Choose hamsters younger than 2 months old from the same litter or cage. Younger hamsters will be more likely to get along, so buy 2 young hamsters together if possible. This will help to ensure that they are not strangers and will increase the chances that they will get along. Do not try to put a young hamster in with an older hamster. The older hamster will be protective of its territory and the hamsters will likely fight. Let the hamsters get used to each other's scent before introducing them. Exchange a bit of bedding between the hamsters' cages. Then, give both hamsters a couple of days to investigate the other hamster's scent before you put them in the same cage. Also, keep in mind that if you hold one hamster and then introduce it to a cage with a hamster you have not yet held, then the other hamster may reject that hamster based on the unfamiliar scent. Hold both hamsters before you introduce them to each other so that your scent will be on both of them. Get a cage that is at least 24 by 24 by 12 in (61 by 61 by 30 cm). This will ensure that your hamsters will have plenty of space to roam and play, and they will be able to get away from each other if needed. You can choose a wire cage or a glass aquarium. However, make sure that the enclosure has a secure lid that will prevent your hamsters from escaping. If you choose a glass aquarium, then place a mesh lid on top of it to allow air to flow through since no air will be able to get through the sides. Move the hamsters to temporary housing while you prepare their shared cage. If you want to house both hamsters in a cage that one hamster has been using, take that hamster out of the cage and put it into a temporary cage. If you don't have two extra cages to place the hamster in temporarily, then put each hamster into a shoe box or hamster ball. However, don't keep them in these temporary enclosures for more than an hour. Clean the cage thoroughly before putting them into it. While the hamsters are in their temporary enclosures, remove all of the food, water, toys, and bedding from the cage. Then, use a clean sponge and warm, soapy water to clean the inside of the cage. Dry the cage with a clean towel or paper towel, then fill the cage with new bedding, food, water, and toys. Only use bedding that is made from plant-based fibers or cellulose. Never use wood shavings, newspaper, cat litter, corn cobs, or any type of scented bedding. Do not try to reuse the old bedding! Throw it out and replace it with new bedding every time you clean your hamster's cage. Put extra food and water into the cage. Hamsters are territorial and they will fight if there do not seem to be enough resources. Make sure that there is twice the normal amount of food and water in the cage. Place two food and water bowls on opposite ends of the enclosure for your hamsters. Provide a specially made hamster food in dishes for your hamsters to graze on and also place fresh slices of fruit and veggies into the cage for them daily, such as carrots, apples, pears, or broccoli. Never give your hamster onions, leeks, garlic, chives, lettuce oranges, or raw potatoes because it can make them very sick! Give the hamsters extra toys, chewing material, and hiding spaces. Buy a few extra toys to place into the cage before you introduce the two hamsters, such as PVC pipes, hamster wheels, and plastic igloos. This will help to keep your hamsters entertained and ensure that they get plenty of exercise. Hamsters also like items that they can chew on, such as hardwood, twigs, or even, dog biscuits. Hamsters love to run! If possible, get two hamster wheels so that each of your hamsters will be able to run whenever they like. Place a mesh or wire divider down the center of the cage. A divider may be a good idea to prevent the hamsters from fighting when they first meet. Use a piece of mesh or chicken wire so that the hamsters can still see and smell each other. Position the divider in the center of the cage and make sure that there are food and water bowls on both sides of the divider. You may also be able to purchase a special divider insert for the hamster cage at your local pet store. Wait until the hamsters are both awake to introduce them. Do not wake them up if they are sleeping because this will make them grouchy! Let the hamsters sleep for as long as they like and then make the introduction after they have woken up naturally. Pay attention to when the hamsters normally sleep and wake so that you will know when to attempt the introduction. Dim the lights in the room. Bright lights may cause the hamsters to feel threatened and this is more likely to result in fighting. Dim the lights in the room where you keep the hamsters. For example, you could close the curtains to block out some of the sunlight, or turn off half the lights in the room. Put the new hamster into the clean cage first. This will reduce the chances that the old hamster will become territorial. Place the old hamster into the cage with the new hamster a minute later. Make sure that they are on separate sides of the barrier! You may also use a plastic bin or shoebox to make the introduction. Place the divider down the center of the bin and put adequate bedding, food, and water on each side of the divider. If both hamsters are new, place 1 of the hamsters into the cage first, then add the other a minute later. Remove the divider after a couple of days if the hamsters are getting along. To ensure that the hamsters have a chance to get used to each other, leave the divider in the cage for the first few days. Then, when it seems like they are getting along, remove the divider and watch them closely! Leave the divider in place if the hamsters are not getting along. If the hamsters do not seem to be getting along, do not remove the divider. Return them to their separate cages and try to introduce them through the barrier again the next day. If the hamsters continue to show signs of aggression, you may have to house them separately. Separate the hamsters if they start to fight. Watch the hamsters closely! They will likely chirp at each other, sniff each other, and they may even wrestle. This is normal. However, if the hamsters start to fight, bite, scratch, or otherwise seem like they are trying to hurt each other, then separate them immediately. Even if both hamsters seem to be getting along well, check them both for bites regularly. If you notice bites on 1 or both hamsters, separate them immediately. Be prepared to keep your hamsters separated in 2 different cages if they don't get along.
Get hamsters that are the same sex. Choose hamsters younger than 2 months old from the same litter or cage. Let the hamsters get used to each other's scent before introducing them. Get a cage that is at least 24 by 24 by 12 in (61 by 61 by 30 cm). Move the hamsters to temporary housing while you prepare their shared cage. Clean the cage thoroughly before putting them into it. Put extra food and water into the cage. Give the hamsters extra toys, chewing material, and hiding spaces. Place a mesh or wire divider down the center of the cage. Wait until the hamsters are both awake to introduce them. Dim the lights in the room. Put the new hamster into the clean cage first. Remove the divider after a couple of days if the hamsters are getting along. Leave the divider in place if the hamsters are not getting along. Separate the hamsters if they start to fight.
https://www.wikihow.com/Steam-Asparagus-in-the-Microwave
How to Steam Asparagus in the Microwave
If you want to steam asparagus in the microwave, start by rinsing the asparagus with water and trimming the woody base off each stem. Next, dampen some paper towels with water and wrap the asparagus stalks in the towels. Then, place the asparagus bundle seam side down in the microwave and cook the asparagus on high for 3 minutes. You'll know the asparagus is ready when it turns bright green and gets slightly tender.
Purchase fresh asparagus. It's best during early spring but can be found all-year around. Choose stalks that are bright green/purple or white and are firm. Avoid limp, discolored or bruised asparagus. Frozen asparagus can be steamed, although the texture won't be as firm as steamed fresh asparagus. Wash the asparagus. Run it under cool water. Use your fingers to remove any soil. Trim the asparagus. The tough, woody part at the base of the asparagus stem is not as tasty and tender as the top part. Snap it off with your hands or use a knife to chop it off. If you wish, cut the asparagus into bite-sized pieces before steaming. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/81\/Steam-Asparagus-Step-3Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Steam-Asparagus-Step-3Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/81\/Steam-Asparagus-Step-3Bullet1.jpg\/aid841897-v4-728px-Steam-Asparagus-Step-3Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Thick asparagus can be peeled. If the skin seems a little tough, use a potato peeler to remove it. Dampen a few paper towels with water. Squeeze out excess water so the towels are moist, but not dripping wet. Wrap stalks of asparagus in the paper towels. Grab a good bunch of asparagus and wrap it completely in a towel. Repeat until all the asparagus has been bundled and wrapped. Alternatively, place inside a microwave steamer bag available from the supermarket. Lay the wrapped asparagus seam side down in the microwave. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Check the asparagus to see if it is ready. If it looks bright green and is slightly tender when pierced with a fork, it's done. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/eb\/Steam-Asparagus-Step-10Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Steam-Asparagus-Step-10Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/eb\/Steam-Asparagus-Step-10Bullet1.jpg\/aid841897-v4-728px-Steam-Asparagus-Step-10Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} If the asparagus is still tough when pierced with a fork, microwave it for another minute. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/e3\/Steam-Asparagus-Step-10Bullet2.jpg\/v4-460px-Steam-Asparagus-Step-10Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e3\/Steam-Asparagus-Step-10Bullet2.jpg\/aid841897-v4-728px-Steam-Asparagus-Step-10Bullet2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Remove the asparagus from the microwave. Unroll it from the paper towels, place it in a serving dish, and serve hot. Be careful when removing the asparagus from the paper towels, since it will all be piping hot. Use tongs if necessary. Add seasoning once the asparagus comes out of the microwave. It will taste great without this addition, since the stalks have been steamed in their own moisture, and have not lost any of their nutritional value.
Purchase fresh asparagus. Wash the asparagus. Trim the asparagus. Dampen a few paper towels with water. Wrap stalks of asparagus in the paper towels. Lay the wrapped asparagus seam side down in the microwave. Remove the asparagus from the microwave. Add seasoning once the asparagus comes out of the microwave.
https://www.wikihow.com/Cut-Beef
How to Cut Beef
If you want to cut beef that hasn't been cooked, place it into the freezer for about 30 minutes to make it easier to cut. Use a sharp knife to cut away any surface fat or muscle, and pull off the membrane if there is one. Place the beef on a cutting board and cut the beef into evenly-sized pieces, using slow, smooth strokes with your knife. Cook your beef as soon as possible after cutting it.
Purchase a cut of beef. Beef can be purchased at a butcher's shop or grocery store. For the sake of learning proper cutting, you should buy a cut with visible muscle, or "grain". The beef you use should depend on the meal you're preparing. "Grain" refers to the direction of the major muscle fibers on a cut of meat. It's not so important while you're cooking, but it's a crucial thing to consider when you cut the beef. The smaller the grain on the beef, the less important the slice's angle is. Cuts such as filet mignon or New York strip have softer muscle by definition, so slicing these types of meat may be a bit easier and more forgiving. If you are having difficulty learning to slice beef properly, these cuts are well suited for you. Wash your hands thoroughly in preparation for cooking. Handwashing is a vital part of cooking preparation. Wash your hands with a disinfecting soap and lather them in water for at least 30 seconds. This will make sure you don't bring germs onto the food you're working with. If you're handling uncooked meat at any point, make sure to wash your hands again afterwards. Cook the meat to your liking. Lovers of steak all have their preferences when it comes to the degree of cooking. Ranging from rare (pink in the middle) to well-done (completely cooked), the level of cooking has a major effect on taste and texture. You can cook beef before or after it's been cut. Different degrees of cooking, such as rare, medium rare, medium, medium well, and well done can also affect the meat's tenderness. Generally speaking, the longer you cook the meat, the less tender it is. Most steak lovers prefer medium rare as it offers an optimal balance. Allow the beef to rest. Place the steak to the side, and allow it to rest for a minimum of 3 to 5 minutes once it is cooked to your liking. This allows the juices to redistribute inside your steak, which relaxes the muscle. Slicing steak prematurely allows these juices to escape. Resting time should vary based on the cut and size of your beef. A roast, for example, should be allowed to rest for 10 minutes, while steaks should be given 5 to settle. Generally speaking, 1 minute of resting time per 100g of meat is a good rule if you're unsure how much time to let your beef idle. Identify the grain. The "grain" of a cut of beef refers to the direction of major muscle fibers. You can usually see the direction visibly on beef, although less gamey cuts (like filet mignon) make be less clear. It's important to know where the grain is before cutting as you'll want to cut across the muscle. You'll increase the tenderness of your cut by severing the fibers. Certain recipes might actually welcome some roughness in the meat, so long as the meat cuts are bite-sized. If this is the case, feel free to cut with the grain. Don't confuse grill marks with the grain. Grill marks are the cooking lines that show where the steak was placed on the grill. Backyard cooks can sometimes confuse the grill marks as grain lines. Place the meat on a cutting board. For the sake of traction, safety, and protecting your countertop, it's recommended you put your meat on a cutting board before you do anything to it. This will minimize the risk of anything going astray while you're working on it. Cut away surface muscle. Muscle in a piece of beef will increase its chewiness. This includes connective tissue, which is often seen on the exterior of a cut of meat. Muscle (and fat) are both usually visibly distinct from the rest of the cut. Hold the beef with one hand, and cut the muscle by sawing it back at forth with a knife. When it's cut off, discard it away from the meat you're preparing. Don't hack away at the muscle if you're losing too much beef. If your beef has a lot of muscle on the outside, it's a good idea to cut it off before you cook. Trim off the fat. Different cuts carry different degrees of fat, and some recipes actually favour a bit of beef fat along with the steak. However, for certain dishes (like stir fry), the fat should be removed. It's ultimately up to you whether you'd prefer a lean or marbled cut. Too much fat can pose a health issue, but it does capture a lot of flavour. This can be done prior to cooking the meat. If you do so before cooking, you're likely to get the cleanest possible cut. Mark your cuts. If you're cutting down a bigger piece of meat and want relatively equal-sized chunks, it's a good idea to measure out parts with a ruler. Take a ruler and measure out pieces of the beef. From there, make noticeable incisions. These will be a placemarker for you when you make each of the cuts, and save you having to bring out the ruler for each time. Again, it is important to remember you want to mark your cuts against the grain of the muscle fibres. Hold your cut in place with a meat fork. A meat fork helps ensure that your piece of beef won't slip while you're cutting it. This helps ensure your cut is smooth. More importantly, it limits the risk of the knife slipping and causing injury. Position a butcher's knife at an angle near the steak's endmost point. Because a proper beef cut should be smooth, the only mindwork you'll need to do is with positioning the knife itself. Aim the far end of your knife for the far end of the meat, aiming it downward at an angle. Think of the knife as a guillotine or a paper cutter. When you begin to cut the beef, you'll want to keep the knife is the exact same position. Having a proper butcher's knife makes the process of cutting beef a lot smoother. If you're regularly preparing meat in your cooking, it's a good idea to invest in a high-end knife set. Other utensils, like forks, don't usually warrant the same quality. Cut the beef using a smooth, downward motion. Properly cutting beef should be a very smooth process. Push the knife down gently, rocking it back and forth slowly. Provided your knife is sharp enough, you shouldn't need a lot of force to do this. Keep working downward until the slice is severed from the rest of the cut. Set the beef aside, and move on to the next segment until you're done. Again, don't forget to cut against the grain. This has an important effect on the meat's texture. Present the beef with your meal. Aesthetics during mealtime are often underrated, but they have a big impact on the way food is received. If you're serving multiple pieces of meat per dish, it's a good idea to serve them together. If you're bringing the beef out on a platter, it can be appetizing to reassemble them in the shape of the original cut. This increases the impression of freshness. Partially freeze your beef. Raw beef is notoriously difficult to cut. However, you can alleviate some of the strain by placing the beef in the freezer. Partially freezing beef firms up the meat, making it easier to work with. Put your meat in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour. The extra time you put into preparing it will make the cutting process that much easier for you. Trim off the fat. One thing about cutting beef while raw is that you're able to cut off potentially unwanted parts (like muscle and fat) without their flavour sinking into the rest of the cut during the cooking process. Slide your knife under the surface fat and take it off in a smooth motion. Take care not to go too deep with your cuts. Getting too aggressive with your fat trimming will result in the loss of good meat. Membrane is a fine film over parts of some cuts, and can be peeled off with your hands. Consider leaving some of the fat on your cut. Even if you want to keep your beef lean, a bit of fat will keep your cut of beef juicy. Take extra care to make your cuts consistent. If you haven't yet cooked your beef, it's all the more important that you make your cuts consistent. If you're cutting pieces of different sizes, they'll cook at different rates. This will run the risk of undercooking (or overcooking!) parts of your beef. It helps to mark your cuts beforehand. Because consistent size is so important with pre-cooked cutting, you should get the measurements done before you set a knife to your beef. Cut in slow, smooth strokes. Setting your beef on a cutting board, cut down in a smooth, downward motion, much as you would with cutting cooked beef. Although raw beef is generally harder to cut, pre-freezing it partially helps ease some of the difficulty. Cook your beef as soon as possible. If you plan on cutting the beef before cooking it, only cut it if you're planning on cooking immediately after. Slicing in advance will increase oxidation and make the meat taste off. Wash your hands vigorously after cutting. Raw beef carries lots of bacteria with it. Whenever you're handling raw meat, it is strongly recommended you wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. Lather your hands with anti-bacterial soap under hot water for at least 30 seconds. Dry your hands off with a towel afterwards.
Purchase a cut of beef. Wash your hands thoroughly in preparation for cooking. Cook the meat to your liking. Allow the beef to rest. Identify the grain. Place the meat on a cutting board. Cut away surface muscle. Trim off the fat. Mark your cuts. Hold your cut in place with a meat fork. Position a butcher's knife at an angle near the steak's endmost point. Cut the beef using a smooth, downward motion. Present the beef with your meal. Partially freeze your beef. Trim off the fat. Take extra care to make your cuts consistent. Cut in slow, smooth strokes. Cook your beef as soon as possible. Wash your hands vigorously after cutting.
https://www.wikihow.com/Roast-a-Pumpkin
How to Roast a Pumpkin
To roast a pumpkin, cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the stringy innards and seeds with a large metal spoon. Next, slice the pumpkin into pieces that are 1 inch thick and arrange the pieces in a single layer on a large roasting tray. Then, drizzle them generously with olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Finally, put the tray in your oven and roast your pumpkin for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Prepare the pumpkin. Cut the pumpkin in half with a large knife. Scoop out the stringy innards of the pumpkin along with the seeds. Set the seeds aside and prepare toasted pumpkin seeds later. Cut the pumpkin into 1-inch thick slices. Puncture the outer skin of the pumpkin with the tip of a large chef's knife. Set the knife into the groove created by the puncture and slowly sink the knife into the pumpkin using a rocking motion. The thicker your slices, the longer your pumpkin will take to roast. Therefore, it's recommended to cut about 1-inch thick slices, leaving enough time to develop good caramelization on the outer surface of the pumpkin. Prepare pumpkin wedges for roasting. Place pumpkin wedges on a large roasting tray and drizzle generously with olive oil. Season your pumpkin wedges. Salt and pepper make a fine combo, but why not experiment a little bit for some out-of-the-ordinary combos? Try: Garam masala Cumin and curry powder Clove, cinnamon, and brown sugar Maple syrup Red pepper Roast. Roast your pumpkin wedges for about 20 minutes. If your pumpkin wedges are slightly larger than 1-inch thick, roast for 25 minutes and check every 5 minutes thereafter. If your pumpkin wedges are slightly smaller than 1-inch thick, roast for 15 minutes and check every 5 minutes thereafter. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). This will save you time while preparing the food. Cut. Cut the pumpkin into two inch cubes using a sharp chef's knife. In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, salt, pepper, and cumin. Coat the baking sheet. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray or olive oil. Alternatively, cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the pieces of pumpkin onto the baking sheet. Try to arrange them so that they are not touching one another. Use a spoon to drizzle the olive oil mixture onto the pumpkin, or use a basting brush to coat each piece. for 30-35 minutes. Bake The pumpkin should be soft and lightly browned at the edges when it is done. Remove from the oven and have cool. Pumpkin can be served warm as a side-dish, or can be stored in the refrigerator and served cold with a salad. Enjoy! Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (162 degrees Celsius). In a small bowl, add the sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix together. Slice. Use a chef's knife to cut the pumpkin into 2 inch (5.1 cm) pieces. You can either cut them into cubes or slices that are about ⁄ 4 inch (0.6 cm) thick. Coat the baking dish. Coat baking dish with cooking spray, olive oil, or butter to prevent the pumpkin from sticking. Place the pumpkin into the baking sheet. Add oil. Use a basting brush to cover the pieces with peanut oil, olive oil or butter. If you do not have a basting brush, then use a spoon to drizzle the oil onto the pumpkin, being sure to coat each piece. Sprinkle seasonings. Sprinkle the pumpkin with the cinnamon and sugar. Cover the baking dish. Bake. Have the pumpkin bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Remove the baking dish and stir the pumpkin, then bake again, uncovered, for an additional 15 minutes. Pumpkin should be soft when finished. Allow to cool and then serve. Pumpkin can be served as a side dish or as a dessert. Consider serving with whipped cream or vanilla bean ice cream. Dust with a little bit of spice for a nice presentation.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Prepare the pumpkin. Cut the pumpkin into 1-inch thick slices. Prepare pumpkin wedges for roasting. Season your pumpkin wedges. Roast. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Cut. Coat the baking sheet. for 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and have cool. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (162 degrees Celsius). Slice. Coat the baking dish. Add oil. Sprinkle seasonings. Bake. Allow to cool and then serve.
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Punnett-Square
How to Make a Punnett Square
To make a Punnett square, start by drawing a box that's divided into 4 equal squares. Then, label the rows with one parent's genotype and the column's with the other parent's genotype. Then, label each square, starting with the letter to the left of the square followed by the letter above the square.
Draw a 2 x 2 square. Draw a box and divide it into four smaller squares. Leave room above the box and to its left, so you can label it. Review the background information below if you have trouble understanding any of the steps that follow. Name the alleles involved. Each Punnett square describes how variations of a gene (alleles) could be inherited if two organisms sexually reproduce. Choose a letter to represent the alleles. Write the dominant allele with any capital letter, and the recessive allele with the same letter in lowercase. It doesn't matter which letter you choose. For example, call the dominant gene for black fur "F", and the recessive gene for yellow fur "f". If you don't know which gene is dominant, use different letters for the two alleles. Check the parents' genotypes. Next, we need to know the genotype each parent has for that trait. Each parent has two alleles (sometimes the same one) for the trait, just like every sexual organism, so their genotype will be two letters long. Sometimes, you'll already know exactly what this genotype is. Other times, you'll have to work it out from other information: "Heterozygous" means it has two different alleles (Ff). "Homozygous dominant" means it has two copies of the dominant allele (FF). "Homozygous recessive" means it has two copies of the recessive allele (ff). Any parent that shows the recessive trait (has yellow fur) belongs to this category. Label the rows with one parent's genotype. Pick one parent – traditionally the female (mother), but either will work. Label the first row of the grid with one of that parent's allele. Label the second row of the grid with the second allele. For example, the female bear is heterozygous for fur color (Ff). Write an F to the left of the first row, and an f to the left of the second row. Label the columns with the other parent's genotype. Write the second parent's genotype for the same trait as labels for the columns. This is typically the male's, or father's. For example, the male bear is homozygous recessive (ff). Write an f above each of the two columns. Have each box inherit letters from its row and column. The rest of the Punnett square is easy. Start in the first box. Look at the letter to its left, and the letter above it. Write both these letters in the empty box. Repeat for the remaining three boxes. If you end up with both type of allele, it's customary to write the dominant allele first (write Ff, not fF). In our example, the top left box inherits F from the mother and f from the father, to make Ff. The top right box inherits an F from the mother and f from the father, to make Ff. The bottom left box inherits an f from both parents, to make ff. The bottom right box inherits an f from both parents, to make ff. Interpret the Punnett square. The Punnett square shows us the likelihood of creating offspring with certain alleles. There are four different ways the parents' alleles can combine, and all four are equally likely. This means that the combination in each box has a 25% chance to occur. If more than one box has the same result, add up these 25% chances together to get the total chance. In our example, we have two boxes with Ff (heterozygous). 25% + 25% = 50%, so each offspring has a 50% chance of inheriting the Ff allele combination. The other two boxes are each ff (homozygous recessive). Each child has a 50% chance of inheriting ff genes. Describe the phenotype. Often, you're more interested in the children's actual traits, not just what their genes are. This is easy to find in the most basic situation, which is what Punnett squares are usually used for. Add up the chance of each square with one or more dominant alleles to get the chance that the offspring expresses the dominant trait. Add up the chance of each square with two recessive alleles to get the possibility that the offspring expresses the recessive trait. In this example, there are two squares with at least one F, so each offspring has a 50% chance to have black fur. There are two squares with ff, so each offspring has a 50% chance to have yellow fur. Read the problem carefully for more information about the phenotype. Many genes are more complex than this example. For example, a flower species might be red when it has the RR alleles, white when it has rr, or pink when it has Rr. In cases like this, the dominant allele is then referred to as an incomplete dominant allele. Review genes, alleles, and traits. A gene is a piece of "genetic code" that determines a trait in a living organism – for example, eye color. But eye color can be blue, or brown, or various other colors. These variations of the same gene are called alleles. Understand genotype and phenotype. All your genes together make your genotype : the entire length of DNA that describes how to build you. Your actual body and behavior are your phenotype : how you ended up, partly because of genes but also because of diet, possible injury, and other life experiences. Learn about gene inheritance. In sexually reproducing organisms, including humans, each parent passes on one gene for each trait. The child keeps the genes from both parents. For each trait, the child might have two copies of the same allele, or two different alleles. An organism with two copies of the same allele is homozygous for that gene. An organism with two different alleles is heterozygous for that gene. Understand dominant and recessive genes. The simplest genes have two alleles: one dominant and one recessive. The dominant variation shows up even if a recessive allele is also present. A biologist would say that the dominant allele is "expressed in the phenotype." An organism with one dominant allele and one recessive allele is heterozygous dominant. These organism are also called carriers of the recessive allele, since they have the allele but don't show the trait. An organism with two dominant alleles is homozygous dominant. An organism with two recessive alleles is homozygous recessive. Two alleles of the same gene that can combine to make three different colors are called incomplete dominants. An example of this are cream-dilute horses, where cc horses are red, Cc horses are a shade of gold, and CC horses are a light shade of cream. Find out why Punnett squares are useful. The end result of a Punnett square is a probability. A 25% chance at red hair doesn't mean that exactly 25% of the children will have red hair; it's just an estimate. However, even a rough prediction can be informative in some situations: Someone running a breeding project (usually developing new plant strains) wants to know which breeding pair gives the best chance at good results, or whether a certain breeding pair is worth the effort. Someone with a serious genetic disorder, or a carrier of an allele for a genetic disorder, wants to know the possibility that he'll pass it on to his children.
Draw a 2 x 2 square. Name the alleles involved. Check the parents' genotypes. Label the rows with one parent's genotype. Label the columns with the other parent's genotype. Have each box inherit letters from its row and column. Interpret the Punnett square. Describe the phenotype. Review genes, alleles, and traits. Understand genotype and phenotype. Learn about gene inheritance. Understand dominant and recessive genes. Find out why Punnett squares are useful.
https://www.wikihow.com/Win-a-Fight-in-Under-30-Seconds
How to Win a Fight in Under 30 Seconds
To win a fight in under 30 seconds, try to avoid your opponent's first kick or punch by stepping to the side, then use their momentum to push them down from behind. Give them the strongest push possible by thrusting off the ground with your legs and following through with your arms. You could also try striking weak parts of your opponent's body, such as their stomach, groin, or the side of their neck, with kicks or punches. If you have some training as a fighter, try bluffing to catch your opponent off guard. For example, pretend to launch a kick at your opponent's shin, then strike them with a hard punch on the jaw or in the ribs while they're distracted. If you'd rather kick your opponent, aim the side of your foot at their knee, which will cause the most damage while allowing you to stay balanced.
Take a few seconds to evaluate the situation. This can make all the difference in winning. Thinking rationally, even for a few seconds, will help you to remain calm so that you can fight with your mind as well as your body. Determine whether your opponent seems to be angry (at you or just in general), looking for a fight, mentally ill, or drunk. This information can help you decide the best way to quickly end the fight. Before you decide how to fight (or flee), evaluate your opponent's size and strength. Keep in mind the old adage that "The good big man beats the good little man." This doesn't mean that you can't win a fight against an opponent who is larger and stronger than you, but it does mean that you should take these factors into account. De-escalate anger. If your opponent is yelling, threatening you, or throwing things, but has not yet attacked you physically, you may be able to de-escalate the situation and avoid a fight altogether. You must remain calm yourself. Responding to anger with anger will only make the situation worse. Tell your opponent you want to hear what he has to say. Listen carefully. If your opponent is in pain or upset, listening quietly may calm them down. Be wary of unpredictable opponents. If your opponent is acting irrationally and unpredictably - such as someone who is drunk or mentally ill - it will be more difficult to de-escalate, but it can be done. An opponent who is impaired might not really want to fight you once he's calmed down. This may influence your decision about whether to fight or to try to de-escalate the situation. To try to help someone who is impaired to calm down, listen to the person, agree with whatever he says, and then tell him what you want him to do (e.g. sit down, leave). The key is to repeat the loop as many times as it takes - even a dozen times. This technique fails if you give up too soon. Avoid your opponent's first attack. If he is rushing at you or throwing a punch, move to the side, then push him down from behind when he has passed you. This technique uses the opponent's momentum against him. You must remain calm and move quickly to get out of the way. Your instincts to avoid a punch or kick should help, but be aware that you may also 'freeze'. When you push your opponent, try to thrust away from the ground with your legs and follow through with your arms to deliver the most force possible. Don't fight the way your opponent wants to. Most people will tend to use one style of fighting - punching, grappling, kicking, etc. Don't engage with the same technique. If your opponent punches, try to drag him to the ground. If your opponent seems to want to tackle you, try to stay on your feet. Fight dirty. Fighting techniques such as Krav Maga encourage explosive attacks against the opponent's weakest points. Hit soft, weak parts of your opponent's body (toes, groin, stomach, face, side of the neck) with hard, strong parts of your body (your heel, knee, elbow, heel of your hand, top of your head). Stomp on your opponent's toes. Kick or punch his groin, the top of his stomach (solar plexus), or the belly button area (diaphragm). Gouge your opponent's eyes, or punch him in the nose, chin, or jaw as hard as you can. If you are being attacked and have access to anything that can be used as a weapon, use it. You can throw things, such as keys or sand, gravel, or dirt, as well as using things as weapons. You have a right to defend yourself in any way you can. Just keep in mind this doesn't extend to attacking. Trick your opponent. If you are good at bluffing or acting, you may be able to trick your opponent into making the fight easier for you. Adopt a martial-arts style stance and put your fists up in front of your face to encourage your opponent to do the same. If your opponent is not a trained fighter, he may mimic your stance, which puts you in control of the fight. Bluff a kick from the side. Make it look like you're going to kick your opponent in the shin. Instead, deliver a strong punch to his face, solar plexus, or diaphragm. Avoid the temptation to look down at your leg, which may telegraph your plan to your opponent. If your opponent does not mimic you, this may tell you that he has some training or practice as a fighter. Use the techniques of the ultimate fighters. In the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, 8 fights have ended in 10 seconds or less. You probably don't have the training that these fighters did, but that doesn't mean you can't try to copy or borrow their techniques. Professional mixed martial arts fighters train in multiple fighting techniques, including boxing, wrestling, and several types of martial arts. Professional fighters train full-time for years to be able to fight effectively. Begin with a sudden, strong punch. This approach, popular among UFC fighters, can stun your opponent and knock him down. Knowing the proper way to punch can make the difference between you hurting your opponent and you hurting your hand. Make sure your thumb is on the outside of your fist. Punch with your knuckles - particularly those of your index and ring fingers - and keep your wrist straight. This will deliver a more effective punch and will also make it less likely that you will break any bones in your hand. While UFC fighters like Gray Maynard, James Irvin, and Todd Duffee took out their opponents by throwing punches to the head , less trained fighters may have better luck landing a strong punch by aiming for the throat, sides of the neck, or ribs. Even though some fighters such as Ryan Jimmo have knocked opponents out with one blow , keep in mind that single-punch knockouts are extremely rare, even in professional boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA). Start with a kick. British kickboxer Mark Weir beat his opponent, Eugene Jackson, by kicking him and then following up with a perfectly timed punch to the mouth. Jackson fell, ending the fight in 10 seconds. Don't copy Jackie Chan. A low, strong kick to the knee or shin is much faster and more effective than a high kick to the head. Aim the side of your foot toward the side of your opponent's knee - this will help you maintain your balance while doing maximum damage. One advantage to kicking is that it keeps you farther away from your opponent, thereby making it harder for him to hit you.
Take a few seconds to evaluate the situation. De-escalate anger. Be wary of unpredictable opponents. Avoid your opponent's first attack. Don't fight the way your opponent wants to. Fight dirty. Trick your opponent. Use the techniques of the ultimate fighters. Begin with a sudden, strong punch. Start with a kick.
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Sugar-Wax
How to Make Sugar Wax
To make sugar wax, first add 1 cup (225 grams) of granulated sugar to a medium-sized pot. Then, add ¼ cup (60 milliliters) each of lemon juice and water, and stir everything together. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat while stirring it continuously so it doesn't burn. Once it starts to turn a golden color, remove the mixture from the heat, and continue stirring it as it cools. Let the sugar cool until it starts to hold its shape when you scoop it up with a spoon. Finally, wet your hands with water so the sugar wax doesn't stick to them, and knead the wax with your fingers until it turns opaque. Use your sugar wax right away, or store it in a plastic container to use later.
Place a medium-sized pot on the stove. Even though this recipe makes a fairly small batch of sugar wax (approximately enough for 2 legs), use a medium or large pot to make it. The mixture starts to bubble when you heat it, and it can overflow if you use a small pot. Add the white sugar, lemon juice, and warm water to the pot. Measure out the granulated white sugar and dump it into the pot. Then add the lemon juice and warm water. Stir to combine them. Use white or brown granulated sugar. Powdered sugar won't work at all. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Turn your burner on high and let the mixture heat up until it starts to boil. Stir frequently. Keep an eye on the mixture, since it will start to bubble as it heats up. Take care not to burn the mixture. If you do, it will completely solidify once it cools down, making it unusable. Reduce the heat to medium. Once the mixture starts bubbling and boiling, turn the heat down to medium. Continue to stir frequently. The sugar should be completely dissolved in the liquid at this point. If the mixture continues to bubble rapidly at medium heat, turn it down to low. Remove the pot from heat when the mixture turns golden brown. Keep stirring the mixture as it simmers. Once it reaches a smooth consistency and becomes a deep golden color, turn off the heat and move the pot to another burner. The consistency should be similar to hot syrup. If it's thick like honey, heat it a little longer. Pour the mixture into a bowl or jar and let it cool for 30 minutes. Unlike traditional hot wax, sugar wax should not be used hot. Pour it in a bowl or jar and give it about 30 minutes to cool down. If it still feels hot or warm enough to be uncomfortable, let it cool for several more minutes before proceeding. Scoop up a small amount of wax with your fingers. The wax should still be warm but cool enough to touch, so you can use your fingers for the entire process. Scoop up a small amount and roll the wax into a ball with your hands. You can use a butter knife or a wooden popsicle stick instead of your hands, if you prefer. Apply the wax to a small strip of skin. You can apply it with your fingers or a popsicle stick. Be sure to apply the wax in the opposite direction of hair growth. Spread it evenly until it's about 1/4 in (0.6 cm) thick. Work in small sections that are only a few inches in length and width. Yields enough wax for both legs (approximately) Take a deep breath and pull! Get a firm grip on the wax with your fingers and pull it off in the opposite direction of your hair growth. Make it quick, just like you are pulling off a bandage. It may hurt a little bit! You can also use your fingers to roll or pull it off, but this prolongs the pain. It's better to make it quick. If desired, apply paper strips on top of the wax, smooth them out, and pull those off instead of the mixture itself. Continue to apply the wax in small sections until you're done. You can reuse the same piece of wax 3 to 4 times, if you like. Or you can use a fresh amount of wax for each section of skin. Pour any leftover wax in an airtight container and refrigerate it. If you have leftover wax, pour it into an airtight container, like a sturdy plastic Tupperware container. Pop it in the fridge and use it within 4 to 5 weeks. Reheat it before you use it.
Place a medium-sized pot on the stove. Add the white sugar, lemon juice, and warm water to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium. Remove the pot from heat when the mixture turns golden brown. Pour the mixture into a bowl or jar and let it cool for 30 minutes. Scoop up a small amount of wax with your fingers. Apply the wax to a small strip of skin. Take a deep breath and pull! Continue to apply the wax in small sections until you're done. Pour any leftover wax in an airtight container and refrigerate it.
https://www.wikihow.com/Draw-Real-Things
How to Draw Real Things
Drawing real things is harder than it looks, but with the right technique and plenty of practice, you can realistically draw things just by looking at them. Stay at the same distance from the object or scene you're drawing so the perspective stays the same. Start by drawing a rough outline to make sure you've got the right shape, then go back and fill in the details. Try to keep the proportions of whatever you're drawing accurate. For example, if you're copying a person, you don't want their head to be too big for their body or it will look wrong. You can also shade in shadows and create highlights with an eraser to show where the light's coming from. This will make your drawing look a lot more realistic.
Learn to draw the human form. If you want to draw people, you'll have to learn how to draw their bodies realistically. Cartoons give us a very skewed idea of what looks right when drawing people, but with a little work, you can get it right! Experiment with action poses. This will improve your anatomy skills and make it a bit more interesting than just drawing stiff people all day. Study muscle structure and skeletal diagrams. Living bodies aren't just fleshy blobs, they have form and structure from bones and fat. Not observing how the body works often leads to severe anatomical mistakes. Don't be afraid to draw things without skin. Learn to draw detailed faces. Human faces are some of the hardest things to draw. How far apart do you make the eyes? How do you make them look real and not like a cartoon? By studying human faces, and by using these tricks, you can draw faces that look real. Learn to draw landscapes. Are you going on a trip and you want to draw the beautiful places around you? Maybe you just want to draw the place where you live! Whatever the case, you can draw landscapes with ease by using a few simple tricks. Learn to draw animals. Maybe you'd rather draw animals. This can be lots of fun and isn't as hard as it seems! With practice and some helpful hints, you too can draw animals. Learn to draw cars. You can also draw cars and other mechanical devices. This is fun and also popular! Give drawing your dream car a try today! Learn to add shadows and highlights. Shadows and highlights are what give drawings depth and make them look more real. Learn where to put shadows and highlights so that your drawings can look more tangible. Learn to use perspective. Perspective, or how the size of something appears to change as it moves away, is another thing that makes drawings look real. This may seem complicated but it is actually very easy. Give it a try! Draw using a model. The easiest way to begin drawing from life is to use a model. Draw what is directly in front of you. This can be a person, an object, or a landscape. Drawing directly from something you can observe will result in the greatest improvement in your skills. Try to work as quickly as you can. This will teach your brain to take in the most important information quickly and efficiently. Note basic shapes and proportions before moving on to details. This will keep you from having to adjust if your model moves. Draw from a photograph. If a live model is unavailable, you are worried about the model moving too much, or simply don't have the time to devote to a live model drawing, you can draw instead from a photograph. This is not as effective a learning tool but produces similar results in terms of a final drawing. If you want to draw something photo-realistic but lack proper skills, this will be the easiest method since you will be able to take in minute details at your own pace. Draw using your imagination. Though you will not learn as much, you can simply create a realistic image from your imagination. To be truly realistic, you will need to have an excellent understanding of light and shadow, as well as proportion, form, and fold physics. Sketch before you begin. Before you begin, create sketches of your intended final image. This will help you create a better final image by allowing you to explore composition and details, as well as acting as a practice run. Draw a thumbnail sketch. You can start with thumbnail sketches, or small images intended only to convey the basic forms of the drawing. This is a great way to decide a general layout (usually called a composition in fine art). Draw a detailed sketch. Once you have decided on a composition, you can do a more detailed sketch. This will help you get used to creating the form of your subject, acting as a sort of practice run. If you have too much difficulty with the image during this stage, it will be an indication to use a simpler pose or form. Find basic shapes. When creating these sketches, look for the basic shapes which form the object you are drawing. All things which exist are composed of shapes or several shapes. Noses, for example, are complex pyramids, while trees are a series of cones or circles. Find the shapes to help you give dimension to your drawings, as well as helping you draw them correctly. Make a copy. Make a copy of the sketch to draw over. It is wise to draw your final image on top of a sketch, either basic or detailed, depending on personal preference. This will let you tweak the forms, as well as give you a guide for creating the final image. Draw the complete silhouette of the subject first. Get that right and you'll find it much easier to work out what goes where. You will often find it easier to draw the shape of the negative space around an object than the edge of the object itself. Draw what you see, not what you think you see. One of the most important aspects of drawing realistic images is to ensure that you are drawing what you actually see, rather than what you think you see. Our brains tend to generalize images, so paying attention to and recreating what your brain tends to skip over will not only create a more realistic image but teach you a lot. One trick to prevent drawing your assumptions is to get a picture from a magazine, turn it upside down, and draw it. This technique tricks your brain into thinking it's looking at something new instead of something you think you're familiar with. In this way, you can draw what you actually see - unique shapes - instead of drawing what you've always assumed the subject looks like. Pay particular attention to things like ears, noses, tree leaves and shirt collars. These are things which we tend to generalize in our minds and ignore the details of. If you want to draw something realistically, make sure you are drawing the things which make it unique. Things like ears are vastly different between different people. Use perspective. Perspective, or how objects seem different sizes relative to their distance from you, is very important to making objects look realistic. When creating a realistic landscape, for example, you will need to draw the trees that are further away as being smaller and less detailed, even though they may, in fact, be taller than the trees which are closer to you. This will mimic how your eye perceives objects and make the image more realistic. Perspective is drawn by first finding the horizon line. When you look at anything in real life, you will see that there is a point at which the physical Earth that you can see meets with the sky. This is the horizon line. You will need to figure out where this should be in your picture and lightly draw it in using a ruler. Draw in a disappearing point. You can use one, two, or three points. One is the simplest, while two is the most common. Three is hard, so avoid it until you are comfortable. The method for two-point perspective is described below. Draw those one or two points somewhere on the horizon line. This is the direction or directions in which objects disappear. You can have the dots on the paper itself, or they can be far off the page and marked on your drawing surface. With two point perspective, you will need to have one dot on either side of the object you are trying to draw. Draw the central line of your object and then, from the top and then bottom of the object, use a ruler to draw lines back to your disappearing point. Figure out how far back the object goes and then draw in some more vertical lines, between the angled disappearing lines, to start creating the box that your object fills. Close your box by drawing a line from the back line on one side to the perspective point on the opposite side. You can now see what parts of your object should be visible and to what degree. Pay attention to proportions. Proportions are the sizes of objects relative to each other. Especially when drawing people, paying attention to proportions will be critical in making your image realistic. Most human faces, for example, follow mathematical formulas which lead parts of the face and body to line up in a particular way. Getting proportions wrong will make your drawings look cartoonish or strange. For example, humans are five to seven heads tall. There is one eye length distance between your eyes. The line of the mouth usually points to the corner of the jaw. There is a one-foot length between the elbow and the wrist. There are many measurements like this on the human body and it can take time to learn them but it is a rewarding and interesting process. Decide your light sources. Highlights and shadows will do the most to make your drawings look photo-realistic. The more detailed and accurate the highlights and shadows, the more realistic your drawing will appear. However, before you place these highlights and shadows, you will need to decide where the source of the light is in your drawing. A light source can be something like a lamp or it can be light from a window. If outside, it can be the sun itself. The light will travel in a straight line from this source and hit the facing sides of the object you are drawing. Place shadows. The areas which are hidden from or blocked from the line of light will be in shadow. The further from the light, the deeper the shadow. Once you have determined where the light is coming from in your drawing, decide where your darkest shadows will be and begin your shading by making these areas dark. Shadows give drawings depth and form. Your next step will be to add mid-level shadows. These are areas which are only partially in shadow and are not as dark as the deeply shadowed areas. Continue to build in this way until you have three to six blocked levels or areas of shading. Once you have gotten your shadows generally placed, you may want to blend these together using your fingers or a stump. This will form the smooth gradient of your shadow. Keep hard lines of a shadow if they exist, however, such as shadows from a table or other hard object. If you're newer to drawing, you may want to leave this step out because it can make your drawing look messy. Hatching and line variation. If you are using ink or do not want to use gradient shadows, you can add depth and form using carefully placed lines and textures. Make outlines thicker in areas where there would be shadows, such as the dip at the top of an apple or the spot at the back of the neck where it meets near the ear. Use lines to follow the form of an object and overlapped lines in differing directions to create the appearance of shadows. Research hatching or etching to see examples of what this looks like, and master examples of the art. Doing this type of drawing is very challenging to do well and takes a great deal of practice. It is very versatile, however. Place highlights. Once you have put in all of your shadows, add highlights at the spots where the light hits the objects directly. You can do this by erasing or using white charcoal or similar substances. On a face lit from the front, for example, highlights will go above the brow, down the line of the nose, at the crest of the cheek and on the chin, since these are the areas which protrude the most. Use pencils. The most common tool for drawing in this style is a pencil. Pencils will allow you to easily lay down shadows and leave blank or erase areas for highlights. Pencils are easy to layer, giving you great control over the image you create. They also blend relatively well. Pencils come in different hardnesses (created by containing more or less graphite). The harder the pencil, the lighter the mark it will make. Use different pencils depending on how light or dark your lines need to be. Hard pencils will be labeled with an H and soft pencils with a B. The higher the number listed next to the letter, the more hard or soft the pencil is. A standard pencil, for example, is an HB. Use pens. You can also use pens for creating realistic drawings. This will rely on highly accurate lines and proportions, as well as hatching, line variation, and etching style shadows. You can use any pen for this but you will have the best results with a nibbed or brush pen, as this will give you a better opportunity to change line widths. Use charcoal. You can use charcoal to create realistic drawings as well. Charcoal is perhaps the easiest drawing medium with which to create shadows and highlights, a crucial aspect of creating realistic drawings. Charcoal is easily smudged and blended, which can be used to your benefit but can also create difficulties. Drawing charcoal comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Willow or vine charcoal is a nice middle ground, while charcoal pencils are great for doing details. Use appropriate paper. Depending on what media you choose, you will need to be sure to get an appropriate type of paper. Charcoal especially will require paper designed for that medium (a heavily textured paper which gives the charcoal something to latch onto). Pencils will do better with smooth, rag paper since this will help with blending. Be sure to look for acid-free, archival paper when available. This will keep your drawings from yellowing over time or otherwise aging badly. In addition to special paper, charcoal will require the use of a spray fixative to keep it from smudging once you are done creating your image. Get a drawing stump. A drawing stump is a pencil-shaped roll of paper which is sanded to a point. This point is then used to blend charcoal or pencil, forming the soft gradient of shadows in your drawing. It will need to be sanded every time it becomes too covered in charcoal or graphite from your pencils. Stumps can be purchased or made by hand. Get an eraser. An eraser is invaluable for removing mistakes and creating highlights. You can use a normal vinyl or rubber eraser for pencil or a kneaded eraser for charcoal. You can also use a kneaded eraser for pencils, as it can easily be molded into a sharp point to do detail erasing.
Learn to draw the human form. Study muscle structure and skeletal diagrams. Learn to draw detailed faces. Learn to draw landscapes. Learn to draw animals. Learn to draw cars. Learn to add shadows and highlights. Learn to use perspective. Draw using a model. Draw from a photograph. Draw using your imagination. Sketch before you begin. Draw a thumbnail sketch. Draw a detailed sketch. Find basic shapes. Make a copy. Draw the complete silhouette of the subject first. Draw what you see, not what you think you see. Use perspective. Pay attention to proportions. Decide your light sources. Place shadows. Place highlights. Use pencils. Use pens. Use charcoal. Use appropriate paper. Get a drawing stump. Get an eraser.
https://www.wikihow.com/Deal-with-a-Bipolar-Person
How to Deal with a Bipolar Person
If someone you're dealing with has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, you can be better prepared to help them by educating yourself about the symptoms of their condition. There are several different types of bipolar disorder, so learn about their specific type if you know it. If you're worried about the person, express your concerns to them in a non-judgmental way. Let them know that you're there for them and ready to listen if they need help. For people who aren't already getting treatment, you may be able to help by making a medical appointment for them. If the person has prescribed medications, encourage them to take them. Remember that managing bipolar disorder can be complicated, so do your best to be patient and take time for yourself if you're feeling overwhelmed.
Watch for symptoms. If the person has already been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, then you may know all about the symptoms of this condition already. Bipolar disorder is characterized by periods of mania and depression. During manic phases, someone may seem to have boundless energy and during depressive phases, that same person might not get out of bed for days. Manic phases may be characterized by high levels of optimism or irritability, unrealistic ideas about one's abilities, feeling energetic despite getting little sleep, speaking rapidly and going quickly from one idea to the next, not being able to concentrate, making impulsive or poor decisions, and even hallucinating. Depressive phases are characterized by hopelessness, sadness, emptiness, irritability, losing interest in things, fatigue, lack of concentration, appetite changes, weight changes, difficulty sleeping, feeling worthless or guilty, and considering suicide. Consider the differences in bipolar disorder types. Bipolar disorder is divided into four subtypes. These definitions can help mental health practitioners to identify the disorder whether the symptoms are mild or severe. The four subtypes are: Bipolar I Disorder. This subtype is characterized by manic episodes that last for seven days or that are severe enough that the person needs hospitalization. These episodes are followed by depressive episodes that last at least two weeks. Bipolar II Disorder. This subtype is characterized by depressive episodes followed by mild manic episodes, but these episodes are not severe enough to warrant hospitalization. Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (BP-NOS). This subtype is when someone has symptoms of bipolar disorder, but they do not meet the criteria for a bipolar I or II diagnosis. Cyclothymia. This subtype is when someone has had symptoms of bipolar disorder for two years, but the symptoms are mild. Communicate your concerns. If you think that someone may be suffering from bipolar disorder, then you should say something. When you approach the person, make sure that you do so from a standpoint of concern and not judgment. Remember that bipolar disorder is a mental illness and the person cannot control their behaviors. Try saying something like, “I care about you and I have noticed that you have been struggling lately. I want to you to know that I am here for you and I want to help.” Offer to listen. Someone with bipolar disorder may feel comforted by having someone who is willing to listen to how they are feeling. Make sure that the person knows that you are happy to listen if they want to talk. When you listen, do not judge the person or try to solve their problems. Just listen and offer some genuine encouragement. For example, you might say something like, “It sounds like you have been having a really hard time. I don't know how you feel, but I care about you and I want to help you.” Make a doctor’s appointment. The person may be incapable of making an appointment for themselves due to the symptoms of bipolar disorder, so one way that you can help is by offering to make a doctor's appointment. If the person is resistant to the idea of seeking help for the disorder, then do not try to force them. Instead, you may consider making an appointment for your the person to have a general health check-up and see if the person feels compelled to ask the doctor about the symptoms they have been having. Encourage the person to take prescribed medications. If the person has been prescribed medications to help control their bipolar symptoms, then make sure that they take those medications. It is common for people with bipolar disorder to stop taking their medications because they feel better or because they miss having manic phases. Remind the person that the medications are necessary and that stopping them may make things worse. Try to be patient. Even though there may be some improvement in the person's bipolar disorder after a few months of treatment, recovering from bipolar disorder can take years. There may also be setbacks along the way, so try to be patient with your the person as they recover. Take time for yourself. Supporting someone who has bipolar disorder can take a large toll on you, so make sure that you take time for yourself. Make sure that you have some time away from the person every day. For example, you might go to an exercise class, meet a friend for coffee, or read a book. You may also consider seeking counseling to help you deal with the stress and emotional strain of supporting someone with bipolar disorder. Be a calming presence. During a manic episode, a person with bipolar disorder may become over stimulated or irritated by long conversations or certain topics. Try to talk to the person in a calming way and avoid engaging in an argument or lengthy discussion about something. Try not to bring up anything that might trigger the person's mania. For example, you might want to avoid asking about something that is stressful for the individual or a goal that the person has been trying to accomplish. Instead, talk about the weather, a TV show, or something else that is unlikely to stress the person. Encourage the person to get lots of rest. During a manic phase, the person may feel like they only need a few hours of sleep to feel rested. However, not getting enough sleep may make matters worse. Try to encourage the person to sleep as much as possible at night and to take naps during the day if needed. Go for walks. Taking walks with your the person during manic episodes can be a good way to help them use excess energy and provide a good opportunity for the two of you to talk as well. Try to invite the person to go on a walk with you once per day or at least a few times per week. Regular exercise can also help when someone is having symptoms of depression, so try to encourage exercise no matter what the person's mood is like. Watch for impulsive behavior. During manic episodes, the person may be prone to impulsive behavior such as drug use, shopping in excess, or going on a long trip. Try to encourage the person to think a bit longer before making any major purchases or starting a new project when they are in the midst of a manic episode. If overspending is often an issue, then you might encourage the person to leave credit cards and extra cash at home when these episodes strike. If drinking or using drugs seems to intensify the situation, then you might encourage the person to avoid using alcohol or other substances. Try not to take comments personally. When someone is in the middle of a manic period, they may say hurtful things or try to start arguments with you. Try not to take these comments personally and do not engage in arguments with the person. Remind yourself that these comments are due to the illness and do not represent how the person really feels. Suggest working towards a small goal. During a depressive episode, it may be hard for the person to accomplish large goals, so setting small manageable goals may help. Accomplishing a small goal may also help the person feel better. For example, if the person is complaining that she needs to clean her whole house, then you might suggest just tackling something small like a coat closet or bathroom. Encourage positive strategies for dealing with depression. When someone is depressed, it may be tempting to turn to negative coping mechanisms, such as alcohol, isolating oneself, or not taking medications. Instead, try to encourage the person to use positive coping mechanisms. For example, you can suggest calling their therapist, doing a little exercise, or engaging in a hobby when a depressive mood strikes. Provide genuine encouragement. Encouraging the person during depressive phases will help them to know that someone there cares. Make sure that you avoid making promises or relying on clichés when you encourage your friend or the person. For example, don't say, “Everything will be fine,” “It's all in your head,” or “When life give you lemons, make lemonade!” Instead, say things like, “I care about you,” “I am here for you,” “You are a good person and I am happy that you are in my life.” Try to establish a routine. During depressive phases, the person may prefer to stay in bed, isolate themselves, or just watch TV all day. Do your best to help the person establish a daily routine so that they always have something to do. For example, you might establish a time for your the person to get up and shower, a time to go get the mail, a time to take a walk, and time to do something fun, like reading a book or playing a game. Watch for signs that the person may be suicidal. During depressive phases, people are more prone to thoughts of suicide. Make sure that you take any comments about suicide seriously. If the person is acting suicidal or indicating that they have plans to kill themselves and/or harm others, then call emergency services for help. Do not try to deal with someone who is suicidal or violent on your own.
Watch for symptoms. Consider the differences in bipolar disorder types. Communicate your concerns. Offer to listen. Make a doctor’s appointment. Encourage the person to take prescribed medications. Try to be patient. Take time for yourself. Be a calming presence. Encourage the person to get lots of rest. Go for walks. Watch for impulsive behavior. Try not to take comments personally. Suggest working towards a small goal. Encourage positive strategies for dealing with depression. Provide genuine encouragement. Try to establish a routine. Watch for signs that the person may be suicidal.
https://www.wikihow.health/Prevent-Leg-Cramps-While-Pregnant
How to Prevent Leg Cramps While Pregnant
To prevent leg cramps while you're pregnant, stretch your calves and feet before going to bed every night. For example, you can stand with your feet shoulder width apart in front of a wall and stretch your arms towards the bottom of the wall to stretch your calves. You should also aim for 30 minutes of light exercise each day, such as walking, to keep your muscles supple. Throughout the day, drink at least 8 glasses of water to avoid dehydration, which can increase cramps. If you have a desk job, take frequent breaks to get up and move around, and elevate your feet to prevent fluid from building up in your legs. When you feel a cramp coming on in spite of your efforts to prevent it, stretch your leg slowly by pushing through your heel and wiggling your toes.
Stretch regularly. Leg cramps are a sudden tightening of the muscles, which can cause intense pain. Stretching has been shown to be one of the most reliable ways of preventing or relieving leg cramping. Focus on stretches for your calves and feet, and make sure to stretch before bed, as well as before and after exercise. Avoid any stretches that require you to lay on your back. Try some of the following basic leg stretches: Seated calf stretch: Gather 2 chairs and a scarf or towel. Sit down on 1 chair and place a foot on the second. Wrap the towel or scarf around the ball of your foot. Begin pulling the towel or scarf towards you. You should feel the stretch in the muscles of your calf and in your foot. Stay in this position 30 seconds and switch legs. Standing calf stretch: Stand on a flat surface wearing shoes with a firm grip, about 2 to 3 feet (.61 to.91 m) in front of a wall. Lift your arms in front of you and set your hands on the wall. Slowly lean forward until you feel the stretch in your calf muscles. To finish the stretch, walk your hands back up the wall until you are standing straight. Spend 30 minutes a day on exercise. Light exercise can help improve your circulation and reduce leg cramps as well as help you improve your core strength, tone your muscles and prepare for labor.The ideal exercise in pregnancy gets your heart pumping and keeps you supple, without causing you or your baby too much physical stress. Many exercises can be done in or around your house. An easy 30 minute walk is a great way to get outside. Walking keeps you fit without jarring your knees and ankles, and gives your heart a workout if you walk briskly. It is safe throughout your pregnancy and can be built into your every-day routine. Strength building exercises, such as squats, push-ups, or leg lifts can be easy to perform in the living room or bedroom. Athletic centers often offer specially designed programs for pregnant women, such as water aerobics or prenatal yoga. These activities can help to maintain muscle tone and flexibility and are kinder to your joints than more vigorous types of exercise. Make sure to consult a health care provider before starting any exercise program. Avoid standing or sitting for long periods of time. Alternate periods of activity with periods of rest. Make sure to take frequent breaks to walk or stretch if you have a desk job. Elevate your feet as often as possible.Putting your feet up can help to dispel the accumulation of fluid in your legs. Use breaks to sit and elevate your legs if you must stand throughout the day. Rotate your ankles and wiggle your toes when you sit, eat dinner, or watch TV. Wear proper footwear. Choose shoes with comfort, support, and utility in mind. Also consider support or compression stockings. Stockings help reduce swelling, increase blood circulation in the legs and ankles, and can help prevent leg cramps. It might help to wear shoes with a long counter — the firm part of the shoe that surrounds the heel. Wear support stockings to bed to alleviate night cramps. Stretch as soon as you feel a cramp coming on. Straighten your leg slowly, pushing through your heel, and wiggle your toes to help alleviate pain during a cramp. It might hurt at first, but it will ease the spasm and the pain will gradually go away. Apply heat to the affected area. Heat can loosen muscles and improve circulation. Use a warm towel, rice sock, electric heating pad, or hot water bottle. A warm bath before bed can also help to alleviate leg spasms and soothe stiff muscles. Leg cramps are more frequent at night, when fatigue and fluid accumulation are at their peak. Try a compress made from a tea towel soaked in warm water. Wring out the excess water and wrap it around the affected area. Cold temperatures may also ease symptoms. Try standing on cold kitchen tiles to alleviate the pain. Consult a doctor if the pain is intense or doesn’t go away. Really bad cramps (like a Charley horse) can cause pain for a few days, and that's nothing to worry about. But in rare cases, the pain may be caused by a blood clot, massaging it could make it worse or allow it to travel. Drink adequate fluids to prevent dehydration. Keeping your muscles hydrated will help to prevent cramps. Aim for at least 8 glasses of water a day, and make sure to drink more if you are exercising or living in a hot climate. Keep an eye on the color of your urine. If it is a dark yellow, you may not be getting enough water. Get a prenatal massage. Massages can help improve circulation and reduce swelling, and it can be a complementary part of your prenatal care. Special concerns exist for pregnant women receiving massages. It is important to tell the massage therapist that you are pregnant so that you can be on your side during the massage. Verify that your massage therapist is a licensed prenatal massage therapist. Some doctors hesitate to advise massage during pregnancy because there is a huge variation in training. Not all states have laws requiring a set minimum training for a massage therapist, regardless of whether or not the therapist's client is pregnant. Consider taking vitamin supplements. Some research has shown that a magnesium supplement may help prevent leg cramps during pregnancy. You might also consider eating more magnesium-rich foods, such as: whole grains,beans, dried fruits, nuts and seeds. Avoid calcium supplements.Though it's certainly important to get enough calcium, there's no good evidence that taking extra calcium will help prevent leg cramps during pregnancy. In fact, in one well-designed study, pregnant women taking calcium got no more relief from leg cramps than those taking a placebo. Be sure to consult a health care provider or your gynecologist before taking any supplements.
Stretch regularly. Spend 30 minutes a day on exercise. Avoid standing or sitting for long periods of time. Wear proper footwear. Stretch as soon as you feel a cramp coming on. Apply heat to the affected area. Consult a doctor if the pain is intense or doesn’t go away. Drink adequate fluids to prevent dehydration. Get a prenatal massage. Consider taking vitamin supplements.
https://www.wikihow.com/Apply-Castor-Oil-for-Hair
How to Apply Castor Oil for Hair
Before you apply castor oil to your hair, mix it with argan or coconut oil to thin it out. Fill a bowl with very hot water and place the jar of castor oil into the water for 2-3 minutes to heat it. Once the oil is warm, pour it into a small bowl, then dip your fingers into the bowl and massage your scalp for 3-5 minutes. Add a little more oil and rub it between your palms, then run your hands across your hair to evenly distribute the oil. Place a shower cap on your head and leave the oil in anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours before shampooing it out.
Gather your supplies. Applying castor oil to hair seems like it might be simple, but there are a few things you can do to make it more effective and easier to apply. Here is a list of what you will need: Castor oil Other oil (argan, avocado, coconut, jojoba, sweet almond, etc.) Hot water Bowl Jar Shower cap Towel Old shirt (recommended) Dilute the castor oil with another oil. Castor oil is fairly thick. Mixing it with another oil can make it a little easier to apply. Try using one part castor oil and one part of another oil, such as argan, avocado, coconut, jojoba, or sweet almond. All of these oils are great for hair. You can also try the following combination: 3 tablespoons (44 ml) castor oil 1 tablespoon (15 ml) jojoba oil 1 tablespoon (15 ml) coconut oil Consider adding a few drops of essential oil to mask the smell. Castor oil can smell bad. If this bothers you, try adding in two to three drops of a fresh-smelling essential oil, such as rosemary, peppermint, or tea tree. Pour all of the oils into a small jar and shake the jar to mix everything together. Close the lid tightly, and shake the jar for a few minutes. When you are done, take the lid off. Fill a bowl with very hot water. You can do a “hot oil treatment” with castor oil by warming it in hot water before use. Warming the oil will make it more effective and easier to work with. Make sure that the bowl you choose is large enough for the jar of castor oil to fit inside. Do not attempt to warm the oil in the microwave. Put the jar into the water, and leave it there for two to four minutes. Make sure that the water level is at the same level as the oil. Also, make sure that the no water gets inside the jar, or the oil will get wet. Once the oil is warm, pour it into a small bowl. This will make it easier for you to dip your fingers into when you go to apply it. Consider pouring the oil into a small bottle with an eye dropper. This way, you can use the eye dropper to just drip the oil to your scalp. If you don't have an eye dropper, you can use a bottle with a nozzle. You can get empty applicator bottles from most beauty supply stores. Dampen your hair if you wish. Although you can apply castor oil to dry hair, dampening your hair may help the oil absorb better. A quick way to dampen your hair is to fill a spray bottle with water, and spray just your scalp. Your hair should just be a little damp, not dripping wet. Cover your shoulders with a towel. This will protect your clothes from getting covered in oil. It may also be a good idea to wear something you do not care about anymore, in case the oil drips past the towel. This way you can avoid getting oil stains on your good clothes. Dip your fingers into the oil, and massage your scalp for three to five minutes. Do not use too much oil; a little bit goes a long way. Use your fingers to spread the oil between your hair roots and across your scalp. Massage your head with your fingertips using small, circular motions. You can also use an eye dropper to drip the oil onto various points on your scalp. This may be easier for you, and less messy. Be sure to massage the oil into your scalp for about five minutes. Apply the oil to the rest of your hair. Scoop a little bit more oil onto your fingers, and rub it between your palms. Then, run your hands across your hair. Use your fingers to comb your hair; this helps distribute the oil. Again, start with a small amount. You do not need a lot of oil. Cover your hair with a shower cap. Loosely pile your hair on top of your head. If you need to, you can keep it in place with a claw clip. Slip a shower cap over your hair. The shower cap will trap the heat inside, and it will keep your hair from drying out. Wrap a hot towel around your head and the shower cap. Warm up a towel by soaking it with very hot water. Twist the towel to get any excess water out, then wrap it around your head. You can tuck the end of the towel in under your "turban," or you can secure it with a large hair clip. The heat from the towel will make the oil more effective. This technique is similar to a hot oil hair treatment, but does not involve using a hair dryer. Wait 30 minutes to 3 hours before washing the oil out. You can also leave it on overnight, although there is little evidence that shows this is more effective. When you go to wash your hair, know that it may take a while before you get all the oil out. Some people find that washing with just conditioner, and skipping the shampoo, is more effective than using shampoo. If your hair doesn't feel overly oily or heavy after the treatment, you may choose to leave the oil in instead of washing it out. Use this treatment once to twice a week for best results. Keep in mind, however, that you may not see any results the next day. Try using the castor oil treatment for four weeks before moving on to something else. You will probably start seeing results after about a month of use. If you wish, you can use castor oil daily, or as often as needed.
Gather your supplies. Dilute the castor oil with another oil. Consider adding a few drops of essential oil to mask the smell. Pour all of the oils into a small jar and shake the jar to mix everything together. Fill a bowl with very hot water. Put the jar into the water, and leave it there for two to four minutes. Once the oil is warm, pour it into a small bowl. Dampen your hair if you wish. Cover your shoulders with a towel. Dip your fingers into the oil, and massage your scalp for three to five minutes. Apply the oil to the rest of your hair. Cover your hair with a shower cap. Wrap a hot towel around your head and the shower cap. Wait 30 minutes to 3 hours before washing the oil out. Use this treatment once to twice a week for best results.
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Mockingjay-Pin
How to Make a Mockingjay Pin
To make a simple mockingjay pin out of cardstock, start by tracing a mockingjay image onto unlined tracing paper and cut it out. Next, cut a circle with a 3-inch diameter out of cardstock and remove the inside so that you're left with a thin outer ring. Then, glue the mockingjay image to the cardstock ring and add glitter to give the pin a metallic look. Finally, flip the pin over and attach a safety pin on the backside with scotch tape or hot glue.
Gather your supplies. The base of your mockingjay pin will be cardstock cut out in the image of the mockingjay. Cardstock that is thin and rigid will help your pin appear the most authentic. Other materials you'll need to transform your cardstock pin include: Compass/drinking glass Glue (1) Glitter (gold and silver) Hairspray Paint brush (1) Safety pin (1) Scissors Scotch tape (1) Stiff cardstock (1) Tracing paper (unlined preferred) Cut out a mockingjay image. You should trace your image onto your thin, unlined tracing paper by laying your paper atop the mockingjay design on the cover the The Hunger Games. Then use a pencil to copy the image. Once your image is complete, you should cut it free. Cut a cardstock circle for the outer pin frame. The classic mockingjay pin is represented by a bird carrying an arrow suspended in the center of a circle. To make this outer circle, you should trace a glass that is about three inches across at the base along its bottom, or use a protractor to make a similar circle. Cut the resulting circle free from your cardstock. Then, remove the inside of the circle so that only an outer ring remains. Your outer ring can be as thin or thick as you desire, but the novels represent the outer ring as being relatively thin. Don't cut your outer ring so thin that it is too flimsy; this will make your pin look less sturdy. Glue your image to the cardstock. Using a thin layer of glue, attach the edges of your mockingjay image onto your cardstock circle. Be careful not to use too much glue, as this can create an uneven or bumpy appearance in your image. Using a paint brush can help you apply a thin, even coat of glue. You should wait until the glue is fully dry to guarantee a good seal between your image and cardstock. Add glitter to your pin. This will give it a metallic appearance, just like the real thing! After the glue has finished drying, determine which colors you want to use to give your pin some flair. You may want to use gold glitter on the outer circle and silver for the mockingjay body, mix the silver and gold together, or maybe pure gold is more your style. In any case, you should: Place a spare sheet of paper beneath your pin to catch any stray glitter. Paint a thin layer of glue onto the surface you will be applying your glitter. Sprinkle your glitter onto the glue you have painted onto your pin. Attach your safety pin. The easiest way to do this is to flip your pin to the back and tape a safety pin in place with scotch tape. For sturdier designs, you may want to consider using hot glue to attach your safety pin to the back of your design. Prevent flaking. Over the course of your wearing, glitter can become knocked loose and make a mess. To keep this from happening, you can lightly spray hair spray onto the glitter. Check the label of your hair spray before you use it, as scented hairspray might not be ideal for your purposes. Assemble your pin making necessaries. Though you can make this pin with normal duct tape, you may find that using metallic silver and gold duct tape gives a more realistic effect appearance. For this project, you will also need: Duct tape (black and gold) Eye pin (two inch) Hot glue gun (and glue) Permanent marker Safety pin Scissors Seed beads Wax paper Trace the outer circle onto your wax paper. Cut a square of your wax paper so that it is big enough to overlap the image of the mockingjay you will be tracing. Lay your square of wax paper atop the image and then: Use your permanent marker to outline the perimeter of your mockingjay pin image onto the wax paper. Layer black duct tape over the wax paper. Take a strip of your black duct tape and cover your circle with it so the black tape completely covers one side, extending a little beyond the edges of the circle you have drawn on all sides. You should still be able to see the outer line you have traced on the un-taped, reverse side of your wax paper. Cut free excess paper and tape. The circle you have drawn will form the outer boundary of your pin, so you will need to cut it free from extra tape and paper before moving on. Use the lines on your wax paper to guide your cutting until you have a black circle. When you have completed cutting, remove the wax paper from the tape. You may want to leave at the end of the outside of your circle. This can make it easier to remove the wax paper from the black duct tape. If you leave a tab, be sure to cut it after you pull the wax paper free so that you end up with a regular circle. Layer gold duct tape onto the reverse side of your circle. To ensure that all gray areas on the sticky, reverse side of your circle are covered, you may want to extend your gold tape beyond the edges of the circle. Then you can cut any excess gold tape free by following the outer edge of your black circle and using it as a guide. Trace the inside of your mockingjay pin image. You will be using the negative space (the space not filled with color) of your image to bring out the image of the mockingjay on your gold background. To do this, you'll need to: Copy your mockingjay pin image, including the bird inside the outer circle, onto the wax paper. Use a second piece of wax paper to draw the empty (negative) space between the outer circle and inner bird of the image. Plan to leave tabs on your negative space cutouts to make removing the wax paper easier (optional). Cut the negative space free, dividing it into four sections: top, wing, left, and right. These sections, when arranged together, should form the outline of a bird. Layer black tape atop the negative space wax paper cutouts. Remove any excess tape with your scissors. Create the mockingjay bird image with the negative space. One section at a time, pull the black tape free from the negative space wax paper cutout and adhere it to the gold taped side of your circle. Arrange the black tape so it resembles the image of the pin, so that: The black tape represents the empty spaces of the pin. The gold background forms the outer circle of the pin and central image of a bird. Create an arrow. The mockingjay pin that Katniss wears holds an arrow in its talons, so yours should as well. Take your eye pin and thread black seed beads onto it until there is only a little metal remaining at the pointed end of the pin. Then you can: Sandwich each end of your eye pin with one square of gold tape apiece. Trim the back in the shape of a V, with the top of the V pointing backwards. Trim the front in an arrowhead shape, with the front of the arrowhead pointing frontwards. Use a dab of hot glue to attach your arrow to the front of your mockingjay pin. Attach a safety pin to the back of your pin. Your mockingjay pin is now nearing completion. You only need to use a thick piece of duct tape to adhere your safety pin to the black back of your design and you should be finished. You might also consider using additional metallic tape along the wings, tail, and head to accent your mockingjay pin.
Gather your supplies. Cut out a mockingjay image. Cut a cardstock circle for the outer pin frame. Glue your image to the cardstock. Add glitter to your pin. Attach your safety pin. Prevent flaking. Assemble your pin making necessaries. Trace the outer circle onto your wax paper. Layer black duct tape over the wax paper. Cut free excess paper and tape. Layer gold duct tape onto the reverse side of your circle. Trace the inside of your mockingjay pin image. Create the mockingjay bird image with the negative space. Create an arrow. Attach a safety pin to the back of your pin.
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Senior-Interested-in-You-As-a-Freshman
How to Get a Senior Interested in You As a Freshman
While it may seem difficult to get a senior to notice you, if you show off your best side and get to know them better, you might be able to spark their interest. Start conversations with them about things you have in common so you can find out what they're like. It's natural to be nervous when talking to your crush, but try to act confident and be yourself. This will help you seem mature and connect with your crush. Keep your interactions lighthearted and have fun with them. Don't be afraid to lightly flirt with them a bit. That way, you'll find out if they're interested in you or not. If you don't click after a few interactions and they don't seem interested in you, it's probably best to let them go. This can be upsetting, but you'll find someone who's more suitable for you soon.
Understand that age matters. As you get older, age differences will not matter as much, but in high school they matter a great deal as it includes both students who are legally adults and those who are just entering puberty. Knowing that age matters ahead of time can save you from trouble and potential heartbreak in the future. In high school, there's generally more division of social groups based on grades as well. Understand that the activities seniors engage in may be very different from what you are used to. For example, it's common for seniors to go out and party more than freshmen. Don't engage in any dangerous or illegal activities just to spend time around your crush. Know and follow all laws regarding age of consent. Sexual acts between a minor and someone who is legally an adult (18+) is called statutory rape. The age of consent varies from state to state but generally charges can be brought against an 18 year old if they are caught in a compromising situation with a minor so be safe and don't break the law. Understand that this is one major drawback of dating an older person in high school. If they start pressuring you to engage in sexual acts that you are not ready for, stay true to yourself and don't cave. If they do not respect your boundaries, it's time to end the relationship. Accept your differences. In terms of expectations and daily life, being a senior can be pretty different from being a freshman. After all, seniors are in their last year of high school and therefore have to prepare for the future. Oftentimes, this means that seniors are busier with college applications, job searches, testing, socializing, and more. Be prepared for and accepting of these and any other grade-related differences. [Image:Get a Senior Interested in You As a Freshman Step 3 Version 2.jpg|center]] Not only are there differences in terms of workload and social groups, but freshmen and seniors also differ in terms of maturity, both physical and psychological. Because of this, it may be inadvisable to get into a relationship with someone who is much older than you unless you are both sure that you're at a similar level in terms of emotional and psychological maturity, which will lead to the two of you making safe, healthy decisions. Stick to your boundaries. Don't push your boundaries or let anyone else cross them. Always be sure to firmly establish what the boundaries are in your relationship (should you end up in one). Otherwise, you may find yourself in an uncomfortable situation. These boundaries are not only physical but also mental and emotional. Decide what you want out of a relationship beforehand and don't stay with someone who doesn't respect the boundaries that you have decided on. For example, if you end up going to parties where seniors are drinking or doing drugs, don't feel pressured to join in. And if your crush (or anyone else for that matter) pushes you to do things you're uncomfortable with, that's a clear sign to walk away. One in three adolescents in the United States is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional, or verbal abuse from a dating partner. Keep yourself safe by watching for warning signs, such as aggression, threats, or manipulative behaviors. As a freshmen, you are more vulnerable to be on the receiving end of relationship abuse as seniors tend to be older, bigger, and may see themselves as having power over you. If you feel unsafe or think you may be in an abusive or unhealthy relationship, seek help from a trusted family member or other adult. Find out if your crush is available. You want to start by finding out basic information, such as whether they are already in a relationship or not. It's always best to know ahead of time and if it turns out they are unavailable, you could still get to know them as friends! To find out this information, ask around but try to be discreet about it and only ask friends you know you can trust. After all, you don't want the word getting around that you are interested in someone without getting a chance to know them first! If you don't already know their age, find out! After all, if you are in the older end of your grade and your crush is young for their grade, there might not even be much of an age gap between you two. Learn your crush’s hobbies. Getting to know what your crush's hobbies are will not only give you something to talk about, but will also inform you if you two are actually a good fit. After all, an infatuation may be based on being attracted to someone's looks, but a relationship requires having similar interests and goals and it's better to find out sooner rather than later if you aren't actually compatible with your crush. For example, ask around to see if they are involved in any sports, clubs, or extracurricular activities. Or, if you already speak to each other from time to time, make a point of casually asking your crush about what they're into. Maybe they're secretly a film buff or love to draw and you do too. Don't be afraid to ask as you may end up having some unexpected interests in common! Once you've learned about some of their activities, you can include yourself in them, especially if they are school-related, such as a sports or club. Just be sure to do it if you are also actively interested in the activity--never do something just for the sake of being around your crush. Meet your crush. If you haven't talked to your crush before, make a point of doing so! After all, the best way to get to know a person is simply by talking to them. Though the grade difference may intimidate you at first, if your crush is a kind, mature person, they'll look beyond that and treat you like any other human being. Since there are very few private places in school, you may always feel like you have an audience watching you when you approach your crush. You can either decide to just ignore the onlookers or approach your crush in a more relaxed setting, such as at the beginning or end of the lunch period or between classes. Be relaxed and direct in introducing yourself. Avoid blushing, giggling, or otherwise showing signs of nervousness as that can just make both you and your crush feel awkward. Keep the introduction short and simple by saying something along the lines of, “Hey my name is _____ and I just wanted to say hi because I've seen you around and you seem like a really cool person.” If you have a sibling or other friends who are seniors, you can also ask them to introduce you to your crush. That'll take some of the pressure off of you and also give your crush more of a reason to get to know you. Get to know your crush’s background. Learning more about your crush's values, faith, and culture can teach you a great deal about who they are as a person and, again, show you whether you two would actually be compatible dating. Ask them questions about their religion, beliefs, or background but do it in a way that isn't overly prying or obnoxious. Just take a sincere interest in getting to know them as a person and pick up on nonverbal cues. For example, if they only tell you the bare minimum about their family or what they believe in, don't press them and instead move onto another subject or tell them a little bit about yourself. After all, the goal is to get to know your crush and if you interrogate them too much, you may end up driving them away! Be yourself. It's not just a cliche--being yourself is likely one of the most crucial steps to attracting your crush. After all, you don't want your crush to fall for a fake version of yourself and if they are not interested in you, you'll know right from the get-go that this isn't the person for you and not to waste your time. For example, if you prefer reading and watching movies over going to your high school football games, don't pretend that you're a huge sports fan. You want your crush to like you for you, not the person you're pretending to be. Be confident and laidback. Perhaps the biggest difference between being a senior and a freshman is that everything in the school is new for freshmen. After a few years, most students develop more confidence and ease and this comes naturally with age. However, if you want to attract a senior, you will have to project that same sort of laidback confidence. Be aware of your body language. Everyone picks up on body cues subconsciously so communicate confidence with good posture, direct eye contact, and an easygoing smile. If you are feeling uncomfortable or insecure, fake it til you make it. Laugh and smile a lot and try to keep things in stride. For example, if someone insults you while you are talking to your crush, make a lighthearted joke about it rather than getting upset or depressed. Be mature. People are interested in dating those with the same maturity level and so, as you get to know your crush, aim to match their maturity level. Depending on your individual personalities, this may not require all that much effort on your part. Girls also tend to mature more quickly than boys so if you are a freshman girl interested in a senior guy, you may find your levels of maturity are actually similar. If that isn't the case, practice maturity by being organized, disciplined, and rational in your decision making. Of course, there's only so much you can do as maturity comes with age, but consciously working towards being mature rather than childlike will definitely make you stand out from other freshmen. Learn healthy relationship skills. Not only will learning about healthy relationships help you know what to expect, but it will also make you more confident and self-assured. After all, if you are trying to attract a senior, you should know the fundamentals of healthy relationships instead of always looking to them for guidance as this will create an unequal power dynamic. Finally, understanding and practicing healthy relationship skills will set you up for safe and fulfilling relationships down the road. Good communication and mutual respect are perhaps the two most crucial aspects of any healthy relationship. When talking to your crush, be honest about yourself and practice good listening skills. Also be sure to respect them by being considerate of their time and feelings (and make sure they are reciprocating!). You'll know if you are in a healthy relationship if you feel good about yourself and energized when spending time with that person. Unhealthy relationships tend to be emotionally unfulfilling, draining, and negative so make sure to watch for how you feel when spending time with your crush as that will clue you into whether the relationship is actually healthy or not.
Understand that age matters. Know and follow all laws regarding age of consent. Accept your differences. Stick to your boundaries. Find out if your crush is available. Learn your crush’s hobbies. Meet your crush. Get to know your crush’s background. Be yourself. Be confident and laidback. Be mature. Learn healthy relationship skills.
https://www.wikihow.com/Grip-a-Golf-Club
How to Grip a Golf Club
To use an overlapping grip, which is one of the most basic and versatile grips in golf, start by taking the club in your left hand. Next, with the club resting across your palm, wrap your fingers around the grip. Then, place your right pinkie finger so that it fits snugly between the forefinger and middle finger on your left hand. Finally, curl the rest of your fingers around the grip in a firm yet relaxed manner.
Take the club in your left hand. The head of your golf club should rest on the ground while you are positioning the starting grip of your left hand. The grip of the club should rest across the palm of your left hand. The heel of your hand, where it connects to the wrist, should be even with the end of the handle. If you find holding the end of the club even with the heel of your hand uncomfortable, you might improve your grip by leaving ¼" (.64 cm) of the handle extending beyond the heel of your hand. Arrange the fingers of your left hand. With the club still resting across your left palm and the heel of that hand even with the end of the club's grip, wrap your fingers around the grip. Your fingers should have no space between them, and your thumb should be lined up with the shaft. The last three fingers (pinkie, ring, and middle) of your left hand will form the foundation of your grip. These fingers should be firm against the club. The knuckles of your pinkie, ring, and middle fingers should be mostly visible while gripping the club in this fashion, when viewed from the side of the club opposite your left hand. Orient your right hand with your pinkie finger. Your pinkie finger will serve as the anchor for the grip of your right hand. You should place your right pinkie finger so that it fits snugly between the knuckle of the forefinger and middle finger on your left hand. Add your remaining fingers to the grip of the club. Curl the remaining three fingers of your right hand around the grip so there is no space between your fingers. The thumb of your right hand should be positioned over the thumb of your left hand, so they are both in alignment along the length of the shaft. Your hold on the club should be firm, but relaxed. Gripping the club too tightly can hinder your swing, while gripping too loosely may cause the club to fly free of your hands while swinging. Hold the club with your left hand. The head of the club should rest on the ground as you adjust your hands in the proper positioning. Take the grip of the golf club in the palm of your left hand so that handle lies across your palm and the heel of your hand matches up with the end of the handle. Then curl the remaining fingers of your left hand around the handle so your fingers are positioned directly next to each other. The interlocking grip is often recommended to golfers with small hands. If your hands are on the smaller side, this grip might be best for you. Connect your right hand to your left with your right pinkie. Align your right hand so it is slightly lower than your left on the club. Try not to complicate your grip at this point by adding fingers aside from your right pinkie to the grip. Allow the palm of your right hand to rest against the handle. Then, interlock your right and left hand by putting your right pinkie underneath the forefinger of your left hand. You can often tell your grip is too tight when you feel discomfort in the overlapped pinkie/forefinger. If you feel this sensation, you should relax your hold on the club. Complete the grip of your right hand. The fingers of your right hand can now be added to the grip. They should curl around your club firmly so that your fingers are arranged one after the next without gaps in between. Lay both thumbs atop the shaft. Much like the overlapping grip, your thumbs should align to follow the shaft of the club. Your end grip should have both hands holding the club as a single, interconnected unit. Take the club in your left hand. Rest the head of your club on the ground. Much like standard club grips, you should first hold the grip of the golf club in your left hand. Your left palm should be facing up, and the grip should lay across your palm. The end of the club's handle should end evenly with the heel of your hand. The baseball grip is especially recommended if you find the overlapping or interlocking grip uncomfortable. The baseball grip is often recommended to children, senior citizens, and women to provide greater leverage in the swing. However, this grip can cause issues with form, like flipping at the end of the downswing. Curl the fingers of your left hand around the club. With the baseball grip, all the fingers of your left hand will wrap around the club, unlike other grips where your thumbs align with the club's handle. Hold the club loosely with your left hand fingers gripping in this fashion, with each finger, including your thumb, curling around the handle. Place your right hand below your left hand on the grip. Your right hand should be directly below your left, with the club resting loosely in your palm and only your left hand fingers curled around the handle. Your left thumb should touch the meaty part of your hand connected to your right pinkie. Add your remaining fingers to the grip. Curl your right hand fingers around the club. The thumbs of both hands should also wrap around the club handle, with your left thumb pushing slightly into the meaty part of your right hand connect to your pinkie. This grip is very similar to the standard baseball bat grip. Take your putter in your right hand. But first rest the head of your putter on the ground. Unlike most standard grips, the cross-handed grip begins with your right hand. With your right palm facing upwards, allow the club to rest across your right palm so that the heel of your hand and the end of the club are even. The cross-handed putting grip is especially effective and assisting with an even putting stroke. If you have difficulty with even strokes in your putting, this grip is recommended. Wrap the fingers of your right hand around the shaft. Your right hand, at this point, should be loose and your right thumb should be in line with the handle of the putter. Your fingers should be arranged closely together so there is no space between them. Link your left pinkie to your right hand grip. Your left pinkie finger will need to be sandwiched between the knuckle of your right forefinger and middle finger. Keep the remaining fingers of your right hand loose and uncurled around the handle. You'll first want your left pinkie link to your right grip with a hold that is comfortable, yet firm. Add the remaining fingers of your left hand to the grip. The remaining three fingers of your left hand will curl around the handle. Your left thumb should lay atop the thumb of your right hand. Both thumbs should follow the length of the shaft of the club so both are in alignment with it. Holding the club in this fashion will help keep your left wrist firm as you putt. This will encourage more even putting. The cross-handed grip can look or feel awkward while you are getting used to it. It may take you some time before it becomes natural. Mirror right handed form if you are left handed. Left handed golfers can achieve a good grip on the club by reversing these instructions so they are mirrored. For example, instead of starting off holding the club with your left hand, you would instead take the club in your right hand. Rate and adjust your grip strength. Rate the strength of your grip from 1 - 10, with one being your weakest grip and 10 being your strongest. The kind of grip you should generally use when holding your club at about a 5 or 5½. Don't grip the golf club too tightly. You should hold it like a firm handshake. A tighter grip doesn't make a more powerful shot, it will only restrict your ability to take a full swing. Maintain clean, straight angles in your form. A slight bend or angle will drastically affect your swing, especially on long shots and putts. When putting, even small deviations will be increased by irregularities in the terrain and can cost you strokes. When holding a putter, make sure your forearms and the shaft of the club form a straight line towards the ground.
Take the club in your left hand. Arrange the fingers of your left hand. Orient your right hand with your pinkie finger. Add your remaining fingers to the grip of the club. Hold the club with your left hand. Connect your right hand to your left with your right pinkie. Complete the grip of your right hand. Lay both thumbs atop the shaft. Take the club in your left hand. Curl the fingers of your left hand around the club. Place your right hand below your left hand on the grip. Add your remaining fingers to the grip. Take your putter in your right hand. Wrap the fingers of your right hand around the shaft. Link your left pinkie to your right hand grip. Add the remaining fingers of your left hand to the grip. Mirror right handed form if you are left handed. Rate and adjust your grip strength. Maintain clean, straight angles in your form.
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How to Use a Pregnancy Pillow
To use a pregnancy pillow, try placing a wedge-shaped, U-shaped, or full-length pillow under your belly while you lie on your side, which will help relieve your back muscles. You can also wrap your arms and legs around a U-shaped or full-length pillow to relieve tension in your knee and ankle joints. To give more support to your lower back and pelvis, wrap a C-, U-, or J-shaped pillow around your back while you sleep.
Select a wedge-shaped pillow. Use wedge-shaped pillows to prop your head or back while sitting or reclining or to support your back or belly while lying on your side. You can even use wedge-shaped pillows to prop a hot water bottle up against your back. Wedge-shaped pillows are convenient because they are small and easily portable. However, because they are small, you will still need to use a regular pillow for your head. Choose from a crescent-shaped or triangular-shaped wedge pillow, whichever is your preference. The different shapes do not provide different benefits. Try a U-shaped pillow. Use a U-shaped pillow to support your whole body from your head and neck to your back, belly, knees, and ankles. This pillow is great for women who are used to sleeping on their back. It is also convenient for women who toss and turn during the night since you do not need to readjust the pillow. The U-shaped pillow is typically the most expensive pregnancy pillow. It is also the biggest pregnancy pillow. So if you have a small bed, look into getting a smaller pillow. Opt for a C-shaped pillow. C-shaped pillows are smaller than the U-shaped ones, so they are great if you have a mid-sized bed. These pillows provide support for your head, neck, back, and pelvic area. They are great for relieving pelvic tension and reducing water retention in your legs and ankles. The only drawback is that you will need to adjust the pillow throughout the night as you switch sides. This pillow shape is also recommended for plus-size women since its asymmetrical shape allows you to shape the pillow in a variety of ways. Select a J-shaped pillow. The J-shaped pillow is similar to the U-shaped pillow, only smaller and without the extra side. So if you have a mid-sized bed, look into this pillow. This pillow is great for head, neck, and back support. Try a full-length pillow. Also known as I-shaped pillows, these pillows are straight and run along the length of your body. They look like regular pillows, only longer. You can wrap your arms and legs around them. However, they do not provide much back support. Flexible versions of the full-length pillow are available as well. The flexible ones bend and conform to your body, but they are generally more expensive. Wedge the pillow under your belly. While lying on your side, place a U-shaped, full length, or wedge-shaped pillow underneath your belly. This will help support your belly, as well as your back muscles while you sleep. Place the pillow between your legs and arms. Wrap your legs and arms around a U-shaped or full length pillow. The center of the pillow should be supporting your belly. This position is akin to hugging or cuddling the pillow. Placing the pillow between your legs and arms will help relieve tension in your knee and ankle joints. Wrap it around your back. Wrap a C, U, or J-shaped pillow along your back and between your legs. This position will give your lower and upper back, as well as your pelvis, support while you sleep. If you are uncomfortable sleeping on your back, these pillows will prevent you from rolling on your back while you sleep as well. You can also place a wedge-shaped pillow behind your back to support your lower back. Support your head and neck. Place a wedge-shaped pillow underneath your regular pillow to support your head and neck. This position will help relieve symptoms such as acid reflux and heartburn. If you are using a C, U, or J-shaped pillow, keep your spine aligned by placing your head and neck on the pillow as if you are using a regular pillow. Choose a pillow with hollow fiber filling or polystyrene foam. Both of these fillings are hypoallergenic, as well as water- and smell-resistant. These fillings are also washer-friendly, and they keep their form. Pillows with this type of filling are typically more expensive, around $60 or more, depending on the size of the pillow. Just remember, whatever pillow you choose, make sure it can support your weight and will not lose its shape throughout your pregnancy; for example, if you are a plus-size woman, you may want to choose a memory foam pillow since these tend to hold their shape better. Try a lightweight pillow. Pregnancy pillows filled with Styrofoam balls are very lightweight. Additionally, the balls allow the pillow to conform to your body easily. One drawback is the noise the filling makes as you move around. The noise is similar to the one a beanbag makes when you lay on it. This filling is typically found in cheaper pregnancy pillows. Pillows with Styrofoam ball filling are generally not machine washable, so make sure to choose one with a removable cover that you can wash. Go for a supportive pillow. Pillows made with microbead filling are more supportive than the ones with Styrofoam ball filling. They are also very lightweight and make very little noise as you move around. Like Styrofoam pillows, pillows with microbead filling tend to be cheaper, around $40 or more, depending on the size of the pillow. Pillows with microbead filling may or may not be machine washable. If you choose one that is not, make sure it has a removable cover that you can wash. Try a body conforming pillow. Pillows filled with memory foam conform to your body and hold their shape very well. However, memory foam is not very breathable. Consequently, these pillows can become very hot as you sleep throughout the night. Memory foam pillows tend to be more expensive, around $100 or more, depending on the size of the pillow. Additionally, memory foam pillows are typically machine washable. If you're worried about becoming too warm at night, try a pillow with shredded memory foam. This has many of the same benefits, but more air can move through the pillow, cooling it down. Choose a pillow with a removable cover. Pillows with removable covers are great because they make keeping your pillow clean very easy. All you need to do is remove the cover and wash it per the instructions on the tag. Look for pillows with zip or slip on covers. If the pillow you like does not have a removable cover, then make sure it is machine washable and can fit inside your washing machine. Take note of the size. If you are taller than the average woman, look into getting a pillow that is 8 to 11 feet (250 to 350 cm) long. If you are average height, then get a pillow that is 5 to 6 feet (160 to 170 cm) long. The size of the pillow you want will also depend on the size of your bed and your personal preference. For example, if you have a small or mid-sized bed, make sure to get a pillow that is not too big for your bed. The length of the pillow can also be affected by style; for example, U-shaped pillows tend to be longer than the other types of pillows. Try a firm pillow. Although it may be tempting to get a soft pillow, it is recommended that you get a pillow that is at least slightly firm. A firmer pillow will provide more support and keep its shape longer. It may be uncomfortable at first, but over time you may get used to it.
Select a wedge-shaped pillow. Try a U-shaped pillow. Opt for a C-shaped pillow. Select a J-shaped pillow. Try a full-length pillow. Wedge the pillow under your belly. Place the pillow between your legs and arms. Wrap it around your back. Support your head and neck. Choose a pillow with hollow fiber filling or polystyrene foam. Try a lightweight pillow. Go for a supportive pillow. Try a body conforming pillow. Choose a pillow with a removable cover. Take note of the size. Try a firm pillow.
https://www.wikihow.com/Batik
How to Batik
Before batiking, dye your fabric in base colors that will show under the wax resist. Then, melt your batik wax in an electric wax pot or double boiler. Stretch your fabric on an embroidery hoop to keep it taught and stable, and use a variety of tools and instruments, such as stamps and brushes, to apply the wax. After applying your first layer of wax, tub-dye your fabric before adding more layers of wax. When your fabric is finished, remove the wax by boiling or ironing it out.
Prewash your fabrics. Use hot water to wash the fabrics in a detergent (such as Synthrapol) to remove chemicals and impurities that can affect dyes. Dye your fabrics in base colors. These base colors are the colors that will show under the wax resist. Melt your batik wax. Batik wax comes in a brick that needs to be melted in either an electric wax pot or double boiler. Use caution with hot wax. Do not heat it above 240° as it could begin to emit fumes or even catch fire. It is not recommended that you heat wax on the stove top. Wax pots and double boilers heat the wax slowly and at a lower heat. Stretch your fabric on an embroidery hoop. The hoop will keep the fabric taught and stable, allowing you to apply wax with greater precision. If you are applying designs to large swaths of fabric, you can lay newsprint or cardboard on your work surface without stretching it on a hoop. The wax will penetrate through the fabric, so a protective surface underneath is highly recommended. Begin to apply the wax with your tools. Various tools will yield different line qualities, so some experimentation beforehand is recommended. Use a single-spouted tjanting tool to draw thin lines and designs. It is a standard tool that is very versatile and comes in a variety of spout sizes. A double-spouted tjanting tool creates parallel lines and can also be used in filling larger areas. Brushes can also be used to cover large areas. They can be used traditionally, in broad strokes, or as a stippling tool for a dot pattern. Use stamps for the application of uniform shapes. Stamps can be made of anything that can take the heat of the wax. Try carving a potato into a shape, or using the end of a celery stalk to stamp out half circles. Regulate your wax temperature. The wax should be hot enough to penetrate through the fabric, but not be so hot and thin that it spreads when applied. The wax will be clear if it has penetrated to the other side of the fabric. Get ready to tub-dye your fabric. When considering which dye colors to use, it is recommended that you begin with the lightest colors first (like yellow) and then move towards darker colors. Wash your fabric in Synthrapol. Dissolve your dye by following instructions on the package. Some dyes (like reds) are harder to dissolve than other. Add in the appropriate amount of non-iodized salt. For a 1/2 pound of dry fabric, add in 1 1/2 cups of salt. For a pound of fabric, use 3 cups of salt. Add in your damp fabric. Stir gently, but frequently for 20 minutes. Mix up your soda ash. Soda ash, or sodium carbonate, is used to bond the dye to the cellulose in fiber. Dissolve the ash in warm water and add it into the tub slowly (over the course of 15 minutes), being careful not to dump it directly onto the fabric (which could cause discoloration). For each 1/2 pound of dry fabric, add in 1/6 cups of salt. For a pound of fabric, use 1/3 cups of salt. Stir gently, but frequently for another 30 minutes. Rinse you fabric and wash out excess dye. Run cool water over your fabric until it runs clear. Then wash it in hot water using Synthrapol. With some darker colors, like red or brown, a second washing may be necessary to remove all excess dye. Allow the fabric to dry. Repeat another application of wax to add more layers of color and design. With every additional layer you wish to add, follow the steps for tub dyeing. Remember to tub dye your darkest colors last. Remove the wax. When you are done with all the color dyeing, you may remove the wax in one of two ways: Boil the wax out. Fill a pot large enough to hold your fabric with water and a few drops of Synthrapol. Once the water begins to boil, add in your fabric and weigh it down with a rock to keep the wax (which will be floating at the top) from re-bonding with the fabric. After a few minutes, the wax will pull out of the fabric. After all the wax appears to be out of the fabric, allow the pot to cool completely, and peel the wax layer from the top of the pot. Iron the wax out. Place the fabric between two sheets of absorbent paper and run the iron over the sandwiched fabric. The wax can leave behind a residue, so use care to ensure the wax is removed. Periodically changing out the papers can aid in wax removal. Wash and dry your fabric. Throw your fabric into the washing machine with Synthrapol one last time to ensure all of the dyes have been released. Dry your fabric either on a line, or in the dryer. All batiked! Spread the plastic on your work surface. Lay your pre-washed and pre-dyed fabric over the overlapped sheets of plastic wrap. Create designs using the washable resist medium. As with traditional batiking, you may use the single or double-spouted tjanting tool to create thin lines for designs. Use paint brushes to cover larger areas with the medium. Allow the medium to dry for approximately 30 minutes, though exact dry time depends on how thickly the medium was applied. Consider using stamps dipped in the medium to create a repeat pattern. You can use a stencil by placing it down on the fabric and dabbing the medium around it with a foam brush. Mix up your liquid dye. Follow the instructions on the package to mix up the dye. If you are using a liquid dye, adjusting the water-to-dye ratio can create softer (add more water) or more vivid colors (add more dye). Apply the dye. Dyes can be dribbled, painted, sprayed, or dabbed on. Consider mixing two or more colors together to create color variations. Cover the fabric with plastic wrap. Once you have finished with your dye application, cover the fabric with plastic wrap and seal the edges. Nuke your fabric. Place paper towels on the bottom of the microwave oven to protect against spills. Place your plastic-covered fabric in the microwave oven (you may need to fold the fabric) and cook on high for 2 minutes. Remove the fabric from the microwave. Using thick rubber gloves, carefully remove the fabric from the microwave oven. The fabric will be hot, so use caution! Allow the fabric to cool for a few minutes before removing the plastic. Wash and dry your fabric. Rinse your fabric under cool water until it runs clear. After you've removed the initial dye, wash the fabric in warm water with a mild detergent, and rinse. Dry your fabric. Prewash your silk. Add a drop or two of liquid dish soap to a tub or bucket of water. Rinse and dry your fabric. While still slightly damp, press your fabric with an iron set to the "silk" setting. If you wish to sketch out a design instead of painting it freehand, this would be done after ironing. Stretch your silk. Apply safety pins connected to rubber bands around the edges of your silk--every 4–6 inches (10.2–15.2 cm). Lay your silk over the frame and begin to apply push pins to the frame. The rubber bands will hook around push pins set into the frame to create a taut trampoline. The rubber bands should be small enough to maintain good tension, but long enough to as to avoid tearing the fabric. You can link two rubber bands together to create longer ones if your frame is much larger than the piece of silk. The goal is to create a taut surface on which to paint. The surface should be taut, but should not be too tight that it begins to tear. Elevate your frame. Place 4 plastic cups or containers under the frame to raise it off the work surface. Apply your resist. The resist can be applied with a paint brush, or through the narrow spout of an applicator bottle. Allow the resist to dry completely before moving on to color. Depending on preference, there are two type of resists that work well for silk painting: Rubber based resists, or guttae, are similar in consistency to rubber cement and can be diluted to a thin consistency useful for drawing finer lines. After the color has been set, they are removed by dry-cleaning the finished fabric. The downside of this resist is the fumes it produces. It is recommended that you use a respirator in a well-ventilated area when applying rubber based gutta. Water soluble resists are non-toxic, odorless, and wash away in warm water. These resists work well in conjunction with silk paints (as opposed to dyes), which are heat set with heat. The downside to this resist is that it's not as free-flowing as other guttae, and fine details are harder to achieve. Apply your color. Carefully apply your dye or paint with a brush. Allow the color to flow towards an area of resist. Painting directly on the resist may cause it to dissolve and fill in. There are two options when it comes to color: Silk paints are pigment-based products that color the surface of the fabric, but do not penetrate into the fabric's fiber. These colors can be used on a wide variety of fabrics (including synthetics) and are set with a dry iron Silk dyes color fabric by forming a bond with the fibers in the fabric. These are a wonderful choice if you do not want to diminish the natural luster of silk. Colors are light-fast and washable. Allow your painted silk to set for 24 hours. If you have opted for silk paints, heat-set the color by applying the iron for 2-3 minutes on the back side of the fabric. After ironing, rinse the silk in warm water, hang to dry, and iron again while still slightly damp. If you used silk dyes, after allowing the color to dry for 24 hours, rinse the fabric until the water runs clear. Add a couple of drops of light detergent or dish soap to a bucket or tub and wash the silk. Rinse again with cool water, and hang to dry. When the silk is almost dry, apply a dry iron heated to the "silk" setting.
Prewash your fabrics. Dye your fabrics in base colors. Melt your batik wax. Stretch your fabric on an embroidery hoop. Begin to apply the wax with your tools. Regulate your wax temperature. Get ready to tub-dye your fabric. Repeat another application of wax to add more layers of color and design. Remove the wax. Wash and dry your fabric. Spread the plastic on your work surface. Create designs using the washable resist medium. Mix up your liquid dye. Apply the dye. Cover the fabric with plastic wrap. Nuke your fabric. Remove the fabric from the microwave. Wash and dry your fabric. Prewash your silk. Stretch your silk. Elevate your frame. Apply your resist. Apply your color. Allow your painted silk to set for 24 hours.
https://www.wikihow.com/Feel-Better-with-a-Sinus-Infection
How to Feel Better with a Sinus Infection
For quick relief from a nasty sinus infection, drink some hot tea to help loosen mucus and relieve painful pressure in your sinuses. If you have a sore throat, try adding honey, ginger and lemon to sooth your throat, but avoid caffeine, which can be dehydrating. Additionally, your body needs to stay hydrated to fight infection, so drink plenty of water and use an air humidifier to keep your sinuses from drying out. Then, if your symptoms last longer than 10 days or you develop a fever, make an appointment with your doctor and ask about medicines, such as pills and nasal sprays, that can help relieve congestion.
Make an appointment with your doctor if symptoms last longer than ten days. If you have a runny or stuffed nose, do not automatically assume it is a sinus infection. Typically, home care of over the counter antihistamines, rest, hydration and cold remedies can be utilized to help your body recover. The unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics is causing bacteria to no longer respond to antibiotics, rendering them ineffective. To avoid this, allow yourself time to rest and recuperate before contacting your doctor. If necessary, your doctor can evaluate your condition and prescribe medicines to help you recover and feel better. Seek help if you experience any of the following symptoms: Sinus congestion that lasts for more than 10 days A fever of 102°F (38.9°C) or higher Symptoms that improve and then worse at or around the 6th day of your illness Talk to your doctor about taking an over-the-counter (OTC) decongestant. Ask your doctor for recommendations on what over the counter medicines might help to ease your symptoms. Sinus infections are often accompanied by mucus buildup and congestion, medicines that fight these symptoms can help you get relief. These medicines are available in both pill form and as a nasal spray. Popular decongestant pills include phenylephrine (Sudafed PE) and pseudoephedrine (Sudafed). Generic versions of these medicines will work just as well as long as they contain the same ingredients. Don't use nasal sprays, such as Afrin, for more than three days unless directed — this can actually increase congestion. Ask your doctor about taking OTC painkillers to help ease sinus pain. Painkillers (or analgesia) won't usually fight the direct cause of the sinus infection, but they can help with painful aches and sinus pressure. Always follow the directions on the label with these medications — they can be dangerous if taken in very high doses. Don't rely on OTC painkillers for more than about a week and a half without consulting with a doctor. Ibuprofen is an especially good choice because it's also an anti-inflammatory. This means that it can reduce the swelling in the sinus passages, helping to relieve mucus buildup and pressure. Other good OTC painkillers include acetaminophen (paracetamol) and naproxen sodium. Only take recommended dosages of these medications. Overdoing it with these medications can cause serious issues, such as kidney or liver problems. Discuss allergy medications with your doctor. Sinus infections can have a wide variety of causes. For instance, some sinus infections aren't the result of a disease, but instead a reaction to substances in the air that the sufferer is allergic to. Luckily, there are medicines available to fight allergy symptoms and make you feel better: Most OTC medicines used for allergies belong to a type of drugs called antihistamines. Examples include diphenhydramine (Benadryl), Brompheniramine (Dimetapp), and Loratadine (Claritin). If you have a sinus infection and you haven't ever been tested for allergies, it can be a wise idea to schedule an allergy test with your doctor. This can prevent you from wasting time with solutions that don't work for you. Ask your doctor about antibiotics for bacterial infections. Antibiotics are a type of medicine that kills harmful bacteria in the body. If your doctor believes that your sinus infection is caused by bacteria, she or he may prescribe you some antibiotics to fight it. Do not take antibiotics that were not prescribed for you and do not take old antibiotics that were prescribed for a different condition. If you are given antibiotics, it is important to follow your doctor's instructions as you use it. Don't stop taking it if you feel better before you're done with the medicine — always take the full course of antibiotics. This can cause the bacteria to adapt to that antibiotic, which will keep it from working in the future. Keep in mind that the use of antibiotics to treat sinus infections is controversial among doctors, so some doctors may not be willing to prescribe them. Talk to your doctor about prescription steroidal medicines for severe sinus infections. In some cases sinusitis may be severe or chronic in nature, and not due to bacterial infection. In these cases, your doctor may prescribe you a type of medicine administered through nasal spray which includes a corticosteroid. These drugs help fight inflammation in your sinus passages, improving the flow of mucus and relieving pressure. Brands include Nasacort and Flonase. Drink hot liquids. . Hot liquids help loosen and break down mucus in your sinus packages. This can relieve the painful "pressure" feeling that often comes with sinus infections. Plus, the warm sensation of the liquid can help soothe sore throats and stimulate blood flow for quicker healing. Good choices include: Tea: Many find that honey, ginger, and lemon are especially soothing. Hot chocolate Soup: Something thin like chicken noodle soup is usually best. Hot water on its own or with lemon and/or honey Try to avoid drinks with caffeine in the afternoon or evening as these can make it hard to get to sleep as well as can be dehydrating. A good night's rest is especially important when you're sick. Apply a warm compress. Using a warm compress on the bridge of your nose. The warmth from the compress will help to make you feel better and it should also make it easier for you to blow your nose. Place a washcloth in a bowl of hot water or place it under hot running water. Be careful not to burn yourself. When the cloth reaches a comfortable temperature, place it across your nose and allow it to sit there until the heat is gone. Recline in a chair or lay down so that the cloth will stay put. Eat spicy foods. Some foods (generally ones that are spicy or pungent) are great for "opening up" your sinuses. This will lead to mucus production and a runny nose in the short term, but it should help clear your head and reduce your discomfort. Good choices include: Foods with plenty of red/cayenne pepper. Foods with hot sauce (sriracha, etc.) added. Especially "minty" or "cold"-tasting foods like peppermint, spearmint, Horseradish. Get a humidifier. A humidifier will help to keep the air moist as you sleep, which will help to make you more comfortable. You may also want to consider adding a few drops of eucalyptus oil to your humidifier. Doing so has been shown to have decongestant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, which should help to clear your sinuses and aid in prevention of a sinus infection. Suck on lozenges that contain zinc. Sucking on lozenges for a sore throat may also help to you're your nasal passages and help you feel better. Lozenges that contain zinc may also help to shorten a cold if you start taking them within the first 24 hours of symptoms. Use these lozenges as needed to keep an irritated throat feeling good. Be careful about the number of lozenges you take. While they can provide comfort in small amounts, taking them in large doses or for more than five days can lead to an upset stomach or an unpleasant taste in the mouth. Stay hydrated. While hydration is always important, it's extra-important when you're feeling sick. Try to keep a bottle of water handy at all times and take sips throughout the day. The more you drink, the better your body will be able to help you fight your infection. In addition, water helps moisten the mucus membranes, lessening congestion and discomfort. Get enough sleep at night. When you're sick, you should aim to get quality rest — and plenty of it. Sleep is a vital part of your body's natural recovery cycle that can't be ignored. It's your body's time to rest and "repair" itself. When you're not getting enough, it becomes hard for your body to deal with diseases and infections that are affecting your health. If you can, set your normal bedtime back two hours and your wake-up time ahead one (unless you're still going to school or work) to ensure you get lots of rest. If you have a hard time getting to sleep due to your sinus infection, try some of the following strategies: Use a nasal strip to open up your air passages. Take a shower before bed (the steam will help open your sinuses) as well as help relax you. Sleep semi-upright so that mucus drains out of your head. Try to prop up your whole upper body, not just your neck, as this is uncomfortable and can actually close your airway. Use a mentholated medicine (like Vick's,peppermint essential oil, eucalyptus etc.). Use gentle, soothing tissues for a runny nose. Nothing makes a sinus infection worse than a raw, irritated nose from over-wiping. If your sinus infection is causing a runny nose, invest an extra dollar or two in a box of extra soft tissues. Select a product with lotion or cooling agents built in. These can soothe and moisturize your nose as you wipe, preventing discomfort. Irrigate your nasal passages with a neti pot. Nasal irrigation is the process of pouring a saline solution into one nostril so that it drains out the other. As it passes through your sinuses, it can help to moisten and clear sinus infections. If desired, you can use nasal irrigation as an occasional method of clearing your sinuses quickly. However, studies suggest that if used too often it can actually be counterproductive, so try to limit your usage to periods of between one and three weeks. See below for instructions: Warm 4-8 oz of distilled or sterilized water on the stove or microwave. It is crucial to use clean water for nasal irrigation — using dirty water can introduce harmful microbes to the sinuses. If in doubt, you can always boil water, then allow it to cool. Add the water to a nasal irrigation pot or bottle. Neti Pot is the most famous brand, but similar alternatives exist. Add premixed saline mixture to water. This is usually sold alongside the pot or bottle itself. Follow the directions on the packet to mix the saline. Irrigate in each nostril, turning your head and allowing the water to drain out of the opposite nostril and into the sink. Consider herbal supplements. A wide variety of so-called "natural" cures are sold online and in brick and mortar stores for treating sinus infections. These supplements are made from small amounts of herbs and claim to offer relief from painful sinus symptoms without the chemicals in traditional medicines. While some swear by these remedies, there is a general lack of scientific evidence for the effectiveness of most herbal supplements. In addition to this, these remedies aren't usually held to the same standards of quality control as "real" medicines, so use them with caution. You can find herbal supplements online with a quick search engine query. Just a few remedies that are claimed to help with sinus infections are: Eucalyptus (in bathwater) Peppermint oil (in bathwater) Garlic (eaten) Echinacea (in tea) Turmeric (in tea) Be very careful with supplementation as they are not monitored by FDA for purity and efficacy. Take a hot shower. A hot shower can help you feel better when you are recovering from a sinus infection. Not only will the steam help open your nasal passages, but the warm water can also help you relax and leave you refreshed for your upcoming day. Cool puffy eyes. Red, irritated, and puffy eyes often come with a sinus infection. Cool them down to make them feel rested and refreshed. There are several good ways to do this: Drop a few ice cubes in a plastic bag, wrap it in a paper towel, and hold them against your closed eyelids for five to 10 minutes. Get some sun. Believe it or not, something as simple as the sun's rays can have a major effect on the way you feel. Humans need vitamin D (which is created when the skin takes in sunlight) for a variety of important body processes, including the functioning of the immune system. In addition, sunlight has been found to help fight depression, which can be a big benefit if your sinus infection has left you feeling miserable. As long as it's not overcast, you can usually get sun no matter what it's like outside. If it's winter, sit by a sunny window with a good book. If it's a bit warmer outside, trying sitting on the porch or in the yard, even if you have to bundle up a bit. Have a massage (or give yourself one). When you're sick with a sinus infection, you often just plain don't feel good. This can carry over to your mood as well. One great way to feel better with a sinus infection is to have someone give you a massage. It's hard to feel bad when you're getting a massage — the gentle pressure relaxes you, elevates your mood, and helps you forget about your symptoms (at least for a moment). You can also try giving yourself a facial massage. This is an especially good option if your sinus infection is causing painful pressure behind your face. To do this, use your fingers to gently press on the spot between your brows just above your nose. Press and rub for about one minute. Next, slowly move your fingers around your face, rubbing as you go. Start at your forehead, then gradually move down to your temples, cheeks, and jawline.
Make an appointment with your doctor if symptoms last longer than ten days. Talk to your doctor about taking an over-the-counter (OTC) decongestant. Ask your doctor about taking OTC painkillers to help ease sinus pain. Discuss allergy medications with your doctor. Ask your doctor about antibiotics for bacterial infections. Talk to your doctor about prescription steroidal medicines for severe sinus infections. Drink hot liquids. Apply a warm compress. Eat spicy foods. Get a humidifier. Suck on lozenges that contain zinc. Stay hydrated. Get enough sleep at night. Use gentle, soothing tissues for a runny nose. Irrigate your nasal passages with a neti pot. Consider herbal supplements. Take a hot shower. Cool puffy eyes. Get some sun. Have a massage (or give yourself one).
https://www.wikihow.com/Swaddle-a-Baby
How to Swaddle a Baby
To swaddle a baby, start by laying a blanket on a flat surface so it looks like a diamond. Then, fold the top corner down to the center of the blanket, and place the baby face-up on the blanket so their neck is lined up with the fold. Place the baby's left arm at their side, then fold the left corner over their body toward the right. Tuck the corner under their right side. Now do the same thing on the other side, placing the baby's right arm at their side and folding the right corner over to the left. Finish by folding the bottom corner up and tucking it underneath the baby's legs to close the swaddle.
Lay out the blanket on a flat surface. Spread the blanket out on a secure, flat surface, such as your bed or a padded floor. Arrange it in a diamond shape. The blanket should be at least 40 by 40 inches (100 cm × 100 cm). If you can buy a blanket specifically for swaddling, this is best. Ideally, the blanket should be made of a light, breathable material, such as muslin cotton. This will help prevent your baby from becoming overheated, especially if you live in a warm area. For easy swaddling, you can purchase a specially designed swaddler with Velcro fasteners that hold the flaps in place. Make sure to choose one that's appropriate for your baby's size and age. Fold down the top corner of the blanket. Once you've spread out the blanket, fold over the top corner. The folded corner should be on top of the blanket, not underneath it. The folded corner will help guide your placement of the baby. Your blanket should now resemble the outline of a cartoon drawing of a gem or the Superman symbol, with 3 corners on the sides and bottom and a flat area on top. Place the baby face-up on the blanket. Lay down the baby on the blanket on their back so that their head is above the folded top edge of the blanket. Try to keep the baby centered on the blanket. If your baby is very young, be sure their head and body are properly supported while you do this. It's very important to keep your baby face-up and make sure they are positioned so that their face will not be covered by the blanket after you swaddle them. Place your baby’s left arm at their side. Take your baby's left arm and carefully straighten it. Place it alongside the left side of their body and gently hold it in place. Alternatively, you can fold the arm across their chest, like they are in the womb. However, your baby may be able to wriggle free if their arms are bent. Pull the wrap around the baby’s body to the right side. Pull the corner of the blanket on the baby's left side (your right) across their body, and tuck it under their back on their right side, just below their right armpit. The blanket should be tucked snugly enough to hold the baby's left arm in place at their side. Move the baby's right arm into position. Gently place the baby's right arm at their side and hold it in place, just like you did with the left arm. The corner of the blanket that you folded over will now be trapped between the right side of the baby's body and their right arm. You can also fold their right arm across their chest if you wish, but remember that this will make it easier for the baby to break free of the swaddle. Tuck the other side of the blanket under the baby’s left side. Take the corner of the blanket on the baby's right (your left) and pull it across their body. Tuck it underneath the baby's body on their left side. Your baby's entire upper body should now be gently but firmly wrapped, with both arms held securely in place. Make sure you can fit 2 or 3 fingers between the baby's chest and the blanket. If not, you will need to undo the swaddle and rewrap it a little more loosely. Close the bottom of the swaddle. Loosely fold up or twist the bottom of the blanket to cover the baby's feet. Take the loose end and tuck it underneath the baby's legs on one side or the other. Alternatively, you can fold up the bottom corner of the blanket over the baby's feet before you pull the other side of the blanket across the baby's body. Important: Leave plenty of room for the baby's legs and feet to move within the swaddle. This will prevent overheating and, over the long term, hip dysplasia. Always place your baby on their back to sleep. Babies who sleep on their sides or stomachs are at greater risk of developing SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. It's especially important to keep swaddled babies on their backs, since they are less mobile than un-swaddled babies and have a higher risk of suffocating if they are placed face-down. There's no evidence that swaddling can prevent or reduce the risk of SIDS. However, if done correctly, this practice can be safe and beneficial for your baby. Stop swaddling your baby by 2 months of age. Once your baby is old enough to roll over on their own, it's time to stop swaddling them. It can be very dangerous for your baby if they manage to roll over onto their stomach while swaddled. Even before babies are able to roll over intentionally, they can sometimes accidentally flip themselves over by arching their backs or flailing around when they are upset or excited. Never leave your baby unattended on an elevated surface, such as a changing table, even if you don't think they're able to roll over yet. Not all babies are able to roll over by the time they're 2 months old, but it's safest to stop swaddling before they develop that ability. If you notice that your baby is able to roll over before the age of 2 months, stop swaddling them right away. Once your baby is too old for swaddling, consider trying an alternative like a sleep sack (which loosely covers the legs but leaves the arms free) or footie pajamas. Avoid swaddling too tightly. If you swaddle the baby too tightly, especially if the baby is very young, they may have trouble filling their lungs with air. The swaddle should be tight enough to hold their arms in place, but you should still be able to fit 2-3 fingers between their chest and the blanket. Additionally, keep the wrapping around their legs loose enough so that the legs can bend up and out. If the swaddling is wrapped too tightly around the baby's legs, it could prevent their hips from developing correctly. On the other hand, if the swaddle is wrapped too loosely, there's a danger that it could come undone and cover the baby's face, creating a risk of suffocation. Dress your baby lightly and choose a light blanket to prevent overheating. Overheating can also put your baby at risk of developing SIDS. Always choose a light, breathable blanket or wrap when swaddling your baby. If the weather is warm, dress your baby in light clothes or just a diaper under the swaddling wrap. Unwrap your baby if you see signs of overheating, such as: Rapid breathing Damp hair or sweating Flushed skin A heat rash Use a firm mattress in baby's crib to prevent suffocation. A mattress that is too soft can suffocate a baby if they do manage to end up face-down in the crib. A firm mattress will let your baby sleep and keep them safe. Cover the mattress with a fitted sheet that's designed to fit the mattress. Make sure the mattress also fits well in your baby's crib or bassinet. Check for any gaps between the mattress and the sides of the crib, since your baby could potentially roll into one of these and get stuck. Keep loose blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals out of the crib. Having a lot of loose items in the crib puts your baby at risk of suffocation. Don't give your baby a pillow or a loose sheet or blanket. Keep them warm using a swaddle, sleep sack, or appropriate clothes. Most babies can start safely using a pillow by the time they're 1 ½ years old. Your baby can probably start using loose blankets by the time they're 1 year old. Check with your pediatrician if you're not sure whether your child is ready.
Lay out the blanket on a flat surface. Fold down the top corner of the blanket. Place the baby face-up on the blanket. Place your baby’s left arm at their side. Pull the wrap around the baby’s body to the right side. Move the baby's right arm into position. Tuck the other side of the blanket under the baby’s left side. Close the bottom of the swaddle. Always place your baby on their back to sleep. Stop swaddling your baby by 2 months of age. Avoid swaddling too tightly. Dress your baby lightly and choose a light blanket to prevent overheating. Use a firm mattress in baby's crib to prevent suffocation. Keep loose blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals out of the crib.
https://www.wikihow.com/Find-a-Queer-Relationship-in-High-School
How to Find a Queer Relationship in High School
To find a queer relationship in high school, consider joining your school's LGBTQ group, where you can meet other people who are out and possibly looking for a relationship. If you're not comfortable dating someone from your own high school, or if you don't mind doing long distance, try connecting with gay people online through sites like Tumblr and Twitter. Even if you're struggling to find a relationship now, try to remember that it gets a lot easier to meet people after high school, and eventually you'll find someone!
Decide whether or not you want to be out. Deciding to come out to your friends and family is a big step forward, but it's not necessarily one you have to make right now. If you feel comfortable coming out, do it. You will find people who love and support you and it will also be a lot easier to find and enter into a queer relationship. If you don't feel comfortable coming out yet, that's okay too! The most important thing is to come out when you feel ready. If you're looking for a compromise, come out, but only to your closest friends and family. Join your high school’s LGBTQ group. If your school already has an LGBTQ club, getting involved is an easy way to meet and surround yourself with fellow queer teens. Not only will you find a support network within the group, you will have access to fellow students who are already out, and, like you, presumably looking for a relationship. If your school does not have an LGBTQ club already in place, consider working with an advisor to start one. Even if you don't click with anyone in your club, chances are your friends have their own gay friends. Try to meet as many as you can and see if you find someone you're attracted to. Get involved in your school’s music and art program. Many theater and art programs value diversity, allow for creativity, and give people a chance to escape the problems in their everyday lives. By auditioning for plays, joining your school's chorus or volunteering for stage crew, you put yourself in a position to potentially meet other gay teens, plus, you may avoid much of the homophobia that is traditionally found in more mainstream high school experiences. As you continue to get involved in theater and the arts, look for programs outside your high school to extend your network. Keep in touch with your older friends after they graduate. Visit them at college and meet their friends – you may click with someone you meet on campus. Do the things you like to do. Statistically speaking, there are other gay teens in your high school – they just might not know it or feel comfortable talking about it yet. Pursue the things you love in high school and chances are you'll meet another gay teen who is similarly interested in the things you care about. If you're already out, you may find that closeted gay teens flock to you, simply because you're approachable and represent something they desperately want. Be a good friend to them and it may turn into something more. If you're not out, don't worry. Come out when you're comfortable and use this time to focus on your studies and developing your personality. Make queer friends online. The Internet is an amazing tool and it has revolutionized how gay people can connect. Use Tumblr and Twitter to find people with similar interests as you. If you look up to a celebrity who is out, you might have luck meeting gay teens in the comment section of their YouTube or fan page. Be careful when meeting people on the Internet. Never meet someone in person by yourself, unless it's in a public place. Share your experiences online. Write about your own coming out, your struggles dating in your school. You may inspire other teens and that may lead to friendship and a relationship down the road. Visit a big city. If you live in a small town, statistically speaking there are other gay people there, but there are probably not many. By visiting a big city, you open yourself up to way more options, plus, you get to see how diverse the world actually is. If you live close to the city, try going in once a week to take a class and hang out. The more time you spend there, the greater the chance you'll meet someone. If you live farther away, plan a vacation with either your family or your friends. Visit traditionally gay neighborhoods, where you'll sometimes find youth centers that are designed to provide support for gay teenagers. Go to concerts for gay musicians. There's no such thing as gay music, but there are bands and singers that have large gay followings. Buy tickets to a show and try to make friends there – you already have the music in common, so right off the bat you have something to talk about. If the band is a local band, make friends with the musicians. Then you'll have a reason to keep coming back, plus, they'll be able to introduce you to their own gay friends and fans. Consider joining a special interest group. You are more likely to meet people who you can connect with if you share some of the same interests. Check out the options in your area to find some other queer people who you you will enjoy being around. For example, if you are into reading, look for a book club. If you like soccer, join your school's soccer team or a team that is not affiliated with your school. If you like to go biking, look for a cycling group. Start flirting. Once you have met someone you're interested in, the next step is to take the relationship up a notch. Start with some gentle flirting to get a sense for where your crush is at – if they aren't interested, no big deal. At least now you know. For some easy flirting, make eye contact, but hold the eye contact a little too long. Get physically close to your crush – if they don't back up, they might be into you. Ask if you are not sure is someone is interested in you. If you've flirted with your crush, but you're still not sure if they're into you, just ask. Even if they say no, they're bound to be flattered that you're into them. And if they are into you, they'll be thankful that you were brave enough to make the first move. If your crush is into you, it's time to introduce touch. A simple touch can tell you a lot about what your crush is feeling towards you and if you have chemistry together. If your crush is not into you, don't hold it against them. They can't help who they're attracted to. Ask your crush out. If you feel comfortable that your crush is also gay and also into you, then it's time to make your move. Ask your crush to get coffee after school, or to hang out at your house and watch a movie. Start slow – you're still getting to know each other. If your crush turns you down, that's okay. You may have misread the signs, or maybe they just got scared. Whatever the reason, it's not the end of the world. Just because your crush isn't into you romantically doesn't mean you have to cut them out of your life. If you were friends before, go back to being friends. Don’t date someone just because they are also gay. This is one of the hardest lessons to learn. You've gone through so much – you've found a fellow gay teen, you flirted and you successfully asked them out. But if it's not working, don't stay in the relationship. You'll soon learn that the world is full of people just like you and one of them may be a better fit. Don't be scared of being alone – it won't always be this way. But sometimes, being alone is better than being with the wrong person. Keep your chin up. Breakups are hard, but listening to music and letting yourself feel your feelings can make them easier.
Decide whether or not you want to be out. Join your high school’s LGBTQ group. Get involved in your school’s music and art program. Do the things you like to do. Make queer friends online. Visit a big city. Go to concerts for gay musicians. Consider joining a special interest group. Start flirting. Ask if you are not sure is someone is interested in you. Ask your crush out. Don’t date someone just because they are also gay.
https://www.wikihow.com/Spend-Your-Summer-Vacation-at-Home
How to Spend Your Summer Vacation at Home
If you're spending your summer vacation at home, plan a camping trip in your yard! Just pop a tent and simply stargaze or build a bonfire and make s'mores. You can also have fun playing outdoor games like sharks and minnows, red rover, and kick ball. If you're feeling ambitious, host a backyard olympics, including frisbee golf, gymnastics, and a volleyball tournament. Alternatively, try putting your creativity to the test by inventing a new board game, creating a fantasy world, or making a table or shelf unit.
Walk, run, or take a bike ride. Summer is the perfect time to head outside. You can enjoy the great outdoors (and get in some cardio) while walking through your neighborhood or running around the block. If you have a bike and a helmet, consider taking a daily bike ride instead. Make sure the weather is not too hot. Generally, going outside is unsafe if it's over 100 degrees. Look online for a kid-friendly “30-Day” walking or running challenge. This will give you something to work towards every day! Set up a frisbee golf in your backyard. Can't make it to the putting green this summer? Play frisbee golf instead! Set up a course around your house or neighborhood and assign a par to each hole. You and your friends will spend hours competing for the best score. In your spare time, design a course map and score cards. Play games. Before TVs, computers, and tablets, kids spent their summer days playing games, like tag, outdoors. The next time you get together with friends, consider playing: Red rover Sharks and minnows Wiffle ball Four-square Kick ball Capture the flag Hide and seek Camp in your backyard. Who needs a campground when you have a backyard? Spend the night or weekend at your backyard campsite. After you've pitched the tent, sit around the fire (or grill) toasting marshmallows and stargazing. Ask your parents for permission and help. Exercise indoors to beat the heat. Sometimes it is just too hot to be outside. On these occasions, move your workout indoors. You can check-out a workout dvd from your local library or use one of the numerous free online exercise videos. This is also a great way to try new exercises! Document the summer. Spend your summer capturing and sharing memories. While you may snap pictures or film the memorable moments of your vacation, you could explore other methods of documentation. Set down your phone, pick up a sketch pad, and draw the world around you. At the end of the summer, you may share your work with friends and family. Compile your film and pictures into a documentary. Make a scrapbook. Turn your home into a gallery for your sketches. Write. In the summer, your writing is not limited to the five-paragraph essay. You are free to experiment with different genres of writing, like linked short stories or found poetry. Other genres include children's books, plays, and creative non-fiction. Reading other people's work is an excellent way to familiarize yourself with different forms of writing and expression. Check out volumes of poetry, stacks of comics, or a series of short essays from your local library. Create. Spend your vacation making something—anything! The possibilities are endless. Invent your own fantasy world Build a table or shelf Design clothing or home decor Put together a costume for cosplay Make up a new board game Organize an at home film festival. Film festivals are often organized around a theme or series. For example, you could watch all of the movies in the ''Rocky'' franchise, view a selection of films starring Marilyn Monroe, or watch all of the animated shorts nominated for an Oscar last year. Once you've settled on a theme, select the films, create a schedule, and invite your friends. Don't forget to buy popcorn! Host a backyard olympics. Throughout the summer, you and your friends can train for and compete in your very own olympics. You can adapt the traditional events to the space you have access to, the equipment you own, and the number of people participating. Your local park can serve as the gymnastics arena Replace golf with frisbee golf Have a free throw contest instead of hosting a basketball game Instead of running a marathon, sign up for a local 5K or fun run Schedule a 3-v-3 volleyball tournament Start a book club. During the school year, it is often challenging to find time to read for fun; during the summer, you have plenty of time to pour over the pages of wonderful books. Compile a list of must-read books with your friends or siblings. After you complete a book on the list, get together to share your opinions and questions. Teach yourself a new language. Are you taking a new language next fall? Have you always wanted to speak Spanish, French, or Mandarin? Are you curious about computer programing languages? If so, summer is a great time to learn a new language. There are several ways to guide and structure your studies: Download an app or computer program Purchase a workbook Work through an online tutorial (this is especially helpful for coding!) Hire a tutor Master a new craft or hobby. Spend your summer immersed in a new hobby. Potential hobbies include: Crocheting, sewing, or knitting Fixing up an old car or bike Cooking or baking Painting nail art Gardening Dog training Piano Get ahead for next the school year. When the final school bell rings, it is very tempting to keep your textbooks shut for the entire summer. Instead of looking back on the previous school year, look ahead to the next one. Spend your summer vacation reading the books and practicing the skills you will learn in the Fall. This preparation will definitely pay off.
Walk, run, or take a bike ride. Set up a frisbee golf in your backyard. Play games. Camp in your backyard. Exercise indoors to beat the heat. Document the summer. Write. Create. Organize an at home film festival. Host a backyard olympics. Start a book club. Teach yourself a new language. Master a new craft or hobby. Get ahead for next the school year.
https://www.wikihow.com/File-a-Small-Claims-Lawsuit-in-Pennsylvania
How to File a Small Claims Lawsuit in Pennsylvania
If you have a lawsuit worth 12 thousand dollars or less in Pennsylvania, then you can sue in small claims court. Generally, small claims court handles issues like contract disputes and injury claims. To file your lawsuit, you'll need to gather relevant documents and information. For example, have copies of contracts, medical records and bills, photographs, invoices, and any correspondence between you and the defendant. Once you file your lawsuit, you'll need to pay a filing fee and serve papers to the defendant.
Identify the dispute. Small claims courts do not handle all disputes. For example, you cannot sue in small claims for a divorce or for child support. Generally, you can bring a lawsuit in small claims court for the following reasons: You have a contract dispute. If someone agreed to perform work under a contract, then you can sue if they failed to do the work or if they harmed you by doing poor work. Someone injured you carelessly. If someone harmed you because they were not being careful, then you can sue in small claims court. Examples include someone hitting your car or performing poor medical or dental work. Gather proof of your injury. You need to figure out how much you are suing for before you can bring a case in small claims court. To sue in small claims, you must sue for $12,000 or less. You should gather the following and then total the damages you have suffered: If there was a contract, the you should get your copy of the contract. Any correspondence between you and the defendant. Invoices, estimates, or cancelled checks which show the economic losses you have suffered. Medical records, medical bills, and photographs which show your injury. Get the defendant’s address. Once you file your lawsuit, you will need to serve papers on the defendant. Accordingly, you need to have his or her address. Do not use a Post Office box for an address. If you are suing a business, then you might need to contact the Pennsylvania Corporation Bureau at 717-787-1057 to find the correct name and address of the corporation. Get the complaint form. You start your lawsuit by filing a “complaint” with the court. This document contains the facts surrounding the lawsuit and includes your request for money. The state publishes a form that you can use. It is available at http://www.pacourts.us/assets/files/setting-897/file-771.pdf?cb=673ae2. You can type directly into the PDF of this form and then print it off. Alternately, you could fill it out when you stop into the court. Complete the form. Be sure to print neatly. The form will ask for the following information: your name and address the defendant's name and address how much you are suing for a short explanation of why you think you are entitled to money Find the correct court. You must file your complaint in the district where the defendant lives or where the incident occurred. For example, if you are suing because of a car accident, then you can sue in the district where the accident took place regardless of whether the defendant lives there. To find the appropriate court, visit the website for the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. A listing of Magisterial District Courts is available at http://www.pacourts.us/courts/minor-courts/magisterial-district-judges/. You can find the nearest court and stop in to ask where you should file your lawsuit. File the complaint. You should make several copies of your complaint and take them all to the court clerk. One copy will be for your records and the other copy will be for the defendant. Tell the clerk you want to file. You also have the option to send in your complaint by mail. However, you should still take it in personally. If you filled out the complaint wrong, then the clerk can tell you how to fix it when you stop in to file. Pay the filing fee. You must pay a fee to file a lawsuit. This fee will be based on how much you are suing for and how you want the copy of the complaint served on the defendant. If you win the lawsuit, then the defendant will be required to pay your fees. Serve the defendant. You must send the defendant a copy of your complaint before your trial date, which will be 12-60 days from the date you filed. There are generally two ways to serve the defendant: Certified mail. The court clerk will mail the copy of the complaint. When the complaint is delivered, the return receipt will be sent to the clerk as proof that the complaint was received. Personal service by the sheriff. The clerk can also schedule service by the sheriff or constable. This will cost a small fee. Visit the municipal court. You will file a small claims lawsuit in Philadelphia by visiting the 10th floor at 1339 Chestnut Street. You will meet with an interviewer who will help you complete the necessary paperwork. Although the interviewer cannot provide legal advice, he or she can help you fill out the forms and prepare to have them served on the defendant. Attach documents to your complaint. If you want to use a document during your trial, then you should attach it to the complaint that you fill out. Try to get a copy of the entire complaint before leaving the courthouse. Pay a fee. You must pay a fee to file the lawsuit. If you cannot afford the fee, then tell the interviewer. He or she will then get you a fee waiver form to fill out. Send the defendant copies of exhibits. If you intend to use a document in court and did not attach it to the complaint, then you should send a copy to the defendant. If the defendant has a lawyer, then send the copies to the defendant's lawyer. In Philadelphia, you must send the documents at least ten days before trial. Contact witnesses. You can have people testify on your behalf if you think they would be helpful. For example, if you were in a car accident, then a passenger in your car could testify that you were driving within the speed limit and the defendant side-swiped you. Be sure to tell the witness the date, time, and location of the trial. Dress appropriately for court. In order to make a good impression, you should plan your wardrobe carefully. Make sure to dress in a conservative style, as if you were attending a job interview. Men should wear suits if they have one. If not, then men should wear dress pants and a shirt with a collar. Make sure to wear dress shoes and socks. Women should wear a suit as well (skirt or pant suit). However, a woman can also wear a conservative dress or dress pants with a sweater or blouse. See Dress for a Court Hearing for more information on how to look your best for court. Arrive early. You need to make sure that you are not late to court. Give yourself sufficient time to find parking and go through security. If you don't get to court on time, then the judge might enter a default judgment against you. A default judgment is very difficult to set aside. Essentially, you lose the case simply for failing to show up. You might realize ahead of time that you can't make your trial date. In this situation, you should write to the court clerk at least 10 days before trial. Address your letter to the court clerk and make sure that you send a copy of your letter to all defendants. Turn off your cell phone. Before heading into the courthouse, be sure that your cell phone and any other electronic devices are turned off. You don't want electronics to beep or ring while you are in court. You also should not bring food or drinks into court. If you need to eat, then make sure to consume everything outside the courthouse. Present your case. Because you brought the lawsuit, you should go first when presenting your case. You will be able to testify as to what happened. You can also submit to the judge any documents that support your case. If you have witnesses, they can also testify. The defendant or the judge might ask you questions. Be sure to answer clearly. Also don't guess. If you don't understand a question, then ask the judge or defendant to repeat it. You should call a judge “Your Honor.” Remember not to interrupt the judge but to listen respectfully to everything the judge tells you. See Address a Judge in Court for more information. Listen to the defendant’s case. The defendant will go second. He or she will also have a chance to testify. You can ask questions of the defendant and the defendant's witnesses. Always stay calm, no matter what you are hearing from the defendant. Remember not to interrupt the defendant as you will get a chance to respond. Wait for the judgment. After all evidence has been submitted, the judge will issue a ruling. Often, the judge will issue an oral ruling, although he or she may send you a written decision at a later date. Appeal, if necessary. Either you or the defendant can appeal if you lose the case. In order to appeal, you need to get a Notice of Appeal form from the court clerk and fill it out. You have thirty days to fill out the Notice of Appeal form. Be sure to keep a copy for your records. You also must serve copies of the form on the defendant and on the judge who heard the case. You must also fill out a Proof of Service within 10 days of filing your Notice of Appeal form. The Proof of Service certifies that you served copies of the Notice of Appeal on all relevant parties. Your case will then be held in the regular civil court, the Court of Common Pleas. You should probably consider hiring an attorney to represent you in Common Pleas, since the rules are stricter in that court than in small claims court.
Identify the dispute. Gather proof of your injury. Get the defendant’s address. Get the complaint form. Complete the form. Find the correct court. File the complaint. Pay the filing fee. Serve the defendant. Visit the municipal court. Attach documents to your complaint. Pay a fee. Send the defendant copies of exhibits. Contact witnesses. Dress appropriately for court. Arrive early. Turn off your cell phone. Present your case. Listen to the defendant’s case. Wait for the judgment. Appeal, if necessary.
https://www.wikihow.com/Care-for-a-Tattoo
How to Care for a Tattoo
To care for a new tattoo, start by leaving the bandage on for 5 hours after leaving the tattoo shop. Then, remove the bandage, wash the area with warm water and a mild, unscented soap, and pat it dry with a paper towel. Next, apply a thin layer of ointment such as Aquaphor or an unscented, hypoallergenic lotion to keep the skin from cracking as it heals. Repeat the washing and moisturizing process twice a day for the next 2 to 3 weeks, and avoid scratching or picking at your tattoo as it scabs to keep the area from getting infected.
Wash your hands before touching your new tattoo. Use an antibacterial soap to kill the most germs on your hands. Scrub your hands thoroughly so you clean between your fingers and under your nails. Keep lathering in the soap for at least 20 seconds before rinsing and drying your hands. Use a paper towel to dry your hands if possible since fabric towels develop bacteria over time. Fresh tattoos are more prone to bacteria and getting infected since they're open skin. If you don't know how long to wash your hands for, sing “Happy Birthday” 2 times while you're scrubbing. Remove the wrapping around your tattoo after at least 1 hour. Your tattoo artist will cover your tattoo with a large bandage or plastic cling wrap before you leave to help keep your skin moist. Wait at least 1 hour after getting your tattoo and until you have time to wash it. When you're ready, slowly peel the wrapping off the tattoo and throw it away. It's normal if you see beads of ink on the surface of your skin since it will ooze blood, ink, and plasma to form scabs. If the bandage or plastic sticks to your skin, do not try and rip it off. Wet the wrapping with lukewarm water until you can peel it off. If you have plastic wrap over your tattoo, take it off as soon as you're able to since it restricts air flow and will prevent your tattoo from healing quickly. Your tattoo artist may instruct you differently on how long to leave the wrapping on. Follow their instructions, and contact them if you have any questions. Rinse your tattoo with clean lukewarm water. Cup your hands underneath the faucet and slowly pour the water over your tattoo. Gently rub the water over the entire tattoo so it feels damp. Be careful not to apply too much pressure on your tattoo since it may sting or feel painful. You can also wash your tattoo in the shower. Avoid using hot water since it will burn or irritate your tattoo. Don't fully submerge your tattoo for at least 2-3 weeks after getting it because standing water has more bacteria and could potentially cause an infection. Avoid baths, swimming pools, and hot tubs as well. Clean your tattoo by hand using mild antibacterial soap. Use a standard liquid hand soap that doesn't contain any abrasives. Slowly lather the soap onto your tattoo in small circular motions. Make sure you cover the entire tattoo with soap before rinsing it off with lukewarm water. Avoid using a washcloth or an abrasive cloth while washing your tattoo since you're more likely to scar your skin or cause the color to fade. Pat your tattoo dry with a clean towel. Avoid rubbing your tattoo with the towel since it will irritate your skin and cause scarring. Instead, gently press the towel against your skin before pulling it straight up. Keep patting the entire tattoo until it's completely dry. You can use either a fabric or paper towel. Apply a thin layer of healing ointment to your tattoo. Use a healing ointment that's unscented and dye-free since additives could irritate your skin. Rub a fingertip-sized amount of the ointment into a thin, even layer over your tattoo. Work gently in circular motions until your skin doesn't look shiny. Be careful not to put too much ointment on your skin since it could keep air from reaching your tattoo and slow down the healing process. Avoid petroleum-based products because they're usually too thick and don't let air through to your tattoo. Ask your tattoo artist for their recommendation. They may have specialty products made specifically for tattoos. Leave your tattoo exposed or covered with loose, breathable clothing. Avoid putting another bandage over your tattoo since it could restrict air flow and keep your skin from healing. Try to keep it uncovered as much as possible if you're able to. Otherwise, opt for clothes made from thin, breathable fabrics, such as cotton, polyester, or linen. Try to avoid heavy or tight-fitting clothes that could irritate your skin even more. Be careful not to sleep on your tattoo since it will prevent air from reaching it. So if you have a back tattoo, try sleeping on your side or stomach. Your tattoo may ooze in the first 2–3 days and get stuck to your clothing. If it does, don't try to tear the fabric off your skin. Wet the clothing with lukewarm water and gently peel the fabric off your tattoo. If you have a tattoo on your foot, try to go barefoot as much as you can and use soft slippers or shoes with loose laces to help your skin breathe. Avoid wearing sandals for 3-4 weeks after you get the tattoo so they don't rub your skin. Avoid scratching or picking at your tattoo. Over the first week, it's normal if pigmented skin on your tattoo peels or flakes off. Do your best not to scratch or itch your tattoo while it's healing since you could scar your skin or make the color fade faster. If your skin feels itchy, lightly tap it with your fingers or try putting a cool compress on top of it. It's normal for your tattoo to form scabs, but do not pick them off. Allow them to heal completely and fall off on their own. Wash your tattoo with running water at least twice daily. Make sure you wash your hands before touching your tattoo so you don't get any bacteria on it. Wet your tattoo with lukewarm water and lather in liquid hand soap over the area with your fingers. Be careful not to peel or scratch off any skin while you clean your tattoo. Rinse your tattoo with clean water before patting it dry. Try to avoid doing dirty activities for the first 2–3 weeks with your new tattoo since you'll be more prone to infection. Rub in the healing ointment lotion 3 times daily for 2–3 days. Wash and dry your tattoo before you put on ointment so your skin stays clean. Use a fingertip-sized amount and gently rub it into your skin until it doesn't look shiny. Aim to use the healing ointment in the morning, midday, and evening. Use more healing ointment if your skin dries out more throughout the day. It's normal for your tattoo to look hazy or less crisp than when you first got it. It will look crisp again after you've healed completely. Switch to using a fragrance-free lotion whenever your tattoo feels dry. Avoid using lotions that have added scents since it can irritate your skin. Use a fingertip-sized amount of lotion whenever you notice your skin drying out, which will usually be around 3–4 times daily. Rub the lotion into your skin completely so it moisturizes your tattoo. After your tattoo heals completely, you can use scented lotions. This usually takes 3–4 weeks. Keep your tattoo out of the sun for at least 4 weeks. When you go outside, wear loose, breathable clothing that completely covers your tattoo. If you're unable to hide your tattoo, try to stay out of the sun as much as possible and stick to shaded areas. Avoid putting sunscreen on your tattoo if it's not completely healed since it contains chemicals that could skin your skin or slow down healing. Apply SPF 30 sunscreen on your tattoo when you’re outside. Intense sunlight can cause the ink in your tattoo to fade, so always protect it when you go outside. Choose a sunscreen that has at least 30 SPF and rub it in until it's clear. After about 2 hours, reapply your sunscreen to keep yourself from burning. Do not apply sunscreen to your tattoo unless it's completely healed. Avoid using tanning beds or lights since they can also fade your tattoo. Keep your tattoo moisturized with lotion when your skin dries out. After your tattoo heals, you can use any type of lotion you want. Rub the lotion into your skin until it's clear to keep your skin hydrated and your tattoo looking vibrant. You can apply lotion 2–3 times daily, or whenever you notice your skin looks dry or cracking. If you don't use lotion, your tattoo may start to look dull. See a dermatologist if you notice any skin irritation or rashes. Pay attention to any dark red patches, painful bumps, or open sores on your tattoo since those could be signs of an infection. Reach out to a dermatologist and let them know what symptoms you're experiencing. Schedule an appointment as soon as you can so your skin heals properly. Other signs of infection could include increased pain, fever, chills, and pus on the tattooed area. Don't pick or peel at any rashes or scabs that form on your skin or you could cause permanent scarring. Visit your tattoo artist for touch-ups if your tattoo starts to fade. Check in about 2–3 months after you first got your tattoo so your artist can look over your skin. If you notice any areas that need more ink or need a small touch up, schedule an appointment with them. Otherwise, pay attention to your tattoo as it ages to see how the color stays. If you notice the ink getting lighter or fading, see if your artist can touch it up. Many times, tattoo artists offer the first touch-up for free. If you've had your tattoo reworked multiple times, your artist may not be able to work on your skin since it will be more sensitive and could make the tattoo look muddled.
Wash your hands before touching your new tattoo. Remove the wrapping around your tattoo after at least 1 hour. Rinse your tattoo with clean lukewarm water. Clean your tattoo by hand using mild antibacterial soap. Pat your tattoo dry with a clean towel. Apply a thin layer of healing ointment to your tattoo. Leave your tattoo exposed or covered with loose, breathable clothing. Avoid scratching or picking at your tattoo. Wash your tattoo with running water at least twice daily. Rub in the healing ointment lotion 3 times daily for 2–3 days. Switch to using a fragrance-free lotion whenever your tattoo feels dry. Keep your tattoo out of the sun for at least 4 weeks. Apply SPF 30 sunscreen on your tattoo when you’re outside. Keep your tattoo moisturized with lotion when your skin dries out. See a dermatologist if you notice any skin irritation or rashes. Visit your tattoo artist for touch-ups if your tattoo starts to fade.
https://www.wikihow.com/Sharpen-Old-Razor-Blades
How to Sharpen Old Razor Blades
Before you sharpen your old razor blades, soak your razor in a cup of warm, soapy water for 15-30 minutes to clean it, then let it dry completely. Next, lay an old pair of jeans on a flat, sturdy surface. Use short, quick strokes to run your razor along your jeans, with the direction of the blades, as if you're shaving. Do this 20 times in one direction on your jeans, then do it 20 times in the opposite direction to remove burrs and other irregularities from your razor blades.
Gather a pair of old jeans for sharpening. A traditional strop is made of leather, but an old pair of jeans will work almost as well. You should use old jeans as opposed to new jeans or jeans you wear regularly. You'll be using the cloth to rejuvenate the blades on your safety razor, but doing this could cause the fabric of your jeans to fray or deteriorate over time. Use old jeans so you don't do damage to a good pair of jeans! Place your jeans on a flat, clear, sturdy surface. A table or the counter top of your bathroom sink should be suitable as a sharpening surface. Clear the area first; an uneven surface could negatively impact your sharpening, and clutter might obstruct your sharpening motion. You should also make sure the area is dry when using this sharpening technique. For the best results, you'll want to sharpen your blade when it's dry. Clean your razor blade. This can be done in a cup of warm, soapy water. Dish soap should work well for busting up any razor gunk that's accumulated on your blades. For best results, you may want to allow your razor to soak for 15 to 30 minutes, swirling your razor in the water occasionally. You might also use a specifically formulated razor blade cleaning solution. These are designed to work especially well on skin and hair buildup. Explore the shaving section of your local pharmacy or online vendors to find a razor blade cleaning solution. Dry your razor completely. You can remove much of the excess moisture from your razor by holding it firmly and shaking it into the basin of your sink. Then, to ensure the blade is completely dry, you should use a cloth to wipe away remaining moisture. Do this by running your razor along the cloth with a motion that follows the direction of the blades. To prevent fuzz or lint from building up, you might consider using a lint-free or microfiber cloth to dry your razor. Run your razor along your jeans. You'll want to do this with the direction of the blades and not against the blades. Do this about approximately 20 times in one direction with short, quick strokes. This process, called stropping, will remove burrs and irregularities from your blades, honing your razor's edge. To evenly and completely strop your blades, you'll want perform the same motion in the opposite direction (on the same section of denim) as well. Switch directions and run the blade along the jean fabric around 20 times in the same fashion you did previously. Use light pressure when stropping. Pressing too hard can actually cause damage to the edge of your blade. Run your razor along your forearm for jeans-less stropping. Be careful while doing this; you don't want to cut yourself while sharpening! Use moderate pressure and run the blades of your razor along the straight part of the top of your forearm with the direction of the blades and not against. Use quick, short strokes, and perform this motion about 10 - 15 times. Your arm is very similar to an old fashioned leather strop, which is a piece of leather used for sharpening blades. In the same way a strop sharpens a blade, so should your arm. Since you are running your razor with the blades and not against , your safety razor shouldn't cut the hair on your forearm. Be careful not to slip and run the blade side-to-side, as this could result in you cutting yourself. Strop your razor again for very dull blades. Especially dull blades might require more strokes for best results. With the same motion you used for your first stropping, run your blades along the jeans with and not against the direction of the blades. Use light pressure and short, quick strokes for roughly 20 strokes, running your razor back and forth along the jeans, always in the same direction of the blades. Clean your razor after shaving. Your skin has natural oils that protect it from the environment, but these oils can also harm the quality of your blade over time. Shaving cream and decaying hair can also lead to your razor dulling rapidly. Clean your razor thoroughly after each use to maintain the sharpness of your blades. A good way to remove gunk and grime thoroughly is to use a toothbrush to lightly scrub your razor when you are finished shaving. Then, rinse away the gunk under running water. Dry your razor always after using it. When your razor is wet, the metal is vulnerable to corrosion and rust. This will cause your razor to dull more quickly. Thoroughly dry your razor when you are done shaving to prevent this. Many approaches can work for drying your razor. For example, you might use a blow dryer or blot your blades with a towel. Always exercise care when drying your blades. Rushing while blotting your blades with a towel might cause you to accidentally run your fingers along the sharp part of the blade, which could cut you. Consider using a skin safe blade lubricant. You might consider using a mineral oil or a small amount of cooking oil on your blade after drying it. This will coat the outer surface of the blade, making it less susceptible to moisture in the air, airborne dirt, and other environmental factors that can lead to a dull razor. Some companies offer special formulated oils designed to prolong the life of your blade. Search for these in the shaving section of your local pharmacy, or online through a shaving vendor.
Gather a pair of old jeans for sharpening. Place your jeans on a flat, clear, sturdy surface. Clean your razor blade. Dry your razor completely. Run your razor along your jeans. Run your razor along your forearm for jeans-less stropping. Strop your razor again for very dull blades. Clean your razor after shaving. Dry your razor always after using it. Consider using a skin safe blade lubricant.
https://www.wikihow-fun.com/Create-a-Warrior-Cats-OC-(Original-Character)
How to Create a Warrior Cats OC (Original Character)
To create your own Warrior Cats original character, you'll want to flesh out their appearance, personality, and backstory. For your cat's appearance, think about its fur color and thickness, eye color, and tail length. Then, think about its possible personality traits, like stubborn, loyal, mysterious, ambitious, and defensive. Name your cat something related to its personality or appearance, like Nighfur if it has black fur or Ambergaze if it has amber eyes. Give your cat flaws and fears to make it more realistic. Think about its back story and how this has affected the cat it is today. For example, if your cat was attacked by a dog and nearly died, it might be scared of new places and have a grudge against dogs.
Develop the cat's appearance. A good strategy for this is to have a long description and a brief description, the long version being something such as: "Pure black tom with dark amber eyes, the exact shade of fire. His glossy fur is long, and he sheds frequently. His tail is shorter than average and seems twice as thick due to his long, flowing fur. He is stocky and thick, though he is taller than the average tom." This is a good way to show a lot of detail and really let you know what your cat looks like. However, if you are writing a story or role playing and an allegiance list is present, then having a long description really clutters up that page. That's why a shortened description comes in handy. When you need to add your cat's description to a list, using something like "long-furred black tom with dark amber eyes" makes it a lot easier to read through the list while still understanding the gist of what your cat looks like. Make the right choices. Choose only natural fur and eye colors, no purple, pink, green, yellow, or straight orange, red and blues on cats. If you want to have a 'blue' cat, make sure they are a dark silver or pale gray, maybe even a blue-gray like Bluestar, and red cats should be either orange, ginger, red-brown, or even a mixture of browns and ginger. Orange fur is usually a lighter ginger color. The cat's eyes should either be blue, gray, yellow, amber, green, you could also look up natural eye colors for cats to see what possibilities there are. Break down the description components. When describing your cat, you need to include the name, fur color, gender, eye color, clan, personality, and any kits or mates. Rosestar: Cream colored she-cat with blue-green eyes. Very stubborn but loyal. No kits or mate. Silverthorn: Silver gray she-cat with amber eyes. Mysterious and loyal. Has a kit called Yewkit. Nobody knows her mate. Violetclaw: Black-and-white she-cat with blue eyes. Secretive and ambitious. Lightningtail: golden-yellow tom with a white stripe across his body, a zig-zagged tail, and gold eyes. Brave and very kind. Mate is Icepool. No kits. Owlpaw: Brown and white tom with green eyes. Clever and brave. No kits or mate. Bushkit: Fluffy tan she-cat. Timid and jumpy. No mate. Name the cat. Make up a name for your cat based on what you know about the cat. Think through the cat's likely life story when coming up with a name. Imagine your (male) cat as a kit, his eyes still closed. You are his mother and you must name him. For example, "Nightkit. He is large and dark, like the night sky, and the moon is occasionally orange, and his eyes would look like moons in the night sky." Then, zoom to his warrior ceremony. He is a young cat, Nightpaw. Take into consideration his pelt color, length, his eye color, his personality, size, and everything about him. Nightnose wouldn't make sense because there is nothing special about his nose or sense of smell. But Nighttail, Nightfur, Nightheart, and Nightshadow are good ideas. Nighttail because of his bushy tail. Nightfur because of his fuzzy pelt. Nightshadow because he is very dark black. And Nightheart because he is brave and tough, but kind-hearted. Warrior cat names must be based on nature and must be things that cats know about or come into contact with. Thus, names like 'Dragonfang' and 'Princesspaw' or 'Marshmallow Nose' are not allowed because these aren't things cats are familiar with. Common pet names are not allowed unless the cat is a former kittypet. Warrior cat names come in two parts. The first part stays constant throughout life, and the second part changes based on rank. Cats younger than six moons (months) have the suffix 'kit'. Cats older than that are apprentices and have 'paw'. After they become warriors, they get a warrior name. If they happen to become leader after that, the suffix changes to 'star'. For example: Amberkit, Amberpaw, Ambergaze, Amberstar. Don't make your cat's name ending and starting with the same letter. (Splashheart, Leafface, Yewwing) Find or draw a picture of your cat. It doesn't have to be too detailed if you draw it. Just get your point across! You can also make a reference sheet for your OC in case others want to draw them. Develop your warrior cat's personality. Take into consideration the cat's size; large cats will be tough, but somewhat clumsy, while long-legged cats will be swift, big-eared cats will be able to hear well. Also, include some skills of theirs. For example, you might not want "tough but kind", but instead want, "He is tough in battle, and wary of enemy clans, but he is kind to his clan-mates. He is gentle with kits and is protective over his mate. He is brave, but not the smartest cat. He would take on a fox or even a badger before thinking if it's really a good idea or not." See the difference? Consider your cat's other personality traits, likes, and dislikes, etc. The following list details some things to consider here: What is your cat's favorite food (plump squirrel)? What are your cat's flaws (mean, bad hunter)? What is your cat's favorite time of day (dawn, because it is cool)? What is your cat's biggest fear (having his mate get an incurable disease). Think of "what if their biggest fear came true?". What is your cat's biggest dream? Answer the question "what if their greatest dream came true?". How would your cat react if lost and in enemy territory? What would your cat do it if met a kittypet in your own cat's territory? (scare off the kittypet) What if your warrior cat became a medicine cat? Or vice versa? A good method is to keep asking yourself, "Why?" to every question you think of. Keep doing this until you get back down to their backstory. Tie it in. Make your choices for a realistic cat. Remember the cat's personality, size, and looks. Most of all, avoid making a Mary-Sue cat (an all too perfect cat). Don't use the same descriptive words too often––be adventurous in describing your warrior cat. Think about the rank you choose for your OC. Use the cat's personality as a basis for this aspect. For example: Is your cat mean and ruthless or kind and gentle? Motherly? Cold and cruel or honest and loyal? Give your cat a special talent, or lack of talent. Readers are usually more interested in a story with a struggle, so special talents could hold you back, but try to make it work. Something along the lines of a great fighter, super smart medicine cat, or amazing hunter are usually popular and easy to work with but can be way overused. If you want to add disability, be careful. It's important to consider that people who read your story may have that disability or know someone who does, so be considerate. Think about how the community supports the cat, and what strengths the cat has (so that they don't exist purely as a burden). It is not a good idea to give cats powers. It works sometimes, but most of the time it makes things seem very unlikely. Write a history for your cat. Your history should be detailed and a bit lengthy. Include past clans, past battles, and any important events. Write a short story using your cat to get the feel of playing or writing in this cat's character. Example: Silverthorn yawned as the first signs of dawn stretched across the sky. It was another day, and Silverthorn had to do the dawn patrol. She was tired and didn't want to, but she had to do what was best for her Clan. Add the cat's family and friends. Add how their family changes their personality, looks, or anything else about the cat. Make each family member, clan-mate, rogue, or whoever, using the same method as above. Choose a clan. Think about what your cat can do––will he be able to swim? Put him in Riverclan. Will he prefer shadows and hunting at night? Put him in Shadowclan. Can he be loyal and trustworthy? Put him in Thunderclan. Is he close to Starclan, and is he fast? Put him in Windclan. Choose any clan you want. You could also make up your own clan. See further the following articles for help with roleplaying or bringing to life your warrior cat: How to Roleplay a Warrior Cat Online Roleplay as a Warrior Cat How to Make a Warrior Cats Clan with Your Friends.
Develop the cat's appearance. Make the right choices. Break down the description components. Name the cat. Find or draw a picture of your cat. Develop your warrior cat's personality. Consider your cat's other personality traits, likes, and dislikes, etc. Make your choices for a realistic cat. Think about the rank you choose for your OC. Give your cat a special talent, or lack of talent. Write a history for your cat. Write a short story using your cat to get the feel of playing or writing in this cat's character. Add the cat's family and friends. Choose a clan. See further the following articles for help with roleplaying or bringing to life your warrior cat:
https://www.wikihow.com/Divide-Equity-in-Divorce
How to Divide Equity in Divorce
When you get a divorce, you'll need to divide any equity in your family home, which is the difference between the value of the real estate and the amount still owed on the mortgage. Start by finding out how much you owe on the mortgage. Then, estimate the current value of your home by hiring an appraiser or asking a real estate agent for a market analysis. Subtract the mortgage from the value to get your equity. For example, if the estimated value is 220,000 dollars and you owe 140,000 dollars, your equity is 80,000 dollars. The easiest way to divide the equity is to split it in half. However, if one partner paid more or sold another property for the down payment, they might want more.
Find out the amount owed on your mortgage. Take out your most recent mortgage statement and look at how much you owe. If you can't find the most recent statement, call your mortgage servicer and check. Remember to look at the current amount owed, not the amount you took out originally. For example, you might have borrowed $200,000 but have paid back $60,000. The amount you currently owe is $140,000. You also need to count any liens on the home as part of the mortgage. For example, a contractor might have put a mechanic's lien on your house because you didn't pay your bill. Estimate the value of your home. The only surefire way to find out the market value of your house is to sell it. However, you can estimate the value using several different methods: Hire an appraiser to value the property. You can find an appraiser online or in your phone book. Ask a real estate agent to perform a market analysis. This analysis will compare your home to comparable properties in your neighborhood (called “comps”). Find comps yourself and estimate the value. Comps should be similar in size and style to your home. You can find them online at websites such as Zillow.com. Subtract the mortgage from the value. Your equity is the amount of value that exceeds your mortgage. For example, the estimated value might be $220,000. If you owe $140,000 on the mortgage, then your equity is $80,000. Decide if you want a 50/50 split. The easiest way to divide the equity is in half—you get 50% and your spouse gets 50%. In community property states, an equal division might be required. However, you might not want to divide it evenly in certain situations. For example, you both might not have made equal contributions to the home. If only one spouse worked full-time and the other didn't, then the spouse who paid for most of the mortgage might want a larger share. One spouse might have sold their own property to pay the down payment. In this situation, they might want more than half. Don’t forget other marital property. You probably own more than just the equity in your home. For example, you might own cars, other real estate, or investments like stocks and bonds. Your goal should be to divide all of your marital property fairly, so don't focus only on the equity in your house. For example, you might have investments worth $30,000, and the equity in your home is also worth $30,000. In this situation, you might want to take the investments and let your spouse keep all of the equity in the home. Avoid an unfair division. You aren't required to divide the house property 50/50. However, a judge will need to approve any division you agree to. Generally, judges will give you leeway to divide the property as you see fit, but make sure one spouse isn't completely wiped out. A judge won't approve any property division that is too unfair. Consult with an attorney. If you have a question about how to divide your marital property, each spouse should consult with their own lawyer. Your lawyer can help you understand your options and how a judge will likely divide the property if you can't reach an agreement with your spouse. Obtain a referral to a divorce lawyer by contacting your nearest bar association. Call up the attorney and schedule a consultation. Each spouse should have their own lawyer. Avoid meeting with the same one. Sell immediately. In some situations, you might be able to sell your house before your divorce is even finalized. You and your spouse must agree to the listing price and how to split expenses. Once you sell, you distribute the proceeds from the sale based on your agreement to divide equity. However, selling quickly isn't always realistic. For example, the housing market might be cold. Homes could sit on the market for years before fetching a price that you are willing to accept. Also, you might have minor children who attend a local school. In that situation, it might be easier for one parent to continue living in the house with the children. Consider buying out your spouse. You can get the house entirely in your name by buying your spouse's share. Essentially, you will refinance the mortgage in your name only. For example, if your home is worth $220,000 and your mortgage is worth $140,000, you'll need to refinance for at least $180,000. This amount will cover the current mortgage and your ex's half of the equity that has built up. Before going down this route, research home refinance mortgages (called “refis”). Check the interest rates and whether you can afford to pay the mortgage on your own. If you are the spouse who is selling, make sure to get your name off the mortgage. It is generally not enough to give your lender a copy of your marital separation agreement. Instead, your ex needs to refinance in their name only. The spouse who was bought out should also have their name removed from the deed. Agree to sell at a later date. You can also agree to sell the home at some point in the future. For example, one spouse might want to stay in the home until your children graduate from high school. At that point, you will sell the house and divide the equity. This might be a good option if your home doesn't have any equity built up in it. By waiting, the home can increase in value. You need to decide who will pay the mortgage and other expenses during the period that you continue to own the home. Get this in writing. By not selling, both spouses typically remain on the mortgage. This can make it hard for you to go get another mortgage for a new home. Rent the home until you can sell it. If your home has negative equity—meaning you owe more than it's worth—then you might want to rent the home. You can collect rent to pay back your mortgage and wait for the market to improve before selling. One spouse will need to act as the primary landlord. Choose which one of you is more organized and better at dealing with difficult people. This person might eventually get more of the equity when you do sell your home. Another option is to hire a property management company to manage the property. Each of you will split the costs of hiring them. You can find property management companies in your phone book or by looking online. Put your agreement in writing. You can draft a property settlement agreement , which both spouses should sign. In this agreement, you state what you intend to do with the home and how you will divide the equity should you sell it. You can draft a property settlement agreement yourself, but you should have a lawyer look it over to make sure you haven't left anything out.
Find out the amount owed on your mortgage. Estimate the value of your home. Subtract the mortgage from the value. Decide if you want a 50/50 split. Don’t forget other marital property. Avoid an unfair division. Consult with an attorney. Sell immediately. Consider buying out your spouse. Agree to sell at a later date. Rent the home until you can sell it. Put your agreement in writing.
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Puffy-Eyes-from-Crying
How to Get Rid of Puffy Eyes from Crying
To get rid of puffy eyes from crying, soak a towel in cold water and press it lightly against your eyelids for 15 seconds for a quick fix. Alternatively, wet a soft cloth with ice cold water and fold it over your eyes for 10 minutes to reduce the swelling. You can also tap your eyes gently to stimulate blood flow or massage the bridge of your nose to relieve any built up sinus pressure.
Wash your face with cold water. If you're in a rush or a public place, visit the bathroom for a quick refresh. Fold a paper towel twice to make a neat square, then soak it in cold water. Press it lightly against your eyelids, for fifteen seconds each. Look upward and place the towel just beneath your lower lashes, pressing gently for another fifteen seconds on each eye. Let your skin eye dry. Repeat if necessary. Do not scrub your eyes or use soap. Some people like to mix in about 1 tsp (5 mL) table salt in 1 cup (240 mL) ice water. Don't try this if you have red, irritated skin. Soak your eyes with a cold washcloth. Wet a soft, fluffy cloth with ice cold water. Wring it out, then fold the cloth over your eyes for about ten minutes. The cold should constrict the blood vessels around your eyes, reducing the swelling. You can get similar results with an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas. You can even make your own cold pack by stuffing a sock full of raw rice and tossing it in the freezer. Don't use a bag of large, chunky vegetables, since it can't mold around your eyes. Cover your eyes with cold spoons. Choose a pair of metal teaspoons that fit closely over your eyes. Freeze them for about two minutes or keep them in the fridge for 5—10 minutes. Place them over your eyes with slight pressure. Leave them until they warm up. If you have time, freeze six spoons instead. Replace the spoons with a new, cold pair once they warm up. Stop after the third pair to avoid skin damage from prolonged cold. You can also try adding cold teabags to your eyes to reduce puffiness. Tap your eyes gently. Lightly tap the puffy areas of your eyelids, using your ring finger. This can stimulate blood flow, moving pooled blood out of the area. Massage the bridge of your nose. Close your eyes and massage the upper area of your nose. Focus on the skin to the right and left of the nose, where a pair of glasses would rest. This can relieve sinus pressure, which may have built up as you were crying. Lie down with your head elevated. Place two or three pillows underneath your head to keep it above the rest of your body. Lie with your neck straight, close your eyes, and relax. Even a short break can lower your blood pressure. Apply chilled face cream. Refrigerate moisturizing face cream for about ten minutes, then rub gently into skin. The cold will treat puffiness, while the cream will soften and brighten your skin. Specialized eye creams are controversial. It's unclear whether they are more effective than normal face cream. Avoid creams that contain fragrance or mint. These may irritate your skin. Get plenty of sleep. Even if your puffy eyes are caused by crying, other factors can determine their severity. Get at least eight hours of sleep each night to reduce swollen or baggy eyes. Children, teenagers, and adults may require different amounts of sleep. Ask your doctor for a recommendation. Stay hydrated. Salt buildup around your eyes can increase fluid retention, causing puffiness. Drink plenty of water to counteract this. Cut down on your consumption of salt and caffeine, which dehydrate you. Treat allergies. Mild allergic reactions to pollen, dust, animals, or food can cause swollen eyes. Avoid any foods that make you feel itchy, puffy, or uncomfortable. Take allergy relief medication when you can't avoid exposure. Visit a doctor for more advice. Visit an eye doctor. If you frequently get puffy eyes, there may be an underlying cause. An optometrist can check your vision and possibly prescribe glasses or contacts to reduce eye strain. An ophthalmologist can examine your eyes for medical conditions. Take breaks from screen and books. When looking at a computer, phone, or book, take breaks every twenty minutes. During these breaks, focus your eyes on something across the room. While eye strain is not the most common cause of puffy eyes, this is recommended anyway for general eye health. Use a cold washcloth instead of tea bags. Many people place a cold, wet tea bag over puffy eyes. This works simply because of the cold temperature. Different practitioners swear by black tea, green tea, or various herbal varieties. Many of these have not been studied, but caffeine — the ingredient most likely to work — seems to have no effect. A washcloth is probably just as effective and has a lower risk of bacterial infection. Stay away from food remedies. Cucumber slices are one of the most common treatments for puffy eyes. This is effective, but only because of the cucumber's cool temperature. It's best to use a cold washcloth or ice pack to reduce the chance of bacterial infection from food. If you do use a food treatment, rinsed cucumber is probably one of the safest. Stay away from potatoes, egg whites, yogurt, and acidic food such as strawberries or lemon juice. Keep irritating medications away from eyes. Some home remedies are dangerous to use around your eyes, due to the risk of severe pain or damage. Do not treat puffy eyes with hemorrhoid cream (Preparation H), heat rubs (BenGay, Icy Hot), or hydrocortisone.
Wash your face with cold water. Soak your eyes with a cold washcloth. Cover your eyes with cold spoons. Tap your eyes gently. Massage the bridge of your nose. Lie down with your head elevated. Apply chilled face cream. Get plenty of sleep. Stay hydrated. Treat allergies. Visit an eye doctor. Take breaks from screen and books. Use a cold washcloth instead of tea bags. Stay away from food remedies. Keep irritating medications away from eyes.
https://www.wikihow.com/Address-an-Envelope-to-a-Married-Couple
How to Address an Envelope to a Married Couple
To address an envelope to a married couple, put both their names at the top, followed by the address. Write out their names in full in the center of the envelope at the top. If you're addressing the envelope formally, write “Mr. and Mrs.” before their names, like “Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gaiman.” Alternatively, just write their first and last names without titles for a more casual approach, such as “Adam and Ruben Martinez.” If you're writing to a family, simply add the words “and family” after the couple's names so you don't have to write all of the children's names too. Alternatively, you could write “The Smith family” or “The Lee family” if you don't want to mention first names at all. On the line below their names, include the street address, postal code, city, and state or province.
Use "Mr. and Mrs. [His First Name Last Name]" for a traditional approach. Although the rules of etiquette are quickly changing, traditionally couples are addressed using the husband's name. For example: Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gaiman Mr. and Ms. John Steele Mr. and Mrs. Bill Oster Put just the titles and couple's last name for a bold look. If you don't want to write the couple's first names, write their titles and the family name. For example, put Mr. and Ms. Gaiman or Mr. and Mrs. Cameron. This is a good option if you're addressing lots of envelopes and would like to save a little time. Write the person's official title before their name if applicable. If either person or both people are in the military, have a graduate degree, or are members of the clergy, write their title before listing their first or last name. For example, you might write Dr. Matt Rivers and Dr. Megan Merritt. If one of them is clergy, you may list The Reverend and Mrs. Jordan. For military, you could write Lieutenant Beth March and Mr. Greg Wharton. Include first names if you're writing a last name with a hyphen. If one of the person's married name is hyphenated, list each person's title and first name. You should also list the full name of the person who's married name isn't hyphenated. For example, write Mr. Matthew Vargas and Ms. Sofia Townsend-Vargas. List the couple's first names for an informal style. To keep it personal and casual, write the couple's first and last names and forgo the titles. Put either of the names first or place them alphabetically. For example, write Adam and Ruben Martinez or Olivia and Jackson Montgomery. Put the couple's names and then "and Family" for a casual envelope. If you'd like to address a married couple along with their household, list the couple's first names along with their shared last name or different last names. Then write "and Family" after the names. For example, write Ava and Mark Lee and Family. For different last names, write Ava Tan, Mark Lee, and Family. Write the family's last name if you don't want to list individual names. For a simple way to address the couple and their family, just write the family name. For example, write The Lee Family or The Tan-Lee Family. If you're writing a formal envelope that has an inner envelope as well, you can list their individual names on the inner one. Write the couple's names on the center of the envelope. Once you've decided how you'd like to address the couple, put their names in the center of the envelope. Leave yourself lots of space to write out their names on a single line. Include the address under the names. On the line below the names, write the street address or P.O. box, name of the city, state or province, and postal code. For example, your address may look like this: Mr. and Mrs. Riggs 2044 Willowbend Rd. Columbia, MO 65201 Put your return address in the upper left corner of the envelope. It's important to put a return address so the letter can be returned to you if it can't be delivered. List either your full name or last name in the top left corner. Under your name, write your full mailing address. For example, your return address may look like: Cole Jameson 1254 Heather St. Grand Lake, CO 80448
Use "Mr. Put just the titles and couple's last name for a bold look. Write the person's official title before their name if applicable. Include first names if you're writing a last name with a hyphen. List the couple's first names for an informal style. Put the couple's names and then "and Family" for a casual envelope. Write the family's last name if you don't want to list individual names. Write the couple's names on the center of the envelope. Include the address under the names. Put your return address in the upper left corner of the envelope.
https://www.wikihow.com/Volunteer-at-an-Animal-Shelter
How to Volunteer at an Animal Shelter
To volunteer at an animal shelter, contact your local animal shelter or humane society and let them know you're interested in volunteering. You can also visit their website to see if there's a volunteer application available. Or, if you'd prefer, you can visit a local shelter in-person and fill out an application. There are all kinds of volunteer positions available at animal shelters, like animal walkers and handlers, groomers, photographers, and website support, so make sure you let the volunteer coordinator know if you have any special skills that would be helpful.
Contact your local animal shelter or humane society. The organization may have a contact person or "volunteer coordinator" who can help you get involved at their facility. Visit a shelter's website, and check for any information that is listed for volunteers. Some shelters will not offer much information on their websites, and some may not have websites at all. Look online for shelters near your home or office. Consider the distance from your home, the type of animal, and the needs of a given shelter. If two animal shelters are right next to each other, but one of them is in more urgent need of volunteers: it may be best to choose that shelter. Consider which animals you want to work with. Most shelters take in dogs and cats, but you may be hard-pressed to find a center that deals with more exotic pets. You may be able to choose between working with dogs and cats, or you may be asked to deal with both. Bear in mind that you may not even be allowed to work with the animals at first. You often need to work at the shelter for a while before you can handle animals directly. Learn about the available volunteer positions. Depending on the shelter, you may be assigned to a specific job, or you may perform various tasks as need arises. You may be required to complete a certain number of hours of support tasks before you are allowed to work directly with animals. Laundry, dish-washing, floor-mopping, and office work are often necessary to keep a shelter running smoothly. Ask about volunteer programs on- and off-site. Most shelters need people to help in the facility: walking dogs, handling cats, and grooming various animals. However, many shelters also have off-site adoption events or fundraisers with which you might be able to help. If you have any special skills that relate to shelter work: tell the shelter! Volunteers can provide website support, offer legal aid, donate medical services, photograph adoptable animals for the adoption websites, or even create and donate original art for sale to benefit the shelter. Make sure that volunteering will fit with your schedule. Most volunteer opportunities occur during a shelter's open hours, although you might also be asked to care for animals and do maintenance work during the off-hours. Shelters are usually open seven days a week, with slightly fewer hours on Saturdays and Sundays. Visit the shelter and ask about volunteering. Call, visit their website, or visit the shelter in person. See what the atmosphere is like, and observe how healthy and happy the animals seem to be. If you still think that this is the right place for you, ask for an application to be a volunteer. Most shelters will give you a form to fill out, along with a list of basic guidelines. Don't be shy! Ask the staff any questions you have about volunteering. If possible, talk directly to the owner or an employee of the shelter. An employee or current volunteer will usually reach out to the owner for you if he/she isn't available when you're around. Fill out an application. This may be a physical form, or it may be online. You may need to provide a birth certificate and photo ID. Fill out the application carefully and truthfully, and make sure that all of your information is correct. You may have to complete a criminal background check. Shelters want to make sure that their volunteers are trustworthy people. Look for a phone number if you can't find an application. Call the shelter and ask whether they are looking for volunteers. Alternately: simply visit the shelter in person when you have a free afternoon. Understand the volunteer requirements. Different shelters have different requirements, which often depend on the specific work that you'll be doing. If you want to directly handle animals, it helps to have prior experience with animals. As a general rule, you must: Be at least 16 (sometimes 18) years of age. If you are under that age, some shelters run family volunteer programs where parents and children come in to work together. Check in with several shelters. If you aren't old enough to volunteer at one center, you might be old enough to volunteer at another. Be able to commit to a long-term volunteer position. Some shelters require a commitment as long as a year, so that they know it's worth their time to train you. Many shelters require a minimum of one regularly-scheduled shift every other week. Shifts may run for two hours or longer, depending on how much work needs to be done. Be able to fulfill the physical duties. Most volunteer roles require that you are able to stand or walk for up to 3 hours. You should be able to lift 20 or more pounds. Be able to hear, see, and interpret animal behavior and body language. This is most important if you'll be working directly with animals. Be able to keep a positive attitude. It can be hard to emotionally handle a stressful workplace. Attend the training session. Many shelters have a training session for new volunteers before they can officially start. This usually includes a tour of the facility, instructions on the jobs you will be doing, meeting staff, etc. Depending on the shelter, you might have to RSVP for a group training session that they hold once a month. Other shelters will train you whenever you can be available. Ask the shelter staff for more information. Do anything else that the shelter says you need to do before starting. For example, you may need to vaccinate yourself against common animal-transmitted diseases. Find a schedule that works well for you. Perhaps you can volunteer after work or school, or on weekends in the mornings or afternoons. The owner of the shelter will usually tell you what you can do at the certain scheduled time: bathing the animals, socializing them, feeding them, etc. Some shelters have designated "shifts" for volunteers, whereas others just let helpers drop in when they have time. Some shelters only allow a certain amount of volunteers at a time. Ask the staff which days and time slots are available and find one that fits in with your schedule. Get onto a waiting list. Don't be discouraged if the owner tells you that s/he doesn't need any volunteers at the moment. Don't give up if there isn't an available time slot that works for you. Ask the shelter to put you on a volunteer waiting list. Once you're on this list, they may call you and ask you to help out once something opens up. Prepare to volunteer. You may need to provide your own lunch. Dress appropriately for the weather if you'll be working outdoors. Consider bringing tennis shoes or rubber boots, depending upon your chores. You shouldn't wear shiny jewelry or baubles, because you don't want the animals taking them, breaking them, or fighting you for them. It's also a good idea to bring bandages, peroxide, and disinfectant cream. Represent your shelter. Some people believe that animals in shelters are unwanted or undesirable in some way. One of the most beneficial things you can do is to share the positive facts about your shelter with people, especially those who have never adopted a pet before. By helping to change the mindset of the public, you can help more animals find their "forever homes." Donate. If you can't afford to spend much time volunteering at a shelter, you can still help out by donating money and animal-care items. Shelters need food, toys, bedding, and grooming items for each of the animals that come into their care. Most shelters will be happy to accept donations of used items. Ask for a list of things that they need. Some of these items may include: Pet food, pet treats, feeding items, and bowls. Blankets, towels, or padding or bedding for cages. Try going to a local hotel and asking them for their stained linens. Disinfectants, grooming items, and newspaper for puppy training and cleaning. Toys, scratching posts, balls, and toys. Think about fostering an animal. When you foster an animal, you are committing to take it into your home and to care for it. It is your job to help it get healthy and socialized before it is placed for adoption. Make sure that you have room for a temporary dog or cat in your home, and ask yourself whether you have the energy to care for this animal. If so, ask whether the shelter has a foster program. This is a big responsibility, but it can be deeply rewarding.
Contact your local animal shelter or humane society. Consider which animals you want to work with. Learn about the available volunteer positions. Make sure that volunteering will fit with your schedule. Visit the shelter and ask about volunteering. Fill out an application. Understand the volunteer requirements. Attend the training session. Find a schedule that works well for you. Get onto a waiting list. Prepare to volunteer. Represent your shelter. Donate. Think about fostering an animal.
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Eyes-Water
How to Make Your Eyes Water
To make your eyes water, try gently rubbing the area underneath your eyes. Alternatively, stare at 1 point for a while, since your eyes will produce tears to stop them drying out. You can also stare at bright lights, which can make your eyes water. However, avoid doing this for long periods of time, since this can damage your eyes. If you can make yourself yawn, this is another easy way to make your eyes water. If you have access to toothpaste or menthol cream, dab a small amount underneath your eyes to make them water. Just be careful you don't get any in your eye, as this can sting.
Cut some onions. Onions soak up sulfur from the soil when growing, and when you chop them up, you break open cells in the onion and release enzymes that mix with the sulfur. This creates an invisible gas that causes a burning sensation in your eyes, causing you to tear up without crying. Chop some onions and linger over them. Some people are more sensitive than others; you may only need to cut a little bit of the onion, or you may need to really linger. Cooked onions do not produce this effect. Refrigerated onions and onions doused with water as you cut them will also fail to make your eyes water. Sweet onions, like Vidalia onions, often don't produce as strong a watering effect in your eyes as stronger white or yellow onions. Smear some toothpaste beneath your eyes. You should be careful when doing this; getting toothpaste directly in your eye will sting. However, if you rub a small amount on your lower eyelid, your eyes will try to flush the toothpaste with watering eyes. You may have to wait a few moments before your eyes respond to your application of toothpaste. Most common toothpastes should work for the purposes of making your eyes water as most toothpastes contain sodium lauryl sulfate, a known eye irritant. All natural toothpastes, or toothpastes missing the ingredient sodium lauryl sulfate, may not work as well for making your eyes water. Trigger an eye-watering response with peppermint oil. Products that contain peppermint can cause a stinging sensation in the eyes, resulting in you tearing up. Take a small amount and apply it beneath your eye to create a watering effect. You'll have to experiment with how much peppermint oil you use. Some individuals will be more sensitive to it than others. Avoid getting the oil in your eyes, as it can create stinging, redness, and discomfort. Apply a menthol cream or wax. Menthol, or compounds that contain menthol, are widely available at drug stores and are generally inexpensive. You can dab small amount of menthol cream below your eyes to cause your eyes to tear up. You might also make use of a tear stick, which is much like lip balm infused with menthol and camphor to make you tear up. Simply smear a small amount under each eye, and you should feel its effects. Use eucalyptus to get your eyes watering. The compounds in eucalyptus have an invigorating effect on your body, opening sinuses, refreshing the lungs, and even flushing the eyes. A common stage trick some actors use for watery eyes needed at the beginning of a scene involves other actors blowing eucalyptus vapor gently into their eyes. This might work for you as well! Use eye drops or saline solution. While this technique won't make your eyes water for very long, it's a very effective short term measure. If you can disguise the motion of inserting eye drops or saline solution into your eye from onlookers, when you turn back, the excess solution will make it appear as though your eyes are watering. Saline solution is a liquid solution formulated to be about the same as the tears that wet your eye making this a safe and practical way of making your eyes look teary. Saline solution and eye drops can be found at most drug stores. Rub the area beneath your eyes gently. Be sure you don't overdo this eye-watering technique. Your eye is made up of many delicate parts, and rubbing too hard can cause damage, especially if done over a long period of time. Be aware that this trick sets up a chain reaction that can lead to stinging eyes, creating a bloodshot appearance. You should only do this with clean hands to prevent the introduction of germs into your eyes. Dry out your eyes by staring. Your eyes' natural response to dryness is to water to rehydrate and protect each eye. By keeping your eyes open for an extended period of time, your eye will become dry and start to water. You might even turn this into a game with a friend and have a starting contest. Grasp your upper eyelid and your lower eyelid by the lashes and pull. The stinging sensation caused by pulling on your lashes or pulling out your lashes should make your eyes water nicely. Though you shouldn't intentionally pull out your lashes, you don't have to worry if you do. Eyelashes, contrary to common belief, do grow back. Yawn. When you yawn, the tension of the muscles in your eyes and face cause your tear ducts to close off for its duration. This causes a slight surge of fluid (tears) once you are finished and your yawning muscles relax. If you can make yourself yawn, your eyes should water. Look into the lights. Though you shouldn't stare into bright lights for long periods of time, as this can be harmful to your vision, some actors have used bright lights to trigger their eyes water. A famous example of this is actor Henry Fonda, who would often stare into bright lights when he needed to water up on stage. Imagine things you find sad. If your goal is to get your waterworks started, you may have to go over the top in your imagining. Usually, there is at least one thing, like mistreated animals or impoverished children, that you can't help getting sad over. Use these to water up! Some other ideas that might get you teary-eyed include: War Starvation Disease Death Use muscle memory to trigger teary eyes. Try to assume the position you were in at a time when you were teary-eyed for some reason. Then, as closely as you are able, mimic the motions, rate of breathing, and noises you made at that time. Though this might seem a little awkward, with practice your body's muscle memory can be trained to activate your tear glands to water your eyes. Assume a teary-eyed persona. You don't have to be an actor to make use of actor's tricks. By identifying with a character, either an imaginary one or a live-action one you've seen on TV, you can make yourself misty eyed. Try to choose a character whose situation you can relate to. Relatable characters will make it easier for you to slip into their mindset, and from there, get the watering response going. Find your power phrase. Some phrases may have the ability to really upset you. Professional actors and acting teachers refer to this as a “power phrase” due to the fact that it can be used to give you power over your emotions. Simply repeat the phrase to yourself until you feel your eyes begin to moisten. Some examples of power phrases include: ”I'm not good enough.” ”No one will ever love me.” ”I can't do anything right.” ”Why does everybody leave me?” Think about sad music. Music can evoke a powerful emotion response inside of you, both in negative and positive ways. Think of a song that you find particularly depressing, and loop it in your head. You may also want to think about things you find sad or depressing as the music plays in your head. To help yourself get into the mood to cue your eye watering, you might want to bring some headphones and a music player so you can listen to the sad song before you need your eyes to water. When it's time to water up, take off the headphones and continue playing the song in your head until your tear glands begin to water.
Cut some onions. Smear some toothpaste beneath your eyes. Trigger an eye-watering response with peppermint oil. Apply a menthol cream or wax. Use eucalyptus to get your eyes watering. Use eye drops or saline solution. Rub the area beneath your eyes gently. Dry out your eyes by staring. Grasp your upper eyelid and your lower eyelid by the lashes and pull. Yawn. Look into the lights. Imagine things you find sad. Use muscle memory to trigger teary eyes. Assume a teary-eyed persona. Find your power phrase. Think about sad music.
https://www.wikihow.com/Fold-Long-Sleeve-Shirts
How to Fold Long Sleeve Shirts
To fold a long-sleeved T-shirt, lay it out flat in front of you, and fold it in half so the sleeves line up. Next, fold both sleeves backwards, and make a second fold just above the elbow in the opposite direction to create a triangle. Then, fold the t-shirt in half or thirds before storing it in your drawer or shelf. If you're folding a dress shirt, lay it face down and fold both sleeves across the back to turn the shirt into a long rectangle shape. Finish by folding the shirt into thirds.
Lay out the T-shirt facedown in front of you and smooth it out. Straighten up the body and sleeves, brushing out any wrinkles or folds. You can use any clean, flat surface for folding, such as a table, bed, or the floor. Fold the shirt in half so the sleeves line up perfectly. Bring 1 side over to meet up with the other, so the 2 sides mirror each other. You can fold either from the left or right—just go with whatever side is more instinctive. Fold both sleeves together to create a triangle shape. Keep the sleeves pressed together as you fold them once backwards. Make a second fold above the elbows going the opposite direction to create a triangle shape. Make sure both sleeves fit on top of the body of the long sleeve t-shirt to create 1 long rectangle shape. Tuck the rectangle into halves or thirds to fit in your drawers or shelves. Start at the bottom of the shirt and fold it up into a smaller rectangle. If you want to store your shirts standing up in your drawers for easier access, use the thirds technique. If you stack your shirts on a shelf, use the halves technique. Be careful about stacking too many shirts on a shelf since it will make it harder to pull out the shirts on the bottom of the stack. Try to stack no more than 3-4 shirts on a shelf. Button up and smooth out the dress shirt. Button up the majority of the buttons so the shirt will hold its shape and stay together while you fold it. Run your hands over the fabric to straighten out any wrinkles or creases, then adjust the collar until it lays flat and neat. Lay the shirt out facedown on a flat surface. Use a clean, flat surface such as a table, dresser, or bed as your workspace for folding. Lay the shirt facedown carefully, smoothing it out and adjusting the collar if it has folded or collapsed. Fold the left sleeve in toward the center of the shirt. Start the fold at the shoulder and bring the left arm across the back of the shirt. This will make the left side of the shirt one long line. The goal is to turn the shirt into a long rectangle shape, so make sure that the cuff on the left arm doesn't extend past the right side of the shirt! If the arms are extra long and extend past the edge of the shirt, fold the cuff backwards so it stays within the rectangle. Bring the right sleeve across the left sleeve to complete the rectangle shape. Now that you've mastered the left sleeve, do the same move with the right sleeve! Fold the right arm in at the shoulder and bring it across the left arm so they cross in the center of the shirt. Once again, make sure the right sleeve doesn't extend past the edge of the shirt. You can always fold the cuffs back in if they extend past the sides of the shirt. Start at the bottom and fold the shirt up in thirds. Fold the bottom third of the shirt up, then fold the next third up so it meets the shoulders of the shirt. This creates the perfect size for placing the shirt in a suitcase, drawer, or shelf. Flip the shirt back over and adjust the collar. Straighten out any wrinkles and make sure the collar is neat before packing or storing your shirt. This technique will help protect the collar from being crushed and the fabric from wrinkling too much. Although this technique protects your shirt from excessive wrinkling, you may still notice a little wrinkling from the folds. Just keep in mind that the next time you wear your shirt, you may have to do a bit of steaming first! Lay the sweater out in front of you, faceup, with the sleeves spread out. Choose a flat surface, such as a table, bed, or floor, and lay the sweater out with the front facing up. Smooth out the surface of the sweater and spread the sleeves out to the sides. Fold the right side of the sweater over with the sleeve straight out. This first fold brings the outer right edge of the sweater to the middle of the sweater. Keep the right sleeve extended straight out and lay it across the left arm so it's almost perpendicular. Fold the right sleeve back and down so it lines up with the first fold. Fold the sleeve back inwardly just above the elbow, forming a triangle shape. Line the cuff up at the bottom of the sweater with the initial right-side fold. Repeat the process on the left side to form a rectangle. Fold in the left side and the left arm just like you did with the right, forming another triangle with the sleeve and a straight line along the left side. Once you're finished, the whole sweater will look like 1 long rectangle. Bring the bottom to the top to fold the sweater in half, then in half again. This creates a thick rectangle shape that can stand up on its own. Using this method will help keep your long-sleeved sweaters neat and perfectly folded. Once you're finished, store your folded sweaters in drawers standing up. Line them up in a row so you can easily see each piece of clothing. Lay out your shirt so it’s facing down on a flat surface. Smooth out any bumps and wrinkles in the fabric. Spread the arms straight out before you start folding. Fold the shirt in half lengthwise so the sleeves line up. Bring the right sleeve over to match up with the left. Fold along the center of the shirt so the 2 sides mirror each other. Smooth out the shirt to get a clean fold and line up the sleeves as perfectly as you can. Fold both sleeves inward so they lay along the center of the folded shirt. Fold the shoulder inwards, creating a slanted line. The cuffs of the sleeves will probably hang past the hem a little bit. Run your hands over the shirt, smoothing out any creases, wrinkles, or bunched-up fabric. Tuck the cuffs upward so they line up with the hem of the shirt. Keeping the sleeves together, fold in the cuffs so the bottom of the shirt and the cuffs are aligned. This will keep your cuffs from being crinkled when you fold the shirt in increments. Fold in 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10.2 cm) sections until you reach the top. Instead of rolling your shirt, fold it flat in small sections, starting at the bottom, until the whole shirt is folded up. Try to match the folds up so the collar lines up with an edge. However, if the collar hangs out a little past the rest of the folded shirt, that's okay. Lay the folded shirt in your suitcase. Pack your shirts, especially long-sleeve dress shirts, at the top of your suitcase. This technique will probably require some extra ironing or steaming when you unpack, but the section-by-section folding will save you lots of space in your suitcase!
Lay out the T-shirt facedown in front of you and smooth it out. Fold the shirt in half so the sleeves line up perfectly. Fold both sleeves together to create a triangle shape. Tuck the rectangle into halves or thirds to fit in your drawers or shelves. Button up and smooth out the dress shirt. Lay the shirt out facedown on a flat surface. Fold the left sleeve in toward the center of the shirt. Bring the right sleeve across the left sleeve to complete the rectangle shape. Start at the bottom and fold the shirt up in thirds. Flip the shirt back over and adjust the collar. Lay the sweater out in front of you, faceup, with the sleeves spread out. Fold the right side of the sweater over with the sleeve straight out. Fold the right sleeve back and down so it lines up with the first fold. Repeat the process on the left side to form a rectangle. Bring the bottom to the top to fold the sweater in half, then in half again. Lay out your shirt so it’s facing down on a flat surface. Fold the shirt in half lengthwise so the sleeves line up. Fold both sleeves inward so they lay along the center of the folded shirt. Tuck the cuffs upward so they line up with the hem of the shirt. Fold in 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10.2 cm) sections until you reach the top. Lay the folded shirt in your suitcase.
https://www.wikihow.com/Change-Your-Style
How to Change Your Style
The best way to change your style is to buy versatile basics like solid-colored t-shirts, black pants, button-ups, and neutral dresses. Add style without breaking the bank by choosing accessories like belts, hats, scarves, jewelry, and glasses. Be strict about what you add to your new wardrobe, and avoid buying clothes that are too similar.
Inventory your current style needs. Before making a style change , you should first consider what works and doesn't work for you about your current style. In particular, consider why you have the current style that you have. For example, is your style primarily jeans and t-shirts because you don't like having to spend a lot of time thinking about outfits to put together? If so, the new style you choose will need to be simple and easy enough to work for you. Trying to impose a new style on yourself that doesn't mesh well with you, your habits, and your attitude will most often fail, so think carefully about what you need as well as want out of a style before committing. Choose your style goal. Once you know your style needs, start thinking about the kind of style that will both meet those needs and represent the new kind of appearance you want to adopt. To give your new style goal a clear direction, be as specific and descriptive as you can when envisioning the aesthetic you want. Some examples might include “laid-back hipster,” “brightly colored retro,” “modern punk,” etc. Choosing a fashion muse can be a helpful tool in shaping your new style, so look for people (famous or otherwise) whose style inspires you and embodies how you'd like your new look to be. Write down how they style certain pieces that you like. For example, does she pair a skater skirt with that leather jacket? This can help when choosing your outfits. Think about practical considerations. In addition to thinking about how you want to look, think about how you need to look. Some questions to ask yourself: What's your work or school environment? Are there any particular practical constraints on what you can permissibly wear? What's your social environment? How will your style best complement your lifestyle? Where do you live? Do you want to fit in with or stand apart from your surroundings, and to what degree? Does one form of weather dominate, and will your style be workable in that weather? What's your budget? Make sure your new style goal is realistic, otherwise you may find yourself frustrated and unable to achieve what you had in mind. How much time do you want to spend getting ready? If you're a low-maintenance person by nature, choosing an elaborate style may not fit well with the kind of routine you're comfortable with. Don't be afraid to have an aspirational style--in other words, don't be afraid to start dressing like the person you want to be--but also be realistic and choose a style that's compatible with your personality. Clear out your wardrobe and makeup (if applicable). Once you have your new style goal lined up, you need to then clear out the old one. Go through every item of clothing and donate the pieces that don't fit the new model you've chosen, that no longer fit, or that are simply unflattering. You may want to recruit a trusted friend to help you make judgment calls. If you wear makeup, similarly go through your supplies and eliminate any that are dated or won't enhance the style you're going for. Start with the basics to build your new wardrobe. The foundation of any style is versatile basics, and though the kinds of basics suited to your style will vary depending on the look you're aiming for, commonly needed basics include: Shirts in solid colors. Depending on your style, your basic shirts might be t-shirts, button-ups, polos, or camisoles, etc., but whatever they may be, your basic shirts will be the essential layering staples of your style. Black pants. These are essential to most any wardrobe and are versatile enough that you can dress them up for formal occasions or down for more casual situations. Look for a cut of pant that is both modern and flattering to your specific shape. Flattering jeans. Darker wash jeans are often most flattering and versatile, but it will again depend on your particular style. Whatever jeans you choose, though, be sure they fit and flatter you. Don't be afraid to spend some time searching out the perfect pair. Sweaters or cardigans in solid colors. Like shirts, sweaters are an important layering component. Whether you prefer luxury sweaters or retro cardigans, you should have at least a few different ones on hand to build outfits with. A versatile skirt and dress. If skirts and dresses are part of your style, you want to be sure you have at least one of each in a versatile color and shape, like a black pencil skirt or a neutral wrap dress. Buy for both style AND fit. Clothes that fit well and flatter your body are essential to successful style. For women's clothing, make sure that pants aren't too small for your waist or too short for your height and that they don't bunch or bulge anywhere. Be sure that tops fit so that the shoulder seams sit squarely on your shoulders, there isn't any gapping between buttons, sleeves come down just below your wrist, and the fabric doesn't bunch or bulge around your hips. For men's clothing, be sure that shirts fit squarely on your shoulders, the sleeve hits just below your wrist without bunching, and that the shirt torso (particularly if it's a button-up shirt) lies flush with your waist and doesn't bunch or puff out at the sides. Pants should not be so loose that they billow out around your legs, but they should also not be so tight that they hug the leg--instead, they should be just loose enough to lie comfortably next to the leg without awkward bunching or puffing. Suit jackets should be able to button without stretching and should lie flush with the shoulder so that there's a smooth transition from shoulder to arm with no wrinkling or bunching. When shopping online, be sure you have your most recent measurements. For men, you'll need your height, waist, and inseam. Having your hip measurement can also be helpful for finding a precise fit. For women. you'll need your height, bust, natural waist (the slimmest part of your torso), actual waist (where your pants sit), hips, and inseam. Always check your measurements against the retailer's sizing chart, don't just rely on size alone, which varies among brands. Focus on your best colors. Decide which colors most flatter your skin tone and eyes and work within that palette. A new style that doesn't flatter you won't serve you any better than your old one. To determine your most flattering colors, bring a trusted friend shopping with you and then try on clothes in a wide range of colors and have that friend help you judge which are most flattering for you. Find your accessories. Accessories allow you to make a look specifically yours, so finding the right pieces for your style will help you fine-tune the tone and look of your personal style. Accessories allow you to add nuance to your outfits, so think about the subtle aspects you want to communicate with your style when buying them. For example, accessories can add understated elegance, bold confidence, or funky humor to your overall style. The basic accessory line-up includes belts, jewelry, hats, scarves, and glasses. Each of these, either singly or in combination, can change the focal point of an outfit, add a pop of color, or take an outfit from casual to office-appropriate to dressed-up, so shop strategically.. Diversify. Once you've gathered the basics of your look, begin building a balanced selection you can draw from to suit your most common needs, eg, office wear, casual wear, date wear, club wear, etc. Avoid buying multiples of the same. Don't buy three black sweaters, for example, or four white t-shirts. Even if they aren't identical, you don't want to have too many of the same kind of piece--it will stifle your style and take up unnecessary closet space. Avoid fixating on the same color. Don't buy all of your clothes in the same color--it will quickly run your style into a monotone rut. It's fine to work within a flattering color palette, just don't fixate on a single color. Stay focused on your style model. As you continue adding pieces to your wardrobe, keep your fashion model fresh in your mind. If you need a visual aid, design your own personal lookbook that includes images that embody your style model and can help guide you in your choices. Make a list of what you're looking for. Showing up at a store without a clear idea of which specific items you're looking for can leave you directionless and may lead you to making purchases you'll regret or to giving up in frustration. But with a clear sense of what you're after, you can consistently add items to your wardrobe with confidence and efficiency. Interrogate each addition carefully before making it. Before choosing an item, be sure that it fits into your style model and that it will be a useful part of a versatile wardrobe. Avoid super trendy items, which likely won't be useful to your wardrobe for more than a single season and afterward will only date your look.. Have a good mix of neutral and statement colors. Mixing neutral pieces with a bright pop of color is a great way to make a stylish impression. Make sure each new piece you buy could be part of at least several different outfits. Maintain wardrobe diversity. To get the most mileage out of your wardrobe, shop with versatility, not just style or color, in mind. The new pieces you add should fit your style, flatter your body, and add versatility to your wardrobe. If you're eyeing a piece of clothing that already resembles an item you have in your wardrobe, don't buy it. Look for something complementary but also different from your current pieces to ensure your wardrobe doesn't devolve into too much of the same. When buying tops, ask yourself whether a particular top can be worn in different ways as part of different outfits. For example, when selecting a top, ask questions like, can I wear it tucked in or loose? Can I layer it? etc. When choosing a skirt, ask questions like, can I wear it with different shoes (heels, boots, flats)? Can I wear it with both casual and fancier tops? Can I layer a jacket with it? etc.
Inventory your current style needs. Choose your style goal. Think about practical considerations. Clear out your wardrobe and makeup (if applicable). Start with the basics to build your new wardrobe. Buy for both style AND fit. Focus on your best colors. Find your accessories. Diversify. Stay focused on your style model. Interrogate each addition carefully before making it. Maintain wardrobe diversity.
https://www.wikihow.com/Cheer-Someone-Up
How to Cheer Someone Up
If you want to cheer someone up, sit down with them and listen to what's bothering them. Don't worry about trying to solve their problem; just be compassionate and let them know you're there for them. Ask them questions like, “What do you think you'll do?” or “Is there anything I can do to help?” to show the person that you care. If they don't seem interested in talking about their problems, try to distract them with a funny joke or a small gift, or just go somewhere with them to take their mind off of their troubles.
Listen to them. Half of the time, sad or stressed people aren't really looking for an answer; they just want to be heard and have a chance to vent. Do you know why they're sad? Do they seem like sharing their feelings with you? Pull up a chair, offer a smile, and give them a shoulder to cry on. Give advice if you think it will be useful, but the main thing is that you are letting them outlet to you. Never interrupt them in the middle of their story. Unless there is a pause that tells you commentary is okay, keep your side comments to "Oh" and "Man". Otherwise, you could come off as very rude, making them feel even worse. Seem genuinely interested in what their problem is, even if you couldn't care less or don't really know how to relate. The more interested in their problem you are, the more interested in them you seem, and isn't that the very heart of the issue? People want other people to care for them and be interested in their success. Try to communicate that. Don't let them feel like a burden. Most of the times, people are hesitant to trust other people with their problems because they don't want the listener to feel saddled with responsibilities.So, If necessary, assure the person who needs cheering up that they aren't in any way a burden, and that you're happy to listen and offer advice if you can. Ask them relevant questions. There's no better way to get involved in the conversation other than asking questions, especially questions about how the other person feels. Relevant questions, however, are the key here. Asking questions that have nothing to do with the problem will confuse them, discouraging them from opening up. Here are some great general questions to ask the person in need of cheering up. Hopefully, they'll motivate the person to talk about their feelings, helping them vent: "How does that make you feel?" "Has this ever happened to you before?" "Is there anyone specifically who you could turn to who could give you advice?" "What do you think you'll do when it comes time to act?" "Is there any way that I can help?" (Be prepared to help them!) Relate to them, if appropriate, making sure not to take the spotlight from them. Don't steal the attention away from them, but offer a similar story or experience that you've gone through if you think it might help. Any lessons that you learned can be really helpful, even if they're ultimately not appropriate for the other person. Relating to someone else is all about the way you say something, not what you say. If someone tells you their father has just been diagnosed with cancer, it's not really helpful to say: "Well if it makes you feel any better, my grandpa was just diagnosed with cancer too.” Instead, say something like: "I know how devastating this kind of thing can be. My grandpa was diagnosed with cancer last spring, and it was gut-wrenching for me to deal with it. I can only imagine what kind of pain you're going through right now." After listening, give them advice if they ask for it. After figuring out just what the problem is, take a little bit of time to deliberate over what their best course of action might be. Let them know you have an idea of what they could do. If you don't, be honest to yourself and them making sure you don't lie. Take them to a person who has a better fix for the problem than you have. Remember, there's rarely a single, perfect solution for a problem. Be sure to offer the person you're comforting one option, and make sure they understand that they have other options. One way to do this is to give them advice by using words like "perhaps," "maybe," "might," etc. This way they won't feel guilty if they decide not to follow your advice. Try to be honest to them , too. The worst thing you can do to someone in such a fragile state is outright lie. If you're talking about subjects with serious consequences, try to tell the truth, even if it might hurt. If your girlfriend is asking advice about her boyfriend who dumped her, however, it's okay to call the boyfriend a scumbag even if he's alright. In that case, making her feel better is more important than telling the truth. Be careful about giving unsolicited advice, or advice that people don't ask for. The other person may not want it, and if they follow it and fail (by no fault of your own), they could blame you. Get face to face. For as great and easy technology makes life, it can also make everything a bit more difficult. It's tempting to want to send your friend a nice message via text, but that probably won't do it. It's best to show you really care in person. Since so much of life is spent behind a screen now, paying a face-to-face visit really means something. Snail mail is almost becoming romantic -- it's so, so thoughtful. E-cards will do, but if you want to send them a really kind message, throw 'em a card in the mail. They certainly won't be expecting it! Give them a gift. Can you remember a time when someone gave you a gift without an obligation to do so? How warm and fuzzy did you feel inside when it happened? Giving a gift to someone can brighten their whole day, helping them understand that the gesture of the gift is more important than the gift itself. A gift doesn't have to cost a lot of money, or even be a physical thing, to have an impact. Take them to your secret thinking spot, or show them how to fold an origami crane. Small gestures like these are often more priceless than something you can buy in a store. Offer them something old and cared for. An old heirloom or keepsake is emotionally resonant because you've held on to it for a long time, and therefore cherish it. Old items are also symbol messages that life moves on, even when we can't imagine that it will. Try to make them smile. Make them smile by reminding them how much you care about them and smile a reassuring smile yourself. Or maybe, if you know they'll be okay with it, you could even tickle them! Make them laugh. Jokes and funny stories are always good ice-breakers after you've talked about a problem for a long time. The joke doesn't need to be a knee-slapper, but if it's said at the right time, it'll have a huge effect. Don't be afraid to make fun of yourself. Making fun of the person you're cheering up is hard. Making fun of yourself is easy: Highlight a time when you embarrassed yourself, did something stupid, or got caught in a situation where you were way over your head. Your friend will appreciate the humor. Surprise them. Gifts on Christmas and birthdays, thoughtfulness on Valentine's Day and other holidays, it's all pretty par for the course. But being thoughtful on the 34th Tuesday of the year is something they'll never expect. When you're not expecting it, gifts are even more meaningful. Think about what that person loves the most in the world and see if you can't surprise them with it. Maybe they love food; so surprise them with dinner, or get them cooking classes. Maybe they love movies or musicals; so surprise them with a movie night or tickets to a show. Try to take their mind off it. Now that you've listened, offered advice and extended a hand of kindness, try to make sure they don't let their problem/s weigh them down or depress them. Don't say something like "Anyway, blah blah" or "Get over it, it's not that bad" because that undoes everything you've just worked for. Instead, give them some time to get their bearings, and then try saying something like "Want to hear a funny story?" and see how they respond to it. Embrace your social-savviness to gauge where they are on the cheering-up process. If your friend is mid-bawl, it's not the time to ask them if they want to hear about your day. But if s/he just had an argument with mom and seems to have cooled down a bit, feel 'em out. It's all about timing. Change their environment. More often than not, we take cues from our surroundings and let them determine our moods. If you need to get someone out of a funk, get them out! Having a different set of stimuli will encourage different thought patterns and new -- better -- ways of thinking. It doesn't have to be to a club or bar. Being social isn't always the answer. Heck, a trip to the local dog park might bombard them with enough cuteness that their mind goes elsewhere. Whatever you can see your friend being distracted by, do it. It's good for them, whether they want to stay in their pjs or not. Give them a big hug, if they are okay with the contact. Some people when upset may push away, but this is okay too. A warm arm around someone can brighten their day. Play to your strengths. Not all of us are Julia Child, Carrot Top (...), or Bob Ross. But most of us do have something we're good at. Whatever it is, use it to cheer up your friend. Can you cook a mean lasagna? Fantastic -- it's dinner time somewhere. Can you reel off jokes like word play is a skill taught in kindergarten? Can you paint a mean shed on the side of an ethereal-looking mountain? Great. These skills can also be happy-making skills. Use your creativity and finesse to tackle their blues. Sing them a song at the top of your lungs. Take them along on a hike. Force your kitten on them. What's in your tool belt of skills? Employ them. Be optimistic. Look on the sunny side of life. Focus on the half-full, not the half-empty. Being optimistic is a mindset, and it can be infectious if used in the right way. Be on the lookout for interesting, exciting, or uplifting opportunities that your friend might have overlooked while they were busy being pessimistic. There's almost always a silver lining to a problem. We sometimes don't want to look at it, but it's usually there. Here are a few ways to think about some common problems in a more positive manner: My partner/significant other broke up with me. "Don't worry about someone who doesn't value you completely as a person. If s/he doesn't get how special you are, they probably don't deserve you. There are plenty of other eligible people out there who will." Someone in my family/social circle died. "Death is natural by-product of life. While you can't bring the person back, you can celebrate how much they affected your life, and perhaps how much you changed theirs. Be grateful for the time you did get to spend with them." I lost my job. "Your job is an important reflection of who you are, but it's not the whole picture. Think of the lessons you learned while at your job, and try to find ways to apply them to your next job in the future. Finding a job is all about working harder than everyone else. Be motivated to show employers how much more qualified you are than everyone else." I don't have confidence in myself. "You have so much to be confident about. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses; it's what makes us unique and beautiful. I like you just the way you are. I don't see any reason why you shouldn't have just as much confidence as the person next door." I don't know what's wrong, I just know I feel bad. "It's okay to feel blue. Our happy moments are made even brighter by the darker ones. Don't force it if you don't feel like it, but think of how lucky you are compared to other people. That always manages to help me." Don't be sad yourself. If you are down in the dumps, how are you going to cheer up your friend? Strike a good balance between concerned — you want them to know that you're not happy that they're not happy — and optimistic — being a happy-go-lucky, glass-half-full kind of person. It's a lot of work, and it can be emotionally grinding, but your friend is worth it, right? Help them out and do as much as you can for them, so they still know that someone cares. This builds trust. They know they can rely on you. Do this, always, with a smile. Offer to take their mind off of it with an activity, like going to the movies, going on a hike, swimming, or gaming. If they don't want to be distracted, don't pester them about it: You can't help people who don't want to help themselves. Stay happy, stay dedicated, and stay available until they want to sort things out or forget about it. Know that sometimes people need to be sad. There are some people in the world who will benefit more from a day of sadness than others -- to those, it offers time for reflection, self-analysis, and refueling. Your friend may just need a bit to gather their woes and get back at it. If s/he requests this, respect it. It's not your duty to fix them. In time, they'll fix themselves. And yet there are times when people should be sad. It's not logical to expect a girl whose father died three months ago to all of a sudden snap out of it. Each person is different and their timeline of grief is as unique to them as their fingerprints. If they're still grieving from an event, the only thing you can do is stay by their side. That speaks for itself.
Listen to them. Ask them relevant questions. Relate to them, if appropriate, making sure not to take the spotlight from them. After listening, give them advice if they ask for it. Get face to face. Give them a gift. Try to make them smile. Make them laugh. Surprise them. Try to take their mind off it. Change their environment. Give them a big hug, if they are okay with the contact. Play to your strengths. Be optimistic. Don't be sad yourself. Know that sometimes people need to be sad.
https://www.wikihow.com/Sync-iPhone-Safari-Data-to-iCloud
How to Sync iPhone Safari Data to iCloud
Turn on Safari in the iCloud section of your Settings menu.
Open your iPhone's settings. It's a gray app icon that contains an image of cogs; it is usually found on one of your home screens. If you can't find it on your home screen, it may be in a Utilities folder. Scroll down and tap iCloud. It's at the top of the fourth section of the settings menu (below "Privacy"). If you have not already signed into iCloud from your iPhone, enter your Apple ID and password. Scroll down. Slide the button next to “Safari” to the “On” position. It's the seventh selection in the iCloud menu's fourth section. The space left of the button should be green. Your iPhone's Safari data -- bookmarks, open tabs, etc. -- will now be available to other devices on your iCloud account.
Open your iPhone's settings. Scroll down and tap iCloud. Scroll down. Slide the button next to “Safari” to the “On” position.
https://www.wikihow.com/Travel-on-Airplanes-With-a-Gun
How to Travel on Airplanes With a Gun
If you want to travel domestically with your gun, there are a number of regulations you'll need to follow to avoid delays. You'll need to pack your gun inside your regular luggage, declare it at baggage check in, and fill out a form to confirm that it's unloaded. Store it in a foam case to protect it in transit. If you're asked why you're travelling with a gun, just say it's for protection or target shooting. If you're travelling with ammo, check your airline and destination state's regulations, since many have a limit on how much ammo you can carry.
Get a good case. The best cases are those made by Pelican, Starlight, and similar companies. These cases are tough! Supposedly a tank can roll over them without damage to the contents. TSA and airline baggage handling is rough on cases, so the best case is a requirement. The typical Walmart case simply will not do. The best cases have foam linings that can be cut to fit your gun(s). In many cases, you must make cutouts since the guns will not fit without cutting. Do not cut openings for ammunition -- even for car travel, it is often illegal to have ammunition packed with the weapon. You can provide for magazines and other gear, though. Pistols can be packed inside of regular luggage. Since the theft of any gun is a consideration, having a case that does not resemble a gun case can be an advantage. Obviously, having your pistols enclosed in regular luggage provides this obfuscation. Some people pack rifles in golf club travel containers. The Pelican-like cases are not as obviously "gun" cases as these are also used for demonstration equipment, tools, and instruments. Some people feel that scopes should be dismounted before travel. With cases such as suggested with very thick foam, this is probably not required but is a simple step that may prevent problems. Use a NON-TSA approved lock. While many will tell you to use a TSA approved lock, this is actually prohibited by 49CFR 1540.111, the regulation that governs firearm transportation. It should be noted that the TSA usually allows the use of TSA locks but in reality, they are not legal as they are designed to be opened by a TSA master key, which is expressly prohibited by the above regulation. The TSA will ask you to unlock the case or provide them a key (do not give them the combination if a combination lock is used), then they will visually inspect the packing of your gun, after which they will either have you re-lock your case or they will re-lock it and return your key. TSA agents are not trained or allowed to handle a firearm, so no contact should be made in that manner. If an agent feels the firearm requires in-depth inspection, they must have a law enforcement officer come over to perform that function. If re-inspection is deemed necessary after the bag is checked, they will locate the owner and have them open the case again, so it is wise to remain in the area or on the aircraft after checking the firearm. Buy the best non-TSA locks you can find. For guns, the first step on arriving at the airport is to proceed directly to the baggage check-in -- you cannot use curbside check-in. Declare to the attendant when you get to the counter, "I have a gun to check." (Note, airgun/air rifle/air pistol are not considered firearms and do not require declaration but do have to be placed in checked baggage and it is wise to alert the agent as to avoid a delay due to a misunderstanding.) Air tanks are not allowed past TSA without internal inspection. That said, a tank attached to a gun is considered to be part of the gun and not a tank. Thus, limit yourself to one attached tank -- if you must have additional tanks, either prepare them for internal inspection (X-Ray is not enough, unfortunately) or ship them separately. Just-in-case, it is a good idea to travel with the tools to allow internal inspection of an airgun tank. The tanks should all have air pressure released before inspection or take the tool to release the pressure if necessary. There is no danger of explosion from travel. The attendant will ask for a declaration that the gun is unloaded. There is a form you fill-out with this declaration that goes into the gun case. You will get a baggage tag for your gun and other luggage. Your gun will be sent to the TSA inspector for the next stage of processing. Ammunition can be packed separately in your checked luggage or in the same case as the gun (as long as it is .75 caliber or less, that is). There are state restrictions on having ammo packed with the gun that may apply, too! There are usually airline limits on how much ammunition that can be carried, typically 5 kilograms (11 pounds) per person. Check with the airline for these limits. Again, you can always ship ammunition separately. While it is relatively easy to ship ammunition, shipping guns is not simple. TSA inspection is usually pretty cursory. As stated above, they are only allowed to visually inspect the firearms packing and the content of the case. They are allowed to search the case in depth which may require manipulating the firearm somewhat along with the packing, but no manipulation of the firearm in terms of opening the action, removing parts or magazines or dis-assembly of any type. If this is deemed necessary by the agent, they must have a law enforcement officer come to the area and perform that action. While unlikely, you may be asked to explain your reasons for traveling with a gun. If so, be nice. A short and simple answer is all that is needed. Something like "protection while on my trip," "hunting," or "attending a shooting event". Most likely nothing will be asked. The most I have encountered to date have been statements of positive admiration for my firearms by the inspecting agents. Once the inspection is complete, close and lock the case and put away your key. Your gun should then become "luggage" except for possibly being routed to special handling upon arrival at your destination. While the airline may tell you that your guns will arrive in a different area than you baggage (think skis), in practice they will often just be luggage and arrive with your other bags. Ask the agent where to expect them if not informed and immediately check with the staff at the arriving airport as well but be ready to check both special handling and regular baggage arrivals. In addition to the above, for international travel you must obtain the rules and regulations for US Customs and the country (countries) you will be visiting or transiting. If possible, plan your travel with direct flights. This avoids not only possible delays but lost baggage and any problems with transporting a gun through a third country. Get all necessary forms from the host country early. Also, back that up with a call to the host country embassy here in the US and make sure you're not missing anything. Event organizers can often provide most of the required information for getting a rifle into their country; pistols may be far more difficult. Get a US Customs to form 4457 signed in-person by a Customs office prior to leaving. This is so that you can get your gun back into the US without paying duty (especially applicable to guns made outside of the US; this also applies to cameras and other foreign-made items). Once you have this form, hang on to it as it can be reused. This can be done on departure day, but make sure you have a Customs Office available at your departure airport. Call the office directly, and do not depend on information from your airline regarding Customs availability.
Get a good case. Some people feel that scopes should be dismounted before travel. Use a NON-TSA approved lock. For guns, the first step on arriving at the airport is to proceed directly to the baggage check-in -- you cannot use curbside check-in. The attendant will ask for a declaration that the gun is unloaded. Ammunition can be packed separately in your checked luggage or in the same case as the gun (as long as it is .75 caliber or less, that is). TSA inspection is usually pretty cursory. Once the inspection is complete, close and lock the case and put away your key. In addition to the above, for international travel you must obtain the rules and regulations for US Customs and the country (countries) you will be visiting or transiting. If possible, plan your travel with direct flights. Get all necessary forms from the host country early. Get a US Customs to form 4457 signed in-person by a Customs office prior to leaving.
https://www.wikihow.com/Sleep-While-Having-Diarrhea
How to Sleep While Having Diarrhea
Sleeping when you have diarrhea can be difficult and unpleasant, but you can make it easier by using natural sleep aids and making dietary changes. Try sipping on a cup of chamomile tea before bed. Chamomile tea is a natural sleep aid and can reduce the inflammation diarrhea causes. You could also try deep breathing or another relaxation technique for 10 to 15 minutes, since feeling stressed can worsen intestinal problems. If you're in pain, consider taking an over-the-counter painkiller to help you get to sleep. Drink plenty of water and fruit juices throughout the day to replenish your electrolytes and stay hydrated. Additionally, eat bland foods, such as boiled potatoes or white rice without sauce, to reduce any potential irritation caused by the food you eat. Remember to see your doctor if the diarrhea lasts longer than 2 days, since it may be a symptom of another condition.
Sip on a cup of chamomile tea. Chamomile tea can help to reduce the inflammation that diarrhea causes and it is also well-known as a natural sleep aid. Try sipping cup of chamomile tea about one hour before you go to bed. To brew a cup of chamomile tea, steep one tea bag or 1 teaspoon of dried chamomile flowers in one cup of boiling water. Then remove the tea bag or strain the tea. Drink the tea after it has cooled down a little bit. Try a relaxation technique. People who suffer from chronic intestinal problems such as irritable bowel syndrome are often encouraged to use relaxation techniques on a daily basis. Regular use of relaxation techniques is recommended because feeling stressed can worsen intestinal problems, such as diarrhea. To reduce your diarrhea symptoms, try using a relaxation technique for about 10 to 15 minutes before you go to bed. Some good options include: Deep breathing Progressive muscle relaxation Meditation Take a dose of anti-diarrheal medicine right before bed. Over the counter anti-diarrheal medicines such as attapulgite, loperamide, and bismuth sub-salicylate may make it easier for you to sleep by stopping your symptoms for a few hours. Try taking a dose right before you go to bed to make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. Keep in mind that over-the-counter medications should not be used on children unless the doctor approves. If your diarrhea is due to a bacterial or parasitic infection, preventing bowel movements may make you sicker. In these cases, you need antibiotics. If you are unsure about whether or not to try over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medications, consult your doctor. Treat pain. Diarrhea can be painful enough to prevent you from sleeping. If this is occurring to you, you may want to consider taking an over-the-counter painkiller to help you fall asleep at night. These medications will not treat the diarrhea, but they may give you the pain relief you need to sleep: Try taking a dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Read and follow the instructions on the packaging. Be aware that over-the-counter medications can interact with prescription medications, herbal remedies, and dietary supplements. If you are unsure whether these medications are safe for you, consult your doctor. Aspirin should never be given to children due to the risk of Reye's syndrome. This is a serious condition that some children develop after taking aspirin and it can be life threatening. Consider sleeping closer to a bathroom. Since it may not be possible to avoid having to get up during the night when you have diarrhea, you may want to consider spending the night closer to a bathroom. This will make getting to the bathroom less of a hassle and the security of knowing that a bathroom is nearby may make it easier for you to sleep through the night. For example, if your bathroom is at the other end of your house or apartment, then you might consider sleeping on the sofa or in a spare bedroom that is closer to the bathroom. Stay hydrated. You lose water and electrolytes when you have diarrhea. The symptoms of dehydration, such as thirst, headaches and nausea are uncomfortable enough that they alone will make it harder to sleep. Stay hydrated by drinking, not just water, but also fluids with electrolytes. This includes both sugary and salty fluids such as: Fruit juices. Fruit juice may make diarrhea worse in children. If your child prefers juice, try diluting it with water. Sports drinks Decaffeinated sodas. Fizzy drinks may aggravate diarrhea in children. Broth Oral rehydration solutions such as Pedialyte, Naturalyte, Infalyte, and CeraLyte. These are given to children. Consult with your doctor or pharmacist to determine the correct dosage for your child. Read and follow the instructions on the packaging. If you are breastfeeding a child with diarrhea continue doing it as usual. Avoid caffeine. Not only will it keep you up at night, but it may stimulate your bowels and make your diarrhea worse. Beverages and foods with caffeine include: Coffee Black or green teas Many sodas Many energy drinks Chocolate Don't eat a heavy supper. Foods that are difficult to digest are more likely to aggravate your diarrhea and cause you to have to run to the bathroom at night. Foods to avoid include: Greasy or fatty foods. This includes a lot of fast food like fries, donuts, oily pizza, and fried and breaded meats and vegetables. Spicy foods. Some people find that spicy or heavily seasoned foods are more likely to upset their digestion. Even if you really enjoy cooking with spices, try leaving them out until you feel better. High-fiber foods. High-fiber foods include whole-grain bread, whole-wheat breads and pasta, bran, and whole-grain cereals. Cut down on milk products. Both adults and children may have difficulty digesting milk during or after a case of diarrhea. It takes some children over a month to be able to digest milk after having diarrhea. Eat bland foods. Eating bland foods will help to settle your stomach while you have diarrhea and prevent it from becoming worse. Good foods to try include: Bananas White rice with no sauce or seasoning Boiled potatoes Boiled carrots Baked chicken with the fat and skin removed Crackers Plain toast Eggs Replenish your gut bacteria. A healthy community of gut bacteria is necessary for proper digestion and can help reduce diarrhea. This method may benefit you if your diarrhea is a result of a recent course of antibiotic medications. Two ways of balancing your gut bacteria include: Eating live culture yogurt. The yogurt contains bacteria that aid digestion. Taking probiotics. Probiotics are available as supplements which contain bacteria that are similar to those that are found in a healthy digestive tract. These bacteria aid the breakdown of food. Contact your doctor before starting probiotic supplements to be sure that they will be safe for you. Take activated charcoal. Activated charcoal can absorb toxins in your intestinal tract, preventing your body from absorbing them, which makes it a suitable treatment for diarrhea. There are not many side effects of taking activated charcoal, so this may be a good solution for you. Be sure to follow the directions on the package, and don't take more activated charcoal, or take it more often, than directed. Call your doctor if diarrhea is interfering with your sleep. Sleep is essential for your body to heal itself, so tell your doctor if diarrhea is making it hard for you to sleep. Your doctor may be able to prescribe something to help you sleep. If your diarrhea is chronic (lasts more than four weeks), then you may need to take medication or make lifestyle changes to help get it under control. You may also need to see a specialist called a gastroenterologist if your diarrhea is chronic and often interferes with your sleep. See a doctor if your diarrhea doesn't go away. Diarrhea is unpleasant, but most of the time it is not an indication of a serious condition. However, you should go to the doctor if you have: Diarrhea that lasts over two days Symptoms of dehydration like infrequent urination, dark or cloudy urine, dry skin, exhaustion, headache, nausea, and dizziness Serious pain your belly or rectum A fever of 102 F or greater Bowel movements that include blood or pus Black or tarry stool Bring your child to the doctor if he or she has severe diarrhea. Children, particularly infants, are very vulnerable to dehydration. Get your child checked by a doctor if you observe: Diarrhea that continues for more than a day Signs of dehydration such as dry mouth, dry tongue, no tears during crying, no urination for 3 hours, fever, listlessness, irritability, or sunken eyes, cheeks, or soft spot in the skull A fever of 102 F or greater Stool that has blood or pus or is black and tarry
Sip on a cup of chamomile tea. Try a relaxation technique. Take a dose of anti-diarrheal medicine right before bed. Treat pain. Consider sleeping closer to a bathroom. Stay hydrated. Avoid caffeine. Don't eat a heavy supper. Eat bland foods. Replenish your gut bacteria. Take activated charcoal. Call your doctor if diarrhea is interfering with your sleep. See a doctor if your diarrhea doesn't go away. Bring your child to the doctor if he or she has severe diarrhea.
https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Muscle-Knots
How to Remove Muscle Knots
To remove muscle knots, try using a tennis ball to massage yourself. Use light pressure to roll the ball around the knot until you feel slight pain. Then, firmly hold down the tennis ball in that spot for 30 seconds. In addition to massage, do some stretches like tai chi or yoga, to help you relax. You can also apply a heating pad or cold compress to the area to help relieve pain and reduce inflammation and pain. If the pain is severe, be sure to visit your doctor to rule out a more serious injury.
Identify muscle knot areas. Some muscle knots hurt without pressure, so they're easy to identify. Others don't hurt until you apply pressure. Using your fingers, gently probe your muscles looking for pressure points. You may feel a knot or bump in the muscle. Many people have muscle knots in the top half of their backs, so that is a good place to begin. Visit a massage therapist. These experts are trained in muscle therapy and know the best techniques for relieving knotted muscles. Their approach will be to apply compression to the muscle and the area surrounding it. They understand how this process affects the surrounding tissues and the rest of your body. Give yourself a massage. Professional massages can be expensive, especially if you need to visit one regularly. An alternative is to learn massage techniques you can use on yourself. Squeeze the muscles gently, and rub them in a circular motion. Do this action all over your body, even on muscles you do not think have knots to make your whole body feel better. A variety of massage tools and pain relief creams are available to assist with your personal massage regime. One method is to roll a tennis ball around the area while applying light pressure until you feel slight pain in the muscle knot. Using pressure, hold the ball in place for 30 seconds. Follow this procedure with other knotted muscles. Apply hot or cold to the area. Temperature therapy relaxes the affected area. A heating pad or cold compress can alleviate some of the pain that is associated with muscle knots. Use a cooling spray in coordination with stretching. Take a bath. A warm bath helps you and your knotted muscles to relax. For added healing, stir Epsom salts into the water. A hot shower can help but isn't as effective. Stand so the water stream is focused on the muscles that are bothering you. You can also try a hot tub. Stretch your muscles. Stretching keeps muscles flexible. Consider beginning tai chi or yoga, which combines relaxation with stretching. Exercise regularly. Exercise affects muscles similarly to the way massage therapy does. Exercising regularly stretches the muscles and maintains their flexibility, working out tension. Aerobic exercises are often good for relieving muscles pain, especially ones that work your shoulders, like swimming. Bikram yoga (hot yoga) offers the benefits of a hot bath with the added bonus of flexibility exercises. Make sure to follow warnings. That is, hydrate before starting and remember to stay hydrated. Avoid eating a large meal for 3 hours before the class; stick to light, easily digested foods that are good sources of electrolytes, such as bananas. During the class, if you feel cramping followed by lightheadedness, dizziness, nausea, or weakness, leave the room at once and seek treatment for heat stroke. Most Bikram classes are 1.5 hours long. Speak with the instructor before your first class. If you are not accustomed to high temperatures, your goal for your first may be to stay in the studio for the full time rather than completing the exercises with the rest of the class. Try hypnosis. Hypnosis can help your muscles relax and can also assist with pain. Visit a physical therapist. With a physical therapist, you'll learn exercises that will help you strengthen and stretch your muscles. He or she can also help you adjust your lifestyle to prevent muscle knots. Work on your work space. Being hunched over a computer can increase muscle knots. Make sure your chair has proper back support and that your desk is at an appropriate height so that you aren't slouching while working. You can also try tools such as ergonomic keyboards to assist with correct posture. Check your posture. Sit up straight and stand up straight to help relieve muscle knots. Make sure you are not tensing your shoulders. Don't forget to check your posture even when you're involved in a project. Activities like leaning over tables or even sitting in chairs that don't give you enough back support can create muscle knots, too. Pay attention to how you're positioned. For instance, you may not notice that you normally sit at a weird angle while watching television. Maybe you slump over to the left in the car. All of these can create muscle knots in your shoulders and back, so try to pay more attention to your position. Ask your friends and family for help. The people you love can gently remind you when they notice you're slouching or in an awkward position. Try meditation. Meditation can help you be aware of your posture, as well as assist you with relaxing. Relax consciously. When you notice you are tensing your shoulders, consciously relax them. Take a deep breath in, and slowly release it while you imagine breathing out the tension of your shoulders. Repeat as necessary. . Use a foam roller to ease muscle tension You can use a foam roller to release trigger points, or tight muscle knots. These areas can cause pain in an area of your body or even radiate pain to other areas, but using a foam roller can help to release these knots and restore your muscles to normal. To use a foam roller, place it on the ground and rest your body on it over the area where your muscles feel tight. Then, slowly roll yourself across the foam roller to relieve tension. Take your vitamins. Not getting the right nutrients can make you more susceptible to muscle knots. Take magnesium, calcium, and zinc as supplements and also eat fruits and vegetables. Try cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT will not make the knots or pain go away. However, it can help you to deal with the pain by assisting you with adjusting your attitude. In addition, you may need more exercise, and CBT can encourage you to get moving. Use transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). TENS uses low-volt electrical current to decrease pain, and these systems can be applied by your doctor or purchased at a drug store. You place two electrodes near the pain and the system applies a current. Try an anti-inflammatory pain medication. It will decrease the pain, as well as reduce any swelling in the area. Ask your doctor for an injection. Doctors can inject medications at trigger points to help relieve pain. Often, he or she will use a local anesthetic.
Identify muscle knot areas. Visit a massage therapist. Give yourself a massage. Apply hot or cold to the area. Take a bath. Stretch your muscles. Exercise regularly. Try hypnosis. Visit a physical therapist. Work on your work space. Check your posture. Pay attention to how you're positioned. Ask your friends and family for help. Try meditation. Relax consciously. . Take your vitamins. Try cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Use transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). Try an anti-inflammatory pain medication. Ask your doctor for an injection.
https://www.wikihow.com/Draw-a-Werewolf
How to Draw a Werewolf
If you want to draw a werewolf, start by drawing a circle for its head, and 2 large ovals for the body and arms. Next, draw the outlines of the facial features, and add lines connecting the head and body. Then, complete the arm before adding curved claws. To complete the outline, add ovals for the legs and feet, and curved lines for the tail. Finish by adding details, like fur and body marks, and coloring in your werewolf.
Draw a circle for the head. Draw a square for the snout. Draw a series of ovals for the mouth eyes and ears. Draw two larger ovals for body and part of the arm. Draw a series of lines connecting the head and body. Draw ovals to complete the arm outline of the werewolf. Add curve shapes for the claws. Draw another set of ovals for the legs and feet, add curves with circles on the end for the feet. Add curved lines to make the tail. Based on the outline, draw the werewolf. Add details such as fur, body marks, and body details. Erase the unnecessary outlines. Color your werewolf! Draw two ovals for the head and ears. Draw a rough outline of the face. Draw two ovals for the body. Draw ovals to complete the arm outline of the werewolf. Add curve shapes for the claws. Draw another set of ovals for the legs and feet, add curves on the feet for the claws Draw a series of curved lines in the head for the hair of the werewolf. Based on the outline, draw the werewolf. Add details such as fur, body marks, ragged pants, and additional body details. Erase the unnecessary outlines. Color your werewolf! Draw circles for the head and chest, and ovals for the snout and hips. Draw more circles and ovals for the hands and legs, also lines to define the hands, legs and tail . Draw circles for the eyes and an oval for the snout. Also create guide lines for the face. Start outlining the drawing with darker lines giving the figure a furry werewolf appearance. Add nails to the fingers and toes, a nose and teeth. You can now start with the eyes adding color as you move ahead with coloring the drawing. Give the picture depth with shades. Give the werewolf some character by adding some clothing. Draw the guide lines of the body with circles and ovals for the head and torso. Add more detail to the guide lines by adding more lines circles and ovals for the joints, palms of the hand and feet. Add the guide lines for the posture of the face. Start drawing the wolf like face, with ears and a large mouth. Add more ovals to serve as guides for the muscles on the hands and legs. Make the outline for the figure with darker lines. Start coloring the drawing at this point of time. Complete the coloring by adding fur on the figure's hands, back and feet.
Draw a circle for the head. Draw a square for the snout. Draw a series of ovals for the mouth eyes and ears. Draw two larger ovals for body and part of the arm. Draw a series of lines connecting the head and body. Draw ovals to complete the arm outline of the werewolf. Draw another set of ovals for the legs and feet, add curves with circles on the end for the feet. Add curved lines to make the tail. Based on the outline, draw the werewolf. Add details such as fur, body marks, and body details. Erase the unnecessary outlines. Color your werewolf! Draw two ovals for the head and ears. Draw a rough outline of the face. Draw two ovals for the body. Draw ovals to complete the arm outline of the werewolf. Draw another set of ovals for the legs and feet, add curves on the feet for the claws Draw a series of curved lines in the head for the hair of the werewolf. Based on the outline, draw the werewolf. Add details such as fur, body marks, ragged pants, and additional body details. Erase the unnecessary outlines. Color your werewolf! Draw circles for the head and chest, and ovals for the snout and hips. Draw more circles and ovals for the hands and legs, also lines to define the hands, legs and tail . Draw circles for the eyes and an oval for the snout. Start outlining the drawing with darker lines giving the figure a furry werewolf appearance. Add nails to the fingers and toes, a nose and teeth. You can now start with the eyes adding color as you move ahead with coloring the drawing. Give the picture depth with shades. Give the werewolf some character by adding some clothing. Draw the guide lines of the body with circles and ovals for the head and torso. Add more detail to the guide lines by adding more lines circles and ovals for the joints, palms of the hand and feet. Add the guide lines for the posture of the face. Start drawing the wolf like face, with ears and a large mouth. Add more ovals to serve as guides for the muscles on the hands and legs. Make the outline for the figure with darker lines. Start coloring the drawing at this point of time. Complete the coloring by adding fur on the figure's hands, back and feet.
https://www.wikihow.com/Replace-a-Catalytic-Converter
How to Replace a Catalytic Converter
To replace a catalytic converter, start by jacking the car up so that you can work underneath it. Then, locate the catalytic converter at the center of your exhaust system and remove the oxygen sensor with a ratchet wrench. Next, unscrew the bolts at the back of the converter, followed by the ones at the front, and remove it from the car. After you've removed the old converter, put the new one in its place and tighten all the bolts to secure it to the car. Finally, replace the oxygen sensor and check all the connections to make sure they're airtight.
Park in a level place and jack the vehicle up at all four wheels and support on jack stands. Replacing your vehicle's catalytic converter isn't quite like replacing a tire — you'll need to raise the entire vehicle off of the ground, rather than just one corner. It's very important to find a level spot to do this maintenance on your car. If your car is not stable, you risk serious injury or death if your jacks fail. If you have access to a professional-quality hydraulic lift and know how to safely use it, this is also an acceptable way to lift your car when replacing the catalytic converter. Allow the vehicle's exhaust to cool down. If your vehicle hasn't had an opportunity to cool down after running, its exhaust system can still be quite hot. To reduce the risk of painful burns, give your vehicle a chance to adequately cool down before working on it. Depending on your vehicle's exhaust system, this will usually be a matter of just a few minutes. To test the heat of the exhaust system, put on a pair of heavy mechanic's gloves and gently brush the exhaust tube with the back of your hand. If you can't feel any heat, you may cautiously repeat this test without the glove. Locate the catalytic converter. Slide under the vehicle and locate the tubes of the exhaust system, which should run all the way to your vehicle's rear exhaust. The converter should not be terribly difficult to find — it will usually take the form of a rectangular or rounded "box" in the middle of your exhaust system. Some models can have a roughly cylindrical shape. Check to see whether the converter is bolted or welded to the rest of the exhaust system at its connection points. You may need to take it to an auto shop to have it repaired if it has already been replaced and welded back into position, rather than bolted. You can still replace a welded converter if you have access to a sawzall (or similar tool) and a welding machine and know how to safely use both, but these advanced tools are beyond the mastery of most amateur mechanics. Remove the O2 (oxygen) sensor from the catalytic converter. Most modern catalytic converters are equipped with one or more oxygen sensors that monitor the efficiency of the car's exhaust system continuously. If your catalytic converter has an attached oxygen sensor, use an oxygen sensor socket and a ratchet wrench to disconnect it before proceeding. When you're done, move the sensor out of your way so that it doesn't interfere with the rest of the process. If bolted, apply penetrating oil to the bolts. Catalytic converters that are bolted in can sometimes have bolts that are rusted, partially-corroded, or "jammed" into their nuts. These bolts can be very tricky to remove, so loosen them up by applying a penetrating oil (available from most auto stores). Allow the oil to seep into the bolts and lubricate them for several minutes before attempting to remove them. Remove the bolts at the back end first, then at the front. Use an appropriately-sized wrench to begin loosening all of the bolts before you start removing them. Once all of the bolts are loosened (but still attached), remove the "rear" bolts (those closest to the open end of the vehicle's exhaust) before removing the "front" ones (those further away). Remove the converter when you're done. You may have to support the exhaust once the converter is removed. Alternatively, for welded-in converters, cut the converter out. If your converter is welded into the rest of the exhaust system, rather than bolted in, the only way to remove it is to physically cut it out of the pipes it's connected to. Most mechanics will use a sawzall or similar tool for this purpose. Cut along (or near) the existing weld lines, then remove the converter after it's cut free. If you finish and the converter won't seem to budge, you may want to use a hammer to knock it out of its place as long as you take care not to damage or rattle any other parts of the exhaust system (this can lead to harmful exhaust leaks down the road). Always defer to any included instructions. The instructions provided in this article are written for general cases of catalytic converter installation. Because the exact part needed and the installation process can vary from vehicle to vehicle, the steps you'll need to replace your vehicle's converter may be different than the ones here. When in doubt, always follow the instructions provided with your replacement part or consult the advice of a knowledgeable mechanic. Converters have a specific direction they should flow and have an arrow for direction of exhaust flow. Insert any gaskets supplied with the new catalytic converter. Some converters, especially bolt-installed ones, will come with small, round gaskets that sit in the pipes connected to the converter to give the converter a snugger, more secure fit. If your replacement converter came with these gaskets, install them according to any provided instructions before proceeding. Put the new catalytic converter in place. Next, hold the catalytic converter in the position where it will eventually be installed. Double check to make sure it is pointed in the right direction (there should be an arrow indicating this) and that the correct side is facing down. Since it's tricky to work on the converter with one hand while you hold it in place with another, for the next few steps, it can be useful to enlist a willing friend to hold the converter in place while you work or use a stand to hold it up in place. Finger-tighten nuts on the bolts. If your vehicle's catalytic converter was bolted in and your replacement converter has bolt holes that match your exhaust system's, installation is usually a cinch. To start, re-insert your bolts and use your hands to manually tighten them. This makes it easier to get all of the bolts to align correctly because the looseness gives you a small degree of "wiggle room" to make minor adjustments as needed. Tighten down all the bolts. Starting on the "front" end of the converter (the end further away from the vehicle's exhaust), tighten the bolts with a suitably-sized wrench. Proceed to the back end when you finish tightening the bolts on the front. You'll want your bolts to be very tight. Most exhaust leaks are caused by loose bolts, so making sure your bolts are extra tight now can save you headaches in the future. Alternatively, weld the converter into place. If you need to weld your converter into place, the process is somewhat more involved. You'll need a professional-grade welding machine (such as a MIG welder) and the proper training and expertise required to use one safely (or a friend who has these things). Don't attempt to weld your converter back into place if you're not a competent welder — you could damage your vehicle or even hurt yourself. Weld your converter into place by carefully joining it to the exhaust system pipes at either end. Be sure to create a secure, air-tight seal at each weld. If the pipes aren't wide enough, you may need to heat them up and flare them to make them fit. If your pipes don't quite reach one end of your converter, you may need to weld an additional extender pipe in. Sometimes you have to do a partial weld then lower the exhaust to finish the top part of the weld. Be sure to allow your welds to cool to a safe temperature before proceeding. Screw the oxygen sensor back into place. If you originally removed one or more oxygen sensors to access your converter, replace them now. As you do, check to make sure that the attached wiring is secure and is not frayed or damaged — this can lead to inaccurate readings and even false "check engine" lights. Double-check your work. At this point, if you've done everything correctly, you're basically done. Take the opportunity to make sure one last time that the catalytic converter is connected correctly and there are no gaps or leaks at either of the connections or the oxygen sensor. If you bolted your converter in, make sure all of your bolts tight. If you welded it in, make sure your welds are sturdy and airtight. Check for exhaust leaks. Once you've installed a new catalytic converter, one thing you'll want to do immediately is double-check to make sure there aren't any leaks in the exhaust system on either side of it. Depending on where it is, an exhaust leak can cause a variety of problems for your vehicle, including reduced fuel efficiency and long-term damage. There are several ways to find an exhaust leak. One is to simply be observant while you drive — if your car sounds louder than normal when it runs or seems to "rumble" more, you may have a leak. You can also check for leaks by jacking your car up, starting it in park, and carefully moving a lit candle along the length of the exhaust tubing. Leaks which are invisible to the eye should cause the flame to waver or blow out. Measure back-pressure in the exhaust system. One problem that can occur in faulty catalytic converters is that they can become "backed up" with soot, debris, and other exhaust byproducts or broken apart inside the converter. In this case, the engine's ability to rid itself of exhaust is hampered, which can cause a vehicle's fuel efficiency to plummet and can even cause the engine to stall in severe cases. Luckily, performing a backpressure test is simple — just screw a pressure gauge into the oxygen sensor's hole before the converter in the exhaust manifold in most vehicles. The pressure reading should be less than 1.25 psi when the vehicle's engine is running at 2,000 RPMs. The worse the congestion is, the higher the pressure reading can be. Very bad backpressure readings can approach 3 psi. Perform a mallet test for old converters. If your car's converter is old and worn, one simple test can tell whether it needs to be replaced very quickly. Simply grab a rubber mallet (or similar tool) and give the converter a firm hit. If you hear any sort of rattling, your converter needs to be replaced — this indicates that the metallic catalyst within has begun to corrode and crumble. However, if you don't hear a rattle, this doesn't necessarily mean that your converter works well. There may still be other problems with it. To be clear, this test can only tell you if you have a bad converter, not if you have a good one. Consider more advanced tests. Catalytic converters can be tricky parts — if you're in doubt about whether or not yours is functioning properly even after performing the tests above, don't hesitate to take it to a mechanic or specialist. These professionals will have access to the type of equipment that can be used to perform more advanced tests, like delta temperature tests, oxygen storage tests, and CO 2 tests. Most auto shops that offer smog testing will be able to perform these sorts of emissions tests.
Park in a level place and jack the vehicle up at all four wheels and support on jack stands. Allow the vehicle's exhaust to cool down. Locate the catalytic converter. Remove the O2 (oxygen) sensor from the catalytic converter. If bolted, apply penetrating oil to the bolts. Remove the bolts at the back end first, then at the front. Alternatively, for welded-in converters, cut the converter out. Always defer to any included instructions. Insert any gaskets supplied with the new catalytic converter. Put the new catalytic converter in place. Finger-tighten nuts on the bolts. Tighten down all the bolts. Alternatively, weld the converter into place. Screw the oxygen sensor back into place. Double-check your work. Check for exhaust leaks. Measure back-pressure in the exhaust system. Perform a mallet test for old converters. Consider more advanced tests.
https://www.wikihow.com/Hit-a-Tennis-Forehand
How to Hit a Tennis Forehand
Hitting a tennis forehand is all about getting in the right position and creating power from your shoulders. First, get into position with the racquet in front of you, your knees slightly bent, and your weight on the balls of your feet. When the ball comes over the net, turn your body to the side where the ball will be and lower the racquet behind you, almost in line with your belly button. Keep your eyes on the ball and avoid moving your head until you've hit the ball to maintain accuracy. Then, swing the racquet so it meets the ball in front of you. Continue the swing so the racquet goes up and over your shoulder.
Prepare for the shot. Hold your racquet with your dominant hand while your other hand holds your racquet at its throat. As the ball comes over the net and approaches your wing, open your shoulders by turning and taking the racquet back. Keep your legs shoulder width apart and comfortably bent. This is called the ready position. Level your back swing. Keep your racket head about level to your head as your non-dominant hand leaves the throat of your racquet. Ensure that you fully turn your shoulder and that you don't bring the racquet back too low or too high. Lock your wrist to ensure smooth, circular, and consistent movement as you take your racquet back. Your forehand may become erratic if your backswing is inconsistent. Don't take a longer backswing to produce extra power. Be consistent especially when under pressure. Generate your forward swing. After you have calculated the approach of the ball and adjusted yourself into the correct position, drop the racket below the level of the ball by bending your elbow and pronating your forearm. Build up racquet speed to be unleashed at the point of contact. Lock your eyes on to the ball. Freeze your head until after you have made contact and ensure that there are no hitches to your swing. Swing through the ball. Hit the ball when the ball is a comfortable distance from your body and within striking range. Extend your arm out and use your wrist to keep the face of the racquet laid back as it makes contact with the ball at maximum speed. Do not exaggerate the low-to-high trace of your swing because your shots may unintentionally land short, giving your opponent an opportunity to attack. Follow through. Upon impact, continue your arm's extension out in front of you by whipping your wrist and pronating your forearm. Bring the head of your racquet to the side of your non-dominant hand to create a windshield wiper like finish. Stay locked and balanced. Don't look up too early to watch where your shot will land. These can affect your shot and make it go awry. Avoid changing your swing. Do not decelerate your racquet head in your follow through or your shots may fly out of bounds. Don't shorten your follow through or you may hit the net. Keep your swing path smooth and continuous, starting from your backswing, through your hit, and ending with your follow through. There should be no jerky motions at any point of your forehand. Stay low and don’t move your head. Controlling your head movement produces a consistent swing path. Don't look up or stand up too soon. Remain focused and keep your eyes on the ball from the second it leaves the racquet of your opponent until after your follow through. Keep your head down and don't look up early to see where the ball is going. Keep consistent with your follow through. Adjust your grip. Picture shaking hands with someone and use the same technique to hold your racquet. Allow one edge of your racquet to point to the court as you hold your racquet vertical. Wrap your fingers around your racquet's grip at the butt end. Place your wrist against the handle. Place your palm barely behind the handle of the racket. If you're right-handed, place the racquet at the right side of your body and grip it with your wrist at the butt of the handle slightly to the right. The space between your index finger and thumb should be towards and above the rear of the handle. Keep the racquet out to the left of your body if you're a left handed player. Grip the racquet with your palm slightly behind the handle. Keep your wrist at the left butt end of the handle. The space between your index finger and thumb should be placed at the rear and above the handle. This is the most common grip for beginners, known as the Eastern Forehand Grip. It is used to hit solid forehands because it is the most natural and versatile grip; however, there are also the Western and Continental grips used for other tennis shots like the slice. Close the racquet face when using the Eastern Forehand Grip. When you want to hit with power, close the racquet face on your backswing. Closing the racquet face during your backswing generates more topspin when you hit the ball with power. Aim slightly higher than the top of the net. Use the Semi-Western Grip to hit with speed and spin. Place the knuckle of your index finger and lower palm on the fourth bevel of your racquet grip. A shortcut is to place the racquet flat on the ground. When you pick it up you create the natural contact points between your shoulders and waist. Adjust your backswing so that it's closed by angling the face of your racquet towards the ground. You can hit the ball harder as you close your backswing more. Practice making the ball go airborne as you apply more power and create more spin. If done incorrectly, you will actually reduce the power of your forehand. Create the most spin with the Western Forehand Grip. Place the knuckle of your index finger and the bottom of your palm on the fifth bevel of your racquet grip. You should make contact with the ball around your shoulders. Don’t grip your racquet too tightly. You want to easily shift your grip to create the appropriate type of shot. For example, you may change to a Continental Grip from an Eastern Grip to hit a drop shot or short slice. Choose your grip. A Western Grip can generate the most spin. For the Western Grip, place the knuckle of your index finger and the bottom of the palm of your hand on the fifth bevel of the racquet grip. Get into the correct stance. Have a semi-open stance unless your opponent hits the ball short. If the ball is hit short, step forward into a neutral stance. For a semi-open stance, take a slight step to the side and rotate your shoulder until you lock your hips at the pelvic joint. The lock position maintains balance by lifting your non-hitting hand parallel to the court. Relax your dominant hand. Bend and relax your hand as you hold the racquet vertically. Keep the butt-cap facing the court and your body straight but bent at your knees. Rotate your body as your bent knees complete your full body rotation. Initiate your swing. Push off your dominant leg and rotate your shoulder and hips. Keep your weight on your dominant leg and bend your knees. Your dominant foot should be pointed outwards as you stand in the lock position. Keep your shoulder perpendicular to the net as you watch the ball over your non-dominant shoulder. Keep your dominant hand holding the racquet vertical and your non-dominant arm parallel to the court. Create a C shape with your swing. Start to drop your racquet as you create a C shape swing path towards the ball. Uncoil your shoulders and push off on your dominant leg. Open up your shoulder and hip toward the court as you further drop your racquet. Watch the ball as you drop your racquet. Strike the ball. Square your body to the net, keeping the racquet below the ball. Rotate your body forward and bring the racquet face through the ball. Cock your dominant wrist completely back as you snap through the ball. Straighten up your dominant leg as you push off through your hit. Your non-dominant leg will begin to slightly lift off the ground. Keep your head steady and watch the ball upon impact. Follow through. Keep your body straight as your non-dominant foot leaves the ground. Extend your dominant hand through the contact. Finish your swing across your body rather than across your shoulder. Keep your eye on the ball over your dominant shoulder. Your non-dominant foot will land back on the ground and your non-dominant hand should catch the racquet after your follow through. Your dominant foot will come forward to keep your balance as your body fully rotates to complete the hit. Practice as much as possible. Perfect your forehand through repetition. Try to mimic the same motion over and over again. You want to create a habit by using drills so that, when it comes to the pressure of a game, your muscles will be able to execute the same movements. Visualize your correct stroke. Keep things simple and don't confuse yourself with too much information. Visualize a smooth stroke path. You can only improve your forehand through repetition. Visualization can help your body reproduce the correct movements that maximize the accuracy, topspin, and power of your forehand. Simplify your stroke. Don't try to copy the idiosyncrasies of the top pros. Master the fundamentals first and then an easy and simple swing that feels natural to you. Power and topspin will come on their own without trying to change the basics. Focus on footwork. You must move your feet to ensure perfect timing and movement to keep your ideal balance. Set up correctly to receive the ball. Setting up in time will give you options where to hit the ball. The correct setup is having your non-dominant leg in front of the other while both knees are bent. Your hips and shoulders should be open as your body readies to explode into your forehand. Select the right shots. Use the forehand as a weapon and strategically hit your shots at optimum locations. Be patient and vary the location and speed of your shots. Keep your opponent guessing. For example, if your opponent is directly in front of you, you may want to hit your forehand across the court so that your opponent must run to retrieve it. When someone is forced to run to make a shot, it increases the level of difficulty as she must aim and generate power while off balance. The right shot depends on exploiting your opponent's weakness. For example, if your opponent has a weak backhand, aim to exploit it. Position yourself correctly. Don't hit the ball when it's too close or too far from your body. Avoid hitting the ball in a sideways direction or if it's in front of you. Hit the ball at a comfortable reach when it's close to your hip. Avoid hitting the ball with a closed racket face. Open your racquet face as you make contact. Create a brushing effect between your racquet and the ball to create topspin. Make sure that the angle of your swing moves from low to high. Make sure you transfer your weight and follow-through. For topspin, follow through over your dominant shoulder. Transfer your weight in a forward and upward direction by bending your knees during your preparation and straightening them as you uncoil and rotate your body to hit the ball. Use the right grip for the right court. If your court creates a high bounce to your ball, then a Western or Semi-Western Grip is ideal. This allows you to hit the ball at a higher point of contact. If the court produces a low bounce then a continental grip is ideal. The Eastern Grip is ideal to hit flat and straight shots.
Prepare for the shot. Level your back swing. Generate your forward swing. Swing through the ball. Follow through. Avoid changing your swing. Stay low and don’t move your head. Adjust your grip. Place your wrist against the handle. Close the racquet face when using the Eastern Forehand Grip. Use the Semi-Western Grip to hit with speed and spin. Create the most spin with the Western Forehand Grip. Don’t grip your racquet too tightly. Choose your grip. Get into the correct stance. Relax your dominant hand. Initiate your swing. Create a C shape with your swing. Strike the ball. Follow through. Practice as much as possible. Visualize your correct stroke. Simplify your stroke. Focus on footwork. Select the right shots. Position yourself correctly. Avoid hitting the ball with a closed racket face. Make sure you transfer your weight and follow-through. Use the right grip for the right court.
https://www.wikihow.com/Wash-a-Dog-Afraid-of-Water
How to Wash a Dog Afraid of Water
Before you try to wash a dog that's afraid of water, get it used to being in water by taking it to the beach, walking it in the rain, or playing with it in a kiddie pool. Once your dog is more comfortable around water, practice placing it in the tub without any water on, and give it lots of treats to make the experience a positive one. Then, when you actually bathe your dog, use small amounts of warm water so you don't overwhelm it, and give it an extra special, long-lasting treat when you're finished.
Put a rubber mat down in your bathtub. Bathtubs are slippery surfaces for dogs, so lay down an inexpensive rubber bath mat to help your dog feel more secure. Some dogs aren't scared of the water itself, but don't feel comfortable in bathtubs. Cut your dog's nails before bath time to help your dog have a more steady footing on the slippery surface. You can place a towel on the bottom of the tub if you don't have a rubber mat. Practice having your dog in the tub with no water. Place your dog in the bathtub without turning on the faucet or shower head. Pet your dog and say “good dog” while it stays in the tub. Don't let your dog jump out of the tub and run away. You can use a leash to help keep your dog in place if it keeps trying to run away. Reward your dog for staying calm in the tub with treats. Keep telling your dog it is a “good dog” while it remains in the tub. Give the dog a treat when it calms down and stops trying to get out of the tub. You can start out with short sessions of 3-5 minutes in the tub with no water to get your dog used to being in the tub. Keep practicing this until the dog has no problem being in the tub. Have a friend or helper distract the dog with treats or peanut butter while you bathe your dog so it stays more calm. Pour small amounts of water over your dog until you can give it a full bath. Gently pour warm water with a container over your dog's legs and back once it is comfortable in the tub. Use a washcloth to clean the dog's face instead of pouring water on it. You can do this in multiple short sessions of 3-5 minutes, gradually increasing the amount of time your dog is in the tub and how much water you pour on it. Hold your dog's chin and nose up as you pour water over the back of its neck and head to prevent water from getting in the dog's eyes or nose. Give your dog a long-lasting chew toy or treat after bathtime is over. Get your dog to associate a completed bath with a reward by giving it something like a rawhide or bone to chew on afterward. Your dog will learn to tolerate a bath because it expects a tasty reward when bath time is over. Once your dog is comfortable with you pouring water over it to give it a bath, you can try using a pet spray attachment for your shower. These attachments reduce the pressure of the water and let you gently spray water over your dog so you don't have to keep filling up a container. Wipe your dog with pet wipes to clean spots of dirt off. There are many types of portable wipes designed just for pets. Use them to wipe off your dog's paws or fur when they get dirty instead of giving your dog a whole bath. Avoid rubbing your dog's face or eyes with wipes as this can irritate them. Use freshening sprays or foams designed for dogs instead of water. Purchase a spray-on or rub-in waterless shampoo product designed for dogs. Follow the instructions on the product to apply it to your dog to clean it. These types of products are good for a quick clean that doesn't require any water to rinse the dog clean. Waterless shampoos generally work best for smaller dogs with less fur. Spritz your dog with a water and vinegar mixture to deodorize it. Mix equal parts apple cider vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray your dog's coat all over with the mixture, then rub them dry with a clean towel. Vinegar also helps treat dogs with itchy skin. Spray the mixture onto any spots that you see your dog is scratching a lot. The vinegar will even help repel fleas! You can use this mixture to clean your dog's ears as well. Use a dropper to squeeze a drop or two of the mixture into your dog's ears, then let the dog shake its head. You can also soak cotton balls in the mixture to wipe out the ears. You can also use apple cider vinegar to make a natural dog shampoo. Rub baking soda and cornstarch into your dog’s fur for a homemade dry shampoo. Mix 1 cup (120 g) of baking soda with 1 cup (120 g) of cornstarch for a mid-sized dog. Sprinkle it evenly over your dog's fur and massage it in with a towel, then brush it out with a dog brush. This homemade dry shampoo will absorb grease and dirt from your dog's fur and eliminate odors. You can add 2-3 drops of essential oil, like lemon or lavender, to make your dog smell even fresher. Use 1/2 cup (60 g) of baking soda and 1/2 cup (60 g) of cornstarch for smaller dogs. Take your dog to wade in shallow water. Lead the dog near shallow water at a beach, lake, pond, or kiddie pool on a leash and reward the dog with praise and a treat for getting near the water or touching the water. Let the dog make all its own choices about the water and do not try to force them into it. Take your dog near the water for 5-minute sessions, then come back another day and repeat the process until they get comfortable being around water and getting wet. Try throwing a toy your dog loves into the water close to the shore to encourage them to wade in and retrieve it. Avoid rivers because the moving water can scare your dog. Play with your dog in the rain to make getting wet fun. Take your dog outside when it rains lightly and play fetch with a favorite ball or toy. Reward your dogs with treats and praise for playing and getting wet in the rain. Dry the dog off as soon as playtime is over and you go inside so they associate being wet with having fun. Pour warm water on your dog’s feet to get it ready for bathing. Introduce your dog to the water by filling a container with lukewarm water and pouring it on their feet until they are comfortable with it. Don't spray running water directly on your dog to avoid scaring them. Use a leash or hold your dog by the collar to keep it from running away. Give your dog a treat if it remains calm while you pour water over its feet. Reward your dog with a treat and praise every time they interact with water. Reinforce any kinds of positive interactions your dog has with water. Dogs will begin to associate being wet with getting a tasty treat. Treat training is really effective for teaching dogs any kind of behavior that you want them to learn.
Put a rubber mat down in your bathtub. Practice having your dog in the tub with no water. Reward your dog for staying calm in the tub with treats. Pour small amounts of water over your dog until you can give it a full bath. Give your dog a long-lasting chew toy or treat after bathtime is over. Wipe your dog with pet wipes to clean spots of dirt off. Use freshening sprays or foams designed for dogs instead of water. Spritz your dog with a water and vinegar mixture to deodorize it. Rub baking soda and cornstarch into your dog’s fur for a homemade dry shampoo. Take your dog to wade in shallow water. Play with your dog in the rain to make getting wet fun. Pour warm water on your dog’s feet to get it ready for bathing. Reward your dog with a treat and praise every time they interact with water.
https://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Mentalist
How to Be a Mentalist
To be a mentalist, start by reading books on topics like interviewing people, interpreting facial movements, and manipulating minds. Additionally, work on increasing your mental power by playing chess, doing puzzles, and solving riddles. You should also pay attention to how people present themselves, since that can give you insights about them. For example, someone who makes a point of standing close to an exit may be socially anxious. Alternatively, 2 people talking energetically and making strong eye contact may be romantically interested in each other.
Make snap, educated judgments. Part of being a mentalist is about trusting your judgment. Unfortunately, most people have turned their observation skills off. General and non-overt assessment of an individual provides good background information that is normally missed. For example, are the person's hands soft or calloused? Is his musculature toned or not? Is the person dressed to stand out or to hide? Take yourself right now -- what might someone learn about you just from looking at you? There are dozens of general assessment information items that will help you to profile the individual. Think of Sherlock Holmes -- he didn't have ESP, he just noticed things. That's all. A slight tan line on the left ring finger. A pen mark on the left hand. He would now trust that this person is either divorced or separated and right-handed. Trust those snap judgments! Look for physical cues in others. A mentalist's work lies in stirring memories and causing the "tells" to appear, even if the person cannot bring to mind the information. “Tells” will help you to observe what the mind knows but the memory cannot call forth. Remember that although someone may say they do not remember something, the brain records everything. As such, the information is there, but just not accessible to that person at that time. "Tells" include: Dilation or constriction of the pupil of the eye (dilation is associated with positive emotion; constriction with negative). Where the person gazes Rate of respiration Heart rate Relative perspiration of the body Use yourself as your first guinea pig. Knowing what tells to look for isn't helpful if you don't know what they mean. While each person is a bit different, tells are called as such because they're usually consistent. So get in front of a mirror and start studying your own face. Here's a few things to look for: When you think of a positive memory, your pupils should dilate. When you think of a negative experience, they should constrict. Imagine both of these scenarios and see what happens. Think of an answer to this question: What do you like about going to the beach? Once you've come up with your answer, note where you looked. If you said something like fire, you probably visualized it and looked up. If you said something like the sounds and the smells, you probably remained at eye level. If you said the sand in your hands, you may have looked down. Visual answers generally go up, aural stays level, and hands-on memories draw gaze downward. Make yourself nervous. How does it manifest in your body? What is your heart doing? Your breathing? What are you doing with your hands? Now run through other emotions too -- sadness, happiness, stress, etc. Detect lies. Much of detecting lies is seeing the tells we just covered. In fact, that's what a polygraph does -- it measures blood pressure, pulse, and perspiration. The higher these numbers, the more likely the person is lying. But you can also do things a polygraph can't do -- like see when people aren't looking you in the eye, twiddling their thumbs, or being inconsistent in their verbal and non-verbal behavior. A good thing to master is detecting micro-expressions. These are little flashes of how the person actually feels before they consciously cover it up. They're often feelings of distress or negative feelings they don't want other people to see for one reason or another. Pay attention to their entire body -- how much they're gulping, if they're touching their nose or mouth, what they're doing with their hands, fingers, and feet, and how they're standing in relation to you. Are they angled toward the door? They probably subconsciously want to get away! Ask leading questions. Persuading people is a huge part of being a mentalist. At the very least, you're persuading them you are a mentalist! If a person is given some evidence that one can “read their mind," they are easily confused between telepathy and observation/persuasion. A simple way to do this is to ask leading questions. John Edward and other TV personalities are great at this. They start with, "I'm seeing a 19. Does that mean anything to anyone?" They start out vague until someone latches on. Then, once someone does, he'll ask questions like, "You were very close to him, weren't you?" and the person answers, feeling like they're understood. He's just asking very vague questions and the person is filling in the gaps for him! Practice casually sweeping the room with an observant gaze. Look for all detail in the environment. Observe all human interaction, from the one-on-one to how the room is grouped. Often just a ten-second look into a room can tell you how each person is feeling. If you see one or two people near the door, they may be socially anxious. See a person whose body language is clearly focused on someone else? They're interested in that person, probably sexually. And if everyone is aligned toward one person in the room, you've found your alpha. And that's just three examples. If you can, record something. Start with small segments, observe, record, then view again several times to find what information you missed the first time. Memorize a “baseline” of behavior for the people you're dealing with. This means how a person normally acts in any given circumstance. Since people are different, you'll be a lot more effective in your readings if you have a baseline first. And you'll know how receptive they're feeling toward you! An easy example is think of naturally flirty people. When they're comfortable, they may be touching, laughing, and poking away at someone they find attractive. Other people, while comfortable, might consider that a violation of a person's bubble. Both people are feeling the same way, they just show it in very different ways. Be confident. 99% of getting people to believe/agree with you is confidence (statistic yet to be verified). How do politicians get elected? What makes a salesman effective? Who gets the ladies? We may think it has something to do with smarts or with looks (and those definitely don't hurt), but what it really boils down to is confidence. When you're confident enough, it doesn't even occur to other people to question your judgment. If you're nervous about professing your mentalist ways, you gotta kick that nasty habit! What you're really selling here is yourself. People are looking to you to be convinced -- they're not looking for the most accurate or logical information. When you realize it's not what you say, it's how you say it, a lot of the pressure falls away. Listen. The fact of the matter is that people tell us things way more often than we realize. If we were better listeners, a whole new world would open up to us. Our memories would improve and we would make connections we didn't see before. That's what mentalists do! An important part of listening and being an effective mentalist is reading between the lines. Seeing what people really mean when they're talking. If your friend walked up to you and said, "Oh my gosh, I worked out soooooo hard today," they're actually saying, "Please give me a pat on the back. I need to be told I'm fit." It's this underlying text that will clue you in when people don't realize you're any the wiser. Act natural. What it boils down to is that you're really putting on a show. So instead of pretending to be someone you're not and making this dramatic scene about it, just be yourself ! The genuine you is a lot more convincing than anything else. If anything, be slightly amused. Think of those actors giving interviews that constantly have a slight smile on their faces and are prone to little bouts of subdued laughter. They're totally relaxed and they just seem, well, cool. Be that guy! Plant ideas. And you thought Inception was just an awesome Leonardo DiCaprio movie. While you can't plant dreams yet, you can plant ideas. Let's say you want to get someone to think of a word and the word you want them to think of is "watch." You would insert that word into your conversation beforehand, glance at yours casually (albeit briefly), and then ask them to think of something like an accessory. Boom. Mind read. Start experimenting with this on small levels, like the example above. Grab a friend or two and see if you can come up with a few scenarios on your own where they don't know they're getting ideas planted in their brains. Once you come up with half a dozen or so words you can easily plant, you can impress anyone at a moment's notice. Don't give away your secrets. If you've ever asked a magician to tell you how he does one of his tricks, if he's any good he never spills! He shouldn't even explain a trick that any other magician does (or the union will kick him out). You should be the same! If someone asks you how you do something, simply shrug your shoulders and equate it to your awesomeness. Don't accidentally give it away, either. "Ah, I see you looked up and to the left," gives away that you're monitoring their eyes, even if you don't tell them what it signifies. You want them to think there's something extra-sensory about you, something that other people don't have. So be mysterious. You'll only increase their intrigue. Read, read, and then read some more about mentalists and how they work. There are many books on interviewing people and interpreting even the slightest facial movements, body tells, and mind-manipulation. Annemann's Practical Mental Effects and Corinda's 13 Steps to Mentalism are two good places to start. As is T.A. Waters' Mind, Myth and Magick. No one better to learn from than the pros! Study up on different, yet related, areas. To give yourself more cred -- and just because you may also find it interesting -- venture into other related realms. Think of reading up on dream interpretation, tarot cards, astrology, and telepathy and telekinesis, just to name a few. Might as well make yourself well-rounded! Consider learning new skills, too. Look into hypnosis, palm reading , and other people-reading skills. Then when you're being your mentalist self, you could always truthfully say, "I could hypnotize you, but I shouldn't have to do that." Train your mind. It's a muscle, really. If you don't use it, you'll lose it. So start playing chess, doing Sudoku, and solving riddles. Do crossword puzzles. Spend your free time reading and doing DIY projects. Paint (that's a good one for noticing details). Take an acting class (also good for detail and emotion). All of these are things that can help you increase your mental power. Use the Internet! Visit sites like Lumosity, Khan Academy, Coursera, and Memrise and make sure you train your mind regularly. Deductive reasoning and critical thinking are two skills that aren't necessarily used while being a mentalist, but they get the skills you do use going a lot faster! Sherlock may be able to notice that lack of a wedding ring, but if it takes him a day and a half to put it together, Watson's dead by then. So keep mentally agile and stay on top of your game. Find a job where you can use your skills. Whether you're looking to be a magician or a criminal profiler or a TV star, why not make a little moolah off of your mad observational skills and people-reading prowess? You'll hone your methods and learn even more tricks of the trade. If you haven't thought about it before, start! Get to reading How to Be a Magician , How to Be an FBI Profiler , How to Be a Detective , or even How to Get on TV. To learn from real professional mentalists, read about Master Mentalism. If Honey Boo Boo can do it, you certainly can!
Make snap, educated judgments. Look for physical cues in others. Use yourself as your first guinea pig. Detect lies. Ask leading questions. Practice casually sweeping the room with an observant gaze. Memorize a “baseline” of behavior for the people you're dealing with. Be confident. Listen. Act natural. Plant ideas. Don't give away your secrets. Read, read, and then read some more about mentalists and how they work. Study up on different, yet related, areas. Train your mind. Find a job where you can use your skills.
https://www.wikihow.com/Begin-a-New-Life
How to Begin a New Life
Before you take steps to start your new life, write down your goals, then break down your goals into a series of small, manageable actions. Start incorporating your goals into a new daily routine, like getting up early if you are looking for a new job. These changes won't feel natural overnight, so be patient through the process. If you're having trouble adjusting to the change, talk to a friend who's a good listener or seek out the help of a qualified counselor.
Decide what you want. You might be starting a new life because you want to make a change. Or, you might be starting a new life because you have to. Some personal tragedy may have destroyed your home, job, or relationship. Either way, the first step in starting over is knowing what you want from life. Even if you are not happy with beginning a new life, prioritizing what is important for you to do in this new life is helpful. Having clear goals and determining what you need to do to achieve them will help you feel more confident and optimistic about building your new life. Taking the time to determine exactly what you want will get you thinking about the business items you need to take care of, as well as clarify what changes you are able to influence. Consider the consequences. If the life changes you are considering are of your own choosing, it is a good idea to spend some time thinking about the consequences your actions may have. Major life changes can be hard to undo. Spend some time considering what you will gain, and what you might be giving up by starting a new life. For example, perhaps you are contemplating selling your home and moving to another city. This new city may have much to offer, but once you've sold your existing home, it is unlikely you'll be able to get it back. Similarly, breaking off relationships with long-time friends or family members can create rifts that are very hard to mend, should you decide you want those people back in your life. The point here isn't that you should not begin a new life or make major changes. But, these decisions should be made only after careful consideration. Assess the obstacles. If beginning a new life was easy, people would do it all the time. The reason they don't is that there are many obstacles that can make major life changes difficult. Take some time to think about what might hold you back, so that you can plan for it. Perhaps you want to move and begin a new life in a different city or country. Determine what parts of your life will be affected. If you are moving far away, will you mind leaving your present community, friends and established patterns of coming and going? Compare the cost of living where you live now to where you want to go. Is it affordable? Are jobs in your field available? A move to an international location may take more thought and planning than a move elsewhere. Find out whether you must obtain permission to move to or work in your chosen destination. Likewise, finding housing, negotiating currency, banking and transportation will be much different from your current situation. If you do not have the funds to quit your job and start a new life surfing on the beach (or whatever your dream), you'll need keep your day job. This doesn't mean you have to give up your dream of surfing, but this is an obstacle you'll need to consider. You want to be sure your plans are as practical and realistic as possible. Make a plan. Consider what it is you'll need to do to achieve your goals and start your new life. It's a good idea to sit down with some paper and a pen and write this down. You'll probably go through several drafts as you consider and reconsider different approaches. Divide your life into the major areas in which you intend to make changes. For example, you might want to change your career/job, location, significant other, friends, etc. Next, as you list the changes in each area, prioritize them. Narrow down to the most important aspects of your life plan. Think about the practicality of beginning a new life. Consider the steps this will take and whether you have the funds, the support of others in your life, and the energy to undertake the changes necessary. For example, if you want to change careers, determine the steps you'll need to take and the parts of your life this will affect. Family, friends, education, salary, commute time, and hours worked are likely to be variables that change in your new life. Try to anticipate, as much as possible, how the changes you want to make will impact the different areas of your life. Take some time, then revise your plan. You'll probably need to create your “life plan” over a series of planning sessions. After you take some time away from your plan, other things to add will come up, and you may wish to eliminate items from the initial plan. Do not rush the process. As you add, subtract and prioritize your life areas, you break down a potentially overwhelming project into smaller, more manageable pieces of information and tasks. Throughout the process of building your new life, review the plan often, and make additional revisions as they become necessary. Take care of the business. In most cases, starting a new life will require spending some time organizing your finances. This often means calls or visits to your financial institutions. No one looks forward to dealing with these issues, but taking care of them early will make everything that follows easier. For example, if you're starting over because you've lost your home in a fire, you'll need to contact your insurance company right away to set wheels in motion for receiving compensation. If your plans involve an early retirement, you'll need to contact the company that runs your retirement plan to see what options they have for you. If you've lost your job, you'll need to look into getting unemployment and/or food stamps while you work on developing your new career. None of this is glamorous or particularly fun, but all of these actions are important for making sure you have the resources you need for your new life. Start a new routine. Next, set about making a fresh routine for yourself that will help you fulfill your plan. Understand that this will unfold as you incorporate different behaviors in your new life. For example, you may now become an early riser. Perhaps you work from home instead of commuting. There is almost an infinite number of variables and changes one could make in beginning a new life. Some changes are determined by the choices you make in where you live, what you do, whether you have returned to school, if you have children or a partner, and ultimately, by the kind of life you wish to lead. It takes about three to six weeks to build a new routine that displaces your old one. After this period, your new routine will be a habit. Keep your focus on yourself. Do not compare yourself to others. Your journey is your path and yours alone. Focusing on what you don't have, or what others have achieved will only make you miserable and self-critical. Do the best to work with what you have to begin a new life. Spending time comparing yourself to others will only distract you from what you need to do to achieve your goals. Seek help. Starting a new life is a major task that will be made easier if you have the support of others. Whether your new life is one you've chosen or one that circumstances have forced upon you, a social support structure will be important. Having the emotional support from family, friends and others in the same or similar situations can help beginning a new life less stressful. Especially if you are starting over because of a loss or tragedy, it may be a good idea to seek the help of a mental health professional. The help of a competent and compassionate therapist can help you heal. Even if you've chosen to change your life, by moving to a new city for example, a counselor can help you adjust if you're having difficulty. You may be experiencing significant stress, a sense of being overwhelmed, or worries about how to manage in your new life. Mental health professionals are trained to listen, to be empathic and to help you find comfort in your present situation. Be patient. A new life is not created overnight. Understand that change and doing things differently is a process. Some parts of this process you will be able to control, and others you will not. Time is an important factor in adjusting to your new life. If you are willing to trust the process, your new life will unfold, and you will adapt.
Decide what you want. Consider the consequences. Assess the obstacles. Make a plan. Take some time, then revise your plan. Take care of the business. Start a new routine. Keep your focus on yourself. Seek help. Be patient.
https://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Halibut
How to Cook Halibut
To cook halibut on the grill, start by preheating your grill. Then, place the halibut directly on the grill grate, and brush some olive oil or butter over it before seasoning it with salt and pepper. Next, cook the halibut for 10 minutes per 1 inch of thickness, flipping it over halfway through so it cooks evenly. Finally, serve the halibut when it flakes away from a fork easily.
Choose halibut steaks that are fresh in appearance. The flesh should be a translucent, white and shiny. It should spring back when you press it. Avoid steaks that look mottled, discolored, or dull. Keep the fish moist. Halibut is naturally low in fat, so it can dry out quickly during the cooking process. To prevent this, brush both sides with oil or melted butter before cooking halibut. You can also marinate the fish in oil or a flavored prepared marinade for a few hours before you cook it. Limit how much you handle the fish. Only turn the fish when it is halfway done. This will help keep it from breaking apart and will help ensure even cooking throughout the fillet. Turn the halibut over using a wide spatula or turner to make sure you flip the whole fillet. Season in moderation. The flavor of halibut is delicate and light, so it's important to avoid over-seasoning the fish and losing its natural flavor. Avoid heavy spices or thick sauces. Instead, choose a light sauce or marinade to complement the flavor of the fish. Gather your ingredients. You only need a few simple ingredients to make a healthy and delicious broiled or grilled halibut. Here's what you need: Halibut steaks Olive oil or melted butter Minced garlic Salt and pepper Lemon wedges Marinade overnight if desired. Turn on the broiler to heat your oven. If you're grilling your halibut, light your grill. Make sure it is heated evenly before proceeding. Place the halibut steaks skin side down in a glass or metal baking pan. If you're using a grill, place them directly on the grill. Brush the steaks with olive oil or melted butter. If you wish, top the butter with a teaspoon or two of minced garlic. Sprinkle the halibut with salt and pepper. Broil halibut for about 10 minutes. Test it with a fork for doneness. Serve garnished with a lemon wedge. Cooked halibut will flake away from the fork easily, while undercooked halibut will still feel solid and fleshy. Cook halibut without drying it out by watching the cooking time carefully. Grilled halibut should be cooked for no more than 10 minutes per inch thick. Finished! Gather your ingredients. You only need a few ingredients to make halibut ceviche. The best part is that you don't have to cook it in the traditional sense. Here's what you'll need: One pound halibut, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes 1 teaspoon salt 3 Tablespoons lime juice 2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and diced 1/2 cup diced tomatillos 1/4 cup diced onion 1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped 2 Tablespoons olive oil Place halibut cubes in a medium bowl. Coat with salt. Toss the pieces to be sure they are evenly coated. Pour the lime juice over the fish. Toss to make sure they are evenly coated. Allow the fish to marinate. After about 30 minutes, the flesh should be opaque. If the flesh is still translucent, allow to marinate for another 15 minutes. Add avocados, tomatillo, onion, jalapeño and olive oil. Toss the mixture so the ingredients are evenly distributed. Serve with tortilla chips.
Choose halibut steaks that are fresh in appearance. Keep the fish moist. Limit how much you handle the fish. Season in moderation. Gather your ingredients. Marinade overnight if desired. Turn on the broiler to heat your oven. Place the halibut steaks skin side down in a glass or metal baking pan. Brush the steaks with olive oil or melted butter. Sprinkle the halibut with salt and pepper. Broil halibut for about 10 minutes. Finished! Gather your ingredients. Place halibut cubes in a medium bowl. Coat with salt. Pour the lime juice over the fish. Allow the fish to marinate. Add avocados, tomatillo, onion, jalapeño and olive oil. Serve with tortilla chips.
https://www.wikihow.com/Find-the-Range-of-a-Function
How to Find the Range of a Function
To find the range of a function in math, first write down whatever formula you're working with. Then, if you're working with a parabola or any equation where the x-coordinate is squared or raised to an even power, use the formula -b divided by 2a to get the x- and then y-coordinates. You can skip this step if you're working with a straight line or any function with a polynomial of an odd number. Next, plug in a few other x-coordinates and solve for their y-coordinates. Finally, plot those points on a graph to see the range of your function.
Write down the formula. Let's say the formula you're working with is the following: f(x) = 3x + 6x -2. This means that when you place any x into the equation, you'll get your y value. This is the function of a parabola. Find the vertex of the function if it's quadratic. If you're working with a straight line or any function with a polynomial of an odd number, such as f(x) = 6x +2x + 7, you can skip this step. But if you're working with a parabola, or any equation where the x-coordinate is squared or raised to an even power, you'll need to plot the vertex. To do this, just use the formula -b/2a to get the x coordinate of the function 3x + 6x -2, where 3 = a, 6 = b, and -2 = c. In this case -b is -6, and 2a is 6, so the x-coordinate is -6/6, or -1. Now, plug -1 into the function to get the y-coordinate. f(-1) = 3(-1) + 6(-1) -2 = 3 - 6 -2 = -5. The vertex is (-1,-5). Graph it by drawing a point where the x coordinate is -1 and where the y-coordinate is -5. It should be in the third quadrant of the graph. Find a few other points in the function. To get a sense of the function, you should plug in a few other x-coordinates so you can get a sense of what the function looks like before you start to look for the range. Since it's a parabola and the x coordinate is positive, it'll be pointing upward. But just to cover your bases, let's plug in some x-coordinates to see what y coordinates they yield: f(-2) = 3(-2) + 6(-2) -2 = -2. One point on the graph is (-2, -2) f(0) = 3(0) + 6(0) -2 = -2. Another point on the graph is (0,-2) f(1) = 3(1) + 6(1) -2 = 7. A third point on the graph is (1, 7). Find the range on the graph. Now, look at the y-coordinates on the graph and find the lowest point at which the graph touches a y-coordinate. In this case, the lowest y-coordinate is at the vertex, -5, and the graph extends infinitely above this point. This means that the range of the function is y = all real numbers ≥ -5. Find the minimum of the function. Look for the lowest y-coordinate of the function. Let's say the function reaches its lowest point at -3. This function could also get smaller and smaller infinitely, so that it doesn't have a set lowest point -- just infinity. Find the maximum of the function. Let's say the highest y-coordinate that the function reaches is 10. This function could also get larger and larger infinitely, so it doesn't have a set highest point -- just infinity. State the range. This means that the range of the function, or the range of y-coordinates, ranges from -3 to 10. So, -3 ≤ f(x) ≤ 10. That's the range of the function. But let's say the graph reaches its lowest point at y = -3, but goes upward forever. Then the range is f(x) ≥ -3 and that's it. Let's say the graph reaches its highest point at 10 but goes downward forever. Then the range is f(x) ≤ 10. Write down the relation. A relation is a set of ordered pairs with of x and y coordinates. You can look at a relation and determine its domain and range. Let's say you're working with the following relation: {(2, –3), (4, 6), (3, –1), (6, 6), (2, 3)}. List the y-coordinates of the relation. To find the range of the relation, simply write down all of the y-coordinates of each ordered pair: {-3, 6, -1, 6, 3}. Remove any duplicate coordinates so that you only have one of each y-coordinate. You'll notice that you have listed "6" two times. Take it out so that you are left with {-3, -1, 6, 3}. Write the range of the relation in ascending order. Now, reorder the numbers in the set so that you're moving from the smallest to the largest, and you have your range. The range of the relation {(2, –3), (4, 6), (3, –1), (6, 6), (2, 3)} is {-3,-1, 3, 6}. You're all done. Make sure that the relation is a function. For a relation to be a function, every time you put in one number of an x coordinate, the y coordinate has to be the same. For example, the relation {(2, 3) (2, 4) (6, 9)} is not a function, because when you put in 2 as an x the first time, you got a 3, but the second time you put in a 2, you got a four. For a relation to be a function, if you put in the same input, you should always get the same output. If you put in a -7, you should get the same y coordinate (whatever it may be) every single time. Read the problem. Let's say you're working with the following problem: "Becky is selling tickets to her school's talent show for 5 dollars each. The amount of money she collects is a function of how many tickets she sells. What is the range of the function?" Write the problem as a function. In this case, M represents the amount of money she collects, and t represents the amount of tickets she sells. However, since each ticket will cost 5 dollars, you'll have to multiply the amount of tickets sold by 5 to find the amount of money. Therefore, the function can be written as M(t) = 5t. For example, if she sells 2 tickets, you'll have to multiply 2 by 5 to get 10, the amount of dollars she'll get. Determine the domain. To determine the range, you must first find the domain. The domain is all of the possible values of t that work in the equation. In this case, Becky can sell 0 or more tickets - she can't sell negative tickets. Since we don't know the number of seats in her school auditorium, we can assume that she can theoretically sell an infinite number of tickets. And she can only sell whole tickets; she can't sell 1/2 of a ticket, for example. Therefore, the domain of the function is t = any non-negative integer. Determine the range. The range is the possible amount of money that Becky can make from her sale. You have to work with the domain to find the range. If you know that the domain is any non-negative integer and that the formula is M(t) = 5t , then you know that you can plug any non-negative integer into this function to get the output, or the range. For example, if she sells 5 tickets, then M(5) = 5 x 5, or 25 dollars. If she sells 100, then M(100) = 5 x 100, or 500 dollars. Therefore, the range of the function is any non-negative integer that is a multiple of five. That means that any non-negative integer that is a multiple of five is a possible output for the input of the function.
Write down the formula. Find the vertex of the function if it's quadratic. Find a few other points in the function. Find the range on the graph. Find the minimum of the function. Find the maximum of the function. State the range. Write down the relation. List the y-coordinates of the relation. Remove any duplicate coordinates so that you only have one of each y-coordinate. Write the range of the relation in ascending order. Make sure that the relation is a function. Read the problem. Write the problem as a function. Determine the domain. Determine the range.
https://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Being-Shot
How to Avoid Being Shot
If you know how to keep yourself safe and avoid dangerous situations, you'll have a much lower chance of being caught in crossfire. If you live in a rough area, try to avoid going out at night when more shootings occur and keep your distance from anyone who looks suspicious. Stick to busy, well-lit areas, which should be safer, but even then, you should keep moving and avoid drawing attention to yourself. If you do hear gunshots or see someone pull out a gun, run away from the situation or get behind cover as quickly as you can. Thick walls will offer the best protection, but if you can't find one, lying flat on the ground will help to make yourself less of a target too.
Leave the area if you can. If you are in a situation where other people are shooting each other or someone is shooting at people that aren't you, your main goal should be to get as far away as possible. If you see that you can reasonably get away, do that as soon as you hear shots. If you don't know where the shots are coming from but you know there is a secure room very near by, go there. Find cover. If you do not see a way to leave, then you will want to find cover. Get behind something that can stop bullets, preferably, like a very solid object. Thin walls or a door is not enough, though it can keep a shooter from realizing you're there. Cars are not bulletproof even though an engine block or some police car doors will stop bullets, even small calibers can penetrate a pair of doors or a trunk. Stay behind the cover, and if it is large enough get on the ground. Lying on the ground significantly reduces the likelihood of you getting shot. Leave your belongings. Do not stop to gather your belongings before fleeing an area. This can significantly impact the amount of time you have to get away and make a big difference in your ability to get away before the shooter realizes you're there. Just go. You're more important than your wallet. Stay quiet. While taking cover or fleeing, be as quiet as possible. Breathe slowly and avoid crying. Alerting the shooter to your presence can put you in danger. Don't talk with people nearby or make phone calls. If you can, turn a phone on silent. Text if you want to get someone's help or attention. Don't move. Once you are in cover, stay in cover. Do not move from one cover to another unless you absolutely have to. Staying put will also reduce the amount of noise you make and draw less attention to your presence. Barricade yourself. If you can take cover in a single, secure room, be sure to barricade the entrances. Lock doors, move heavy pieces of furniture to block the doors, cover windows if you can, and turn off lights and anything which makes sounds. Stay quiet and move as little as possible. Wait for help to arrive. Once you are in a relatively safe place, either barricaded or at least under cover, simply wait for help. This is the only thing you can do. Most shootings last less than three minutes, so while it may seem to last forever, you are unlikely to have to wait for help for very long. Assess the situation. If someone is trying to shoot you specifically, you will first want to evaluate the situation. If you are being mugged, comply with everything the person is asking, following many of the instructions in the first section. If you are in a fight, your options are more limited. Escape if you can. If you are being pursued, do what you can to get away. If you have been caught but see an opportunity to escape or distract the attacker, do that but only if your chances of getting away are fairly good. Turning your back on an attacker makes you easier to hit. If you are a fast runner or have bad knees, run in a straight line away from the attacker towards cover. The faster you can get away, the fewer shots they will be able to fire. If you are a slower runner and do not have knee trouble, a zig-zag run may be a better option. You may still be hit in this case, but the chances of being hit in a vital area may be reduced. If you can, create visual distractions for the attacker, such as spraying a fire extinguisher. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/5d\/Avoid-Being-Shot-Step-9-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Avoid-Being-Shot-Step-9-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/5d\/Avoid-Being-Shot-Step-9-Version-3.jpg\/aid10547-v4-728px-Avoid-Being-Shot-Step-9-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Take cover if you can. You may not be able to buy yourself enough time to get away completely, but getting yourself to cover can at least be helpful. Also, if you see that they are about to shoot, dive for cover if you can. Try to find a weapon or distraction. During your confrontation, look for an object that can be used as a weapon. Heavy objects, especially ones with sharp corners, make good weapons, but if you have access to something a bit more potent, that is best. Talk to the shooter. If you have nowhere to go, nowhere to hide and no other options, your best bet will be to talk to the shooter. Do not beg for your life or try to get him to feel sorry for you. Instead, sympathize with him and try to ask him what he wants. Offer to help him and ask him why he's doing what he's doing. This could buy you time until help arrives. Get out of the way if they appear to be preparing to shoot. If they appear to want to shoot anyway, the best you can do is try to get out of the way. Moving at least increases the chances that you will be hit in a less important area, since it is very difficult to shoot accurately while moving. Remove sunglasses or hats if you have not been seen. If you are stopped by police while you're in your car or otherwise have time before they get too close to you (such as before you go into an area known to be frequented by cops), take a second to remove your hat and sunglasses if you are wearing them. If the police are able to see your eyes, they will be much less nervous. However, if the police are already looking at you or next to you, this is inadvisable as the movement will make them nervous. Again, you should only do this if you have not been seen. If you do this and the cop sees you, they may think you are going for a gun. Make your hands very visible. Whether you're in a car or on the street, you need to make your hands very visible to the officer. If you're in a car, put them up on the windowsill. If you're on the street, hold them slightly up and out from your body. This will also reduce the officer's tension. Move as little as possible. Do not reach for anything or move around any more than you absolutely have to. Certainly do not make any sudden movements, as this can be taken as a sign of reaching for a weapon. Be very calm. Do not try to argue with the officer and don't let yourself be visibly angry. Even if you feel your rights are being violated, which they very well could be, don't take that up with them. Lawyer up when the confrontation is over and sue them, but absolutely do not get into a fight with them there. Talk slowly and don't shout. Speak with officers slowly, calmly, and with an even tone (don't yell at them). This will help show that you are not hostile and will help keep them from panicking. Yes, the burden should be on them to keep their cool, but thinking about what you should've done isn't going to keep you from getting shot. Do whatever you are asked. If they tell you to stop, stop. If they tell you to get out of the car, get out of the car. If they tell you to put your hands on the wall, put your hands on the wall. Like we said, the time for standing up for your rights is later, not now. All it takes is one overly stressed cop and you're dead. Tell the officer what you are doing. Every time you do need to move, tell the officer what you're doing. Let them know why you're moving, where you're moving to, and make those movements slowly. Say these things to them calmly. This will, again, keep them from thinking you are reaching for a weapon. Stay in safe parts of town. Avoid areas that are high in crime and gun violence. Sometimes these areas are unavoidable, but stay inside as much as you can if you need to be in these areas. Travel quickly through unsafe areas. If you must go outside in areas that are unsafe, go through those areas quickly, rather than hanging out on the street with friends or on your own. Avoid walking to places that you need to go to and instead take the bus or a car (a friend's car or your own). Avoid going out at night. Crime rates go up at night, so avoid unsafe and even relatively safe areas once it gets dark. Really, nothing good ever happens at 2am. Just get inside and spend your evening safely. Dress to avoid attention. Certain types of clothing will attract the notice of cops and suspicious neighbors. While you should be able to wear whatever you want, this doesn't do anything to change the reality. You'll also want to avoid wearing gang colors if you know you'll be going through gang territory. Dressing gangsta and wearing red in certain parts of LA, for example: not very smart. Avoid drugs, gangs, and crime. Don't get in to drugs, don't get involved with gangs, and don't start a life of crime. In fact, don't even go anywhere near gangs if it can be helped, it's a myth that you need to murder a random person to become part of a gang, but that doesn't mean that it is a good idea to join one. Putting yourself in these dangerous situations will significantly increase the chances of you getting shot at. Don't start trouble. A wise man once said, "Don't start none, ain't gonna be none". This means if you don't start trouble, you'll go a long way towards avoiding trouble. Stealing some guys stereo or sleeping with his girlfriend is just not a smart move. Avoid crazy dudes by just avoiding trouble.
Leave the area if you can. Find cover. Leave your belongings. Stay quiet. Don't move. Barricade yourself. Wait for help to arrive. Assess the situation. Escape if you can. Take cover if you can. Try to find a weapon or distraction. Talk to the shooter. Get out of the way if they appear to be preparing to shoot. Remove sunglasses or hats if you have not been seen. Make your hands very visible. Move as little as possible. Be very calm. Talk slowly and don't shout. Do whatever you are asked. Tell the officer what you are doing. Stay in safe parts of town. Travel quickly through unsafe areas. Avoid going out at night. Dress to avoid attention. Avoid drugs, gangs, and crime. Don't start trouble.
https://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Chickens-from-Eating-Their-Own-Eggs
How to Keep Chickens from Eating Their Own Eggs
To keep chickens from eating their own eggs, give them a well-balanced feed that's at least 16% protein with lots of vegetable fat. Along with a well-balanced feed, give your hens a dish of fresh milk every day to increase their calcium intake and produce eggs with stronger shells. Next, make sure your chickens always have fresh, clean water to prevent them from eating the eggs for their liquid content. Additionally, collect the eggs at least twice a day in order to save as many of them as possible.
Reduce egg breakage by preventing overcrowding of the nests. At minimum, you need one 12" x 12" (31cm x 31cm) nest for every four to five hens. Too few nests or small nests can cause eggs to be trampled or squashed and broken, or can stress the birds and lead to more pecking. You want to reduce the chances of a broken egg as much as possible so the chickens never get a taste for them. Nests should be at least two feet (61cm) off the ground, and four feet (1.22 m) from roosts. Remove any broody hens (hens that insist on sitting on their eggs to hatch them) from the nesting area so they don't occupy valuable nesting space and contribute to higher traffic in the other nests. Consider a nest designed to allow the eggs to roll away into a tray after the hens stand up, keeping them safe from pecking and getting stepped on and broken. Set up your nesting area in a dark, quiet area. Bright lights will stress out your hens and make them nervous, which increases pecking. Turn the nest box away from the opening of the coop and away from the direct sunlight and don't install bright lights. You may need to cover any skylights or windows to create a more comfortable environment. Remove anything that creates loud noises or sudden movements, as this can frighten the hens. If they get scared and run from the nesting box, they may break the eggs. Reducing light sources can also help keep the coop at a comfortable temperature--if it becomes too hot, the chickens can get irritable and start pecking more. Provide enough nesting material to cushion the eggs once they are laid. Make sure each nest has a few inches of clean, dry nesting material (such as wheat straw) at all times. If you can keep the eggs from accidentally breaking (by knocking into each other in the nest or being laid onto a hard, unpadded surface), your hens will not have the opportunity to learn how tasty eggs can be. If an egg breaks in the nest, quickly clean out all the soiled nesting material. Don't let your hens get bored. A bored and irritated hen is more likely to start pecking, so make sure they have plenty to do. Hang a cabbage for them to peck at and give them adequate space to walk around and exercise. Try to set up an area where they can roam and climb or jump on different obstacles, like tree stumps or roots. If you don't have anything like that in your yard, set up a ladder or a swing for them to climb on. Place a pile of hay in the chicken run. The hens will busy themselves scratching and rearranging the hay into an even layer. Provide your chickens with a well-balanced feed that is at least 16% protein and has lots of vitamins and nutrients. Look for a feed that is specifically for egg-laying hens. The feed should be high in vegetable fat and proteins. Keep in mind that additional starch (from kitchen scraps or scratch grains) needs to be supplemented with more protein, as it will lower the average protein content of their diet. Supplement your chicken feed with calcium. If your chickens have a calcium deficiency, they will be unable to produce strong egg shells. If the shells are weak and crack when a hen sit or step on them, the hen will eat the broken egg. Once she discovers it contains protein and fats, and that the shell provides the calcium she needs, she will begin cracking and eating them intentionally. Other hens will observe her behavior and follow her lead. Ground oyster shells or limestone are great sources of calcium for your chickens. Add 2lbs. (1kg) to every 100lbs. (45kg) of feed or provide a side-feeder with these supplements for the chickens to eat. Give your hens a dish of fresh whole milk every day for several days to increase their calcium intake. Avoid using egg shells as a source of calcium for your chickens, as they may recognize them by sight or smell and begin eating them on their own. If you choose to do this, grind the shells into tiny pieces so the hens can't tell what they are. You may notice your eggs have softer shells when it's hot, as chickens don't retain calcium as efficiently in hot weather. Increase your chickens' calcium supplements on warmer days. Make sure your hens have plenty of water. Even if they have a balanced, calcium-rich diet, a lack of water can cause your hens to eat the eggs for their liquid content. Hens need more water than most birds, so check to make sure they always have fresh, clean water to drink. You can add a vitamin supplement to the water to help your hens absorb calcium. Identify and remove the egg-eating chicken (or chickens) as soon as possible. You may not be able to catch the chicken in the act, but if you watch the flock for a few days, you should be able to identify the chicken who is responsible. The hen will have dried yolk on her beak or the side of her head, or you may see her searching the nests for eggs to eat. Isolate the hen from the other so she can no longer eat their eggs and they won't pick up on her bad behavior. Watch the rest of the flock to see if the egg eating stops. If eggs continue to be eaten, the behavior may have already spread and you may need to isolate other chickens. Isolating the hen may be enough of a disruption to stop her from eating the eggs. Collect the eggs as soon as possible. Most hens lay their eggs before 10am, and the faster you remove them, the less chance there is for one of them to break and encourage the hens to eat the eggs. Gather eggs at least twice a day or more often if possible. Use a dummy egg to trick the hens. Place a golf ball, a rock painted white, or a dummy egg from a feed store in each nest. Gather the real eggs as usual, but leave the dummies. When the hens peck at the "egg," they will find that it is unbreakable and no longer a source of food. They may give up trying to break the real eggs. You can also blow out a raw egg by poking a hole on the top and bottom and blowing out the contents with an egg. Then fill it with mustard and replace it in the nest. Chickens do not like mustard and this can teach them very quickly that eggs are not tasty at all. Use blinders, debeak, or cull the egg-eating chicken if you cannot break her of this behavior. Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to get chickens to stop eating eggs once they have started. If you have tried everything and your hen continues to go on egg-destroying rampages, you may need to go to extreme measures by debeaking (removing the sharp tip of the hen's beak with a hot blade) or killing the chicken. If you are not willing to go take those measures, you can buy special blinders that will prevent the hen from seeing things straight on. If she can only see from the side, it will be difficult for her to successfully find and peck an egg. You can also permanently isolate the hen or keep her separated from the others until after most of the eggs have been laid and collected. She may continue to destroy her own eggs, but the other eggs will be safe (unless the hens lay more eggs once she rejoins the flock).
Reduce egg breakage by preventing overcrowding of the nests. Set up your nesting area in a dark, quiet area. Provide enough nesting material to cushion the eggs once they are laid. Don't let your hens get bored. Provide your chickens with a well-balanced feed that is at least 16% protein and has lots of vitamins and nutrients. Supplement your chicken feed with calcium. Make sure your hens have plenty of water. Identify and remove the egg-eating chicken (or chickens) as soon as possible. Collect the eggs as soon as possible. Use a dummy egg to trick the hens. Use blinders, debeak, or cull the egg-eating chicken if you cannot break her of this behavior.
https://www.wikihow.com/Store-Coffee-Beans-or-Ground-Coffee
How to Store Coffee Beans or Ground Coffee
To store coffee beans or ground coffee at room temperature, place the coffee in an opaque container with a heavy, airtight lid so it will stay fresh longer. Place the container in a dry environment away from direct sunlight, and keep the humidity and temperature conditions constant. If you are freezing coffee for long-term storage, place it into a completely airtight container, then place it into a deep freeze if you have one, since they tend to maintain a constant temperature more than a kitchen freezer that is opened often.
Store your coffee in an airtight container. One of the biggest enemies of fresh-tasting coffee is oxygen. Exposure to the air causes coffee beans, and especially ground coffee, to go stale very quickly. Invest in an hermetically-sealed container made for storing coffee, or at least use a container with a heavy airtight lid. Airtight containers are also ideal for preventing coffee from absorbing neighboring odors and discouraging insect and mold growth. Some common airtight containers you can use include canning jars, Tupperware, and Ziplock bags. Choose an opaque container. Light causes coffee beans and grounds to go stale quickly. This problem is easily remedied by storing it in an opaque container rather than a clear glass or plastic vessel. There are a wide variety of airtight containers made of metal, ceramic, and opaque glass that are great for storing coffee. If you insist on storing your coffee in a transparent container, it is best to store the container away from light, for example in a pantry or cabinet. Keep your coffee in a dry environment. You may not have a great degree of control over the moisture level in your kitchen pantry or cabinets, but remember that coffee will keep best in a dry environment. Try to avoid storing coffee beans in a damp basement or other area that is very moist. If you do need to store coffee in a moist area, keep it really well sealed. Also, move it out of the area before opening the packaging, so the moisture doesn't get to the beans. Keep humidity and temperature conditions constant. It's important to keep coffee's temperature and humidity levels constant, so don't move it around to different areas of your home that have vastly different conditions. For instance, don't store it in a really warm cupboard and then move it to a cold basement. Coffee will rapidly deteriorate if storage conditions vary constantly. Use the freezer for long-term storage only. The moisture and temperature conditions in a freezer are not great for preserving coffee's freshness. This is also where coffee is most likely to absorb offensive smells from neighboring food items. However, if you have more coffee than you can use in a month, it's a good idea to freeze what you won't use. Put coffee in completely airtight containers. This will minimize the chance of freezer smells and moisture getting to the coffee. In most cases, this will require you to transfer coffee out of its original packaging into a thick plastic bag or other container that will not allow air in. You can even vacuum seal extra coffee before putting it in the freezer. This will ensure that the package is airtight and the coffee has minimal exposure to oxygen. Keep coffee in a deep freeze. Coffee stays at its best when it is kept at constant temperature and humidity conditions. Because of this, keeping it in a deep freeze that has a constant temperature, versus a refrigerator freezer that is constantly being opened and closed, is better. If you don't have a deep freeze, put coffee at the back of your refrigerator freezer, so its temperature stays as constant as possible. Brew the coffee immediately after taking it out of the freezer. As soon as you take your coffee out of the refrigerator or freezer, carbon dioxide will begin escaping at an accelerated rate, causing the coffee to oxidize. Since this will cause the coffee to lose flavor, it's best to grind or brew the beans as soon as you can. To get your coffee to 200 °F (93 °C), you may have to heat the water slightly hotter than normal to account for the heat loss when the hot water touches the frozen beans. Do not refreeze coffee. Once you have frozen coffee and thawed it out, don't freeze it again. This repeated change in temperature does not have a good effect on the coffee's taste. Keep this in mind when packaging coffee up for freezing. Putting it in several smaller packages will allow you to take a small amount out at one time and leave some in the freezer undisturbed. Don't store coffee in a refrigerator. The refrigerator can potentially expose roasted coffee to undesirable conditions. The fridge is a moist place, so the beans or grounds are likely to come into contact with moisture. It can also introduce unwanted smells into coffee. If you are going to use the coffee you have within a few weeks, keep it at room temperature instead of putting it in the fridge. Avoid grinding your coffee in advance, if possible. As soon as coffee is ground, it begins deteriorating very quickly when exposed to air. Pre-ground coffee therefore tastes and smells much staler and less vibrant than coffee ground freshly before brewing. If you are interested in storing your coffee to achieve optimal flavor, it's a good idea to invest in a coffee grinder so that you can grind coffee beans just before brewing. Buy small amounts of coffee. Aim to purchase your coffee in small quantities that will last you a week or 2. Buying as small amounts as possible will ensure that your coffee is fresh when you brew it. Having to store large amounts of coffee will most likely lead to stale coffee, no matter how well you store it. Buy valve-sealed bags rather than vacuum-sealed bags. You can get fresher coffee in a valve-sealed bags than a vacuum-sealed bag. In general, coffee in valve-sealed bags is put into its packaging right after it has been roasted, while it takes a few days for vacuum-sealed coffee to get packaged. Coffee off-gasses for 48 hours after roasting, so coffee in a vacuum-sealed bag has to sit outside of packaging for 2 days before it can be vacuum-packaged. However, coffee can be put directly into valve-sealed bags because the valve on the bag allows the gasses to escape.
Store your coffee in an airtight container. Choose an opaque container. Keep your coffee in a dry environment. Keep humidity and temperature conditions constant. Use the freezer for long-term storage only. Put coffee in completely airtight containers. Keep coffee in a deep freeze. Brew the coffee immediately after taking it out of the freezer. Do not refreeze coffee. Don't store coffee in a refrigerator. Avoid grinding your coffee in advance, if possible. Buy small amounts of coffee. Buy valve-sealed bags rather than vacuum-sealed bags.
https://www.wikihow.com/Surprise-Your-Mother
How to Surprise Your Mother
Surprising your mom on her birthday, mother's day, or any time will make her feel special and brighten her day. Make her a small gift, like a handmade bracelet, draw her a picture, or go for a walk and pick a bunch of pretty flowers. Alternatively, write her a letter telling her why you love her and thanking her for everything she does for you. You can also clean up while she's out so she'll come home to a clean and tidy house. If you're good at cooking, consider making her favorite meal for her or bringing her breakfast in bed. Whatever you decide to do, surprising your mother is sure to put a smile on her face!
Spend quality time together. Whether you want to surprise your mother for a birthday, Mothers' Day, or just because, quality time together trumps material gifts every time. Organizing an outing together might not be the most shocking surprise you could possible organize, but it might be the most meaningful. Put your phone away and give your mother some quality time and attention. Talk to her. Listen to her. Be with her. Organize a quiet day together, having afternoon tea at the house and talking. Go for a walk in a nearby park and spend the evening watching family movies, or movies your mother likes. Go through old picture books. It doesn't have to be complicated. Gather photos, old family video, or other trinkets and go through them together. If you're feeling really ambitious, you could edit a family video compilation for her and have the premiere. Go for a walk around an exciting part of town your mother doesn't often visit and show her around, or go on a long hike, bike trip, or run together if your mother is the adventurous type. Take your mother to church, or to visit other relatives she may not get the chance to see often. Whatever you do, just arrange to spend the day–all day–together. Clean the house without being asked. An excellent way to surprise mom is to make the day less stressful by cleaning up the house, especially if it's not a chore you often undertake without being told to in advance. Even spending a little bit of time tidying up can make a big difference. It'll mean a lot. Start in your room to make sure you get that all the way done while you have time. Take your clothes to the laundry and tidy up your belongings, putting things in the right place. Then, move to the living room and other areas to finish as much as you can before your mom sees. If you don't have time to do a serious cleaning, just organizing books, straightening pillows, and picking up can look great. Dishes, garbage, and dealing with recycling are all added bonus steps. Clean up the kitchen, then wipe down the countertops to give them a little sparkle. If you get the chance, finish by running the vacuum. You'll be the favorite of the siblings. Do some outdoor chores. If you've cleaned up indoors, you might move outside to do anything that needs to be done. Cleaning up outdoor toys, or other yard clutter, is a good place to start before moving onto yard maintenance and other tasks. Mowing the lawn is a classic, though it might be more of a favor for dad, depending on how the chores are split up around your house. Depending on the season, raking leaves, shoveling snow, and trimming any bushes around the house can also be a great way of letting your parents take it easy and making the house look great. Organize a family dinner with surprise guests. It might take some negotiating, but calling up some of your mom's closest friends, or some of your extended family members that your mother enjoys spending time with can be a great way of surprising her for a special occasion, especially if you organize a dinner yourself and don't force her to host. If you're organizing around mother's day and the spring weather is nice, make it a picnic. Organize plenty of food and drink and bring your mother to a pre-planned spot where fun guests are waiting. It'll be a great and memorable experience. Plan a simple meal that you can prepare ahead of time and get it ready. Set the table and prepare everything for the evening, so your mother won't need to scramble when surprise guests arrive. Let her talk and visit with them, and take care of the other stuff yourself. Prepare a thoughtful toast before the dinner , as tribute to your mom, if the occasion is right. You'll bring the house down. If a big dinner with friends and family would stress your mom out, go for the simple. Show up with a pizza, six pack of beers, and Tremors 2 on VHS. Have a goofy quiet evening hanging out and joking around, just the two of you. Write her a letter. One of the cheapest and most heartfelt ways to tell your mother how much she means to you is to write it down. If you want to surprise your mother with something meaningful, it doesn't need to be any more complicated than a sincere letter. Write down funny memories, stories, and thank you's. Let her know how you feel. Get some nice cardstock that you can fold into a greeting card and decorate it with drawings and funny pictures for added flair. She'll love it. Alternatively, hang little notes all around the house, in places where she'll be sure to notice. Make each one a separate "thank you" for something she does every day that goes unnoticed. Make her a gift. Homemade gifts will always trump store-bought things. Making your mom a little trinket, a card, or a picture is a great and easy way to surprise her and show her that you care. Weave a simple bracelet or necklace , or get more complicated with crocheting or knitting , if you're feeling ambitious. Collect a bunch of drawings that you've made and bind them into a book. Dedicate it to her and give her the one and only copy. Go for a walk and collect flowers, then present her with a bouquet of pretty greenery for the table. Go classic with breakfast in bed. As long as you don't make a racket and burn the toast, one of the best ways to surprise your mom is preparing breakfast in bed. Set an alarm to get up at least an hour before your mother typically wakes and get the coffee going. The trick to pulling off the breakfast in bed is going simple. It's probably not a good idea to try eggs Benedict, which is difficult and messy to eat, and it takes a long time to make. Try running out for some fancy pastries the night before and hiding them, so you can surprise mom in bed with coffee and croissants. Even making some cinnamon toast or making up a fruit salad can be a great breakfast. Find out what she would never ask for. Moms can be stubborn and selfless. Figuring out what kind of a gift would really knock mom's socks off can be hard to figure out, but surprising her might take doing some digging. Maybe she's always wanted to see Greece, but has never mentioned it. Secret tip: try to get in touch with her old friends, like college roommates, or childhood neighbors. Find out what she always used to talk about doing when she was a young adult. try to find out what she wanted to see, do, and be. Use that to figure out a big surprising gift for her. Use dad for info. Presumably, he should be listening to mom the most. try to figure out what she's interested in lately and keep him from spilling the beans. Buy her a spa package. If you want to up the ante, sending your mom to a day spa where she can get pampered professionally is hard to beat. Talk to your dad or some of your siblings to find out when she's got a free day that you could schedule for a spa package and organize everything. Look into local options and nearby places that she might enjoy. If you want to keep things cheap, you can usually pick between the services offered. If she's been stressed lately, a massage might be in order. If she loves getting her hair and nails done, go for the beauty treatment. Have flowers delivered. Make an order with a local florist and have flowers delivered to your mom's house, or while she's at work. To keep thing cheap, check out specials that the florist is running and try to avoid the major flower-gifting holidays for the best deals. Avoid roses, which are usually super-expensive and less colorful than a seasonal arrangement. Your mom's not a flower fan? Try signing her up for Birch Box, to get an assortment of hand creams, lotions, and other new products delivered in sample-sizes for her to try. Go out for a fancy meal and a show. If your mom gets a kick out of concerts, plays, or other stage shows, organize a night for the two of you so you can take in the city life. Score some tickets ahead of time and book reservations at a restaurant with cocktails and small plates for before the show. You could even schedule a car to take you, so you don't have to worry about a thing. If the idea of three forks and a Broadway show makes your mother cringe, change up the pace. Take her to a juke joint for happy hour, order some wings, then hit up the dollar theatre for a midnight screening of Rocky Horror. Make her feel young. Give her a scrapbook. If your mom is the nostalgic type, it's hard to beat a professional-looking scrapbook of trinkets, pictures, and memories. A little bit of planning can take your scrapbook up to the next level. Collect old family photographs and get in touch with your grandparents to snag some old pictures of your mom that she might not have seen in a while. Cellphone pics printed out from last week is one thing, but pictures of her from prom? From childhood vacation? That's the ticket. Alternatively, it might be a good idea to set your mom up with scrapbooking supplies of her own if she enjoys little projects. Hook her up with pages, books, pictures, and other supplies and let her organize her own. Get the yard landscaped. If your mother lives with a yard, it's likely yard chores are a drag. Even moms with green thumbs aren't crazy about having to mow every week during summer, pick up leaves in the fall, and do other maintenance activities. If your mom's always wanted a garden, but never gotten the chance, you can talk to a local landscape architect to price a professional job and organize it. Even just having the yard mowed and cleaned up could be a nice treat. Make sure a project like this fits in with your mother's actual desires for her house and the yard. You might want to organize and price the project, offer to pay for it, and set things up for a consultation, without actually going through with an expensive landscaping project she might be unhappy with. Get the house cleaned professionally. While your mom's out, have a professional cleaning service come and tidy up, do a thorough cleaning, and make their escape before your mom gets back. She won't need to be embarrassed about the state of affairs in the family room if she never sees it happen. If you play your cards right, you might even be able to take credit for the cleaning. Organize a family trip. If you want to pull out the heavy surprise artillery, planning out a trip for the family might fit the bill. Road trip to Yellowstone? Disney World? Cruise to the Caribbean? Tour of wine country? Pilgrimage to Comi-Con? Whatever your family's interests, being the one to get the ball rolling on a big trip can cut the stress and up the fun. Alternatively, pool the money up with your siblings and get your dad in on the scheme as well. Organize a solo trip for you mom, to a place she's always wanted to go, and send her solo to have some quality time by herself.
Spend quality time together. Clean the house without being asked. Do some outdoor chores. Organize a family dinner with surprise guests. Write her a letter. Make her a gift. Go classic with breakfast in bed. Find out what she would never ask for. Buy her a spa package. Have flowers delivered. Go out for a fancy meal and a show. Give her a scrapbook. Get the yard landscaped. Get the house cleaned professionally. Organize a family trip.
https://www.wikihow.com/Set-Up-Dual-Monitors
How to Set Up Dual Monitors
To set up dual monitors, first identify your computer's video connection type, such as HDMI or DVI, by checking the back of the monitor or CPU case. Then, plug the cable from the second monitor into the free port on your computer. If you don't have the correct cable, buy one online or at a tech department store. Once the second monitor is connected, plug it into a power source and turn it on. When the second monitor is on, visit the “Display” tab of your computer's settings to adjust the settings. On a Windows computer, choose the “Multiple displays” drop-down menu and select the setting you want, such as extending or duplicating the display. For macs, go to the “Arrangement” tab and deselect “Mirror displays.” Finally, click and drag the white triangle onto the second display to use the second monitor as your main display.
Know that most laptops can support dual monitors. If you have a laptop which has at least one video output slot (e.g., an HDMI port or a VGA port), you can usually use an external monitor in conjunction with the video port. While a few Windows laptops might not support dual monitors, all Apple MacBook computers do—if you have a Mac laptop, feel free to skip ahead to connecting your second monitor. Understand that not all desktop computers support dual monitors. Depending on your computer's graphics card and motherboard, you may not be able to run a second monitor at the same time as your first. Again, if you're using an Apple iMac desktop unit, you can use dual monitors. Check your computer's video output ports. Most computers have at least two ports for video output, meaning that you'll usually be able to connect a second monitor; however, if the two (or more) ports aren't level with each other, they're most likely not part of the same graphics card and thus not able to be used for dual monitors. For example, if you see two horizontal HDMI ports next to (or on top of) each other, your computer's graphics card probably supports dual monitors. This goes for different outputs as well (e.g., a VGA output next to an HDMI output). Desktop Windows computers normally have these ports on the back of the computer case. If you only see one video output on a desktop computer, your computer's graphics card only supports one monitor at a time. Laptops which have one video output port can usually support multiple monitors. Determine whether your motherboard supports dual monitors. Virtually all modern computers' motherboards support multiple monitors, but older machines may not. You can check your motherboard for dual monitor support by doing the following: Find your motherboard's name. Look up your motherboard's name in a search engine (e.g., Google). Select a search result which lists your motherboard's features. Look for a "Multi-Display", "Multi-Monitor", or "Dual Display" feature. Determine your computer's video connection type. On the back of your computer's CPU box (or monitor if you're using an iMac), you should see several ports, one of which is currently being used for your main monitor. Common connection ports include the following: DVI — A wide piece of plastic with numerous small square holes in it. VGA — A trapezoid-shaped piece of colored plastic with several pinholes in it. HDMI — A thin, flat, hexagonal port. These are on most modern computers and TVs. DisplayPort — Similar to HDMI, but has a flat edge on one side instead of being symmetrical. Thunderbolt — Found on the backs of most iMac monitors, the Thunderbolt connection has a lightning bolt icon beneath it. You can connect an adapter for any of the above video connections to a Thunderbolt port (e.g., VGA to Thunderbolt). Check the second monitor's connection type. Your second monitor should have at least one of the previously mentioned connection types. You don't have to use the same connection that you use for your first monitor on your second monitor. For example, you can attach the first monitor using a DisplayPort cable and attach the second monitor using HDMI. In some cases, you might be able to set up a second monitor wirelessly. For example, to use an iPad as a second monitor , you can connect it to some computers wirelessly using an app called Air Display. Buy any cables or adapters that you don't have. If you don't have the proper cable or adapter that you need to attach your second monitor to the computer, you can find it online or in a tech department store. Especially if you're connecting a second monitor to an iMac, you'll need either a Thunderbolt cable or a port-to-Thunderbolt adapter for the back of the monitor. Connect the second monitor to the computer. Plug one end of the second monitor's video cable into the back of the computer, then plug the other end into the second monitor. Connect the second monitor to a power source. Plug your monitor's power cable into an electrical outlet, such as a wall socket or a surge protector. Turn on the second monitor. Press the "Power" {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/5\/5d\/Windowspower.png","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/5d\/Windowspower.png\/30px-Windowspower.png","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":460,"bigWidth":"30","bigHeight":"30","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>I edited this screenshot of a Windows icon.\n<\/p><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Public_domain\">Public Domain<\/a><br>\n<\/p><\/div>"} button on the second monitor to make sure that it is turned on and ready to receive the signal from your computer's main monitor. You can now proceed with setting the display preferences for your monitor on Windows or on Mac. Open Start . Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen. Open Settings . Click the gear-shaped icon in the lower-left side of the Start window. Click System. It's a computer monitor-shaped icon in the Settings window. Click the Display tab. You'll find this in the upper-left side of the window. Scroll down to the "Multiple displays" section. It's at the bottom of the page. Click the "Multiple displays" drop-down box. You'll find this box just below the "Multiple displays" heading. A drop-down menu will appear. Select a display option. In the drop-down menu, click one of the following options depending on your preferences: Extend these displays (recommended) — Uses the second monitor as an extension of your first monitor. Duplicate these displays — Displays the first monitor's contents on the second monitor. Show only on 1 — Shows content only on the first monitor. Show only on 2 — Shows content only on the second monitor. Click Apply. It's below the drop-down box. Click Keep settings when prompted. Doing so will apply your display settings. If you chose to extend your desktop, you'll now see your desktop split between the first monitor and the second monitor. Open the Apple menu . Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen. A drop-down menu will appear. Click System Preferences…. It's near the top of the Apple drop-down menu. Click Displays. You'll find this computer monitor-shaped icon in the upper-left side of the System Preferences window. Click the Arrangement tab. It's at the top of the page. Uncheck the "Mirror Displays" box. If you want to extend your desktop using the second monitor, make sure that the "Mirror Displays" checkbox is unchecked. If you want to display the same content on both monitors, you can leave the "Mirror Displays" box checked. Change your default display. If you want to use the second monitor as your main display, you can click and drag the white rectangle at the top of one of the blue displays onto the second display.
Know that most laptops can support dual monitors. Understand that not all desktop computers support dual monitors. Check your computer's video output ports. Determine whether your motherboard supports dual monitors. Determine your computer's video connection type. Check the second monitor's connection type. Buy any cables or adapters that you don't have. Connect the second monitor to the computer. Connect the second monitor to a power source. Turn on the second monitor. Open Start . Open Settings . Click System. Click the Display tab. Scroll down to the "Multiple displays" section. Click the "Multiple displays" drop-down box. Select a display option. Click Apply. Click Keep settings when prompted. Open the Apple menu . Click System Preferences…. Click Displays. Click the Arrangement tab. Uncheck the "Mirror Displays" box. Change your default display.
https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Cosmetologist
How to Become a Cosmetologist
To become a cosmetologist, work on your communication skills since you'll need to be able to communicate with your clients about what they're looking for. You should also practice being social and making small talk with people since you'll be talking with clients for long periods of time while they're in your chair. Also, if you don't already, start reading style magazines and blogs so you stay up-to-date on the latest hairstyles and trends.
Meet the basic age and educational requirements. Most cosmetology programs require you to be at least 16 years of age and to have a high school diploma or a GED to enter. But every state has slightly different regulations and requirements, so before you proceed, you should check with the cosmetology boards of different states to see what you need to do. In some cases, different cosmetology schools will also have stricter requirements than the states, so you'll have to look into those on an individual basis as well. Some high schools even allow juniors and seniors to enter vocational programs for cosmetology. These programs give students a jump start on being full cosmetologists and give them valuable hours and experience that can count toward their hours for cosmetology school. Enroll in cosmetology school. Cosmetology students enroll in state licensing beauty schools, job skills beauty schools or degree granting beauty schools. Tuition and fees for cosmetology schools range from $10,000 to $20,000, depending on the courses offered, the school's location, hours of education required and the facilities and equipment available. You can enroll in cosmetology school at a private school, community college, or a for-profit cosmetology program. Make sure that you look at at least three different schools in your area and compare the prices, the percentage of students that find jobs, and the duration of the program. Talk to the admissions counsellors at each school to find which school is the best fit for you. Some schools offer courses for part-time students or night courses so that you can get the education with a more flexible schedule. If this is important for you, it should be a priority. Complete cosmetology school. Most schools take between 9-15 months to complete. While most states require around 1,600 training hours before you get your license, some require a lot more or less, falling in the range of 1,000 hours and 2,300 hours. You'll have to put in long hard hours and learn a variety of subjects that range from hair coloring to human anatomy. You'll have to attend class, pass exams, and get many hours of hands-on practice. Here are some of the things you may have to do in school. Take courses that teach you about human anatomy and chemistry and how to wash, cut and style hair. Learn about the chemicals used in coloring, straightening and making hair curly or wavy. Learn how to give facials and facial massages. Learn about the chemicals you use when you give a client a facial chemical peel. Learn how to wax the different areas of your clients' bodies--including the upper lip, eyebrows, underarms, legs and pubic areas. Learn about microdermabrasion. Learn how to administer a microdermabrasion on your clients' faces. Consider specializing. Finding a specialty can also help you land a job; it typically takes about 600 extra hours of coursework to specialize. Though your job title can be "cosmetologist," there are a wide variety of specialties and job titles that you can take on after additional training. And remember that cosmetologists can also work as magazine editors or consultants or as marketing specialists, though getting some years as a cosmetologist under your belt can help you land one of these careers. Here are the variety of job titles that you can hold in this position: Beautician Hairstylist Wedding stylist Barber stylist Nail technician Manager stylist Salon assistant Spa manager Pass your licensing exam. All 50 states require cosmetology graduates to take and pass a licensing examination. Licensing requirements include meeting the individual state's guidelines for licensure. Each licensing applicant has to pass written questions and practical testing in skin care, applying makeup and hair care. Applicants can earn a cosmetology, esthetician or nail technician license. You can also get your cosmetology license and then continue to pursue other specialities. When you pass your exam, you'll still have to pay a licensing fee. Participate in an apprenticeship program if a salon in your community offers one. This is a great way to get your foot in the door and to gain more valuable experience. And if you're having trouble finding a job, this can also help you become a better applicant. To do this, you'll have to register for an apprenticeship at a local beauty salon and gain the experience for up to 2 years. You should still get paid for the apprenticeship, but you wouldn't get paid as much as a full cosmetologist. Find the best location for your work. Not every cosmetologist works in a beauty salon. In fact, many cosmetologists are self-employed or even work part time. This allows them more time and flexibility throughout the week. If you want to have your own practice, you'll need to put in some hours at another business first. But you have some flexibility in choosing where you can work. Here are the most common locations: Beauty salons and barbershops Day spas, hotel spas, resort spas Retail beauty supply locations Nursing and residential care homes Apply for cosmetology openings in and around your community. Applying for a position at a salon as a cosmetologist is much like applying for any other job: you'll need to write your resume, make phone calls, check which salons have openings, and leave your resumes with salons that don't have openings just in case a job opens up at a later time. You can also search for open positions online. Just remember that even if you submit a resume, it's best to follow up in person or over the phone so you are more likely to get noticed and to look serious about the position. As with any other profession, it helps to have connections. If you make a connection to a beauty salon during cosmetology school or know someone who works at a salon, you'll be more likely to get a job. If you're open to relocating, then it may benefit you to move to an area that has particularly high employment for cosmetologists. The five metropolitan areas with the highest employment for cosmetologists are Palm Coast, FL, Ocean City, NJ, Longview, WA, Mansfield, OH, and Springfield, OH. Develop the skills you need to be a great cosmetologist. It's one thing to snag a job as a cosmetologist, and another to be truly excellent in your career. If you want to be a great cosmetologist, then you have to put in the hours to learn how to work with different hair and skin types. But it takes more than that. Here are some other skills you'll have to develop as you move forward in your profession: Stellar communication skills. If you want your clients to be happy, then you have to be able to talk to them about what vision they have for their hair and skin and to know how to give them what they want (within reason). Great social skills. This is different from being able to talk to a client about what hairstyle she wants. You'll often have to spend more than an hour working with each client, and you'll need to know how to make small talk, make your clients feel comfortable, and even how to make them laugh. If you want your clients to keep coming back to you, you have to know how to socialize with them. Business and financial experience. This is crucial to have, especially if you are or are thinking about being self-employed. Artistic skills and ability. The more hours you put in, the better sense you'll have about what will and won't work for all of your client. Ability to multi-task. You will have to work with many clients in one day and will often have to use a variety of skills at any given point. Keep your skills current. If you want to succeed in your profession, then you have to keep your skills up to date and to be aware of current trends in your industry. What's popular in hair and makeup today is very different than what was popular ten -- or even five -- years ago, so it's important to know how to give your clients exactly what they want in this day and age. Here are some ways to keep your skills as current as possible: Attend trend shows Enroll in continuing education classes Subscribe to popular style magazines Read style blogs Develop a strong client base. Without your clients, your career won't add up to much. If you want to be a great cosmetologist, then you have to develop a loyal and growing client base and make sure that the people who see you want to see you again -- and again. To develop a strong base, you need to know how to talk to your clients, make them feel at home, and to let them know how much you value your business. Whenever you finish with a client, you have to encourage him or her to book his or her next appointment. Say, "If you want to keep up that new haircut, you'll have to come back in one month. Make sure you book an appointment." Ask for referrals. Your clients can also send their friends and acquaintances your way, often for a discount. This is another way to grow your client base. Make your clients feel important. Remember the names of their kids or husbands and ask about them the next time you see them. Show them that you don't just see dollar signs when they sit in your chair. Expand your business. Once you've gained enough experience working for someone else, you can consider opening up your own salon or beauty establishment. It'll be much easier if you build a strong client base first so you know you'll have clients in your new business, and it'll also help to make connections with other cosmetologists that you can potentially hire for your business. Though having your own business will be more work, you will reap more rewards if you succeed. You can also consider moving up to a managerial position at a beauty salon or a spa. This will also give you a pay bump and less hands-on work.
Meet the basic age and educational requirements. Enroll in cosmetology school. Complete cosmetology school. Consider specializing. Pass your licensing exam. Participate in an apprenticeship program if a salon in your community offers one. Find the best location for your work. Apply for cosmetology openings in and around your community. Develop the skills you need to be a great cosmetologist. Keep your skills current. Develop a strong client base. Expand your business.
https://www.wikihow.com/Eat-a-Kiwano-(Horned-Melon)
How to Eat a Kiwano (Horned Melon)
To eat a kiwano, rinse the melon off and slice it in half short-ways, across the equator. Hold one half of the fruit up to your mouth and squeeze the lower end to enjoy the fleshy green kernels. Kiwano melons have edible seeds, but feel free to spit them out if you don't like the taste. You can also add raw kiwano to fruit salad, blend it into a tasty salsa, or garnish your favorite cocktail with a few of the sweet green kernels.
Choose a kiwano that is fully ripened. It'll have an orange rind with orange spikes. Squeeze it slightly to make sure it has some give and isn't rock hard and green. If you can't find a fully ripened fruit at the store, wait for it to turn orange before eating it. Give it a rinse. While you won't be eating the outside, it's always a good idea to rinse fruit you're planning on cutting, to avoid any pesticides or other chemicals on the outside when you cut into it with a knife. Cut the fruit in half short-ways, across the equator. Set one half aside. This is the best way of cutting the fruit for eating it by itself. If you want to scoop the seeds out for use in a recipe or fruit salad, it can be easier to scoop if you cut it lengthwise. It's up to you. Hold one half of the fruit up to your mouth. Slowly, but firmly, squeeze the fruit from the lower end. Each tiny greenish sac will contain a cucumber-like seed, and they should come to the cut surface of the fruit easily with a little pressure. Eat them. Like a pomegranate , the seeds are perfectly edible, but are somewhat bland. What you're after is the sweet green flesh around the seed. You can take one at a time into your mouth and separate the seed before spitting it out, or take a whole mouthful and chew it up. If you don't like the seeds, try pinching the sac of fruit gently with your front teeth. Suck the sac of fruit through your top and bottom teeth, pinching enough to hold the seed on the outside of your teeth, yet still allowing the fruit to pass through. Consider scooping out the fruit. You can also scoop out the seeds into a bowl and eat them with a spoon if you prefer. Its easier to break the little green kernels that way, but can be somewhat easier if you don't want to bury your face in the fruit. Add kiwano to a fruit salad. Like kiwi, kiwano can make a nice colorful addition to a fruit salad, and an unexpected treat for guests. Mix bananas, mango, and melon with a sprinkling of kiwano for a beautiful summer fruit salad. Garnish roasted meat with kiwano. Grilling steaks or chops? Instead of topping with rich cheese or mushrooms, consider sprinkling some kiwano kernels on top of your meat a few minutes before serving for an exotic and tangy highlight. Make kiwano salsa. Seed one kiwano melon into a bowl and mix it with: the juice of one lime a clove of garlic a palm-full of fresh chopped cilantro one green onion, or a 1/8 of a white onion a quarter-teaspoon of cumin Mix in a small amount of vegetable oil to coat the mixture and use the salsa as a garnish for meat, grilled vegetables, or eat it with chips for some surprising nachos. Garnish cocktails with kiwano. Sprinkle a few green kernels into a champagne flute before mixing up a mimosa or to highlight a gin and tonic instead of a lime slice. Make the Intergalactic Nebula. Remove the Kiwano melon seeds and place in a cup. Fill the cup with sparkling red grape juice cocktail 3/4 of the way to the top of the cup. With the remainder space, add half and a half (optional), Serve in layers for the best look before stirring.
Choose a kiwano that is fully ripened. Give it a rinse. Cut the fruit in half short-ways, across the equator. Hold one half of the fruit up to your mouth. Eat them. Consider scooping out the fruit. Add kiwano to a fruit salad. Garnish roasted meat with kiwano. Make kiwano salsa. Garnish cocktails with kiwano. Make the Intergalactic Nebula.
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Husband-Miss-You
How to Make Your Husband Miss You
To make your husband miss you, try to surprise him now and again and make the time you spend together special. Leave him small gifts in his suitcase or around your home that will remind him of you, such as a love note or a picture of you both. You could also try sending him things he likes, like chocolates or a video game. When you talk to him over the phone, make your conversations personal by telling him something about yourself during each call, such as an activity you want to do or something you thought about that day. Alternatively, mix it up by doing things together while you're apart, like playing an online game or watching the same movie. When you reunite, do things to make your time together fun and memorable so that he'll miss you afterwards. For example, throw your husband a welcome home party or just spend time relaxing in each other's company.
Talk openly about the arrangement. Whether you and your husband live together but rarely see each other, or you have a long distance marriage, it's important to talk about how you plan to make this arrangement work for you. Good communication is key to keeping your romance alive, even when you are physically apart. The conversation should be ongoing. Check in regularly with your husband to make sure the arrangement is still working for both of you. Don't be afraid to share your feelings if you feel that something needs to change. Consider making a list of the benefits of the separation. When things get hard or you start arguing about how little you see each other, you can consult the list to help remind you about why you chose the arrangement in the first place. Leave him sweet surprises. Your husband will miss you tons if he's always finding little reminders of you while you are apart. Before your next separation, consider hiding little treasures for him to discover. They can be anything from notes to photos of the two of you or other tokens of your affection. If your husband is going away, you can leave him love notes in his suitcase or in the pockets of his clothing. Try to put them in places where he will discover them at different times. If you are leaving home, hide things around the house for him to find. They can be notes or small mementos of your affection, like his favorite chocolate. Make your phone calls more personal. Phone conversations tend to be centered around recounting daily activities. While this is fine, it's not the kind of conversation that will make your husband miss you. Instead, try to think of the kinds of conversations you have in person, and recreate these over the phone. Share something personal about yourself during each phone call. For example, you might tell your husband about something interesting you noticed today or about an activity you would like to try. You can also remind your husband of all of the things you love about him. For example, you might tell him that he's an excellent cuddler or that you love his laugh. While you may need to talk about household things, like bills or maintenance, be sure that they do no dominate the conversation. Balance them out by also talking about enjoyable topics. For example, you could tell your husband about a great movie that you saw, or you could discuss plans for a trip you plan to take together. Do things together. Instead of just talking on the phone and telling each other about your days, find ways to participate in activities together. This will help remind your husband of how enjoyable it is to be with you, even if you won't get the opportunity to see each other in person for a long time. For example, you could play an online game together, watch the same movie while talking to each other, or even bring each other to important events via video conference. If you get the chance to see your husband periodically, make that time count. You may choose to do activities together or just relax together, but no matter what you do, make sure that you both enjoy the time you have together. Mix it up. It's easy to get into a rut when it comes to long-distance communication. For example, if you write your husband a letter every week or speak to him on the phone every evening, it can easily become routine. Keep your husband on his toes and looking forward to your next communication by doing something a little different every once in a while. For example, you might send your husband videos or silly cards at times. Alternatively, you might recite a poem that you wrote for him the next time you speak on the phone. Try to be a little unpredictable! Avoid complaining about the separation. When you talk to your husband, try not to say anything that will make him feel bad about being apart. You want to make him miss you, and complaining about the burden he has left you with by leaving will do just the opposite. Instead of complaining, try offering him some sweet compliments. For example, you might let him know that something he fixed before he left is working very well. This will make him realize how much you appreciate him, which will intensify his feelings for you. If you are the one who is away from home, you could let him know that a joke he told you made you smile all day. Make your reunions happy. If you want your husband to miss you while you are apart, it is vital that the time you spend together is as enjoyable as possible. Let him know that you value your time together, and he will too. Avoid bombarding him with a to-do list if he is coming home from a long trip. Instead, take a few days to spend quality time together doing things you both enjoy. If your husband is coming home from a military deployment, consider throwing him a welcome home party or meeting him at the airport with a welcome home banner. Give him his space. Your husband will not have the opportunity to miss you if you are constantly seeing each other or talking to each other. Give him the chance to see what life would really be like without you by leaving him alone for a while. One of you will have to move out for this to work. If you have a friend or relative you can stay with, spend some time there. You can let your husband know that you hope the separation will only be temporary. Try this for about a month. This will give both of you adequate time to think about your relationship, and it will give him the time he needs to start missing you. It will be much easier to not contact your husband if you avoid checking up on him. You may want to unfollow him on social media so you won't be tempted to comment on his status updates. Don't ask mutual friends about how he is doing either. Take care of yourself. Use your time apart to work on becoming the best version of yourself as you can. You may want to try to become more physically fit, work on your emotional stability, or expand your intellectual horizons. When you and your husband reunite, he will notice the difference and find it very attractive! In addition to making yourself more attractive to your husband, this will help you feel better about yourself. If the marriage doesn't end up working out, you will be in a much better position to get through it. Get happy. You husband will be more likely to miss you if he sees that you are happy and fun to be around. Try socializing with friends and doing activities that you enjoy. When you and your husband begin communicating again, your happiness will be very enticing. Don't go out of your way to show him that you don't need him. Your goal should be to make him want to share in your happiness, not to make him resent you for it. Remind him of happy times. Once you do start talking to your husband again, give him a reason to miss the happy times that you had together. Instead of focusing on the negatives of your relationship, try bringing up some of your favorite memories. There are many ways that you can remind him of happy memories. You could send him a photo from your honeymoon or reminisce about an adventure you had together, for example. You may want to consider talking to your husband about your desire to make more happy memories like the ones you have had in the past. If it feels right, have a conversation about the changes you can make to your relationship to help make that happen. Think about his needs. Improving your relationship with your husband is the best way to make him genuinely miss you. You can start by considering his point of view instead of focusing only on your own. It's human nature to think about our own individual needs, but good husbands and wives also think about their partners' needs. Take some time to consider what your husband needs to be happy in life, and do your best to give it to him. For example, your husband may need some time to spend by himself pursuing a hobby, or he may need more quality time with you. If you're not sure what your husband's needs are, ask him what you can do to help him be happier. Let him know you appreciate him. Your husband probably does a lot of little things for you every day. While it's easy to overlook all of these little things, acknowledging them and thanking him for them can go a long way in showing your husband how much you appreciate him. The next time he fixes something around the house or makes you breakfast, be sure to let him know that it means a lot to you. He may also really like it if you brag about him to others once in a while. For example, when you're out with friends, you might say, "My husband made me the most delicious dinner last night." Talk about your conflicts. If you want him to think about you in a positive way, communicating well about conflicts is important. Every marriage has conflicts, and it's how a couple deals with those conflicts that determines how successful the relationship will be. If you want your marriage to be happy and healthy, keep the lines of communication open and discuss each and every conflict as it arises. Even if you need to take a break from a conversation, never leave it unfinished for long. Your goal should be to find a resolution that works for both of you. Listen to your husband and try to understand his perspective, even if you disagree. Be sure to say what you really mean, even if you think your husband may not like it. Dancing around the issue will not help resolve it. Calm yourself down during arguments. Personally attacking your husband is the way to make him want to see less of you, not more. Sometimes small arguments can turn into big blowouts because emotions are running high. To avoid this, consider taking a short break from the conversation when you feel like you're about to start yelling. If you both have a little time to think, you may be much better able to talk rationally. The break can be a few minutes or an entire day, depending on how much time you need to cool down, but be sure to return to the conversation. You don't want to leave the conflict unresolved. Avoid being defensive. When you find yourself in a disagreement with your husband, it's important to be open instead of defensive. This means resisting the urge to criticize your husband or his point of view. The less defensive you are during disagreements, the less defensive your husband will feel the need to be. This will make your conversations much more productive. Move past mistakes. Both you and your husband are bound to make mistakes and hurt each other's feelings during the course of your marriage. When this happens, you have the choice to let the mistakes damage your marriage, or to let go of them and move on. It's important to forgive your husband for mistakes he has made in the past, as continuing to dwell on them will only create more tension in your marriage. You will make mistakes too, and when you do, you must be humble enough to admit it and apologize.
Talk openly about the arrangement. Leave him sweet surprises. Make your phone calls more personal. Do things together. Mix it up. Avoid complaining about the separation. Make your reunions happy. Give him his space. Take care of yourself. Get happy. Remind him of happy times. Think about his needs. Let him know you appreciate him. Talk about your conflicts. Calm yourself down during arguments. Avoid being defensive. Move past mistakes.
https://www.wikihow.com/Apply-for-a-Concealed-Carry-Permit
How to Apply for a Concealed Carry Permit
To apply for a concealed carry permit, you need to be at least 21 years old and have no felony convictions. Each state has different requirements, so check your state's specific requirements before you apply. To start the application process, you need to complete an application form and pay an application fee. From there, you'll need to take the required classes to be certified to carry a concealed firearm. After you get your certification, you can fill out the paperwork required by your state, submit it to the permit office, and wait to receive your permit.
Make sure you meet the basic requirements. Obtaining a permit to carry a concealed weapon varies from state-to-state. However, there are a few basic requirements you must meet regardless of where you live. First, you must be at least 21 years of age. Then you must have “proof of good character.” This means you haven't been convicted of any felonies like DUIs or assault and battery. Research the requirements for your state. Outside of the basic requirements, each state will require proof of residency. For example, in Ohio you have to have been a resident of the state for at least 45 days, and a resident of your home county for 30 days. You will also have to meet each state's requirements for training and application. Pay strict attention to the requirements as some jurisdictions may deny your application for the slightest infraction. You may also want to talk to people who already have a permit about their experience and where you should start. Learn about the differences in concealed carry permit applications. If you meet the basic requirements for a concealed carry permit in your state, then you can apply for a permit. However, there are differences in the application approval process. Shall Issue. Most states have “Shall Issue” policies, meaning that they will give a permit to you if you meet all of the requirements. May Issue. A handful of states have “May Issue” policies, meaning that they may deny a permit application even if you meet all of the requirements. These judgments are made on a case-by-case basis. States with a “May Issue” policy include California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Delaware, Virgin Islands, Maryland, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New York. Right Denied. There are couple of places in the U.S. where concealed carry is not allowed. These include American Samoa and N. Mariana Islands. Get a background check. You can do this by sending your fingerprints to the Bureau of Criminal Identification or BCI. To get fingerprinted, simply contact your local law enforcement and set up an appointment. They should be able to provide you with a fingerprinting card, but you can also print them off online. The process should only take about 10-15 minutes. Once you've finished, the department should be able to send your prints off to be checked. In total it should cost around $50-$60. Learn about your state’s application process. Make sure to learn about your state's application process to ensure that you can complete every step. The application process for a concealed carry permit may vary from state to state, so be sure to check the requirements in your state. For example, in Louisiana, you need to complete an application, prove that you meet all of the requirements, agree to comply with the rules and regulations for concealed carry, and pay the $25.00 application fee. Take any classes, if necessary. Most states require you to take a gun safety class. This is recommended even if you do not plan to carry a weapon. Most training courses are around 8 hours and are taught by a qualified CCW instructor. You can find one through your state's CCW website or through your local sheriff's department. If you are already certified, you may be able to bypass training. However, if your certification is older than 3 years, you may have to take another class. If you are an active or reserve member of the military, you may also be able to skip training. Fill out the appropriate paperwork. Each state will have a specific application for you to fill out. With your application you will also have to include a photocopy of your driver's license and a color photograph of passport quality. You should also have your cleared background check, fingerprints, and firearm certification. Keep in mind that every state may require additional or different items like proof of residency. The fee for obtaining a license may also vary from state to state, but expect to pay between $30-$50. Submit the proper forms and wait. It can take anywhere between 30-60 days to obtain your permit. In the meantime, do not carry a concealed weapon if it is illegal to do so without a permit in your area. Some shall issue states allow you to open-carry a weapon, but you should check your state's official website for more information before doing anything else. Once you have your permit it should be good for 5 years.
Make sure you meet the basic requirements. Research the requirements for your state. Learn about the differences in concealed carry permit applications. Get a background check. Learn about your state’s application process. Take any classes, if necessary. Fill out the appropriate paperwork. Submit the proper forms and wait.
https://www.wikihow.com/Best-Absorb-Vitamin-A-Supplements
How to Best Absorb Vitamin A Supplements
To help your body absorb vitamin A supplements better, avoid taking your supplement on an empty stomach since this may result in it simply passing through your system rather than being absorbed. Instead, eat a meal with good fats like avocado or salmon since fats can help you absorb vitamin A more efficiently. Zinc also supports vitamin A absorption, so make sure you're getting enough zinc in your diet by eating foods like chicken, oatmeal, and almonds. Since alcohol can get in the way of your body absorbing vitamin A, try to limit how much alcohol you drink or cut it out altogether if possible.
Eat a meal containing fat with your vitamin. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is best absorbed by your body when you eat it with foods containing fat. Good options are red meat, liver, cream or cheese, whole milk, olive oil, and fatty fish like salmon. If your overall diet is very low in fat, you may not absorb vitamin A efficiently. Eating a diet high in saturated fat causes health problems like high cholesterol, weight gain, and heart issues. The important thing is to eat a balanced diet, with enough fat but not an unhealthy amount. Your doctor can help you with this. Ask, "Can you help me come up with a healthy diet plan?" Avoid taking vitamin A supplements on an empty stomach. Taking your supplement when you haven't eaten anything, or even with very low-fat foods, may cause stomach upset, indigestion or heartburn. This also increases the chance that the vitamin could pass through your system without being fully absorbed by your body. Eat avocado. Avocado contains a high amount of “good fats,” and studies have shown this food might help your body absorb vitamin A. Adding one whole avocado to your meal may even double the amount of vitamin A you can absorb. Get enough zinc. You need to have enough zinc in your diet in order to fully absorb vitamin A. Women need at least 8mg every day (up to 10 or 11mg if pregnant or breastfeeding), and adult men need 11mg daily. Foods high in zinc include beef, pork chops, chicken, crab, oysters, lobster, fortified cereals and oatmeal, cashews, almonds, swiss cheese, chickpeas, and kidney beans. Treat digestive conditions medically. Even if you have enough fat in your diet, you still won't absorb vitamin A well if you have a medical condition that limits your body's ability to absorb the fats you eat. Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, disease of the liver or gall bladder, cystic fibrosis, and problems with your pancreas can affect your fat absorption. These will require treatment or additional vitamin A supplementation to get your RDA of vitamin A. How you absorb fat is also decreased if you have had part or all of your stomach removed, such as after certain kinds of weight-loss surgeries. Drink less alcohol. Alcohol can interfere with your body's ability to absorb vitamin A (and other needed nutrients). Stop drinking alcohol altogether, or limit your alcohol intake to, say, one glass daily to maintain good health and promote vitamin absorption. Avoid weight-loss medications. The prescription medication Orlistat is used to help people lose weight, but because of how it works it can interfere with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamin A. Olestra, a fat substitute sometimes added to food, can cause similar problems. Avoid these if you require a vitamin A supplement. Change your medicines that block vitamin A absorption. If you are at risk for vitamin A deficiency, speak to your healthcare provider about any medications that you are taking. Some cholesterol medicines called bile acid sequestrants , like cholestyramine and colestipol, can block vitamin A absorption; another kind of cholesterol medicine, called statins , can actually help vitamin A absorption. Omeprazole (Prilosec) is used for heartburn and reflux, and can cause absorption issues, as can the antibiotic Neomycin. Switching to different medicines with your doctor's advice can help. Discuss your medicines and your vitamins with your doctor, to avoid any interactions. Say something like, “My dietician wants me to take a vitamin A supplement. Will that cause any problems with the medicines you prescribe to me?” Get your recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin A. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other government agencies make suggestions based on research about how much vitamin A you need each day. Typically, adult men need 900 micrograms (3,000 international units, or IU) and adult women need 700 micrograms (2,300 IU) daily. Make sure you're getting the amount you need. Pregnant women require slightly more: 770 micrograms (2,600 IU) daily. When lactating and breast feeding, the RDA increases to 1,300 micrograms of vitamin A daily (4,300 IU). These requirements are for women age 19 or older. The RDAs for children have been set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine and the World Health Organization, and they vary depending on the child's age. Ask your doctor if your child needs additional vitamin A, and how much they should receive. The current RDA numbers have been in place since 2002, but some supplement packaging might still list the old dosage of 5,000 IU. Eat foods high in vitamin A. Good natural sources of this vitamin are meat products such as beef kidney and liver, eggs, and dairy. This form of vitamin A is called retinol and it is in a form that the body can use. Be sure to also get vitamin A from fresh produce like carrots and other yellow or dark vegetables, also known as carotenoids, which are precursors of Vitamin A. Great sources are broccoli, kale, spinach, sweet potato, squash, cantaloupe, dried apricots, mango and sweet red peppers. Take a daily multivitamin. Multivitamins often contain 100% of the RDA for vitamin A, and taking one daily multivitamin is an easy way to get all the supplements you need. Choose a vitamin that states on the label that its vitamin A is at least 20% beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A found in some foods and is safe even in large quantities. Multivitamins are available at your local drug store. You may want to ask your doctor, dietician, or pharmacist if they recommend a certain brand. Choose a multivitamin that provides close to 100% of the daily need for all the vitamins and minerals it contains, rather than one that has a “megadose” of 500% of one and only, say, 15% of another. Do not take an additional vitamin A supplement unless you are directed by a doctor to do so. Vitamin A toxicity can occur if you consume very high levels. The amount found in a daily multi-vitamin combined with a healthy diet is enough for most people.
Eat a meal containing fat with your vitamin. Avoid taking vitamin A supplements on an empty stomach. Eat avocado. Get enough zinc. Treat digestive conditions medically. Drink less alcohol. Avoid weight-loss medications. Change your medicines that block vitamin A absorption. Get your recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin A. Eat foods high in vitamin A. Take a daily multivitamin.
https://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Your-Room-Clean
How to Keep Your Room Clean
The easiest way to keep your room clean is to make your bed every morning and throw dirty clothes into the hamper right away. Use baskets to keep extra items organized and always avoid eating in your room! Donate items you haven't used in over a year to avoid clutter.
Pick up clothes from the floor and bed. Clothes lying around on the floor, bed, and hanging over chairs can make even a clean room look dirty. Collect clothes from around the room and sort them into a dirty and a clean pile. Place dirty clothes in the laundry hamper. Fold and put away clean clothes. Collect and take out garbage. When you're busy with work, school, and other things, it can be easy to let garbage pile up in your room. Go around the room with a garbage bag and pick up wrappers, food, old papers, and any other trash you find around the room. When you've collected all the garbage, empty your bedroom garbage bin into the bag and take the bag down to wait for collection day. Clear away plates and utensils. Keeping plates, cups, and old food in your room can attract bugs, cause spills, and make your room messy. Collect anything that belongs in the kitchen and take it downstairs to the sink or dishwasher. Items to watch for include: Wash your linens. Strip the comforter, sheets, and pillow cases from your bed. Throw all washable linens into the hamper and take the linens to the laundry room for washing. If you can do a load of laundry on your own, wash your linens in the washing machine using your regular cycle. Otherwise, leave the linens for an adult to wash. Make the bed with fresh linens. Grab a fresh set of linens for your bed, or wait until yours are washed and dried. Pull a fitted sheet over the mattress first, followed by the top sheet and any blankets you regularly use. Put the pillow cases back on the pillows next, then place the pillows on the bed. Lastly, pull the blanket, comforter, or duvet up and over the pillows. Make your bed daily. You don't have to redo the fitted sheet and pillow cases, but you should redo the top sheet and blankets. Change out your bedding every couple of weeks. If it is very hot and you are sweating a lot, you may need to change your bedding more often. Clean up your desk. Bedroom desks are magnets for messes because that's probably where you read, do your school work, and spend time on the computer. To tidy up your desk: Organize your night table. Your night table is probably a dumping ground for anything you're doing right before bed, like reading, listening to music, taking off accessories, and other stuff. Clean off your night table and put away anything that doesn't belong there. To keep your room looking clean and neat, store common bedside items, like tablets and books, inside the drawers of your night table rather than on top of it. Keep the top of the night stand for some simple items, like a lamp or a single picture. Organize your dresser. Your dresser may also be a dumping ground for books, toys, accessories, jewelry and knick-knacks. Put jewelry back in a case or drawer, return books to the shelf, toss out garbage and junk that's accumulated, put makeup back in the vanity or makeup case, and put accessories and other objects back where they belong. Keep your dresser organized. Make sure that your clothes are neatly folded; don't just stuff them into the drawer. Every so often, it would be a good idea to completely clear out your dresser. Separate out the items you no longer use, and put everything else back into the drawers. Organize your closet. Closets tend to be where you throw everything that you don't want to deal with right away, and now it's time to address all those things. Tidy up your shoes, hang up clothes, throw out junk, and organize the shelves. Dust everything. Use a duster or damp microfiber cloth to dust corners and wall joints, the ceiling fan, light fixtures, shelves, where the wall and ceiling meet, and all the furniture in your room. As you dust, pick up objects that are obstructing your work, such as a lamp on the dresser, and dust underneath them. Vacuum the floor. Use a vacuum to suck up dirt and dust from a carpeted floor, or use a broom or vacuum to clean up a tiled or wood floor. Use special attachments on the vacuum to clean the corners where the floor and wall meet, the baseboards, and other cracks and crevices. Don't forget to move furniture so that you can clean under and behind the bed, dresser, and desk. Clean the windows and mirrors. Spray the mirror with window cleaner, or with a solution of one part vinegar and three parts water. Use a clean microfiber cloth to wipe the mirror dry. Repeat with all the interior windows in the room and any dusty or dirty picture frames. Keep your window cleaner handy so that you can clean your mirror as needed or whenever it gets dirty. This is especially useful if you have nosy pets or kids. Make your bed every day. One of the most important things you can do to keep your room clean is making your bed every morning when you wake up. Straighten the top sheet and tuck it under your pillows. Straighten and fluff your pillows. Straighten the blanket or comforter and pull it up and over your pillows. Once your room has been thoroughly cleaned, keeping it clean is the simple part. It's all about doing a few things every day, like making your bed, to maintain the cleanliness. Hang up your clothes when you get home. Many people like to change into comfy clothes when they get home after a long day at school or work. When you do this, hang up your coat, throw dirty clothes in the hamper, and fold and put away clean clothes that you're going to wear again. After a long day, it can be tempting to come home and just throw your coat and clothes on the floor or bed. But if you want to keep your room clean after all that hard work, you have to put your clothes away. Put dirty clothes right into the laundry basket. Never leave dirty clothes on the floor, on the bed, or lying around in the bathroom or laundry room. When you take off dirty clothes, throw them right into the hamper. To make this job easier, consider leaving a few laundry hampers around the house in areas where you regularly change, like in the bathroom, in your closet, and near your dresser. Put away clean laundry immediately. It can be just as easy to leave your clean laundry piled in a basket instead of putting it away. But again, this will quickly lead to a messy room, and it'll cause wrinkles in your clothes. When your clothes are fresh from the dryer, fold them neatly and put them away, or hang them back in the closet. This also includes things like linens and towels. Don’t eat in your room. Having food in your room can attract bugs, cause spills, leave crumbs all over the place, and lead to a buildup of plates and cups in your room. Instead, make your room a food-free zone, and do all your eating and snacking in the kitchen. Take plates, cups, utensils, and food waste back to the kitchen immediately if you ever do eat in your room. Purge clutter regularly. One of the biggest contributors to a messy room is having too much stuff. To prevent this, go through all your things, including clothes, toys, accessories, and other items and decide what you want to keep and what you want to sell, donate, or throw away. To help you decide what to keep and what to get rid of, ask yourself what items you haven't used or worn in over a year. If you haven't used something in over a year, there's a good chance you can get rid of it without missing it. Good items to sell or donate include clothes, toys, shoes, and books. Only throw things out if they're broken, have holes, or can't be reused or recycled. Find a place for everything. When you have stuff that you don't have a place for, you tend to just leave things lying around, because there's no special spot where you can put it back when you tidy up. Go over each item in your room and make sure each one has its own special spot. Use baskets or other storage containers to keep extra stuff organized if you don't have a spot for it. Create a random drawer in your desk or dresser for small objects that have no fixed place. Return things to their rightful place when you're done with them. Once everything has a special spot in your room, tidying up will be easy, because you'll know where everything goes. Here are some ideas for putting things back: Put books and magazines back on the shelf when you're done reading them Hang up clothes in the closet when you're done wearing them Put toys back in the drawer or on the shelf when you're done playing File away papers and notes in a drawer or binder when you don't need them Return office items, like pens and paper clips, in the desk drawer when you're done Make a list of daily chores. Keeping your room clean is about getting into a good routine, and there are some things you should be doing every day. Make a list of these daily chores, and post the list somewhere visible. Set aside about 10 minutes every day to address these cleaning tasks. Daily chores should include: Making the bed Putting away clothes Tidying up toys, papers, and other items Throwing out garbage Create a cleaning schedule for weekly chores. On top of your daily chores, there are other cleaning tasks you should address regularly. Make a list of all those tasks, and make a schedule where you tackle a different weekly cleaning task each day of the week. Here's a sample list: Wash your linens weekly. Pull the blankets, top sheet, fitted sheet, pillow cases, and other linens from your bed. Throw them in the hamper and take them to the laundry room for washing. It's important to wash your linens weekly to control dust, dirt, and other allergens. Do laundry as soon as you have a full load. It can be easy to just let the dirty laundry pile up for weeks. However, keeping your room clean means staying on top of dirty laundry. As soon as you have a full hamper or enough for a load of laundry, get to the laundry room and wash a load. Some people find it easier to follow a set schedule when it comes to doing laundry. For example, some people do their laundry in the beginning of each month. Keep a garbage can in your room and use it. Garbage is one reason rooms get messy quickly. To stop this from happening, keep a garbage bin in your room, either beside the bed or desk, and make sure you always throw trash out rather than leaving it lying around. As soon as the garbage can is full, take it to the garage or shed until collection day. Vacuum and dust weekly. Use a damp microfiber cloth to dust all the surfaces in your room, including furniture, fixtures, fans, pictures, shelves, and tables. Vacuum the floors and baseboards to suck up dirt and dust. If you have pets or allergies, vacuum and dust two to three times a week. Don’t put off cleaning. Ignoring your cleaning duties for just a few days can create an overwhelming list of chores. Before you know it, your room will be messy again and you'll have a major cleaning job on your hands. Once you create your daily and weekly cleaning schedules, keep to it to make sure your good cleaning habits sink in and stick. If you miss a day of cleaning for whatever reason, address the chores you missed as soon as possible the next day to prevent duties and messes from building up. Try to turn cleaning into a game if you really don't like it. Challenge yourself to clean your room as fast as possible and try to beat your previous best.
Pick up clothes from the floor and bed. Collect and take out garbage. Clear away plates and utensils. Wash your linens. Make the bed with fresh linens. Clean up your desk. Organize your night table. Organize your dresser. Organize your closet. Dust everything. Vacuum the floor. Clean the windows and mirrors. Make your bed every day. Hang up your clothes when you get home. Put dirty clothes right into the laundry basket. Put away clean laundry immediately. Don’t eat in your room. Purge clutter regularly. Find a place for everything. Return things to their rightful place when you're done with them. Make a list of daily chores. Create a cleaning schedule for weekly chores. Wash your linens weekly. Do laundry as soon as you have a full load. Keep a garbage can in your room and use it. Vacuum and dust weekly. Don’t put off cleaning.
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Ackee-and-Saltfish
How to Make Ackee and Saltfish
To make ackee and saltfish, prepare your cod by rinsing it in cold water to remove the salt before placing it in a hot bath of 100℉ water for an hour. Once it's soaked, replace the water and let it soak for 1 more hour. Then, drain the water and use a fork or your hands to gently flake the fish. To cook your vegetables, saute garlic and thyme until they are aromatic, and add onions, scallions, and peppers. Cook them for about 5 minutes before adding your fish, and let it all simmer for about 2 more minutes.
Wash the fish in cold water. Take ½ pound (227 g) of boneless, salted codfish, and place it in a colander. Rinse it thoroughly under cold water to remove the salt from the fish. If you don't have a colander, you can simply place the fish in a bowl and place it under running cold water, tossing the fish in the water to remove the salt. Soak the fish in hot water. When you've finished washing the salt from the fish, place it in a large pot or bowl. Cover it with hot water, and allow it to soak in the bath for an hour. Make sure that there is enough water to fully cover all of the fish. The hot water should be approximately 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). Replace the water after an hour and soak again. After the fish has soaked for an hour, drain the water. Add a fresh batch of hot water to the bowl or pot, and allow the fish to soak for another hour so it soaks for a total of 2 hours over all. Flake the fish and set aside. When the fish has soaked for a couple of hours, drain the water. Use a fork to gently flake the codfish in a bowl, and set aside. You don't necessarily have to flake the fish. If you prefer larger flakes, you can break it apart using clean hands. Heat the oil in a skillet, and add the garlic. In a medium size skillet, allow ½ cup (118 ml) of vegetable oil to heat for 3 to 5 minutes over medium high heat or until it shimmers. Next, mix 4 cloves of finely chopped garlic into the pan, and cook for 30 seconds. If you don't like a strong garlicky taste, you can reduce the garlic cloves to 2 or 3. Mix in the thyme and cook briefly. When the garlic has sauted briefly, add 1 sprig of fresh thyme to the pan. Allow it to cook with garlic for approximately 30 seconds. You can replace the sprig of thyme with 1 teaspoon (5 g) of dried thyme. Stir in the onions, scallions, peppers, and Scotch bonnet pepper, and cook for several minutes. After you've added the thyme, mix 2 sliced onions, 4 chopped scallions, 1 cup (149 g) of sliced bell peppers, and ¼ Scotch bonnet pepper that's been seeded and finely chopped into the skillet. Stir the mixture well, and let it cook for 5 minutes. You can also add a medium tomato that's been cut into cubes in with the onions, scallions, and peppers if you desire. While a Scotch bonnet pepper is the classic option for this recipe, you can substitute any hot chili pepper. Combine the fish with the vegetable mixture and simmer. Once the vegetable mixture has cooked for several minutes, add the flaked codfish to the skillet. Stir well to ensure that the fish is fully incorporated, and then allow the mixture to simmer for 5 minutes. It's important to stir the contents of the pan while it's simmering to ensure that it cooks evenly. Add the ackee to the pan and simmer again. After the fish has simmered with the vegetables, mix 1 20-ounce (567 g) can of ackee that's been drained into the skillet. Simmer the mixture for another 2 minutes. The ackee is delicate, so don't use a spoon to mix it into the skillet. Instead, use a couple of forks to carefully toss it with the other ingredients until it's fully combined. Mix in the pepper and remove the skillet from the heat. When the ackee is heated through, sprinkle 1 teaspoon (2 g) of freshly ground black pepper into the mixture and stir gently to incorporate. Next, remove the skillet from the heat and let it sit for a minute or two. Serve with paprika as a garnish. When the dish is finished cooking, transfer it to a serving dish or bowl. Garnish it by sprinkling 1 teaspoon (2 g) of paprika over the top of the dish.
Wash the fish in cold water. Soak the fish in hot water. Replace the water after an hour and soak again. Flake the fish and set aside. Heat the oil in a skillet, and add the garlic. Mix in the thyme and cook briefly. Stir in the onions, scallions, peppers, and Scotch bonnet pepper, and cook for several minutes. Combine the fish with the vegetable mixture and simmer. Add the ackee to the pan and simmer again. Mix in the pepper and remove the skillet from the heat. Serve with paprika as a garnish.
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Guinea-Pig-Cage
How to Make a Guinea Pig Cage
To build a cage for your guinea pig, start by getting some storage cube grids and connecting them so they form a space that's 2 feet by 4 feet. If you have more than 2 guinea pigs, you should make the space larger. Next, measure the size of the cage you've created before adding 6 inches to the length and width. Then, get some coroplast and cut it to size using the measurements you took. Cut off a 6 inch by 6 inch square at each corner, then fold up the sides and ends of the coroplast to form a box. Finally, place the box inside your storage cubes to complete the cage.
Plan the layout. Generally speaking, the bigger the hutch, the better. One guinea pig needs at least 7.5 square feet of cage space, but they should also have a cavy friend. Two pigs should have at least 10.5 square feet of room. Generally, add about 2-4 square feet for each additional guinea pig. It can also be designed to have two stories, one atop the other, to make more space. However, this will require a ramp, so if you plan on doing it, make sure that your guinea pig can climb the ramp first. Unlike many other small mammals, guinea pigs are not particularly athletic and may have trouble climbing a steep ramp. Note that guinea pigs should not be housed outdoors. They should be kept indoors in a 65–80 °F (18–27 °C) environment. Collect your materials. The best hutches are made from good solid wood. Avoid cheap and flimsy plywood. You will additionally need wire mesh, wood staples, screws or nails, galvanized latches, and tools like an electric drill, hammer, screwdriver, tape measure, wire-cutters, and saw, and workspace for the assembly job. An large cupboard or cabinet can often be converted into an effective hutch. This will save you from having to buy all new materials and construct the frame yourself. Before you begin building, make a detailed blueprint to scale (with actual proportions). This will let you know exactly how much wood, nails, and other supplies you will need. If you aren't comfortable with do-it-yourself projects, you can buy guinea pig hutches at pet stores or online, pre-made or with easy to assemble parts, for between $100-$300. However, make sure the one you purchase meets the size requirements outlined earlier. Build the frame. Start by doing your measurements and cutting. Depending on how big you want the hutch, you will need to have three separate lengths for the wooden pieces: one for length, one for width, and one for height. Your dimensions, for example, might be something like 30” x 60” x 15”. You will need at least 4 pieces of each size, and more if you want to construct individual frames for each of the hutch's six sides and an opening door. Measure the wood and double-check your measurements before you cut. With the electric drill, drill the attachment holes with a slightly smaller bit than your screw size and then insert the screw with the drill. Assemble the pieces. Assembly and construction can be challenging on your own. If you don't have experience with tools and design, pre-made frames can be purchased at pet stores or online. Install the floor, walls, and roof. The hutch must have a solid floor and roof, made from either wood or plastic. While some people recommend using mesh for the floor, this can be dangerous for the animal and can easily lead to a broken leg, so it should be avoided at all costs. Instead, make the walls from wire mesh like chicken wire, cutting pieces to fit the frame and then affixing them with wood staples. Wooden floors unfortunately soak up urine. To prevent this, you can put something waterproof (like a tarp) underneath before a thick layer of bedding as long as the tarp doesn't stick out. Many guinea pigs will also gnaw at the floor or other exposed wood, so be prepared to do repairs. Sketch out blueprints. A guinea pig run is a more specialized structure for exercise, letting your animal roam about without the risk of it getting lost or escaping. It is basically a large mesh cage without a bottom, which you can place directly on the grass. Runs can be fairly large – 5 feet (1.5 m) on each side and one foot in height are fairly typical dimensions. You can build yours as a separate structure, but it is also possible to incorporate it into an existing hutch. In fact, the structure will be a lot like the hutch in its design. In its most basic form the run is a wooden frame with wire mesh sides. When making your run, make sure it has sturdy sides and a top! Guinea pigs playing unsupervised (even for just a couple minutes) can become easy prey for neighborhood cats or birds of prey. Gather your materials. As with the hutch, you will need wood, screws, wire mesh, wood staples, a drill, and a saw. However, runs are designed to be lightweight, at least those that are portable, so that the wood will ideally be lighter and rather less solid than that used in the hutch. Like hutches, guinea pig runs can be found online or at some pet stores for between $50 and $100. Instructions will walk you through the assembly process. Build the frame. As with the hutch, again, start by measuring and cutting the frame. The run is slightly more simple in that you really only need to construct a simple frame. There does not need to be a roof, floor, or even a door. Measure the wood per your blueprint specifications, double check the measurements, and make your cuts. Then, with the drill, drill your attachment holes and assemble the pieces. Install the wire mesh. Cut the wire mesh once you have finished the frame. The mesh will need to cover each side of the run frame, at the least, and be secured with wood staples. You can also put mesh over the top of the run, though this is not strictly necessary. Guinea pigs like to jump (called “popcorning”), but there should be little danger of them escaping if you have made the run at least one foot high. Get your materials. Cube and Coroplast cages are probably the most popular type of cages for indoor guinea pigs. They are also easy to construct. To make one you will need storage cube grids, corrugated plastic called coroplast, and a box-cutter. These materials can be easily found and purchased at big-box stores like Costco, Target, or Kmart. Coroplast can also be found at sign stores (it is the material used to make many lawn signs). C&C Cages can also be purchased online at guineapigcages.com. Connect the storage cube grids. Assemble the cube grids in a rectangle of the appropriate dimensions. Two guinea pigs should get a 2 x 4 grid space, 3 should get a 2 x 5 grid space, and 4 should get a 2 x 6 grid space. Take the plastic grid connectors (these are small plastic ties) and connect the grids so that they are tight. You can make the cage even more sturdy by using cable ties, which are available at most hardware stores. Measure the inside of the enclosure. You will need these dimensions in order to cut the coroplast, which will sit inside of the storage cube grids. You can measure with string if you'd like. Then, add 6 inches to the length and width to find your “cutting dimensions.” When you cut and insert the coroplast, these extra inches will give you a six-inch internal wall all the way around the cage. Measure, mark, and cut the coroplast to size. Use a tape measure and pen to measure and mark the coroplast. Then cut it with the box cutter. A pair of heavy duty or even regular scissors will work, as well. Remember, the piece of cut coroplast should be to the size of the enclosure plus 6 inches on all sides. Mark and score the coroplast. Now you can start to make your enclosure walls. Measure and mark 6 inches in on all sides to create the inner dimensions. Use a box cutter or razor blade to score the coroplast along the lines you made, but don't cut all the way through. You can practice on a scrap piece first. It is also much easier to score with the grain of the coroplast rather than against it. Make fitted corners. Cut in 6 inches each way at all four corners of the coroplast to create flaps. Doing so will allow you to snap up the edges and place the coroplast snugly inside of the enclosure. If you forget this step, it will not fit. Snap the edges away and tape the flaps. Snap the edges of the coroplast upward from where you scored your lines to create your cage box. Then, tape the edges to make them more sturdy and secure. Make sure that you tape the outside, using two or more large strips of tape for extra strength. Place the box inside the grid. You now have a basic C&C guinea pig cage. The next step is to find a suitable location for the cage and to finish the living space with bedding, a food bowl, and a water bottle. Choose a place where there is fairly high traffic. Guinea pigs are social animals and benefit from human contact. Find a place with natural light but one that is not in direct sunlight, and also avoid drafty areas.
Plan the layout. Collect your materials. Build the frame. Install the floor, walls, and roof. Sketch out blueprints. Gather your materials. Build the frame. Install the wire mesh. Get your materials. Connect the storage cube grids. Measure the inside of the enclosure. Measure, mark, and cut the coroplast to size. Mark and score the coroplast. Make fitted corners. Snap the edges away and tape the flaps. Place the box inside the grid.
https://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Youth-Group
How to Start a Youth Group
To start a youth group, decide what kind of group you want to create, such as a hiking group or church-focused group. Next, tell your friends about the group and make an announcement about it at school, church, or on social media to expand group membership. Then, decide on a group structure and hold your first group meeting. Finally, be sure to host regular events so that your group members can interact and have fun enjoying a shared interest!
Ask your friends what kind of group they would like to join. You could also run your own ideas by them to see if they would be interested in joining a group that you developed. Think about the kinds of activities you enjoy, and try to form a group from that. Some themes might be: Outdoor -- hiking, camping Sports Church Crafts Drama Movies Robotics Legos Decide if you want to be part of a larger organization. Do you want to start a scouting troop (either boys or girls)? Do you want to go to Lego competitions? If you are thinking about being part of a larger organization, or attending events put on by a larger organization, look for information from them about what you'll need to do to make your group eligible. Any large organization for kids is going to have a website like the ones cited below. Talk to an adult about advising you. For most groups, particularly those that are part of larger organizations, you need an adult to help. Some youth groups are primarily kid-run, while others have an adult in charge. Decide what kind of model you want for your group. Look for a location. Will your group be associated with your school, or is it neighborhood-based? Regardless of how you are going to get members, you need to find a place where your group can meet for free. Talk to someone at your school, library, or community center to see if there would be room for your group. Tell your friends about the club. Hopefully you will get your first members from the friends you ask. But some friends probably don't want to join. For those that don't, try not to take it personally. It's most likely that they just have different interests than you do. Most kids also have a lot of homework and extracurriculars, and it's often hard to add anything else. Advertise for more members. If you don't think your group has enough people in it already, make some posters. Explain what your group will be doing, when and where it will be meeting, and how to contact you for more information. Announce your club at school or church. If you're still needing members, ask if you can have a moment in class or in church to talk to people about your group. It's a great way to get to a lot of people at the same time, and then they can easily come up to you afterward and let you know they are interested. Decide upon a structure. Think about what you want and would be best for the group. If you are going to be working with people outside the group, make sure that you have reached out to them and they know what you are planning. You will need to know the answer to the following questions before you begin: Who will be in charge of what, and how will that be determined? Will your adult advisor be integral to the group, or just someone who is there sometimes to observe? Will the club be primarily social, or will there be a stronger activity or service component? Will the club fundraise or ask for dues for activities and events? Plan your first meeting. Write an agenda for the topics you will cover at the meeting. Bring snacks or drinks. Try to make it a fun, informal, and hopefully short meeting. Some of the things you could cover at the meeting include: The group's constitution -- bylaws, rules and regulations, etc. Election of officers Brainstorming fundraising ideas Planning the first activity or event Icebreaker games to get to know all of the members How often you will meet and if anyone will be bringing snacks Set up a way to get in touch with members. It could be a special Facebook page or an email or text list. Make it easy to add and delete members, and for members to communicate with each other. For your first communication, let them know the specifics of the first meeting. Run your first meeting. Stay on task, cover what you need to, and keep it fun and short. People are joining your club for the activities and the other members, not the meetings. Try some games to help people get to know each other at the first meeting. Some good ones can be found at the website below. Plan good events. People will keep coming if you have good events. Talk to your members about what kinds of activities they want to do, and plan for them. Vary your events -- some small and some big -- it's easy to get burned out when you're going from one big organizational challenge to the next. Make time for the group to get together and have some less-structured fun. Smaller events could be based more on bonding as a group rather than your larger mission, and could include: Making and eating a meal together A trip to the movies Rollerskating or ice skating A trip to the zoo Delegate. Even though you might be the one to have started the group and continue to lead it, you can't do it all. Know when you need help, and ask for it. Be comfortable telling members the kinds of help that the club needs to do a task and having them sign up to assist. And when it stops being fun for you, think about letting someone else be in charge. If you're not sure the best way to delegate, check the website below for tips. Keep it fun. Your group should be about the shared activities and events, not meetings and bureaucratic procedures. Make sure the group stays focused on the reasons they became a group and keep the organizational stuff to a minimum. Try to conduct as much of the bureaucratic necessities over email or Facebook beforehand, so the meetings can be reserved for discussions or activities.
Ask your friends what kind of group they would like to join. Decide if you want to be part of a larger organization. Talk to an adult about advising you. Look for a location. Tell your friends about the club. Advertise for more members. Announce your club at school or church. Decide upon a structure. Plan your first meeting. Set up a way to get in touch with members. Run your first meeting. Plan good events. Delegate. Keep it fun.
https://www.wikihow.com/Do-the-Charleston
How to Do the Charleston
To do the Charleston, start by taking a rock step back with your left foot, bending your knees a little bit. Then, step forward with your left foot, and rock step forward with your right foot. Finally, step back with your right foot, and repeat. As you're doing the steps, swing your arms so your right arm is forward when your left foot is back, and vice versa.
Take a rock step back with your left foot. Touching the front of your foot to the floor, but not bringing your heel down. Don't fully shift your weight to this foot. When doing the Charleston, lean forward slightly and bend your knees a little. Keep your weight on the balls of your feet. A rock step, also called a break step, refers to a rocking step in which one's weight is very briefly transferred to another foot before being returned to the first. The only time when you might begin with your right foot is if you are following a partner. When two people dance the Charleston together, the leader starts by stepping back on the left foot, while the follower starts by stepping back on the right, mirroring the leader. Step back forward with your left foot. It should now be a step ahead of your right foot. This time, shift your weight to your left foot. Take another rock step forward with your right foot. Put the heel of your foot on the ground without bringing your whole foot down. Your weight should end up on your left foot still. Step back with your right foot. It should now be a step behind your left foot. Shift your weight back onto your right foot. Swing your arms as you step. As you move, your arms should be swinging. This may happen automatically, especially if you've seen people do the Charleston before and know what it's supposed to look like. When your left foot is in front of you, your right arm should swing forward. When your right foot is in front of you, your left arm should swing forward. Repeat this movement. It probably won't look terribly impressive on its own, but the back, forward, forward, back motion is the building block for every variation on the Charleston. Practice until it feels natural. Then you'll be ready to start mixing things up. Get comfortable with the basic move. All the variations of the Charleston start with being able to do the basic step. Practice until it becomes second nature. Twist your feet in and out. Keep your weigh on the balls of your feet. On every step, the heel of the foot your have your weight on should twist out and then in again. Lift your elbows as you swing your arms. This is basically an exaggerated version of the arm swing. As always, your left arm should swing forward when your right foot is ahead of your body, and your right arm should swing forward when your left foot is in front of your body. Your arms should be bent at about a 90 degree angle. The elbow of the arm that is swinging back should come to shoulder height, and the forearm of the arm that is swinging forward should be parallel to the ground. Pivot your knees in and out. One common move used with the Charleston involves opening and closing your knees at the same time as crossing and uncrossing your arms. This may be the most well-known Charleston move. Begin with your knees bent and touching each other, with your arms crossed over them, so that your right hand is on your left knee, and your left hand is on your right now. Spread your knees apart while simultaneously uncrossing your arms, so that you end up with your left hand on your left knee, and your right hand on your right knee. #*Repeat this move a few times. Get comfortable with the basic move. All the variations of the Charleston start with being able to do the basic step. Practice until it becomes second nature. Replace a normal step with a kick step. This will add a little pep to the move. Instead of simply stepping forward, bring your knee up and kick your foot out. Your knee should come up first, propelling your foot forward a moment later. If you would not be transferring your weight to that foot anyway for this step, just swing it back again without letting it touch the ground. Otherwise, plant it back on the ground after the kick. Add a hitch as you move your leg back. Instead of simply stepping back after a kick, incorporate a hitch into the movement. Bring your knee back up, so that your upper leg is parallel to the ground, before kicking your foot back again. Touch the ground with your hand. This adds slightly more difficulty and flare. As your leg swings back and the ball of your foot touches the ground, lean forward and tap the ground with the tips of the fingers of your opposite hand.
Take a rock step back with your left foot. Step back forward with your left foot. Take another rock step forward with your right foot. Step back with your right foot. Swing your arms as you step. Repeat this movement. Get comfortable with the basic move. Twist your feet in and out. Lift your elbows as you swing your arms. Pivot your knees in and out. Get comfortable with the basic move. Replace a normal step with a kick step. Add a hitch as you move your leg back. Touch the ground with your hand.
https://www.wikihow.com/Straighten-Out-a-Dollar-Bill
How to Straighten Out a Dollar Bill
To straighten out a dollar bill, try using an iron. First, place the bill on an ironing board and spray it lightly with water. Adjust the iron to the lowest heat to avoid damaging the bill. Slowly iron the dollar bill from one side to the other 2 to 3 times, until it can't flatten any further. Once you've straightened out the bill, store it flat to prevent more wrinkles. You can also try pressing the dollar bill to straighten it. First, use a spray bottle to moisten the bill with water. Place the bill between 2 flat, heavy objects such as phone directories, so that it dries flat. Leave the bill between the objects until it's dry, which may take a few days.
Place your dollar on a flat surface. The ironing board is the most logical place to iron your bill. If you don't have an ironing board, you can use a nearby table, but make sure to place a shirt or other linen on the ironing area so that you don't burn the table. Moisten the bill with water. Spray a little water onto the dollar bill. You can do this with the spray function featured on the iron itself. Moisture helps remove those particularly pesky wrinkles during ironing. If you don't have an iron with a spray function, use a spray bottle or run the bill under a sink that is set to low pressure. Turn your iron down to the lowest heat. The goal is to dry the moisture out of the bill with the lowest heat necessary. Higher heat settings run the risk of damaging the dollar bill. Iron the dollar slowly. Use straight movements from one direction to the other. Repeat this a few times until the bill no longer appears to further flatten. Take care to avoid ironing folds into the bill. If you are having trouble getting the bill to lay flat, place it flat inside of a shirt. This will keep the bill weighed down flat while still allowing you to iron the bill. Start ironing the bill as your iron is still heating up. This is particularly helpful if your iron's lowest setting is still particularly hot. Let the bill cool for 60 seconds. The bill will be very hot to the touch immediately after ironing, so be careful! After the bill has cooled, you may flip the bill and repeat the ironing process on the new side of the bill. You may reapply some moisture to the other side of the bill if it still has a large amount of folds or wrinkles. Store flat for safe keeping. Once you are satisfied that the bill cannot get any flatter, you are finished. Pick up your newly flattened bill and place alongside the others in your wallet. Hold the crumpled bill at each end. You want to hold the bill as straight as possible between both of your fingers. Hold it taut, but take care not to accidentally pull the bill apart in your hands. Run the dollar bill against a cornered surface. Make sure the entire surface of the bill is firmly dragged across the edge of where two planes meet. The goal is to force the wrinkles and folds out of the bill. The corner of a vending machine is a convenient place to try this method, given that the vending machine likely wouldn't accept your bill in the first place. However, any edged surface will do, including wall, desk or table corners. If the corner you are using doesn't seem to be straightening out the bill, try using a corner with a more inclined or sharper edge. Flip the dollar in your hands and corner the other side. If you only run one side of the bill against a corner, you run the risk of creating new folds or bends in the direction you were applying force to the bill. Flip the bill and run the opposite face across the corner same as you did to the first in order to create as much parity as possible. Check the corners of your dollar bill. It's difficult to straighten the corners of the bill out using the edge of a wall. When you are done straightening the body of the bill, check the corners for “dog ears,” or small bends at the corners of the bill. If a dog ear is present, fold and crease the ear in the opposite direction to try to level out the bend (similar to removing creases from rugs or cloth). Repeat until flattened. Repeat the whole process until the darned vending machine takes your dollar bill. If the machine continues to reject the bill, you might have to use another bill. Moisten the dollar bill. Spray the dollar bill with water. Use a water bottle to mist evenly. Unlike when ironing a dollar bill, you want the bill to be noticeably moist or humid. However, it is not advised to completely soak the bill in water through submersion. Press the bill between two heavy, flat objects. Ideal objects to use for pressing include heavy books such as dictionaries or phone directories. These objects press the bill flat and hold it in place while it dries. Place an absorbent material between the heavy object and the bill to prevent water damage to the pressing object and to facilitate drying. Try cheesecloth, hemp or other common absorbent fabrics to help absorb moisture from the bill. If you don't particularly care about the book in question, the bill along with the absorbent material can be placed within the book itself. Lay the book flat to ensure the bill dries without bends or folds. The dollar bill can also be “framed” between two panes of glass as it dries. Framing the bill will help ensure a tight, flat seal and can take less space than stacking a few books. Check in on the dollar bill as it dries. Allow to dry overnight, checking in occasionally to gauge dryness. Change the absorbent material as necessary to keep the drying process moving at a steady pace. The bill shouldn't take longer than a few days to dry. If it takes longer than a few days, change the absorbent material more frequently. You may have also moistened the bill more than necessary. Store the press in an area that is not also dark or damp to avoid encouraging the growth of mold. Repeat the process if needed. Once the bill is dry, it should lay flat without folds or creases. However, if the bill still curls, you may repeat the process, provided the bill is not too flimsy or weak to withstand another treatment. Place the dollar bill into a water basin that is full of water. It doesn't have to be super full, but must be able to fully coat the entire bill from one end to the other. The basin though, has to have a flat bottom for this fix to hold. It doesn't matter what side the bill is placed in the basin with, for the side facing you, however, for simplicity, start with the front side facing you first. Be careful of the temperature of the water. Although the water should be warm, it should never be scalding hot, as this could cause the bill to loose color. Dribble a little bit of kitchen soap into the area where the bill is in the basin. About a teaspoon or two might be enough. Two teaspoons will make it stiffer yet, but even closer to brand new than just the one teaspoon. Use a bristle brush to gently rub the bill with the soapy water. Rub the bill from one end to the other. Don't apply too much pressure that the bill's ink begins to come off, otherwise it will have no legal tender on it. Apply enough pressure, like you were brushing your hair- steady pressure running up and down the bill. Rub the bill in circles with the bristle brush. Never rub straight across otherwise the bill's ink will smear and that's not good! Turn the bill over when you have rubbed the bill's front side with the brush, and lay the back side of the bill face down in the same basin. Repeat the process with the bristles to the back side of the bill. Remove the bill when both sides have been "cleaned". The soap helps restore the crispness that the bill once had when it came from the factory. Iron the bill out with an iron and ironing board. Listen for the little "ticks"; these ticking sounds are the water droplets evaporating from the newly washed bill. Again, the side you begin with really doesn't matter. Don't ever spray any of the water from the iron onto the bill, unless the iron is sticking to the bill for some reason. Iron the opposite side of the bill out. Finish up. The bill should now look closer to new than it once was.
Place your dollar on a flat surface. Moisten the bill with water. Turn your iron down to the lowest heat. Iron the dollar slowly. Let the bill cool for 60 seconds. Store flat for safe keeping. Hold the crumpled bill at each end. Run the dollar bill against a cornered surface. Flip the dollar in your hands and corner the other side. Check the corners of your dollar bill. Repeat until flattened. Moisten the dollar bill. Press the bill between two heavy, flat objects. Check in on the dollar bill as it dries. Repeat the process if needed. Place the dollar bill into a water basin that is full of water. Dribble a little bit of kitchen soap into the area where the bill is in the basin. Use a bristle brush to gently rub the bill with the soapy water. Turn the bill over when you have rubbed the bill's front side with the brush, and lay the back side of the bill face down in the same basin. Remove the bill when both sides have been "cleaned". Iron the bill out with an iron and ironing board. Iron the opposite side of the bill out. Finish up.
https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Song-with-Guitar-Chords
How to Write a Song with Guitar Chords
If you want to write your own song using guitar chords, choose a key for your song, such as A, C, D, or G, then choose the harmonized chords within that key that you want to use. Songs with 3 or 4 chords are the most common in popular music, but you can write a song with 1 or 2 chords if you want. Play various melodies within each chord, and if you have already written your lyrics, sing them to yourself as you play through your chord progression until you find the right tune.
Choose a story to tell. Imagine settings and characters. Although the subject matter can be just about anything, songs are widely used to convey very personal stories, so focus on characters especially: their motivations, what actions they might take, and the consequences of those actions. Of course, no rule says that you must start with lyrics before composing the music. So if you wake in the night with a snatch of melody in your head, feel free to skip ahead to Part 2 and start from there. But having a firm grasp on the story you want to tell can make critical choices easier when composing music. Even if you only aim to create an instrumental piece, consider keeping a story in mind to guide you. Classical composers would often do this for inspiration. For instance, Dvorak scored the second and third movements of his ninth symphony, “From the New World,” to a poem by Henry Wordsworth Longfellow. Flesh your story out in verse. Songs are typically structured into verses and choruses. A traditional verse is composed of four lines, with the second and fourth line forming a rhyme. Build your characters here and develop your story. For example, Bruce Springsteen's “Brilliant Disguise” depicts the mounting mistrust between a husband and his wife. Each verse depicts their relationship by listing the husband's growing suspicions. Encapsulate your theme in the chorus. While verses develop a story, the chorus sums up the situation. Use the chorus to hammer home the point you're trying to make. It can be expressed in a single line that's only sung once, a single line that's repeated for emphasis, a rhyming couplet, or four lines, just like a traditional verse. In “Brilliant Disguise,” Springsteen follows the four-line format for his chorus. In a few words, he sums up the overall theme of mistrust with: “So tell me what I see/When I look in your eyes/Is that you, baby/Or just a brilliant disguise?” Consider including a middle-eight. A middle-eight (also known as a bridge) is a unique piece of music within a song. Usually it comes before the last verse and chorus, offering the audience a fresh change in sound. Lyrically, they serve as a means to express a significant change in the story, whether it's a change in perspective for the characters or a new turn in the narrative. However, middle-eights are not necessary, so don't feel obligated to write one. In the last verse before the middle-eight in “Brilliant Disguise,” the narrator begins to switch focus from his wife to himself as he wonders why she's with him at all. Springsteen employs the middle-eight to expand this shifted focus. Here, the narrator examines his own actions and state of mind, revealing a new dimension to his mistrust with the conclusion: “I wanna know if it's you I don't trust/'Cause I damn sure don't trust myself” Write multiple drafts. In your first draft, concentrate on the story itself and flesh it out in full. With each subsequent draft, make edits that will strengthen your lyrics when sung. Count the number of syllables in each line to make sure no one line has too many for you to sing. If you're using a rhyming scheme, identify cliched rhymes, like “forever” and “together." See if you can express the same idea in other words that will stand out as an original statement instead of a borrowed phrase. Don't worry about perfecting a final draft just yet. Most likely you will have to make additional edits once you've composed the music. Choose a key to play in. C, D, E, G, and A lend themselves well to the guitar. Certain keys tend to elicit specific emotions from the audience. Choose one that complements the tone of your story. Use major keys to elicit happier responses from audiences, and minor keys to evoke sadness. To hear the difference between major and minor, listen to John Williams' original “Imperial March” from the Star Wars movies. In the movies, it's played in G minor and sounds exactly like the terrifying war march that it's supposed to be. However, you can find other recordings online where it's played in G major instead, which makes it sound more like a pleasant little parade march for a sunny afternoon. Listen to the following songs, which have been grouped by keys. Gauge your own reactions to them, and decide which ones you wish to replicate: A : “Out on the Weekend,” by Neil Young; “Wild Thing” by Chip Taylor C : “Imagine,” by John Lennon; “Don't Look Back in Anger,” by Oasis D : “Free Fallin'” by Tom Petty; “Should I Stay or Should I Go,” by the Clash E : “Mrs. Robinson,” by Simon & Garfunkel; “Take a Message to Mary,” by the Everly Brothers G : “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay,” by Otis Redding; “Eternal Flame,” by the Bangles Determine the harmonized chords for your key. Chord progressions are expressed numerically (for example: I-IV-V) with each chord being a degree in your key scale. The “one” or tonic chord is always the key you've chosen to play in. Roman numerals map out the other chords in that scale: uppercase numerals denote major chords; lowercase numerals, minor chords. A numeral followed by “dim” indicates a diminished chord. A I-IV-V chord progression played in the key of D, for instance, would run D-G-A. Choose how many chords to play in your progression. Two-chord progressions may sound simple, but they are limited, which means you may have to employ some extra tricks and nuanced playing to make your song stand out. Three- and four-chord progressions are perhaps the most common in popular music. *For reference, listen to the following songs, which have been grouped by the number of chords in their progressions: One chord: “Get Up, Stand Up,” by Bob Marley; “Coconut,” by Harry Nilsson Two chords: “My Generation,” by the Who; “Wrong Way,” by Sublime Three chords: “Twist and Shout,” by the Beatles; “Let My Love Open the Door,” by Pete Townshend Four chords: “With or Without You,” by U2; “Peace of Mind,” by Boston Start with a basic three-chord progression, such as I-V-IV or I-IV-V. This is a pretty popular chord progression in pop music and perfect for beginners. Let's say you've selected the I-V-IV for your intro and verses; for the chorus, try switching to the V-IV-I progression. Tinker with various chords and progressions until you find a combination that matches the mood of your lyrics. Listen to the following songs, which have been grouped by their respective chord progressions: I-IV-V: “Knockin' on Heaven's Door,” by Bob Dylan; “Sweet Home Alabama,” by Lynyrd Skynyrd I-V-IV: “Rock around the Clock,” by Bill Haley & His Comets; “Margaritaville,” by Jimmy Buffet Explore melodies. Countless melodies can be played over a single chord progression. Sing or hum your lyrics as you play until you find a melody that complements your story. If you're stuck, forget the song you're working on and jam away without worrying about finding the “right” tune. Play stream-of-conscious-style for the sheer pleasure of it. You may just discover the right tune by accident. If you're still stuck, play one or more songs by other artists who inspire you. Once you've mastered their melodies, experiment with changing them bit by bit, studying the effects that each change makes, until you've come up with a melody that's similar yet distinct from the original. Remember: there is a thin line between imitation and plagiarism. When using other people's works as inspiration, honesty is the best policy; Kurt Cobain admitted that Nirvana's “Smells like Teen Spirit” was a rip-off of the Pixies. The music to the Smiths' “Rusholme Ruffians,” meanwhile, was so directly influenced by Elvis Presley's “Marie's the Name (of His Latest Flame), the band would open their own song in concert by playing the first couple of verses of Elvis's; you can hear both the similarity and the subtle differences between the two on their live album, “Rank.” Reedit your lyrics if needed. Now that you have your music, revise your lyrics if any one word or phrase trips you up while singing them out loud. For instance, say that you use the word “particular” in one line, which you now find to be one syllable too many to enunciate clearly; try replacing it with a shorter synonym, like “certain” or “single.” Add a hook. Spice your chorus up with an extra musical or lyrical phrase to make it more catchy. Lyrically, this could be the “Yeah, yeah, yeah” in the chorus to the Beatles' “She Loves You.” Musically, it could be the Edge's guitar lick in U2's “With or Without You.” Either way, it's an extra flourish to the chorus that creates an expectation for repetition in the next chorus; by fulfilling that expectation, the hook creates satisfaction in the listener. As with writing lyrics and melodies, embrace the trial-and-error process. The right hook might come to you immediately, or you may have to work your way through several before finding the right one. Reevaluate the structure. Be sure that it supports the emotional payoff that you want your song to deliver. If your story requires numerous verses to build your characters effectively, consider having two verses before each chorus instead of one, so that the chorus's effect on the audience doesn't wear off due to excessive repetition. If your characters have changed significantly by the end of your story, consider adding a twist to the last chorus to signify this change. Going back to the last chorus of “Brilliant Disguise” as an example, the narrator now dares his wife: “Tell me what you see/When you look in my eyes/Is that me, baby/Or just a brilliant disguise?” If your story ends on a note of ambiguity, as “Brilliant Disguise" does, consider ending with a verse as opposed to a chorus. Since most popular songs end with one or more choruses, play with your audience's expectations by denying them the neat little ending that they're anticipating. Workshop your song with others. Test your material by playing an open-mic night or for one or more friends and then ask for honest feedback. If playing for friends, be sure to stress the “honest” in “honest feedback.” Seek out songwriters whom you know and respect for tips and techniques.
Choose a story to tell. Flesh your story out in verse. Encapsulate your theme in the chorus. Consider including a middle-eight. Write multiple drafts. Choose a key to play in. Determine the harmonized chords for your key. Choose how many chords to play in your progression. Start with a basic three-chord progression, such as I-V-IV or I-IV-V. Explore melodies. Reedit your lyrics if needed. Add a hook. Reevaluate the structure. Workshop your song with others.
https://www.wikihow.com/Overcome-Trust-Issues-in-a-Relationship
How to Overcome Trust Issues in a Relationship
To overcome trust issues in your relationship, start by improving your communication with your partner. Whenever something is bothering you, bring it up to them calmly so you can openly discuss your concerns instead of just staying worried or starting a fight. You may even want to take some deep breaths to cool yourself down if you feel like accusing them of something. It can be hard to give your partner space when you have trust issues, but try to avoid monitoring their activities, like where they're going and who they're texting. If you need more support overcoming trust issues, consider talking to a therapist alone or with your partner.
Back away from monitoring their activities. It might be difficult to create space for your partner. If you're used to going through your partner's things or asking loads of questions when they go out, learn to cut back on these practices. While it can be scary, it shows that you're willing to trust your partner and not over-involve yourself in their life. Practice giving trust before suspicion. Give your partner trust first and see how it feels. Let your partner know you are choosing to trust them instead of being suspicious. Remember that if you're monitoring your partner, it means that you're already suspicious of them. You might misinterpret anything that you find. Talk openly with your partner. Clearly talking things over with your partner can help you overcome trust issues. Being able to clearly communicate without feeling like either of you are hiding something can increase communication and build trust. If there are situations that worry you, state your concerns and why they bother you. Let your partner respond and hear them out. For example, instead of worrying what your partner is doing when they go out, have a talk before they leave and get an idea for where they are going and what they are doing. Get in the habit of having these talks without pressing them for information. When talking to your partner, be calm and friendly. If you accuse or blame them of things, they may become defensive. If you appear mad or upset, they may not want to talk. Keep from blaming each other. Blame only makes things worse when trust is shaky. If your partner feels mistrust in you or you trust your partner less, be cautious to not blame them. Instead, be receptive to what they say and hear them out. Ask questions instead of making accusations. There will be times when you think something is fishy. On such occasions, it's worth changing your approach and finding out more details. For example, if worried about your partner's secretive texting, say, “I find it odd that you're so secretive when you text. Can you tell me what's up?” This works better than, “I don't trust you and think you're hiding something from me.” See a couples’ counselor. Trust issues can ruin a relationship quickly. If you and your partner are committed to the relationship and want help navigating your trust issues, a couples' counselor can help. The person can help you and your partner talk through your difficulties and find new ways to relate to one another. Your counselor will support you to make changes to the way you interact together and begin to rebuild your trust. Look for a counselor who works with couples specifically and who will see you and your partner together. You can find a couples' therapist by calling your insurance provider or local mental health clinic. Build your self-esteem. If you feel insecure in yourself, you may feel unworthy of your partner or scared they will find someone better than you. Recognize that these are your own insecurities and may have nothing to do with your partner. Raise your self-esteem by acknowledging your strengths, doing things that make you feel good about yourself, and replacing negative self-talk with positive self-talk. For example, if your inner dialog tends to tell you how awkward you are or how embarrassed you should be, replace it with things that make you feel good about yourself, such as, “Even if I didn't explain myself well, I still tried and did a better job communicating.” If your self-esteem issues are interfering with your relationship, you may want to seek help from a licensed therapist on your own. They can help build your self-esteem, which may strengthen your relationship. Explore your interests and hobbies. Develop yourself as an individual, not just as a partner in a relationship. Having interests and hobbies can also provide an outlet for stress. Find an activity that makes you feel good that you enjoy. Try to engage in your hobby at least once a week. If you don't know where to start, try volunteering. You can meet new people and know you're making a difference in your community. You can try and pick up a new sport, do yoga, paint, dance, hike, or create music. Find support with friends and family. Talk about the jealousy or trust problems you experience and gain some perspective with a trusted friend or family member. If you need some help or advice, go to someone you trust to talk it out. Even if they cannot help you, they can still listen. Spend time with your friends and family outside of your relationship. Make time for meals, nights out, and activities with people you care about. Manage your emotions in a healthy way. If you struggle to manage anxiety or jealousy in your relationship, learn to cope with these emotions without lashing out or hurting your partner. If you feel stressed, try taking some deep breaths before accusing your partner or feeling distrustful in them. This can help calm your body and your mind. If you struggle to process your emotions, try journaling, listening to music, or taking a walk. Recognize your past hurt. Perhaps you were hurt in a past relationship or in your family, which now affects your ability to trust your current partner. While your experiences are valid, recognize that your partner is not the person who hurt you. If you struggle to trust due to past relationships, it's worth acknowledging your experience and examining how it affects your current relationship. Your partner may even have hurt you or betrayed your trust in the past. If trust was broken in the past, forgive it and move on if you wish to continue the relationship. For example, if your last partner cheated on you , it makes sense that you would be extra careful this time around. Remember, however, that your current partner has not cheated on you. Identity the current problems around trust. Take a moment and think about the specific problems you experience with trust. Pinpoint the behaviors or situations that make you feel uncomfortable. Ask yourself if your partner acts suspicious, has lied to you in the past, or has been unfaithful in any way. If your partner hasn't been suspicious or unfaithful yet you still worry, recognize that your insecurity is what likely drives the distrust. If your partner has been unfaithful (or you've been unfaithful), ask yourself if you can let go and move on with the relationship. Trust yourself. You might struggle to trust yourself if you've made bad decisions in the past with your relationships. Be willing to tolerate intense emotions and not do something reckless (like cheat) or take it out on your partner. Forgive yourself for your past mistakes and allow yourself to move on. Recognize that you've made mistakes or have been hurt in the past, yet you were able to learn from those experiences. Accept the lessons and move past the hurt by forgiving yourself. Talk to a therapist on your own. Perhaps you were abused as a child or deeply hurt in a past relationship. If you're struggling to work past previous issues that contribute to your ability to trust, consider seeing a therapist to help you. A therapist can help you work through your feelings and heal from your pain. You don't have to do everything on your own. Find a therapist by calling your insurance provider or local mental health clinic. You can also get a recommendation from a physician or friend.
Back away from monitoring their activities. Talk openly with your partner. Keep from blaming each other. See a couples’ counselor. Build your self-esteem. Explore your interests and hobbies. Find support with friends and family. Manage your emotions in a healthy way. Recognize your past hurt. Identity the current problems around trust. Trust yourself. Talk to a therapist on your own.
https://www.wikihow.com/Become-Class-President
How to Become Class President
To become class president, make friends with a lot of your fellow students by joining clubs and being friendly and outgoing. As you're getting to know people, try to find out what school issues they care about the most so you can address them in your campaign. Then, come up with solutions to solve those issues and campaign on them. Also, make some campaign gear, like t-shirts, buttons, and signs, to help get your name out there. Finally, remind everyone you see to vote on election day.
Develop relationships early by being kind to everyone. Class presidents are usually popular, well-liked, and trustworthy people. Start developing these traits by being friendly towards other students, teachers, and school staff. Do this all the time, and you will be well liked among your network. This will help you gain popularity before you run for president. Run for student council early into your school career. Try for offices like secretary or treasurer. You likely won't get elected president your freshman year, but run for other offices to get your foot in the door. These positions usually have less competition, and you can start to learn what it's like to have be in the council. For example, you can get elected as Treasurer during your freshmen year, then Secretary your sophomore year, then Vice President your junior year. Join clubs to meet other students, like band, soccer, or debate. Pick clubs that you are genuinely interested in or passionate about. Join a few different clubs to meet many new and diverse people. Get good grades and be a leader whenever you can. Students elect a class president who is responsible, smart, and capable. Start working on these traits early by getting good grades and showing initiative. Participate in class discussions, and don't fall asleep in class. Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses. Think about what makes you unique and what you are good at. Also consider what you could improve upon. Examining both your strengths and weaknesses helps you focus on what you can offer your peers. Are you a really great leader? Are you great with problem solving? Think about why you are the best candidate! Do you have a hard time focusing? Could you spend more time studying? Think about small personal changes you can make in order to be the best class president, like time management, stress reduction, and attention to detail. Identify key issues to address in your campaign. Ask yourself what is working and what isn't the best around your school. Get to the core of the issue. Base your campaign around the issues that register most with you. For example, perhaps students are really upset about the new dress code policy. Maybe students would like more diverse lunch options. Is this a result of student lunch costs? Or faculty decisions? Who would you help by working on this issue? Brainstorm solutions to important issues and offer realistic initiatives. Think about the cause of the issues and what you can do about it, practically. Some things may be out of control, while you may be just the person to make it better. Brainstorm solutions to revisit when you are pitching your campaign. Make a list of things you can do, like speaking up for students who are bullied or talking to the principal on behalf of a nervous freshman. Write a recognizable and unique slogan. Your slogan can be short and simple, like “Trevor for President.” You can get creative and say something like, “Holly will help you!” You can use your slogan to market yourself, so create a slogan that people will remember you by. Create campaign gear, like buttons, signs, and t-shirts to advertise. You can make your gear at home, or you can get them printed online or at a print shop. List details like your slogan and name, and remember to mention “for class president.” The number you make depends on your budget, though make a bunch to give out to everyone! Make your gear at home by printing out labels and using the labels as your “stickers.” Stick your labels on buttons or pencils and distribute them. If you can afford it, make one sticker or handout per student in your class. If your class size is 300, make 300 stickers. Find a sponsor to cover costs, if you are able to. Creating your campaign can get expensive quick, between printing shirts and hanging posters. Ask around local businesses to sponsor your campaign. Step out of your comfort zone to connect with new people. Building relationships is important to win votes, so connect with people you don't know well yet. You can connect with groups and individuals. Try joining new clubs or after school activities. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people too! Maybe you have played the trumpet for 3 years and already have the band kids' votes. Try the orchestra or choir instead! Maybe you play softball and know the team will vote for you. What about the guys football team? Talk to your classmates about important issues. Whether you are in the lunch line or waiting for the bus, any opportunity is a good one to make a connection with a potential voter. Talk to students you haven't met yet. Ask them what they care about around the school, and offer your solutions to the problems they find. This will make a genuine connection. What are your peers really upset about? What do they think can be improved upon? Getting feedback from others to fully understand the issue and solve it as best as you can. Communicate with your teachers and administrators about key issues. You can also talk to your school's staff about ways you can help. Your teachers and administrators can offer ideas and suggestions to put your ideas in motion. Talk to teachers from different grade levels, speak to the school counselor, and consider trying to meet with the principal. Hang up posters around your school to promote your campaign. You can write out your slogan and a few campaign points. Print out a bunch of posters and hang them around your school. You can also hand them out during lunch or before or after class. Start with around 50 posters and plan on making extras as needed. You can print your posters with a computer and home printer or get them professionally printed at a print shop. Ask your network to spread the word. Talk to your friends, teachers, and administration. The more people who you connect with, the better. When it comes to campaign time, you want as many people as possible to remember your name. Prepare an awesome speech. If your school allows class president speeches, prepare one to wow your listeners. Introduce yourself, mention why you want to president, and mention how you want to solve some key issues. End your speech with your campaign slogan. Keep your speech about 2-3 minutes long. Give different versions of your speech for different conversations. For example, when you meet someone new on the bus, you can introduce yourself and mention what you would do if you are elected president. Make one final campaign push before the election. Print out more posters, hand out more T-shirts, and post on social media the days before the election. You want to rake in as many last minute votes as you can. Who else can you convince before election day? Act and talk confidently and keep your cool, no matter the results. On the day of the election, dress in something that makes you feel confident, yet professional. Assure yourself that you have tried your best and prepared thoroughly. Your hard work all comes down to this, so be confident that you are the best choice for class president!
Develop relationships early by being kind to everyone. Run for student council early into your school career. Join clubs to meet other students, like band, soccer, or debate. Get good grades and be a leader whenever you can. Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses. Identify key issues to address in your campaign. Brainstorm solutions to important issues and offer realistic initiatives. Write a recognizable and unique slogan. Create campaign gear, like buttons, signs, and t-shirts to advertise. Find a sponsor to cover costs, if you are able to. Step out of your comfort zone to connect with new people. Talk to your classmates about important issues. Communicate with your teachers and administrators about key issues. Hang up posters around your school to promote your campaign. Ask your network to spread the word. Prepare an awesome speech. Make one final campaign push before the election. Act and talk confidently and keep your cool, no matter the results.
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Strawberry-Wine
How to Make Strawberry Wine
To make strawberry wine, start by mashing 4 to 5 pounds of fresh strawberries in a large, food-grade bucket. Next, add enough water to cover the strawberries, plus half as much sugar as the amount of strawberries you're using. Then, let the mixture sit with a towel over the top of the bucket. After 2 days, add 1 packet of wine yeast and 1 packet of yeast nutrient, and let the mash sit for 1 week. Finally, siphon the liquid into a glass carboy and let the wine ferment in a dark, room-temperature location for 1 to 2 weeks.
Make sure you have a clean set of wine-making supplies. Making wine is the process of fermenting fruit, which is when you use the controlled use of yeast to create alcohol. Doing so, however, requires specialized fermentation equipment. Luckily, most of it is inexpensive and easy to procure at your local kitchen supply store: 2 gallon (7.6 L) crock or glass jar, sealable 1 gallon (3.8 L) carboy 1 airlock top 1 thin tube for siphoning Clean wine bottles with corks or screw caps for storage of final product Campden tablets. Wash and remove the stems from the 4-5 pounds of fresh strawberries. The fresher your strawberries and the stronger the taste, the more you can use. While this article will touch on ways to modify, adjust, and personalize your wine recipe later, first-time winemakers should focus on this easy 1-gallon recipe first. Rinse the berries in cool water and then cut away all the greenery to prep the fruit. If the strawberries were frozen, completely thaw them before proceeding. Coarsely chop the strawberries with a knife. You don't want to crush them or get them too small just yet, even cutting into halves or quarters will make your life easier later. Try not to push or smash the berries as you cut -- you want as much of the juice as possible, and you'll be crushing the berries later to extract the juices. This step is not explicitly necessary. However, as you make bigger batches with 15-20 pounds of berries you'll realize that they are much, much easier to crush into a pulp later on when they're cut beforehand. Mash the berries to a pulp in a large, food-grade bucket. If you're only making a gallon, a large sauce-pot will do. However, remember that you're eventually adding another two pounds of sugar and a gallon of water -- so you'll need plenty of room at the top. Use a potato masher, or even well-cleaned hands, to gently crush the strawberries into a mash. They don't need to be pulverized, just mashed enough to release the juices inside. If you're looking to work professionally, you should invest in a "primary fermenter," a specialty bucket used to prep your fruit for winemaking. Add enough water to cover the strawberries, plus two pounds of sugar, then stir. The sugar is food for the yeast -- which turns it into alcohol -- so don't worry about the final drink tasting like a sugar cube. Cover the strawberries with water, then add roughly half the amount of sugar as you added berries -- if you used 8lbs of strawberries, you want roughly 4lbs of sugar. In general, you can sweeten the wine to taste later on in the process. For now, just add the sugar to help your alcohol ferment. If you have a wine-making hydrometer, you can check the Specific Gravity (S.G.) to get the perfect sugar amount for your desired alcohol content. A good SG to aim for is 1.086. Add a sterilizing tablet, pectin enzyme, tannins, and an acid blend if making professional-style strawberry wine. The ingredients above, with the potential exception of the sterilizing tablet, are all optional ingredients used by professionals to make high-quality, easily standardized wines. Use the following amounts for your 1 gallon of wine, adjusting for larger quantities as necessary: Sterilizing Agents: You can use one Campden Tablet or 1/4 teaspoon metabisulfite or sodium bisulfate. Unless you are making wild-yeast wine, you must sterilize the fruit mash. Pectin Enzyme: Helps extract juices and flavor, and prevent a milky or cloudy final color. Use 1/4-1/2 tsp per final planned gallon of wine, whatever your enzyme bottle calls for. Wine Tannins: Tannins give a wine that slight pucker, or dryness. Add 1/8-1/4 tsp or so per gallon, depending on taste. Acid Blend: Used to balance the pH of the wine for better fermentation and flavor. Mostly for serious winemakers, Use a wine-specific titration kit to get your acid level to.60% tartaric. Cover the top of the bucket with a clean towel and let it sit for 1-2 days. You need air to be able to pass through, but not bugs or dust. A cheesecloth or towel rubber-banded to the top of the bucket will suffice. Check it each day -- you should see bubbles forming regularly. As they die down and form less often, usually around the end of day two, you're ready to move on. This mixture is called a "must." Many people like to stir this mixture gently once when checking it each day. After two days sitting, add a packet of wine yeast and 1 tsp of yeast nutrient. Both of these can be found online or in many specialty stores/supermarkets. You can experiment with different types of wine yeast to find the flavor you love -- many wine-makers use Champagne yeast, others use specific wine yeasts like Côte de Blanc. Stir everything in well. Be sure to follow the instructions on the back of the specific yeast for activation. Some yeasts may need to be mixed with warm water before they can be added. Re-cover the mash with a towel and let the yeasted mixture sit for a week, stirring 3-4 times a day. Stirring keeps the yeast moving, accessing other sugars and promoting airflow. Each day you should notice bubbles and a yeasty, alcoholic smell growing as the days go by. By the seventh day, this activity will likely slow down, meaning you're ready to move on to the next step. Siphon the liquid into your carboy, removing as much sediment and pulp as possible. Transfer the mixture to your glass carboys for storage. If you don't have a siphon, you can pour your mixture over a new, clean cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer. If you do use a cloth, keep the pulp in the towel, then run 1/2 a gallon of water through the pulp to get the last bits of juice, sugar, and yeast. Siphoning off the liquid, removing sediment and pulp, is known in wine-making as "racking." Cap the carboy with an airlock and wait until fermentation is complete. Close off the carboy and set the bottle aside in a dark, room-temperature place. Check every single day -- fermentation is complete when there are no more small bubbles rising their way to the surface. Note that fermentation can cause the liquid level to rise, causing an overflow. Place a towel or bucket under your bottles to prevent a mess. Rack the wine one more time, moving to a clean carboy and sealing with an airlock. This last stage usually takes only 1-2 weeks and is over when the wine clears up in color and flavor. When siphoning, take care not to get any of the sediment (small, natural particles in the wine) from the bottom, keeping the hose an inch or so above the bottom to avoid sucking it up. It is okay to waste a little wine at the bottom to avoid adding sediments, though it is impossible to miss them all. Taste the wine, adding a bit of honey to sweeten it if need be. Once your wine has cleared in its second carboy, you're ready to start drinking! If this is your first bottle, or you simply want to adjust the flavor, you can add some sweeteners now, usually honey. Note, however, that adding sweeteners may change the appearance of the wine unless a stabilizer, like Potassium Sorbate or a filtration system, is used as well. It is not a big deal, but worth noting for burgeoning professionals. Use a ratio of 2:1 when planning the weight of fruit and sugars. This is the first ratio to remember -- you always want roughly half the amount of sugar as strawberries. So, if you have 20lbs of berries, you want roughly 10lbs of sugar. While you might use 9lbs for sweeter strawberries, or 11lbs for tougher ones, you want to hew close to this 2:1 ratio. Always measure in weight, not cups or liters -- sugar packs tightly without air holes in a measurement cup, strawberries don't. Purchase a wine-making hydrometer to ensure the correct sugar levels -- anything from an S.G. of 1.06 - 1.09 is generally acceptable. More sugar means more alcohol later. Keeping the total level below 1 teaspoon per 20lbs of berries, use more wine tannin with fewer strawberries for a drier taste. Fruit naturally contains tannins, so less is more when using lots of berries. The exact level is not crucial, however, and mostly comes down to taste. As long as you use less than a teaspoon total your wine will be fine. Use 1/16lb of Sodium Bisulfate for each 8lbs of strawberries. For large batches, dispense with the Campden tablets and use Sodium Bisulfate instead. This sterilizes the wine as you make it, eliminating competing yeasts and bacteria from your mix so the wine yeast can do its job. Add an extra teaspoon of yeast nutrient for each 4lbs of berries, up to 5 teaspoons total. If you're making over 25lbs of wine, you'll need to adapt this entire recipe for mass production. Anything less than that should be fine with 1 teaspoon per 4lbs or so, sticking to one full packet of wine yeast the entire time. Consider trying out a "wild yeast" version by ignoring all sterilizers entirely. This uses naturally occurring yeasts in the air and fruit for fermentation. If you do, know you must extend your first fermentation from 1-2 days to one full week. Add other fruits for new flavors without having to adjust the recipe. As long as your strawberries are the key fruit, you shouldn't have to adjust the recipe much, other than adding a little more or less sugar depending on your preferences. All of these fruits are added with the strawberries. While any fruit can be used to make wine, some popular additions with strawberries include: Substitute 1lb of blueberries, apples, cherries, or pears Add 1-2tb of fresh lemon or orange peel. Finished.
Make sure you have a clean set of wine-making supplies. Wash and remove the stems from the 4-5 pounds of fresh strawberries. Coarsely chop the strawberries with a knife. Mash the berries to a pulp in a large, food-grade bucket. Add enough water to cover the strawberries, plus two pounds of sugar, then stir. Add a sterilizing tablet, pectin enzyme, tannins, and an acid blend if making professional-style strawberry wine. Cover the top of the bucket with a clean towel and let it sit for 1-2 days. After two days sitting, add a packet of wine yeast and 1 tsp of yeast nutrient. Re-cover the mash with a towel and let the yeasted mixture sit for a week, stirring 3-4 times a day. Siphon the liquid into your carboy, removing as much sediment and pulp as possible. Cap the carboy with an airlock and wait until fermentation is complete. Rack the wine one more time, moving to a clean carboy and sealing with an airlock. Taste the wine, adding a bit of honey to sweeten it if need be. Use a ratio of 2:1 when planning the weight of fruit and sugars. Keeping the total level below 1 teaspoon per 20lbs of berries, use more wine tannin with fewer strawberries for a drier taste. Use 1/16lb of Sodium Bisulfate for each 8lbs of strawberries. Add an extra teaspoon of yeast nutrient for each 4lbs of berries, up to 5 teaspoons total. Consider trying out a "wild yeast" version by ignoring all sterilizers entirely. Add other fruits for new flavors without having to adjust the recipe. Finished.
https://www.wikihow.com/Tell-if-Your-Best-Friend-Loves-You
How to Tell if Your Best Friend Loves You
To tell if your best friend loves you, see if they treat you differently than their other friends, like talking to you more or being more affectionate toward you, which could be a sign that they love you. Also, pay attention to how much time you and your best friend are spending alone together. If your best friend has been wanting to hang out alone a lot more than they used to, it could mean they are in love with you!
Compare how they treat you. When you two are spending time with your mutual friends, see if they treat you differently than how they treat other people they are friends with. They may be more affectionate with you, try to talk more to you, or make comments about your relationship. When your best friend treats you the same as any of their other friends, it's unlikely that they're interested in you romantically. A friend that treats you like they treated their exes may be interested. This can help you determine whether they are just being their normal friendly selves or if they are interested romantically in you. Notice when you're spending more time together. Naturally, you're going to spend time with your best friend. However, ask yourself whether the things that you do together seem like dates. For example, do you go out to dinner and a movie? If so, is it usually just the two of you? When someone starts to become interested in someone romantically, they'll want to spend more and more time with them. If you notice that the two of you are spending way more time together than you normally do, and that those hangouts start to feel like potential dates, they may be interested in you. You should also notice if they start to tell you how much they enjoy spending time with you one on one. This might be a way for them to try and tell you that they're looking for something more than just friendship. Listen to how they speak. Listen to how they speak about you to other people and how they speak when they are talking to you. When people are attracted to someone, they may speak in a special tone of voice reserved for that special someone. They may also be a little nervous around you and blush. Pay attention to how much they laugh at your jokes or things that you do. If they laugh more frequently than usual, it might be because they like you. Friends aren't awkward with one another, so if you start noticing that they seem shy and bashful about certain topics, it could be a sign that they're interested in you. For example, they may become shy when you bring up school dances or dates that you've been on. Listen to what they say. They may be trying to tell you how they feel in a subtle way. They may try to bring up romantic subjects or ask whether you are interested in someone right now. They may also try to deepen your connection by asking you very deep questions about your life, dreams, goals, and desires. Since this is your best friend, they probably pay attention to what you say already. But, you may notice that they start to remember small details about your life that they would otherwise forget, like when you have a test or a special appointment. They might show you that they remember these things by wishing you luck or commenting when the day is here. Look for flirtatious behavior. Flirting can signal that they are attracted to you, or it could mean that they are a naturally flirtatious person. You'll need to distinguish what their flirting means, but you have the benefit of knowing their personality already. Look for signs of flirting like: They compliment you frequently. They smile and gaze at you when they talk about you. They touch their hair or face when speaking to you. They laugh at all your jokes, even when they aren't that funny. They gently tease you or playfully poke fun at you. Look at how they present themselves. You may notice that they start to pay more attention to their appearance when they know they are spending time with you. For instance, they may wear nicer clothes or clothing that they know that you like or wear makeup and do their hair. When someone is attracted to someone, they often try to present their best selves. If you start to notice that they consistently seem to be spending more time on their appearance when the two of you are together, they may be interested in you. Look for body language cues for attraction. When people are attracted to someone, they often display this attraction through their body language. There are a number of different body language cues for attraction, and when you notice your best friend displaying them consistently it can signal that they're attracted to you. Look for signs like: They maintain eye contact and gaze at you. They smile subconsciously while they're talking about you. They try to be physically close to you by initiating physical contact. When you talk, their feet are pointed towards you. They mirror your body language when you two are speaking. They touch their hair and face while you're talking. Notice increased physical contact. When someone is interested in you, they will try to initiate physical contact more frequently. The two of you might go from not hugging frequently to hugging every time you see each other. The type of physical contact that you have may start to be different as well. Rather than punching you on the arm affectionately, they may initiate a hug. Or, they may start to touch your knee or your arm. Notice when they initiate physical contact. Physical contact between friends is normal and healthy, but you may start to notice that they are initiating contact much more frequently than they normally do. They may try to be physically affectionate by hugging you, putting their arm around your shoulder, or touching your hand. They may try to “accidentally” brush against you when the two of you are close. This could mean that they are nervous to initiate other kinds of physical contact, like a hug, but they want to be near to you. If you feel uncomfortable with the amount of physical contact, you should let them know in a gentle and kind way. Determine how you feel. Are you romantically interested in your best friend? Ask yourself whether you would be interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with this person if they did like you. How you feel about them as a romantic partner will influence your reactions towards their behavior. If you are interested in them romantically, try to be honest with them about how you are feeling. If the signs are there, they might be interested in you as well. You could try to hint that you have a crush on someone to see how they react, or ask them if they are interested in anyone. For example, you could say "Jen, I've been thinking about our friendship a lot, and I think we could be really great together as more than friends." Look at how you're acting. You may be giving them signals that you are interested in them without you realizing it. For example, you could be flirting with them, being more physically affectionate, or opening up more to them emotionally. If you are not interested in your friend as a romantic partner, you should try to stop these overly affectionate behaviors, since they could be giving them mixed signals. If you are interested in them, you can continue giving them signs that you are interested. Talk to your friends. You may still be confused about whether your best friend really does like you in a romantic way. You can talk to a close friend to ask their opinion and to see whether they know if your friend has a crush on anyone. Do this carefully, you don't want word to get back to your best friend that you're talking about them behind their back. Only talk to friends that you really trust and who have a good perspective on the situation. You could also casually talk to one of their friends to see if they know whether your best friend is interested in someone. You could say something like, "Hey, I noticed that Zach hasn't been talking about Caroline anymore. Do you know if he's interested in someone new?" Talk to them. If you're still not sure, just ask. This is the only reliable way to figure out if they are interested in you romantically, but it can come with some risks. For one, the person might not want to jeopardize the friendship, and so will feel uncomfortable telling you. Be sure you want the relationship to move onto a romance before asking. If you don't, it's better to just avoid the question and let the feelings slowly pass. If the best friend suddenly makes a move or comes out and tells you, then you can address it. If you want to ask, say something like, "I don't want to weird you out, but I've noticed things changing a little between us lately, and wondered if it's because our relationship has shifted a little bit." This will give them an opportunity to share their feelings. Approach the topic carefully. If your friend doesn't open up, or says something dismissive like, "No way, what, are you crazy? We're friends, that's all", you should let it go. You can diffuse the situation by saying something like, "Hey, no problem, I was just curious. It's cool, either way." If your friend is scared to tell you, or is wrestling with their feelings, it may take some time for them to come clean about it to you. Be patient and compassionate, and don't pressure your friend. Tell them how much you value their friendship. Let them know that your friendship is important to you and that you care about them as a person. Whether you and your best friend end up together or not, your friendship is special and you don't want to lose them. If they are interested in you romantically, and you don't share the same feelings for them, they may need to take a break from your friendship. This will hurt, but they need time to process their own feelings and move on. Tell them that you do care about your relationship by saying, "Ben, your friendship means a lot to me. You're a great friend and I'm glad that I have you in my life. I don't have romantic feelings for you, but I hope that we can still be best friends."
Compare how they treat you. Notice when you're spending more time together. Listen to how they speak. Listen to what they say. Look for flirtatious behavior. Look at how they present themselves. Look for body language cues for attraction. Notice increased physical contact. Notice when they initiate physical contact. Determine how you feel. Look at how you're acting. Talk to your friends. Talk to them. Approach the topic carefully. Tell them how much you value their friendship.
https://www.wikihow.com/Help-Stop-Cruelty-Towards-Animals
How to Help Stop Cruelty Towards Animals
To stop cruelty towards animals, commit to buying cosmetics, skincare, and household products that haven't been tested on animals. Additionally, try volunteering at a local organization that shares your values, such as an animal shelter. You may also want to consider going vegetarian or vegan to curb animal cruelty by reducing or eliminating your consumption of animal products.
Avoid products that are tested on animals. A variety of products, from cosmetics to pharmaceutical drugs, are tested on animals. Animal rights advocates disagree with the use of such products for a variety of reasons. Testing causes painful physical side effects for animals, lab conditions are often cramped and unpleasant, and animals are often killed or die unintentionally during the process. Know what products are likely to be tested on animals and avoid such products. Olay, one of the world's largest skin care companies, carries out 400,000 skin care safety tests each year, many of which are likely conducted on animals. Avon, a cosmetics company, does not conduct tests on animals as a company but many of their ingredients come from outside facilities known for animal testing. Garnier, known for shampoo and make-up, is one of the most well-known users of animal testing for their products. Neutrogena, a skin care company, claims they do not test their products on animals. However, their parent company Johnson and Johnson claims to minimize animal testing but acknowledges that they do sometimes engage in the practice. M.A.C cosmetics resumed animal testing in 2012 after previously having sworn off the practice. Do not buy products made from animals. Many products we buy at the local supermarket or department store contain ingredients that come from animals. It's not just the obvious culprits, like leather and fur, that you must avoid to end cruelty. Look for the following ingredients, which are frequently found in every day products like toothpaste, nail polish, perfume, shampoo, and conditioner. If you see one of the following listed on a label, you might want to reconsider your purchase. Albumin, the protein component of egg whites, is found in many processed foods. Carmine, the red coloring made from a ground up insect, is found in packaged cookies and crackers, refried beans, tortillas, and ready made pie crusts. Casein, a milk protein, is found in many soy cheeses. Wood glue is the specific glue made from horses, and found in musical instruments and furniture. Keratin is protein from hooves, horns, and animal hairs and often found in shampoos. Plywood, used in a variety of wood-based products, uses a glue made from animal blood. Look for the Leaping Bunny. The Leaping Bunny Program is an initiative lead by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC). It provides the best possible assurance that a product is free of animal testing. The Leaping Bunny does extensive investigation of cosmetic, skin care, household products, and hair care companies to assure no animal testing is used. They often find companies that claim to be "testing free" that use ingredients from facilities that test on animals. The CCIC's website provides an ethical shopping guide, with listings of companies that do not animal test. The Leaping Bunny symbol is a black line drawing of a rabbit enveloped with two blue steaks and a couple of stars. Look for it on products to assure yourself they're animal safe. Buy from local farmer's markets. Buying local can help curb animal cruelty. Animals raised on local farms were likely subjected to more ethical conditions than animals on factory farms. If you can find a local farmer's market or grocery store, make that your first option when it comes to grocery shopping. Locally raised meat is usually free from the antibiotics and growth hormones animals are force fed at factories. Animals raised on an organic diet are significantly healthier than factory raised animals. In factory farms, animals are kept in tight pens and cannot move more than a few feet. Local farms usually allow animals to be free range, meaning they can spend more time outside and are not confined to pens. When you buy meat, eggs, or cheese from a local farm, your money goes straight to supporting that farm. At a grocery store, you are more likely to be supporting a multinational food conglomerate than individual farmers. Allowing these farms the money they need to sustain themselves gives happy homes to a variety of animals. Shop from ethical grocery stores. If farmer's markets aren't available in your area, try to find a grocery store that supports local markets and adheres to ethical guidelines when it comes to the buying and selling of meat. Whole Foods, one of the biggest grocery shopping chains, buys from local markets and only stock meat products purchased from farmers that meet strict standards for animal welfare. Earth Fare, similar to Whole Foods, follows strict ethical standards when it comes to the animal products bought and sold. If you look around, you might find a local grocery store in your area that buys local. Learn to hunt deer for venison. Deer meat is very beneficial for human consumption, and animals that are hunted in their natural habitat have lived much happier and healthier lives. Go vegetarian or vegan. Many people believe the best way to curb animals cruelty is by not eating meat or by not eating animals products at all. This is called vegetarianism/veganism and if you are dedicated to the cause it's something you can consider. Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, and poultry. It's possible to meet all nutritional needs while maintaining a vegetarian diet. Vegetarians find alternative sources of protein in beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, seeds, tempeh, and peas. Vegans, in addition to not eating meat, do not eat anything with animal byproducts. This includes dairy and honey. Vegans can easily meet protein requirements as almost all foods have some protein. Chickpeas, tofu, peas, peanut butter, almonds, and other nuts are great sources of protein on a vegan diet. The vitamin B12, often found in meats and other animal-based products, is very important to maintain a healthy diet. Vegetarians and vegans can find B12 in soy meats, some cereals, soy milk, and nutritional yeast. You can also talk to your doctor about B12 supplements. Make your meals at home. You don't always know what you're getting eating out, and by cooking your own meals at home you can assure yourself you're eating ethically. Use food you bought locally, or food that contains no hidden animals products. If you eat meat, buy locally raised grass-fed meat from local markets. By making meals at home, you can make sure the products you're using are cruelty free. Even when eating vegetarian options at restaurants, you never know what hidden animals products could be used in the food. In addition to reducing animal cruelty, eating at home is also better for your health as your food is generally lower in calories and less stocked with hidden sugars and fats. Join or donate to anti-animal cruelty organizations. There are a litany of organizations available you can join or donate to that are dedicated to reducing cruelty towards animals worldwide. Do some research and find which organization appeals to your views. The Humane Society of America is one of the world's largest animal advocacy organizations. They target puppy mills, animal fighting, factory farming, seal slaughter, horse cruelty, and the slaughterhouse trade. The organization works through both large-scale political initiatives and hands-on efforts to rescue and care for unwanted animals. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is another one of the better known animal advocacy organizations. Much like the Humane Society of America, they oppose most forms of cruelty like slaughterhouses and puppy mills and also help curb animal population by encouraging spaying and neutering of house pets. They also encourage the development of no-kill shelters and provide practical assistance such as transporting adopted animals to new homes. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is a well-known but somewhat controversial animal rights organization. PETA focuses primarily on factory farms, the clothing trade, laboratory testing of animals, and use of animals in the entertainment industry. PETA often conducts investigations of companies and labs and encourages direct political action in the form of protests, petitioning, and boycotts. PETA, however, has met criticism for being more dedicated to publicity stunts than actually reducing cruelty to animals. In 2013, allegations surfaced that PETA had euthanized many of the rescued animals at their Virginia headquarters. You can also find a local animal shelter in your area and volunteer there. Start a neighborhood watch. If no existing organization appeals to you personally, you can always start a neighborhood watch in your area. Invite your friends and neighbors to get to know the animals in your area and keep an eye out for suspicious behavior. Be aware of the animals in your area. By being vigilant, and encouraging others to do the same, you'll be likely to notice potential problems, such as a formerly friendly dog suddenly becoming aggressive or skittish around people. There are many signs of animal abuse. Physical signs include collars that are too tight, open wounds or signs of recently healed wounds, fur infested with fleas or ticks, patches of missing skin or rashes, and extreme thinness. Pay attention to the animal's environment. Are they tied up alone frequently? Are they kept outside despite poor weather conditions, like intense heat or cold? Is an animal kept in a small kennel, or one crowded with many other animals, for extended periods? Encourage all members of your watch to stay vigilant, and if you notice any of the above signs of cruelty report it to your group and decide as a group how to proceed. Report animal cruelty. Animal cruelty is a crime, and if you see abuse happening do not hesitate to report it to the proper authorities. Where to report cruelty depends on your state. Contacting the local humane society is a good first step, as the workers there usually know what law agency to contact. You can also visit a local police station and ask for help. When you know who to contact, provide concise written statements that includes the dates of the incident or incidents, and any other witnesses besides yourself. If possible, get photographic evidence of the abuse. Be a model for others. One of the most important things you can do to endorse animal welfare is being a model for friends, family members, and co-workers. Share your views. Do not be shy about explaining your opinions on animal cruelty and welfare. Many people are not informed about the conditions of slaughterhouses, animal testing facilities, and puppy mills. If animals come up in conversation, take this as an opportunity to keep others informed. Use social media to your advantage. Post lists of animal-based ingredients hidden in many products, links to petitions to end animal testing, and local listings from your animal shelter of dogs at-risk for euthanasia. If you have kids, talk to them about treating animals with kindness and respect. Young children often do not differentiate between a living dog and a plush dog. Explain to them animals have feelings and thoughts similar to our own, and need to be treated with compassion and care. Volunteer at a shelter in your area. Whether you live in a small town or a major metropolitan area, there is probably an animal shelter near you. Directories of animal shelters are available online. Find a shelter close to you, whose values you agree with, and look into volunteering. Most shelters have some form of training or certification program you must undergo before beginning to volunteer. Make sure you know what you need to do before you can start, and work time for training into your schedule. Not all shelters share the same values. For example, some shelters are no-kill while some euthanize animals if they're not adopted within specific time frames. Make sure you agree with the values of the shelter you choose. A lot of shelters have restrictions, often regarding age, for volunteers. Look into such restrictions when looking for volunteer programs. Donate to a local shelter. When you give money to a local shelter, the money goes to getting animals veterinary care, toys, blankets, beds, food, treats, and a variety of new supplies. You do not necessarily have to donate to a shelter in your area. If, for example, your local shelter does not have a no-kill policy and you disagree with this, you can send your money elsewhere. Many shelters take donations online. A monetary donation is not the only way to give back to a shelter. You can donate any amount of pet supplies. Just ask about any restrictions beforehand. Some shelters have bans on particular brands of food, litter, and toys. If you're getting married or throwing a big party, you can donate part of your gift registry. You can request that guests donate to a particular shelter rather than buying you a present. Foster a pet. If you're unable adopt an animal of your own, many shelters have programs where you can foster an animal until they find a permanent home. There are a variety of reasons animal shelters seek fosters. The shelter is sometimes not big enough to house all the animals. An animal may be recovering from surgery or sickness and cannot be around other animals. Some animals do not do well in shelters and show signs of stress and need extra socialization. Many people worry about getting attached to their foster pet. This is a risk. Most shelters allow foster homes to adopt their pets if they meet all the requirements. However, if you cannot adopt your foster pet the experience is still rewarding. Fostering frees up space for other animals and allows the shelter to learn more about the foster pet's personality, upping that pet's chances at finding a permanent home. Reminding yourself of these benefits can help with some of the emotional difficulty. Adopt an animal. If you have the time and space, consider adopting a pet from the shelter. This is a direct way to improve the life of animal that's suffering. Adopting can save a life, as 2.7 million shelter pets are euthanized each year. Because of limited space, pets are sometimes euthanized if they cannot find homes. Adoption takes business away from puppy mills. Puppy mills are factory style breeding facilities where house dogs in poor conditions, keeping them in very small cages and breeding them over and over again. When dogs are no longer able to breed, they are often abandon or killed.
Avoid products that are tested on animals. Do not buy products made from animals. Look for the Leaping Bunny. Buy from local farmer's markets. Shop from ethical grocery stores. Go vegetarian or vegan. Make your meals at home. Join or donate to anti-animal cruelty organizations. Start a neighborhood watch. Report animal cruelty. Be a model for others. Volunteer at a shelter in your area. Donate to a local shelter. Foster a pet. Adopt an animal.
https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Happy-Every-Day
How to Be Happy Every Day
If you want to be happy everyday, make simple changes to your environment to lift up your mood, like adding a vase of fresh flowers to your living room every week. Try ditching your desk at lunch and eating outside or in a break room to get a nice change of pace. Your lunch break should actually be a break, so focus on relaxing and doing something you enjoy like reading a magazine or talking to your coworkers. Good moods can be contagious, and socializing with friends or coworker is one way to catch some positivity. Whatever you do, don't work through your lunch, since that can actually lead to higher stress and lower productivity. Another way to positively change your environment and alleviate boredom is by exploring new hobbies. Activities like hiking are a good way to see new sights and possibly meet new people who can enrich your life in different ways.
Acknowledge your emotions. Being happy every day does not mean that you will be happy every moment. That is impossible and unrealistic. Instead, aim to become a person who is well-rounded emotionally. Once you are comfortable feeling a range of emotions, you will be better able to get in touch with how to be happy. Self-validation is the process of acknowledging your feelings and reactions. It is healthy to understand that everyone has a range of emotions, and it is normal to express them. Don't put pressure on yourself to feel happy all the time. Instead, if you are feeling down about missing out on a big promotion, acknowledge that that is a normal reaction. Give yourself permission to feel. Then you can move on. Figure out what makes you happy. Sometimes the things that make you happy are pretty obvious. For example, you probably know that you enjoy having a day off from work. But you'll have to dig a little deeper to get beyond the surface of what makes you happy. Spend some time reflecting on what truly brings you joy. One way to go about this is to think about your purpose. People who are fulfilled often report being happier. Ask yourself questions such as, "What excites me? What am I passionate about? How would I like to be remembered?" Be aware of what makes you stressed. Similarly, the process of getting to know yourself better should include spending some time thinking about things that do not make you happy. Again, some might be simple and obvious. For instance, no one likes being stuck in traffic. But take time to reflect on pieces of your life that might be significantly impacting your happiness. Make a list of the stressful components of your life. Often, putting things in writing can help us get a more clear view of the situation. Is your job stressing you out? Write down some specifics, such as "I feel stressed because my boss does not seem to value me." Keep a journal. Journaling is one of the most effective ways to get to know yourself better and become more in touch with your emotions. Try writing in a journal each day. You can record not only your activities, but also your thoughts and feelings. Once a week, take time to read through your journal entries and reflect. You can begin to see patterns in the things that are making you feel happier. Journaling has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety. This alone can lead to more happiness each day. Take a break. It can be easy to focus on all of the tasks that need to be done on a daily basis, rather than focusing on yourself and your feelings. Try taking multiple short breaks throughout the day. Taking a break from work will give you time to check in with yourself and see how you're feeling. Every hour, give yourself a break of about 5 minutes. You can go get a drink of water, stretch, or just zone out for a few minutes. Taking a break is good for your mind and body. While you stretch, daydream about something fun you would like to do after work. This is an excellent mood boost. Accept yourself for who you are. One of the keys to being happy to is to practice self-acceptance. While we all have changes we would like to make, it's important to remember to also appreciate ourselves for who we are. Recognize that acceptance is not the same as resignation. You can learn to accept the things you cannot change without giving up on your goals. Make it a point to appreciate something about yourself each day. You could devote part of your daily journal entry to writing down one good thing about yourself, such as your work ethic. Change your environment. Do you feel like you've been in a funk? Or maybe everything is going ok, but you wish your mood was a little better each day? You might just need to make some small changes. If you change your surroundings, your mood can change, too. Change doesn't always have to be scary. Some environmental changes can be significant. For example, if you and your partner are constantly fighting about closet space, a bigger apartment might be the key to a more positive outlook. Changing your environment can also be small. Try picking up some fresh flowers for your living room each week. Glancing at them daily might give you the small lift you've been looking for. Go out for lunch. Studies indicate that well over half of working Americans eat lunch at their desks. Or worse, some people skip the mid-day meal altogether. Working through lunch can actually lead to higher levels of stress and lower productivity. So get away from your desk and grab some food. You don't have to go to a restaurant or cafeteria to go "out" to eat. You just need to change your location. Try eating in a break room. If it's a nice day, take your sack lunch outside. Do something you enjoy. Your lunch break should actually be a break. If you're eating with coworkers, try to avoid talking about work. Instead, talk about your weekend plans. Or flip through a magazine. Surround yourself with positive people. Good moods can be contagious. Likewise, so can negativity. If you want to feel happier, try spending more time with people who seem content. Look for family members, friends, or coworkers with a smile, and choose to try to spend more time with those people. Spend time with people who are encouraging, positive, and who enrich your life. For example, if you have a friend who regularly encourages you to try something new, try to spend more time with her. Try to add these types of people to your daily routine. For example, if there are two coffee shops near your office, frequent the one that has the friendlier barista. Change jobs. For many people, work takes up a significant percentage of your time. And many people admit that they aren't happy with their jobs. Sometimes, you might feel like your job is boring, or stressful, or just tiring. If it is feasible, consider a career change if you feel like your job is impeding your happiness. Make a list of your priorities. What is most important to you in a career? Is it salary? Flexible hours? A positive team environment? Spend some time figuring out what you would like to do. Then formulate an action plan. Feeling like you are taking control of this part of your life can go a long way towards making you feel happy every day. Try not to quit before you have a formal offer from another employer. If you have a significant amount of savings you may want to quit before you find a new job, though it is usually easier to get another job if you are already employed. Try a new activity. It's possible that you are unhappy because you are in a bit of a rut. When people are bored, they typically are not feeling very upbeat. If you regularly try new things, you can alleviate boredom and increase your happiness. Trying new things also gives you the opportunity to find something new to enjoy. Have you always wanted to learn to play tennis? Sign up for lessons. Not only will you be trying a new activity, but you'll also be learning something new. Studies show learning can lead to increased happiness. If you love to read, try joining a book club. You'll likely read a book you wouldn't have chosen and you'll get to meet people with similar interests. Adopt healthy habits. Your physical health is directly connected to your mental health. In order to increase your happiness, you should consider adding some healthy habits to your lifestyle. For example, exercise can be a great mood booster. Exercise releases endorphins, which elevate your mood. Try to get 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. You can break exercise into blocks. Even 10 minutes of physical activity can make you feel great. Try taking a brisk walk around the block at lunchtime. Get plenty of rest. Many people feel cranky or sluggish if they are missing out on sleep. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Add new foods to your diet. Good news! Chocolate can elevate your mood. Research shows that there are multiple chemical compounds in chocolate that activate your brain's pleasure centers. For example, the phenylethylamine in chocolate is also known as the "love drug" because it produces the same effect as being around someone who you love. Try eating a small amount of dark chocolate each day. An ounce is an appropriate serving. Eat clams. Clams have a high amount of vitamin B12, which fights depression. Other foods high in B12 are salmon and beef. Eat walnuts. These nuts contain alpha-linolenic acid, which helps fight depression. Add walnuts to your oatmeal, or try making your own nut butter. Increase physical contact. There is an important relationship between touch and mood. The more you touch (or are touched) by others, the more content and safe you will likely feel. If you are in a relationship, hug your partner more. Aim for 10 hugs a day. You will both feel happier. Have more sex. Sex, like other physical activities, releases endorphins. It will also help increase your bond with your partner. If you are not in an intimate relationship, you can still add more physical contact to your life. Make it a point to shake hands when you meet new people, or when you congratulate a co-worker on a project well done. Get a pet. Having a dog or cat as a companion can help you feel happy. Pet owners are less likely to suffer from depression and anxiety. Having an animal also causes you to exhibit more playfulness and laughter. Choose an animal that works with your lifestyle. For example, if you live in a small apartment, consider getting a cat or a small dog. Adopt an animal from a rescue society. You'll feel good knowing that you are helping a creature in need. Practice self-care. Self-care essentially means doing something in service of yourself. It can be giving yourself a break, physically, or taking a mental time-out. Self-care has proven to make people feel better, have less stress, and function at a more productive level. Take a few minutes for self-care each day. Take some time to take a relaxing bubble bath, or treat yourself to reading a chapter of a great book. Check in with yourself. Ask, "Am I taking on too much? Do I need to take a break?" If the answer is yes, allow yourself to take a guilt-free timeout. Be kind to yourself. Self-criticism is normal. When your brain is at rest (or stressed) you automatically start thinking about problems you need to solve or tasks you need to finish. If you can learn to silence your inner critic, you will likely find increased happiness. Practice positive affirmations. Take a moment each day to look at yourself in the mirror and say something positive. Try, "Smile today. You have a great smile, and it's contagious." Make a list of your positive attributes. When you're feeling down, look at this list for a mood boost. Cultivate relationships. Make your personal relationships a priority. Your relationships are key to your emotional well-being. Take care to spend time with your friends and family and to have open communication with the people you love. Schedule time for friends and family the same way that you schedule other appointments. This will ensure that you are making your relationships a priority and that you have time to enjoy your life. Express gratitude. Take some time each day to appreciate the good things in your life. It does not need to be the same thing each day. You can choose something significant, or relatively minor. But adding more appreciation to your life it a key to happiness. Try choosing one big thing and one small thing to be thankful for each day. You could say, "I'm grateful that my children are healthy." Later, you could say, "I'm grateful that I treated myself to some ice cream today."
Acknowledge your emotions. Figure out what makes you happy. Be aware of what makes you stressed. Keep a journal. Take a break. Accept yourself for who you are. Change your environment. Go out for lunch. Surround yourself with positive people. Change jobs. Try a new activity. Adopt healthy habits. Add new foods to your diet. Increase physical contact. Get a pet. Practice self-care. Be kind to yourself. Cultivate relationships. Express gratitude.
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Your-Parents%27-Trust-Back
How to Get Your Parents' Trust Back
To get your parents' trust back, first talk to them about how you're feeling and apologize for violating their trust in the first place. Then, show your parents you're still trustworthy by following through on your responsibilities, like doing your chores, getting good grades in school, and keeping your room clean. Also, make sure you follow all of your parents' rules and don't do anything to lose their trust again since that will make it even harder to get it back.
Talk to your parents. Tell your parents how you feel. It is possible that your perception of their feelings about your actions is not the same as their actual feelings about your actions. Be proactive and ask them to sit down and talk with you, possibly in a neutral space free of (electronic and other) distractions such as a neighborhood park. Listen to your parents. To really have meaningful communication, you need to both talk and listen. Try to put yourself in your parents' shoes and really understand what they are saying as they talk to you. If they say something that confuses or offends you, ask them about it. Once the lines of communication are open, you and your parents can start rebuilding your trust relationship. Apologize for violating their trust. A sincere apology can go a long way to making your parents trust you again. The best apology acknowledges your wrongdoing, restates what happened clearly, acknowledges the nature of the hurt or harm done, asks for forgiveness, and proposes a means of avoiding the error in the future. Try not to expect anything in return. Though it would be nice if the apology immediately fixed everything, that is unlikely to happen. It's possible that your parents may not know the best way to respond to your apology. The words you use are less important than speaking genuinely. Another part of apologizing is forgiving yourself. Ask your parents what you can do to regain their trust. The most obvious way to figure out how to get your parents' trust back is simply to ask them what you can do. They may not have an answer ready, but tell them that they can think about it and let you know at a later time. Be honest in your response to their request. If they seem to have an unreasonably long list of things for you to do, tell them (without whining) that you think you would have trouble being successful at meeting their expectations. Offer a compromise instead. Trust your parents. Trust builds trust, and trusting them will help encourage them to trust you. In fact, you may find that you do not feel like you trust them right now; it is normal to feel that way. Trust is a two-way relationship, not a one-way feeling, so you will need to work on trust on your end as well. Spend time with your family. Spending more time with your family benefits your trust relationship in several ways. First, your parents won't be suspicious about how you're spending your time if it is with them. Second, spending time with people helps you understand and communicate with them better, which can help your relationship. Third, your parents will be reminded of your great qualities, like your sense of humor, instead of focusing only on the trust violation. Demonstrate responsible actions. Do your chores. Pick your brother up from school on time. Offer to help with the dishes after dinner. Showing responsibility for everyday things can help your parents think of you as a responsible person. This alone may not be enough to rebuild trust, but combined with other things like open communication, these small steps can help. Show that you care. Demonstrating to your parents that you care about them, yourself, and your relationship is an important element of your two-way trust relationship. Showing that you care may take on many different forms, but doing and saying things that you know will make the other person feel good is a place to start. Perform reparations. If you have hurt anyone aside from your parents as part of the trust violation, apologize and try to make it right. If you asked your parents what you could do to regain their trust, do what they said to do, even if it seems silly. Even if it seems like, for example, washing your dad's car may have nothing to do with regaining his trust, you are showing that you are willing to do what it takes. Demonstrate your readiness to change. Showing that you are willing to change in a small way—such as making your bed every day like your mom always asks—can prove that you are willing to change in a big way, which may be necessary for trust-building. Control your emotions. Often the situations and experiences that disrupt a trust relationship are motivated by rash or emotional decisions. Trying to act rationally and control your feelings may help you become more trustworthy. If you do not feel like you can control your emotions on your own, consider meeting with a therapist to discuss strategies for coping. Understand your parents’ expectations. If you know what your parents don't want you to do, it is easier to avoid doing it. If you are unsure about their exact rules or expectations, ask them. If your violation of trust is recent, you should be extra vigilant about any activities that may be considered off-limits. Don't go on apologizing and doing chores as soon as you break their trust as they may think that you are just trying to suck up and look good again. Instead wait a little while. Trust takes a lot of time to recover after you broke it. Follow the house rules. You live with your parents for a limited amount of time. They likely have rules or expectations about what should and should not be done while you are living under their roof. Stick to those rules, even if they seem unreasonable to you. Remember that you will eventually have your own home and you can live the way that you want to live later. Even if it seems like an eternity before you move out of your parents' house, the time will pass and you will be able to move on eventually. Avoid the cause of the breach of trust. If there was a specific person, habit, activity, or event that broke you and your parents' trust relationship, avoid it at all costs. If you feel that you need help avoiding it, ask for help. In the case of something like substance abuse, you may need professional help to fight an addiction. If there is a particular friend who leads you to make bad decisions, it may be time to move on or take a break from that friendship. Regain trust after lying. If you violated your parents' trust by lying to them, particularly if you have had a history of lying, then you need to make a practice of being completely honest all of the time. Demonstrating a commitment to complete honesty will enable you to rebuild trust. Unfortunately, this may take a long time. Come back from breaking specific rules. If the nature of your trust violation involved breaking a specific rule that your parents have set, such as no underage drinking or being home by a certain time, communicate with your parents about the house rules. It's important that you understand what the rules are, why the rules are in place, and how to follow them. An open dialogue with your parents about these can help you make better decisions in the future. Alleviate hurt feelings. If you have hurt someone, you should make reparations. If you have hurt your parents by doing something that disappoints them or makes them sad, then try to understand their emotions. Putting yourself in their shoes and thinking about how you would want someone to apologize to you can help you know what will heal the wounds. Recover from damage to property. If your transgression involved damage to property—for example, if you wrecked a car or vandalized public property—you need to do what you can to repair the damage. This may mean doing what you can yourself—painting over spray-painted graffiti, hammering out a dented car panel, or cleaning toilet paper out of trees. However, it may also mean offering to pay for the cost of repairs, as with a car accident. Accept financial responsibility. If you have done something that has cost someone else money, you should offer to compensate the injured party financially. Even if this means giving up your entire paycheck for several weeks, accepting financial responsibility can go a long way towards showing that you understand the consequences of your actions.
Talk to your parents. Listen to your parents. Apologize for violating their trust. Ask your parents what you can do to regain their trust. Trust your parents. Spend time with your family. Demonstrate responsible actions. Show that you care. Perform reparations. Demonstrate your readiness to change. Control your emotions. Understand your parents’ expectations. Follow the house rules. Avoid the cause of the breach of trust. Regain trust after lying. Come back from breaking specific rules. Alleviate hurt feelings. Recover from damage to property. Accept financial responsibility.
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-Of-a-Stye
How to Get Rid Of a Stye
If you have a stye, clean the area twice a day with a cotton ball or swab dipped in warm water. To help reduce swelling, dip a clean cloth into warm water and lay the cloth over your eyes for 5-10 minutes. Repeat this 3-4 times a day until the stye heals. You may also be able to speed up the healing process by carefully applying an antibacterial cream or aloe to the stye, taking care not to get it into your eyes.
Clean the stye. Styes are generally caused by chance but can occasionally be caused by exposure of the eye to foreign substances (such as dust or makeup). The stye itself is a small bacterial infection. If you develop a stye, the first thing you should do is clean the area. Wash your hands thoroughly, then use a cotton ball or clean hands to gently cleanse the stye with warm water. You can also use a special eyelid scrub or diluted tear-free "baby" shampoo. Make certain that both your hands and the cotton balls you use to wash the stye are clean. Otherwise, you may transmit more debris or germs to the area. Styes are most commonly caused by staphylococcal bacteria that gets in a hair follicle or a gland in the corner of the eye, often through touching the eye with dirty hands. Other bacteria, however, can also cause styes. Apply a warm compress. The painful swelling caused by a stye is best treated with warm compresses. Make a warm compress with a clean towel or other fabric dipped in warm water. Place the compress over your eye and let it rest there for five to ten minutes. After the compress cools, re-soak it with warm water and repeat for another five to ten minutes. Apply warm compresses three or four times a day. Be consistent about this treatment until the stye is gone. Warm (but not hot) and damp tea bags can also be used effectively as compresses. (Some people recommend chamomile tea bags, which may have soothing properties). The warmth of the compress may cause the stye to shrink or release pus. If this occurs, gently rinse away the drainage. Do not press or squeeze the stye; just apply firm but gentle pressure. Once the pus emerges from the stye, the symptoms should abate fairly quickly. Do not squeeze or try to pop the stye yourself. It can be tempting to try to force any pus or debris out of the stye, but resist! Squeezing or attempting to pop a stye can make the situation much worse, spreading or deepening the infection, and may even cause scarring. Use antibacterial cream. Buy an over-the-counter antibacterial cream made for treating styes, available at any drug store. If you are unsure about which cream to choose, discuss the available options with the pharmacist. Apply a small dab on the stye, taking care not to get it inside your eye. These creams may help your stye heal faster. The local anesthetic many of these creams contain can also provide temporary relief from the discomfort caused by a stye. However, should it get in your eye, the anesthetic can also cause significant damage. Apply with extreme caution. If you do get any cream in your eye, flush it out gently with warm water. Then, contact your doctor. Do not use more often than indicated on the packaging. Try a natural home remedy. Certain natural substances may help heal styes and reduce pain and swelling. Avoid getting the natural remedies inside your eye, and if you feel stinging or discomfort, discontinue use immediately. Although not medically proven, you may wish to try these natural remedies for getting rid of styes: Use a coriander seed wash. Soak coriander seeds in water for an hour, strain the seeds, and use the water as a wash for your eye. The seeds are said to have properties that reduce the swelling of a stye. Use aloe. Aloe helps reduce swelling and redness. Cut an aloe leaf lengthwise and apply the pulpy inside to the affected area. If you can't find whole aloe leaves, you can use an eye pad soaked in aloe vera juice. Some people like to use a mix of aloe vera juice and chamomile tea. Use a guava leaf compress. This is a common home remedy to reduce pain and swelling caused by styes. Wet guava leaves in warm water and apply them to your eye for 10 minutes. Use potatoes. Grind a potato into paste and spread it on a clean, soft cloth. Then, apply it to the stye to decrease swelling. Use an over-the-counter painkiller. If your stye is extremely painful, use a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to make you more comfortable during the first few days. Choose an NSAID containing aspirin or ibuprofen for immediate relief. Take only the recommended dosage listed on the packaging. Do not give aspirin to children under 18 years of age. Doing so could give them a fatal condition called Reye's syndrome. Go to a doctor. Seek treatment if your stye does not go away after one week. If you are in extreme pain, if redness or swelling spreads, or if your vision becomes affected, seek immediate medical attention. If a stye gets worse, this may be a result of another condition, and you may receive one of the following treatments: The doctor may prescribe antibiotic medicines, especially if you have bacterial conjunctivitis, commonly referred to as pinkeye. This condition is usually resolved quickly after antibiotics are administered. The doctor may insert a needle or fine-tipped blade into the stye to lance it. This involves puncturing the stye so that the pus drains out of a small hole and the stye goes away. If you have a skin condition such as rosacea or seborrhea, you might be susceptible to blepharitis, the inflammation of the rims of the eyelids. In this case your doctor will advise you to begin a new hygiene regimen for that area of your eye. If you don't already have an eye doctor, you can consult your primary care doctor and ask for a referral, check your local phone book under ophthalmologists, or search on the internet for “ophthalmologist” plus your city or area. You should feel free to contact a doctor at any point during this process. You do not need to wait a week before getting in touch with a professional. Wash your eyelids. If you frequently get styes, your eyes may be particularly sensitive to bacterial infection. Use a clean towel and some gentle shampoo, such as baby shampoo, or special eyelid scrub to gently clean your eyelids. Rinse well with warm water. If styes a frequent problem for you, your eyelids should be cleaned daily. Wash your hands before touching your face. One of the most common ways to get styes is by transferring bacteria from your hands to your eyes. Avoid rubbing or touching your eyes. Wash your towels regularly, and never share a washcloth or towel with someone who has a stye. Practice good contact lens hygiene. Wearing contacts requires touching your eyes often, so make sure your hands are clean each time you put them in and take them out. The contacts themselves can also transmit bacteria, so be sure to use a cleansing solution to wash them daily. Do not wear contacts when you are suffering from a stye. Placing a contact lens on the eye that has a stye on it increases your risk of transmitting the infection from the stye to the underlying cornea. Don't wear your contacts longer than you're supposed to. If you have dailies (i.e. disposable contacts that are intended only for a single use), throw them away every day. If you have monthlies (reusable lenses that intended to be replaced once a month), be sure to change to fresh ones after four weeks have passed. Don't wear your contacts overnight. Even contacts that are made for safe overnight wear might cause you problems if you are prone to getting styes. Always follow your eye doctor's recommendation about appropriate contact lens use. Do not wear contact lenses in situations that are specifically approved, such as while swimming (unless you wear them under tight-fitting swim goggles). Apply eye makeup properly. Eye liner and eye shadow applied under the rim of your eyelid can cause styes, especially if you tend to wear a lot of makeup and reapply it throughout the day. Apply makeup above your lash line, and limit the amount that you apply. Don't go to sleep wearing makeup. Use eye makeup remover to clean it off, then splash warm water on your face to rinse off the remover before going to bed. Change your eye makeup and applicators frequently. Brushes, wands and pencils used to apply eye makeup get dirty over time, and you may be transmitting bacteria every time you use them. Similar to contact lenses, makeup pencils, brushes, and the like make frequent contact with your eyes. If they harbor harmful bacteria, it is very easy for these harmful agents to cause styes. Do not share eye makeup with other people.
Clean the stye. Apply a warm compress. Do not squeeze or try to pop the stye yourself. Use antibacterial cream. Try a natural home remedy. Use an over-the-counter painkiller. Go to a doctor. Wash your eyelids. Wash your hands before touching your face. Practice good contact lens hygiene. Apply eye makeup properly.
https://www.wikihow.com/Spray-Paint-Art
How to Spray Paint Art
Spray paint art is great for making beautiful galaxy designs. Just make sure you set up in a well-ventilated area so you don't inhale the fumes. You'll need to set up a canvas and choose at least 3-4 spray paint colors that go well together. To start, you'll need to spray a few lines of darker color for your background, then apply a sheer layer of white, which will serve as stars. You should also paint on a few brighter-colored circles as planets. Then, if you'd like you can layer on colors to make a galaxy color effect.
Set up a canvas in a well-ventilated area. If you don't want to paint in a public area, pick a workspace that has plenty of free-flowing air. If you'd prefer indoors, open several windows so fresh air can flow throughout the room. For extra ventilation, set up a box fan that blows any extra paint fumes out of the area. Spray painting involves a lot of fumes and loose paint particles, so you don't want to work on your art in an enclosed space. Select a safe, legal place to paint if you want to display your work. Look for some empty walls in your area that could serve as a potential canvas for your art. Since graffiti is illegal in most places, search online to find public spaces near you where spray-painted art is legal. If you'd like to paint over a large area but don't have access to a legal public space, try using a large white sheet to display your art. If you get caught spray painting in a public space, you could get arrested for vandalism. This website marks over 1,000 public locations where you can legally spray paint: https://www.legal-walls.net. Cover the surrounding area with drop cloths. Whether you're working indoors or outdoors, protect your surroundings from stray splashes of paint by laying large sections of drop cloth or plastic sheeting across the ground and surrounding walls. Secure these protective cloths and sheeting in place with strips of painter's tape, so these items don't shift around while you're working. Always place drop cloths beneath your canvas. Protect your skin with gloves and old work clothes. Slip any clothes that you don't mind staining or getting dirty. With this in mind, try wearing an old pair of sneakers or boots that you don't mind scuffing up. To protect your hands, put on a pair of work gloves, so you don't get any spray paint on your skin. If you don't have any old clothes on hand, check out your local thrift store. You can find work gloves at your local hardware or home improvement store. Wear a mask or respirator to protect yourself from paint fumes. Slip on a respirator that fully covers your nose and mouth, as you don't want to risk inhaling any toxic paint fumes. If you don't have a respirator on hand, use a regular safety or breathing mask. You can find respirators and safety masks at most hardware and home improvement stores. Repurpose newspaper or foil for your art project. Before recycling your old newspaper or magazines, rip out a few sheets of newsprint. Keep these sheets on hand if you'd like to add fun textures to your spray paint art. If you don't have any newsprint, set aside some sheets of aluminum foil instead. When crinkled, these items can add a fun, warped texture and design to different elements of your spray paint art. Choose a color scheme for your planets. Pick a variety of 3-4 fun colors to use for your planets. Depending on your overall design, select a combination of cool tones or warm colors to create a striking, vibrant design for the planets in your galaxy. Once you've picked a color scheme, purchase your spray paint from an art supply store. For instance, you could create a bright, fiery planet with reds, oranges, and yellows. If you'd like to paint a real planet, like Neptune, opt for blue and turquoise shades instead. White and black are useful colors to have on hand for tinting and shading purposes. Most stores will ask you to provide ID when purchasing spray paint. If you're younger than 18, make sure you have a parent or guardian with you. Secure a large, circular item onto your painting workspace. Outline the planets in your mural by applying strips of painter's tape around the edges of your round item. If you're aiming to make an expansive work of art, try using a trash can lid or other large item to outline your planet. Tape multiple plates or other round items into place if you'd like to include multiple planets in your finished painting! To create a definite outline for your planet, spritz some paint around the item to create a round border If you're working on a horizontal workspace, you don't need to tape your round item into place. Consider using duct tape to secure heavy items into place on your vertical canvas. Tape on round items of different sizes to make a fun collection of planets! When outlining the round object, use a shade of spray paint that you'd like to use for your backdrop. Spray 3-4 lines of color in the round outline. Choose 1 shade of paint and apply a straight line along the bottom of the empty circle. Layer another line of color on top of this bottom section, using a different shade of spray paint. Repeat this process 1-2 times, or until the empty circle is completely filled with color. There's no right or wrong way to arrange the colors in your art. For instance, you could start with a line of lime green paint, then layer lines of dark green and blue on top. Cover your colorful lines with a layer of white spray paint. Apply a thin patch of white paint over the surface of your planet. Don't worry about this color being consistent—instead, just focus on covering your multicolored stripes of paint. This white paint will help add texture and detail to the surface of the planet. Shade the bottom ⅓ of the circle with black spray paint. Take a can of black paint and spritz a curved line along the bottom of the planet. Cover the white that you just sprayed on, creating a monochrome color scheme within the planet. Apply this paint in a thick layer, since it will provide shadows for your planet later on. Your paint job doesn't have to be exact. Just focus on covering the bottom ⅓ of the planet. Use wrinkled paper to add texture to your planet. Take a piece of newspaper, magazine, or foil and crumple it in your hands. After you unwind the piece of paper or foil, place it on top of the planet. Press the sheet into place on the damp paint, so the planet's design can have an uneven texture. After pushing the paper onto your wet paint, pinch the edges of the paper or foil and remove the sheet from the design If you're working on a larger project, you might need to use multiple sheets of newspaper, magazine, or foil. Don't try and flatten the sheet. The different ridges and bumps in the crinkled material will make fun patterns on your planet. You don't need to hold the paper or foil down for a certain amount of time—you just need to make sure that it's sticking to the damp paint. Wait 5-10 minutes for the paint to dry. Set a timer for at least 5 minutes, so the various layers of spray paint can begin to dry. Don't expect the paint to dry completely—instead, wait until the paint is no longer damp or dripping wet. Cover your planet with a round item to protect it from other paint colors. Take the round item that you used before and place it over the planet. If you're working with a vertical canvas, like a wall or easel, use painter's tape or another sturdy adhesive to hold the item into place. Before you continue painting, check that the item is securely attached to the canvas or wall. This round item helps give your planet crisp, clean lines in the finished piece of art. Spray black paint around the planet on your canvas. Create a night sky effect by applying an even layer of black paint around the planet(s) that you designed. Spray on the paint in long, overlapping strokes, working from left to right. As you work, paint along the edges of the plate or other round item that's covering your planet—this will help create smooth, crisp lines. If you'd prefer to use a different color scheme, try using dark blue, violet, or another sky-themed shade instead. Add depth to your mural by spraying a magenta, violet, or other galaxy-themed color over the backdrop. Apply a streak of metallic paint to mimic a collection of stars. Choose a shiny paint color that matches your overall color scheme, like turquoise, gold, or silver. Spray this metallic shade in a straight, diagonal line next to 1 of your covered planets. Flick white across the canvas to create a scattered star effect. Spritz a thick layer of white paint on your pointer and middle fingertips. Next, extend both fingers in a flicking motion over the canvas, which will scatter white flecks of paint. Repeat this process across your canvas to create a traditional starry sky. This process works best on smaller canvases. Spray over a sheet of shelf liner to create a checkered effect. Cut a large, rectangular piece of shelf liner and arrange it over a section of your canvas. Use small pieces of painter's tape to secure the stencil onto or a vertical surface. Next, spray over the shelf liner with a thick layer of paint to create your desired effect. To see the finished result, pull the shelf liner away from the canvas! If you're painting on a horizontal surface, you don't need to tape the liner into place. Large amounts of shelf liner can create a cool, textured background effect for your painting. This material imitates the texture of carbon fiber. Mesh or fabric netting can also work in a pinch. Design custom shapes with strips of painter’s tape. Cut out various pieces of masking or painter's tape and arrange them along your canvas in a unique pattern. Once you've placed your strips of tape over the canvas, apply a thick layer of spray paint around the edges. Finally, rip off the painter's tape to cut the paint and reveal a sharp, sleek design! For example, cross 2 pieces of tape in an “X” shape to create the crossed out symbol. Make a squares, trapezoids, octagons, and other shapes with similar lengths of tape! Spray over a paper cut-out to make a cool silhouette. Sketch a unique design on a large sheet of rectangular paper, like a plant, animal or person. Using a pair of scissors, cut out the design to create a makeshift stencil. Attach this paper template to your canvas with small pieces of painter's tape, then spray over the stencil with a thick layer of solid paint. For instance, use black spray paint to create a striking silhouette against a colorful background. Wild animals, like elephants, tigers, and lions, are great options for natural murals. Arrange long and short pieces of tape to make a brick background. Take long stretches of masking or painter's tape and place them horizontally across your canvas. Next, stick 4-5 shorter pieces of tape between the long strips, creating alternating rows of bricks as you go. Spray over the entire surface with red spray paint, focusing on the lower left corner of each brick. To complete the design, peel away all the tape attached to the canvas. The unpainted portions of each brick add a cool texture to the design. Use a different paint color to make a more unique design! Cut out a paper heart to use as a stencil. Place a sheet of printer paper on a flat surface, and sketch a heart with pencil. Once you're satisfied with the design, cut out the stencil with a pair of scissors. Using your pointer finger and thumb, hold the heart in place and spray around the paper. Repeat this process as many times as you'd like to make a variety of heart silhouettes. If you don't want to risk getting spray paint on your hands, wear gloves and an old shirt while you spray. Create stencils of different sizes to spice up your painting! Wait 1 day for the project to dry fully. Remove the plate or other round coverings from your designs, allowing your entire work of art to be on display. Leave your canvas in an open area for at least 24 hours, so the paint can dry completely. Frame your art if it’s on a small enough canvas. Arrange your dried, finished work of art in a simple frame so you can it put it on display for the world to see. To emphasize your unique designs and color schemes, choose a frame with neutral colors, like white or black. If you aren't comfortable with framing the artwork yourself, contact a professional for help. You can find a framing expert at your local craft store. Framing works best with art on a physical canvas. Sell your small paintings at art shows to make extra money. Search online to find craft and art fairs in your area. As you fine tune your spray painting skills, create different murals on small, displayable canvases that potential customers can hang up in their homes. When pricing your art, double the cost of the supplies you used to create the painting. With enough practice and perseverance, you might make a profit! For instance, if you spend $20 on spray paint for a specific painting, sell the artwork for $40.
Set up a canvas in a well-ventilated area. Select a safe, legal place to paint if you want to display your work. Cover the surrounding area with drop cloths. Protect your skin with gloves and old work clothes. Wear a mask or respirator to protect yourself from paint fumes. Repurpose newspaper or foil for your art project. Choose a color scheme for your planets. Secure a large, circular item onto your painting workspace. Spray 3-4 lines of color in the round outline. Cover your colorful lines with a layer of white spray paint. Shade the bottom ⅓ of the circle with black spray paint. Use wrinkled paper to add texture to your planet. Wait 5-10 minutes for the paint to dry. Cover your planet with a round item to protect it from other paint colors. Spray black paint around the planet on your canvas. Apply a streak of metallic paint to mimic a collection of stars. Flick white across the canvas to create a scattered star effect. Spray over a sheet of shelf liner to create a checkered effect. Design custom shapes with strips of painter’s tape. Spray over a paper cut-out to make a cool silhouette. Arrange long and short pieces of tape to make a brick background. Cut out a paper heart to use as a stencil. Wait 1 day for the project to dry fully. Frame your art if it’s on a small enough canvas. Sell your small paintings at art shows to make extra money.
https://www.wikihow.com/Keep-a-Strapless-Dress-Up
How to Keep a Strapless Dress Up
A strapless dress can be a challenge to keep up, but luckily, you can use a few tricks to keep it in place without having to worry! The easiest way to keep your dress up is with fashion tape. Simply peel off the backing on both sides of the tape, stick the pieces to the inside top of your dress, then firmly press the dress to your skin. If you notice any spots that feel insecure, add more tape to those areas. If you don't have fashion tape, you can pin your dress to a strapless bra. Put the bra and the dress on together, then insert safety pins from the inside going to the outside of the dress. This will keep the pins hidden. Then, pin the top of your bra to the dress going all the way around the dress.
Choose a fashion tape. There are many types of fashion tapes available on the market. Before purchasing one, read reviews about different brands, and read the label carefully to make sure it will be suitable for the fabric of your dress. Look for tapes that are bit wider, as they will have more surface area, meaning they will stay stuck longer. It is reported that some celebrities actually use toupee tape for their red carpet events, instead of fashion tape. Tape the dress. The tape will be sticky on both sides, and will typically have a sticker you have to remove from both sides in order to keep it sticking to everything before you're ready to use it. Carefully apply the tape all the way around the top of the dress, as close the top edge as you can. Apply another layer below the first for extra protection, if you wish. Make sure you apply firm pressure to the tape before moving on to the next step. Use alcohol on your skin to remove any oils. Tape cannot stick to a surface that is oily. If you have oily skin, or have just put lotion on, use a cotton pad with rubbing alcohol on it. Gently swipe the pad across the part of the skin where you wish to attach the tape. Attach tape to skin. Once you are ready to go, put any undergarments you wish to wear on, and then the dress. Peel the backing of the fashion tape off, and then attach it to the skin This will require you to apply firm, direct pressure to the area of skin you are attaching the dress to. It may be helpful to have someone help you do this part. Attach extra tape as needed. At this point, you should be good to go; however, if you notice spots that feel a bit insecure, you can carefully attach more tape. Remove the tape from the skin. Before removing the dress, pull the tape slowly and gently away from your skin. If there is extra residue left on your skin, you can use oil (e.g., baby oil, olive oil. vegetable oil, etc.) to gently remove it with a cotton ball. Remove the tape from the dress. Pull the tape away from the fabric before washing according to the label's instructions. If there is any residue left on the fabric, you can either pull it away with your fingers, or you can try rubbing it away with a warm, wet wash cloth. Be gentle if you use a wash cloth! If you scrub too hard, you might ruin the fabric. If the fabric is very delicate to begin with, you may consider taking it to a professional cleaner, who can clean the delicate fabric properly. Get together everything you need to fix your dress. For this method, you will need one to two yards of fabric covered boning, fabric scissors, thread, a sewing needle and fabric pins, enough Grosgrain ribbon to fit around your waist with at least an extra 10 inches (25.5 cm) to spare, and two hook and eye clasps. Measure the ribbon to fit your waist. Fit the ribbon around your waist, with 2 to 3 extra inches (at least 7 cm). This is what will make your waist stay. Cut the remaining ribbon into four equal parts. These ribbon patches will be used to sew the boning into place. Remove the boning in your dress. Many strapless dresses come with boning already in them; however, this boning is usually of poor quality and very flimsy. Take your fabric scissors and carefully cut a small hole into the lining so that you can pull the boning out. Do this carefully! You don't want to damage the dress lining too much. Skip this step if your dress does not have boning already. Insert the new boning into the space where the old boning was. Don't worry if you didn't have boning in your dress before. You can simply sew the boning to the lining of the dress. You will need to use at least four pieces of boning. Two pieces will go in the front and two pieces will go in the back. Be sure to space the boning evenly! If you are sewing the boning directly onto the dress (and not using the old boning spaces), make sure you leave at least 1/4 inch of space (3 cm) at the top and at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) before the bottom of the waist. Do not sew the bottom of the boning, but leave it free (and not sewn into the dress). When sewing boning to the dress lining, make sure you do a line of stitches on the top of the boning to keep it from poking you. Be cautious when sewing, you don't want your needle to go all the way through the liner to the outer fabric! Leave 1/2 an inch (1.3 cm) of the bottom portion of boning free from the dress. You will need this “extra boning” in order to sew it to the stay (made from the Grosgrain ribbon). Sew the bottom of the boning to your stay. You can do this by using the small patches you cut out earlier and placing the boning between the stay and the patch. Sew backstitches from the top layer (the stay) through the fabric of the boning and then through the patch. Grosgrain ribbon has a smooth side and a ribbed side, make sure the smooth side is facing out so that it does not create lines in your dress. Continue this process with the three remaining pieces of boning. Before you move on to sewing the next piece of boning, try the dress on and pin the stay to make sure you will sew the boning to the right part of the stay. Sew your hook and eye clasps to each end of the stay. Once you have completed the boning, you will need a way to keep your waist stay closed. To do this, sew one half of the clasp to one end of the ribbon and the other side to the other end. Repeat this with the second clasp. This will allow you to clasp the waist stay together, similar to how you would do with a clasp bra. Find a seamstress. You can find one in the phone book or by searching online for “seamstress” plus the name of your town or city. Be aware that some seamstresses are very busy, and alterations can take some time. If you need the dress very soon, you may have to try another method if the seamstress cannot finish it in time. Explain to your seamstress what you would like. Although he/she may tailor the entire dress to fit better, you should make it explicit that the dress falls down, so you want it tailored to fit your bust better. Schedule a second fitting. It is important to make sure you try the dress on at the seamstress' shop before taking it home. This way, you can make sure it fits just right. Speak up. If you try the dress on, and it still feels a bit loose, say this! A seamstress uses a measuring tape to see how the dress should fit, but a misplaced pin could throw measurements off. If you don't feel right in the dress, then kindly explain that. Be sure to be courteous. Do your best to be gracious to the person who makes your clothes fit. Find a strapless bra. This method requires you to wear a strapless bra. If you don't have one already, you will need to buy one. Make sure it will not show through the dress! If you are wearing a white dress wear a nude colored bra instead of a white one. Have plenty of safety pins on hand. These are what you will use to pin your dress to the bra. Put your bra and dress on. Before you can begin pinning them together, you need to have them on. It will be very helpful if you have someone help you with the pinning! Pin the bra and dress together. From the inside (e.g. insert the pin from the inside of the bra to the outside of the dress. This will hide the larger part of the safety pin. If your dress has a lining, you can try pinning the dress only through the lining so that the pin doesn't show on the outside at all. Make sure, though, that the lining is strong enough to support the dress! If the lining is very thin, and the dress fabric quite heavy, it may tear the lining. Alternatively, if there is no lining or you want the extra support, pin through the entire dress, but make the space between where the pin exits the fabric and then re-enters the fabric as small as possible so that it will not be too visible. Pin all around the dress. You don't have to pin every inch of the dress, but have enough so that the dress is well adhered to the bra. You don't want the dress to fall down in some areas and remain in place where it is pinned.
Choose a fashion tape. Tape the dress. Use alcohol on your skin to remove any oils. Attach tape to skin. Attach extra tape as needed. Remove the tape from the skin. Remove the tape from the dress. Get together everything you need to fix your dress. Measure the ribbon to fit your waist. Cut the remaining ribbon into four equal parts. Remove the boning in your dress. Insert the new boning into the space where the old boning was. Leave 1/2 an inch (1.3 cm) of the bottom portion of boning free from the dress. Sew the bottom of the boning to your stay. Continue this process with the three remaining pieces of boning. Sew your hook and eye clasps to each end of the stay. Find a seamstress. Explain to your seamstress what you would like. Schedule a second fitting. Speak up. Find a strapless bra. Have plenty of safety pins on hand. Put your bra and dress on. Pin the bra and dress together. Pin all around the dress.
https://www.wikihow.com/Come-Out-As-a-Gay-or-Lesbian-Teen
How to Come Out As a Gay or Lesbian Teen
Coming out as gay or lesbian can be a big step, especially as a teen, but with a little planning, it should go more smoothly. Start by telling your closest friends and family members who you think will be supportive, so you can get used to telling people about your sexuality. For example, say something like, "This might be a surprise to you, but I wanted to let you know that I'm gay. I've known for a while, but I'm finally confident enough to come out." If you don't want them to share your news with anyone else, make this clear so you'll be in control of who knows. Be prepared for a range of reactions, like surprise, confusion, denial, and sadness. Hopefully everyone's really happy about you coming out, but some people can take a little time to get used to the idea. If you're worried about your parents kicking you out or getting mad at you, consider waiting until you live alone to tell them.
Get comfortable with your sexual orientation. You might have identified as LGBTQ for a while or only recently starting exploring your orientation. Make sure that you can confidently say to yourself, “I am gay” or “I am a lesbian.” If you're having trouble acknowledging that to yourself, you might not be ready to share this with other people. Don't worry that you're too young to know which sex or gender you would like to be romantically involved with. No matter your age, you can know how you feel. Read stories about other people's experiences. Coming out is a really personal process, but it can still be helpful to learn how other people handled it. Spend some time online reading about the experiences of other LGBTQ people. There are lots of great resources to look at like The Trevor Project ( https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ ) and Pride. If you have any friends or family members who identify as LGBTQ you could also ask them to tell you about what it was like for them to come out. Make a list of reasons that you want to come out. Whenever and however you want to come out is a really personal decision. It's important that you're doing it because you want to, not because you're feeling pressure from someone else. Maybe you want to start dating or are just ready to be more open in your current relationships. Those are terrific reasons to come out! Sometimes people might make assumptions about your sexual orientation. Don't feel like you have to come out just to correct or confirm their assumptions. Only come out because it is what you want to do. List the supportive people in your life and choose one to tell first. It's a good idea to choose a trusted confidant before coming out to the world. Just remember, your identity is your business and you don't have to share it with anyone that you don't want to. Jot down some names of people you can count on. Someone on that list is probably a good person to start with. Your list might include your parents, a sibling, a friend, or another family member. It's a good idea to just pick one person to start with because a one on one conversation can feel less intimidating than talking to multiple people. If you want to tell both of your parents at the same time, it's definitely okay to choose 2 people to tell. Expect a wide range of possible reactions. Hopefully, anyone you tell is immediately supportive and kind. Unfortunately, that's not always the case. Before coming out, think about the other possible reactions people may have, such as: Shock Anger Confusion Fear Sadness If you encounter these reactions, it's okay to take a time out. You can say, "I can see that you're upset. Maybe you can reach out to me when you're feeling calmer." Plan what you will do if you get a negative reaction. When you're young, you likely rely on your parents for all of the essentials like food, clothing, and shelter. If you get the sense that your parents might not support you, consider waiting to come out. There's absolutely no shame in waiting until you live on your own to tell your parents. In the meantime, you can try reaching out to a more supportive, understanding relative. They could help you navigate this tough situation. If you are worried about their reaction, have a back-up plan. Ask a friend or family member if you can stay with them for a while if your parents kick you out. Hopefully, that won't happen, but it's always best to be prepared. Choose a time and place free from distractions. Make sure that you can talk privately and without interruption. Say to your parents , “Do you have time to talk after dinner tonight? I have something important to tell you.” Ask them to sit with you somewhere comfortable, like your living room or bedroom. Try not to start the conversation when they are busy or trying to head out the door. If you want to come out to a friend, you can say, “Hey, do you want to come over after soccer practice? I have something I'd like to talk to you about.” If you are worried that the other person might get angry, choose to have the conversation somewhere public, like a nearby coffee shop. Focus on the positives. You don't want to make it sound like you're sharing bad news. You can be proud of who you are! Use a positive tone of voice and make eye contact. You can say something like, “I wanted to let you know that I'm gay. I'm finally feeling really comfortable with myself.” You could also try, “I'm a lesbian and I'm ready to start dating girls. This is a big step for me!” Hopefully, the other person will take a cue from your positivity and react in a similar way. Be honest about your emotions. It's also okay to share any other feelings that you might have. Maybe you're feeling anxious, nervous, or scared. You can share that part of yourself, too, and ask for support. Try saying, “I'm excited to tell you, but I'm nervous about how others might react. Maybe you could help me figure out who else I want to tell?” You could also say, “I'm glad I told you, but this has been a really emotional process for me. I could use some extra.” Provide educational resources to help them understand. Other people, especially your parents, might not know exactly what it means to identify as LGBTQ. They might also need information on how to support you. You can give them a lot of good information. Take a look at the websites of groups like PFLAG ( https://pflag.org/ ). You can print off information or just tell them about the site. If there is an LGBTQ community center in your town or at your school, you can swing by there to grab some helpful pamphlets. You could say, “I know you might not understand. Here's some information that might help things more clear.” Expect to answer personal questions. Your parents or friends might have a lot of things they want to know. If they start asking you lots of questions they are probably coming from a supportive place of wanting to understand you. You can answer the questions if you want to but it's always fine to say, “I really don't feel comfortable talking about that.” A common question is “Are you sure?” You can say something like, “Yes, I'm very clear on the type of person that I would like to date. I'm not confused.” They might also ask, “Are you ready for your life to change?” A good answer might be, “I'm a little nervous, actually. I'm hoping I can count on your support.” Be very clear about who they can tell. Remember that this is your personal information. It's normal for other people to want to discuss big news, so be aware that they might want to talk about this with someone else. Let them know whether or not this is okay. You could say to your parents, “I'd really appreciate if you don't tell any other family members. I'll let you know when I'm ready to do that.” To a friend, you might say, “Let's keep this to ourselves for now. Please don't share this with our other friends unless I say it is okay.” Research anti-bullying rules and protections for students before you come out. Many schools these days have strict rules about how students treat each other. Even if you are at a supportive school, some people might still not be accepting of you if you come out. Look online at the school website to learn about protections against bullying. If there aren't any, you might not want to be out at school. You can also ask your parents to look into this for you. You could say, “I just want to make sure there's a no tolerance policy for bullying at my school. Can you look into that for me?” Choose a trusted teacher or coach to tell first. An adult might be a good person to help you navigate being out at school. They can give you advice and help you deal with any issues that come up. If you have a good relationship with a teacher or coach, consider coming out to them. A guidance counselor would also be a great choice. Schedule an appointment to talk. You could say, “I wanted to let you know that I want to come out as LGBTQ. Does the school have any support services for me?” Look for student-led support clubs to join when you're ready. Take a look at the list of student activities at your school. There might be a Gay-Straight Alliance that you could join, for example. It's a pretty safe bet that those people would be accepting and supportive of you. It's totally fine to just come out to a small group of select people. You don't have to be out to everyone. Use social media or word of mouth if you want to come out to everyone. You might be feeling really excited to live openly at school. If you want to let the whole school know, you can make some changes to your social media. For example, some sites like Facebook let you express your identity in your profile. You could also post a supportive LGBTQ image on your Instagram and write a caption like, "I'm coming out!" Let your friends help you spread the word. You can say, "Feel free to tell people my news. I'm excited to live more openly!" Take steps to protect yourself from negative reactions. If you come out to other students, you should also come out to an adult. That way if there is any bullying, someone will already understand your situation. Hopefully, everyone treats you with the respect you deserve. But if students are mean or make threats, take some precautions. Ask a friend to eat lunch with you and walk to class together. There's strength in numbers! Report any incidents to both your parents and school authorities. No one has the right to treat you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable.
Get comfortable with your sexual orientation. Read stories about other people's experiences. Make a list of reasons that you want to come out. List the supportive people in your life and choose one to tell first. Expect a wide range of possible reactions. Plan what you will do if you get a negative reaction. Choose a time and place free from distractions. Focus on the positives. Be honest about your emotions. Provide educational resources to help them understand. Expect to answer personal questions. Be very clear about who they can tell. Research anti-bullying rules and protections for students before you come out. Choose a trusted teacher or coach to tell first. Look for student-led support clubs to join when you're ready. Use social media or word of mouth if you want to come out to everyone. Take steps to protect yourself from negative reactions.
https://www.wikihow.com/Act-Like-You-Have-a-Boyfriend
How to Act Like You Have a Boyfriend
To act like you have a boyfriend, tell people you're in a relationship and switch your social media status. You can be even more convincing if you make up a name, backstory, and persona for your fake boyfriend. However, don't make him sound too perfect, or people may get suspicious. As you work to keep your fake relationship going, tell stories about your dates, post regular status updates about your relationship, and stage date photos.
Look for signs of attraction. If you're out at a party or event and a guy is talking to you, you should be on the lookout for signs of attraction. Things like persistent eye contact, compliments, and assertive body language may indicate that a guy has his eyes set on you. If you want to reject someone, it helps to identify the early warning signs, and then pull the boyfriend card early on. Leading someone on makes things worse for the both of you. Your best bet is to tell a guy you have a boyfriend as soon as you think he's coming on to you. If you welcome the attention at first and turn it away later, telling him you have a boyfriend might not work as a proper rejection, as he may assume you want to cheat with him. Say your boyfriend's just coming back from the bathroom if someone's coming on too fast. Tell him you have a boyfriend. In the vast majority of cases, the simplest way of telling someone you have a boyfriend is the best. If a guy makes an overt advance on you, you should say "I have a boyfriend" without trying to dress it up with any detail. If you're having a conversation and want to be less confrontational, you can work your would-be boyfriend into the conversation. For example, if you're talking about music, you might say "My boyfriend's favourite band is..." This method is a good way of letting someone know you're taken without making it seem like you're rejecting him. Be straightforward. Don't beat around the bush if you're trying to get someone to think you have a boyfriend. Even if you're trying to save someone's feelings, being straightforward about your rejection will minimize the risk of dragging it out longer than it needs to last. Avoid sending mixed messages. Mixed messages are a big problem if you're trying to reject someone. In fact, just being polite can indicate to some guys that you're at least somewhat interested in him. If he's into you, he may take any indication as a sign to keep going. If you're intent on saying "No" to a guy, make sure you're expressing it on all levels. You should also be aware of your body language. While you don't need to be completely standoffish, you should keep your hands to yourself, even if you usually like to express yourself with touch. Remember you live in the age of technology. In other words, if the guy knows your name, he may have enough information to look you up online. If he can look you up, he can find your relationship status on social media. He can figure out you're lying if you have it set to "single." If someone does figure out you're lying, you could use an excuse like you just started seeing someone, and you haven't made it "Facebook official" yet. If you use this technique often, you may want to keep your relationship status hidden. Consider alternate approaches. Some women think that the "I have a boyfriend" approach reinforces the concept that a woman needs a man in order to be complete. This tactic is also overused, often to the point where guys may suspect you're lying. Simply saying "I'm not interested in dating anyone" will leave no room for interpretation, as well as demonstrate to others that you're confident in your own decisions. Refer to your fake boyfriend by name. Friends are generally very difficult to fake a relationship around, particularly if you were planning on making it a long-term illusion. Although you'll always have to deflect the offer when they ask to spend time with him, you should put detail to good use. Refer to him by name, and treat it as if you're talking about a real human being. The choice of name is important. Avoid outlandish or foreign-sounding names. You should avoid giving out a surname as well. Your friends may be curious and try to look him up on social media if you do. Think up a personality for your beau. Any illusion has a better chance of working if you put extra thought into it. Because friends are going to want to know more about your boyfriend, you should prepare a believable personality for him. What does he do for work? How did the two of you meet? What are his personality quirks? If you're going to act like you have a boyfriend around your friends, you'll need to dig beneath the surface and concoct a well-rounded story. Believability includes not making your boyfriend seem too perfect. Although you don't need to list out his flaws along with the good things, you should limit the good things so you don't seem like you're exaggerating. Everyone has a complaint about their significant other from time to time. Avoid trying to impress anyone too much. If you're already dating someone faithfully, you likely won't be going out of your way to impress other people as much, especially when they're the opposite sex. Even if you're regularly extroverted, you shouldn't go out of your way as much to spark conversation with new people. Feel secure and happy in yourself. Many people place a lot of their self-worth on whether or not they're in a relationship. If you want to make it seem like you're with someone, you should do your best to exhibit this confidence in yourself. One way or another, you shouldn't let your relationship status affect how you feel on a normal basis. Make statuses about your relationship. The easiest way you can act like you have a boyfriend online is by making posts about your relationship together. Publically compliment your boyfriend via your social media account, and keep your online social circle up to date about romantic nights you're not actually having. Don't go overboard with these posts, as they often tend to be annoying to other people, especially to those who are having trouble finding a relationship of their own. Act cheerful and upbeat online. Whatever your reason for faking a relationship, do your best to make yourself feel the way you would if you were really with someone. Visualize the thoughts and feelings that normally distinguish being single from being in a relationship, and try to emulate the latter as best as you can. For example, being in a relationship may lead to you making cheerier posts online, rather than unhappy ones. Stage pictures that imply a relationship. Although people may be suspicious of a faked profile, a fake boyfriend will seem that much more real if you stage pictures in the real world. A picture as basic as two coffee cups on a table with an appropriate caption will make it seem like you're out doing things with someone special. Even if you won't have an actual boyfriend to photograph, the implication is often enough. A caption is a vital part of creating the illusion. Make it affectionate and romantic. For instance, if you have two coffee cups set up, you can say something like "Drinking my favourite coffee with my favourite guy." Try a virtual boyfriend service. There are virtual relationship services that will give you the experience of having a fake relationship for a monthly fee. Upon paying, you'll normally get custom-made voicemails, cutesy texts, and a believable backstory on how the two of you met in the first place. If you need a quick way to act like you have a boyfriend, delegating some of the creativity to professionals may be the very help you need.
Look for signs of attraction. Tell him you have a boyfriend. Avoid sending mixed messages. Remember you live in the age of technology. Consider alternate approaches. Refer to your fake boyfriend by name. Think up a personality for your beau. Avoid trying to impress anyone too much. Feel secure and happy in yourself. Make statuses about your relationship. Act cheerful and upbeat online. Stage pictures that imply a relationship. Try a virtual boyfriend service.
https://www.wikihow.com/Convince-Your-Parents-to-Let-You-Redecorate-Your-Room
How to Convince Your Parents to Let You Redecorate Your Room
If you want to convince your parents to let you redecorate your room, start by thinking about what you can offer them, like good grades or help around the house, in return for their permission. Then, practice how you'll start the conversation with your parents. For example, you could say something like, “Mom, Dad, can I talk to you about my room?” During the conversation, try to be as specific as possible about what you want, and if you can, offer to pay for some of the costs, which will show them that you know the value of money. Finally, remember to listen to their perspective and compromise to try and reach an agreement that works for everyone.
Pick an ideal time to talk. Sometimes, when you talk can be as important as the conversation itself. When deciding how to have the conversation, think about a good time to talk. You don't want to bombard your parents when they're already busy or stressed. Aim to talk at a time when your parents are normally at ease. For example, say your parents usually unwind and watch television on Wednesday nights. This may be a good time to approach them instead of, say, approaching them on a Tuesday night, when they both have busy schedules. Think about what you need from the conversation. You don't want to go into the conversation without a plan. Think about your own feelings and needs. Identify why you want to redecorate your room. Why is this important to you and how can you best convey this to your parents? Oftentimes, redecoration is about something deeper. Maybe you're getting older and your room no longer reflects your personality. Maybe your tastes have changed over the years, and you want something that reflects your individuality. Instead of just talking about your plans to redecorate, show your parents why it's important to you. Talk about how your room is your sanctuary, and how you want it to express the person you are becoming. Figure out what you can offer in return. Your parents want you to learn responsibility. If you request a big change, such as reorganizing your room, they may expect you to do something in exchange for this. Think about what you can trade in exchange for the right to redecorate. Find some specific ways you can offer a trade. Think about things your parents value. Is there anything they frequently want you to do differently? Maybe they want you to bring your grades up or help out around the house more. Offer a few specific things you'll change if your parents let you redecorate your room. You can, for example, agree to keep your room cleaner in exchange for being allowed to redecorate. Rehearse what you're going to say. You don't want to go into the conversation without practicing a little. Talking to your parents can be nerve racking, so go over a few ways to start the conversation in your head. Figure out how you'll get your parents attention. For example, practice saying something like, "Mom, Dad, could I talk to you?" Practice your opening sentence a few times in front of the mirror. It doesn't have to be too elaborate. Something as simple as, "I wanted to talk about my room" can be sufficient. Let your parents know you want to talk. Begin the conversation directly. Approach your parents when they're not busy and let them know there's something you would like to discuss. Say something like, "Mom, Dad, do you have a minute? I wanted to ask you guys about something?" Express gratitude as you ask permission. Parents want to make sure you understand and appreciate responsibility. If you simply ask to redecorate your room with no real introduction, they may think you don't get how much money goes into the cost of renovations. Begin asking by expressing gratitude for how hard your parents work to give you the advantages you have. Say something like, "I know you guys work really hard so we can have this great house. I really appreciate being able to have my own room and my own space." You want to make sure your parents know you appreciate what you have in the present. You need to let them know you do appreciate your room, even if you want to change it. Be specific about what you want. Make a clear request. This will give your parents a clear sense of what they're saying "Yes" to. Talk to them about what, specifically, you want to change about your room and what kind of help you'll need from them. Tell them what your ideal is for redecoration. For example, "Ideally, I want to repaint the room in a color I like. I don't really like yellow anymore, so I would really like to paint it blue or green." Keep in mind, not all of your requests may be met. Tell your parents what you want directly, but be prepared to potentially compromise. Offer to pay for some of the decoration costs. Redecorating costs money. Even if your parents can afford to revamp your room, they want you to know the value of money. If you volunteer to take care of some of the costs, your parents are more likely to say "Yes" to your request. Tell them how you plan to help pay for the re-decorations. For example, you can say something like, "I've been saving about $30 of my babysitting money every month for awhile now. I can put that towards paint." Listen to your parents' perspective. Your parents will likely have opinions on the matter. Try not to argue with them or interrupt. Instead, stay calm and try to see their point of view. They may have a point that you're overlooking. For example, your parents may worry about your tastes changing fast. If you're still young, you may change your mind again in the future. It's likely you've cycled through a variety of favorite colors and styles in the past few years, and your parents may not want to waste money redecorating if you're going to want to redo your room again before long. Try to really consider their point of view. Reflect on your tastes, and how quickly they change. Maybe you want to paint your room green, but green has only been your favorite color for a few months. It may be reasonable to hold off on repainting until your tastes are more stable. Avoid arguing. Arguing is not going to get you anywhere. It's only going to frustrate your parents. If your parents think you're being immature or difficult, they're much less likely to say "Yes" to your request. Even if you're getting frustrated, watch your tone. A friendly, respectful tone will be more effective than raising your voice or complaining. Offer to compromise. Your parents may so "No" to some of your requests. If this happens, be open to compromise. Instead of getting argumentative, consider their perspective and see if you can reach an agreement that works for everyone. For example, say your parents say "No" to repainting. It's expensive and time consuming, and they're worried you'll change your mind in the future. Try to see if they'd be willing to meet you halfway. Instead of repainting, maybe they would let you put up some temporary wallpaper. Accept the decision for now. There's always a chance your parents will not agree to your request. In this case, the best thing to do is to accept a "No" for the time being. In the future, you can ask again. If you're mature and go along with your parents decisions, this increases the likelihood they'll say "Yes" in the future. They will see that you're mature, which will make them more likely to allow you to make some of your own decisions.
Pick an ideal time to talk. Think about what you need from the conversation. Figure out what you can offer in return. Rehearse what you're going to say. Let your parents know you want to talk. Express gratitude as you ask permission. Be specific about what you want. Offer to pay for some of the decoration costs. Listen to your parents' perspective. Avoid arguing. Offer to compromise. Accept the decision for now.
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Hip-Hop/Rap-Beat
How to Make a Hip Hop/Rap Beat
To make a hip hop or rap beat, start by booting up Garageband and opening a new software project. Next, click on “New Track”, then select “Software Instrument” and click “Create” to pick a hip-hop drummer for your drum line. Then, follow the same steps to add a bass line and the lead instrument track. You can also add in other instruments in the same way or add a pre-recorded loop to your track. When you're happy with your beat, click “Share,” followed by “Export to Disk,” to save the track to your computer.
Understand the anatomy of a hip-hop beat. All hip-hop beats use a combination of the following instruments: Drum line — Sets up the tempo and background of the beat. The drum line is the most important aspect of the beat. Bass line — Complements the drum line. The bass line is less important in the grand scheme of the beat than is the drum line. Lead — The main instrument used to create a melody (e.g., a piano). Support — Any other instruments used in conjunction with the melody (e.g., minor string instruments). Learn the proper timing. Most hip-hop instrumentals are created in 4/4 time, which means each measure has four beats in it. In other words, one measure might have a drum line, a snare, a hat, and a clap each play once before resetting for the next measure. Additionally, the average hip-hop instrumental is around 115 BPM (beats per minute). For a slower hip-hop beat, you can use a 2/4 beat, which is two beats per measure. Know which instruments are usually present. Hip-hop beats typically use a combination of the kick, clap, hat, and snare drum effects as their drum line, while an 808 drum or a bass guitar may be used for the bass line. Technically, these are the only instruments you need to create a true hip-hop beat. Lead and support instruments can be anything from a synth to a piano. Consider your beat's purpose. While hip-hop and rap typically focus on spoken word more than singing, some hip-hop artists tread the line between rap and R&B in their songs; if you want to have a portion of your beat devoted to a singing section, you may want to change the beat's lead and support instruments to complement the section. You can add rap lyrics to virtually any 4/4 beat and have the end result sound fine, so you shouldn't worry too much about structuring your beat specifically if you're creating a traditional hip-hop composition. Open FL Studio. Click Start {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/0\/07\/Windowsstart.png","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/07\/Windowsstart.png\/30px-Windowsstart.png","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":460,"bigWidth":"30","bigHeight":"30","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>I edited this screenshot of a Windows icon.\n<\/p><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Public_domain\">Public Domain<\/a><br>\n<\/p><\/div>"} , type fl studio into Start, and click FL Studio 12 at the top of the window. If you don't have FL Studio installed, you can download it from Image Line's website at https://www.image-line.com/downloads/flstudiodownload.html. Create a new, blank project. To do so: Click FILE Select New from template Select Minimal Click Basic Change the project's BPM. You can adjust the beats per minute of the song by finding the number at the top of the window (usually 130 ) and clicking and dragging the number up or down to increase or decrease it. Create the drum line. In the channel, you'll see four rows of boxes (one row for each instrument in the drum line). Clicking a box will enable the column's drum for that beat. You'll need to do this for the kick, the clap, the hat, and the snare. There are four boxes per measure (e.g., a row of four red boxes is a measure, and a row of black boxes is a measure). Add a bass line instrument. You can add one of FL Studio's pre-installed instruments to the channel by doing the following: Click the "Bass" folder on the left side of the window to display a list of bass instruments. Find an instrument you want to use. Click and drag an instrument from the list of bass instruments onto the channel. Close the window that pops up. Create the bass line. Right-click the bass line instrument and click Piano roll in the resulting drop-down menu, then click spaces to the right of a piano key to enter a bass line beat in that key. You can click and drag the left or right side of the green bar that appears to lengthen the note. Close the piano roll. Click the X icon in the top-right corner of the piano window to do so. Add the lead instrument. You'll do this by dragging an instrument from one of the folders in the "Instruments" section onto the channel and then closing the window that opens. Create the lead instrument's melody. Right-click the instrument, click Piano roll , and use the piano grid to add notes for your melody. Add any other instruments you want to use. Now that you have the drum line, bass line, and lead instrument established, you can add supporting instruments if you wish. Save your hip-hop beat. You can save your beat as an MP3 file by doing the following: Click FILE Click Export Click MP3 file Select a save location, then click Save Open GarageBand. Click Spotlight {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/e\/ea\/Macspotlight.png","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/ea\/Macspotlight.png\/30px-Macspotlight.png","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":460,"bigWidth":"30","bigHeight":"30","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>I edited this screenshot of a Mac icon.\n<\/p><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a><br>\n<\/p><\/div>"} , type in garageband , and double-click GarageBand at the top of the results. Create a new, blank project. To do so: Click File Click New... Click Empty Project , then click Choose Select Software Project Click Create Create the drum line. Add a new track by clicking Track , clicking New Track , selecting Software Instrument , and clicking Create , then do the following: Click Drummer Select a hip-hop drummer. Add a bass line. Create a new software instrument track, then click the Bass tab on the left side of the window, select a bass instrument, and click Create. Record your bass line. Bring up the "Musical Typing" window by pressing ⌘ Command + K , then click the red "Record" circle and use the keyboard to input the notes you want to use. When you're done recording, click the "Record" button again. Create your lead instrument track. You'll do this by adding a new track, selecting the lead instrument you want to use, and recording your preferred notes just like you did for the bass line. Add any other instruments. Now that you have your drum line, bass line, and lead instrument in your beat, you can proceed with adding any supporting instruments if you like. This step is optional; if you're happy with your beat as it is, skip to the next step. You can use a loop as a supporting instrument. To add a loop to your project, click the "Loop" icon in the upper-right side of the window, then select a loop you'd like to use. Export your beat. Once you're done creating your beat, you can save it as an MP3 file which can be played on any computer: Click Share Click Export to Disk... Enter your song's information. Click Export
Understand the anatomy of a hip-hop beat. Learn the proper timing. Know which instruments are usually present. Consider your beat's purpose. Open FL Studio. Create a new, blank project. Change the project's BPM. Create the drum line. Add a bass line instrument. Create the bass line. Close the piano roll. Add the lead instrument. Create the lead instrument's melody. Add any other instruments you want to use. Save your hip-hop beat. Open GarageBand. Create a new, blank project. Create the drum line. Add a bass line. Record your bass line. Create your lead instrument track. Add any other instruments. Export your beat.
https://www.wikihow.com/Dye-Naturally-Black-Hair-Silver
How to Dye Naturally Black Hair Silver
If you want to dye your naturally black hair silver, you'll need to bleach and tone it first so your hair is light enough. Use a high-quality, 30-volume bleach kit for the best results. Apply the bleach according to the package instructions and lighten your hair to reach a very pale blonde color. Once you've bleached your hair, apply a white or purple toner to cancel out any orange or yellow tones. After you've applied the toner, apply the silver dye evenly throughout your hair. When your hair reaches the silver color you want, rinse the dye out and wash and condition your hair as usual.
Deep condition your hair 1-2 weeks before you dye it. You can have this done at your local hair salon. Using bleach is really hard on your hair. This is a preemptive measure to ensure that your hair doesn't get as dry and damaged, or at least less than it would have been otherwise. Deep conditioning can help reduce breakage. Wash you hair the day before you bleach it or earlier. It's a common misconception that bleach won't affect dirty hair as well as it does clean hair. Give your scalp a little time between washing and bleaching so that the natural oils in your hair can build up. This can help you protect your scalp from the irritation that the bleach may cause. Prepare to have to cut off some of your hair. Mentally prepare yourself for the possibility of needing to cut off some broken or damaged hair after using the bleach. Before bleaching, make sure your hair is on the longer end of your comfort zone, so that you don't get upset when a little bit needs to be cut off. Get a bleach kit. In order to achieve, glossy, silver hair, you will first need to purchase a 30-volume bleach kit. You can buy these at many hair salons, even at pharmacies. Don't buy the cheapest kind. Bleach can really mess with your hair, so you might as well invest in a high quality hair bleach. You don't need to buy the most expensive one either, but it isn't recommended to go bottom of the barrel here. Apply Vaseline along your hairline. Start at the forehead and work your way down to the nape of your neck. This will help protect your scalp from the bleach and dye. Make sure your hairline is well covered. Put on Latex gloves. This will protect your hands from the dye and the bleach. It may also help make the process less messy and keep your hands from staining. Clip your hair into sections. You'll want between 4 and 6 sections depending on the thickness of your hair. One by one, starting at the back, you'll take down the clip and apply the bleach to you hair using a hair color brush that you can buy at a hair salon. You might want a friend to help you out with the back of your head to ensure that all of you hair gets saturated. Follow the directions on the kit's box. Every bleach has different instructions so it is hard to be too specific here, but generally you want to let the bleach sit until it has reached the desired color. Check on is every 10 minutes or so to see if it has reached the color you're going for. If the bleach dries, then it has stopped working. Even if your hair hasn't reached the desired color, rinse the bleach out of your hair once it has dried or an hour has passed. Determine if you need to do it again. Your hair needs to be a very pale blonde color before you apply the silver dye in order to get the silver color you desire. If it is a shade of orange or light brown, you will need to bleach your hair again, by following the kit's same steps. Remember to wait at least a week or so after the first bleaching process to lighten your hair again. Rinse your hair when it is pale blonde then use toner to remove the last bits of yellow. Avoid letting the bleach process for so long that your hair turns white, as this is a sign of damage. You might even want to wait longer than a week to bleach your hair again if it's in poor shape after the first bleaching. Since you have black hair, you'll probably have to bleach it at least twice. Be wary about bleaching your hair multiple times. Bleach can cause extreme breakage. If your hair isn't reaching that pale yellow color and the bleach seems to be damaging it, consider talking to a professional hair stylist. Use toner to achieve the silver look you desire. White and purple toner works a bit like bleach, except it cancels out any orangery or yellow tones in your hair, and gives it a beautiful silvery tone. You can buy toner from a beauty supply store, or you can probably find it at stores like Hot Topic or your local pharmacy. Put on new gloves and separate the hair back into four to six sections. Remember, you want to stay sanitary and keep your hands from getting stained with dye. Do not wear the same pair of latex gloves you used to do the bleaching with. Put vaseline on your scalp and hairline again. Once again, carefully dab the vaseline all over the skin that borders your hair. This will stop the dye from sticking to your skin or discoloring it. Apply the dye evenly throughout the hair. Using a bottle for efficiency, start at the ends and work your way up. You'll want to make sure each section is covered from root to tip. Also apply the dye quickly, as freshly bleached hair often takes color very fast. Keep an eye on the color constantly and rinse your hair when the desired hue is achieved, otherwise you could end up with purple strands. If you miss a spot, that area will appear pale yellow while the rest looks silver, so try to be thorough. Rinse, wash, and condition your hair. Once your hair is the silver color that you wanted, rinse your hair thoroughly with cold water to get the excess dye out. Then wash it with a color-safe shampoo and condition it with a color-safe conditioner to keep the silver color from washing out. Color-safe shampoos and conditioners can be bought at your local pharmacy.
Deep condition your hair 1-2 weeks before you dye it. Wash you hair the day before you bleach it or earlier. Prepare to have to cut off some of your hair. Get a bleach kit. Apply Vaseline along your hairline. Put on Latex gloves. Clip your hair into sections. Follow the directions on the kit's box. Determine if you need to do it again. Use toner to achieve the silver look you desire. Put on new gloves and separate the hair back into four to six sections. Put vaseline on your scalp and hairline again. Apply the dye evenly throughout the hair. Rinse, wash, and condition your hair.
https://www.wikihow.com/Wear-a-Jockstrap
How to Wear a Jockstrap
To wear a jockstrap, make sure it isn't so tight that it's uncomfortable or causing chafing. If you're going to be wearing an athletic cup with your jockstrap, put your jockstrap on first. Then, slide the cup into the pouch at the front of the jockstrap. If the cup feels too loose in the pouch, try a smaller jockstrap or consider wearing compression shorts over the cup instead.
Wear a jockstrap for comfort and protection while playing sports. A jockstrap is recommended for any sport that requires running, such as track and field or basketball.For contact sports or sports involving fast-moving balls, a cup is also recommended. Make sure your jockstrap fits correctly. You will want to consider waist size and pouch comfort. The jockstrap should be tight enough to lift and hold the penis and testicles close to the body, out of the way during movement. but not too tight, as chafing can contribute to jock itch. Decide if you will be wearing a cup. A cup is a hard molded piece of plastic or metal that fits inside of a pouch in the jock strap. They are recommended for any sport involving contact or speeding projectiles, such as hockey, soccer, baseball, football, or mixed martial arts. Some men wear a cup-jockstrap in daily wear, not just when playing sports, to augment their masculine appearance. Many athletes are reluctant to wear cups, particularly in football, but consider that more than half of all testicular injuries occur during sports and testicular torsion and testicular rupture can lead to losing a testicle. Choose your cup. Many cups are sport specific, so you'll need to know the sport you are going to use it for. You will want to consider both comfort and the degree of protection the cup offers. For a cup to work, it must fit tightly against the body. You will want to make sure your jockstrap is tight enough to prevent the cup from rolling or twisting. Look for cups with cushioned edges. A hard edge will just transfer the force of the blow to the pelvic area. A soft edge provides better cushioning during impact. For really fast moving sports like lacrosse or baseball, consider a titanium cup. Consider wearing compression shorts over your cup-jockstrap if you think the cup- jockstrap fits too loose and does not hold the cup tight enough against your body. Compression shorts offer similar support as a jockstrap, and some compression shorts come with a pouch designed to hold a protective cup, but many compression shorts that have a pouch do not hold the cup tight against the body. It is better to wear a cup in a cup-jockstrap and then wear tight fitting compression shorts over the cup-jockstrap to hold the cup firmly in place and tight against the body. In many sports such as football, compression shorts are now preferred by many athletes. But remember always that the cup must be held firmly in place and tight against the body for it function properly. Wear a fashion jockstrap as you would regular underwear. Increasingly, men are turning to jockstraps as an everyday form of underwear due to their comfort and attractiveness. Make sure your jockstrap is comfortable. Jockstraps are usually sized by waist. You will want to try several to make sure your genitals are also comfortable. Unlike in sports, you do not need to worry about how close they hold your genitals to your body. Pick a jockstrap that you find most comfortable. Decide on a style. Fashion jockstraps don't just come in the typical waist band, pouch and two straps style that typifies sports jockstraps. Some have thicker straps or multiple straps, while others have more material to help shape your buttocks. Choose the material. Like other kinds of underwear, fashion jockstraps come in a variety of materials: cotton, mesh, silk and even fur! Consider the shape of the pouch. Fashion jockstraps come in a variety of shapes, including snug, contour and natural. Some even come with plastic cups for “aesthetic enhancement.” Pick your brand. 35% of men say they buy their underwear in order to show off the brand peeking out from the waist of their pants. Consider popular fashion brands like Jack Adams, Nasty Pig, N2N, Modus Vivendi, Pump! And Baskit.
Wear a jockstrap for comfort and protection while playing sports. Make sure your jockstrap fits correctly. Decide if you will be wearing a cup. Choose your cup. Consider wearing compression shorts over your cup-jockstrap if you think the cup- jockstrap fits too loose and does not hold the cup tight enough against your body. Wear a fashion jockstrap as you would regular underwear. Make sure your jockstrap is comfortable. Decide on a style. Choose the material. Consider the shape of the pouch. Pick your brand.
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Food-Pyramid
How to Make a Food Pyramid
To make a food pyramid, first draw a triangle shape on a piece of paper and divide the pyramid into 4 equal sections horizontally. Then, divide the 2nd row section in half vertically. Label the bottom section as "Breads, cereals, rice, and pasta," the left section of the 2nd row as "Vegetables," the right section as "Fruits," the third level as "Proteins," and the peak as "Fats, oils, and sweets." Add pictures of the different types of foods in each section and note the number of recommended servings for each, too.
Draw a large pyramid on a piece of paper. The symbolic meaning of the pyramid – wide base that narrows to a point at the top – parallels the amount of each food group you should include in your daily diet. Although the modern version of the pyramid takes into account physical activity, age, and gender, the original concept design was to illustrate that a variety of foods need to be consumed in differing amounts to maintain a healthy diet. Divide the paragraph into four sections by drawing three horizontal lines across the pyramid. The base, or bottom level, should run the entire width of the pyramid. The next two levels should be split down the middle by drawing a vertical line in the center of each level. The top level, or peak, should be its own level. Since there are a great variety of foods that you consume during the week, make sure the pyramid is large enough to enter multiple food names within the structure of the pyramid. Label each section of the pyramid. The food pyramid emphasizes five major food categories along with fats, oils, and sweets. It is important to accurately label each section of the pyramid because each food category provides some, but not all, of the nutrients you will need throughout the week. The bottom and largest level is reserved for breads, cereals, rice, and pasta. These are all foods made from grains, which requires the greatest nutritional intake per day. The second level from the base is divided into two sections – vegetables on the left and fruits on the right. All of these foods are made from plants, which contain the essential vitamins, minerals, fibers needed on a daily basis. The third level from the base contain products made from animals – milk, yogurt, and cheese; and meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts. These foods are high in protein, calcium, iron, and zinc. The left side should be labeled the vegetable group and the right as meat group. The peak of the pyramid is not a food group; rather, this is where the fats, oils, and sweets section goes. Mark the number of servings for each section. Section size and pictures give you a visual idea of how much of each group should be consumed, but placing the number of servings is a more accurate representation. Serving size is a good way to evaluate how much you are eating because the labels on packages at the grocery store are required to reveal the number of servings of all foods that you buy. The number of servings depends on how many calories you need to consume for a healthy diet. For example, 1,600 calories is enough for older adults and sedentary women; 2,200 calories is sufficient for children, teenage girls, active women, and sedentary men; and 2,800 calories is suitable for teenage boys, active men, and very active women. These three calorie levels are labeled as lower, moderate, and higher, which accounts for the range of suggested serving size. You must decide which level you fit best under. On the pyramid, label the grain group 6-11 servings; the vegetable group 3-5 servings; the fruit group 2-4 servings; both the milk and meat groups are 2-3 servings each; and the fats, oils, and sweets should be labeled as “use sparingly.” Select a variety of foods. There is no super food that contains all the necessary, protein, vitamins, minerals, and fibers needed for a healthy diet. Instead, food contains combinations of these requirements and, therefore, you need to diversify the food you eat from the five major food groups on the food pyramid. Because we often eat food that we enjoy and are familiar with preparing, it is difficult to diversify our diet. Try to moving away from eating the same or similar foods on a regular basis. Think about balance: people often choose higher or lower amounts from some food groups more than other that is suggested in the food pyramid. Food with beautiful colors – red, yellow, and green – usually found in fruits and vegetables, is very healthy. In other words, eat with your eyes. If it is too difficult to make whole sale changes in your diet, consider changing out just one portion at a time or adding something different to each meal. Most people love leftovers, but usually leftovers cannot be a meal in itself. Add vegetables or whole grain breads to your leftovers to make a more complete meal. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and grains. There is a reason why these three categories are the largest spaces on the pyramid and contain the highest number of servings – because they are the healthiest. Eating plenty of these foods will make you feel full and leave less room for fat, sugar, and oils. Vegetables and fruits contain important vitamins A and C, folate, iron, and magnesium, and are low in fat and sodium. Dark, leafy vegetables like broccoli, spinach, and romaine contain fiber and are known to prevent some cancers and restore damaged skin. Deep, yellow vegetables such as carrots and sweet potatoes contain large amounts of antioxidants that protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer. Choose from fresh fruit and fruit juices and either frozen, canned, or dried fruits to meet the required amount of servings. Avoid heavy syrups or added sugar products claiming to be fruit products. Citrus fruits, melons, and berries are rich in vitamin C, packed with antioxidants, and are a delicious alternative for desert compared to sugary cakes and pies. Choose foods low in fat and cholesterol. The food pyramid focuses specifically on fat intake because research finds that the America diet is too high in fat. Therefore, the food pyramid is designed to lower the intake of fatty foods and cholesterol. Avoiding these two deadly ingredients will reduce your chances of getting heart disease, cancer, and help you maintain an ideal weight. Fat should never be more than thirty percent of your total calorie intake. Just by eating the healthy food listed on the food pyramid with the lowest fat content, you will consume fifty percent of total fat suggested by the USDA. Try not to constantly check how many grams of fat you eat every day. Instead, check it once or twice a week just to make sure you are staying within the guidelines. In particular, avoid saturated fats found in meat and dairy products because they could increase your risk for heart disease. Although cholesterol is similarly found in meat and dairy products and causes increase risk of heart disease, they are not the same as saturated fats, but should also be avoided. Avoid large amounts of added sugar. Added sugars, not those that are naturally found in fruits, contain no nutritional value and, instead, make you fatter and more prone to diseases and cancers. Sugars include white, brown, and raw, as well as corn syrup, honey, and molasses. Added sugars can be found in most of the foods we enjoy like ice cream, candy, soda, jams and jellies. Try to limit added sugars to six teaspoons to a low calorie diet; twelve teaspoons to a moderate calorie diet; and 18 teaspoons to a high calorie diet to minimize potential damage. Pass on salt and sodium. Salt in itself is not bad, the problem stems from added salt during cooking or seasoning food that already contains salt. In other words, be mindful of food labels since they reveal how much salt or sodium is already present in the food. r An abundance of sodium in your body causes water retention, which places an extra burden on the heart and blood vessels causing high blood pressure. This could lead to more serious problems like a heart attack or stroke. Instead of using table salt, substitute it with herbs, spices, vinegar, or citrus juice. Try to purchase unsalted or low sodium foods. Keep a food journal. Every time you go grocery shopping or dine out, write down what you buy and what you eat. This way you can have a better idea of what sections on the pyramid you are fulfilling. Try doing this for a week to one month. Keep the journal with you to immediately record everything you eat and drink. Try to be honest and accurate. Record the date and time when you are eating. At the end of each day, examine what you have eaten and decide if you need to eat better. Match journal entries to the food pyramid. After compiling a record of the foods you ate, serving sizes, and the amount of fat, match it to the food pyramid that you made. Determine whether you are meeting the recommended amount of servings for each category. If not, consider what is preventing you from achieving your goals. Search for patterns in your food choices. It is not unusual to buy a box of cereal and have it every day until the box is empty. It might be, however, a better idea to buy two boxes or more to mix it up and maybe on the weekend, with more time, you can prepare something more elaborate like pancakes with fruit. Be aware of how many snacks you routinely have. A cookie here, a brownie there, a scoop of ice cream after dinner really adds up and they are all in the category that suggests moderation or zero servings. These types of snacks leave you hungrier than if you eat a piece of fruit, which contains filling fiber and healthy sugars. Do you eat healthier during the week while at work or on the weekend with more time on your hands? Time management has plenty of influence on diets. If you eat healthier on the weekends because you have more time, consider making extra healthy helpings that you can put in the refrigerator to eat during the busy weekdays. Keep frozen and canned vegetables in stock to supplement the main course. Grab a fresh apple, orange, or banana on your way out the door. Evaluate the size of your portions. The most difficult part of accessing your diet compared to the guidelines proposed by the food pyramid is determining how much you really ate. Even when you think you are eating healthy foods, too much is still too much. Therefore, evaluating the serving size of what you eat may be the most important part of understanding the food pyramid. Although not always practical, the best determination of serving size is to measure it. It might be handy to make a compact chart that you can carry outside of the house or whenever you cannot use measuring cups. If dining out, record what you ordered or take a picture of it with your cell phone so that when you return home, you can better estimate the serving size.
Draw a large pyramid on a piece of paper. Label each section of the pyramid. Mark the number of servings for each section. Select a variety of foods. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and grains. Choose foods low in fat and cholesterol. Avoid large amounts of added sugar. Pass on salt and sodium. Keep a food journal. Match journal entries to the food pyramid. Evaluate the size of your portions.
https://www.wikihow.com/Improve-Your-Game-in-Soccer
How to Improve Your Game in Soccer
The best way to improve your soccer game is to practice every day. Spend an hour alone working on your skills, or practice passing with a friend or with your team. Remain focused and communicate with your teammates during practices and games.
Practice juggling to improve your ball control. You don't need a lot of space to work on juggling. While you may not specifically juggle the ball during games, being able to juggle the ball well gives you stronger control and better ball-handling skills. Try to juggle for a little longer each time without losing control of the ball. If you can go for 5 minutes consistently, try to go for 10 minutes. Set a timer on your smart phone, or use an analog kitchen timer. Juggling also helps you get better at controlling and stopping the ball. Set up cones or flags for dribbling drills. You can get cones or flags for drills at any sporting goods store or general online retailer. Even if you don't have a lot of space, you can do drills in a small patch of yard. Set the cones or flags in a row and dribble through and around them as you move forward. If you're allowed, you can also practice dribbling inside the house – although you probably don't want to wear your cleats indoors. Dribbling inside gives you plenty of obstacles and opportunities to change direction. Kick the ball against a wall to improve your first touch. Find a solid brick or cement wall so it isn't damaged by repeated kicks. Stand about 2 feet (0.61 m) away to start, and kick the ball as hard as you can against the wall. Get in position to receive the ball, control it, and immediately kick it back against the wall. As you get better, gradually move further away from the wall. Try to kick the ball just as hard from the longer distance as you did from the shorter distance. Create a regular practice schedule. Even if you have regular practice with your team, you also need to practice on your own if you want to really improve your game. Find a time when you can dedicate 20 or 30 minutes every day to practicing your soccer skills. Include at least 5 minutes at the beginning and end of your practice for warming up and cooling down to help prevent injury. You may want to schedule different drills so that you are constantly training different skills. Think about how you can adapt drills you learn in team practice so that you can do them by yourself. If you have a close friend on your team who lives nearby, you might also plan joint practice sessions with them. Develop a specialty skill. Think about one aspect of soccer that you really enjoy and can do relatively well, or that seems to come naturally to you. Focus on that skill in your personal practice sessions and turn it into a signature move. Perfecting one skill adds value to you as a player and gives any coach a reason to have you on their team. For example, if you're a defender, you might work on your defensive heading. Finding an opportunity to use a specialty skill that you've perfected can also enhance your own self-esteem and help you build confidence as a player. Improve your range of motion with dynamic stretches. Dynamic stretches, such as walking lunges and bodyweight squats, are a good warm-up before a practice or conditioning workout that will also increase the flexibility and range of motion in your joints. Before stretching, warm up your muscles by doing jumping jacks or jogging in place. Swing your arms in wide circles to get your blood flowing. Then, allow 5 minutes for dynamic stretches before working out or before a game. Use interval training to build endurance. Many soccer players go jogging or running to increase their cardiovascular endurance. However, while it's true that you do a lot of running during a soccer game, it isn't nonstop running. Rather, you're starting and stopping, jogging, sprinting, walking, and changing directions frequently. Interval training prepares you for this. Interval training naturally includes high and low intensities of activity, similar to the way you move during a game. When choosing interval exercises, focus on those that mimic movements you would be likely to use during a soccer game. During the off-season, a 30-minute interval training session 3 or 4 days a week can help keep you in shape. Incorporate compound exercises for strength training. Compound exercises, such as squats, lunges, and push-ups, work more than one joint and muscle group. These exercises automatically balance the strength of opposing muscle groups, which can help prevent injury. The majority of your exercises should be bodyweight exercises, or use free weights for resistance. Try to do strength training 2 or 3 days a week in the off-season. During the season you can still get in at least 1 strength training session a week, but don't overdo it. Move your whole body to strengthen all muscle groups, but put your primary focus on your lower body and your core. Jump rope to build foot coordination and speed. Alternate between two-footed, single-foot, and crossover jumps, gradually increasing the speed at which you jump. Even if you don't have a jump rope, you can mimic the movement. Using a weighted jump rope allows you to build strength and balance in your upper body and core. Start jumping rope for 15 minutes 3 or 4 days a week. Gradually increase the length of time that you do it. You can also incorporate jumping rope as an interval if you're doing interval training. Do plyometric drills for speed and agility. Plyometrics drills use explosive movements such as jumps to build short-twitch muscle fiber, giving you more power and speed. Some basic plyometric exercises include jump squats and burpees. In addition to plyometric drills, practice sprinting to improve your speed. A professional soccer player can sprint 30 yards (27 m) in about 4 seconds. In the off season, do plyometric and speed exercises at least 2 days per week for 20 or 30 minutes. You can cut this session in season. Watch professional and national games. Study the moves of elite players closely, and dissect how they maintain possession of the ball and put players in position to score. Think about opportunities when you can use similar strategies in your own play. Watch teams with a wide variety of playing styles – don't just focus on one or two teams that you like personally. It can also be good to make a study of a single team playing a lot of different teams. Figure out how they adapt their strategy to capitalize on the weaknesses of the other team. Games where an underdog team defeated a top-ranked team can be good games to watch for strategy. Use the width of the field on offense. When your team has possession, spread out and use the size of the field to help break up the other team's defense and create opportunities to score. Use short and long passes and runs to keep the ball moving. If you keep the ball moving, the defense won't have an opportunity to close in on you and make it difficult for you to pass the ball. Pass the ball to players on the outside to stretch the defense thin and open up holes to get a teammate in an advantageous position. Tighten up to defend as a unit. When the other team has the ball, your general strategy is the opposite of what it was when you had possession. Move more towards the middle of the field and move together as an impenetrable mass. The opposing team will try to stretch you out, but maintain position – especially when they pass the ball to a player on the outside. If the ball is played to the right winger, for example, your whole team should move as a unit to the right. Apply your team strategy consistently. Your coach will communicate the overall team strategy to you and your teammates. When in doubt, fall back to this strategy as a default, regardless of the relative skills of your opponent. Your team strategy should be one that maximizes your team's strengths and minimizes weaknesses. If you see ways in which your team strategy could be improved, talk them over with your coach and your teammates. Work with your coach to understand your role in the overall team strategy, particularly if you switch to a different position. Study the strengths and weaknesses of opponents. Before each game, you'll adapt your overall strategy to limit your opponent's strength and exploit their weaknesses. Study their gameplay carefully, looking not just at individual players but at the way the team plays as a whole. Understanding how your opponents typically act in various types of situations allows you to anticipate how they'll respond so you can be proactive on the field. Communicate with your teammates. Talk to your teammates when you're on the field, and listen to them when they talk to you. Let them know if a player is heading towards them to pressure them, or if you're open. If you have an opportunity, call for the ball and get involved in the game. Communicate with body language as well as your voice. Swivel your head as you play so you know where the ball is and are able to anticipate what may happen anywhere on the field. You can also use the strength of your pass to communicate. A softer pass typically indicates that the receiver has more time, while a crisp pace might indicate the receiver is under pressure. Play for the team. Soccer is a team sport, and you will not do well if you're playing only for yourself. Any moves you make on the field should be designed to put the team in a better position to score, not to make you look good. If you have a personal problem with a team member, don't take it onto the field. Once the game starts, put aside any personal animosity and focus on the team as a whole. Use encouraging self-talk to maintain focus. Keeping an encouraging mantra running through your head can improve your confidence and help you stay in the moment. If you feel the urge to criticize yourself, let it go and return to your encouragement. For example, you might repeat to yourself "It's okay. You're doing great. Just a simple strike, you've done it before. Good clean strike." Visualize your best games. Visualization and meditation can help build confidence and improve your self-image. Set aside 5 to 10 minutes each day to sit quietly and visualize yourself playing your best, or scoring the winning goal. Think about how the movements feel, and how your body feels. Put yourself in the moment as you replay your visualization in your mind. Try breathing and relaxation techniques to improve your control. Deep breathing exercises can help keep you calm under pressure. Soccer can be an intensely personal game, and opponents often will try to trigger your emotions to distract you. Practice positive, helpful reactions to game events that normally would trigger an angry or upset reaction. For example, instead of getting angry or arguing with a referee's call, shake it off and move on. Learn from mistakes and let them go. You can't improve your game – in soccer or any other sport – without making some mistakes along the way. When the inevitable happens, take a deep breath and return to the moment. You'll have time after the game, or at the end of practice, to analyze your mistake and learn from it. In the moment, put it out of your mind. If you dwell on it, you've taken your mind out of the game and your performance will suffer as a result.
Practice juggling to improve your ball control. Set up cones or flags for dribbling drills. Kick the ball against a wall to improve your first touch. Create a regular practice schedule. Develop a specialty skill. Improve your range of motion with dynamic stretches. Use interval training to build endurance. Incorporate compound exercises for strength training. Jump rope to build foot coordination and speed. Do plyometric drills for speed and agility. Watch professional and national games. Use the width of the field on offense. Tighten up to defend as a unit. Apply your team strategy consistently. Study the strengths and weaknesses of opponents. Communicate with your teammates. Play for the team. Use encouraging self-talk to maintain focus. Visualize your best games. Try breathing and relaxation techniques to improve your control. Learn from mistakes and let them go.
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Skateboard
How to Make a Skateboard
To make a skateboard, start by gluing together 6 pieces of 1/17th inch thick plywood with wood glue to form the base. Then, place the wood on a styrofoam mold and seal it in a vacuum bag so that there is no air left inside. Next, leave the board to press in the sealed bag for 8 hours so it can set in the shape of the mold. After removing the wood from the mold, trace around an old board onto the new wood and use a jigsaw to cut it out. Finally, sand down the edges with a belt sander so the edges curve towards the wheels, then paint or stain the board.
Understand that skateboards are made of 6-9 layers of pressed plywood. In order to withstand stress and damage skateboards are not made of just one piece of wood. Instead, multiple thin layers of plywood and veneer are layered, glued, and then pressed together for several hours to make one deck. The standard is for 7 pieces of plywood, though some boards use 9. Changing the thickness of the sheets or the number of pieces in the board will affect its weight, flexibility, and riding properties. Most decks have a final thickness of roughly 10mm. Purchase 6-7 pieces of 30"x10" plywood. It should be roughly 1/17th of an inch thick. This will form the base of a basic deck. However, you can buy different types of wood and stack them appropriately for a more professional board. Most of these specialty woods are tough to find at big-box retailers, so you may need to go to a specialty store to find Baltic Birch or Canadian Maple thin enough to use. Hard Maple is great because of its incredibly thin veneers. Buy two hardwood "face" pieces for the top or bottom in mahogany or maple for sturdy, gorgeous wood. The thickness should be the same, 1/17th of an inch. You can buy birch or bamboo for the "core" wood, as it is more stable than standard plywood. The thickness should be the same. Crossband Layers are two specific pieces on the inside of the board where the wood grain runs up and down the thickness of the board, not along the face. If you can buy crossband plywood, get two sheets for the center to increase board strength. Attach the boards with evenly spread wood glue. Take each piece of wood and use a paint roller to spread a thin layer of wood glue on the bottom of your face piece and the top of your first core piece of wood. Lightly push the two pieces together. Repeat this to adhere all seven pieces of plywood together. Do not simply coat one side and stick it to the other -- you need evenly-spread glue on both sides of the plywood. If you are building a professional board, you will need to order your wood in the correct way for the best results. The standard order for the wood is: Face sheet (your best wood) Core sheet Crossband sheet Core sheet Crossband sheet Core sheet Face sheet Place your deck on the mold and tape them together. Use masking tape to adhere the board lightly to a Styrofoam mold. If you are using a professional press you can simply lay it in the mold and move on to the next step. Two pieces of tape, wrapped all the way around the board right before it begins to curve upwards, should work fine. If you don't have a Styrofoam mold, fit the wood in between two old skateboard decks to mimic their shape. However, you need to be sure both decks have the same shape. Seal the wood and mold in a vacuum bag. Place a piece of mesh underneath the air pump to allow the air to escape easily as you suction it out. If the valve is right above the wood without mesh you may not be able to get all the air out, as the wood seals up the hole. This bag needs to be perfectly airtight or the board will not mold. Suction out as much air as you can with the vacuum. Have a friend nearby to help keep the bag from being accidentally pulled in between the layers of wood or the mold, as this will warp your board. Think of the vacuum as creating a press -- the top of the bag is molding the wood to fit your Styrofoam mold, and anything that gets in the way will mold bumps or cracks into the wood. Leave the board to press for 8 hours before removing it. Leave the board to mold all day. You need to check it every 2-3 hours to make sure the bag is still airtight, and you may need to suction more air out from time to time. Carefully remove the wood. This is often where people rip their vacuum bag, rendering it useless for future decks. Open the bag to allow some air in, then slowly slide the board out, pulling the vinyl bag out of the way. Remove the mold afterwards. Trace the shape of an old board onto your pressed wood. This will be your guide to cut the board into the right shape. If you cannot use an old board, take a large piece of paper and fold it in half. Draw out the shape of half of your board -- curved on the top and bottom, flat along the sides -- starting from the folded edge of the paper. Then cut out the outline -- since you folded the paper in half, unfolding your cut out will lead to a perfectly symmetrical outline. Trace this design onto your wood. The tail of the board is usually slightly narrower than the tip, or nose. Use a jigsaw to cut your board into the proper shape. Cut along your outline to create your rough board. If you have a band saw or a scroll saw, this may be an easier way to get good cuts. If you don't have either of those, you can use a coping saw although it will be more difficult. Sand the entire edge of the board with a belt sander, so that it curves slightly down. You want the edge of the board to curve towards the wheels, usually no more than 4-5mm. To do this, work with the top of the board face-up, then tilt the edge of the board down as you run it along the sander. Follow up with a hand sander, then some fine sandpaper, to smooth out the edges. Use progressively higher-grit papers, try going up to 400 or more, to smooth the entire edge out into a beautiful, even side. Paint, stain, or design your board to your liking. Now that the board is fully crafted, it is time to make it your own. After sanding it down you can add a stain, paint on graphics, or use a wood burner to make the board the killer, custom design you dream of. Build a Styrofoam mold to shape your skateboard in a vacuum press. Unless you want a flat skateboard, you need to press the wood together into a mold, allowing you to curve your board professionally. To do this, you will need a large piece of Styrofoam (at least the size of your plywood), a vacuum with hose attachment, and a vacuum bag big enough to fit your mold and skateboard. You will likely need to stack and glue several pieces of Styrofoam to get it 4-5" inches thick. The Styrofoam should have an R rating of 9 or higher to withstand the pressure of making a board. You can buy Styrofoam at most home-improvement stores in the home insulation section. Cut out a piece of paper as large as the thickness of your Styrofoam. You'll need this to make an outline of your board shape. Once your cut this to your desired shape you can use it to make sure you cut both sides of the Styrofoam evenly. Cut your outline paper into the desired shape of your board. Most boards curve upwards 2–4 inches (5.1–10 cm) on either end and are flat or concave in the middle. Keep it simple for now -- use a ruler to make a straight line through the middle of the board, then curve gently upwards for the last 3–4 inches (7.6–10 cm) so that the ends of the board are 1/2-1 inch higher up than the middle. This is the shape of the profile of your board, not the top of it. Take an old skateboard deck and trace its shape on your outline for a professional shape. Transfer the outline to your Styrofoam. Trace the design on both sides. The flat bottom of your outline should be on the top of the Styrofoam block. Using a ruler, draw a line connecting the points where the board curves up across the top of the styrofoam. You should have an outline on both sides of the foam and two horizontal lines on the top of the board when you are done. Cut the Styrofoam to fit your outline. When you are done, the Styrofoam will look like a flat-topped hill, curving up on each end. To do so: Measure the distance from your outline to the top of the Styrofoam block in 5 places. Mark where you measured and the height you found at each spot. Say the first mark you make, at the beginning of the curve, is ⁄ 2 inch (1.3 cm) from the top of the foam to your outline. Draw a line with a ruler from the 1/2-inch mark on one side of the foam to the 1/2-inch mark on the other side. Set the blade of your utility knife to this exact distance, so that the blade is only 1/2 inch long. Cut horizontally across the your line, making a ⁄ 2 inch (1.3 cm) deep incision across the foam. Cut diagonally up the foam to remove a large, rectangular, 1/2-inch chunk from the entire width of the foam. Repeat until you have the entire curve of the board roughly outlined. Sand the board into a simple, smooth curve. Use 100 grit sandpaper to remove any rough spots. Sandpaper will quickly remove the foam, so you can use it to make sure the foam perfectly fits the outline you have drawn on the side of the foam. The outline on the side of the foam should now outline the top of your whole foam mold. The final product will look like the inverse of a skateboard, where a finished deck would fit snugly on top of the mold. Experiment with new board designs. The beauty of foam molds is that they are easily customized and cheaply designed, so play with different board shapes once you get comfortable working with Styrofoam. As an alternative, you could simply buy a blank board from a local shop, then do the design yourself. Use an old board to properly drill holes for the trucks. Trucks are the big metal pieces that hold your wheels in place. Simply place an old deck over the new board and use a pencil to mark the location of the holes. Using a straight-drill, drill each hole straight through the board. You will have 8 holes -- two sets of four on each end. If you cannot use an old board, you'll need to make sure you trucks are centered. To do so, use a ruler to measure at least 5 center points in the board. If the board is 10 inches (25.4 cm) thick, these center points will be 5" from each edge. Use your ruler to connect each of these points to draw your center line. From there, line your trucks up with the midline so that the holes are equal distance from the line, mark them, and drill from here. You want your trucks to be on the flat part of the board, starting right after the curve of the nose and tail. Learn the basic components of a skateboard. Skateboards, despite many innovations in the last 20 years, are actually simple machines that can be customized with just a few parts. Deck: This is the wooden board. It has griptape on it, which resembles sandpaper. Trucks: These are the large metal pieces on the board that house the axel and attach the wheels. Bearings: Allow your wheels to roll smoothly. They come in steel and ceramic -- steel is standard, but ceramic have less friction and last longer, though they cost more. You need 8 of them. Wheels: There is a wide variety of wheels available, each for different board types. Hardware: This is simply a collection 8 screws and 8 bolts needed to put your board together. A packet usually costs $2-$5. Choose a deck. What kind of boarding do you plan on doing? Longboards are for cruising and going down hills, where street boards are the "classic" skateboard used for jumps, grinding, and getting around town. Materials for a deck alone are around $10. Width: The wider the board, the smoother the ride but the harder it is to pull tricks. Standard is 7.5-8.5". Concavity: Generally, if the board is curved down more (more concave) it is more stable to ride. Flatter boards are usually easier to hit tricks on, however you should sample a few decks to determine what you like. "Wheel Base:' This is the distance between your two sets of wheels. The larger the wheel base, the wider your turning radius. Generally, taller people want a wider wheel base. It is usually 13"-15". Adhere your grip tape. Simply peel off the grip tape and lay it down on the clean board, pressing firmly to adhere it to the wood. Using a screwdriver or sturdy metal instrument, rub the tape along the edge of the board until the tape makes a white outline along the entire edge. Use a box cutter or utility knife to cut away excessive grip tape. If you have any air bubbles, poke a hole in them with the end of the knife and then press the tape into the board. It is much easier to cut the grip tape from the bottom. Choose your trucks. Trucks are the metal pieces that connect the board to the axle and wheels, and they are usually the most durable part on the entire board. While they may seem standard, different trucks are actually used for different skaters: Longboard riders who plan on using large wheels may need risers which put more distance between the board and the ground. They also absorb some of the force and vibration on landings. Heavier riders need to get a wide hanger, which is the axle that keeps the wheels further apart. Most hangers reach within 1/4" of the boards outside edges. Bushings control how wobbly the board feels. Technical riders will want harder bushings, while people who like to cruise a lot may prefer softer bushings. Choose the right wheels for your riding. There are a lot of different types of wheels out there, and you should talk to your local skate shop to see what wheels will work best for you. That said, standard skating wheels have the same general properties regardless of the manufacturer: A good "starter wheel" is usually 52-55mm, 99A -- well balanced for most terrains. Skaters who do a lot of tricks usually want smaller, harder wheels, like 50mm, 101A Skaters who do a lot of cruising want softer, bigger wheels, like 70mm, 78B.
Understand that skateboards are made of 6-9 layers of pressed plywood. Purchase 6-7 pieces of 30"x10" plywood. Attach the boards with evenly spread wood glue. Place your deck on the mold and tape them together. Seal the wood and mold in a vacuum bag. Suction out as much air as you can with the vacuum. Leave the board to press for 8 hours before removing it. Carefully remove the wood. Trace the shape of an old board onto your pressed wood. Use a jigsaw to cut your board into the proper shape. Sand the entire edge of the board with a belt sander, so that it curves slightly down. Paint, stain, or design your board to your liking. Build a Styrofoam mold to shape your skateboard in a vacuum press. Cut out a piece of paper as large as the thickness of your Styrofoam. Cut your outline paper into the desired shape of your board. Transfer the outline to your Styrofoam. Cut the Styrofoam to fit your outline. Sand the board into a simple, smooth curve. Experiment with new board designs. Use an old board to properly drill holes for the trucks. Learn the basic components of a skateboard. Choose a deck. Adhere your grip tape. Choose the right wheels for your riding.