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https://www.wikihow.com/Wear-Short-Shorts | How to Wear Short Shorts | To wear short shorts, you'll need to choose the right clothing to go with them. Wear underwear that won't show through or get exposed if your shorts ride up, like bikini or high-cut briefs. Choose a top that goes well with your shorts, such as a plain T-shirt if your shorts are patterned, or a light top if they're dark. You can also balance out your outfit by wearing an extra layer on top, such as a blazer. Avoid wearing long tops with short shorts, since it may look like you're wearing nothing underneath. Remember to choose shorts that fit you well, since shorts that are too baggy or too tight will appear unflattering. | Get the right fit. The most important part of wearing any type of clothing is its fitting. However, you should pay extra attention to fit when looking for short shorts. A few common problems you want to avoid: Muffin tops. Make sure your short shorts are wide enough at the waist. They shouldn't pinch your stomach. Sliding off. The opposite problem of the muffin top is when your short shorts are too wide at the waist, causing them to sag or slip off. Watch out for this problem if you have narrow hips. Riding up. The wrong pair of short shorts is one that rides up along the thigh. Not only can this be painful, but you may find your butt cheeks hanging out of your shorts. Wear appropriate underwear. Pay close attention to the underwear you put on underneath your short shorts. If your shorts are extremely short, your underwear may peak through. Additionally, if your short shorts are made of a tight material, they will highlight bagginess. Styles you may want to avoid are boxers and boyshorts. On the other hand, briefs (especially high-cut briefs), bikini, and thong underwear styles are the safest. Always double-check in a mirror that your underwear is out of sight. Match your short shorts with the rest of your outfit. For the most part, you can treat your short shorts like any other type of bottom. If your short shorts have a print, don't wear a patterned top. It's also a bad idea to mix dark neutrals. For example, if your short shorts are navy blue, don't wear a top that's black or dark brown. Don't wear long tops. Pairing short shorts with oversized T-shirts and tunics is generally a bad idea. This combination can make it seem like you aren't wearing anything underneath your top. You'll be more likely to draw the wrong type of attention if people think you're going around with no pants in public. Wear the right shoes. You can wear any type of shoes with short shorts. However, there are a few shoe types that work better than others: Simple flat tennis shoes. Short shorts and tennis shoes are a classic summer look. Stiletto heels. Short shorts will draw attention to your legs, so you want them looking their best. Ultra-high heels will make your legs look longer and more toned. Thigh high boots. This is an extra sexy, on-trend look. Pick boots that are made from a thin material that could pass for stockings. Booties. If you like the look of boots but don't want to cover your entire leg in hot weather, ankle booties can be a great option. In particular, white booties create a summery style. Pair your short shorts with a blazer or vest. Since you'll be baring your legs with short shorts, an extra layer up top will help to balance your outfit. Matching your jacket with your short shorts is extra chic and on trend. This will go a long way towards making your short shorts look more fashionable and less childish or sloppy. Be confident. Confidence can make even the most unconventional fashion choice look great. Act like short shorts are something you wear every day. Don't let other people's negative comments get you down. Get into the shape you're most comfortable with. When you're wearing short shorts, you're showing off your legs to the world. Make sure yours look how you want them to. If you want skinny or muscular thighs, you may need to do some aerobics or strength training to tone them. While it's perfectly fine to want to change how you look, do your best to love yourself as you are. Legs of all shapes and sizes are beautiful. Shave or wax your legs. While the choice between hairy and smooth legs is yours to make, keep in mind that hairless legs tend to look longer and more toned. Depending on your body hair pattern, it may also be prudent to wax your inner thighs and/or bikini area. Visible pubic hair can be an embarrassing problem when wearing short shorts. Keep your legs moisturized. Although winter may be the most famous season for dry skin, many people deal with this issue well into the summer. When accentuating your legs, remember to spend as much time on them as you do your face. Moisturize daily and after each shave to avoid embarrassing flaky skin. Remember that highly-chlorinated pool water can dry out your skin. If you find yourself having this problem, be sure to rinse your skin with normal tap water and a mild soap after every swim. | Get the right fit. Wear appropriate underwear. Match your short shorts with the rest of your outfit. Don't wear long tops. Wear the right shoes. Pair your short shorts with a blazer or vest. Be confident. Get into the shape you're most comfortable with. Shave or wax your legs. Keep your legs moisturized. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Treat-Newborn-Puppies-with-Edema-(Water-Puppies) | How to Treat Newborn Puppies with Edema (Water Puppies) | If your newborn puppy has edema, keep it warm and take it to a veterinarian immediately, since the vet will have to reduce the fluids in its body in order for it to survive. On the way to the vet, you can care for your puppy by holding its head up and extending its neck to make its airway as clear as possible. While in this position, try to get it to urinate by running your finger across its genitalia every couple of minutes, since urination will help it remove fluid from its body. However, you only need to do this if it is eating and not with its mother. While doing this, rub your puppy's body to help it breathe and move until you get to the vet. | Identify any risk factors the mother dog may have. While it is not known exactly what causes anasarca, some dog breeds are more likely to get the condition. Your puppy has more of a chance to develop anasarca it is a brachycephalic breed. This type of dog has a short, compressed snout and wide skull, and includes bulldogs, Boston terrier, and pugs for example. If you have a brachycephalic dog that you are breeding, you should make sure the dog is getting proper prenatal care. However, because the condition is not totally understood, even with proper care the puppies may be born with anasarca. Have an ultrasound done on your pregnant dog. In order to assess whether a pregnancy is going well, your veterinarian may want to do an ultrasound. With an ultrasound your veterinarian may be able to assess whether any of the puppies have anasarca. Even with a clear ultrasound, one or some of the puppies may be born with anasarca. This condition can develop at any point in the pregnancy but often occurs very late in the pregnancy. Look for symptoms of anasarca on a newborn puppy. If one or more of the puppies have anasarca is will be clear after birth. The puppies will be physically swollen, sometimes being two to four times bigger than other puppies in the litter without the condition. Puppies with anasarca can become so big that they get stuck in the birth canal. These puppies will need to be born via cesarean section. Give immediate care. Make sure to hold the puppy's head up and extend its neck, so that its airway is as clear as possible. Also keep the puppy warm and try to stimulate urination by running your finger across its genitalia every couple of minutes. However, you only need to stimulate the puppy if it is eating and not with the mother. Keep the puppy warm and continue rubbing it to help it breathe and move. This should be continued until the puppy is under veterinary supervision. Take the puppy to a veterinarian immediately. For a puppy with anasarca to have a chance of survival, it needs to be treated by a veterinarian. If your dog gave birth at home, then you need to take the puppy to a veterinary office right away. If your normal veterinary office is closed when the mother dog gives birth, then you should take the affected puppy to the closest 24 veterinary emergency clinic. Allow the veterinarian to treat the fluid retention. As soon as a puppy is born with anasarca it should begin treatment to stand any chance of survival. Treatment usually includes giving the puppy a diuretic to reduce the amount of fluid the puppy is retaining. The bodies of puppies with anasarca are also gently massaged to promote circulation. If the condition is mild, the puppies can go on to live normal lives. Even with prompt treatment, however, a puppy with a severe case of anasarca has a very slim chance of survival. Give the puppy palliative care. If the puppy has a severe case of anasarca, it has a very low chance of survive. If this is the case with your puppy, then you should focus on making sure it is comfortable and pain free instead of focusing on recovery. Consult with your veterinarian about the health of the puppy and whether it has any chance of recovery. If it doesn't, then your veterinarian will have some suggestions about how to stop the puppies' suffering. This could include keeping it warm and giving it medication to alleviate any pain. In some cases, this could mean compassionate euthanasia. Prepare yourself that the outcome may be death. In many cases of anasarca, the puppy is still born or dies quickly after birth. | Identify any risk factors the mother dog may have. Have an ultrasound done on your pregnant dog. Look for symptoms of anasarca on a newborn puppy. Give immediate care. Take the puppy to a veterinarian immediately. Allow the veterinarian to treat the fluid retention. Give the puppy palliative care. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Polish-Aluminum-Wheels | How to Polish Aluminum Wheels | To polish aluminum wheels, start by cleaning the wheels thoroughly. Next, rub aluminum polish onto a small section of the wheel with a rag, working in the direction of the grain. Continue adding polish in small sections so that it doesn't dry before you have a chance to work it in! Then, use a cloth-wrapped toothbrush to polish the hard-to-reach spots and finish up by polishing the lug nuts. Finally, wipe the wheel with a soft clean towel to remove any excess polish. | Rinse down the wheels and the surrounding areas. Use a hose to spray inside the wheel spokes, on the surface of the wheel, and around the lug nuts. This will loosen up the grime and brake dust that has collected on the wheel, prepping the wheels for treatment. If you have a pressure washer, use this to provide a stronger stream of water. Spray aluminum wheel cleaner over the surface of the wheels. Some examples of aluminum wheel cleaner are P21S Gel Wheel Cleaner and SONAX Wheel Cleaner, but any non-acidic, aluminum wheel cleaner will do. Spray the cleaner over the surface of the wheels, inside of the spokes, and around the lug nuts. You can find aluminum wheel cleaners at a mechanic shop, a superstore (for example, Walmart) or online on Amazon. If you want to make your own aluminum wheel cleaner at home, you can try combining lemon juice and soda and using this as a cleaner. You can also wash the wheel with dawn detergent and water, and then sprinkle on baking soda to scrub. In both of these cases there is an abrasive material (soda or baking soda) which serves to scrub off grime. Agitate the cleaner with a soft-bristled brush, periodically applying water. Scrub the surface of the wheel, inside the spokes and around the lug nuts. You may need special, wheel-specific brushes or a toothbrush to get into hard to reach areas. If the wheel starts to dry, add more water to it as you scrub. Scrubbing a dry wheel might scratch the finish. To reach in and scrub inside the spokes, use a cone brush. To get around the lug nuts, use a lug nut brush. Both kinds of brushes should be available at mechanic shops. A soft-bristled brush will prevent you from scratching the finish on the wheel. Scrub down the wheel wells with all-purpose cleaner and a stiff brush. The wheel wells are a prime spot for caked in dirt and grime. Use a stiffer brush in this area, as a soft bristled brush probably won't do the trick. A long-handled brush can be helpful for reaching into the well. A soft-bristled brush is a bad fit for the wheel wells. You need soft bristles on the wheel surfaces and stiff bristles on the wheel wells. Rinse and dry the wheel with a clean cloth to remove leftover dust. Now that you've scrubbed away dirt and dust, use the hose to rinse the entirety of the wheel, directing water into the spokes, up to the wheel well, and in the lug nut holes. Let the wheel sit for a few minutes to dry, and use a clean rag to lightly remove residual dust. Rub aluminum polish onto a small section of the wheel with a rag. Aluminum polish is an effective way to remove oxidation from aluminum wheels, which aren't well protected from this kind of damage. Use a clean rag to rub aluminum polish onto the wheel, working in the direction of the grain. Work in small sections so that the polish doesn't dry before you work it in. Avoid rubbing in circles as it will lead to a streaky finish. An example aluminum polish is Wolfgang Metallwerk Fine Aluminum Polish, but any polish designed for bare aluminum should do the trick. You can find these kinds of polishes online, at a superstore, or at a mechanics shop. Start with a light metal polish first and see if you're satisfied with the result. If you're not, try a heavier metal polish instead. Work your way around the wheel with the aluminum polish section by section. Remember, you want to rub polish over small sections at a time to avoid the polish drying before you rub it in. Move deliberately around the wheel, section by section, and keep track of what you have already polished so you don't end up with an uneven finish. Rub along the grain of the wheel as you go. Polish the lug nuts once you have finished the surface of the wheel. Use a cloth-wrapped toothbrush to polish hard-to-reach spots. Place a soft cloth around the toothbrush so the bristles don't mar the finish. Use the toothbrush to reach into the spoke areas and rub on polish where you could not reach on your initial sweep. This will also be useful for polishing around the lug nuts. Wipe the wheel clean with a soft clean towel. Rub with the grain to dry off the wheel and remove the polish, working around the wheel deliberately like before. Always use new towels at each step in the process so you're not rubbing polish or dirt back in when wiping the wheels clean. Place a small amount of wax on a clean cloth. Wheel wax helps protect your wheels and make them look cleaner much longer. You can measure a good amount of wax by putting it on your fingertip and then transferring it to the clean cloth. You can also protect the aluminum with a metal sealant, which works like wax to protect against oxidation. A wax or sealant will prevent your aluminum wheels from breaking down and help repel dirt. Rub the wax over the entire surface of the wheel. Rub with the grain of the aluminum, as you did with the aluminum polish. Cover the entire surface of the wheel with wax, reapplying wax to your cloth as necessary. Allow the wax to dry fully, usually for about 10-15 minutes. Set a timer so you don't forget to come back. The wax will seal onto the wheels to provide a protective layer while you wait. Wipe the wax off with a clean, dry cloth after 10-15 minutes. Touch the wax with your finger, and it should feel dry, making it easy to rub off with the rag. Your wheels should look super shiny , and the wax will help keep that polish in for the next week or two. You can repeat this process weekly to avoid having to polish your wheels as often. Simply rinse wheels with water, wipe them dry with a clean rag, and then apply the wax. | Rinse down the wheels and the surrounding areas. Spray aluminum wheel cleaner over the surface of the wheels. Agitate the cleaner with a soft-bristled brush, periodically applying water. Scrub down the wheel wells with all-purpose cleaner and a stiff brush. Rinse and dry the wheel with a clean cloth to remove leftover dust. Rub aluminum polish onto a small section of the wheel with a rag. Work your way around the wheel with the aluminum polish section by section. Use a cloth-wrapped toothbrush to polish hard-to-reach spots. Wipe the wheel clean with a soft clean towel. Place a small amount of wax on a clean cloth. Rub the wax over the entire surface of the wheel. Allow the wax to dry fully, usually for about 10-15 minutes. Wipe the wax off with a clean, dry cloth after 10-15 minutes. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Special | How to Be Special | To be special, remember that you don't need to change who you are or become a new person. Instead, just focus on doing things that make you happy and try to improve your life where you can. Also, don't feel like there's a "right" or "wrong" way to act if you want to be special. Being special is about accepting who you are and being yourself, so it's OK if you struggle and have bad days sometimes. As long as you're trying, that's all that matters! | Find your you. No one can tell you how to be special. Being special involves finding the unique inner core that radiates your "you-ness" and doing the work of building that core up. Whatever you want to call it–your soul, your essence, your chi, your mojo, your groove–you have to embrace yourself, define yourself, and build yourself up. It takes work. What does it mean to be you? Who are you? And how can you be the best version of yourself? These are questions and struggles that take up a whole lifetime. Keep in mind the following thought experiments to get your mind oriented to your inner you-ness: When do you feel completely at ease? What makes you comfortable? Describe your ideal day. What would it include? What do other people praise in your work or your behavior? What do you do well? Describe a recent disagreement you've had with someone or something. How did you differ? How would you change yourself if you could? Why? Make a list of your values. Knowing what your values are can help you to be more of an individual and to live in a way that will make you happy. Take some time to think about what your values are and write them out. Then, reorganize the list from most important to least important. Some things you can do to help you generate this list include thinking about when you were: At your happiest. For example, if you felt happiest when you were surrounded by supportive friends and family, then healthy relationships would be one of your values. Proud. For example, if you felt proud when you graduate high school, then education might be something you value. Satisfied and fulfilled. For example, you might feel satisfied or fulfilled after a productive day at work, so hark work might be something you value. Identify special characteristics in others. What does it mean to be special? Look at the people you think are exemplary, notable, or special in some way and identify the key characteristics that make it so for you. You might think people who stick up for themselves stand out in your mind as being special, or people who devote themselves fully to their work, or people who are reserved and stoic in the face of adversity. This will be different for all of us, so focus on figuring out what it is that you respect about your grandfather, your close friend, or a loved one, not what other people say. Try to stay away from celebrities and stick to looking at people you know in real life. It's easy to identify superficial things, to say that Brad Pitt is special because he's so rich and good-looking, but it's hard to identify or even know the true core of his person. We can only see the public persona, which radiates artificial movie-star prestige, not the real person. Focus on how other people's characteristics resonate with your own core values and avoid focusing on superficial things. Being special is more about knowing who you are at your core, not from what you think other people are like. Authority doesn't make someone more special. If someone has power over you, is more successful than you, or is well-known and respected, that doesn't mean that you need to emulate them. Take off your masks. We all wear them. When you go to work, you might have a professional mask, and when you meet up with a date after work you might switch into your dating mask. When you're with your friends, you might wear one mask, and when you're with your family, you might wear another. Once you go about the work of identifying the things that make you truly you, these masks become less useful. If you want to be special, let us see what's behind the mask. To figure out you relationship to your masks, try to think of a time that you felt you were being fake, or inauthentic. What were the circumstances? How did it make you feel? Check out your Facebook and Twitter feeds for a good example of digital masks in progress. People want to project images of themselves for others to digest, crafting that image in a particular way. It's inauthentic, in most cases. You're not getting the "real" version of someone. Keep your ego in check. A desire to be special is often a desire to be validated by others. We want to be respected, to be looked upon as successful, happy people who should be envied. But being special doesn't mean being exceptional at everything. It doesn't mean being the best tennis player, or the author with the most publications, or the richest lawyer at the law firm. It means being true to the authentic you-ness and staying true to your own integrity. Satisfy yourself, don't use the satisfaction of others to inflate your ego. Psychologists will often refer to inner and outer locus of control. Someone with an inner locus of control finds satisfaction from within, looking to satisfy themselves with their work and actions. People with outer locus of control look to others for satisfaction. Which are you? Avoid seeking validation from other people. Your own validation is all that you need to be special. Surprise yourself. People who are truly special are always changing, shifting, and surprising themselves with their ability to grow as people and to develop their authentic inner selves. If you want to be special, identify a rut that you've been in, and try to get a fresh perspective on it. Keep learning new skills, reading new books, and challenging yourself. You're never too old, too smart, or too experienced to have your preconceptions shaken. You're never too special to be wrong. Put in your 10,000 hours. Lots of people are talented or naturally gifted at something, but that doesn't really make someone special. Developing a natural inclination for one thing or another can help, but it takes work to actual build that talent into something truly special. Commit to yourself and to building up your natural talents and abilities by working on them until you're an expert. Author Malcolm Gladwell writes extensively of the 10,000 hour rule in his book "Outliers: The Story of Success," that people who succeed and display true specialness have worked hard for it. It takes roughly 10,000 hours of committing to a craft, talent, or other ability before you can display any real talent or unique spice. Focus on developing yourself and working, not on making yourself special overnight. The first draft of the first novel you ever tried to write isn't going to be genius, and that's ok. Keep working. Keep getting better. Be a lion or a lioness. People who are special don't wait around for good things to happen, special people go on the prowl for what they want, and take it. Special people have claws. Identify the things that would make you feel more satisfied, the things that would improve your condition, and identify the steps that will be necessary in getting them. Be ceaseless in your quest for those goals, things, and stages. Get what you want. Focus less on excuses. People who aren't special spend a lot of time talking about "back in the days" and "what ifs." Don't give yourself a chance to have those moments. Uncensor yourself. Let yourself show. Be your true, liberated, uncensored, natural self when you're alone and when you're in public. If there is a single part of you that you don't let other people see, consider opening up more and being more vulnerable. If you tend toward the quiet, learn to start speaking your mind when it's necessary. Don't be a "yes" person. If you disagree with someone, voice your dissent. People respect others who speak their mind and are unafraid of looking for the truth. If you're around people who need their ego inflated by glad-handing sycophants, well, they're not special. Ditch 'em. Being uncensored doesn't mean letting every thought that flits through your mind come out of your mouth. Being special doesn't mean being purposefully strange, cruel, or rude. It just means that you must stop quieting yourself when you should be speaking, acting, or thinking. If it needs saying, say it. If it needs thinking, think it. Surround yourself with new people. It's good to find your people, a tight-knit group of friends and loved ones that you feel comfortable with. But special people take extra effort to shake up their expectations and their preconceptions, and meet and attempt to understand all kinds of people. Be willing to listen. If you're a young person, getting a job can be a big learning experience and a way of helping to develop your empathy skills. try to get an after-school job for a few hours each week and take it seriously. Hang out with people who you actively disagree with on religious, political, or moral grounds. Don't try to convince people that they're wrong about something, try to understand them. Open your mind. Develop your own style. Give yourself a chance to feel confident and special by treating yourself and taking your appearance seriously. Buy clothes that are flattering to your shape and that you enjoy wearing. Groom yourself in a way that makes you feel confident. If that means crew-cut and cowboy boots, great. If that means waist-length dreads and Teva's, great. You don't need to be a Gucci model or competing in some kind of hipster Olympics to look special. There's no special style. Go with what looks good on you, what makes you feel confident. Be positive or embrace your inner grouch. There's no special attitude, or special way of being. A special person doesn't need to be always grinning positively like an idiot or always deadly-serious and humorless like a monk. If you tend toward one or the other, don't worry about whether or not it's "wrong." Just be yourself. If you're a hugger, be a hugger. If you're not a hugger, tell people you're not. Special and exceptional people come in all variety of temperaments and attitudes. Stop telling people what you think they want to hear. There's no one thing you can say that will make you special to others. Being agreeable doesn't make you special, it makes you agreeable. It might help you climb certain ladders, but are those really the ladders you want to be climbing? Be authentic to yourself and you'll be working toward a more authentic and satisfying path for yourself. Say what's on your mind. Tell the truth. Be willing to fail. Part of staying uncensored, unique, and special involves taking risks to get what you want. Don't let the possibility of failure keep you from getting what you want. Be willing to fail, and fail early, and fail often. Learn the wrong answers so you can be one step closer to getting what you want in the long run. In Silicon Valley, Fail-Con is a popular convention that celebrates start-up failures, allowing people to network and form around failed ideas and businesses. Every failure gets you one step closer to a success. Failure is infinitely better than inaction. Empathize and see the specialness in others. While being special involves a lot of working on yourself, it's absolutely important that you keep yourself focused equally on others. Recognize the specialness and the exceptional qualities in others. Don't let your ego get in the way of respecting and celebrating special people. That'll make you more special in turn. Respecting others mean making others feel special as well. Respect others as well and treat them equally as you treat yourself. | Find your you. Make a list of your values. Identify special characteristics in others. Take off your masks. Keep your ego in check. Surprise yourself. Put in your 10,000 hours. Be a lion or a lioness. Uncensor yourself. Surround yourself with new people. Develop your own style. Be positive or embrace your inner grouch. Stop telling people what you think they want to hear. Be willing to fail. Empathize and see the specialness in others. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Perform-CPR-on-a-Cat | How to Perform CPR on a Cat | If your cat isn't breathing and you need to perform CPR, lay the cat on its side on a blanket or towel and tilt its head back. Use your fingers to gently open the cat's mouth and pull its tongue out, then look to see if you can see anything obstructing its airway. If you don't see anything, sweep the cat's mouth with your fingers. If the cat's airway isn't obstructed, close its mouth and gently extend its neck, then cup your hand around the cat's nose and breathe directly into its nose for 1 second. Repeat this twice, and gently squeeze the cat's chest to perform chest compressions. | Take your cat to a veterinarian at the first sign of a problem. The best thing you can do is get your cat to a vet right away so that you can avoid having to perform CPR on your cat yourself. A veterinarian is much better equipped to handle a severe health crisis. Watch for signs that there may be a serious problem and get your cat to a veterinarian immediately if you notice that your cat is: having difficulty breathing unconscious weak of lethargic severely injured severely ill Determine if your cat is breathing. To determine if your cat is breathing, you can either watch for movement in your cat's chest, feel for breath by placing your hand in front of his nose and mouth, or place a small mirror in front of your cat's nose or mouth and see if a mist forms. If your cat is not breathing, you may need to give him CPR. Check for a pulse. Whether or not your cat has a pulse may also help your decide if you need to perform CPR. To check for a pulse, place your fingers on the inner part of your cat's thigh and wait. If you have a stethoscope, you can use it to try and listen to your cat's heart. If your cat has no pulse, you may need to give him CPR. Inspect your cat’s gums. The color of your cat's gums can also indicate whether or not your cat needs CPR. Normal, healthy gums should be pink in color. If your cat's gums are bluish or gray, that means that he is not getting enough oxygen. If your cat's gums are white, that means that he may have poor circulation. These factors should be considered as you decide whether or not your cat needs CPR. Get your cat and yourself out of danger's way. Sometimes a cat may require CPR after being injured by a moving vehicle. If you're tending to a cat in a roadway or driveway, move your cat out of the way of traffic before beginning CPR. If possible, have someone drive you and the cat to the nearest animal hospital or your veterinarian. That way you can perform CPR on the way. Place the unconscious or semi-conscious cat in the recovery position. Ensure that she is lying on his side on something comfortable such as a coat or blanket. This will help your cat conserve heat and feel more comfortable. Check the cat's airway. With the cat on his side, tilt his head back a little bit. Open his mouth, and use your fingers to extend the cat's tongue. Look to see if you can see an obstruction in the cat's throat. If you can't see anything, gently sweep the inside of the mouth with your finger to feel for a foreign object that may be obstructing the airway. If you feel an obstruction, determine if you can remove it with your fingers or if you need to use abdominal thrusts. Do not try to remove the tiny bones in the back of a cat's mouth. These are part of the cat's larynx. Perform abdominal thrusts if needed. If you cannot dislodge an object from your cat's throat using your fingers, you can try to use abdominal thrusts. First, lift the cat, so his spine is up against your chest then use your other hand to locate the bottom of the cat's rib cage. If the cat is not struggling, clasp both hands under the last rib. If the cat is struggling, hold the cat by his scruff with one hand while making a fist under the last rib with the other. Press your fist or clasped hands to the cat's body, and push up. Repeat this upward thrust five times. Do not attempt to do this if your cat is conscious and seems upset. Put him in a carrier and take him to the veterinarian right away. If the object does not come out; you should turn your cat over and give him five blows on the back. Position the cat over your forearm so his head is dangling toward the floor and you are supporting his body with your arm under his hips. Use the hand not holding the cat to locate the shoulder blades. With the open palm of your free hand, strike the cat sharply between the shoulder blades five times. If the object does not dislodge, try using your finger to remove it again, and keep cycling through the removal methods until you remove the object. Once the object is dislodged, move on to check the cat's breathing, and begin or continue CPR procedures as needed. Deliver rescue breaths if needed. If the cat is not breathing, you will need to immediately give the cat two rescue breaths. To deliver rescue breaths, close the cat's mouth with your hand and gently extend the neck to straighten the airway. With the cat's mouth closed, cup your hand around the nose and put your mouth to the cat's snout. Breathe directly into the cat's nose for 1 second. If you feel the breath go in, give another breath and resume CPR if the cat has no heartbeat. If the cat has a heartbeat but is not breathing, continue rescue breathing at a rate of 10 breaths per minute until the cat breathes on his own or you reach help. Make sure to keep checking the cat for a heartbeat, and if it ceases, begin compressions. If the breath does not go in, straighten the neck and try again. If it still does not go in, recheck for an obstruction. Perform chest compressions if needed. Place the cat on his side and wrap your hand around the cat's chest behind the front legs. Your thumb should be on the side of the chest facing up and the rest of your fingers under the cat. If using this position, you will squeeze the cat's chest to perform the chest compressions. If you cannot easily span the cat's chest with your hand or the position is uncomfortable for you, place one hand on the side of the cat that is facing up. Then, position your hand(s) with the heel of your hand against the chest wall. Make sure that your elbows are locked, and your shoulders are directly over your hands. Depending on whether you are using one hand or two, squeeze or push down on the chest hard enough to compress it to 1/3 to 1/2 of its normal depth, and then, allow it to return to normal depth before compressing it again. Avoid leaning on the chest or allowing it to remain partially compressed between compressions. The rate of the compressions should be 100 to 120 per minute. A common recommendation is to compress the chest to the beat of the Bee Gees' song, "Stayin' Alive." After giving the first 30 compressions, check the cat's airway and breathing again. If the cat has resumed breathing on its own again, then you can stop performing the compressions. Continue administering CPR. You should continue giving the cat CPR until the cat starts breathing on its own and the heart begins to beat again or until you reach the veterinarian. You may need to have a friend help you if you have a long ride to the veterinarian. Follow this cycle of CPR measures every two minutes: Deliver 100-120 chest compressions per minute along with one rescue breath for every 12 compressions. Check for heartbeat and respiration. Repeat the cycle. Check the cat often for breathing and a heartbeat or pulse. When the cat does start to breathe on her own again, keep her under very close observation. If you haven't done so already, get her to the vet for a thorough check-up and to fix any injuries or bleeding. A vet visit is vital. Your cat needs to be checked for internal injuries and fractures or broken bones. In some cases, emergency surgery may be required after she has stabilized. Your pet may still be in shock. A cat in shock must be treated by the vet. Follow the veterinarian’s instructions for care. Be aware that your veterinarian may need to keep your cat for a few days to observe her and get her back to optimal health. After your cat is released to you again, make sure that you follow the veterinarian's instructions for care. Administer any medications that your veterinarian prescribes and observe your cat closely. Contact the veterinarian again if the cat shows signs of a problem. A cat who has had a severe health problem that required CPR may be at risk of other problems or even death. Make sure that you notify your veterinarian right away if your cat shows signs of a problem and schedule regular check-ups for your cat to help keep him healthy. | Take your cat to a veterinarian at the first sign of a problem. Determine if your cat is breathing. Check for a pulse. Inspect your cat’s gums. Get your cat and yourself out of danger's way. Place the unconscious or semi-conscious cat in the recovery position. Check the cat's airway. Perform abdominal thrusts if needed. Deliver rescue breaths if needed. Perform chest compressions if needed. Continue administering CPR. Check the cat often for breathing and a heartbeat or pulse. Follow the veterinarian’s instructions for care. Contact the veterinarian again if the cat shows signs of a problem. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Find-a-Lost-Hamster | How to Find a Lost Hamster | It can be scary to lose your hamster, but if you stay calm and focused, there are things you can do to find it more quickly. Start looking near the cage and work outward, using a flashlight to help you see under furniture and appliances, inside shoes, or inside any cracks or crevices where a hamster could hide. If you don't find the hamster, try putting out some of its favorite treats, like seedless grapes or a pile of seeds. Since hamsters are nocturnal, leave the treats out at night, and sit quietly nearby so you'll see when it comes out to eat. | Think like a hamster. Approaching your search from a hamster's perspective can help you focus your search. For example, hamsters are very inquisitive animals. If given the chance, a hamster will explore everything in his environment. It is likely that your hamster wasn't trying to escape—he just saw something that piqued his interest. Hamsters love food. Your hamster may have made his way into your kitchen because he smelled the food. Hamsters are nocturnal. You probably will not have much luck finding your hamster during the day. You may have more success if you start your search late at night. Hamsters are timid animals. Even though your hamster probably found a dark and warm place to hide, he would much rather get back to a familiar place, like his cage. Check the walls and doors of your home for cracks and crevices. When your hamster escaped, he may have found a crack or crevice in which to squeeze. Use a flashlight to look for any possible opening in a wall or door that your hamster could have gotten through. Cracks and crevices are more common in older apartments or houses. Your hamster may have gotten himself stuck when he squeezed through the crack or crevice. If you are unable to get him out, consider calling an animal removal service for assistance. You can try listening for scratching noises in the wall or door to locate where your hamster is hiding. Look everywhere. You will probably need to look underneath, inside, in between, behind, and beside everything in your home. If you think this sounds like a daunting task, then you are right. Hamsters are small animals and will squeeze into just about any small space that offers them a dark, warm, and safe place to hide. It may help to first look where you last saw him. Consider searching one room at a time to make your search more methodical and efficient. In the kitchen, pay special attention to looking inside, underneath, and behind all appliances. Do not forget to check bags, shoes, and boxes (including tissue and shoe boxes). Laundry bags or baskets may be particularly appealing to your hamster, since they provide a dark and warm place to hide. Bookshelves, couch cushions, beds, and chairs are other potential hamster hiding places. Because your hamster could have gone anywhere, the list of items and places to check could feel like it is endless. Check every possible place where your hamster could hide, and then think of even more places where he could be. Restrict your other pets' access. You certainly do not want your cat or dog finding your hamster before you do. When you are finished searching every nook and cranny of one room and are pretty sure that your hamster is not in there, put your other pets in that room. Your other pets may not enjoy being restricted to one room, but it may help your search go a little more smoothly. As you search more rooms and determine that your hamster is not in those rooms, you can give your cat or dog less restricted access. Leave the doors closed overnight. Given his nocturnal nature, your hamster will be most active during the night. Keeping the doors closed will prevent him from running from room to room while you are sleeping. Leaving the doors closed may not be as helpful in areas of your home that are more open, such as the kitchen or family room. Select treats that you know your hamster likes. If looking through everything that you can think of has not been successful, try leaving out treats to entice him out of his hiding place. Select hamster-appropriate treats, such as fresh fruit, nuts, and seeds. Your hamster may be a little thirsty, depending on how long he's been hiding. Leave out treats with a high moisture content, such as seedless grapes, cucumbers, and apples. Peanuts and raisins are also good treats to leave out for your hamster. Cut up the treats into small bits to make it easier for your hamster to eat them. Leave the treats out overnight. You have different options with how to leave the treats out. One option is to put the treats in a saucer or small bowl. You could also put the treats on some newspaper or tinfoil, which would both make noise when your hamster eats the treats. Place the treats in areas where you think your hamster is hiding. If you decide to stay up late, you could sit quietly near where you placed the newspaper or tinfoil. The noise may help confirm the general area where your hamster is hiding. If possible, tie a long string or strand of thread to some of the treats. If your hamster takes the treat back to his hiding place, you may be able to see the string or thread sticking out. Count the number of treats you leave out so you can determine if your hamster ate any. Be mindful that leaving treats out in multiple areas at the same time could make it more challenging to narrow your search. Your hamster could have moved from one area to the next eating treats. Sprinkle flour or cornstarch around the area of the treats. Similar to footprints in the snow, your hamster's prints in the flour could direct you to where he is hiding. Make sure not to sprinkle too much flour or cornstarch on the floor—if it's too deep, you may not be able to see your hamster's footprints. The further away from the treats that you sprinkle the flour or cornstarch, the better you will be able to track your hamster's movements. Set your hamster's cage on the floor. Your hamster probably wants to get back to a familiar place. Place the cage where you think your hamster is hiding. Putting some treats in his cage may entice him out of his hiding place and back into his cage. Placing the cage sideways on the floor would make it easier for your hamster to climb in. Keep in mind, however, that he could easily walk back out of the cage if he wants to continue exploring. Set a shallow pail or pan on the floor. If catching your hamster is his cage did not work, then try trapping him (humanely, of course). Place the pail or pan on the floor where you think your hamster is hiding. Put some tasty treats at the bottom to entice your hamster. The shallow pail or pan should be shallow enough to lessen the likelihood of your hamster injuring himself, but not so shallow that he could easily climb back out. Use books to create a stairwell up to the top of the pail or pan. The books should be fairly small so that your hamster will not struggle with climbing them. Once your hamster climbs into the pail or pan to get to the treats, he will not be able to grip the sides to get back out. Check his cage or trap in the morning. You may be pleasantly surprised to find your hamster sleeping in his cage the morning after you left his cage out. If you set out the trap, you may find him sleeping in the pail or pan. If he is not in either the cage or trap, consider moving them to a different potential hiding place and trying again. Inspect the bars of your hamster's cage. The bars of a wire cage can become bent or disconnected over time. With enough persistence, your hamster could squeeze through any widened spaces between the bars. Inspect the bars at least as frequently as you clean your hamster's cage (once a week). You can try to manually correct the irregularities in the bars. If this is not practical for you, you can purchase an external wire grid and attach it to the outside of the cage. Secure the door latch of your hamster's cage. This is especially important for wire cages. To keep himself busy, your hamster may try everything he can to open the door latch. Visit your local pet store to purchase a locking device to keep the door latch securely closed. Secure the lid of your hamster's cage. Your hamster could use his nose to push open the mesh lid of an aquarium cage. Rather than putting weights on each corner of the lid, which could compromise the cage's air circulation, consider purchasing locking clips at your local pet store. You would place the locking clips on each corner of the lid to keep it in place. Tape the lid of his plastic ball. If you like to place your hamster in a plastic ball so that he can roll around outside his cage, you may to need to reinforce the ball's lid. Lids on plastic balls are typically just pegs that fit into slots. Your hamster may entertain himself by gnawing on the pegs from time to time. Over time, the pegs would become so loose that the lid may just flip open when your hamster is in his ball. Use a generous amount of tape on the ball's lid, especially where it connects to the ball. You may need to apply the tape each time you put your hamster in his ball. Seal cracks and crevices in your home. If your hamster does get out of his cage, sealing the cracks and crevices would give him fewer places to hide. Your hamster can still hide in plenty of places, but you could minimize the number of areas where he could crawl into and potentially get stuck. | Think like a hamster. Check the walls and doors of your home for cracks and crevices. Look everywhere. Restrict your other pets' access. Leave the doors closed overnight. Select treats that you know your hamster likes. Leave the treats out overnight. Sprinkle flour or cornstarch around the area of the treats. Set your hamster's cage on the floor. Set a shallow pail or pan on the floor. Check his cage or trap in the morning. Inspect the bars of your hamster's cage. Secure the door latch of your hamster's cage. Secure the lid of your hamster's cage. Tape the lid of his plastic ball. Seal cracks and crevices in your home. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Prevent-Electrical-Fires | How to Prevent Electrical Fires | To prevent electrical fires, make sure all of the electrical outlets in your home are fitted and tight to the wall. Also, use surge protectors that have overload protection for outlets with a lot of plugs, and only plug up to 3 cords at a time into a surge protector. Since extension cords can pose a major electrical hazard, avoid using them as a long-term solution. You should also keep electrical cords away from carpets, water, and areas with heavy foot traffic so they're less likely to cause a fire. | Make sure all electrical outlets are fitted and tight to the wall. Start by checking all the electrical outlets in your home or on your job site. Make sure they are tight and fitted to the wall, as loose-fitted plugs can be a shock or fire hazard. If you notice any of the wall plates are broken or missing, put new wall plate over the outlets so there are no exposed electrical wiring. You should also cover any unused outlets with protective covers, especially if you have young children who will be moving around in the space. This will prevent electrocution and other electrical injuries. Do not tamper with electrical plugs. You should never remove the third prong on a plug to try to make it fit into a two-conductor outlet. You should also never bend or twist the prongs on the plug, as this can lead to an electrical hazard. Make sure you never force plugs into an outlet. Instead, hold the covered top section of the plug firmly to slide it into and out of the electrical plug. Pulling on the cord itself can wear it out and increase the risk of an electrical fire. Use a surge protector for multiple plugs. Overloading an outlet with too many plugs can cause an electrical fire. Instead, buy several surge protectors, or power bars and place them in the electrical outlets in your home. You should then plug no more than one to three cords at a time into the power bar. Make sure you get power bars with internal overload protection. The internal overload protection will cause the power bar to shut down if it gets overloaded, preventing an electrical fire from occurring. Replace any frayed or cracked electrical cords. You should also check the electrical cords in your home to ensure they are not frayed or cracked. If they are, replace them with new electrical cords. You may need to contact the manufacturer of an appliance for a replacement cord. You should also make sure the electrical plug is securely attached to the electrical cord. You do not want any exposed wiring or components on the plug or the cord. Use extension cords as a temporary solution. Though it may be tempting to use extension cords to extend the cords on your appliances or electronics, they should only be a temporary solution. You should not use extension cords as permanent electrical wiring for your home or office. They can be a major electrical hazard. If you do use extension cords, make sure they have safety closures on them. This will protect young children from getting shocked by the cords. Keep electrical cords away from carpets and water. Try not to place electrical cords under carpets, rugs, and furniture where they are hidden. They could end up causing a fire if they become frayed and come into contact with carpet or furniture. You should also place electrical cords in low traffic areas so they are not stepped on often or tampered with in any way. You should also keep water away from any electrical cords, as water can cause the cords to spark and could lead to an electrical fire. Do not use a hair dryer, for example, by a sink or bathtub. Do not nail or staple electrical cords to walls, floors, or other objects, as this can interfere with the electrical current and lead to an electrical hazard. Follow the manufacturer's instructions. Make sure you follow the manufacturer's instructions when using any electrical appliances or equipment. Do not use the products in ways that are not recommended by the manufacturer. You should also never use defective appliances in your home or office. Get them inspected by the manufacturer or by a qualified electrician. Disconnect small appliances when not in use. You should try to get into the habit of disconnecting small appliances like electric kettles, toasters, and hair dryers, once you are done using them. This way, you save electricity and you lower the risk of an electrical fire due to these appliances. You should also make sure you unplug all appliances before you clean them. You do not want water to come into contact with the appliances while they are plugged in. Make sure you use the right light bulbs in fixtures. You should only use light bulbs that match the wattage of the fixture. Do not use light bulbs that have a higher wattage than recommended on the light fixture. This is an electrical hazard. Check that the light bulbs are screwed in properly. Improperly secured light bulbs can lead to overheating, which can then lead to an electrical fire. Make sure there are Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters in your outlets. Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs), can help to prevent electrical fires by shutting down automatically if a circuit is overloaded or at risk. Your home or office may already have GFCIs installed in the electrical outlets. There will be a small black "test" button and a small red "reset" button on the outlets. You can then use these buttons to reset your electrical current if there is a power overload The most common type of GFCI is the "receptacle-type" GFCI, which can be installed in your electrical wall outlets by a qualified electrician. You should have GFCIs installed throughout your home, such as in your kitchen, your bathrooms, your laundry room, your workshop, your basement, and your garage. There are also temporary, portable GFCIs available for construction sites and outdoor areas where you are using electric tools or yard equipment like lawn mowers or trimmers. GFCIs in your home or office should be tested on a monthly basis to ensure they are functioning properly. They should be tested by a qualified electrician. Pay attention to warning signs of faulty wiring. Older homes and apartments are at a higher risk of faulty wiring. You should be on the look out for any warning signs of faulty wiring in your space and make sure the wiring is inspected by a qualified electrician as soon as possible. There are several warning signs, including: Flickering light bulbs and lights that dim when you use certain appliances. Light switches that are hot to the touch. Plugs that spark when you try to plug them in. Outlets that sound like they are buzzing, crackling, or hissing. Circuit breakers and fuses that trip or short constantly. Electrical wires and fuse boxes that feel hot to the touch. Get the electrical wiring checked by a qualified electrician. You should have the electrical wiring in your home or office inspected before you move into the space and on a consistent basis. Make sure you hire a qualified electrician to do the inspection of the entire space. The electrician should check that the circuit breakers and fuses are properly rated for the circuit they are protecting. The circuit breakers should also work properly. The electrician should also check for any loose wires or loose lighting fixtures. They should replace any broken or faulty wiring in the space. The electrician may also advise that you increase your space's electrical service capacity, especially if you tend to have fuses that blow or trip often. You may need to upgrade the electrical service capacity to keep up with a high number of lighting, appliances, and electronics in your space. Update the electrical wiring every ten years. You should make sure the electrical wiring in your space is updated at least every ten years to prevent any electrical fire hazards. You may need to have a qualified electrical do small upgrades in your space and recommend additional protection, like GFCIs in other areas of your home. You should also make sure any smoke alarms in your home are replaced every ten years. Check the date of manufacture on the smoke alarm to confirm it is within ten years old. If not, replace it with a new smoke alarm. | Make sure all electrical outlets are fitted and tight to the wall. Do not tamper with electrical plugs. Use a surge protector for multiple plugs. Replace any frayed or cracked electrical cords. Use extension cords as a temporary solution. Keep electrical cords away from carpets and water. Follow the manufacturer's instructions. Disconnect small appliances when not in use. Make sure you use the right light bulbs in fixtures. Make sure there are Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters in your outlets. Pay attention to warning signs of faulty wiring. Get the electrical wiring checked by a qualified electrician. Update the electrical wiring every ten years. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Use-Et-Al | How to Use Et Al | To use et al., keep in mind that the Latin phrase means "and others" to help you decide where and when to use it. You can use et al. formally when you're creating in-text citations and parenthetical remarks so that you don't have to list a long string of names. You can also use the phrase in less formal situations, like when you need to refer to a group of coworkers in a work email. Et al. works best when written, so try to avoid using it in general, everyday conversations. | Use et al. with in-text citations. The intention is to make references shorter and easier to absorb. Aside from authors, this can also apply to characters in a book or novel. In general, it's used in academic situations or when writing very formally such as in-text citations and parenthetical remarks. If Lewis, Gilbert, and Lamar wrote something about teamwork, the reference could be: ”Lewis et al. (2006) demonstrated teamwork environment is critical to success.” Use et al. after the last dissimilar author. Cite similar references based upon the first different names. Whenever you have multiple, initial authors that are the same, citation should go to the first dissimilar author. This rule does not apply when the leading authors are different. The following examples demonstrate how to solve the dilemma of nearly identical authors. In 2009, Dobbs, Almond, and Chen wrote Alpha First citations: (Dobbs, Almond, & Chen, 2009) Subsequent citations: (Dobbs, Almond, & Chen, 2009) Dobbs, Almond, Chen, Brown, and Ender wrote Beta First citations: (Dobbs, Almond, Chen, Brown, & Ender, 2009) Subsequent citations: (Dobbs, Almond, Chen, et al., 2009) In 2009, Wilson, Dobbs, and Almond wrote Gamma All citations are (Wilson, Dobbs, & Almond, 2009), and do not coincide or conflict in any way with the previous two citations because Wilson is the lead author, and different from the lead author (i.e. Dobbs) on the other two. Determine whether to use a comma before et al. There is some confusion and disagreement concerning the usage of a comma before et al. The guidance is based on whether or not the Oxford comma (i.e. the pre-conjunction comma in a list greater than two) is being preferred. In general, however, literally substituting the words “and others” into the phrase can help you make the decision. Use the following examples for guidance: Not using the Oxford comma, “Moe, Curly, Larry and Shemp” would be “Moe, Curly et al.” Using the Oxford comma, “John, Paul, George, and Ringo” would be “John, Paul, et al.” Don’t use et al. if there are fewer than three authors. For both the first and subsequent in-text citations, both the authors should be listed out as (Dalton & Wade, 1989). The usage of et al. should be avoided because et al. always refers to plural authors, and (Dalton, et al., 1989) would indicate two authors aside from Dalton. Use et al. on the subsequent citations for three, four, or five authors. Any time you have more than two authors, the potential for using et al. with in-text citation is there. As such, the first citation should spell out all their names, and any subsequent citation can include et al. after the first author. First citation – (Balboa, Creed, & Drago, 1985) Subsequent citations – (Balboa et al., 1985) Apply et al. to all citations of works with six or more authors. Listing six or more authors is cumbersome, even for the initial reference. As such, using et al. allows the shortening of such references universally. For instance, authors Highway, Choozoo, Jones, Fragetti, Profile, and Johanson would be cited in-text as follows: First citation – (Highway et al., 1986) Subsequent citations – (Highway et al., 1986) Incorporate et al. into work emails. When referring to a group of coworkers, it may be easier to use et al. than list everyone who made a contribution. Keep your audience in mind when using et al. in informal writing. If they are unlikely to understand what it means, substitute “and others” or “and the rest.” The following general writing examples work well: ”We should go to the work overtime this weekend Jim, Jesse, Brian et al. to get the project done.” ”If David et al. get the financing, we can move forward with the prototype.” Avoid using et al. in general, everyday speech. It is generally used with academic writing and doesn't translate well into speech. Opt to include your entire list or say some shorter English equivalent in place of this Latin abbreviation. Instead of et al., use a variation as in the following examples. ”The Bulls would have lost the game if not for Jordan and the other guards.” ”Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and the rest made it safely to the day care.” Don’t use et al. with a salutation. Most greetings, like “Dear,” are friendly in nature. The usage of et al., which may confuse readers because of usage and/or punctuation, is very stiff in nature, not friendly at all. On top of that, it's largely uncommon in introductions, and the mere inclusion will have the recipients questioning whether the usage is proper. Try substituting an appropriate plural word for the group you're addressing, instead of forcing et al. into a greeting. | Use et al. Use et al. Determine whether to use a comma before et al. Don’t use et al. Use et al. Apply et al. Incorporate et al. Avoid using et al. Don’t use et al. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Deal-With-a-Cheating-Boyfriend | How to Deal With a Cheating Boyfriend | If you have a cheating boyfriend, you have to decide what you can forgive and what would be a deal breaker. For example, you might want to give him a second chance if he cheated once, but if he has a mistress he's been seeing regularly then you might decide it's over. It's normal to feel angry in this situation, but approach him calmly so he's honest rather than defensive. When you're talking, ask him how often he's cheated and what he wants to do moving forward. Once you get all the answers, you can decide if you want to stay together. If you choose to work through it, let him know what he should do to earn your trust back like removing the password from his phone. | Practice what you want to say before you have the talk. Having a serious conversation with your boyfriend will be hard, especially if you're upset. To help you get through what you need to say, decide what you want to tell him in advance. Then, practice saying that out loud. This will help you during the actual talk. Try talking to a mirror or explaining it to a supportive friend. Ask him to talk when you feel ready. Call or text him to tell him you're ready to talk about what happened. Invite him to meet you in a neutral location or somewhere you feel comfortable. Schedule a time when you'll have plenty of time to discuss the situation and won't feel rushed. For example, you might ask him to meet you at your house or at a local coffee shop. You might text him, “I need to talk to you about what happened with Stacey. Can we meet up at the Good Beans Cafe at 1 p.m.?” Ask him if he’s cheating if you’re not sure. You might suspect he's cheating if he's been pulling away from you or you've been hearing rumors. If this is the case, it's best to ask him directly instead of making assumptions. Explain your suspicions and why you feel that way. Then, ask him if he's actually cheating on you. You might say, “I've noticed that you haven't kissed me in 2 weeks, and now I'm hearing rumors about you going on a date with Alex. Is it true that you cheated?” Tell him how his decision to cheat made you feel. He probably wasn't trying to hurt you when he cheated, but he needs to know the pain his actions caused. Explain how you feel about what happened and why it hurt you so much. Say as much as you need to say to feel better. You might say, “I feel so hurt and betrayed right now. I trusted you with my heart, and you broke it into a million pieces.” Listen to his side of the story but don’t accept blame. You probably know that there are 2 sides to every story, and seeing things from your boyfriend's perspective could help. Give him a chance to explain himself and try to understand his side. However, don't let him try to blame you or excuse his behavior. This gives your boyfriend a chance to tell you if he wants to save your relationship and why you should take him back. Additionally, it might help you understand that he didn't cheat to hurt you. If he starts to blame you, hold up your hand and say, “Stop. I'm not going to accept blame for your actions. If you're going to blame me, we can end this conversation now.” Give yourself permission to grieve. Finding out your boyfriend may be cheating hurts a lot, so let out your pain. Acknowledge how you're feeling right now and express your emotions in a healthy way. Give yourself as much time as you need to grieve. This will help you feel better faster. Say to yourself, “I feel so betrayed right now” or “I feel so sad because I thought we were perfect together.” Use healthy coping strategies to process your emotions. You might feel overwhelmed by your feelings at times, and expressing them can help you feel better. Try different coping strategies to figure out what helps you work through your emotions. For instance, you might do the following: Call your best friend to vent. Write in your journal. Take a hot bath and listen to relaxing music. Watch your favorite comedy. Go for a walk or run. Do yoga. Express yourself through art. Spend time with your support network to remind you you’re loved. Going through a heartbreak can make you feel like your love has abandoned you. However, you actually have a lot of people around you who love you so much! Take your mind off of what's happening with your boyfriend by spending time with your friends and family. Invite them to hang out at home or to do something fun. For instance, invite your best friend to your house for a movie night or go bowling with a group of friends. Try not to talk about what's going on with your boyfriend. Instead, focus on the great relationships you have in your life. Remind yourself that you aren’t at fault for his decisions. When your partner cheats, you may try to figure out what you did wrong in the relationship. However, there's no excuse for his decision to cheat! He is the only one responsible for his cheating, so don't blame yourself. When you start to worry you did something wrong, tell yourself that you can't control what he does. Say, “I don't control his behavior. If he decided to cheat, that's his fault, not mine.” Practice self care so your needs are met. Right now you probably feel like eating ice cream and binge-watching TV. However, you'll feel better faster if you eat healthy meals, get dressed, exercise, and follow a routine. Write out a simple routine that you can follow while you're feeling down about your relationship. Additionally, do something nice for yourself every day. For example, you might set a goal to get dressed, go to work or school, exercise, and work on a hobby. Additionally, you might plan simple, healthy meals like yogurt with cut up fruit, a salad with grilled chicken, or a turkey wrap with a side of steamed veggies. Focus on being happy rather than getting even. When you find out your boyfriend cheated, it's natural to want to get revenge. It's okay to fantasize about kissing his friend or keying his car, but actually doing it is a bad idea. You'll likely feel even worse and might end up in trouble. Instead of worrying about revenge, do things that make you feel happy. As an example, buy yourself a new outfit, bake cookies with your best friend, or go on a road trip with your friend group. It's okay to indulge your fantasies of revenge. For instance, you might picture yourself ruining his favorite record or putting a dead fish in his car. Just don't go through with it! Take time to think over your decisions. Give yourself time to think about what you really want. Consider what happened, how you feel, and what he said during your conversation. Then, make a decision that's right for you. If you know you want to end things, it's okay to go ahead and do that. However, don't feel like you need to make the decision quickly if you aren't sure. Decide if you can continue the relationship or not. Your boyfriend's cheating might make you lose trust, which is understandable. If you're unable to trust him, your relationship may not be fixable. Consider if you feel like you can work through this or not. Then, decide if you want to break up or stay together. It's okay to get advice from other people, but make the decision that feels right to you. Forgive him so you can feel better. Take as much time as you need to forgive. Then, do it so that you feel better, not for him. When you feel ready, tell him that he's forgiven or write it in a letter that you never send. This will help you move on. You might say to him, “What you did hurt me so much, but I've chosen to forgive you and move on.” Forgiving him is not about forgetting what happened or saying it's okay. It's your way of telling him that you aren't going to let him affect your future. Focus on the future if you want to rebuild the relationship. If you want to work things out, you'll have to leave the cheating episode in the past. That means not bringing it up when you're angry or feel hurt by him. Do your best to focus on your future together, not your past. For instance, you might be tempted to accuse him of cheating every time he's late. If you do this, it'll ruin your relationship. Restore the trust you lost when he cheated. It'll take time to get the trust back in your relationship, but it's possible. Work with him to rebuild your trust by talking every day and spending more time together. Additionally, follow through on your promises and hold him accountable for his. For instance, if he promises to take you on a date, remind him to do so. Similarly, if he promises to text you at certain times of the day, text him if he forgets. Break up with him if you decide to end the relationship. It might be best for you to break up with your cheating boyfriend, especially if he's cheated more than once. If you make the decision to break up with him, talk to him in person. Tell him how you feel and that you think it's time for you to end the relationship and focus on your future. Say, “After you cheated, my feelings for you changed. I'm really hurt and angry over what happened, and I can't be in this relationship anymore. I'm ending this so I can focus on my happiness.” | Practice what you want to say before you have the talk. Ask him to talk when you feel ready. Ask him if he’s cheating if you’re not sure. Tell him how his decision to cheat made you feel. Listen to his side of the story but don’t accept blame. Give yourself permission to grieve. Use healthy coping strategies to process your emotions. Spend time with your support network to remind you you’re loved. Remind yourself that you aren’t at fault for his decisions. Practice self care so your needs are met. Focus on being happy rather than getting even. Take time to think over your decisions. Decide if you can continue the relationship or not. Forgive him so you can feel better. Focus on the future if you want to rebuild the relationship. Restore the trust you lost when he cheated. Break up with him if you decide to end the relationship. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Diagnose-a-Cat-Cough | How to Diagnose a Cat Cough | Coughing is a rare symptom for a cat, so take it to the vet to find the cause. If your cat is coughing and you need to diagnose the cause, start by looking for any airborne irritants in your home, like air fresheners, aerosol hair spray, tobacco smoke, and perfume. If you suspect one of these is the cause, open all of the windows to ventilate your home, and if it's an option, take the cat outside for fresh air. Dust mites can also cause a cat to cough, so clean any soft surfaces in your home with a vacuum that's fitted with an allergen filter. If neither of those options help, take your cat to the vet for a checkup. | Look for any airborne irritants in your home. Coughing cats are relatively rare, so if your cat starts coughing have a look around for any obvious sources of irritation. Airborne aerosols (deodorants, air fresheners, hair spray, and perfume) are all very irritating to your cat's delicate airways and may make her cough. Cats are also sensitive to tobacco smoke. If you suspect an obvious airborne irritant is causing the cough, take your cat outside for some fresh air, or open all the windows to ventilate the room. Invest in a good vacuum cleaner with allergen filters and vacuum daily. One common trigger for feline asthma is house dust mites. If possible, keep your pet off soft furnishings, which harbors dust mites, including beds and sofas. Of course, it is pretty difficult to keep cats off of soft furnishings, so if your cat is going to be lounging on your bed or sofa, make sure you vacuum these surfaces every day. Carpets also harbor dust and dust mites. Vacuum any carpet in your home at least once a week. If the carpets become too difficult to keep up on a daily basis, consider removing them and having laminate or hardwood flooring installed in your home. Notice if your cat is sneezing often, has sticky eyes, or a snotty nose. These are all symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection, which can sometimes cause a cough. Bathe her eyes and nose to free them from discharges. This will help her to feel better and breath more easily. Get your cat checked by your vet if she stops eating, is lethargic, or has to breathe through her mouth. Cats can suffer from colds or flu, just like we can, though it is caused by different bugs so you don't worry too much about cross infection. Your vet can confirm if your cat has an illness. Your vet may require more rigorous testing, such as an x-ray, to determine how severe your cat's cough is. Ask your vet to look for any foreign objects in your cat’s airways or any signs of infection. Conditions like a foreign body in the airway (such as a grass awn lodged in a bronchus), bronchitis, asthma, and infection (bacterial, viral, and parasitic) can all cause your cat to cough. However, it is an interesting fact of nature that cats, unlike dogs, rarely cough as a result of heart disease. This may have to do with the distribution of cough receptors in your cat's lungs. Due to this wide range of possible conditions, it is important to reach the right diagnosis. Treating a heartworm infection, for example, with an asthma inhaler is unlikely to be helpful. Neither would dosing a cat with anti-parasite products help a cat with a grass awn lodged in their lung. Allow your vet to take a radiograph. A radiograph, or x-ray, is the most commonly used test. It produces an image of the cat's chest and lungs. X-rays produce an image by showing the different density of tissue in the body. A dense tissue like bone blocks x-rays (producing white on the image), while air does not block x-rays at all, so the plate will be black. Soft tissue such as the heart, lungs, fat, blood, and muscle have subtly different densities and produce different shades of shadow on the plate. Be aware that three pictures or "views" of your cat will be exposed on the x-ray. These are the left lateral (the cat lying with her left side in contact with the table), the right lateral (right side down) and the dorsoventral (the cat resting on her tummy with the x-ray beam passing first through her spine then her breastbone). Three views are taken to reduce the risk of missing any pathology in the chest. This can happen if too few views are taken because of your cat's anatomical quirks. When the cat rests on her side, the lower lung is compressed by the weight of the heart above it, and the lung above that. This makes the lower lung denser, which can hide objects such as tumors. To be certain there is nothing of interest in the left or right lungs, your cat needs to have images taken with her lying on both sides. Look for any lung masses on the x-ray. Masses within the lung tissue such as tumors or abscesses tend to be denser than the lung and show up on the x-ray as brighter than the surrounding lung. Unfortunately, due to the laws of physics, it is only possible to see lumps that are greater than 5 mm in diameter. It is not possible to distinguish any smaller lumps from normal lung tissue. Keep in mind that lung tumors are more likely to cause rapid breathing than coughing in the cat. Check the x-rays for pleural effusions. This is fluid contained in your cat's chest cavity that bathes the outside of the lungs. If sufficient fluid builds up, the pressure causes the lungs to collapse. This does not usually cause coughing, but if present it will be visible on the x-rays. Look for any signs of thickened airways. Air travels into the lungs down the windpipe, which then splits up into smaller airways called bronchi, which split into smaller airways called bronchioles. Think of the windpipe as a tree trunk and the bronchi and bronchioles as branches and twigs. If the pipe of the airway becomes inflamed or thickened, which happens with bronchitis and asthma, then the walls show up as a brighter white than the surrounding tissue. Both bronchitis and asthma are a common cause of coughing, so x-rays are useful to visualize the airways and check for this issue. Check for any fluid in your cat’s lungs. Fluid can build up within the lung tissue as a result of heart disease, such as pulmonary edema, or an infection like pneumonia. While it is not possible to say for sure what the fluid is on an x-ray, there will be clues as to the cause based on your cat's medical history. For example, a cat that does not have a heart murmur but is running a fever and coughing is likely to have pneumonia. To be sure, it may be necessary to run additional tests. A bronchial wash is the most useful test for fluid build up because it harvests a sample of fluid. Be aware of the limitations of using an x-ray to get a diagnosis. An inhaled grass awn stuck in your cat's airway may appear as soft tissue density on the x-ray image, due to the build-up of secretions in the lung downstream of the blockage. But the x-ray image cannot distinguish the grass awn from a tumor or a localized infection. You will need to run additional tests on your cat to get a clearer diagnosis. Have your vet do an endoscopy. An endoscopy is done with an endoscope, or tiny camera mounted on a fiber optic cable, that is passed down your cat's windpipe to examine your cat's airways. Your cat will be under general anesthesia during this procedure. An endoscopy is used to look for foreign bodies in your cat's airways such as grass awn and lungworm larvae. Via endoscopy, it is possible to see if a fluid is present in the airway lumen, and if so, whether it is pus, mucus, or blood. Be aware of the drawbacks of an endoscopy. Felines tend to have smaller sized airways. This smaller airway diameter means that even a small endoscope will completely fill their windpipe and the cat cannot breathe while the endoscopy is being performed. To allow your cat to breath, an endoscopy has to be done in short bursts of 30 seconds at a time, with the endoscope removed in between to allow the anesthetist to fully re-oxygenate your cat. Allow your vet to perform a bronchial wash on your cat. This procedure is done with your cat under general anesthetic. A fine tube is passed into your cat's windpipe and down into the lungs to where the windpipe divides to the right and left lungs. Around 10 ml of sterile saline is injected down the tube and immediately sucked back up again. The tube is removed and the saline wash is transferred into a sterile container. Like endoscopy, this procedure has to be done quickly, because for the period of time the tube is in their windpipe, the cat cannot breathe. Understand the samples obtained by a bronchial wash. The samples obtained by a bronchial wash are used in a cytology and in a bacterial culture test. Cytology is done by using a small sample from your cat's lungs and looking at it under a microscope to see what cell types are present, from cancer cells to parasite eggs or larvae, to inflammatory cells. This helps your vet make a diagnosis and distinguish any cancer, parasitic lung disease, pneumonia, or allergy cells in your cat. A bacterial culture sample is used in a procedure that grows any bacteria present in the lung sample to find an antibiotic that will effectively kill the bacteria. Have you vet do a CT scan or MRI. These advanced imaging techniques have very fine resolution and give a 3-D image, unlike an x-ray, which gives a 2-D image. This makes it easier to see small tumors that could be missed on an x-ray, and generally give a much more detailed picture of your cat's lung pathology. Stroke and soothe your cat. Some cats can work themselves into a panic attack if they are short of breath. The simple act of calming her down can help her to relax and catch her breath. Leave your cat in a quiet and undisturbed area to rest. Avoid stressing her out, especially before a vet appointment. Keep other pets and children away from her. If she is short of breath the last thing she wants to do is be chased by other animals. Make sure the room is not too hot or overheated. Overheated areas cause your cat to breath more quickly to cool down. If she is already struggling with her breathing, this will only add to her stress and discomfort. Keep your coughing cat indoors. Her natural instinct may be to go to ground and hide if she is feeling irritated. If she hides the yard and you can't find her, she may deteriorate and you wouldn't be able to locate her to take her to the vet. | Look for any airborne irritants in your home. Invest in a good vacuum cleaner with allergen filters and vacuum daily. Notice if your cat is sneezing often, has sticky eyes, or a snotty nose. Get your cat checked by your vet if she stops eating, is lethargic, or has to breathe through her mouth. Ask your vet to look for any foreign objects in your cat’s airways or any signs of infection. Allow your vet to take a radiograph. Be aware that three pictures or "views" of your cat will be exposed on the x-ray. Look for any lung masses on the x-ray. Check the x-rays for pleural effusions. Look for any signs of thickened airways. Check for any fluid in your cat’s lungs. Be aware of the limitations of using an x-ray to get a diagnosis. Have your vet do an endoscopy. Be aware of the drawbacks of an endoscopy. Allow your vet to perform a bronchial wash on your cat. Understand the samples obtained by a bronchial wash. Have you vet do a CT scan or MRI. Stroke and soothe your cat. Leave your cat in a quiet and undisturbed area to rest. Make sure the room is not too hot or overheated. Keep your coughing cat indoors. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Dress-Well-when-You%27re-Overweight | How to Dress Well when You're Overweight | If you're overweight and you want to build a strong wardrobe, use light colors to draw people's eyes to areas you like while camouflaging your least favorite attributes with dark colors. Stick to small prints, since large prints can make you look bigger, and choose diagonal and vertical stripes over unflattering horizontal stripes. You can also wear well-fitting, supportive undergarments under your outfit to prevent unflattering lines or bulges! | Choose pieces that draw the eye to your best features. Look in the mirror and decide which parts of your body you want to enhance. Then, choose items that show off your assets. This will draw people's eyes to what makes you beautiful. For instance, you might love your legs. To show them off, you might wear dresses or long, slim pants. Similarly, you might be proud of your curves. You could wear tops, blazers, or dresses that cinch in at your waist. Alternatively, you might use a belt to tighten your clothes at your waist. Wear fitted clothing to flatter your figure. You might think that baggy clothes hide your extra weight. However, baggy clothes often add extra pounds and also make you appear less self-assured. Instead, pick clothes that are the correct size and fit you well. Look for shirts that have darting or shape to them so they skim your body. For pants, choose a straight-leg, bootcut, or tailored look. However, avoid a relaxed fit or trouser pant. For skirts or dresses, look for pencil, a-line, or fit-and-flare options. Avoid shapeless skirts that hide your figure. Cinch the smallest part of your waist to create an hourglass look. Use a tape measure to find the smallest part of your waist. Then, use a belt to tighten your clothes over this part of your waist. This will draw the eye to the smallest part of your body and will enhance your curves. For instance, you might put a wide belt over a button-up shirt to create a cute work look. Alternatively, you might use a 1 in (2.5 cm) belt to create a waist on a baggy dress. Layer a jacket, cardigan, or vest over your outfit to upgrade your style. Layering your clothes can make you look more stylish and put-together, as long as your pieces are fitted. Pick layers that fit the season and occasion. Here are some ideas: In spring, wear light cardigans, a wind breaker, or a thin blazer. During summer, stick to vests or 3/4-length sleeved cardigans. In fall, pick cardigans, sweaters, light jackets, or blazers. In winter, pick a stylish overcoat, a jacket, or a blazer. At work, use blazers and cardigans to upgrade your style. On the weekend, throw on a light jacket, a vest, or a cardigan. For a causal look, pick a denim or leather jacket. Use bright colors to draw attention. Bright colors attract the eye, so you can use them to show off your best features. Additionally, bright colors can make you look confident. Wear bright colors when you want to make a splash. Alternatively, wear bright pieces on the parts of your body you want people to notice first. For instance, you might wear a bright top with dark pants if you're proud of your upper body. Similarly, you might wear a bright belt to draw attention to a narrow waist. If you love your legs, you might wear bright colored pants or tights. Wear dark colors to minimize areas you want to slim out. You've probably heard that dark colors make you look smaller, and it's true. Use dark colors like black and navy blue to create a slimmer look. Go for all over dark color or wear a dark color to minimize part of your body. For example, you might wear a dark suit or sheath dress to create a slimmer profile at work. Alternatively, wear dark pants if you want to minimize your lower body or a dark top if you want to slim out your upper body. Pick a small print to slim your body. Prints are a fun way to express your style. Generally, smaller prints look more flattering than larger prints. Look for prints that have a small repeating pattern to create your best look. For instance, small all-over polka dots will usually look better than large polka dots. Try on prints to see how they look on you. You may find that some larger prints still look great! Wear narrow horizontal stripes to make you look taller. While you might be afraid that horizontal stripes will make you look fatter, they can actually make you look longer and leaner. Pick tops or dresses that have thin horizontal stripes to make you look your best. A shirt or blazer with horizontal stripes can slim out your upper body. Similarly, a dress, especially a long dress, will make you look taller and slimmer. Play around with trends that you like. Being overweight doesn't mean you can't look amazing in the latest trends. Incorporate trends into your wardrobe when you like them. Try on trendy pieces to see how they look on you. Only buy pieces that make you look and feel your best. For example, don't be afraid to wear a crop top if you think they're cute. Look for a crop top in your size. Then, pair it with a cute bottom, like high-waisted shorts or a fit-and-flare skirt. Wear statement jewelry rather than small pieces. You don't need to wear jewelry to dress well, but it can be a great way to accessorize your outfit. Larger pieces of jewelry will stand out on a curvier body. Look for larger necklaces and bracelets that express your sense of style. For instance, you might wear a thick chain, chunky beads, or a collar necklace. Similarly, you could pick thick bangle bracelets. Accentuate your waist with a belt. Both thick and thin belts can look great on a curvy figure. Wear your belts at the smallest part of your waist to show off your body. Pick belts that match the style you're going for. For instance, you might wear a plain leather belt for a professional look. To add more flair to your outfit, you might choose a snakeskin print or a glittery belt. If you want to create an edgy look, pick a studded or rhinestone belt. Choose a larger handbag to balance out your body. A smaller handbag might make you look heavier than you are. On the other hand, a larger bag is more flattering to a fuller figure. When you're shopping for bags, check yourself out in the mirror to see what you look like holding the bag. Make sure it looks proportional to your body. For instance, you might pick a large hobo bag or a tote. On the other hand, avoid carrying a clutch or wristlet that might look too small for you. Wear a long scarf to lengthen your body. A scarf is a great accessory that can fit any style. Pick long scarves that hang down your body because they draw the eye down your figure. This makes you look long and lean. For instance, wear a thin, lightweight scarf with a pants suit at work. On the weekend, look for a colorful cotton scarf you can wear with jeans and a t-shirt or a plain day dress. | Choose pieces that draw the eye to your best features. Wear fitted clothing to flatter your figure. Cinch the smallest part of your waist to create an hourglass look. Layer a jacket, cardigan, or vest over your outfit to upgrade your style. Use bright colors to draw attention. Wear dark colors to minimize areas you want to slim out. Pick a small print to slim your body. Wear narrow horizontal stripes to make you look taller. Play around with trends that you like. Wear statement jewelry rather than small pieces. Accentuate your waist with a belt. Choose a larger handbag to balance out your body. Wear a long scarf to lengthen your body. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Soothe-Tired-Feet | How to Soothe Tired Feet | To soothe tired feet, try soaking your feet in a warm bath with some Epsom salts for 30 minutes, which can reduce pain and swelling. You can also lie down and elevate your feet using pillows, which can help excess blood leave your feet so they feel less swollen and sore. If you're looking for a short-term solution, try taking an over-the-counter NSAID, like ibuprofen, to reduce inflammation and pain in your feet. | Elevate your feet while resting. Part of the reason feet get sore is due to swelling, so raising your feet while sitting down will help to negate gravity and allow blood and lymph fluid to exit the lower legs and return into circulation. Taking your socks/nylons off will also help to cool your feet down, thus soothing them even further. Raising your feet to at least the level of your heart is good for promoting circulation. Use pillows to elevate your feet while laying on the sofa, but don't hamper blood flow by crossing your ankles. Ice your feet while you're elevating them if they're swollen. Leave the ice on for 20 minutes and then take 20 minutes off. Change your shoes. Ill-fitting, poorly ventilated and/or excessively heavy shoes also contribute to tired and sore feet. As such, wear stable, lightweight footwear that suits your job, sport, or activity. Aim for no more than a 1/2 inch heel. High heels crowd the toes and promote foot pathology such as bunions. If you're a serious runner, replace your shoes every 350 – 500 miles or three months, whichever comes first. Remember to always tie your shoes tightly, because loose shoes or flip-flops put more strain on your foot and lower leg muscles. Get fitted for your shoes by a shoe salesperson late in the day, because that's when your feet are at their largest, usually due to swelling and slight compression of your arches. Wear shoe orthotics. If you have flat feet and spend lots of time standing or walking then consider a pair of orthotics. Orthotics are customized shoe inserts that support the arch of your foot and promote better biomechanics while standing, walking, and running. Orthotics will also help reduce the risk of problems developing in other joints such as the ankle, knee, and hips. Health professionals that make custom orthotics include podiatrists and some osteopaths and chiropractors. Some health insurance plans cover the cost of customized orthotics, but if yours doesn't, then consider a pair of off-the-shelf orthopedic shoe insoles — they're considerably less expensive and may provide quick relief. Lose some weight, especially if you're obese. Weight loss helps prevent a variety of foot problems as there's less pressure put on the bones and muscles of the feet and lower legs. For most women, consuming less than 2,000 calories daily will lead to some weight loss every week even if you're only a light exerciser. Most men will lose weight at under 2,200 calories daily. Switch to lean meats and fish, whole grains, fresh produce and lots of water for the best weight loss results. Many overweight people have flat feet and tend to over- pronate their ankles, so choosing shoes with excellent arch support is crucial. Take over-the-counter NSAIDs. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin can be short-term solutions to help you deal with pain or inflammation in your feet. Keep in mind that these medications can be hard on your stomach, kidneys and liver, so it's best not to use them for more than 2 weeks at a stretch. Dosage for adults is usually 200-400 mg, by mouth, every four to six hours. Alternatively, you can try over-the-counter analgesics such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) to soothe your feet, but never take them concurrently with NSAIDs. Be careful not to take any medications on an empty stomach, as they can irritate the lining of your stomach and increase the risk of ulcers. Don't take NSAIDs if you have ulcers, heart or kidney disease Take an Epsom salt bath. Soaking your feet in a warm Epsom salt bath can significantly reduce pain and swelling, especially if the pain is caused by muscle tension. The magnesium in the salt helps the muscles relax. Don't make the water too hot (to prevent scalding) and don't soak in the bath for much more than 30 minutes because the salty water will pull fluid from your body and start to dehydrate you. If swelling is a particular problem in your feet, then follow the warm salt bath with an ice bath until your feet feel numb (about 15 minutes or so). Always remember to dry your feet thoroughly after a foot bath so as to prevent slip and falls. Use a small wooden roller. Rolling your tired feet over a wooden roller (found at many drug stores) is a good way to massage the tension out of your feet and potentially relieve mild-to-moderate discomfort. For some reason, natural wood seems to work better at soothing muscles than plastic, glass, or metal. Look for grooved or ribbed varieties. Place the wooden roller on the ground, perpendicular to your feet, and firmly roll them back and forth slowly for at least five to 10 minutes each. Repeat as many times as necessary, although your feet might be a little sore after the first time your use a roller. Get a foot massage. Get a massage therapist to give you a foot and calf massage. Massage reduces muscle tension and inflammation, helps break down scar tissue and promotes better blood flow. Have the therapist start rubbing from the toes and work towards the calf so the venous blood and lymph are helped back up towards the heart. The therapist may also perform trigger point therapy on the soles of your feet, which is sustained pressure to the most sore spots within your arches. Ask the therapist to use peppermint oil or cream on your feet because it will make them tingle and feel invigorating. Always drink lots of water immediately following a massage in order to flush out inflammatory by-products, lactic acid, and toxins from your body. Failure to do so might cause a headache or mild nausea. Try acupuncture. Acupuncture involves sticking very thin needles into specific energy points within the skin in efforts to reduce pain and inflammation. Acupuncture for foot pain can be effective, especially if it's done when the symptoms first occur. Based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture works by releasing a variety of substances including endorphins and serotonin, which act to reduce pain. It's also claimed that acupuncture stimulates the flow of energy, referred to as chi. Acupuncture is practiced by a variety of health professionals including some physicians, chiropractors, naturopaths, physical therapists, and massage therapists. Consider reflexology. Some people confuse reflexology with massage, but although both use touch and pressures points, the approaches are very different. Reflexology is the application of appropriate pressure to specific points and areas on the feet in efforts to stimulate specific organs and improve health in general. Massage therapists work "from the outside in" — manipulating specific muscle groups or fascia to release tension; reflexology practitioners work "from the inside out" — stimulating the nervous system to release tension in the feet and elsewhere. Reflexology is similar to acupuncture and acupressure in that it works with the body's vital energy through the stimulation of points on the feet, as well as points in the hands and ears. See a podiatrist. If your foot pain is chronic or particularly severe, then seeing a podiatrist is a good idea. Podiatrists are foot specialists who can treat a variety of conditions, sometimes with simple surgical techniques, but more often with conservative approaches such as custom orthotics, orthopedic shoes, braces or taping. A podiatrist can tell you if you're suffering from common foot conditions such as plantar fasciitis, athlete's foot (fungal infection), flat feet, turf toe, bunions, or gout — which all cause foot pain to varying degrees. A podiatrist is a great source of information on what types of shoes are best for your feet and gait (the way that you walk). See a medical specialist. Medical specialists may be needed to rule out the most serious causes of chronic foot problems, such as diabetes, infection, venous insufficiency, bone fracture, rheumatoid arthritis or cancer. These conditions are obviously not common causes of tired and tender feet, but if home care and conservative therapies are not effective for soothing your feet, then more serious problems need to be considered. X-rays, bone scans, MRI, and CT scans are modalities that specialists may use to help diagnose your upper back pain. Your doctor may also send you for a blood test to rule out diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, or a chronic infection. Get a corticosteroid injection. An injection of steroid medication near or into the inflamed tendons or muscles of your foot can quickly reduce inflammation and pain, but this approach is usually reserved for athletes who need quick and temporary relief that enables them to keep performing. The most common preparations used are prednisolone, dexamethasone, and triamcinolone. Potential complications of corticosteroid injections include infection, bleeding, tendon weakening, local muscle atrophy, and nerve irritation/damage. If corticosteroid injections fail to provide adequate resolution, then surgery should be considered as a last resort, depending on the diagnosis of your foot condition. | Elevate your feet while resting. Change your shoes. Wear shoe orthotics. Lose some weight, especially if you're obese. Take over-the-counter NSAIDs. Take an Epsom salt bath. Use a small wooden roller. Get a foot massage. Try acupuncture. Consider reflexology. See a podiatrist. See a medical specialist. Get a corticosteroid injection. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Set-a-Plug-Timer | How to Set a Plug Timer | Using a plug timer is a great way to have your lights or appliances go on and off at specific times of the day. First, plug your plug timer into the wall, turn it on, and plug your appliance into it. If the plug timer's mechanical, turn the dial so the arrow lines up with the current time. Then, push the pins down for the times you want your appliance to be on. If your plug timer's digital, use the buttons to set the current time. Then, set a program for the times and days you want your appliance to be on. Many digital plug timers allow you to set multiple programs for different appliances or different needs. | Find the outlet closest to your device. For the best results, use your mechanical plug timer with an outlet as close as possible to the device you want to control. For example, if you want to control the lights, place the light timer close to the lights. Just make sure to plug it directly into the outlet without any intermediate devices. Don't use your plug timer with an extension cord or other types of electrical adapters. Flip the manual switch button to "Timer On" and insert the timer into the outlet. Although the switch color and location varies by product, they are often gray and located on top of the unit. After flipping the switch, double-check that your plug is dry and connect it to the outlet. For outdoor use, be sure to plug your timer to a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet to prevent shock. Most products are set to "Outlet On" by default, which is the other option aside from "Timer On." When using your plug timer outdoors, let the switch hang downward at least 5 feet (1.5 m) above the ground. Always store your plug timer indoors when you're not using it. Turn the dial clockwise to the current time. To set the plug timer to the current time, locate the bold arrowhead on the front of the timer. After locating it, turn it clockwise until it reaches the current time and leave it in this position. The bold arrowhead is typically black in color across all models. AM markings are typically in white, while PM marking are usually in gray. Remember that each interval—divided by small lines under the numbers—represents 30 minutes. Pull or push the timer pins up or down around the dial to set the device time. The small gray slices on the dial are the timer pins—when they're up, the device is off, and when they're down, the device is on. Push down the pins during the time frame you want the device to be on and pull up the pins during the time frame you want the device to be off. For instance, if you want your device to turn off at 5 AM and turn on at 5 PM, pull up each pin between 5 AM and 5 PM and leave the rest of them down. Connect your electrical device to your plug timer. Plug in your device to the timer and remember that your device's power button must be set to "ON" for the plug timer to work—even during periods when your plug turns it off. Be sure to never use devices that exceed the plug timer's maximum rating. To avoid fires, don't connect your timer to appliances like irons, heaters, and cooking appliances. Switch the "ON/TIMER" button to "ON" to override the timer. To turn the timer back on, flip the switch back to the "TIMER" position. On some models, the 2 options are "Always On" and "Timer." Press the reset button to erase the previous programming. The reset button is typically located on the right side of the plug timer's face. Use a thin pointed object like a toothpick to hit it. Although many products come ready to be programmed, always hit the reset button to be safe. Set the clock with the "Clock," "Hour," "Min," and "Week" buttons. Start by pressing the "Clock" button and holding it down. While holding it, press the "Hour" button consecutively until you reach the current hour. Now, while again holding the "Clock" button, press the "Min" button consecutively until the minute is correct. Finally, hold the "Clock" button and keep pressing the "Week" button until the timer reads the correct day of the week. Take note of AM and PM hours when setting your clock. On some models, there is only a "Clock" button, which is used in conjunction with arrow buttons to select—using the "Set" button— the hour, min, and week on the LCD display. If your model has an "On/Off" button and arrows, using the former to set the time after selecting the hour, min, and day with the latter buttons. Set your timer for different events using the "Program/Prog" button. Each product has different capabilities, but can typically set up to 8 or so events. The default "Program" display is "1 ON." As you press the "Program" button, the display cycles through each event: "1 ON," "1 OFF, "2 ON, "2 OFF," all the way until the maximum number of events. For each event, set the week (day of the event), hour, and minute, followed by the start time—which is "# ON"—for the appliance as well as the stop time, which is "# OFF." Press the "Week" button to cycle through each day or combination of days of the week. For example, "MoTuWeThFrSaSu" is every day of the week, while "Mo," "Tu," "We," "Th," "Fr," "Sa," and "Su" each represent individual days. The other possibilities are combinations such as "SaSu" and "ThuFriSa." Use the "Hour" and "Min" button to select the specific timing for the event, taking care to note AM and PM hours. If your model has arrow buttons, use them to cycle through the various options and select them with the "Set" button. If your model doesn't have this button, you likely have to use the "On/Off" button. Use the "On/Off/Auto" button to make the timer automatically operate your device. Each press of the button cycles the device through "On, "Off," "Auto On," and "Auto Off" settings. Set the plug to "On" to provide power to your device at all times and "Auto On" to provide it power until the next "Off" time. Conversely, set the plug to "Off" to cut power to the device at all times and "Auto Off" to remove power until the next "On" time. Test your schedule with a fan or light so that you can easily see the changes. The "On" option is the same as plugging your device directly into the outlet, and the "Off" setting is the same turning off its power point. Press "Hour" and "Min" simultaneously to activate daylight savings mode. After hitting "Hour" and "Min" at the same time, all of your settings will be delayed by one hour. Typically, this mode is shown as a clock above the black dot located in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. To remove daylight savings mode, press "Hour" and "Min" simultaneously. Hold down "Week" and "Hour" simultaneously for random mode to power your device randomly. After hitting these buttons at the same time, an "O" will appear above the clock symbol that flashes when the timer is functioning. Random mode means that the plug's on and off timing is randomly delayed by a time that falls within a specific interval, such as 2 to 32 minutes. Use random mode for lights to fool burglars into thinking you're home. Press "Week" and "Hour" simultaneously to remove random mode. Plug the timer into an outlet, then plug your device into the timer. Always connect your digital plug timer to the closest outlet to the device you want to control. Be sure to avoid using it with devices like extension cords and electrical adapters. Always use a GFCI outlet when using your plug timer outdoors. Let the plug timer switch hang down to the ground at least 5 feet (1.5 m) from the outlet. Remember that your device needs to be plugged into the timer to work. | Find the outlet closest to your device. Flip the manual switch button to "Timer On" and insert the timer into the outlet. Turn the dial clockwise to the current time. Pull or push the timer pins up or down around the dial to set the device time. Connect your electrical device to your plug timer. Press the reset button to erase the previous programming. Set the clock with the "Clock," "Hour," "Min," and "Week" buttons. Set your timer for different events using the "Program/Prog" button. Use the "On/Off/Auto" button to make the timer automatically operate your device. Press "Hour" and "Min" simultaneously to activate daylight savings mode. Hold down "Week" and "Hour" simultaneously for random mode to power your device randomly. Plug the timer into an outlet, then plug your device into the timer. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Dye-Clothes-with-Food-Coloring | How to Dye Clothes with Food Coloring | To dye your clothes with food coloring, all you'll need is a plastic bowl, white vinegar, water, and food coloring. Start by mixing equal parts water and white vinegar in your bowl. Then, soak your clothes in the mixture for 30 minutes. This will help the dye soak into the fabric and make the color more vibrant. After 30 minutes, dump out the water and gently wring out your clothes. Once you've emptied the bowl, add 4 cups of water and about 15 drops of food coloring. Leave your clothes to soak in the dye for around 15 minutes. Make sure all of the material is submerged in the water so it dyes evenly. Finally, put your clothes in a resealable bag for at least 8 hours to help the dye soak in. | Choose a wool fabric if you want your color to last. Protein fibers, like wool, cashmere, and silk will hold the dye for the longest. Cotton fabric dyes well, but the color generally fades a little bit faster over time. Remember that you can always re-dye items that have faded. Lay down old towels and gather your materials together in one place. Use towels or sheets that you don't mind getting discolored. You'll also need a large plastic bowl, white vinegar, water, and various food coloring options. Getting everything together is helpful so that you don't have to go searching for anything while your hands are messy. There are some techniques to remove food coloring stains, but it's easiest to avoid making them if you can. Place your clothes in a 1:1 mixture of water to vinegar for 30 minutes. Place your clothes in the bowl first, and then add enough equal parts of water and white vinegar so that they're completely saturated. To keep things even, use a measuring cup to add 8 ounces (230 g) of each liquid at a time. The pre-soak prepares the clothes to accept the dye better than if you were to go straight to water and food coloring. Although you can dye your clothes without soaking them first, the color won't be as vibrant! Soak your clothing in water and food coloring after the vinegar soak. Dump out the water/vinegar mix, and gently wring out your clothes. Then use 3 to 4 cups (710 to 950 mL) of water (or more, depending on how bulky the clothes are) and 10-15 drops of food coloring. Mix the water and dye in a large bowl and place your wrung-out clothes into the new mixture. If you're nervous about the color being too dark, start with fewer drops and add more until you get the desired color. Mix together 2 or more dyes to create different colors. Most packs of food coloring have 4 basic color options—blue, green, red, and yellow. Mix together red and blue to make purple. If you want orange, combine red and yellow. Make a beautiful cyan color by mixing green and blue. Experiment with your dyes and water to find the perfect shade for your clothes. If your pack of food coloring comes with white or black dyes, use those to either lighten or darken the mixture to get the color you want. Let your clothes sit in the water and dye mixture for 10-20 minutes. Use a long spoon to push the fabric down in the water to make sure it's fully submerged, and stir it every few minutes let the dye access all of the material. You could even wear rubber gloves and manually rearrange the fabric every couple of minutes, too. After 10-20 minutes, you will notice that the water is clearer than it was before because the dye is getting absorbed into the fabric. Put the clothes into a resealable bag for at least 8 hours. Wring out your clothes after they've soaked in the water and dye mixture, and then place each item into its own resealable bag and set them out of the way somewhere. It's okay if they're left for longer than 8 hours. The time in the resealable bag makes the dye react with the fabric faster, which gives you a more vibrant, longer-lasting color in the end. Choose clothes made from protein fibers for long-lasting colors. Depending on your project, use clothing made of wool, cashmere, or silk for the longest-lasting results. These fibers are made from animals, and food coloring stays in them better than other sorts of fibers, like cotton, linen, and some synthetic fibers. If you have clothes that you want to dye that aren't made from protein fibers, that's okay too! You can still dye them—just keep in mind that the color may fade more quickly. Use cotton fabric for a lighter-colored option that may fade over time. Cotton clothes can be dyed with food coloring, but the color won't be as vibrant and will fade out more quickly. If you want a lighter color anyways, though, cotton is a great way to go. Rub salt into your cotton shirt before you begin to achieve more vibrant colors. There are also ways to set in the color after the clothes have been dyed. Protect your workstation by laying out several old towels. Before you begin dyeing anything, lay out some towels or sheets that you don't mind getting discolored. There are ways to remove stains from food coloring accidents, but it's easier if you can avoid them altogether. You may also want to wear old clothing and pull back your hair before you get started. Mix 1 cup (240 mL) of water in a water bottle with 6-8 drops of dye. Use a plastic bottle for each color you want to incorporate, and fill each one with the 1 cup (240 mL) of water and at least 6 drops of food coloring—you can add more, though, if you want a darker shade. Replace the caps, shake the bottles, and set them to the side so they're ready to use later. If your bottles don't come with a nozzle, prepare them for the tie-dyeing process by using a thumbtack to poke a hole through the lid of each water bottle after they've been filled. That way you can squeeze the bottle and distribute the color with a little more control. Soak your fabric in a 1:1 mixture of water to vinegar for 30 minutes. Put your clothes into the bowl and add enough water and white vinegar to fully saturate them. Depending on what size your bowl or container is, you may need anywhere from 16 ounces (450 g) to 32 ounces (910 g) each of water and white vinegar. The pre-soak in water and vinegar prepares the clothing to accept the dye. Twist rubber bands around the fabric to create different patterns. After the 30-minute soak, wring out the clothes and prepare them for tie-dyeing. Use rubber bands to wrap them in different places, or try some of these fun designs: Twist your fabric into a spiral and then wrap two rubber bands around the clothes in an “x” to create a spiral pattern. Roll your fabric into a tube and then place rubber bands periodically around the tube to create stripes. Pinch little tufts of fabric and wrap rubber bands around them to make starbursts. Make a random pattern by scrunching up the clothes and wrapping rubber bands around them wherever you want. Squeeze the dyes onto the different sections of your clothes. In general, using a single color in a section and then switching to a new color for the next section will create a comprehensive looking shirt. But don't be afraid to experiment and try mixing colors or doing multiple dyes in one section! You may want to wear gloves during this part, as the dye will stain your hands. Don't forget to dye each side of the clothes. For easier application, try putting your rubber-banded clothes on a baking tray to keep the dye from getting everywhere. Place your clothes into a resealable plastic bag for at least 8 hours. Once you've applied the dye, place each item into a plastic bag and let them sit somewhere out of the way for a minimum of 8 hours. It's okay if you leave the clothes for longer than 8 hours! You just want to make sure they stay in the bag for that long at a minimum. Submerge the fabric into a bowl filled with cold water and table salt. After the 8+ hours have passed, take your clothes out of the resealable plastic bags. Fill a bowl with cold water and add 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 grams) of table salt to the water. Put your clothes into the water and hold them down until they're completely submerged. Let them stay in there for about 5 minutes. This is a really quick and easy way to set in the dye. Check out the microwaving and baking options for some extra-strength setting methods. Use a microwave to produce more vibrant colors. The heat from the microwave reacts with the dye to make it a little brighter, and it also helps the dye set into the fabric, too. Simply place your bowl of water, salt, and the fabric into the microwave and cover it with plastic wrap. Poke a few holes into the plastic wrap, and microwave the bowl on low for about 2 minutes. Let the fabric cool down before you try and handle it, or use tongs to remove it from the bowl. Bake your clothes in a mixture of water and citric acid to set the dye. Fill a shallow baking pan halfway with water and add in ⁄ 2 cup (120 mL) of citric acid. Stir until the citric acid has dissolved, then submerge your clothes in the pan. Set your oven for 300 °F (149 °C) and bake the clothes for 30 minutes. Let the water and fabric completely cool before you touch it with your bare hands. You can buy citric acid in the baking aisle at your local grocery store. Rinse out the item under cool water until the water runs clear. Regardless of which setting option you used, always rinse your dyed clothes under cool water. The water may be very lightly tinted at first, but before long it should run clear, letting you know that the dye has set into the fabric and won't bleed out. If you microwaved or baked your clothes, make sure they are cool to the touch before you rinse them out to protect yourself from burns. Hang the clothes to dry rather than putting them in the dryer. The heat from the dryer could fade the dye on the first drying go-around. So instead, hang them out somewhere and let them air dry. Avoid laying the clothes out flat on a surface. If there is any residual dye, it could leach onto the surface. Clean your clothes separately from other items for the first 2-3 washes. Although the setting process should keep your clothes from bleeding, there is always the off-chance that they might. Wash them separately from other loads to ensure the dye won't contaminate anything else. If you have several dyed items of similar color, it's okay to wash them all together. Wash your dyed items with cold water to prevent them from bleeding. Even after those first 2-3 washes, use cold water to prevent any potential bleeding and also to give the color more longevity. Throw your dyed clothing into the wash with other items that need cold water and you should be good to go! You can use normal laundry detergent on your dyed items. The soap won't harm the color in any way. Re-dye your clothes if the color fades over time. One of the great things about dyeing your clothes with food coloring is that it's easy to give touch-ups over time. Simply repeat the dyeing process to darken an item that has gotten lighter. Keep in mind, too, that you can dye old or stained items of clothing to give them new life. | Choose a wool fabric if you want your color to last. Lay down old towels and gather your materials together in one place. Place your clothes in a 1:1 mixture of water to vinegar for 30 minutes. Soak your clothing in water and food coloring after the vinegar soak. Mix together 2 or more dyes to create different colors. Let your clothes sit in the water and dye mixture for 10-20 minutes. Put the clothes into a resealable bag for at least 8 hours. Choose clothes made from protein fibers for long-lasting colors. Use cotton fabric for a lighter-colored option that may fade over time. Protect your workstation by laying out several old towels. Mix 1 cup (240 mL) of water in a water bottle with 6-8 drops of dye. Soak your fabric in a 1:1 mixture of water to vinegar for 30 minutes. Twist rubber bands around the fabric to create different patterns. Squeeze the dyes onto the different sections of your clothes. Place your clothes into a resealable plastic bag for at least 8 hours. Submerge the fabric into a bowl filled with cold water and table salt. Use a microwave to produce more vibrant colors. Bake your clothes in a mixture of water and citric acid to set the dye. Rinse out the item under cool water until the water runs clear. Hang the clothes to dry rather than putting them in the dryer. Clean your clothes separately from other items for the first 2-3 washes. Wash your dyed items with cold water to prevent them from bleeding. Re-dye your clothes if the color fades over time. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Grill-Corn-on-the-Cob | How to Grill Corn on the Cob | To grill juicy corn on the cob, select fresh ears of corn that are barely ripe, with bright green husks and white or pale yellow kernels. Start cooking by preheating the grill to a medium-high heat, and soak the corn in cold water for about 15 minutes. Then, add the butter and seasoning by gently peeling back the husk to brush it onto the kernels. Once they're seasoned, place the ears of corn in their husks onto the grill, and let them cook for 15-20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. Serve the corn when the husk begins to peel back and enjoy. | Choose your corn wisely. Look for the freshest, most barely-ripe corn available, preferably at a farmer's market. Choose bright green husks, tightly attached to the ear. The stalks should be a light yellow and the ends of the silks a light brown. While you are at the market, don't be afraid to peel back the husks just enough to reveal a few rows of kernels. They should be white or pale yellow, look nice and plump and be tightly packed into straight rows from one end of the cob to the other. Fresh, young corn is full of natural sugars which will caramelize beautifully over the heat of the grill. As the corn ages, these turn into much less flavorful starches. If the ear has an unusually thick layer of husks, remove the outermost two or three before you continue. Preheat your grill. Preheat your grill to a medium-high heat, about 350–400 °F (177–204 °C). For a coal grill, arrange coals in an even layer and heat until grey. The best way to heat a gas grill is to fire it up on high, then lower it to the desired temperature. This ensures a hot rack. Soak the corn (optional). At this point, you may soak the ears of corn in cold water to increase juiciness and reduce the amount the husk burns. Submerge the ears completely, soak for about 15 minutes, then shake off excess moisture. If you hate the smell of burned corn husk, soak for 30–60 minutes instead. (Many people do not mind this smell, or even enjoy it.) Add butter and flavoring (optional). There's no real flavor difference between adding spices now, versus waiting until it's cooked. If you go with the first option, peel back the husks just enough to expose the kernels. Brush on olive oil or room-temperature butter with a pastry brush, and season with salt, pepper, and/or savory herbs ( or try these fancy options ). Pull the loose husks back up over the kernels. Tear off the silk and discard it just before seasoning. Don't melt the butter first. This can make it more difficult for herbs to stick. . Grill the corn Tie a piece of string or loose husk over the tip of the husk to keep it on the corn. Place the corn on a lightly oiled grill rack, either just above the coals for a shorter cooking time, or high above the coals to lower the risk of charring. Close the grill and cook for about 15–20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes or so. Check the corn ready when the husks start to get kernel-shaped char marks and pull away from the tip. If the kernels don't feel tender when poked with a fork, it's fine to leave the corn on until the husk chars black. Be careful not to overcook your corn or it will become soft and mushy. If you can flex the corncob easily in your hands, it is probably overcooked. You can cook corn directly on the coals instead. In this case, the corn will be ready when the husk is completely charred. Check frequently to avoid burning. Serve. Using a pair of tongs or an oven mitt, remove the corn from the heat. Cover both hands with oven mitts or a dishtowel, and peel back the husks from the tip down. Serve the corn while it's still hot. Be careful. The corn inside the husk will be extremely hot. If you didn't season the corn in advance, serve alongside butter, salt, and pepper. If any ashes get on the corn, just rinse them off in warm water. Follow this recipe for large portions. The aluminum foil will keep the corn hot for a long time. If you're grilling for a large party, grill foil-wrapped corn first, then leave them wrapped while you finish the rest of your cooking. Soak the corn (optional). Some cooks like to soak their corn before grilling. If you choose to soak your corn, completely immerse the whole corn cobs in a pot or bowl of cold water for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. This allows the corn kernels to soak up additional moisture, making them plump and juicy. Once they've finished soaking, pat off excess moisture with a paper towel. Shuck the corn. Starting at the top, strip all the husks and silks away from the ears of corn and discard them. If there's any dirt on the kernels, rinse it off. Preheat the grill. Preheat your barbecue grill to a medium high heat, about 350–400 °F (177–204 °C). Prepare the corn for grilling. Brush the kernels with butter or olive oil and season with salt and pepper, or these gourmet options. Roll each corn cob in a square of aluminum foil, twisting the ends to secure, like a candy wrapper. If you prefer, you can wait on the butter and herbs until the corn is cooked. Grill the corn. Place each aluminum-wrapped ear of corn on the preheated grill/ Cover and allow to cook for approximately 15-20 minutes. Turn occasionally, using a kitchen tongs, to prevent the corn from charring on one side. You can test if the corn is done by piercing a kernel with a fork. It should feel tender and shoot out clear liquid. Serve. Remove the corn from the grill using oven gloves or tongs. Carefully remove the aluminum foil; it will be very hot! Serve the corn immediately. Follow this recipe for a smoky flavor. Corn grilled without a wrapper will never be as juicy as the other options, and there's a risk of charring it into oblivion. When done correctly, however, the kernels will pick up plenty of flavor from the grill, caramelizing into smoky sweetness. This is also the fastest method of grilling corn. Heat the grill to medium-hot. A medium temperature is the best option for your first attempt. Once you've got a feel for how the corn should end up, you can fire it up to very high heat for a quicker grill. Shuck the corn. Strip away the husks and silk. The silk will burn off on the grill, so you don't need to get every strand. Grill until golden brown spots appear. Place the corn on an upper rack if you have one, to prevent charring. Keep a close eye on the corn, turning occasionally. The kernels will brighten in color, then turn brown as they caramelize. The corn is ready when there are many light brown spots, but most of the corn is still yellow. BBQ butter. For a delicious variation on regular butter, try making this BBQ butter to serve alongside your grilled corn. It will give an extra kick of flavor to your perfectly grilled corn and is sure to impress your guests. You will need: 2 tablespoons canola oil 1/2 small red onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 teaspoons Spanish paprika 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder 1 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder 1/2 cup water 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce Salt and freshly ground black pepper Add the oil to a medium-sized pan and heat on high. When the oil is hot, add the chopped onions and garlic, and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft. Add all the spices to the pan and stir to combine. Add the water to the pan and continue cooking for a minute or two until the mixture thickens. Take the pan off the heat. Blend the butter, Worcestershire sauce and spice mix in a food processor until combined. Add the salt and pepper, then transfer to a small bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This will allow the flavors to develop. Remove from the fridge ten minutes before serving. Lime mayonnaise butter. This lime mayonnaise butter will add a zesty twist to your grilled corn and is sure to leave your family and friends clamoring for more. You will need: 1 stick unsalted butter, softened 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1 lime, zested Lime wedges, for serving In a bowl or food processor, combine the butter, mayonnaise, onion powder, and lime zest. Place in a small bowl and leave to chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. When the corn is cooked, generously brush on the flavored butter and serve with a wedge of lime. Herb butter: An herb butter is another great way to liven up grilled corn, and is so easy to make. You simply blend all on the ingredients together in a food processor until smooth, place in a small bowl and allow to chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving. Here are the ingredients: 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, chives or tarragon 1 teaspoon kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Garlic chive butter. Garlic and butter are perfect companions, especially when it comes to grilled corn. Simply mash these few simple ingredients together in a small bowl until completely blended, and then brush onto hot corn for a more side dish. Here are the ingredients: 2 sticks of butter, at room temperature 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped chives 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt | Choose your corn wisely. Preheat your grill. Soak the corn (optional). Add butter and flavoring (optional). . Serve. Follow this recipe for large portions. Soak the corn (optional). Shuck the corn. Preheat the grill. Prepare the corn for grilling. Grill the corn. Serve. Follow this recipe for a smoky flavor. Heat the grill to medium-hot. Shuck the corn. Grill until golden brown spots appear. BBQ butter. Lime mayonnaise butter. Herb butter: Garlic chive butter. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Curl-Hair | How to Curl Hair | To curl your hair with a curling iron, first brush your hair to remove any kinks or knots. Then, spray your hair with hairspray, which will help the curls hold better. Plug in a curling iron and set it to low heat. Grab a small section of your hair and pinch it between the curling iron near the roots. Next, rotate the barrel around your hair and hold it for 1 to 2 seconds. Release the clamp and let the curl fall. Repeat this process on each section of your hair that you want to curl. To curl your hair without a curling iron, first wet your hair and blot it lightly to remove excess water. Then, brush or comb your hair to remove knots or kinks. Grab a section of hair and twist it so that it curls around itself. Twist the curled hair into a small loop and tie it in the middle with a rubber band. Repeat this process for each section of your hair that you want to curl. Finally, let your hair dry overnight, and undo the rubber bands for a curly head of hair. | Heat up the curling iron. Most curling irons will need about 1-5 minutes to heat up before you can use them. If you try to curl your hair with the iron before it reaches the correct temperature, the curls will not hold. Some curling irons will have different settings which you can play around with until you achieve the best result. Try to keep it at the lowest temperature possible though, to cause less damage to your hair. Look for curling irons that say "No Damage" on the box. A good guide is 320ºF (160ºC) for fine hair and 430ºF (220ºC) for thicker hair. Make sure your hair is completely dry. Putting a hot iron on damp hair can seriously damage it — not because the iron is too hot, but because the water will turn to scalding steam. Wet hair is also more fragile than dry hair, making it more prone to heat damage. Play it safe, and completely dry your hair first. Run a blowdryer over any damp spots. (Although, try to wait it out. Depending on your hair thickness, this may take time. But, if you want to reduce heat on your hair, you can wait. However, if using a blow drying is the best option for you, keep it on a cool setting.) If you're not sure whether or not your hair is completely dry, set your dryer on the “cold shot” setting and go over your entire head with it. The cool air will make any damp spots feel cold to the touch. Brush out any tangles while the iron heats up. Start at the end of your hair and brush out the bottom few inches or centimeters, then work your way up until you can easily brush through the length of your hair. This reduces damage to your hair like split ends, fallout, etc. Apply a heat protection spray. If you regularly use heat to style your hair, it's really important that you use a heat protection spray. It will protect your hair from the damage caused by exposure to high temperatures and prevent it from becoming dry and frazzled looking. Just spray it liberally all over your hair before curling. Heat protector sprays can be found at most drug stores and hair salons. Split your hair into sections. Even if you have thin hair, you'll get better results if you work with small sections of hair. That way, you can make sure you're curling everything and curl in a more uniform style. Create sections that are slightly smaller in diameter than the curling iron. Pin or clip up the top section of your hair. Using your thumbs, grab everything that's above the top of your ears and clip it up on top of your head. Release upper sections as you work. When the bottom section of hair is finished, unclip your hair and let out a little more, clipping up the excess again. Continue working this way until all your hair is curled. Remember that using bigger sections of hair will result in bigger, looser curls, while using smaller sections of hair will give you smaller, tighter ringlets. Start curling. Now that all the prep work is out of the way, you're ready to start curling. Begin by taking a small section of hair and wrap it around the curling iron, beginning at the top or bottom, depending on the type of tongs: Some curling irons will have a clamp near the handle. If this is the type of curling tongs you're using, open the clamp and position the end of the hair at the lower end of the barrel, near the handle, then close the clamp to secure. Then you can wrap that entire section of hair around the iron, by rolling the iron upwards towards your roots. Stop rolling when you get about an inch away from the roots, to prevent the iron from burning your scalp. Other curling irons, often referred to as wands, don't have a clamp. With this type of iron, you should start near the top of your hair and use your hand to wrap a piece of hair around the iron. You will need to hold the end of your hair in place while that section of hair curls. Some curling wands provide a safety glove that you can wear while doing this, to prevent your hand from burning. Hold the iron in place. You will need to hold the curling iron with the hair wrapped around it for a few seconds, while the hair heats up and curls. This should take approximately 10 seconds, but the time will vary according to the individual curling iron and the temperature it's heated to. Play around to find a time that creates a perfect curl with your iron, but remember to start out with a lower time to prevent your hair from burning. After 10 seconds, let go of your hair to release the curl. If your hair is still a little flat, try pinning it while it's still curled. Once your hair is completely cool, take all the pins out of each curl. Move on to the next curl. Once you are happy with how your first curl turned out, move on to the next piece of hair and do the same steps as before. To achieve a uniform look, wrap all the curls around the iron in the same direction. Alternating the direction of the wrap creates a more natural effect. Loosen your curls (optional). If you want your hair to look softer and looser, run your fingers through the curls a few times. The curls will pull down and loosen up as you do so. You can also turn your head upside down and use your fingers to fluff up and separate the curls. Once you have curled your hair, do not brush it with a hairbrush. It will loosen the curls too much and they will fall out. If you brush out curls with a hairbrush, your hair will look wavy rather that curly, which can be a nice style in itself. Set your curls with hairspray (optional). If you tend to have straight hair, or you're worried about your curls turning frizzy or falling out throughout the day, mist some hairspray over your curls. If you want tight curls, you can spray each curl individually as soon as you've finished with it, but if you want a looser style, wait until the curls have relaxed a little and only spray them when you've finished curling your entire head. Choose a loose hold hairspray so your curls aren't too stiff and you hair doesn't feel too "crunchy". Hold the can about 12-14 in (30.5 cm - 35.5 cm) away from your head and spray evenly around your head. Be careful not to apply too much. Never apply hairspray to the curls while they are still wrapped around the iron. The combination of the heat from the irons and the alcohol in the hairspray will fry your hair. However, if your hair is fine or limp, you can create a more durable curl by spraying each section before wrapping. Spraying before wrapping instead of after will also result in curls that are softer and less “crunchy.” Heat up the flat iron. Most flat irons will need a little time to heat up before you can use them. If you try to curl your hair with the iron before it reaches the correct temperature, the curls will not hold. Some flat irons will have different settings which you can play around with until you achieve the best result. Try to keep it at the lowest temperature possible though, to cause less damage to your hair. A good guide is 320ºF (160ºC) for fine hair and 430ºF (220ºC) for thicker hair. The width of the flat iron is also important when it comes to curling your hair. You need to use a flat iron that is narrow (about 1-2 inches, or 2.5-5 cm, in width), with rounded edges. A flat, paddle-style flat iron will not work for curls. Make sure your hair is completely dry. Putting a hot iron on damp hair can seriously damage it — not because the iron is too hot, but because the water will turn to scalding steam. Play it safe, and completely dry your hair first. Run a blowdryer over any damp spots. You can add a little volumizing mousse to your hair before drying, which will help give you bouncy curls and prevent your hair from looking flat once styled. Brush out any tangles while the iron heats up. Start at the end of your hair and brush out the bottom few inches, then work your way up until you can easily brush through the length of your hair. Apply a heat protection spray. If you regularly use heat to style your hair, it's really important that you use a heat protection spray. It will protect your hair from the damage caused by exposure to high temperatures and prevent it from becoming dry and frazzled looking. Just spray it liberally all over your hair before curling. Heat protector sprays can be found at most drug stores and hair salons. Split your hair into sections. Even if you have thin hair, you'll get better results if you work with small sections of hair. That way, you can make sure you're curling everything and curl in a more uniform style. Pin or clip up the top section of your hair. Using your thumbs, grab everything that's above the top of your ears and clip it up on top of your head. Release layers as you work. When the bottom layer of hair is finished, unclip your hair and let out a little more, clipping up the excess again. Continue working this way until all your hair is curled. Start curling. Now that all the prep work is out of the way, you're ready to start curling. Grab the piece of hair you wish to curl and give it a quick brush through to remove any remaining tangles. Clamp the flat iron around the hair and give it a half turn so that your hair is in a U-shape. Hold the flat iron in this position as you move it down the hair shaft, right to the ends. The position of the flat iron will determine what kind of curls you end up with. If you want your hair curled from the root to tip, position the flat iron as close to your scalp as possible, without burning it. If you just want to curl just the ends of your hair, position the flat iron about halfway down the hair to begin. This is called a flick. The slower you move the iron, the tighter the curls will be. If you move the iron down the hair too quickly, your curls will be soft and loose. Remember that using bigger sections of hair (more than two inches wide) will result in bigger, looser curls, while using smaller sections of hair (less than two inches) will give you smaller, tighter ringlets. Loosen your curls (optional). If you want your hair to look softer and looser, run your fingers through the curls a few times. The curls will pull down and loosen up as you do so. You can also turn your head upside down and use your fingers to fluff up and separate the curls. Wait until your hair has cooled completely before attempting to loosen the curls. Once you have curled your hair, do not brush it with a hairbrush. It will loosen the curls too much and they will fall out. If you brush out curls with a hairbrush, your hair will look wavy rather that curly, which can be a nice style in itself. Set your curls with hairspray (optional). If you tend to have straight hair, or you're worried about your curls turning frizzy or falling out throughout the day, mist some hairspray over your curls. If you want tight curls, you can spray each curl individually as soon as you've finished with it, but if you want a looser style, wait until the curls have relaxed a little and only spray them when you've finished curling your entire head. Choose a loose hold hairspray so your curls aren't too stiff and you hair doesn't feel too "crunchy". Hold the can about 12-14 in (30.5 cm - 35.5 cm) away from your head and spray evenly around your head. Be careful not to apply too much. Never apply hairspray to your hair before you curl it, as some styling guides recommend. The combination of the heat from the irons and the alcohol in the hairspray will fry your hair. Choose the hair rollers. Hair rollers come in many different types, shapes and sizes. Try to choose a set of rollers that work best for your hair type and also for the type of curls you are trying to achieve. Hot rollers are very efficient and will curl hair more quickly, but they are more damaging to your hair. Velcro rollers and foam rollers are very easy to use, but your curls will take a little longer to set. Velcro rollers are also a great option for hair that is naturally smooth as they are less likely to get tangled in your hair. Small curlers will give you lots of tight curls, whereas large rollers will give you big loose waves and are great for adding volume. Figure out if your hair needs to be wet or dry. Depending on the type of rollers, your hair may need to be wet or dry when putting them in. Hot rollers should always be applied to dry hair, as they would cause too much damage otherwise. Velcro rollers are also usually applied to dry hair, whereas special wet set rollers are used if you want to put them in while wet. If you are applying rollers to dry hair, try to wash your hair the day before you curl. Day-old hair will curl much better than freshly washed hair. If your hair is particularly resistant to curling, try skipping the conditioner after shampooing. This will make sure your hair isn't too soft for the roller to get a good grip on the hair. If you are doing a wet set, be aware that you will have to wait for your hair to be completely dry before removing the rollers, which may take a long time. Consider putting the rollers in wet hair before bed and sleeping with them in overnight. Apply product. Using a little product can go a long way when using hair rollers. Again, which type of product you use will depend on what type of rollers you use and whether your hair is wet or dry. If you're using hot rollers, you should use a heat protection product like a mist or dry oil, to prevent your hair from being damaged. A setting product will also help curls to hold their shape. If you're using velcro or foam rollers, you should use a setting product along with some volumizing hairspray to prevent your curls from falling flat. If you're doing a wet set, a smoothing cream or serum can really help to minimize frizz. Section your hair. You should divide your hair into separate sections using hair ties or claw clips. The sizes of these sections will vary depending on the size of your rollers. Each section should be about the same width as the rollers you plan to use. Create a central “mohawk” section along the top and back of your head. Section off 3-4 vertical rows along the sides of your head. Release sections as you work. When the bottom section of hair is finished, unclip your hair and let out the next section. Continue working this way until all the rollers are in. Use the right amount of hair for each roller. Resist the urge to grab sections that are too large for the curlers — you'll end up with nothing but a small curl at the bottom. A one- or two-inch section (2.5 to 5 cm) per roller is a good standard to follow. The section of hair should be no wider than the roller, otherwise hair will not curl properly. If your rollers have variable sizes, use the larger ones on the top of your head. Use the smaller rollers as you approach your hairline. If you have long hair, remember that not only the bottom part of the section will actually be touching the roller — the rest of it will be layered over hair. Use smaller sections for more curl. Wrap your hair around the roller. Starting at the bottom, hold the tip of your hair firmly against the roller with a finger, then roll the roller up along the hair, smoothly and tightly. Tension is the key to creating a good curl, so make sure the hair is wrapped securely around the roller. You should also make sure there are no lumps or bumps in your hair as you wrap it around the curler, in order to create smooth, consistent curls. If you're using hot rollers, be careful not to burn your fingers on the ends of the roller. Try to find a cool spot where you can consistently grip the roller as you put it into your hair. Secure the rollers. While velcro rollers will attach themselves to your hair without the need for clips, other rollers will need to be pinned into place. Some roller sets will come with pins provided. These pins probably look like long U shapes, with one straight side and one crimped side. Pin the roller so that the straight side is against your scalp, and the curve of the U is cradling the roller at the side of your head. Be aware that these pins aren't terribly secure. If you move your head too quickly or suddenly, they might fall loose. If no pins are provided with your set, similar pins can be purchased at a drugstore. Alternatively, butterfly clips will also work to hold the hair in place. If you want to avoid an indentation from the clip on your hair, try placing a tissue in between the pin and the hair. Leave your hair to set. Once all of the rollers have been inserted - in one to two inch sections from the base of your scalp to the crown of your head - you will need to leave the rollers to set. How long this takes will again depend on the type of roller and whether your hair is wet or dry. Hot rollers can be removed once they have cooled completely - which usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes. This is enough time for the heat to penetrate all of the hair wrapped around each individual roller, as well as for the hair to cool into a curled shape. Velcro or foam rollers should be blasted with some heat from a hair dryer, then allowed to cool and set for about 15-20 minutes. The longer you leave them in, the tighter the curls will be. Wet set rollers will need to be left in until all of your hair is completely dry, which may take several hours or overnight. The dampest parts of the hair are the ends that are tucked inside the curls, so attempting to speed up the process with a hair dryer is unlikely to work. Remove the rollers. Once you're sure your hair has set, you can pull out the rollers from bottom to top. Remove the rollers near your neck and ears first, then move incrementally to the ones at the top of your head. Once the rollers are out, you can brush out the curls to loosen them. Just don't overdo it, your curls should keep their shape for two or three strokes, but overdoing it might cause them to fall out. Alternatively, you can just run your fingers through the curls to separate them and add a some volume. Set your curls with hairspray (optional). Mist hairspray over your hair to make sure the curl hold their shape throughout the day. To avoid your curls from looking stiff, make sure to hold the can 12-14 inches away from the hair. For a looser look, pull up a section of hair and mist it with hairspray as it falls back down. You can also work a small amount of serum into your hair to add shine and reduce frizz. Wash and condition your hair. Scrunching only works properly on wet hair, so in order to use this method, you will need to wash your hair. While taking a warm shower, work your hair into a thick lather, using a volumizing or curl-enhancing shampoo. Then work a small amount of conditioner into the ends and mid-lengths of your hair. After you apply conditioner, brush your hair with a wide-toothed comb and try to get out all the major knots. The conditioner will make the tangles a lot easier to tackle and will prevent you from causing damage to your hair. Make sure to rinse your hair thoroughly afterwards, as excess product can weigh down hair and prevent it from curling as well. Towel dry your hair. Once you get out of the shower, use an absorbent towel to pat your hair dry and squeeze the ends to get excess water out. If your hair is too wet, any product you apply will drip out along with the water and your hair will not curl as well. Do not rub your hair with the towel as this will damage your hair and cause it to look frizzy. You should also avoid using a hair dryer to get rid of excess moisture, as the hair dryer will blow and straighten the hair, making curling more difficult. Comb your hair. Use a wide-toothed comb to get the smaller knots out of your hair. Make sure no knots are left in your hair, or else they will show once your hair is dry! If you brushed your hair in the shower, there should be no major knots left, so just brush out the small ones. Use a detangling mist or spray if you have particularly stubborn knots. Always brush or comb from the ends of your hair up as this causes less damage to wet hair. Apply product. There are many different curling products available which you can use to scrunch your hair, such as curling sprays, gels and creams. However, the most popular product which probably provides the most defined and long-lasting curls is curling mousse. Choose a volumizing or strong-hold mousse, particularly if your hair is not naturally wavy, as this will help to give you long-lasting, voluminous curls. To use the mousse, shake the can before squirting a golf ball size amount of mousse into your hand. Turn your head upside down so your hair is in front of your face, then work the product evenly into your hair with both hands. Only work the mousse into the ends and mid-lengths of your hair - avoid putting it in the roots as this may weigh your hair down or cause it to look greasy. Scrunch your hair. Keeping your head upside down, scrunch your hair by grabbing a small section in your hand and crumpling it up towards your scalp, using the same motion as you would use to crumple a piece of paper. Use this motion to scrunch sections of hair all over your head. Keep doing it for a minute or two, then flip your head up and scrunch again until you're happy with the style. The same technique can be used regardless of what kind of curling product you use, just adjust the amount of product according to the instructions on the bottle and the length of your hair - more for longer hair, less for shorter hair. Dry hair. At this point you have two options. You can let your hair air dry naturally, using the scrunching motion every five minutes or so until it's dry. Or, you can use a diffuser attachment on your hair dryer to dry hair gently, without blowing or straightening the curls. If you're using the diffuser attachment (a long-finger diffuser works best for curls) be sure to set the hair dryer to its lowest heat and speed setting. Use the scrunching method as you dry to help the formation of curls. If your hair is naturally curly or wavy, the air dry method will usually work just fine. However, if your hair is naturally straight or flat, using the diffuser will help give your hair a little extra "oomph!" Wash and condition your hair. This method works best if you braid your hair while it's wet or damp, then leave your hair to dry. Use a volumizing or curl-enhancing shampoo and conditioner, and make sure to rinse your hair well afterwards. Brush out your hair in the shower while you still have the conditioner in, using a wide-toothed comb. This will make it easier to work out any tangles and will cause less damage to your hair. Towel dry your hair once you get out of the shower. Try to wring out any excess moisture. If your hair already has a bit of natural curl to it, you're probably fine to work with damp hair; if it's stick straight, though, it's best to braid it wet. Apply gel or mousse to your hair. Applying a curl-enhancing product to your hair will help it to keep the shape of the braids even after you've unbraided it. It will also give your hair a glossier and more controlled finish. Just work a small amount of your chosen product into the ends and mid-lengths of your hair, avoiding the roots. Curl-enhancing or volumizing gels, mousses, sprays or serums will all work well. Use a product with a texture and scent that appeals to you. If you want looser, less structured curls, you can skip this step. Decide how many braids you'll do. The number of braids you put in your hair will determine how your curls look: More braids means tighter curls. For instance, you'll have more crimps in your hair from doing two braids than you will from one, and more from four than two. However, more braids means more work. If you're not totally comfortable braiding or you're short on time, stick to the lowest possible number that gives you the curls you want. Part your hair into sections. If you're doing more than one braid, parting your hair into sections will make braiding easier and your finished curls neater looking. They don't have to be perfect, though! Use a comb to part a straight line from your forehead back to your neck. Then divide each half into however many sections you like, using the comb to ensure they are a fairly uniform size. Use a normal braid or a french braid on each section. Doing a French braid, instead of a regular braid, will curl the hair up around your scalp as well. See How to French Braid for more detailed help. Ask someone else to help you. It's almost always easier to braid someone else's hair than it is to do your own, so consider asking for assistance. Secure the braids. Tie off each braid with a non-rubber hair elastic. Try to put the tie as close to the end of the hair as possible, otherwise the tips of your hair will look straight and it will ruin the effect of the curls. Rubber can damage the hair shaft, and is especially menacing on wet hair. Avoid at all costs! Leave the braids in for several hours or overnight. After your hair's had six to eight hours to dry, gently undo your braids. The easiest thing to do is to leave them in overnight. Run your fingers through your hair a few times to get out any knots, but avoid brushing it as this will make to too fluffy looking. Finish with some hairspray. If you're worried about your curls falling out during the day, set the style with a spritz of hairspray. Twist your hair into bantu knots. Bantu knots are tiny buns that were originally used in Africa. You can create, big, soft “beach curls” without heat or rollers by twisting your hair and putting it into these buns. For this method, you will need hair ties, hair spray, and bobby pins. Start with damp hair. You can either spritz your hair with a spray bottle, or let it partially air dry after you wash it. Use hair ties to divide your hair into four roughly equal sections: two low ponytails at the back, and two pigtails higher up on the sides of your head. Tightly twist each section in whichever direction you prefer. Twisting the sections in different directions from each other will create a more natural effect. Coil each twisted section into a tight bun, and pin it in place with bobby pins. If you have afro-textured hair, you might find that you can just tuck the ends under the bantu knot without needing pins. That is fine also. Blow dry each bun until completely dry, or allow the hair to air dry completely. Release each section, and gently loosen the curls with your fingers once your hair is completely cool. Use a little hair spray to lock in the style. Twist your hair around a headband. You can create ringlets or waves by twisting your hair around a soft, cloth headband. For this technique, you will need one or two headbands, a spray bottle for water, hair spray, and a hair texturizer. Part your hair into two sections on either side of your head, then gently place the headband around the top of your head. Slide it down so that it rests just above your ears. Dampen each section of hair slightly with a spray bottle, starting at the tops of your ears. Begin twisting the hair on one side. Once you've twisted a little bit of hair, wrap the twisted portion around the headband. Make the first wrap just behind your ear. Twist a little more, then create another wrap next to the first. Continue until you have wrapped the entire section around the headband. Then repeat with the other section. The smaller you make each wrap, the tighter your curls will be. Spray your hair with hairspray while it is still wrapped around the headband. Allow the hair to air dry for a few hours, or dry with a blow dryer. Once your hair is dry, release the twisted sections from the headband. Loosen your curls with your fingers, and scrunch with a small amount of hair texturizer. Twist your hair in sections to create waves. The simplest approach to creating twist curls involves making a few twisted sections and tying them together with elastic hair ties. Apply a little hair spray or other styling product to your slightly damp hair. Part your hair down the middle and divide it into four sections: two behind your ears, and two in front of your ears. Take hold of the ends of the two back sections and twist them toward each other until the entire length of both sections is twisted. Then fasten the twisted sections together with a hair elastic. Repeat with the two front sections. Fasten the sections together behind your head with a hair elastic once you are finished twisting them. Once your hair is completely dry, release the sections and gently open up the waves by shaking them out or combing through them with your fingers. | Heat up the curling iron. Make sure your hair is completely dry. Brush out any tangles while the iron heats up. Apply a heat protection spray. Split your hair into sections. Start curling. Hold the iron in place. Move on to the next curl. Loosen your curls (optional). Set your curls with hairspray (optional). Heat up the flat iron. Make sure your hair is completely dry. Apply a heat protection spray. Split your hair into sections. Start curling. Loosen your curls (optional). Set your curls with hairspray (optional). Choose the hair rollers. Figure out if your hair needs to be wet or dry. Apply product. Section your hair. Use the right amount of hair for each roller. Wrap your hair around the roller. Secure the rollers. Leave your hair to set. Remove the rollers. Set your curls with hairspray (optional). Wash and condition your hair. Towel dry your hair. Comb your hair. Apply product. Scrunch your hair. Dry hair. Wash and condition your hair. Apply gel or mousse to your hair. Decide how many braids you'll do. Part your hair into sections. Use a normal braid or a french braid on each section. Secure the braids. Leave the braids in for several hours or overnight. Twist your hair into bantu knots. Twist your hair around a headband. Twist your hair in sections to create waves. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Use-Hair-Removal-Creams | How to Use Hair Removal Creams | Before you use a hair removal cream, apply a small amount of the cream to your skin and follow the directions on the label. Wait a day and look for unusual inflammation, itching, or redness, which could indicate an allergic reaction. If your skin looks and feels fine, get ready to use the cream by taking a shower to and drying off. Then, spread a thick layer of cream over the area and wait the amount of time specified in the directions. Once the time has passed, wipe off the cream and rinse off with warm water. | Find the right cream for your skin. There are lots of different brands of hair removal cream, and lots of choices within those brands. When choosing a cream, think about your skin's sensitivity and where you plan on using the product. Some companies even make a waterproof depilatory that can be applied in the shower. If you are using the cream on your face or bikini area, make sure you choose formula specifically for those areas, as the skin is more sensitive. If you have sensitive skin, look for creams with ingredients like aloe and green tea. You may also want to speak with a doctor or dermatologist before use. Depilatory creams can come in different forms, from aerosols (or sprays), gels, and roll-ons. A roll-on won't be as messy as a cream or gel, but the creams and gels let you control how thick you apply them (and usually the thicker the better). If you are sensitive to smells, try a cream that has added a scent to cover the eggy smell of the cream reacting to your hair. Just remember that additional ingredients can increase the chances of irritation. Talk to your doctor if you have very sensitive skin, a skin condition, or take any medications that may affect your skin. Because the cream is applied directly to the skin, the chemicals that break down the proteins in your hair will also interact with the proteins in your skin and could cause a reaction. Consult your doctor before using depilatory creams if: You have developed rashes, hives, or allergic reactions to skin products in the past. You take a retinol, acne medication, or other medication that increases your skin's sensitivity. You have a skin condition such as eczema, psoriasis, or rosacea. Do an allergy test 24 hours before using the cream, even if you've used it before. Your hormone levels are always changing, and they cause your skin to change, too. Even if you've never had a reaction to the hair removal cream before, your skin's chemistry may have changed slightly and could cause you to react. Apply a small amount of cream to the area where you plan to remove the hair. Follow the directions, leaving the cream on for the advised amount of time and removing properly. If the tested area does not react in the next 24 hours, it is safe to use the depilatory cream. Examine the area for any cuts, scrapes, moles, scars, cold sores, irritated or sunburnt skin. You want to minimize your chances of having a bad reaction to the cream and potentially developing a rash or chemical burn. Don't apply the cream directly to any scars or moles, and if you have a sunburn, rash or cut, wait until you are completely healed before going ahead with the application. There may be tiny cuts on your skin if you have shaved recently--wait a day or two before applying the cream. Take a shower or bath, drying your skin thoroughly afterwards. This will ensure you don't have any lotions or anything on your skin that might interfere with the hair removal cream. Make sure your skin is dry afterwards, as most depilatory creams need to be applied to dry skin. Don't use hot water, as this can dry out your skin and may increase chances of irritation. Soaking in warm water can soften your hair, which may make it easier to break down. This is especially helpful for very coarse hair, like pubic hair. Read the directions that came with the cream and follow them exactly. Different brands and different products within that brand will have different instructions. One type of hair removal might take only three minutes, while another might take ten. Following the directions will give you the best results and help protect your skin. If you lost the directions that came with your cream, you can find them on the bottle or tube. Otherwise, check the company's website. They should have instructions for each kind of cream. Check the "use by" date to make sure your cream is not expired. An expired depilatory cream will not work very well and give you poor results. Apply a thick, even layer over the hair you want to remove. Use your fingers or a spatula, if provided. Do not rub the cream into your skin, just spread it. Wash your hands immediately if you apply with your fingers. Uneven application means your hair could come off in patches, leaving you with spots of hair, which is probably not the look you're going for. Never apply a hair removal cream to your nostrils, ears, the skin around your eyes (including your eyebrows), genitals, anus, or nipples. Leave the cream on for the amount of time recommended in the directions. This can be anywhere between three to ten minutes, though the time rarely exceeds ten minutes. Most directions recommend checking a small area about halfway through the process to see if hair comes off. The shorter the amount of time the depilatory cream is in contact with your skin, the less likely you are to develop redness or irritation. Because you can really harm your skin if you leave the cream on too long, set an egg timer or use the timer on your phone to make sure you don't exceed the limit. Some tingling is normal, but if you start to feel burning, see redness or irritation, remove the cream immediately. Depending on your reaction, you may want to call your doctor for advice on how to treat your skin. You may notice a bad smell while you are using the cream. That's a normal side effect of the chemical reaction that is breaking down your hair. Remove the cream with a damp washcloth or spatula if provided. Wipe gently--don't rub the cream. Rinse the area with warm water to make sure the cream has been removed entirely. If you don't rinse off the residue, the chemicals could continue to react with your skin and cause a rash or chemical burn. Pat, don't rub, your skin dry. Apply a moisturizer to the area to keep it smooth and hydrated. Don't worry if your skin is a little red or itchy after use--that's normal. Wear loose clothing right after using the cream and don't scratch the area. If the redness and discomfort continues after a few hours or gets worse, call your doctor. Observe any warnings in the directions, such as avoiding sunbathing, swimming, and tanning for 24 hours. You should also wait 24 hours to use anti-perspirant or products with fragrances. You should not shave or use a hair removal cream in the same area for 72 hours after use. | Find the right cream for your skin. Talk to your doctor if you have very sensitive skin, a skin condition, or take any medications that may affect your skin. Do an allergy test 24 hours before using the cream, even if you've used it before. Examine the area for any cuts, scrapes, moles, scars, cold sores, irritated or sunburnt skin. Take a shower or bath, drying your skin thoroughly afterwards. Read the directions that came with the cream and follow them exactly. Apply a thick, even layer over the hair you want to remove. Leave the cream on for the amount of time recommended in the directions. Remove the cream with a damp washcloth or spatula if provided. Don't worry if your skin is a little red or itchy after use--that's normal. Observe any warnings in the directions, such as avoiding sunbathing, swimming, and tanning for 24 hours. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Save-Cooking-Gas | How to Save Cooking Gas | Cooking with gas is quick and easy, and with a little preparation and the right cookware, you can save the amount of gas you use and keep your utility costs to a minimum. One way to save on gas is to use your gas stove more efficiently. Keep the heat as low as possible while you're cooking, make sure the pot or pan is completely covering the flames, and keep the burners clean so they work properly. Another way you can save is by switching up your cookware. Invest in high-quality cookware made out of copper, stainless steel, cast iron, or ceramic. It might be a little more expensive, but it will help your food cook a lot faster so you're not using as much gas. You can also cook more efficiently to save gas. Have all of your ingredients ready to go before you start cooking, and cover your pots and pans as often as you can to keep heat from escaping. | Reduce the heat as much as possible. Some cooks have a bad habit of turning the burner up all the way anytime they need to heat something. Instead, try to only use as much heat as necessary to reheat or cook your food through. Anything beyond the minimal required temperature will be a waste. Water, for example, boils at 212 °F (100 °C). Once it's boiling, leaving the cooktop on full blast won't make it any hotter—it will only use up more gas. When cooking from a recipe, always follow the instructions to a T. Most recipes specify what level of heat to use (“low,” “medium,” “medium-high,” “high,” etc.). Make sure the pot or pan is covering the flames completely. If you can see the flames licking the sides of the pan, it means the stove is turned up too high. Lower the temperature until the flames are confined to the bottom surface of the pan. Otherwise, their heat will escape into the surrounding environment. For best results, only use flat-bottomed cookware. With these pieces, the entire heating surface will remain in contact with the flames at all times. If your stove has multiple burners of different sizes, choose a burner that's smaller than the pot or pan you're using to ensure that it's not putting off excess heat. Keep your stove’s burners clean to ensure that they’re working properly. To clean your burners , first make sure they're off and cool to the touch. Then, remove the protective grates and wipe away any lingering debris with a damp paper towel. Finally, scrub the area around the burners with soapy water until they're completely free of residue. The flames emitted by your gas stove should burn a bright blue color. Yellow or orange flames could be a sign of incomplete combustion, which means that the gas in the lines isn't being used to its full potential. If cleaning the burners doesn't solve the problem, call a repairman to come take a look at it and replace it if necessary. A weak burner isn't just irritating, it's actually dangerous—incomplete combustion can result in the release of hazardous carbon monoxide gas. Check for potential leaks. Pay close attention to strange smells or faint hissing sounds originating from around your stove. These symptoms could indicate a leak. If your stove has a faulty gas line, you'll be losing gas even when you're not cooking. The simplest way to test for a leak yourself is to pull out the stove enough to access to the gas line and brush the fittings with soapy water using a cotton swab. If one of them begins to bubble, you've got a leak on your hands. Leaks should be dealt with immediately, as they can pose a serious safety risk. Invest in high-quality cookware. Materials like copper, stainless steel, and are extremely conductive, which allows them to heat up faster and distribute heat more evenly. Similarly, cast iron and ceramic do a great job of retaining heat longer, meaning you won't have to leave the stove on to simmer sauces or keep finished dishes warm. Stainless steel and ceramic cookware tends to be slightly more expensive, but when you consider how much money you stand to save every month, it will practically pay for itself. Keep your cookware in good condition. Handle your pots and pans carefully to prevent scratches, dents, and dings. Smooth surfaces absorb heat with ease, while rough ones have a much more difficult time, and can even reject it. Another danger of working with battered cookware is that it's possible for chemical seasoning agents to begin flaking off over time, which could introduce harmful chemicals to your food. Only use plastic utensils in nonstick pans, and be sure to clean them using soft sponges rather than steel wool or other abrasive materials. Grab a pressure cooker to boil, braise, or steam food faster. Pressure cookers take advantage of superior conductivity and high internal temperatures to cook food in less time. That means they'll save you money while also freeing up precious minutes of your day that you can use to take care of other responsibilities. Pressure cookers use 50-75% less energy on average than conventional cookware in the same cooking time. You can purchase a good pressure cooker for as little as $30-50 at most home goods stores. Use thermal cooking bags to keep cooked food warm. Thermal bags, also known as “oven bags,” work by insulating freshly-heated food, thereby slowing down the cooling process. Once the food is ready to come off the stove, simply remove it from the burner and seal it inside the thermal bag. It will stay piping hot while you see to the rest of the meal. Cooking bag are available in various sizes and designs for use with different food items and cooking methods. Cooking bags are not intended to be used inside cookware directly on the stovetop. Have all your ingredients ready to go prior to cooking. Make sure everything is chopped, peeled, thawed, seasoned, marinated and basted before you ever turn on the stove. That way, you won't be burning gas while you finish prepping the various components of your meal. Boiling water can be an especially big drain. Many people often leave their water boiling for far too long before they actually add anything to it. Cover your pots and pans whenever possible. Heat escapes much more rapidly from open cookware. Trapping that heat will cut down dramatically on your cooking time and also prevent the kitchen from becoming unbearably hot while you're getting dinner together. Keep in mind that steam is heat, too. If your food has to let just to reach the right consistency, you probably used too much water in the first place. Covering dishes as they simmer also makes them less likely to turn out too dry. Avoid overcooking your food. As soon as a dish or ingredient is finished cooking, turn off the burner and set it aside to cool. This logic behind this is simple—the longer the food is on the stove, the more gas you'll use up. Set a timer and keep an eye on your food as it cooks so you can kill the heat as soon as it's done. Transferring your cooked food to a cooking bag or simply placing a lid on top are more practical alternatives to using the stove to keep it warm. Prepare and store food items in bulk. If your utility bill has gotten out of hand due to the amount of cooking you do, consider hopping on the meal-prep bandwagon. It's as easy as making enough for several meals at one time and refrigerating or freezing the rest until you need it. Not only will cooking in bulk help you cut costs, it will also save you time in the future by leaving you with a ready supply of reheatable food. | Reduce the heat as much as possible. Make sure the pot or pan is covering the flames completely. Keep your stove’s burners clean to ensure that they’re working properly. Check for potential leaks. Invest in high-quality cookware. Keep your cookware in good condition. Grab a pressure cooker to boil, braise, or steam food faster. Use thermal cooking bags to keep cooked food warm. Have all your ingredients ready to go prior to cooking. Cover your pots and pans whenever possible. Avoid overcooking your food. Prepare and store food items in bulk. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Change-a-Bathtub-Faucet | How to Change a Bathtub Faucet | To change a bathtub faucet, start by turning off the water supply to the faucet and opening the faucet to drain any leftover water inside of it. Then, unscrew the faucet handles and remove them to expose the faucet stem underneath. Next, unscrew the faucet stem and remove it so you can take it to a hardware store to find a matching replacement. Once you have a new stem, screw it into place, reattach the handles, and test out your faucet. | Turn off the water supply in your home. Since most bathtubs don't have a separate shut-off valve, you need to turn off your entire home's water supply. Locate the supply line in your home and turn the supply valve perpendicular to the pipes. This will stop any water from coming to your tub while you're working on it. Your water supply line may be in your basement or outside your home. If you're unsure how to turn off your home's water supply, contact a plumber to help you. Other fixtures inside your home won't be able to use water while it's shut off. Open the faucet to drain any excess water. Turn on one of the handles in your bathtub so the water empties out of the spout. There will be a small amount of water leftover from your pipes that will drain. When the water stops coming out of the spout, turn the faucet off again. Pry the index from the stem with the end of a screwdriver. The index is in the middle of your handle and is usually a coin-sized plastic cover. Slide the end of a flathead screwdriver under the edge of the index and pry it out. The size of your index will vary depending on the handles you have. Loosen the screw inside the handle to remove it. After you pop off the index cover, you should see a screw inside the opening. Turn the screw counterclockwise with a screwdriver to loosen the handle from the faucet stem. Keep the drain plugged so the screws can't fall in. Set your screws aside so you can easily find them later. Use a socket wrench to unscrew the stem from your faucet. The stem is the thin pipe shape that extends out from the wall and controls the faucet. Slide a hollow socket wrench tool over the stem and push it over the hex nut. Grip the wrench with a pair of pliers and twist it counterclockwise to remove it. Once the stem is loose, pull it out from the wall. You can buy a socket wrench made for pipes and valves at your local hardware store. If the nut extends out past the wall, you can just loosen it with a pair of pliers. If your bathtub has multiple handles, repeat the process for each one. Loosen the screw underneath the spout if there is one. Your spout may have a mounting screw holding it in place. Look underneath your spout to locate the screw and turn it counterclockwise with an Allen wrench. Once the screw is loose, the faucet should easily pull off the pipe. If your spout doesn't have a screw, you can skip this step. Make sure you plug your drain so you don't accidentally lose the screw. Turn the spout counterclockwise if it didn’t have a screw. Grab the spout with a pair of pliers and spin it counterclockwise. Once the spout is loose, finish unscrewing it from your wall by hand. Pull the spout away from the pipe. Measure the length of the pipe extending from your wall. Use a tape measure to find the length of the pipe that was inside your faucet. Write the measurement down so you can remember it later on. When you buy a new spout, it will need to be longer than the pipe coming out of your wall. Buy a new stem and handle for your tub. Bring your old stems and handles with you when you look for a new faucet. Make sure to buy stems that are exactly the same as your old ones so they fit onto your pipes easily. Then select the handle that matches the rest of your bathroom. You can buy stems and handles in the plumbing section of your local home improvement store. Make sure to get handles that work for your system. For example, you can't install a single handle if your old faucet had multiple. Some stores sell kits that come with stems and handles for easy installation. Screw the stem onto the faucet pipe. Once you bring the stem home, feed the threaded end into the hold where your old faucet was. Turn the stem clockwise to tighten it by hand and secure it to the pipes. When the stem is hand-tight, then use the socket wrench and your pliers to ensure the connection is sealed. If your tub has multiple handles, then make sure to screw in a new stem for each of them. Slide your new handle over the stem and screw it in place. Once the stem is secured in place, put your new handle over the stem and push it back so it touches the wall. Once the handle is on the stem, use your screwdriver to tighten the screw so it's secured to the stem. Pop the index cover over the screw to finish the handle. Repeat the process for any additional handles you have in your tub. If your handles aren't watertight, then you may need to caulk around them to prevent water from entering your walls. Buy a new spout that fits onto your pipe. Go to your local home improvement store and look at the spouts that are available. Look for something that matches the handle in your tub. Make sure the new spout is longer than the measurement you took on your pipe. Use a spout that's attached the same way as your old one or else it may not stay secure. Bring your old spout with you so you can choose something similar in size. Look for kits that include handles and spouts if you want all your fixtures to match. Layer plumber’s tape over the pipe’s threading. Plumber's tape helps prevent your tub spout from leaking back toward your wall. Wrap 1-2 layers of plumber's tape on the threading on the pipe coming out of your wall. Cut the tape and seal the threading by pressing it down with your finger. You can purchase plumber's tape from any home improvement store. Screw the new spout into place. Slide your new spout over the pipe and start spinning it clockwise. Only tighten the spout by hand so you don't damage your pipes. Keep screwing in the faucet until it's very difficult to turn. If the spout is pointing any other direction than down, rotate the spout counterclockwise until it does. If your pipe is too short and the spout doesn't screw on, then you may need to get a spout adapter for your pipe. This piece acts as an extension to your pipe so you can screw in the faucet. Screw the adapter onto the pipe, and then screw the spout onto the end of the adapter. If your spout has a screw on the bottom of it, tighten it with an Allen wrench to secure it in place. | Turn off the water supply in your home. Open the faucet to drain any excess water. Pry the index from the stem with the end of a screwdriver. Loosen the screw inside the handle to remove it. Use a socket wrench to unscrew the stem from your faucet. Loosen the screw underneath the spout if there is one. Turn the spout counterclockwise if it didn’t have a screw. Measure the length of the pipe extending from your wall. Buy a new stem and handle for your tub. Screw the stem onto the faucet pipe. Slide your new handle over the stem and screw it in place. Buy a new spout that fits onto your pipe. Layer plumber’s tape over the pipe’s threading. Screw the new spout into place. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Know-Your-Cat%27s-Age | How to Know Your Cat's Age | It can be hard to know how old your cat is, but you may be able to tell its age by its teeth. If your cat is less than 6 months to a year, it may not yet have all of its teeth, which consist of incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. Between 2-5 years of age, the cat's teeth will start to yellow, and between the ages of 5-10, the yellowing will be easily visible and the teeth will start showing signs of wear. If your cat is over 10 years old, all of its teeth will likely show signs of yellowing, and they may be worn significantly. If that doesn't help, you may be able to tell the cat's age by examining its fur, body, and eyes. | Count your cat's teeth. As your cat ages, it will go through different stages of dental development. When your cat is relaxed and comfortable, try identifying the types of teeth it has to get an idea of how old your cat is. The first teeth to grow in a kitten are the incisors (around 2 to 4 weeks) and canines (around 3 to 4 weeks), followed by the premolars (around 4 to 6 weeks). A cat younger than around 4 months will not yet have its molars. From the ages of around 6 months up to 1 year, your cat will have all of its adult teeth. At this point the cat's teeth should be white and have no signs of wear. Look for yellowing of your cat's teeth. As your cat ages, its teeth will start to show signs of that aging. Yellowing of the teeth can indicate that you cat is an older adult. The degree of wear and yellowing will indicate just how old your cat is likely to be. You can expect to see slight yellowing in your cat's teeth at around 2 years of age. At ages 3 to 5 years old, your cat will have increased yellowing in its teeth. Between the ages of 5 and 10, yellowing will be easily visible. When your cat is 10 or older it will show clear signs of yellowing, likely on all teeth. Check your cat's teeth for signs of wear and tear. Another indication of age that can be seen in your cat's teeth is how worn down they are. Carefully examine your cat's teeth to look for any areas that may be worn to help you determine how old your cat might be. Worn down teeth will have lost their points, appearing more dull than in a younger cat. Some teeth may have the points either worn or broken off. Generally your cat will begin to show signs of tooth wear when it is 5 years old. If your cat is between 5 and 10 years old, teeth will show clear signs of wear. At ages of 10 years and beyond, heavy wearing down of the teeth will be apparent. Some teeth may be missing at these ages. The older a cat is, the more likely it is have to have dental tartar and gum recession. This is a vague tool for aging because how quickly the teeth become dirty depends on the cat's diet. Check your cat's coat for how thick it is. Depending on what age your cat is, its coat may be more or less thick. Cats shouldn't go bald or lose their hair, but by determining just how full their coat is you can narrow down their age. The coat of an older cat may be more thin than that of a younger one. Seasonal variations can occur. Summer coats are thinner than winter coats. If your cat is losing fur, visit with your veterinarian. Feel the texture of your cat's fur. There are some subtle differences in the texture of your cat's coat at different times in its life. By looking for these differences, you may be able to get a good sense of how old your cat is. Young cats will have smooth and full coats of hair. Older cats will likely have coarser hair. Some patches of gray hair may appear in older cats. Notice your cat's body type. As your cat ages, levels of activity will change. These changes to how active your cat is can lead to changes in its body shape. Judging the shape of your cat's body may give you a clue as to how old it is. Young cats tend towards being lean and muscular, due to their high levels of activity. Middle age cats may be more filled out and round. Older cats will likely have pronounced shoulder bones and loose skin. Watch your cat's mood. Older cats are more likely to have decreased vision and hearing as well as suffer from pain caused by arthritis. These conditions can have an effect on your cat's mood. If you notice your cat displaying these behaviors, it can be an indication that it is either ill, in the later stages of its life, or both: Your older cat may act overly aggressive when you interact with it. Fear and anxiety can increase in older cats as well. Monitor your cat's litter-box usage. If your cat has any problems using the litter-box, it may indicate a few different issues. Specifically, older cats may have trouble using the litter box due to health issues or decreased ability to handle stress. Some health issues that can cause trouble in older cats when using the litter-box are decreased vision, inflammatory bowl disease, and kidney or liver diseases. Stress can cause an older cat to not use its litter-box. Try to make its environment as calm as you can. Notice your cat's sleep patterns. In most cats, as their age increases, so to will the amount of sleep it requires. You should also keep track of when it sleeps, looking for any changes to its schedule as it ages. Older cats may stay up all night and sleep during the day. Older cats may also howl at night. As cats age, their activity levels drop and they will spend more time sleeping. Younger cats will be more active, playing during the day, while older cats will want to rest. Look for any clouding. As your cat ages, its eyes may turn from being bright and clear to cloudy and dull. By examining the degree of cloudiness or clearness in your cat's eyes, you can get a better understanding of how old your cat is. Clear and bright eyes will indicate that your cat is likely young. Older cats may have cloudy eyes due to age itself or the development of cataracts. Examine the iris. The iris is the colorful part of the eye that surrounds the pupil. By examining the iris, you can learn the approximate age of your cat. Look for any signs of jaggedness or roughness in the iris as you investigate. Younger cats will have clean and smooth irises. As cats age, their irises will become thinner and strands will start to appear in the iris, along with pigment patches. Monitor the eyes for discharge or tears. A sign of both age and health, the tear ducts in your cat's eyes can be a great place to check up on your cat. At times, due to either aging, illness, or injury, its eyes may become overly runny. Runny eyes, as well as injury and illness, are more likely to be found in older cats, which can help you indicate your cat's age. Younger cats should not have noticeable tears or discharge. Older cats may have apparent tearing or discharge from their eyes. Runny eyes can also be a sign of illness or injury, so check with your veterinarian. | Count your cat's teeth. Look for yellowing of your cat's teeth. Check your cat's teeth for signs of wear and tear. Check your cat's coat for how thick it is. Feel the texture of your cat's fur. Notice your cat's body type. Watch your cat's mood. Monitor your cat's litter-box usage. Notice your cat's sleep patterns. Look for any clouding. Examine the iris. Monitor the eyes for discharge or tears. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Mean-and-Intimidating-when-Necessary | How to Be Mean and Intimidating when Necessary | If you tried being nice, but still feel disrespected and used, it may be time to asset yourself by acting mean and intimidating. To come off as intimidating without being a bully, don't be afraid to tell the person "no" when you don't feel like doing something for them. If you're tired of their criticism or judgments, stand up for yourself and tell them you don't appreciate their comments. Make sure to use a confident and assured tone of voice to ensure that you're heard and taken seriously. Once you feel like you're getting the respect you deserve, go back to being nice and pleasant so you don't find yourself being mean and intimidating for too long. After all, this is something you want to use as a last resort, rather than adopting it as your new persona. | Know when you should stand up for yourself. The first thing you've got to know is when you should be intimidating and mean. You can't do it all the time or it will lose its value -- and you will lose friends. But if someone has been putting you down, making you feel small, or just not giving you your due, it may be time to turn up the mean/intimidating factor. If you feel like there is a person or people in your life who are constantly treating you with disrespect and that you've tried being nice and it just hasn't worked, it may be time to explore your mean side. If you repeatedly feel disrespected or overlooked, it may be time to act. Being Mr. Nice Guy or Ms. Nice Girl won't always work in your favor, unfortunately. Make sure that your motives are pure. You shouldn't just be mean and intimidating to hurt someone's feelings, to show off, or just to make yourself feel better. If this is what you want, then you may end up just being mean and intimidating all the time. You should only do it if you feel like you really haven't been heard and need to stand your ground, or if there is a person or people in your life who are just walking all over you and not taking you seriously. Remember that you want to use your powers for good, not evil. And this is not to say that fighting fire with fire always works -- if someone is being mean to you, then the solution doesn't have to be to be mean back. But if you've tried everything else, then it may be time to assert yourself. Don't do it too much. If you're on this page, then chances are that you've found yourself in a dire situation where you feel like you have no other options but to be a bit threatening. If this is the case, then that's fine, but you shouldn't try to make this your new permanent persona. Pick and choose your battles, and don't get in the habit of being mean and intimidating toward too many people or your new personality just might stick. Make sure to watch yourself. If it feels a little too good to be mean and intimidating, then it's time to back off. Make sure you don't change completely. There are many tricks to acting mean and intimidating and you can definitely adopt some of them. However, you don't want to have a complete transformation where your original personality has completely fallen by the wayside. If you're acting nothing at all like yourself around people who know you, then they may think you're putting on an act and they may even find you amusing. Find a way to integrate elements of meanness and intimidation into your real personality. You don't want to overdo it. If you're normally shy and meek and start acting like a bouncer at the hottest club in Manhattan, people may be on to you. Don't be afraid to say no. People who are mean and intimidating do not give in to other people or let them walk all over them. You have to be ready to assert yourself and to say no to people who dump too much work on you, ask you for ridiculous favors, or just put more pressure on you than you're comfortable with. People who are truly intimidating are more interested in getting people to do what they want than in giving in to the needs of others. If something seems ridiculous or un-doable to you, then say so. This is the new you, remember? It's a matter of getting the respect that you deserve. People won't respect you if they know you'll say yes to anything they want you to do. Don't settle for less than you deserve. If you want to get the right attitude, then you have to remember that you deserve the things that you want, and that you don't have to spend your life settling for the second rate. You could want to move up in the career ladder, or for some annoying people to give you some space at school. Whatever you want, write it down, and see that you really deserve nothing but the best. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You have to really know what you want to know if you're settling. Take some time to think about what you want out of life -- and what you hope to achieve by being mean and intimidating. Be okay with doing your own thing. People who are mean and intimidating have their own ideas about how life should be lived and they do not give in or conform to others' notions of success or the right thing to do. This doesn't mean that you should set your house on fire, but it does mean that you should stay true to your beliefs and not care too much about what anyone thinks. If you want to go to a concert but no one else likes the band, go by yourself. If you walk into a classroom and don't know anyone there and don't feel like being social, take a seat and do what you want. Stop the desperation of trying to look like you fit in, and stop surrounding yourself by people you don't really care about just so you look cooler. See the world as your oyster. Stop thinking about what the world hasn't given you or what it has kept you from doing, and think of it as something you can embrace and maybe even conquer. When you walk into a room, don't retreat into yourself, worrying that you won't act the right way or that you won't know anybody there; instead, think of the awesome time you're going to have because the whole night is within your control. It's a matter of attitude. If you think that a million good things can happen to you and are excited to start getting what you want, it's much more likely to happen than if you crawl into fetal position in the corner and cry, "Nothing good ever happens to me…" Let your validation come from within. Don't wait for other people to tell you how amazing you are, how good you look, or how much you're worth. Though it's nice to get some praise and accolades, none of that will mean a thing if you think you're a worthless person with nothing going for you. Instead, take a step back to take stock of how awesome you are, and let people see that you're so comfortable with yourself that you don't care what they think of you -- now that's intimidating. This doesn't mean that you have to think you're perfect. It does mean that you have to realize that you're a worthy person, flaws and all. Have a clear sense of what you want. Another way to intimidate people and to even seem a bit mean, is to know exactly what you're after. It could be that you want to pass through the halls without talking to anyone who is bringing you down; it could mean that you know you want to graduate college in three years. Whatever you want, you have to have a firm vision of the future you want to achieve, so firm that anyone in your orbit can think, "Wow, there's no stopping him/her." Look straight ahead instead of down at the floor. Let people see that you're always looking toward the future. Have firm opinions. People who are mean or intimidating don't go around asking others what they think they should do or constantly questioning everything they believe. Though you can of course question your beliefs to find the right answer, you should avoid coming off as a person who is insecure and always turning to others for answers. You should not only be able to state how you feel about certain issues or situations, but you should have concrete evidence to back it up. Though everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, you should not go around spouting off ill-founded, hurtful, or just annoying opinions; this will not make people respect you. Have firm beliefs, but make sure they are founded in reality. Have control. People who are mean and intimidating have control over their emotions, their bodies, and their words. Speak in a calm and measured way and don't look like you're about to explode if you find yourself in a difficult social situation. If you find yourself getting heated or raising your voice, then back away and say that you need a breather. If you want people to be intimidated by you, then you want them to think, "Wow, he/she really meant business when he/she said that…" If you want to sound like you have conviction and want to be taken seriously, then you have to have control over your words and emotions. Exude confidence. You can't be mean or intimidating to a house plant if you don't have the confidence to back it up. You've got to act and look like you love who you are, like you know where you're going, and like you know what you're doing. Speak with conviction, make eye contact, have good posture, and don't fidget or look around too much or you'll look unsure of yourself. You shouldn't be arrogant and flawless, but if you show too much weakness, then no one will be able to take you seriously. Fake it until you make it. If you have the body language and voice control down, you'll be much more likely to feel confident. Stand your ground. No matter what, don't back down. Even if someone says something that makes your opinion look rubbish, keep backing up what you think and saying exactly what you think. Don't go, "Yeah, I guess you're right, man. I stink," or that kind of thing. Keep going. Even if you lose, it'll show people you won't back down and that you stand up for what you believe in. Just make sure you don't give the impression that you are too stubborn to hang around. Be reserved. This can be accomplished through controlled use of facial expressions and verbal language. Remain polite in your manner, but at the same time don't give too much away about yourself. You might find that it helps to keep conversations brief and matter-of-fact, without going into personal details. This will create a sense of mystery and uncertainty for others, when it comes to your interactions with them. Also remember not to appear afraid or intimidated -- as otherwise this will ruin the desired effect. Portray a lack of positive emotions. This includes avoiding behaviour such as laughing, joking, and smiling - even if normally these are typical attitudes you show others. If you find this difficult, aim to be as generally emotionless as you can -- within the specific situation you're trying to appear mean/intimidating in -- might help with this. However, expressing negative emotions such as anger bursts or irritability is acceptable -- as these will likely lead to intimidating the person/people on the receiving end. Use an appropriate tone of voice when speaking. Make sure that you sound confident, tough and sure of yourself. Don't talk so quietly people can't hear you. Talk just a little bit louder than usual, to make sure you're heard. It'll silence people, too. Don't say anything to provoke an argument or that might get you in trouble, but make sure you say what you think in a slightly more tough than usual kind of way. You can always tape record yourself at home to see how you really come off. Be blunt in expressing your opinions of others. If it happens that someone has made a bad decision or doesn't look good in some way, plunge ahead and be honest about it with them -- but without being tactful as you won't give the impression of being mean if you do so. You'll likely achieve the effect you're after even better if you use a sarcastic manner when making your comments. This is a great way of showing that you don't care what other people think, which is an intimidating trait. Walk into a room like you own it. People who are mean and intimidating know what they're after and walk into a room like it is all theirs. It's just a vibe they give off that says, "Get out of the way!" This definitely scares people a bit and makes them think, "There's a person who knows where he's going." If you want to be mean and intimidating, then you can't walk into a room like you don't know where you're going or when you'll get there. Act firm and assert your dominance and do it as soon as you can. Don't look around nervously for someone to talk to. If you look like you know where you're going, you'll immediately intimidate people. Don't laugh too much. Though even the meanest and most intimidating people have a softer side, you won't be making too many people cower if you're cracking up every two seconds. Humor is great for relieving stress and helping you connect with people, but if you find yourself around someone you want to intimidate, then the less jokes, the better. You can't let them think you're easygoing, fun to be around, or too relaxed, or they may take advantage of you. Of course, if you're just hanging out with a bunch of people who you don't want to be mean to, then laugh all you want! Let your accomplishments speak for themselves. You don't have to brag to intimidate people or to be mean to them. If you talk about how amazing you are at soccer/school/starting your own company, then people will be less likely to respect you or to be intimidated by you than if they learned about this on their own. If you're really so great, then people will probably figure it out pretty quickly; if you have to tell them, they won't care that much. Don't be so invested in bragging and showing people how awesome you are in an attempt to scare people off. This will make you seem like you're desperate for approval, which is the opposite of being mean or intimidating. Don't suck up. Don't flatter people when you don't mean it, beg for approval, or just act like a general suck-up. This behavior will make people think that you get all of your validation from other people and that you don't really know what you want, or that you don't think that you can get there on your own. Yeah, if you suck up to your teachers, popular people, or bosses, the people around you will lose respect for you because they won't think you respect yourself. Mind your appearance. If you want to be mean and intimidating to people, then you've got to look put together. You don't have to dress to the nines or look like you just came off the runway, but you should wear nice, clean, wrinkle-free clothes, shower regularly, and do all you've got to do to look like a person who actually cares about his or her appearance. This shows a basic level of respect that you give yourself, which suggests that other people should follow suit. Don't let people see you looking at your reflection or fixing your clothes or make up in public. This will make you look a bit unsure of yourself. Don't show weakness. This is not the time to let people see how insecure, scared, or uncertain you are. If you want to intimidate people, then you've got to let them think that you're comfortable with yourself, that you're secure with who you are, and that you don't have 8,000 flaws that you are broadcasting at all times. If you show too much weakness, people will latch on to it and will see that they can be mean to you right back. It's okay to open up to your friends about your weaknesses and insecurities. But when it comes to going out in public and giving people a scare, keep it to yourself. | Know when you should stand up for yourself. Make sure that your motives are pure. Don't do it too much. Make sure you don't change completely. Don't be afraid to say no. Don't settle for less than you deserve. Be okay with doing your own thing. See the world as your oyster. Let your validation come from within. Have a clear sense of what you want. Have firm opinions. Have control. Exude confidence. Stand your ground. Be reserved. Portray a lack of positive emotions. Use an appropriate tone of voice when speaking. Be blunt in expressing your opinions of others. Walk into a room like you own it. Don't laugh too much. Let your accomplishments speak for themselves. Don't suck up. Mind your appearance. Don't show weakness. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Wart-Surgically-Removed | How to Get a Wart Surgically Removed | If you've already tried other alternatives, getting your wart surgically removed can be an effective option. There are 3 types of surgery you can choose from. Excision involves cutting your wart away with a scalpel, electrosurgery uses an electric current to burn the wart off, and laser surgery uses a laser to burn off the wart and is best for large warts that are difficult to reach. Talk to your doctor about the best option for you. In the meantime, keep your wart covered to avoid spreading it. Your wound should heal within 2 to 4 weeks and it may leave a scar, but you can reduce its appearance with some home treatments, like rosehip oil, onion extract, and vitamin E ointment. | Talk to your doctor about non-surgical options. Depending on where the wart is located and how large it is, you may be able to treat it without surgery. Have your doctor evaluate the wart, and discuss the possibility of using one or a combination of these non-surgical treatments to remove it: Over-the-counter salicylic acid treatments. This treatment may take several months to be effective. Cryotherapy. This treatment involves freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen, which destroys the wart tissue and causes it to peel off. Several treatments may be needed. Prescription topical medications. This may involve a combination of salicylic acid and other medications that gradually strip away the wart tissue. Immunotherapy. For this treatment, a chemical is applied to the wart that causes an allergic reaction. This causes your body's immune system to attack and destroy the wart. Discuss the different types of surgery for warts. There are three different types of surgery for warts. Your doctor will suggest a certain type of surgery based on where the wart is located and how large it is. The three types are: Excision, where the wart is cut away with a scalpel. This is often done if the wart is small and hardened, or if the warts have joined together to form a cauliflower shape. Electrosurgery, where the wart is cut with a scalpel and then burned off with an electric current. It is often used to treat large warts around the anus or vulva. Laser surgery, where a laser is used to burn away the wart. It is recommended for large warts that are difficult to access, such as on the bottom of your feet or in your genital area. Determine the surgery that is right for you. Your doctor will examine the wart and determine which surgery is best for your condition. If the wart is small, they may suggest excision to remove the wart. If it is large and located in your genital area or your feet, they may suggest electrosurgery or laser surgery. Your doctor will usually only recommend surgery if the wart is very painful and keeps coming back even with medication or non-surgical treatments. Go over the possible risks of surgery. Your doctor should outline the possible risks of surgery before you agree to the procedure. Risks include bleeding, infection, and pain. You will receive antibiotics during the procedure to reduce your risk of infection. In most cases, you will be under general anesthesia and will not feel much pain during the procedure. However, recovery from the surgery can be painful and uncomfortable. Cover the wart so it does not spread to others. Warts are highly contagious and can spread easily from person to person. Once the wart has been diagnosed and you are waiting for surgery, cover the wart so others around you are not exposed. Use a bandage or gauze over the wart. Speak to your doctor about the best way to cover the wart. If the wart is on your feet, wear socks at all times. If the wart is on your genital area, keep it covered by wearing underwear. Avoid public areas. Do not go to the public pool or the locker room at the gym. Stay away from public restrooms and communal changing areas. Avoid exposing your wart in public spaces so others are not at risk of getting the virus and developing warts. Abstain from sexual intercourse if you have genital warts. If you have a wart on your penis, vagina, or anus, do not have sexual intercourse until it has been removed. Having sexual intercourse when you have genital warts can cause the virus to spread to your sexual partners. Wear comfortable clothing on the day of the surgery. Put on loose, breathable clothing like loose jeans and a t-shirt. This way, you can change easily into hospital clothing when you get to the hospital for the surgery. Arrange for a ride home after the surgery. You may not be able to drive yourself home due to medication you may be taking for the surgery. Ask a friend, family member, or partner to pick you up after the surgery and drive you home. Depending on your medical state, you may also ask someone to drop you off so you do not have to drive yourself there, or worry about leaving your car at the hospital. Rest right after the surgery. Do not do any strenuous activity like lifting items or doing housework. Take the day off work or arrange to work from home. Ask a friend or partner to help you do things around the house so you can rest for the day. Allow two to four weeks for the area to heal. The exact recovery time depends on the type of surgery used and the size of the wart being removed. In general, it will take two to four weeks for the affected area to heal. You can usually return to normal activities, such as work, after one to three days. A wart located in your genital area may take longer to heal than a wart on your arm or hand. You should also avoid sexual intercourse until the area is healed and no longer sore, usually one to four weeks. Take over-the-counter pain medication. Manage your pain after the surgery by taking OTC medication like ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Always follow the dosage instructions on the label and never take more than recommended. Contact your doctor if you notice any adverse symptoms. If you notice bleeding in the treated area that lasts longer than one week, or if the area is very painful and does not appear to be healing, see your doctor. You should also see your doctor if you have a high fever and you notice foul-smelling, yellow discharge coming from the treated area. Be prepared for the area to scar. The treated area will likely result in a scar once it has healed. The size of the scar will depend on how large the wart was that was removed. You can try to treat the scar so it fades and appears less noticeable. Keep in mind that there is a small chance that the wart will return even after surgery. Your doctor may recommend medication or another round of surgery to help keep the wart from returning. | Talk to your doctor about non-surgical options. Discuss the different types of surgery for warts. Determine the surgery that is right for you. Go over the possible risks of surgery. Cover the wart so it does not spread to others. Avoid public areas. Abstain from sexual intercourse if you have genital warts. Wear comfortable clothing on the day of the surgery. Arrange for a ride home after the surgery. Rest right after the surgery. Allow two to four weeks for the area to heal. Take over-the-counter pain medication. Contact your doctor if you notice any adverse symptoms. Be prepared for the area to scar. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Fix-Watery-Slime | How to Fix Watery Slime | To fix watery slime easily, add in a thickening agent to make it the right consistency. If you have borax slime, mix in 1/4 tablespoon of borax at a time to thicken it. If your slime is made with liquid starch, add 1/4 cup of clear glue, and mix the slime thoroughly. Then, take the slime out of the bowl and begin kneading it. After 2-3 minutes, the slime should be less runny. For saline slime, add 1/4 tablespoon of baking soda, and for cornstarch-based slime, mix in 1/2-1 teaspoon of additional cornstarch. | Add ¼ cup (60 ml) of clear glue if the slime is made with liquid starch. Measure out the clear glue, and place it directly into the bowl of slime. Use a spoon to mix it into the slime thoroughly, and once it starts to hold together, take the slime out and knead it. After 2-3 minutes, the slime should no longer be runny. If ¼ cup (60 ml) of clear glue isn't enough to thicken the slime, add another ¼ cup (60 ml) of clear glue and stir the mixture again. It should change to a thicker consistency. If you have the time, leave the slime in a sealed bag overnight once you have added the clear glue. This will help it to gel together. Use baking soda to thicken slime that is made with saline solution. Add an extra ¼ tsp (1 g) of baking soda to the slime if you have made it with clear glue. If you have used white glue, add an extra ½ tsp (2 g) of baking soda. Use a spoon to mix the extra baking soda into the slime and then knead it for 2-3 minutes. Add more baking soda if the slime is still too watery. Baking soda is a necessary ingredient for making slime with saline solution, as it helps to thicken the mixture. Be careful not to add too much baking soda at once, as this can make the slime hard. Add more cornstarch if you are making cornstarch and dish soap slime. Place an extra ½ tsp (3.1 g) of cornstarch into the bowl with the slime. Mix it in using a spoon. Include more cornstarch to thicken cornstarch and glue slime. Use around 1 tsp (6.2 g) of extra cornstarch, and stir it into the slime. Cornstarch and glue slime can take a while to combine properly, so keep mixing for up to 5 minutes. If it doesn't thicken, continue adding small amounts of cornstarch to the slime and then mixing it in. However, be careful not to add too much cornstarch at once, otherwise, the slime can turn hard. Add 1 small handful of shaving cream if you are thickening fluffy slime. If you have kneaded the slime and it is still runny or thin, add extra shaving cream. Simply add the extra shaving cream to the center of the slime, and knead it in. Keep adding shaving cream until the slime reaches your preferred consistency. Use ¼ tbsp (0.43 g) of borax if you need to thicken Borax slime. Get the extra Borax, and place it into the bowl with the slime. Use a spoon to thoroughly stir it into the slime. Keep adding ¼ tbsp (0.43 g) of borax at a time until there is no excess liquid left' Pour out any excess liquid from the container. Place the slime back into the bowl or container, and gently tilt it over the sink. Pour out as much excess liquid as possible. Drain the water slowly, and wait until there is no more excess liquid. Hold the slime back with your hand, or press a plate over the bowl or container as you are draining it to prevent the slime from falling out. Leave a tiny gap so that the liquid can get through. You can remove the excess liquid from any type of slime, and this should help to make it slightly less watery. It's a good idea to remove the excess liquid before you begin trying to thicken the slime. Knead the slime for approximately 5 minutes if it contains glue. Place the slime on a clean work surface. See if it becomes less watery as you knead it. Also try working the slime in your hands to remove some excess moisture. Many types of slime, such as Borax, liquid starch, and saline solution, all contain either clear or white glue. These types of slime change in consistency as you knead them, and normally become less runny and thicker as you knead. Freeze the slime for up to 10 minutes if it contains shampoo or soap. Place the slime into an airtight container. Keep the slime in the freezer for approximately 5-10 minutes, or until it has thickened sufficiently. Alternatively, store the slime in a Ziplock bag rather than an airtight container. | Add ¼ cup (60 ml) of clear glue if the slime is made with liquid starch. Use baking soda to thicken slime that is made with saline solution. Add more cornstarch if you are making cornstarch and dish soap slime. Include more cornstarch to thicken cornstarch and glue slime. Add 1 small handful of shaving cream if you are thickening fluffy slime. Use ¼ tbsp (0.43 g) of borax if you need to thicken Borax slime. Pour out any excess liquid from the container. Knead the slime for approximately 5 minutes if it contains glue. Freeze the slime for up to 10 minutes if it contains shampoo or soap. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Closing-Argument | How to Write a Closing Argument | To write a closing argument, start with your theory of the crime, which you should try to bring up within the first 30 seconds of your closing argument. Then, review your evidence by taking the jury step-by-step through the facts of the case from your side's perspective. You should also point out flaws and discrepancies in the other side's argument to help discredit them. Finally, conclude your closing argument by appealing to the jury's emotions and making a strong final statement. | Take notes throughout the trial. Unlike an opening argument, which can be written well in advance of the trial, a closing argument will be based on the events of the trial. Attorneys usually do not prepare them until both sides of the case have rested. With little time to construct an impactful closing, having good notes about the case is important. Be sure that you have notes about damaging testimony that you were presented with during the trial. This will give you the opportunity to reference that evidence in your closing argument. Write an outline. An outline for the closing argument will serve as a script, or a guide to follow while speaking to the jury. This will help you feel more organized, and will minimize the risk of forgetting key facts. Use a legal pad to write down all of the major points that need to be made, and then fill in the outline with details and specifics that support your theory of the case. For instance, in a murder case, important details that both sides may want to talk about include the physical evidence that may link the defendant to the murder, whether or not the defendant has an alibi, any problems with the murder investigation, and any motive the defendant may have had to commit the murder. Prepare visual aids. After sitting through a trial, many jurors have heard and seen a huge amount of information. To help the jurors remember the information that was presented throughout the trial, and to make sure that the jurors remember the important parts of your closing argument when they begin deliberations, use visual aids during your closing argument. Charts, graphs, pictures, and words can be used as visuals during your closing argument. Such visual aids are quite common in personal injury cases. For example, if you are the prosecutor during a murder trial, use a picture of the victim when he or she was still alive, a timeline of the defendant's movements around the time of the murder or a word that represents your theory of the case (such as jealousy or greed). To ensure that you use visuals aids effectively, choose one or two that you can use throughout the trial, and make sure that whatever visual you use is easily understood by the jury. To use a visual aid during your closing argument you may need to get approval from the judge. You must get permission from the judge to show pictures or other types of visual aids that were not admitted into evidence during the trial. However, if the visual aid that you plan to use in your closing argument is an exhibit that was admitted into evidence during the trial, you can use it without approval. Remember to use simple language while writing your closing. To make sure that everyone in the jury understands your closing argument, also avoid technical or legal terms. The average juror has a sixth grade education, so don't alienate people by trying to sound “lawyerly” or “smart.” Instead, try to connect with the jury using simple words and ideas that everyone will be able to understand. Repeat your theory of the crime. During the opening statements, you or another lawyer on your side should have offered a theory of the case. This theory could include an explanation, motive or defense to the crime committed, depending on which side is being represented. Bring that theory to the jury again, and remind them that it was established at the beginning of the trial. The theory of the case is essentially each side's version of what happened, and if the juror's believe one side's theory, that side wins. Because the theory of the case stays the same throughout the trial, the jury should be familiar with each side's theory of the case when closing arguments are given. Bring up your theory at the beginning of your closing argument. Try to bring it up during the first 30 seconds of your argument to focus the jury's attention on the theory. Then continue to reference the theory throughout the rest of the argument. Be sure to use active, descriptive language and strong transitions between ideas. This will help capture the jury's attention and help them sympathize with your client. Review your evidence. Remind the jury of the facts you promised to prove to them during the opening statement, and take them step-by-step through the facts of the case from your side's perspective. Include expert testimony, witness testimony and physical or forensic evidence that supports your theory. Point to the promises that have been fulfilled and the ideas proven from the opening statement. The prosecution and the defense will necessarily have different views of the facts, so make sure that whichever side you are on, you tell the jury the facts in a way that is favorable to you. Use well known stories, analogies, and rhymes to prove your point. During your closing, you can use analogies and stories to explain your theory of the case. If you do choose a story that you think fits the case, make sure that it is something that most people would have heard of so you don't have jurors who have no idea what you are talking about. For example, making an analogy between a murder case and the Cain and Abel story in the Bible may work if the facts are similar because many people have heard the story. On the other hand, analogizing a jealous murder to Shakespeare's Othello will probably not help the jury understand your case, because not too many people read Shakespeare. You may also use rhymes and phrases to drive home your argument to the jury. For example, during the famous O.J. Simpson trial, the defense attorney coined the phrase “if the glove doesn't fit you must acquit” to make sure that the jury would not forget an important piece of evidence: the glove. Get the jury on your client's side. Ultimately, one of the most important things you can do is to get the jury to sympathize with your client. Try to paint your client in the most favorable light possible and elicit sympathy from the jurors. Listen to the other side's case during the trial. You should stay engaged, even when you are not speaking yourself. Listen attentively and take notes, identifying any weaknesses in the opposition's case. You can find weaknesses in your opponent's case by focusing on: Things that they say or that their witnesses testify to that are not supported by evidence, or Things that they say or their witnesses testify to that you can refute with your own evidence. Point out discrepancies in the other side's theory. Challenge the overall position, as well as the other side's specific witnesses, evidence, and experts. Highlight inconsistencies to discredit anything the other side tried to prove or defend. For example, you could point out that your opponent is paying their expert witness to testify, and therefore that testimony is not as credible because it is essentially exchanged for money. You could also point out that other witnesses may have a stake in the outcome of the case. For instance, if a defendant's mother testifies that he was with her at the time the crime was committed, you could point out that as his mother she does not want him to go to jail, and therefore she could be lying. It is also likely that a witness on the other side made some sort of inadvertent comment during testimony that is not helpful, and may even be harmful, to the other side's case. Point this out during your closing. However, in a criminal case, you may not make any comments about the defendant choosing not to testify in his own defense. Such comments violate the fifth amendment prohibition against self-incrimination, and making statements such as “he didn't testify because he's guilty” and similar ones is grounds for a mistrial. Remember that the prosecution bears the burden of proof. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty, so the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the crime. Therefore, if you are the prosecution, you should focus on making the evidence seem impenetrable. If you are the defense, you may want to point out any weaknesses in the evidence, trying to demonstrate that the prosecution did not meet the burden of proof. Conclude with emotion. Once you have finished reviewing the story as your side sees it, appeal to the emotions of the jury. You can appeal to the jury members as members of the community or as the people that have the power to dispense justice. However, make sure that you do not argue improperly by appealing to the jurors prejudices against a certain group of people. For example, it is improper to make an argument for a high award of damages based on the wealth of the individual or corporation that is being sued. It is additionally improper to ask the jury to base their verdict on characteristics of the defendant or victim such as race or sex. Make your final statements memorable. Your final words should stick with the jury as they begin to deliberate. Ending on a strong, memorable message can keep your words and ideas resonating in the jurors' minds. Some examples include talking about a juror's duty to uphold the law and dispense justice, or talking about how letting a defendant go free would put him or her back on the streets to commit more crimes. For instance, the prosecutor could say to the jury that “the verdict in this case does more than decide just this case. The verdict is a message to the community that you will not tolerate crime and those who commit crimes.” Practice the closing argument. Use colleagues, friends, or even a mirror to practice your final speech. Practice will make sure that the presentation is natural and comfortable, and that you follow your outline. Additionally, saying something aloud can help you determine whether it sounds natural. If you have an audience, ask them what part(s) of your closing stuck with them to be sure that you are emphasizing the appropriate points. Comport yourself appropriately in the courtroom. Though they shouldn't matter as much as your argument, the impressions that you make on people do make a difference. As such, you should dress well, be well-groomed, keep a conversational tone, and make sure you come across as trustworthy and confident. | Take notes throughout the trial. Write an outline. Prepare visual aids. Remember to use simple language while writing your closing. Repeat your theory of the crime. Review your evidence. Use well known stories, analogies, and rhymes to prove your point. Get the jury on your client's side. Listen to the other side's case during the trial. Point out discrepancies in the other side's theory. Remember that the prosecution bears the burden of proof. Conclude with emotion. Make your final statements memorable. Practice the closing argument. Comport yourself appropriately in the courtroom. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Business-Thank-You-Note | How to Write a Business Thank You Note | Writing a business thank you note is a great way to show gratitude to people who have helped you professionally. To write one, type up a short letter and send it within 1 day of your meeting or interview. If you have time, print out your note and send it in the mail, or hand-deliver it for a more personal touch. If you don't have time, you can also send them an email. When you write your note, open with a formal greeting, like, “Dear Dr. Wilson.” Then, thank the recipient in the first 2 sentences, which will keep your note concise. You could say, “I hope you're doing well. I'm writing to thank you for the excellent service you provided our store last week.” After this, add 2 or 3 sentences explaining how they helped you or why you appreciate them. If you're hoping to maintain a relationship, close the letter by saying something like, “I would love to work with your business again.” Finally, hand-sign your letter. | Write and send your note as soon as possible. It's polite to send a thank you note soon after the business or person helped you. Don't delay. Write your note and send it within a few days. Time is especially important after a job interview. Contact the interviewer to say thank you within 1 day of the interview to thank them for their time. For other services, time is not as crucial. If you forgot to send a note and a week has gone by, still send the note. People appreciate receiving thanks, even if it's late. Send a typed or handwritten letter for normal correspondence. In most cases, a typed or handwritten letter is perfect for a thank you note. Both are formal enough for business correspondence, yet more personal than an email. Choose this option unless you need the letter delivered quickly or want to send a more personal card. If you don't have excellent handwriting, opt for a typed letter. Once you print or write the letter, keep it clean and tidy until you send it. Don't let it get wrinkled or spill anything on it. Get a thank you card to show more appreciation. If you are especially thankful for something a business has done, look for a nice thank you card. This shows that you've taken an extra step to show your thanks, and the recipient will be happy to receive it. Choose an appropriate design for the card. It should still look professional. A simple card with a small design and generic text works just fine. Greeting cards are also a good choice if you know the person you're writing to personally. If you've met or spoken to this person before and built more of a relationship, a card helps solidify that relationship. Write an email if time is short. While physical letters are usually more personal, an email is your best choice for fast communication. This is especially important following job interviews. If you've just had an interview or prefer your messages delivered quickly, choose an email instead. If you do send an email, write “Thank You” followed by your name in the subject line. This way, the recipient knows you sent the email by just skimming their inbox. If you prefer sending a letter but need it delivered quickly, you could send it with overnight mail. This can be an expensive service, however. Use a standard business letter format. Although this is a thank you letter, it should still use the typical formalities that are in other business letters. Include your name and address on the top left, above the date. Then write the date, followed by the recipient's name, title, and address. An exception would be if you send a card rather than a letter. In this case, just include the date. Open with a formal greeting. Business communications, even for thank-you's, should always be formal. Use a formal salutation like “Dear” before writing the person's name. Don't use a familiar greeting like “Hi.” Then write “Mr.” or “Ms.” followed by the person's last name. If the person has a specific title, like “Dr.”, use this instead of Mr. or Ms. If you don't know or cannot determine the person's gender, use their full name instead. For example, “Dear Jamie Wilson.” If you personally know the person, it is appropriate to only use their first name. In all other cases, use their title and last name or full name. Don't use an impersonal greeting like “To Whom it May Concern.” This is inappropriate for a thank you letter. Find the name of someone you can address the letter to. Thank the recipient within the first 2 sentences of your note. Businesspeople receive a lot of correspondence, so keep your note concise. Say thank you within the first or second sentence so the recipient knows your purpose for writing. Also provide some details on what you're thanking them for. A business owner may do many jobs and not remember you offhand. Phrasing your thank you as “I wanted to thank you for …” and then explaining the job they did helps them remember who you are. For example, “I hope you are doing well. I'm writing to thank you for the excellent service you provided for our store last week.” This greets the recipient, thanks them, and provides necessary details all within 2 sentences. If you're sending an email, write “Thank You” with your name after so the recipient can see right away that it's a thank you note. Add a few details on how this person helped you. After your initial thanks, use the next 2 or 3 sentences to explain how their service helped you. Tell the person what you appreciate and why. This makes your note much more sincere than a simple expression of thanks. Don't ramble with details. Use a few sentences at most to get this point across. For example, saying “Your emergency plumbing services helped keep our store open through one of our busiest periods. Without your help, our business would have lost money and customers. I'm very thankful for your fast and high-quality work” gets the job done quickly. Allude to the future if you want to maintain a relationship. If you've had a particularly good experience with this person or business, let them know that you'd like that relationship to continue. Say that you hope to use their services, work with them, or simply see them again in the future. This indicates that you want to maintain the working relationship. Something simple like “I would love to work with your business again” is enough to show your interest in the future. If you're thanking someone after a job interview, take this opportunity to reiterate your interest in the job. However, don't try to convince them to hire you. They've already seen your resume and interviewed you. Keep this part brief and focus on the thanking part. If, however, you had a good experience but don't want to maintain any relationship, just thank the person and don't allude to the future. Reiterate your thanks before closing. Before wrapping up your letter and signing, say thanks one more time. This affirms your gratitude and ends your letter on a positive note. Just a simple “Thanks again” works fine here. Don't go into another section detailing what the person did for you. Hand-sign your letter to conclude. When you've said your thanks, wrap the letter up. Use a formal closing like “Sincerely.” Then hand-sign your name. Even if the letter is typed, print it out and write your name at the end. This is more personal than sending a fully-typed thank you note. Stick with professional closings like “Sincerely.” “Best” also works in a less formal case. Don't use an informal ending like “Cheers.” Unfortunately, you can't physically sign your name on an email. In this case, simply write your name to conclude. | Write and send your note as soon as possible. Send a typed or handwritten letter for normal correspondence. Get a thank you card to show more appreciation. Write an email if time is short. Use a standard business letter format. Open with a formal greeting. Thank the recipient within the first 2 sentences of your note. Add a few details on how this person helped you. Allude to the future if you want to maintain a relationship. Reiterate your thanks before closing. Hand-sign your letter to conclude. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Dry-Erase-Boards | How to Clean Dry Erase Boards | To clean a dry erase board, try soaking a cloth in some rubbing alcohol and wiping down the board with it. You can also use a glass window cleaner, some hand sanitizer, or even baby wipes if you have some on hand. If you encounter stubborn stains that won't come out, try scrubbing them with a toothbrush and some toothpaste. Or, you can make a paste by mixing baking soda and water and then scrub the board with it. | Remove as many markings as possible with an eraser or cloth. Use a microfiber cleaning cloth or felt eraser to clean as much of the board as you can before applying the cleaner. Press down firmly and wipe in a circular motion as you erase. Make sure you use a clean cloth or eraser; trying to erase markings with a dirty cloth or eraser will just end up making your board even dirtier! You can clean the felt eraser or cloth by running it under cold water until it's visibly cleaner and then allowing it to air dry. Spray the dry erase board cleaner onto the board. Apply enough of the cleaner so that there is a thin layer of the solution over the area you intend to clean. You only need to spray the cleaner onto the markings you hope to clean, although if you want to clean the entire board, you should spray the cleaner everywhere. Be sure to use a non-toxic dry erase board cleaner on your whiteboard, especially if it's located in a classroom or other environment where young children are exposed to it. Wipe off the whiteboard cleaner. Use a clean, dry cloth to wipe away the dry erase board cleaner after you've sprayed it onto the board. Wipe the board in a circular motion, pressing down firmly, until the marks have been removed. Consider using paint remover on troublesome stains. If the stains are not sufficiently removed by whiteboard cleaner, you may want to use a paint or adhesive remover instead. Apply the remover to a soft cloth and blot it over the stained area until it's completely covered. Then, wipe away the remover with a clean cloth, wiping again firmly in a circular motion. Make sure you read the warnings and precautions on the label of the paint remover or adhesive remover before using it on your dry erase board, especially if children are frequently exposed to the board. Rinse the board with water to remove the cleaner and dry it. Once your board is sufficiently clean, rinse the board with cold water to remove any excess or leftover whiteboard cleaner. Then, dry with a soft cleaning cloth or dry erase cleaning cloth. If your board is too large to be rinsed with water, you can alternatively dip a clean cloth in water and use that to “rinse” away the excess cleaner. Clean the board with rubbing alcohol if you don’t have any commercial cleaner. Rubbing alcohol, or isopropyl alcohol, is a very effective cleaning solution when applied to dry erase boards. Soak a small piece of cloth in rubbing alcohol and use it to wipe the board clean. Rinse the cloth in warm water and wipe the board again to remove more troublesome marks. For best results, use a solution with at least a 90% isopropyl concentration. 99% is the ideal concentration for use as a dry erase board cleaner. Solutions with 70% concentrations will also work, although they will be less effective than solutions with higher concentrations. Use window cleaner if you already have it on hand. Windex is actually equally effective as most dry erase board cleaners at removing marks and stains. Spray some Windex on a dry cloth and wipe the board in large circular motions to easily clean your board without having to go out to buy a separate whiteboard cleaner. Avoid wiping the board in straight lines, as this will only push marker residue to the different edges of the dry erase board and make it harder for you to clean it in the long run. Make sure you remove all Windex residue from the board after you've cleaned it. Rinse the board in cold water or use a clean wet cloth to wipe away the excess Windex. Any leftover Windex will make it difficult for you to write on the board in the future. Put hand sanitizer on a paper towel and use it as a convenient cleaner. Use the paper towel to spread the hand sanitizer onto the markings you want to remove from the dry erase board. Allow the sanitizer to stay on the markings for 30 seconds, then use more paper towels to remove it. You can also use a soft dry cloth to remove the hand sanitizer. There's no 1 brand of hand sanitizer that works best on dry erase boards; any cheap brand will do! Use baby wipes to clean your board if you have small children. If you happen to have excess baby wipes in your house, you can also put them to use to clean your dirty whiteboard! Simply scrub the whiteboard with the baby wipe until the markings are gone and the board is clean. Note that you may have to vigorously scrub the board with the baby wipe in order to remove more difficult marks and stains. Scrub your board with a toothbrush and toothpaste for troublesome stains. Run an old, clean toothbrush under water, apply the toothpaste, and scrub the whiteboard with the toothbrush until it's clean. Once the board is clean, wipe the board with a paper towel or absorbent cloth to remove the excess liquid. For best results, use ordinary white toothpaste to clean your board. You can also use this method to remove permanent marker from your dry erase board and to clean other non-porous surfaces. Mix baking soda with water and use the mix to cheaply clean your board. Mix water into a small container of baking soda until it forms into a thick paste. Then, use a paper towel to dab a small amount of the paste onto your whiteboard and vigorously scrub the board until it's clean. Finally, wipe the board with a wet paper towel. You can use a paper towel or cloth to dry the board after you've cleaned it, although it's also fine for you to let it air dry. There's no set amount of baking soda you should mix with the water; simply continually mix small amounts of baking soda into a bowl or glass of water until it forms into a thick paste. Use nail polish remover and cotton to gently clean your board. Apply a generous amount of nail polish remover to a cotton or linen cloth. Then, gently rub your dry erase board with the cloth until it's clean. Use a separate damp cloth to wipe the nail polish remover off the board and dry it with a paper towel. If you only want to clean a small part of your dry erase board, you might want to consider simply using a cotton ball instead of a cloth. Clean your board with dry cleaner fluid if it can handle abrasive compounds. Dry cleaner fluid and carpet stain remover use cleaning chemicals that can also be used to clean your whiteboard. Spray the fluid onto your board as you would with whiteboard cleaner, then wipe it away with a sponge. Make sure that your board isn't made of a substance, such as porcelain, that will be harmed by abrasive compounds in the cleaner fluid. | Remove as many markings as possible with an eraser or cloth. Spray the dry erase board cleaner onto the board. Wipe off the whiteboard cleaner. Consider using paint remover on troublesome stains. Rinse the board with water to remove the cleaner and dry it. Clean the board with rubbing alcohol if you don’t have any commercial cleaner. Use window cleaner if you already have it on hand. Put hand sanitizer on a paper towel and use it as a convenient cleaner. Use baby wipes to clean your board if you have small children. Scrub your board with a toothbrush and toothpaste for troublesome stains. Mix baking soda with water and use the mix to cheaply clean your board. Use nail polish remover and cotton to gently clean your board. Clean your board with dry cleaner fluid if it can handle abrasive compounds. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Wash-Delicates-in-the-Laundry | How to Wash Delicates in the Laundry | While most items can be washed on a regular setting, your delicates may require a bit of extra care. An easy way to protect your delicates in the wash is to place them in a mesh washing bag so they don't get jostled around too much. Once they're in the machine, add detergent as you normally would, then select the “pre-soak” option using mild or cold water. Cold water will protect your delicates more than warm or hot water. If your machine has a cycle option, choose delicates or hand wash. Dryers can shrink delicates, so it's best to air dry them. Or, if your dryer has a no-heat option, you can use that instead. | Check the labels. Before you get started, go through your delicates and read the care instructions. Most delicates will have tags that say "hand wash" or "hand wash only," which means strategic machine washing will still work, but "dry clean only" tags mean the washing machine for those delicates is a definite no-go. Sort delicates by type. Delicates are fragile and can easily snag, stretch, or lose their shape during washing. To minimize this risk, sort your delicates by type. For example, lace should be washed with lace, cashmere with cashmere, silk with silk, and thin knits with thin knits. Never combine a lace article with a sequined article, for instance, because the sequins might snag the lace. Organize delicates by color. Just as you do with regular laundry, it is important to also separate delicates by color; wash whites with whites, darks with darks, and colors with colors to prevent bleeding. Keep delicates fastened. If your delicates have any clips, clasps, zippers, or buttons, be sure to do those up to reduce a chance of snagging or stretching. Pre-treat stains. Use a pre-wash stain spray or treatment to fight stains before you put your delicates in the washing machine. This will help reduce the amount of work your machine has to do, which reduces the amount of washing stress on your delicates. Grass, dirt, oil-based, and most beverage stains can be pre-treated with dish soap, if you don't have stain spray. For stains on whites, you can use a bleach pen. For blood or body-fluid stains, use cold tap water and light scrubbing as a pre-treatment, followed by a common hand sanitizer to disinfect the garment. Add small piles of sorted delicates in mesh bags. It's important not to crowd your delicates. By putting only a few delicates (sorted by type and color) into each mesh bag, you decrease their chances of getting stretched, snagged, or losing their shape. It's fine to put mesh bags with different types of delicates into the same washing load (the bags will keep them safe from each other), but make sure not to mix colors. For a standard-sized washer, you can wash two to three mesh bags (filled with a few delicates each) at once. If the load is unbalanced, add a few lightly soiled permanent press items, like T-shirts. Add detergent. Although mild detergents – like Woolite – or cold-water detergent are designed for washing delicates, they are more expensive. Most regular detergents work just as well, so use what you have on hand. Just be mindful to use the correct detergent based on the colors you are washing. Select the "pre-soak" option on your washer using mild or cold water. Soaking your delicates before the actual wash is especially important for heavy stains. Set your washer on a gentle cycle. To wash delicates, you want your washer to be on the shortest, most gentle wash and spin cycles. Most modern washers have a “hand wash” option, which is best for washing delicates. Be sure to use mild or cold water, as this will prevent bleeding and shrinking. Air dry your delicates. Dryer heat can ruin your delicates because it can cause shrinkage, so it's best to air dry them. However, if your dryer has a “no heat” and/or “air fluff only” setting, you can toss the mesh bags in the dryer to dry halfway. Re-shape delicates by hand half-way though the drying process. This is especially important for knits, cashmere, or other snuggly-fitting garments that have a specific shape to them. Water and detergent can temporarily warp these materials and cause them to dry in the shape they are in when taken from the wash if they aren't re-shaped by hand. Hang or lay delicates flat to finish air drying. Delicates dry best when they are hung over a line or laid flat to air-dry. This helps them keep their original shape intact. Once they are completely dry, it's safe to fold and store your delicates for future wear. | Check the labels. Sort delicates by type. Organize delicates by color. Keep delicates fastened. Pre-treat stains. Add small piles of sorted delicates in mesh bags. Add detergent. Select the "pre-soak" option on your washer using mild or cold water. Set your washer on a gentle cycle. Air dry your delicates. Re-shape delicates by hand half-way though the drying process. Hang or lay delicates flat to finish air drying. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Hook-Up-and-Start-a-PlayStation-2 | How to Hook Up and Start a PlayStation 2 | To hook up a PlayStation 2 for playing games, first find the right cable to connect your console to your TV. Once you have the right cable, connect the video cable to the back of the PlayStation 2 in the port labeled "AV MULTI OUT," and connect the other end of the cable to your TV. Next, insert the PlayStation 2 power cable into its figure 8-shaped slot or the yellow "DC IN" jack, then connect it to an outlet. To play on your PlayStation 2, make sure to connect a controller and turn your TV to the correct input. Then, simply power on your PlayStation 2, insert a game, and start to play. | Examine your TV inputs. There are several ways that you can connect your PlayStation 2 to your TV or receiver, depending on the inputs available. Different inputs will provide different levels of image quality. Inputs are typically found on the back of the TV, though they may be found on the side or the front as well. Composite/Stereo AV - This is the most common way to connect a PlayStation 2 to a TV, receiver, or VCR. Composite cables have three plugs: Yellow (Video) and Red and White (Audio). This cable comes packaged with all new PlayStation 2 models. Newer HDTVs may not support this connection. Component/YCbCr - This is the best way to connect a PlayStation 2 to modern TVs, as most HDTVs have these inputs. Component cables also provide the best possible picture quality for the PlayStation 2. Component cables have five plugs: Red, Blue and Green (Video) and Red and White (Audio). Component cables do not come packaged with the PlayStation 2. If purchasing a component cable, make sure that it is PlayStation 2 compatible with the PlayStation 2 plug on one end. S-Video - This input is not very common on newer TVs. It will provide a better picture than composite cables, but not as good as component cables. The S-Video plug is typically yellow and has pins instead of a standard AV plug. The PlayStation 2 S-Video cable has the S-Video plug as well as the Red and White audio plugs. RF - This is the worst way to connect a PlayStation 2 to a TV or VCR, as it has the blurriest picture quality. RF connects through the TV or VCR's coaxial input (the same input you would use for an old cable box or antenna). Avoid this method of connection unless you have no other options. Obtain the correct cable. If you bought your PlayStation 2 new, there should be a composite cable packed in the box. If you need a different cable, you'll have to order it from Sony or buy one online at a store like Amazon. Make sure that you get the PlayStation 2 version of the cable you want to use, as the PlayStation 2 requires a special plug on one end of the cable. PlayStation 2 video cables will work for all PlayStation 2 models. Place the PlayStation 2 near the TV or receiver. Make sure you place it in a location that has plenty of open area so that the PlayStation 2 doesn't collect too much heat. Avoid stacking it above or below other electronic devices. If you have the stand, you can setup your PlayStation 2 vertically so that it takes up less space. Make sure that it's close enough so that the video and the power cables don't have to stretch to reach the TV and outlet. Connect the video cable to the back of the PlayStation 2. All PlayStation 2 video cables connect to the same port on the back of the PlayStation 2. The video port is located in the bottom-right corner of back of the fat PlayStation 2s, and on the right side of the back of the slim PlayStation 2s, next to the power connector. The port is labeled "AV MULTI OUT". Connect the other end of the video cable to your TV. Make note of the input that you are connecting to, as this will allow you to find the correct input when you turn on your TV. Match the colors of the plugs with the colors on the inputs. The audio connection (Red and White) may be offset from the video inputs on the TV. If your TV only supports mono sound, just use the White audio plug. When connecting component cables, you'll likely have two Red plugs. One of these is video and the other is audio. If you lay out the component cable flat, the order of plugs should be Red, Blue, Green (Video set), White, Red (Audio set). If your TV only has component connectors, but you only have a composite cable, you may still be able to connect the two. Plug the Red and White audio cables as normal, and try plugging the Yellow plug into the Green connector. If this ends up resulting in a black-and-white image, try plugging the Yellow plug into either the Blue or the other Red connector. If you're in Europe, you may need the Euro-AV connector, which will allow you to plug the composite cable into your TV's SCART socket. This connector comes packaged with new European PS2 models. Connect the digital audio cable (optional). If you have a 5.1 surround sound system, you'll need to connect the Digital Out (Optical) audio port on the PS2 to the receiver using a TOSLINK cable. This is only required if you want 5.1 surround sound and have the necessary equipment. You can find the Digital Out (Optical) port next to the video port on the back of the PlayStation 2. Connect the PlayStation 2 power cable. The fat PS2 and the slim PlayStation 2 have different power cables. To connect the fat PS2, plug the "figure-eight" side of the power cable into the back of the PlayStation 2, and then plug it into the wall or a power strip. For slim PS2s, connect the power cable to the yellow "DC IN" jack on the back of the PlayStation 2, connect the power brick, and then plug the entire cable into the wall or power strip. Make sure that the cable has some slack so that it isn't straining the connection. Connect an Ethernet cable (optional). Some PS2 games have online functionality, and you'll need to connect your PlayStation 2 to your home network via Ethernet to take advantage of this. The slim PS2 has a built-in Ethernet adapter, but the fat PlayStation 2 requires a network adapter add-on. You won't be setting up your network on a system level. Instead, individual games will handle the network settings when you attempt to connect. Many PS2 games that had online multiplayer no longer function online, as servers have long been shut down. Connect a controller to the PlayStation 2. You'll need either an official PlayStation 2 controller (called a DualShock 2), or a third-party controller designed for the PS2. All new PlayStation 2 models come with a single DualShock 2 controller. You cannot use a PS1 controller regularly with your PS2, but you can use a PS1 controller while playing PS1 games. Insert a memory card (optional). If you want to be able to save your progress in games, you'll need to insert a PS2 memory card, official memory cards are 8 MB, which is enough space for lots of saved games. You can purchase unofficial larger memory cards, but these have a higher chance of failing and corrupting your saved data. However, official, larger memory cards do exist in 16 MB and 32 MB. You can store using the hard drive add-on without a memory card, but you need a memory card to install the hard drive software. You can play games without a memory card or a HDD, but your progress will be lost whenever you turn the system off or change games. Memory cards are inserted directly above the controller. Make sure that the memory card label is facing up when you insert it. Turn your TV on to the correct input. Turn on your TV and switch it to the input that the PlayStation 2 is connected to. If you connected the PS2 to your VCR or receiver, make sure that the VCR or receiver is set to the correct input, and that your TV is set to the VCR or receiver's input. Power on the PS2.Press the power button on the front of the PlayStation 2. The light should turn green and, if the correct input is selected, you should see the PS2 opening logo animation. If there is no game inserted, you'll be taken to the PS2 system menu. If a game is inserted, it will start automatically after the boot-up animation. Insert a game. Press the Eject button on the front of the PlayStation 2 to either eject the tray (fat PS2) or pop open the lid (slim PS2). Place the game on the tray or place it onto the spindle. Push the slim lid closed, or push the Eject button again on the fat PlayStation 2 to close the tray. Don't eject a game while playing, or it may quit without saving. Take care not to touch the surface of the game disc when inserting or removing it. This will help prevent scratches and damage, and keep your games working longer. Start a game in progressive scan mode (component only).If your PlayStation 2 is connected with component cables, you may be able to enable progressive scan (480p) mode. This will result in a much clearer picture, but is only supported by certain games. Press and hold △ + ✕ after the PlayStation 2 Logo appears when starting a game. If the game supports progressive scan, you'll see a message from the game telling you how to enable it. There are no system settings for progressive scan. | Examine your TV inputs. Obtain the correct cable. Place the PlayStation 2 near the TV or receiver. Connect the video cable to the back of the PlayStation 2. Connect the other end of the video cable to your TV. Connect the digital audio cable (optional). Connect the PlayStation 2 power cable. Connect an Ethernet cable (optional). Connect a controller to the PlayStation 2. Insert a memory card (optional). Turn your TV on to the correct input. Power on the PS2.Press the power button on the front of the PlayStation 2. Insert a game. Start a game in progressive scan mode (component only).If your PlayStation 2 is connected with component cables, you may be able to enable progressive scan (480p) mode. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Tell-if-Someone-Is-Lying-About-Using-Drugs | How to Tell if Someone Is Lying About Using Drugs | To tell if someone is lying about using drugs, see if they're having major problems at work or school, like failing grades or missing more days at work than usual. You should also check if the person's spending habits have changed, like their having overdue bills or new credit cards, since this could signify they're doing drugs. Additionally, look for changes in physical appearance, like sudden weight loss or bouts of nervous energy, which may be signs of drug use. If you spot the signs of addiction, try not to judge or be angry at the person. Instead, encourage them to seek professional help. | Pay attention to problems happening at school or work. This may include suddenly missing more work than usual, losing interest in a career or failing grades in school subjects that would normally not be challenging to the person at all. While missing work or school can be a sign of drug use, sometimes spending too much time working can also be a sign there is drug use occurring. It is not unusual for some adults to start using drugs as a way to add more awake time to the day, so suddenly working nearly non-stop can point to a substance problem. Friends at school or work may also change if there is a new drug problem. Your loved one may no longer want to see anyone socially due to fear of being caught. Or, they may have made new friends who share the same habit. If it is a change for your loved one to skip happy hour with co-workers not once but every week, this may mean there is something to hide. Consider your loved one’s money habits. Sudden changes in spending or missing money can be a sign of a problem they are trying to hide. Even small changes like not being quite as open as they have been in the past about money can mean there is something to hide like a drug or alcohol issue. Changes in money habits can also include a sudden use of credit cards or obtaining new lines of credit when that was not something they did in the past. Overdue bills are another sign that money is being spent on things that are out of the ordinary as well. Look at their physical appearance. Significant changes in both the physical body as well as mannerism may be a sign of drug use. Take a closer look at your loved one's appearance. Is something different? Examples of physical changes may include losing weight, facial signs indicating lack of sleep, poor hygiene, and other changes like not keeping hair cut for work or being clean-shaven. Depending on the drug of choice, they may also suddenly seem like they have endless energy and more movement due to “nervous energy”. Beyond the physical body, you may also start to notice the same clothes being worn for a longer amount of time than usual. If the drug use includes the use of needles, you may also notice that they often wear long-sleeved clothing year round to hide the arms. Watch for the signs of drug addiction. Things disappearing at home may be a sign that property is being sold or traded for drugs, especially if the person has built up a tolerance to drugs. They may need more and more money to fund the drug use. This may include electronics or other items that are easily sold coming up missing. Other signs of a problem may include family members noticing prescription drugs coming up missing like pain killers, attention meds or a variety of other drugs. Major changes in sleep patterns including either not sleeping for days on end or the reverse can mean drugs are in play. Certain drugs can cause one to stay awake for several days at a time and then cause a crash that sends one into days of sleeping. Be aware of how different drugs affect behavior. The previous steps can help you identify general changes in behavior, mood, and appearance that may point to a loved one using drugs. In addition, it is also wise to be knowledgeable about the effects of using specific drugs. For example, use of these drugs may result in the following signs and symptoms: Marijuana: increased appetite, euphoria, dry mouth, memory impairment, and paranoia Cocaine: increased agitation, hyperactivity, cold symptoms, and lowered inhibitions Ecstasy: lowered inhibitions, heightened sexuality, increased energy, tightness in mouth/jaw, increased heart rate, and muscle tension Meth: increased body temperature, jaw clenching, insomnia, loss of appetite, sweating, and paranoia Compare the person's behavior to past behavior. Sudden changes in behavior can be a sign of drug use. Think about how your loved one used to act and how they act now. Subtle changes could indicate they are using drugs. Isolation can be a major sign of drug use. If they are normally outgoing but are suddenly spending a great deal of time alone, this may be to hide a drug problem or due to embarrassment based on the addiction. Mood swings can be another sign of trouble. Mood swings can occur when they need to maintain a certain level of drug or alcohol in the body to not go into withdrawal. When the level drops below the needed supply, they may sweat, become irritable, feel sick, have anxiety or even become depressed. These can all indicate withdrawal from drugs. Missing important events or just simply disappearing from home or work for random amounts of time can also be a sign that something else is going on. Ask unexpected questions. Often lies are rehearsed so they sound believable, asking unexpected questions pushes for real answers. Beware of answers that are too vague or go to the other extreme with too many details. For example when you ask your husband why he was late getting home from work, if he tells you he had a “stop to make” without providing any more information, that is a red flag. The same is true if he says he stopped at the grocery store and launches into a ten minute description of each item he bought, who he saw or other details that don't really matter. This can indicate that he is overcompensating with details to mask a lie. Also, listen carefully to the answers to see if they really make sense. Are you being told the stop was made on the way home from work but you know there was no work today? Was the stop was at a grocery store but there are no groceries? Note how much the person says. When people are lying, they tend to say only the bare minimum. If the person gives you a short answer to your question, then they may be lying to you. For example, you might expect a detailed explanation if you ask something like, "Where were you all day yesterday?" However, if the person is lying then, they might respond with a short explanation such as, "At the mall." If you challenge the person's story, then someone who is lying may still provide few details. However, someone who is telling the truth may provide lots of details to help confirm their story. Listen for repeated questions. When people are lying, they may also repeat questions to give themselves more time to think of an answer. If you notice that the person repeats every question that you ask them, then this could also be a sign that the person is lying about using drugs. For example, if you ask, "Have you been using cocaine again?" then the person might echo this question back to you. Pay attention to how slow or fast the person is talking. People who are telling a lie may start out talking really slow to give themselves a chance to think. However, people are also aware that talking slowly is considered suspicious, so after a slow start, the person might start speaking rapidly. Pay attention to these changes in the speed of the person's speech for extra clues about whether or not they are lying. Consider whether your loved one is in denial about a drug problem. They may think the drug use is just a good time or nothing to worry about so it might be easy to lie away the behavior. The lies may even start out as a way to somehow protect the person being lied to from worrying or overreacting since they do not see the problems associated with the drug use. Determine if the person thinks they are invincible. Someone who abuses drugs may sometimes believe that they are exempt from the negative consequences of drug use. Often, someone using drugs does not see the full effect the drugs have on the body and one's health, or the people around them. Your loved one may lie about the behavior because they don't think negative consequences like overdose or legal troubles could happen. The need for the drug often clouds the fear of getting caught buying illegal drugs, stealing to obtain drugs or even taking risky chances in the name of the next high. They may not see things like stealing to sell items to buy drugs as a real crime because they are not physically hurting anyone. They may also not consider the risks of sharing needles or having sex for drugs with other drug users as a way to get exposed to HIV, Hepatitis or other infections. These consequences of drugs use can be almost shocking to them. They may also not understand—or want to acknowledge—the strain the drug use puts of personal relationships and family bonds. Decide if you have been enabling drug use. Ignoring a drug problem or finding a way to justify going against a gut feeling of something not being right does not help the situation. This includes giving your teen surplus money without knowing where it's going, consistently bailing your spouse out of jail after being arrested, or covering for a friend who is using. When you turn your head the other way you are almost condoning the behavior and preventing the person from getting help. Think about your actions and see if there is a chance you have been enabling your loved one to use drugs. Know that lies and manipulation are customary to addiction. Accept that being lied to did not happen because you are a bad person or easy to trick. Drug addiction drives the need to manipulate to continue to have access to drugs, and this would be the same for any person coming into contact with the problem. It is not something you caused, nor is it something you should ignore out of shame. | Pay attention to problems happening at school or work. Consider your loved one’s money habits. Look at their physical appearance. Watch for the signs of drug addiction. Be aware of how different drugs affect behavior. Compare the person's behavior to past behavior. Ask unexpected questions. Note how much the person says. Listen for repeated questions. Pay attention to how slow or fast the person is talking. Consider whether your loved one is in denial about a drug problem. Determine if the person thinks they are invincible. Decide if you have been enabling drug use. Know that lies and manipulation are customary to addiction. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Fake-Fingerprints | How to Fake Fingerprints | If you want to make fake fingerprints, start by pressing your finger into a putty-like material, like play-doh or modeling clay. For a better impression, use a flattened piece of paraffin wax and press into it for 5 to 10 minutes. Once you have a clear fingerprint in the putty, place it in the refrigerator or freezer to get the material as hard as possible. As the putty hardens, boil a small pot of water and add an equal amount of gelatin powder by volume. Stir until the gelatin dissolves before letting the mixture cool. To get the bubbles out of your gelatin, alternate microwaving and cooling it until it becomes thick and rubbery. Then, pour the gelatin into the mold and freeze the putty again to form a fake fingertip you can use to make fake fingerprints. | Get a fingerprint mark on a putty-like material. Putty, Play-doh, or modeling clay are all good options, as long as they are clean and new. Roll a small piece of your chosen material into a ball, and press the finger you wish to imitate into the putty. A hot, flattened piece of paraffin wax will leave a better impression, but only after five or ten minutes of pressing. Refrigerate or freeze the putty. This will keep the impression of the fingerprint as hard as possible while you work with it. Different materials and brands will react differently to cold, and may not be usable as putty afterward — but that's fine for this purpose. Make extra-thick gelatin. Boil a small pot of water, then add an equal amount of gelatin powder by volume. Stir constantly for several minutes, dissolving as much of the powder as you can. Let the mixture cool. Microwave the gelatin. Once the gelatin has cooled to a thick gel, melt it in the microwave, then let cool to a gel again. Microwave repeatedly until the gelatin has no bubbles, and when a drop acts thick and rubbery. Pour the gelatin onto the fingerprint mold. Once the gelatin is rubbery and bubble-free, melt it one final time, then pour the hot, liquid gelatin into the fingerprint mold you made from putty. Freeze the putty. Put the putty and gelatin into the freezer. Within a few minutes, the gelatin should harden into a solid, rubbery substance. Peel the gelatin carefully off the putty. You now have a fake fingertip, with the impression of a real fingerprint marked on the surface. Read through the method before attempting. This method can make a much more accurate fingerprint, and does not require an impression in putty, but it requires specialized equipment. Do not attempt this unless you have access to these tools, including a high-quality scanner or camera, and a printed circuit board (PCB). An overhead transparency can be used instead of the PCB, but this is less effective. Dust to find fingerprints. This method can create a fake fingerprint from nothing more than a fingerprint left on a touchscreen, a doorknob, or another dry, glossy surface. To locate these, you can dust a surface with crushed, powdered graphite from mechanical pencil lead, or use a fingerprinting kit with a black powder. A white surface will work best with this method. Take a high quality scan or photograph. For best results, photograph or scan the fingerprint with a quality of at least 2400 dpi. Load the resulting image into a computer with photo editing software. Invert the image's direction and color. Use the photo editing software to "flip" the image from left to right, creating its mirror image. Reverse the color of the image as well, so the raised fingerprint is white and the background of the image is black. Transfer this to a printed circuit board or overhead transparency. For best results, print out your fingerprint onto tracing paper, then use a UV etching machine to transfer the fingerprint onto a printed circuit board (PCB). If you do not have access to these materials, you can try the less effective method of printing out the fingerprint directly onto an overhead transparency sheet. Make your fake finger from graphite and wood glue. The fingerprint image on the PCB or overhead transparency is actually slightly raised, and can be used to make a fake fingertip. To do this, cover the image with graphite powder, then smear it with a thin layer of white wood glue or light-colored latex milk. A small dash of glycerin in the wood glue will make it slightly more moist and workable, creating a more effective material. Remove the dried glue fingerprint. Once the wood glue has dried, carefully peel it off the surface beneath and take a look at your new fingerprint. You can even trim this to fingertip size, then use theatrical glue to attach it to your own finger. | Get a fingerprint mark on a putty-like material. Refrigerate or freeze the putty. Make extra-thick gelatin. Microwave the gelatin. Pour the gelatin onto the fingerprint mold. Freeze the putty. Read through the method before attempting. Dust to find fingerprints. Take a high quality scan or photograph. Invert the image's direction and color. Transfer this to a printed circuit board or overhead transparency. Make your fake finger from graphite and wood glue. Remove the dried glue fingerprint. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Stretch-Marks-Fast | How to Get Rid of Stretch Marks Fast | If you want to get rid of stretch marks fast, start by drinking plenty of water, which is the quickest and most efficient way to minimize their appearance. Applying a mixture of aloe vera and vitamin E oil is also a very effective home remedy for reducing the appearance of stretch marks. If you want to try store bought products, look for retinoid creams and alpha hydroxy acids. You can also talk to your doctor about a variety of treatments, such as pulsed dye lasers, microdermabrasion, and as a last resort, cosmetic surgery. | Drink plenty of water. Water is the quickest and most efficient way to minimize the appearance of stretch marks. Properly hydrated skin is softer and more supple, causing your skin to appear more toned and eliminating some of the "bumpy" qualities of stretch marks. Keeping hydrated will also help prevent new stretch marks from forming. Specific instructions vary, but consider drinking up to ten glasses of water daily to keep your skin hydrated and minimize the appearance of stretch marks. Administer aloe vera. Aloe vera may be the most effective home health remedy for treating stretch marks. This plant is known for its soothing and healing properties; many people use it to treat sunburn. Break off a leaf from an aloe vera plant and apply the broken surface directly to your skin. After a few minutes, rinse with lukewarm water. Alternatively, consider using a preparation made using aloe vera gel. Combine 1/4 cup (60 ml) aloe vera gel with the oil from ten vitamin E capsules and the oil from five vitamin A capsules. Apply this mixture once a day, rubbing it into your skin until absorbed. Employ egg whites. The amino acids and proteins in egg whites work to repair damaged skin. This treatment may produce results in just a couple of weeks. Gently whip two egg whites with a whisk until soft peaks form. Use a makeup brush or sponge to apply a thick layer of whipped egg white to your stretch marks and let dry completely. Rinse with cold water. Apply a light coat of olive oil to hydrate your skin after rinsing off the egg whites. Exfoliate with sugar. Sugar is a natural skin exfoliant -- a substance that rubs away dead cells to rejuvenate your skin. It is also regarded as among the best home remedies for stretch marks. Create a rub from granulated sugar: Combine one tablespoon of sugar with a few drops of almond oil and lemon juice and stir well. Apply directly to your stretch marks, rubbing the mixture into your skin for eight to ten minutes. Shower following treatment. For best results, follow this regimen each time you shower for up to one month. Apply potato juice. While we don't generally think of potatoes as "juicy," the moisture raw potatoes release when cut contains valuable vitamins and minerals. These nutrients promote the restoration and growth of your skin cells. Cut a medium potato into thick slices. Gently rub one of the slices over your stretch marks for several minutes, coating the stretch marks thoroughly with the "juice" the potato emits. Let the juice air dry. Rinse your skin with lukewarm water. Soak in lemon juice. The acid in lemon juice helps reduce skin blemishes. Cut a lemon in half and gently rub a cut end over your stretch marks. Allow the juice to sit on your skin for up to 10 minutes before rinsing with water. Coat with olive oil. Olive oil contains useful nutrients and antioxidants, and because it is a natural moisturizer you needn't rinse it off after use. Simply massage the oil into your stretch marks. Consider warming the oil slightly to improve blood circulation to your skin. Moisturize with cocoa butter. Cocoa butter is noted for its ability to smooth wrinkled or damaged skin. Massage your stretch marks with cocoa butter twice daily for best results. Use skin camouflage. Many pharmacies offer over-the-counter products that can be used to camouflage small areas of skin impacted by birthmarks or stretch marks. Some types are even waterproof, and will remain in place for two to three days. Apply tretinoin cream. Tretinoin products are often called "retinoid" creams. They work by helping your body rebuild the collagen in your skin. Although products containing tretinoin may not completely eliminate stretch marks, scientific evidence does indicate they improve their appearance. Note that these products can sometimes irritate sensitive skin. Consult your doctor before using creams containing this substance if you are pregnant or nursing. Employ creams containing vitamin E, vitamin C, proline, copper-peptides, or ATP. These ingredients operate similarly to tretinoin, stimulating the development of new skin collagen and the maintenance of your skin. Note that these products do not eliminate stretch marks completely, but they do cause them to become less noticeable over time. Only pink and purple colored stretch marks will respond to tretinoin treatment. The silver or white colored ones, unfortunately, do not respond to this treatment. Invest in a product containing glycolic acid. This alpha hydroxy acid is derived from sugar cane. It, too, can improve your body's collagen production. While you can usually find toners, cleansers, and moisturizers in the store that contain glycolic acid, a dermatologist may be able to offer a higher dose if needed. As with tretinoin, some scientific evidence exists to suggest that at minimum glycolic acid could improve the appearance of your stretch marks. Consider combining a glycolic acid-based product with tretinoin cream; some evidence indicates doing so produces stronger results. You can also try a chemical peel; you might see results in 2-3 treatments. Consult your doctor about laser treatment. Laser treatment employs intense wavelengths of light to stimulate your skin's production of collagen, elastin, or melanin. Your doctor may recommend different types of treatments depending upon the configuration and age of your stretch marks and upon your skin tone. Pulsed dye laser treatments are painless procedures used on fresh, or "active," stretch marks. The laser's energy causes underlying blood vessels to collapse, causing the color of red or purple stretch marks to either disappear completely or turn white. Consider microdermabrasion. Your practitioner would use a hand-held device to blow small crystals onto your skin. These crystals abrade, or "polish," your skin's surface. A vacuum then removes both crystals and the resulting dead skin cells. Removing this top layer of your skin prompts the growth of new, more flexible skin. Note that this is one of the few treatments indicated as useful for minimizing old stretch marks. Talk to your doctor about cosmetic surgery as a last resort. An abdominoplasty, or tummy tuck, may remove folds of skin marred by stretch marks. Bear in mind, however, that cosmetic surgery can be both expensive and risky. Consider carefully whether your concern about your stretch marks makes such an invasive approach worthwhile. worthwhile.[22] Most doctors recommend a tummy tuck over microdermabrasion and laser treatments because the results of a tummy tuck are more cosmetically appealing. | Drink plenty of water. Administer aloe vera. Employ egg whites. Exfoliate with sugar. Apply potato juice. Soak in lemon juice. Coat with olive oil. Moisturize with cocoa butter. Use skin camouflage. Apply tretinoin cream. Employ creams containing vitamin E, vitamin C, proline, copper-peptides, or ATP. Invest in a product containing glycolic acid. Consult your doctor about laser treatment. Consider microdermabrasion. Talk to your doctor about cosmetic surgery as a last resort. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Add-a-Betta-to-a-Community-Tank | How to Add a Betta to a Community Tank | To add a betta fish to a community tank, first quarantine it for two weeks to check that it doesn't have any illnesses that could spread to your other fish. Once you've seen that your betta is healthy, clean your tank of algae and debris and change the water if necessary. Then, make sure the tank's temperature is between 75 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit and that the acidity is between 6.5 and 7.5, which are suitable conditions for a betta. Once your tank is ready, transfer your betta to the community using a small plastic bag. | Quarantine the betta. Before you add the betta to a community, it needs to be quarantined. This will give you time to monitor the betta's condition to ensure it does not develop illnesses that it could then spread to the rest of the fish in the community tank. During the two-week quarantine period, ensure that your fish eats properly, demonstrates normal activity, and remains free of signs of parasites. If your fish does show signs of illness during the quarantine period, take it to a vet. Common symptoms of illness in betta fish include a bloated body or a refusal to eat (constipation), fluffy white growths on its body (fungus), torn or disintegrating fins (fin rot), small white spots on the body or fins (ich), or a grayish slime covering the body or fins (slime disease). Any other behavioral abnormalities or symptoms of illness should be taken seriously and referred to a veterinarian. Obtain betta fish from qualified betta breeders. A breeder is more likely to give you a healthy fish than a pet store. Ensure your tank is clean. Use visual checks to ensure your tank is free of algae and debris floating on top of the water or settled on the bottom. Ensure your tank's filter is clean and operating properly. Add a UV sterilizer to reduce the risk of disease. If necessary, change your tank's water. Clean the tank's gravel by scooping it out and placing it in a sieve, then rinsing it with hot water for a few minutes. Replace it after cleaning. Check environmental conditions. The tank's conditions should be within the parameters a betta fish can tolerate. Check the thermometer to ensure the temperature is between 75 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit (about 26 degrees Celsius). Use your pH meter to make sure the acidity is between 6.5 and 7.5. If your tank is too cold, invest in a heat lamp, in-tank heater, or under-tank heater. These are readily available at most pet stores. Get a small pH test kit from your local pet store or online to check the pH level. If you want to lower the pH level in the tank, you'll need to add an acidic compound specially designed for fish. Indian almond leaf (IAL) and blackwater extract (BWE) are common additives. You could also add peat to your filter and add some untreated wood to your tank. If you want to increase the pH, add a crushed coral or limestone chip substrate. Check your local pet store for materials and compounds to adjust pH levels. Always follow specific use directions when adjusting pH levels. Dramatic changes could negatively impact your fish. Acclimate your betta to the community. After the quarantine period is over, your betta is ready to join the other fish. Turn off the aquarium lights and dim the aquarium room's overhead lights. Transfer the betta to a small plastic bag. Float the bag (with the betta fish still in it) in the water of the community tank for about 15 minutes. Move it slowly and gently through the water. This helps the water temperature in the bag approach the water temperature in the tank. Fold the top edges of the bag down. The edges of the bag should be rolled down so that they are slightly submerged in the water. The air trapped between the rolled-down edges and the bag should allow the bag (and the betta fish within) to continue floating without your help. Add water to the bag. Every four minutes, add about half a cup of tank water to the bag. When the bag is full, dump out half the water from the bag, then float it in the tank again. Begin filling the bag with tank water again, adding half a cup every four minutes. When you fill it to the top for a second time, net the betta fish and place it in the tank. Dump out the water you placed in the bag. Monitor your fish. Keep a close eye on your betta for the first few days after adding it to the community tank. Look for signs that the community arrangement is not working out, such as conflicts between the betta and other fish, or finding your betta fish floating alone in a corner of the tank. Have a backup plan before adding the betta to the community tank. If the betta is not accepted by the community, the best backup plan you can enact is to simply transfer the betta back to an individual tank of at least five gallons. Major warning signs include missing scales, visible bits missing from the betta's fins (due to being bitten), disappearance of community fish (due to the betta eating them), or the presence of stress stripes (darkly colored horizontal stripes along the betta's body). Do not confuse stress stripes with a female's breeding stripes, which are vertical. Choose the sex of your fish. While you can add a female betta to a community with other female betta fish, it is not recommended that you keep male betta fish in the same tank as other males. Males can be extremely aggressive and territorial, especially when they see other betta fish. Females are generally less aggressive and territorial than males, but you should keep an eye on any betta fish in your tank -- male or female -- for problematic behavior. Do not attempt to mix male and female betta fish unless you're trying to breed them. If this is the case, monitor their interactions carefully and separate them at the first sign of conflict. Add a curious fish. A community tank offers more opportunity for exploration and enrichment than a solitary tank. Even though betta fish prefer having their own space, they are quite intelligent. A community tank with non-threatening fish, snails, and other creatures will keep the betta engaged and active. If you have not already decked your community tank out with fake plants, little fish houses, tubes, rocks, and hidey holes, consider adding some. Betta fish (and other species) enjoy exploring these spaces. Do not add aggressive fish to a community tank. While male betta fish, especially, tend to be very aggressive, all betta fish are solitary by nature and can be aggressive if they perceive that another fish is in their zone. Often, the only way to know if your betta would fit into a community tank is to try it. However, if you've had your betta in contact with another community before, use that experience as a guide when thinking about whether or not the fish would like to live in another community. Determine compatible species. Certain fish are more appropriate as betta tankmates than others. Cories, for instance, are bottom feeders and share space easily with betta (who prefer swimming along the top of the tank). Loaches and otocinclus catfish, likewise, are also bottom feeders and therefore compatible with betta fish. Other species that you could select for a betta community include: Ghost shrimp -- these shrimp are entirely transparent, making it difficult for betta fish to see them. Other sorts of shrimp such as Red Cherry shrimp may be eaten by the betta fish. Snails -- any sort are good for a betta community, since they do their own thing along the bottom of the tank. Feeder guppies -- these guppies are dull in color and thus unlikely to attract the betta's attention. Most corydoras, kuhli loaches, rasboras, white cloud mountain minnows, tetras, and bristlenose plecos also make good tankmates. Select the right sized tank. The minimum tank size for any community tank is 15 gallons (56.8 L). Bettas generally like to move around their tank to explore. It is therefore important to provide a tank of the appropriate size. Bettas should get at least 2.5 gallons (9.5 L) for themselves. Think about the spatial needs of the other fish and creatures in the community before introducing a betta. Ensure the community tank is not overcrowded. Do not add betta fish to a tank with fin nippers. Betta fish have long, flowing fins. While very beautiful, certain fish will think the betta's fins are there for them to nibble. Tiger barbs, for instance, should not be in the same tank as a a betta. This is not a mere annoyance for the betta fish. Nipped fins can become infected and lead to increased stress. Do not add a betta fish to a tank with colorful fish. Betta fish will perceive most guppies, goldfish, tropical fish, and other bright and multicolored fish as enemies or rivals. Only in rare instances (such as when a betta is housed with another especially shy betta) can it live in peace with colorful fish or guppies. Add fish that share the same environmental conditions as the betta. Betta fish prefer water with a pH of between 6.5 and 7.5. The temperature of a tank with betta fish in it should simulate the temperature of the tropics, around 75 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit (about 26 degrees Celsius). Finally, the community tank you're adding the betta to should have a gentle filter, since betta fish are from non-flowing waters. You can test your water's pH levels with a pH monitor. A simple handheld monitor should be available at your local pet store. Aquarium tank thermometers are useful for monitoring the temperature in your betta fish tank. Keep one in the tank so you can check the temperature quickly at all times. Do not keep your betta in a tank without a filter unless you have the time and energy necessary to perform frequent, high-volume water changes. Do not use distilled water. Betta fish need water with vitamins and minerals that are unavailable in distilled water. | Quarantine the betta. Ensure your tank is clean. Check environmental conditions. Acclimate your betta to the community. Fold the top edges of the bag down. Add water to the bag. Monitor your fish. Choose the sex of your fish. Add a curious fish. Do not add aggressive fish to a community tank. Determine compatible species. Select the right sized tank. Do not add betta fish to a tank with fin nippers. Do not add a betta fish to a tank with colorful fish. Add fish that share the same environmental conditions as the betta. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Nighttime-Stains-During-Your-Period | How to Avoid Nighttime Stains During Your Period | To avoid nighttime stains during your period, try using pads or tampons specifically designed to be worn overnight, or use a menstrual cup, which can usually hold more flow over a longer period of time. Also, change your product right before going to bed so it can absorb as much as possible during the night. If you're still nervous about staining, put down a dark-colored towel in your bed to protect your sheets if you leak. | Use overnight pads. Overnight pads, as the name suggests, are made for nighttime wear, so they'll absorb more blood and have less chance of leaking. You can stick with just one, or if your periods are particularly heavy (or your pads are prone to shifting), you can try placing one between your legs and one either in front or in the back of your underwear, depending on how you lay when you sleep. Some people suggest using super-absorbent tampons, but this should be avoided if you're in your teens or tend to sleep more than eight hours - leaving a tampon in for over 8 hours can lead to toxic shock syndrome, which can be deadly. If you wear pads, make sure to focus your pads more towards the back if you sleep on your back since that will offer more protection. Longer pads are a good idea, too. Use a menstrual cup. These are internal like tampons, but they are not frequently associated with toxic shock syndrome, so they can be worn for up to 12 hours (including during the night), unlike tampons. These hold more flow than tampons or pads and have light suction so they prevent leaking. You can still get toxic shock syndrome if you wear a menstrual cup for more than 12 hours, so you should make sure to empty and rinse it if you choose to use one. Try cloth pads. You can even make your own. Cloth pads allow for better airflow in your underwear and some people consider them to be more comfortable than disposable pads, and you can get extra liners to insert when needed. Being more comfortable with cloth pads means you're less likely to move about in your sleep, so pads stay in place rather than gathering up, leading to leaking. Wear two pairs of underwear. This might sound odd, but two pairs of underwear at once will help to hold a pad in place while you sleep. Additionally, it gives you an extra layer, so if you do leak, there's more fabric to act as a barrier before it gets to your sheets. Alternatively, wear tighter underwear or a pair of tight sleep shorts that you don't mind getting stained. Give period underwear a try. Period underwear, often called period panties , are made specifically to absorb blood, sort of like a pad built into your underwear. If you want some backup in case you leak or are having a light flow, wear period underwear during the night so that anything that leaks will be caught by the underwear. While some period underwear can take heavier flows, most are meant for lighter flows (and some people report the underwear just not working well for them). Period underwear should be used as a backup unless your flow is light. Designate "period sheets". Chances are, you have sheets somewhere that aren't so nice for whatever reason - maybe they're old or have previous stains on them. When you anticipate your period coming up, change your bed to these sheets, so that if you start your period during the night or bleed through your supplies, it won't be a total loss. Sheets used during your period are best if they're dark since a stain won't show up as much. Red sheets aren't recommended - though they may seem perfect for hiding stains, blood will turn dark brown when it dries, making stains stand out. If you don't want to have stainable sheets, there are special sheet and/or mattress covers that are designed to prevent staining during your period. Talk to your doctor if nothing else works. If you've tried everything you can and you're still bleeding through your supplies, make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your menstrual cycle. Heavy periods aren't uncommon, but if your supplies need to be changed more frequently than every two hours or you see blood clots that are larger than the size of a quarter, you may have a medical condition that affects your periods. Wear protection if you think you may start your period during the night. If you know your period is right around the corner, but it hasn't quite started yet, consider putting on a pad or pantyliner before you go to bed. Doing so will help prevent leaks if you unexpectedly start your period during the night. Tampons shouldn't be inserted before you've started your period, as this can lead to bacterial buildup. Menstrual cups are usually okay to insert right before your period, though. If you've just started getting periods and they aren't regular yet, it can be tricky to know if you're close to starting your period. Try looking for signs of PMS you might get - do you feel more bloated or sore, get a lot of acne, experience spotting, get cramps, have mood swings, or other pre-period symptoms? Change your pad or tampon before going to bed. The more blood your pad or tampon has already absorbed, the less it can take in during the night (meaning, more leaks!). To combat this, put on a fresh pad or insert a new tampon right before you go to bed. It helps you feel fresher, too. It's best to switch from a tampon to a pad before you sleep, since leaving a tampon in overnight can cause infections or toxic shock syndrome. If you use a menstrual cup, empty it before you sleep. Put a dark towel on your bed. Towels themselves don't prevent leaks, but if you do leak, using one can help to minimize the damage done to your sheets and mattress. To avoid having the staining issue with towels, make sure they're dark colors as well. Similar to the sheets, having "period towels" can be useful. Sleep in a comfortable position. There's no real "right" or "wrong" position to sleep in while on your period, but it's encouraged to sleep in a position that's most comfortable to you. This will help keep you from moving around too much, leading to less bunching in pads - and therefore, less leaking. As a bonus, it also helps you to fall asleep easier! Regardless of how you sleep, try to keep your legs closed rather than sprawling out across the bed. If your legs are wide open during the night, your pad may move while you sleep. Get out of bed slowly in the mornings. Even if you haven't leaked during the middle of the night, you'll still want to take caution when getting out of bed. Especially during a heavy flow, sitting up will cause all the blood to come out very quickly, which can potentially stain your underwear and sheets. You may even want to try "log rolling" out of bed to avoid getting blood on your sheets if you know you're going to bleed through your clothes. Don't leave the stain to sit. As soon as you wake up and notice a stain, change or empty your menstrual product and then pull the sheet or towel off. If you leave the stain alone or lay in bed for a while longer, it'll be harder to get out. Rinse the stains out in the sink with cold water. You usually don't have to do anything special if the blood is fresh - cold water and a bit of scrubbing with soap can usually get it out. Never use warm or hot water to wash out the blood, though - that will actually cause it to set, making the stain worse. If the stain is bad, try soaking it for up to an hour or two and seeing if that helps. Use hydrogen peroxide on particularly stubborn stains. If the stain hasn't come out with water and soap, as well as soaking, try putting a bit of hydrogen peroxide on the stain. You shouldn't need to do any scrubbing - it'll often come out on its own. Hydrogen peroxide can bleach dark fabrics, so if the affected fabric is dark, either avoid this method or try diluting the peroxide with water. Spot-treat your mattress as soon as possible. If the stain has bled through to your mattress, don't panic - you can still get it out. Use a bit of hydrogen peroxide and a clean cloth to blot the stain; deeper stains can be treated by dabbing at the spot with laundry detergent or even a paste of water and baking soda applied for at least half an hour. Just take caution not to soak the mattress, so that it will dry. Wash your sheets and/or clothes in cold water. After you've gotten as much of the stain out as possible, just wash the clothes and sheets normally with cold water. This will get the items clean again, and while there might still be a bit of a stain, it won't be as bad as it was when you woke up. | Use overnight pads. Use a menstrual cup. Try cloth pads. Wear two pairs of underwear. Give period underwear a try. Designate "period sheets". Talk to your doctor if nothing else works. Wear protection if you think you may start your period during the night. Change your pad or tampon before going to bed. Put a dark towel on your bed. Sleep in a comfortable position. Get out of bed slowly in the mornings. Don't leave the stain to sit. Rinse the stains out in the sink with cold water. Use hydrogen peroxide on particularly stubborn stains. Spot-treat your mattress as soon as possible. Wash your sheets and/or clothes in cold water. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Distinguish-Between-Kidney-Pain-and-Back-Pain | How to Distinguish Between Kidney Pain and Back Pain | If you are in pain but can't tell if it's kidney or back pain, try to determine where the pain is most severe. For example, widespread pain across the lower back and buttocks is typically caused by an injury to the back muscles. However, pain between the ribs and hips, or pain that's only coming from one side of your body, could be signs of a kidney problem. Furthermore, pay attention to your urine, since the kidneys are an important part of your urinary tract. If your urine is cloudy or dark, or if you feel a constant or intense need to urinate, you may have a kidney infection or kidney stones. It's best to contact your doctor for an official diagnosis and treatment, especially if the pain is persistent. | Identify widespread pain across the lower back and the buttocks. If you are having pain across these areas, it is most likely caused by an injury to the back muscles, not the kidneys. These are common areas of back pain and it is more common for back pain to spread across this whole region than for kidney pain to spread in this way. An injury to the back muscles can impact the function and pain levels in a variety of muscles down the backside of the body, including the gluteus muscles. If you are having widespread pain, weakness, or numbness, especially down into your legs, it is important to get medical care immediately. Feel for pain specifically between the ribs and hips. Kidney pain is most often located on the side or the back in the area called the flank. This is the area at the back of the body where the kidneys are located. Pain in other areas of the back, such as the upper back, is not caused by the kidneys. Identify abdominal pain. If the pain in your lower back is accompanied by pain in your abdomen, then it is more likely that your pain is related to your kidneys. Back pain tends to remain on the back side of the body. Enlarged or infected kidneys can cause inflammation towards the front of the body in addition to the back. If you only have abdominal pain with no back pain, that is not likely to be related to the kidneys. Assess whether the pain is constant. In many cases, kidney pain is constant. It may decrease or increase a bit throughout the day, but it never goes away completely. On the other hand, back pain will often go away completely and then come back at a later time. Most causes of kidney pain, including urinary tract infections and kidney stones, will not stop hurting on their own without treatment. The back muscles, on the other hand, can heal themselves and the pain can go away. Some kidney stones can pass through your body on their own without treatment. However, it is still important to get the cause of your kidney pain evaluated by a doctor. Feel for pain on only one side of your lower back. If you are having pain on just one side of your flank, then it is likely that it is caused by your kidney. The kidneys are located right along the flank and a kidney stone may only cause pain in one of your kidneys. Think about likely causes of back pain. One way to distinguish between back and kidney pain is to think about whether you have done anything recently that is likely to cause back pain. If you have done a lot of heavy lifting or have bent over for a long period of time, your pain is more likely to be back pain than kidney pain. If you stood or sat for an unusually long time recently that could cause back pain. Also, if you have an existing injury to your back it is likely that new pain is related to that previous injury. Pay attention to problems with urination. Because the kidneys are an integral part of the urinary tract, infections and other problems with the kidneys often show up during urination. Look for blood in your urine and pay attention to increases in pain when you urinate. Your urine may also be cloudy or dark if the pain is coming from your kidneys. You may also feel an intense need to urinate when you are having kidney problems , such as kidney stones. Feel for numbness below the back. In some cases of back pain you may experience numbness due to problems with nerve compression and blood flow down into the buttocks and the legs. This is a common symptom for those suffering from back pain related to the sciatic nerve. This numbness can even go all the way down to the toes in extreme cases. Contact your doctor if you have pain that won't go away. It is important to get medical problems that are causing you pain treated by a medical professional. If you don't get them treated promptly, they could create larger issues that will cause you even more pain in the future. Call your doctor's office and describe your symptoms to the office staff. They will then suggest an appointment time for you to be seen. Treating pain with an over-the-counter pain medication is a good temporary solution if you are in a lot of distress. However, you should get medical care for long-term pain so that there is a chance that the problem can be solved instead of simply masked with medication. Have an examination and testing done. When you see the doctor they will ask you about your symptoms, including when they started and how strong they are. They will then do a physical exam that includes feeling the areas of pain. At this point they may be able to give you a general idea of what is causing the pain but they will also likely do a variety of tests on you to give you a specific diagnosis. Whether the doctor suspects a serious problem in the back, such as a slipped disc, or a problem with the kidneys, they will order imaging to be done. This can be in the form of an X-ray, ultrasound, spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or a computed tomography (CT) scan. If the doctor suspects a problem with your kidneys, they will order a variety of blood and urine tests to look for abnormalities in your blood cell counts and your protein counts, among other things. Treat the cause of your pain. Once the cause of your pain has been identified, your doctor will suggest a treatment plan. This plan should address both the pain you are experiencing and the cause of the pain. This means that you are likely to be prescribed a pain reliever and a medication to treat any infections or injuries you have sustained. If you are having kidney pain due to kidney stones, a common cause of kidney pain, your doctor will prescribe medication for pain and discuss surgical options with you if the stones are large and won't pass. If you have a pulled back muscle , a common cause of back pain, your doctor will likely talk to you about pain management, care for the muscles, and physical therapy options. | Identify widespread pain across the lower back and the buttocks. Feel for pain specifically between the ribs and hips. Identify abdominal pain. Assess whether the pain is constant. Feel for pain on only one side of your lower back. Think about likely causes of back pain. Pay attention to problems with urination. Feel for numbness below the back. Contact your doctor if you have pain that won't go away. Have an examination and testing done. Treat the cause of your pain. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Deal-If-You-Think-Your-Friends-Are-Being-Mean-to-You | How to Deal If You Think Your Friends Are Being Mean to You | It can be tough if your friends are being mean to you, but if you talk to them and set some boundaries, you'll be much happier in your friendships. It's okay to be upset and angry when your friends are mean to you. It may be hard at first, but you should set some boundaries for their behavior. For example, if they make a joke at your expense, say “Hey, that makes me uncomfortable, please don't joke about that kind of thing.” Or you could simply say, “That's rude.” If they don't stop, talk to a parent, older sibling, or your school counselor for support. Remember that you have the right to feel safe and secure around your friends, so if they're often mean to you, consider hanging out around other people. | Prepare your thoughts about what you want to say. This can be easier if you have evidence of the mean behavior that you can clearly point out. Make note of specific patterns or recent changes in how your friend acts. Try not to make general statements about him or her being “mean”, instead name the behavior that upsets you. It may be helpful to write down your thoughts and edit the list so you know exactly what you need to say. Remember that it is the behavior that is negative; your friend is not necessarily a bad person. There may be reasons behind the behavior, but it doesn't change the hurt feelings you feel. Schedule a time to talk with your friends face-to-face. While it may be tempting to lash out via a text or make a quick phone call, it is better to have the full attention of the friend in person. Whether you wind up ending the friendship or coming to an agreement about how it can be fixed, meet face to face unless you are in fear of a physical reaction. If you have even a hint of fear about getting physically hurt, protect yourself and seek help.. Share your feelings. Use “I” statements to minimize defensiveness. You are asking this friend to own the behavior so you need to own how it makes you feel. An “I” statement could be: “I feel scared when I am screamed at, I need you to talk in a normal volume and indoor voice so I can focus on what you are saying.” Offer a suggestion for how your friends can correct mean behavior. Remind this friend that you like him or her and want to reconnect in a positive way. You can help resolve the mean behavior by offering an example of how you would like to be treated. For example, you might say: “It hurts my feelings when I am laughed at because of the way I talk. Instead of laughing if I make a mistake you can help me fix it. I would appreciate knowing what I can fix about the way I talk.” Be aware that you can make suggestions, but the friend is the only one who can change the behavior. If he or she is not willing to change, there may not be a friendship worth saving. Regardless of if the friend ends up changing their behavior, sticking up for yourself and communicating that you feel disrespected is important in preserving your sense of self-worth and building healthy self esteem. Call out rude or mean behavior in the future. Once you establish a boundary you cannot simply ignore when it is violated. Remember to always call out a specific behavior and not just someone being “rude”. The only way the friend can change assuming he or she wants to is if there is a clear definition of what you find rude when the behavior is happening. Identify behaviors/remarks that make you uncomfortable. You are the only one who gets to make this boundary. You do not have to defend your feelings. You have every right to draw the line as far as behaviors you do not like. Drawing boundaries means this is not a negotiation. You expect for your boundaries to be acknowledged and considered. Be sure to make these boundaries known and establish what crosses the line with you. This is the only way you can hold the friend accountable if the boundaries are crossed. Think about what makes you feel disrespected and hurt and compile these behaviors to share with your friends. Be clear with your friends if you don’t like joking a certain way. Everyone has a different sense of humor. Your friends may have been being light-hearted, but something that was said or done rubbed you the wrong way. If this behavior makes you feel bad about yourself, you need to speak up. For example, if you do not like this friend laughing at you when you fall down, say “Hey, my falling isn't funny. Please don't laugh.” If you feel uncomfortable with him or her making jokes that go against your own morals like those that are based on race, make it clear you will walk away from that type of joke and do exactly that. Attend to your feelings when friends are being mean. Regardless of why the friend is being mean, you have every right to feel hurt by the behavior. Minimizing or ignoring your own feelings can put a great deal of stress on your health. You need to attend to your own well-being first. Do not let the friend make light of your feelings and do not try to hide them in order to keep the peace. That is not fair to you or the friend. Seek support from a parent, older sibling, or school counselor. You may need help from another person so do not be afraid to ask for help. Getting support is even more important if you feel afraid for your safety at any time. Do not be afraid to take a gut feeling of fear seriously and seek help immediately.. Recognize that you have a right to feel safe and secure in your friendships. You also have the right to maintain clear boundaries about what types of negative behaviors are not acceptable to you. Part of setting a boundary is following through with consequences if they are violated. Be clear about what breaking your trust looks like and what will happen afterwards. You are not being mean if you stand your ground and end a friendship because of this broken trust. Decide if you want to keep being friends with mean people. There are no hard and fast rules as far as how long any friendship lasts. Sometimes, friendships just end for one reason or another. If you seem to have outgrown your friends because they are often engaging in bullying or immature behavior, you may choose to distance yourself. The biggest part of self-care is taking ownership of your happiness. There is no friend that is more important than your own happiness and security. Learn to tap into your own measure of stress and see what patterns cause you the most stress. If there is a friend at the center of much of the stress, move on. Talk to someone about it that you trust. This may be another friend, a coworker or even your parents. Explain to this person what's been going on and ask for his or her sincere advice. You might say “Hey, Mom. Were you ever friends with someone who sort of picked on you?...What did you do?” End friendships that do not positively influence your life. Recognize friendships that have changed into challenging and draining battles. Use strong personal boundaries to step away from those negative relationships and spend time with people who are supportive and value what you bring to the table. | Prepare your thoughts about what you want to say. Schedule a time to talk with your friends face-to-face. Share your feelings. Offer a suggestion for how your friends can correct mean behavior. Call out rude or mean behavior in the future. Identify behaviors/remarks that make you uncomfortable. Be clear with your friends if you don’t like joking a certain way. Attend to your feelings when friends are being mean. Seek support from a parent, older sibling, or school counselor. Recognize that you have a right to feel safe and secure in your friendships. Decide if you want to keep being friends with mean people. Talk to someone about it that you trust. End friendships that do not positively influence your life. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Identify-Kudzu | How to Identify Kudzu | Kudzu is a vining plant that can spread across buildings, trees, and telephone poles in Japan and the southern United States. They can grow as fast as 1 foot a day and quickly cover large areas. Kudzu have long vines covered in small, brownish bristles. Their leaves are egg shaped and made of 3 leaflets. The leaves are also fuzzy to the touch due to their small hairs. During late summer in the United States, Kudzu will produce clusters of purple or reddish flowers. They also produce green, fuzzy seed pods, but you'll only be able to spot these up close. Kudzu is deciduous, which means it loses its leaves in the winter. | Look for trifoliate leaves, or formations with 3 leaflets attached at each node. All 3 leaves will be attached to the stem on their own petiole, or stalk. The central leaf's petiole will be about 3/4 inch (19 mm) long, while the 2 outer leaves have much shorter petioles. Look for egg shaped, medium green leaves. Generally, the central leaflet will have 3 lobes, or rounded projections. The outer 2 leaflets often have 2 lobes. However, kudzu's lobe structure can vary, with many leaves having no lobes at all. Leaves can grow quite large, often to about 5 or 6 inches (12 - 15 cm) long. Touch the leaves to see if they are fuzzy. Kudzu leaves have very small hairs, making them fuzzy to the touch. Look for long vines covered in small, brownish bristles that trail across the ground, climb any vertical surface, and form dense bunches of foliage. The key characteristic of kudzu vines is their tremendous growth rate; they can gain a foot (30 cm) of length per day in peak conditions. Kudzu can often be seen entirely covering tall trees, utility poles, or other structures. As they mature, vines may become thick and woody. Kudzu vines are capable of climbing nearly any type of support, and will also snake across the ground, rooting at each node. Look for purple or reddish purple flowers arranged in clusters. Kudzu produces flowers in late summer, usually in August or September in the southern United States. The flowers form a cluster (called a raceme) that can grow up to 8 inches (20 cm) high and emerge from the central petiole of a leaf arrangement. Measure the seed pods with a ruler. Kudzu produces small seed pods, usually about 2 inches (5 cm) in length. T Look for hairs covering the seed pods. Cut open a seed pod and check that the seeds are small and kidney shaped. Look for seed pods that are greenish-bronze, fading to a dull brown when dried. | Look for trifoliate leaves, or formations with 3 leaflets attached at each node. Look for egg shaped, medium green leaves. Touch the leaves to see if they are fuzzy. Look for long vines covered in small, brownish bristles that trail across the ground, climb any vertical surface, and form dense bunches of foliage. Look for purple or reddish purple flowers arranged in clusters. Measure the seed pods with a ruler. Look for hairs covering the seed pods. Cut open a seed pod and check that the seeds are small and kidney shaped. Look for seed pods that are greenish-bronze, fading to a dull brown when dried. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Henna-Your-Hair-Red | How to Henna Your Hair Red | If you want to avoid the harsh chemicals found in many hair dyes, going red with henna is a great option. You can expect henna to show up more on lighter-colored hair, although it will also give darker hair a nice gloss and a hint of red. To dye your hair with henna, you'll need a package of powdered henna, some warm water, a plastic hair cap, and a dye brush. Mix up the henna, cover it tightly, and let it sit for at least 12 hours before applying it according to the package directions. Henna takes longer to work than most commercial dyes, so you might need to let it sit in your hair under a cap for several hours. The longer it sits, the brighter the results will be! | Consider your natural hair color. While true henna has a reddish, coppery tone, the color is translucent so it blends with your hair color. That means it won't look the same on everyone. The lighter your natural hair color, the more vivid red your hair will be. With very dark hair, henna likely won't impart much color, so you'll just wind up with added shine. Pale blonde, gray, and white hair will wind up with a true, vibrant red shade. Mid-tone hair colors, such as dirty blonde and light brown, typically turn a richer, almost auburn shade. If you have red or auburn hair, you likely won't see much change with henna. However, it can enhance the natural tones in your hair and cover grays. Dark hair shades, including chocolate brown and black, won't see any real color change with henna, but your locks will look shinier and glossier afterward. If you do have some grays mixed in with your natural color, keep in mind that you won't wind up with a uniform color. The henna will make the gray pieces appear like highlights, which can be a nice look with light and mid tone hair shades. With dark hair, though, the red highlights may look strange. Measure out your henna. The amount of henna that you'll need depends on the length of your hair because the longer your hair is, the more henna you'll need. Henna powder is typically available in boxes, but you can also purchase it as a brick. Read the package instructions carefully to determine how much henna you'll need. If you have short hair no longer than your chin, a 100-gram box of henna is usually enough. For shoulder-length hair, start with 200 grams of henna. If your hair is past your shoulders, you'll want to have at least 300 grams of henna on hand. For extremely long hair, you may need as much as 500 grams of henna to color your entire head. Mix your henna in a bowl with liquid. Warm water is the most common liquid to combine with the powder, and you'll want to add enough to create a thick, mud-like paste with the henna. Try to remove as many as the lumps as possible, so the mixture has a smooth texture like yogurt. You can use other liquids to mix your henna. Lemon, orange, and grapefruit juice are common alternatives. If you don't mind the smell, vinegar is another option. To get the consistency right, it helps to add the liquid a little at a time so you have better control. If the mixture is too thick and stiff, you can add more liquid. It's also a good idea to have extra henna powder on hand, so you can add a little more if the mixture becomes too thin or runny. Just as with the liquid, though, add the powder in small amounts to ensure you don't overdo it. Cover your henna mixture with plastic wrap or an air tight lid. It will need to sit for at least 12 hours for the best results. Keep in mind that the longer you allow it to set, the more vibrant and red your hair will be. A dark, room temperature location is the best spot to store your henna. If you're in a hurry and don't want to wait 12 hours to apply your henna, try to find a warm spot to set your henna. Letting it set somewhere that's approximately 95 degrees can have your mixture ready in two hours. Check your henna mixture before application. It can thicken up as it sets, so you may need to moisten the mixture. Slowly add more water or your chosen liquid until the henna is back to a smooth, mud-like consistency. Protect yourself from stains. Henna will stain anything that it comes into contact with, including your skin, so it's important to make sure you're covered. Applying petroleum jelly or another thick cream or balm along your hairline, ears, and necks will prevent the henna from staining your skin. Make sure to wear rubber, latex, or some other type of protective gloves while you're applying the mixture to your hair. Wear clothes that you don't mind getting stained when you apply the henna because drips or spills may happen, and you won't be able to get the color out of your clothing. It's a good idea to apply your henna in the shower or bathtub, so you don't have worry about getting it on your furniture, carpeting, or other surfaces. If you do get henna on your skin, wipe it away immediately. The longer that it sits on your skin, the worse the stain will be. It can take several days for a henna to fade from the skin. Divide your hair into sections. Henna is thicker than other types of hair dye, so it can be difficult to ensure that you spread it all over your head. Working with individual sections of hair makes it easier to saturate all of it. Gather all of your hair and clip it up, leaving only a small section, approximately 1-inch wide, to start with. Apply the henna to each section of your hair. You want to really saturate the hair with the henna mixture, so don't be afraid of applying too much. Take your time to ensure that you cover every strand with the henna too. Do your best to avoid getting henna on the sections that you're not working on at the moment. Henna can tangle your hair very easily, which may make it harder to work with the other sections later. You can use a piping bag or squeeze bottle to apply the henna if you're having trouble controlling where it goes, but it's usually easier to use your fingers so you can really work it into your hair. For total coverage, apply the henna all the way up to your scalp. You may notice some slight staining, but it typically fades with a couple of hair washes. Because the thickness of henna can make it difficult to apply, you may want to ask a friend to help you color your hair, especially if you have long or extremely thick hair. Cover your hair with a plastic cap or wrap. Henna is more effective when it's kept warm, so covering the mixture as it sits on your head helps your red color turn out more vibrant. Check the henna package instructions to see how long you should leave it on your hair. It can take anywhere from one to six hours, but the longer that you leave it on, the deeper your red will be. Letting your henna sit on your hair for three to four hours will usually give you a nice, rich red color. If your natural color is dark, you may want to leave the henna on for six hours to ensure that you get a noticeable red hue. Rinse the henna from your hair with warm water. You can remove it in the shower, but the henna may still stain your body as it's washed away. Try rinsing it under the sink or tub faucet if you're worried about the mess. Make sure that your gloves are on when you wash the henna out because it can still stain your hands too. You may need to rinse your hair a few times to get all of the henna out of your hair. Start rinsing with straight water. If you're having trouble getting all of the henna out of your hair, you can use a gentle shampoo to help remove the residue. Using a shampoo can also help get fade the earthy scent of henna that may last for several days in your hair. Allow your hair to air dry. You can use a towel to dry off your hair, but don't blow dry it because the heat may dry out your locks. Don’t panic if your hair is extremely bright afterward. It's normal for your hair to be a vivid orange or red right after you henna it. As it oxidizes, though, the color will deepen to a more natural shade of red. In fact, it can take up to three days for the true color to appear. Be gentle with your hair. You don't want to dry your hair out in the first week or so after you've applied the henna. Avoid harsh, clarifying shampoos, and don't use heated styling tools, such as curling irons and flat irons. Keep up your color. Henna is permanent, so it's not going to wash out of your hair after you've shampooed it enough times. However, your roots will start to grow eventually, so you'll need to reapply when you notice them to keep the color consistent. Because henna is actually good for your hair, you can use it as often as you'd like. It will help condition and boost the shine. When you're touching up your color, you can do a spot application and just apply the henna at the roots or cover all of your hair as a conditioning treatment. | Consider your natural hair color. Measure out your henna. Mix your henna in a bowl with liquid. Cover your henna mixture with plastic wrap or an air tight lid. Check your henna mixture before application. Protect yourself from stains. Divide your hair into sections. Apply the henna to each section of your hair. Cover your hair with a plastic cap or wrap. Rinse the henna from your hair with warm water. Allow your hair to air dry. Don’t panic if your hair is extremely bright afterward. Be gentle with your hair. Keep up your color. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Care-for-Dwarf-Rabbits | How to Care for Dwarf Rabbits | To care for a dwarf rabbit, make sure it has access to a fresh, unlimited supply of hay since hay is the main part of its diet. Aside from hay, give your rabbit around 1/4 cup of rabbit pellets per 5 pounds of body weight every day. You can also provide 2 cups of fresh fruits and vegetables daily to supplement the hay and pellets. Keep your rabbit in a cage that's at least 4 feet by 2 feet so it has plenty of room to move around. Don't forget to put a litter box and water bowl in the cage! | Buy an indoor cage. Some people like to let their rabbits roam freely in their home. This may not be an option for you, however. Either way, your rabbit will need a cage. This cage should be a place where it can be safe, and not interrupted. This cage should be at least 4 feet (1.2 m) by 2 feet (0.61 m). Your cage can have a plastic or wooden bottom, but wire will hurt your dwarf rabbit's feet. This cage should be filled about 2 inches (5.1 cm) deep with bedding. In the cage should be a litter box, a hideaway box, a food bowl, hay rack, and a water bottle for each rabbit. Having more than 1 of each item will help to prevent territorial conflict. Provide your rabbit with a supply of Timothy hay at all times and ensure it always has access to clean water. Timothy pellets and vegetables should be given once a day according to the size, age, and weight of your bunnies. Build an exercise pen. You can put the pen outside if your lawn isn't fertilized and doesn't have other animals using it. Otherwise, you can designate an enclosed area in the house to let your dwarf rabbit play. However, if you build a pen indoors, you should read how to rabbit-proof your home. If you decide to have your rabbit outdoors for part of the day never leave it unattended. There are many predators that can easily get to it. Keep in mind that some exposure to sunlight can be good for your rabbit because the rabbit's body will make vitamin D, which is crucial for strong bones. However, don't leave your rabbit outside for too long in hot weather as it may get overheated. Put a litter box in its cage. Rabbits tend to urinate and defecate in the same area, rather than all over their living space. Put a litter box in its cage where you notice most of its urine and pills are located. This will keep its living space cleaner and will also make cleaning out the cage easier for you. Go with an organic litter option made from alfalfa, oat, citrus, or paper. Don't use softwood shavings, as they can be harmful to your rabbit's liver. Clean your rabbit's litter box with vinegar. Your dwarf rabbit will use its litter box much more willingly if it's desexed and if the box is located somewhere private and protected. Offer an unlimited supply of hay. Hay is the main part of any rabbit's diet. Your dwarf rabbit should always have a fresh, unlimited supply of hay available to him at all times. Do not feed your rabbit alfalfa hay as it is bad for it. Feed it timothy hay or some kind of grass hay. Feed your rabbit pellets daily. Choose a good quality rabbit brand of pellets that doesn't contain extra seeds or sugar. Avoid muesli type rabbit pellets since your rabbit might pick out only its favorite bits and this may lead to a nutrient deficiency over time. You should feed 1/4 cup (15 grams) of pellets per 5 pounds (2.3 kg) of rabbit. Timothy hay is good for rabbits over 7 weeks old. Change out your rabbit's food twice a day to keep it fresh. Give your rabbit fresh fruits and vegetables. Two cups (72 grams) a day of greens should be fed to your rabbit. A piece of carrot, apple (without seeds), banana, or strawberry are a great treat for your dwarf rabbit. Make sure you research what fruits and vegetables are safe for your rabbit to eat as some can be toxic. Use a litter that’s made for rabbits. This will likely be a grain-based or paper litter that comes in the form of pellets. Not only will the litter soak up your pet's urine and feces, it will be appropriate for your rabbit to chew on sometimes. You can find rabbit litter at a local pet store or online. Place the litter box where your rabbit already urinates. Your bunny will naturally pick a spot to urinate, so put the litter box in that location. Often, this will be in a corner that's far away from the bunny's food. If you put the litter box where your pet already goes potty, the rabbit will want to go in the box. It's helpful to have a litter box in the cage and in your rabbit's play area. This encourages your bunny to always use a litter box. If your rabbit isn't using the litter box, figure out where it's going potty. Then, move the box to that location. Put a little bit of soiled bedding in the litter box at first. Scoop up some poop and urine and place it into the litter box. The soiled bedding will help your rabbit understand that urine goes in the box. It will smell the urine in the bedding and know that it's okay to relieve itself in the litter box. You just need a little bit of soiled bedding to trigger this response in your rabbit. Approach your rabbit slowly and get down low. In the wild, rabbits are prey animals, so they scare easily. Don't surprise your rabbit or hover over it. Instead, get on its level and calmly move toward it. As you approach, speak to it in a calming voice so it knows you're there. Say, “Hi, bunny. It's okay.” Minimize how often you pick up your rabbit. Rabbits don't particularly like being picked up, carried, or cuddled, so do these things as infrequently as possible. Your rabbit will most likely be jumpy, but may be willing to sit still on your lap after developing trust over time. When you do hold your rabbit, comfort it by supporting its back legs in one hand and softly pressing it against your chest with the other. Never pick your rabbit up by its ears. Put your hands under the rabbit’s belly and hindquarters when you pick it up. Make sure you're supporting the hindquarters so that the rabbit doesn't kick out. It's natural for the rabbit to kick its legs out when you try to pick it up, but this motion can hurt the bunny's spine, potentially causing a serious injury. Always keep one hand under your rabbit's hindquarters when you're holding it. Hold your rabbit close to your body so it feels safe. Remember, your rabbit is tiny and is naturally fearful. It's likely going to be scared if you're holding it off the ground. Keeping it pressed close to your body can help your rabbit feel safer, making it less likely to try to jump away from you. Squat down close to the ground to put your rabbit down. Don't just reach down with your arms, as your rabbit may get very scared during the descent. Keep your rabbit close to your body as you squat down toward the floor. Then, slowly extend your arms down and set your rabbit safely on the floor. Avoid letting your rabbit jump out of your arms, even from a low height. This increases the risk that your bunny may get injured. Check your rabbit’s backside daily to make sure it’s clean. Look for urine and feces stuck to your bunny's fur, which can lead to flies laying eggs and the eggs hatching into maggots, especially when the weather is warm. If you notice any, use a damp rag to wipe your pet clean. Then, check your rabbit's litter box to make sure it doesn't need changing. If you see any soft poop or diarrhea, take your rabbit to the vet to make sure it's not ill. Brush your dwarf rabbit’s fur 2-3 times a week with a soft-bristled brush. Different types of dwarf rabbits have different types of fur, so brushing may be optional or very important, depending on your dwarf rabbit's fur. If your dwarf rabbit is longhaired, you'll need to keep it clean and brush out the tangles regularly to protect your rabbit from catching diseases. If your rabbit's fur is shorter, you should still brush it for comforting and bonding purposes. Brushing your rabbit a few times a week removes shed fur, which prevents your rabbit from ingesting the fur. Use a comb to detangle problem areas. Clean your rabbit’s ears weekly by removing debris and wiping them clean. Check the ears for debris, like hay or bedding. Gently remove any debris that you find using your fingers or a fine comb. Then, use a clean, damp towel to gently wipe the inside and outside of the ear. Finally, dry the ear with a soft, clean cloth. If you notice any debris in your rabbit's ear in between cleanings, remove it promptly. Cut your rabbit’s nails. Use sharp nail clippers specifically for rabbits to cut your dwarf rabbit's nails when they get long. Wrap the rabbit in a towel while you cut so that you can keep a good hold on it if it gets squirmy. If you're unsure about how to go about cutting or how much to cut, make an appointment to have your vet do it. Your rabbit can get seriously hurt if you try to cut its nails without being educated on how to do so. Ask your vet to show you how before attempting to do it yourself. Never attempt to cut your rabbit's teeth if they get too long. You can severely injure your rabbit if you trim them too far. Take your rabbit to your veterinarian and they can safely file them down using a special burr. Give your bunny non-toxic rabbit toys, bird toys, or hard plastic baby toys. Rabbits are very smart, so they get bored easily. Help your bunny beat boredom by giving it a variety of fun toys, such as rattles, plastic keys, and plastic balls. Look for toys that it can move around its cage, as well as toys that hang off the top or sides of the cage. Keep sets of toys so that you can rotate them weekly. That way, your rabbit always has something new and different to play with, but you don't have to keep buying toys. Offer your rabbit wooden toys to chew on. Your bunny's teeth will be constantly growing, so it will naturally want to gnaw on something to wear down its teeth. Non-toxic wood toys are a great solution to this issue, as your rabbit can have fun while also caring for its teeth. Look for wood toys at your local pet store or online. Buy wood that's labeled for use with small animals to make sure it's safe for your rabbit. Give your rabbit cardboard tubes and boxes to tear up. Bunnies love to rip up cardboard, so you can give your pet hours of entertainment by recycling paper towel rolls and boxes. You can fill a cardboard toilet paper tube with hay or simply just place the tube in the cage and let your dwarf rabbit have a go at it. You can also make a rabbit hideaway by cutting the bottom off of a cardboard box and cutting doors and windows. Remove old pieces of cardboard when they start to get soiled. Make a rice filled egg. Fill a plastic Easter egg with dry rice, and then hot glue it shut. Give the egg to your dwarf rabbit, who will love to rattle it around. However, you might want to remove the toy at night, since your rabbit will likely keep you up all night rattling the egg. Recognize the benefits of getting your rabbit spayed or neutered. Even if you only have one rabbit, getting it fixed can improve the health and personality of your bunny. If you keep more than one rabbit, it's essential that they each be desexed. Getting your rabbit desexed provides the following benefits: Reduces the risk of certain cancers, especially reproductive cancers Decreases aggression Makes the rabbit a better companion Makes litter training easier Eliminates spraying in male rabbits Allows rabbits to safely live in pairs Reduces unwanted litters Neuter a male dwarf rabbit at as early as 8 to 12 weeks of age. Your bunny's testicles will start descend when it's around 2- to 3-months-old. At this point, you can take it to the vet to get neutered. Desexing it early will help prevent your rabbit from developing aggressive, territorial behaviors, like biting, growling, or spraying. Separate male and female rabbits once the testicles start to descend. Don't put them back together until the male has healed from his neutering. Spay a female dwarf rabbit between 4 and 8 months of age. Your female rabbit will start to reach sexual maturity at 4 months. However, your vet may wait until your rabbit is 6 months old to make the surgery safer. Discuss the benefits of waiting with your vet to help you make the right decision for your pet. Find a small animal vet to care for your rabbit. Your bunny has different needs than a cat or a dog, so you need a vet who knows how to care for rabbits. Look for a vet that advertises as a small animal vet, as they will have the specialized skills necessary to treat rabbits. Additionally, ask the vet about their education and experience to make sure they have a background in treating bunnies. Don't feel uncomfortable asking questions. Your vet loves animals, too, so they'll understand that you want to find the best possible vet for your beloved pet. Get your rabbit vaccinated. Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus is a potentially fatal virus that has been introduced to different areas to keep the rabbit population from getting out of control. To ensure that your dwarf rabbit won't get this virus, get it vaccinated when it's 4 weeks old and then every 6 months for the rest of its life. Rid your rabbit of parasites. The only parasites that rabbits tend to get are fleas and mites/lice. If you think your rabbit may have fleas, store-bought over-the-counter flea medications such as Advantage or Revolution are easy to use and will fix the issue. If your rabbit is scratching its ears frequently or has dry skin around the shoulder area, it may have mites. Take your rabbit to the vet to get treatment for mites. Check with your vet before you give your rabbit any type of medication. They can advise you of the proper dosing. If you give your pet too much medication, it can cause harmful consequences. Your dwarf rabbit is much more likely to get fleas if you have other pets as well, such as dogs or cats that get the fleas first. | Buy an indoor cage. Build an exercise pen. Put a litter box in its cage. Offer an unlimited supply of hay. Feed your rabbit pellets daily. Give your rabbit fresh fruits and vegetables. Use a litter that’s made for rabbits. Place the litter box where your rabbit already urinates. Put a little bit of soiled bedding in the litter box at first. Approach your rabbit slowly and get down low. Minimize how often you pick up your rabbit. Put your hands under the rabbit’s belly and hindquarters when you pick it up. Hold your rabbit close to your body so it feels safe. Squat down close to the ground to put your rabbit down. Check your rabbit’s backside daily to make sure it’s clean. Brush your dwarf rabbit’s fur 2-3 times a week with a soft-bristled brush. Clean your rabbit’s ears weekly by removing debris and wiping them clean. Cut your rabbit’s nails. Give your bunny non-toxic rabbit toys, bird toys, or hard plastic baby toys. Offer your rabbit wooden toys to chew on. Give your rabbit cardboard tubes and boxes to tear up. Make a rice filled egg. Recognize the benefits of getting your rabbit spayed or neutered. Neuter a male dwarf rabbit at as early as 8 to 12 weeks of age. Spay a female dwarf rabbit between 4 and 8 months of age. Find a small animal vet to care for your rabbit. Get your rabbit vaccinated. Rid your rabbit of parasites. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Prevent-Confusion | How to Prevent Confusion | To prevent confusion, make sure to exercise your brain every day. You can read a book, do a puzzle, or engage in a complicated conversation. The best way to exercise your mind depends on what your passions are, so try to find something you're excited and challenged by. Additionally, no matter what you prefer, you should aim to be more socially active so that you can recall past events and engage in conversations. Try joining a book club, a community center, or a class for one of your passions – there, you'll be able to find like-minded people you can chat with. | Learn a new skill or challenge your brain to keep it stimulated. If you don't use your cognitive abilities and practice them routinely, you will eventually lose those abilities.If you can, try to learn something new, like a language, a musical instrument, or even a new skill set. If you can't pick up something new, you can alter your daily routine in simpler ways to strengthen your cognitive abilities, like doing a word puzzle, reading parts of the newspaper you normally don't read, or taking an alternate route you wouldn't normally take while driving. Other ways to use your cognitive abilities include reading, joining a book club (which incorporates social interaction), playing strategy games like chess, or taking classes to learn something new. Be socially active to promote long-term memory. When people are alone for long periods of time, they become prone to depression, stress, and anxiety, and these symptoms can contribute to confusion and memory loss over time. A great way to ward off confusion is to spend time with other people. Being around others encourages you to recall past events and process current events to carry on a conversation, which is a great way to stay mentally sharp while also enjoying other people's company. Having great social support is especially important when dealing with confusion in elderly people. Try spending time with friends, relatives, or even strangers through volunteer work. Do not isolate yourself. Stay engaged with life and your social surroundings. Write down important information so it is easy to access. Try writing down appointments, errands, chores, and things you'll need to pick up when you're at the store. Make a habit of carrying that list with you everywhere you go and checking it on a daily basis. Try keeping these lists on your smartphone for a convenient way to check them. Journaling may be a good way to keep your thoughts organized and keep track of your day-to-day life and obligations. Choose a designated place for items you need every day. Stash items like your wallet, keys, and mobile phone (if you carry one) in the same location in your home every day. That way you'll never waste time looking for the things you need before you leave the house. Organizing your environment will help you avoid confusion about your immediate surroundings while also strengthening your memory and thinking skills. If you're not hyper-organized, that's okay — you can start in little ways. Studies show that taking the guesswork out of day-to-day chores and events can help you focus and concentrate more on learning new things and remembering important events/memories. Tidy up your home to make it easier to navigate. Tidying up your home, especially by reducing clutter, can help to make it easier to find things and accomplish tasks. Go through old papers, notes, and to-do lists and throw them away if you no longer need them. Ask friends or family members to help you tidy up if you are overwhelmed by the process. Use all of your senses to better stimulate your brain. Using more than one sense when you learn or experience something new helps keep multiple parts of your brain active and may help retain memories and learning abilities. Studies have shown that experiencing something with only 1 sense makes you less likely to remember or retain that information/experience than experiencing it with 2 or more senses. Try challenging your senses in little ways every day. When you try an unfamiliar dish at a restaurant, notice the smell before and after you taste the food. Challenge yourself to identify certain ingredients, or practice your cognitive abilities by reading a newspaper or book while you savor the smells and tastes of an unfamiliar dish. Develop a routine and stick with it for improved memory and cognition. Having a routine can help with memory and cognitive ability. Any time you maintain a routine, your brain has an easier time making connections and recognizing patterns of your own behavior. It sounds simple, but just having a regular day-to-day routine may help reduce the effects of confusion and memory loss over time. For instance, make sure you get up and go to bed at the same time each day, which can help improve your sleep and overall health. Use mnemonic devices to strengthen the connections in your brain. Mnemonic devices are used to help you remember lists, orders of operation, and musical scales, but you can also make your own mnemonic devices to help you remember anything from your daily life. Try writing out the steps of something you need to do, then take the first letter of each word and try to put it in a related word or phrase. For example, the musical notes E, G, B, D, and F is easily remembered with the sentence, "Every Good Boy Does Fine." Creating and using mnemonic devices helps you strengthen both your thinking abilities and your memory. Finding ways to remember the steps of a certain process may also help free up your memory to process and retain new information. Stay hydrated to stave off confusion from dehydration. Dehydration is a common cause of confusion, and is easily preventable. Dehydration occurs any time your body loses more water than you ingest. Unfortunately, confusion caused by dehydration is usually a sign of severe dehydration, and may require medical assistance. Drinking water or sports drinks can help treat mild to moderate dehydration. For more severe cases, intravenous saline administration (performed by a medical professional) may be required. Follow a healthy diet to prevent confusion due to nutrient deficiencies. Dietary improvements can often help or prevent confusion. It's important to eat fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean, low-fat protein sources like fish, skinless poultry, and tofu. Avoid alcohol. Alcohol is a common contributor to confusion and/or memory loss. This can commonly occur after people stop drinking after they have been drinking every day. Make sure you get sufficient vitamin B12 and folate in your diet, as these are believed to help protect the nervous system. Ginkgo biloba, an herbal supplement, may help improve memory and strengthen cognitive abilities. Talk to your doctor about any supplements you're interested in before you begin taking them. Get 8 hours of sleep per night to avoid sleep deprivation. Sleep is an important part of cognitive ability, as sleep helps strengthen and solidify memories in our brains. Being sleep deprived may also lead to feelings of confusion and uncertainty. Practice good sleep hygiene. Create a pre-bedtime routine (such as taking a shower, listening to soothing music, etc.) and stick to a sleep schedule. Most adults and older individuals need 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Make sure you are well rested to help prevent confusion and disorientation. Stay active to improve blood flow to the brain. Physical exercise helps increase blood flow to the brain, which may help keep your cognitive abilities at their best. If you are physically capable, try to meet the Department of Health and Human Services minimum of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each week or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise each week. You also need to include 2 to 3 days of strength training each week for a total of at least 40 minutes. Moderate aerobic exercise might involve walking briskly, while vigorous exercise might involve running or bicycling. Work with your doctor to lower your blood pressure if it's high. High blood pressure, when left untreated, can cause significant problems with your cognitive abilities. It may also result in an aneurysm, stroke, dementia, or a Transient ischemic attack (TIA). See a doctor if you have high blood pressure and follow your doctor's recommendations for treating it. If you've been prescribed medication for your blood pressure, take that medicine as your doctor instructed you. If you are not currently on medication, talk to your doctor about medicinal options and ways to lower your blood pressure, such as weight loss or dietary changes. Introduce or identify yourself to the person. Even if you have known the confused person for many years, whether through friendship, family, or simply as an acquaintance, you should always identify or introduce yourself to a confused person. Many people suffering from confusion become frightened, which may lead to erratic or even violent behavior if someone perceived as a stranger suddenly approaches without warning. Say your name, and remind the person how you know each other. Speak slowly and approach the person with caution. Offer the individual different reminders. Sometimes having even small reminders can help a confused person recall who they are and where they are. Other times people become confused about what time, day, or year it is. If someone you know is confused, try to help by: Reminding the individual where they are at the moment. Putting a calendar and clock near the individual so that they can check the date and time as often as they need to. Talking about current events, recent events, and any plans for the day. Create a relaxing environment to reduce fear and anxiety. Some people who experience confusion also experience subsequent fear or anxiety. One way to help combat this is to keep the individual's immediate environment quiet, calm, and relaxing. If possible, remove things that might be traumatic or upsetting from the individual's immediate area. You don't necessarily need to get rid of these things, but "hiding" them until the confused person feels better may help to put them at ease. Be aware of "sundowning." At the end of the day people with dementia can become more confused and depressed. Talk with the person's doctor if you think they are suffering from sundowning. They may have suggestions for medication or therapy that can help. Try keeping windows open during the day. This may keep the patient more alert, awake, and less confused. Offer a low blood sugar snack to help control blood sugar. Some people experience confusion caused by low blood sugar (diabetes medications are a common cause of this). In these instances, you may want to consider offering the individual a small, sweet snack or beverage. Controlling their blood sugar might even out their mood and allow them to think better without getting angry. Juice is an excellent thing to give someone who is confused because of low blood sugar. Small snacks, including a cookie or some pretzels, can also help. Glucose tablets may be a requirement for people experiencing low blood sugar. If at all possible, know the individual's preferred treatment plan in advance in order to best help them recover from their bout of confusion. Seek medical help if the confusion is sudden. If confusion occurs without any previous history of this symptom, or if the symptom begins to affect day-to-day life, call a doctor immediately. Your doctor will do a physical exam and may order blood/urine tests, neuropsychological tests, an electroencephalogram (EEG), and/or a CT scan of the head. In some cases, the individual may need to go to the emergency room. Call an emergency responder if you or someone you know experiences confusion and any of the following symptoms: Cold or clammy skin Dizziness or feeling faint Rapid pulse Fever Headache Irregular breathing (slow or rapid) Uncontrollable shivering Diabetic complications A head injury Loss of consciousness Identify the causes of confusion. There are many medical complications that can cause confusion. How you treat confusion may depend on the underlying cause(s). Common health complications that may lead to confusion include: Intoxication (drugs or alcohol — temporary complication) Brain tumor (may be treatable if the tumor can be treated/removed) Head trauma or injury, including concussion (usually temporary, but requires a medical evaluation and immediate treatment) Fever (temporary) Fluid/electrolyte imbalance (often from dehydration — temporary complication, as long as fluids are administered as soon as possible) Illness, including dementia (permanent complication requiring extensive medical assistance) Lack of sleep (temporary, as long as sleep habits are corrected) Low blood sugar (temporary, as long as snacks or juice are given) Low oxygen levels, including those caused by chronic lung disorders (may be temporary or permanent — requires immediate medical assistance) Medication side effects (may be temporary, or may require a change in medication, dosage, or time of administration) Nutritional deficiencies, commonly experienced when lacking niacin, thiamine, or vitamin B12 Seizures (may be temporary or may be permanent, depending on medical condition or circumstances causing seizures) Stroke Parkinson's Disease Advanced age Sensory impairment Sudden changes in body temperature, such as heat stroke or hypothermia (temporary if remedied quickly — if medical assistance is not administered as quickly as possible, sudden changes in body temperature may be fatal) | Learn a new skill or challenge your brain to keep it stimulated. Be socially active to promote long-term memory. Write down important information so it is easy to access. Choose a designated place for items you need every day. Tidy up your home to make it easier to navigate. Use all of your senses to better stimulate your brain. Develop a routine and stick with it for improved memory and cognition. Use mnemonic devices to strengthen the connections in your brain. Stay hydrated to stave off confusion from dehydration. Follow a healthy diet to prevent confusion due to nutrient deficiencies. Get 8 hours of sleep per night to avoid sleep deprivation. Stay active to improve blood flow to the brain. Work with your doctor to lower your blood pressure if it's high. Introduce or identify yourself to the person. Offer the individual different reminders. Create a relaxing environment to reduce fear and anxiety. Offer a low blood sugar snack to help control blood sugar. Seek medical help if the confusion is sudden. Identify the causes of confusion. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Shuffle-Poker-Chips | How to Shuffle Poker Chips | To shuffle poker chips, start with 6 chips divided into 2 stacks of 3. Then, with the 2 stacks next to each other on a flat surface, place your fingers down on the table and around the chips. Position your thumb and index finger so they're on opposite sides of one stack, and do the same with your pinky and ring finger. Next, push the 2 stacks together while lifting up on the chips with your middle finger so the chips lace together and form a stack of 6. When you're finished, split the stack and repeat. | Start out with six chips. Shuffling is easier with a smaller number of chips, and six is the minimum amount needed. It will be helpful if you pick three chips of one color and three chips of another. If you don't own any poker chips, you can practice with six coins of equal size instead. While the shuffling method will be the same, coins are a little more difficult to work with. Divide the chips into two stacks of three each. Separate the chips by color. The different colors will help you to distinguish between the two different stacks. If you shuffle correctly, you will end with one stack of alternating colors. Place the two stacks on a flat surface in front of you. Position them parallel to you. Shuffling will be easier to do on a soft surface. Consider practicing on a bed, pillow, couch, or some felt at first. As your shuffling skills improve, you can switch to a hard surface. Position your dominant hand over the chips. Your hand should be roughly parallel with the flat surface, while your fingers should point face down, touching it at their tips. Your thumb and index finger should be up against opposite sides of one stack with your thumb closer to your body. Your pinky and ring fingers should be up against the other stack. Place your middle finger between the two stacks at the side further from your body. Push the two stacks together while pulling your fingers up. Apply slight pressure to the two stacks with your thumb, index finger, ring finger, and pinky. Hook your middle finger so that its tip is slightly under the two stacks at the center. Pull up with your middle finger and then let the two stacks fall back down. Squeeze your fingers while doing this so that the stacks come together. Guide the chips with your middle finger. Run your middle finger along the two stacks as they fall back down. Use your middle finger to control how the chips fall, alternating the two stacks perfectly. Once they have been laced together, complete the shuffle by squeezing your hand completely, creating a single stack with six chips. Split the stack and do everything again. Lift the top three chips off of the tall stack between your thumb and middle finger. Place these chips next to the bottom three, creating two stacks of three like you started with. Shuffle again, split, and repeat until you are able to do everything in one fluid motion. Look at the chip pattern for clues. One reason why it's a good idea to practice with different colored chips is that it makes it easier to tell when something is going wrong with your shuffle. When done properly, your shuffled chips should alternate between the two colors. If you see two or more of the same color next to each other in the stack, you should reevaluate your technique. If there is a general lack of interlacing, you can try working on couple aspects of your shuffle: Make sure you aren't shoving the two stacks together. You should only exert a minimal amount of force when pushing from the sides while the chips are falling. You may not be lifting the two columns correctly. The bottom chips should form 45 degree angles with the table. A slightly wider angle will also work, but a more acute one will not give the chips room enough to fall. Experiment with finger placement. While the standard shuffle grip works for both right- and left-handed people, it may not work best for everyone. You can place your fingers however you like, as long as the position fulfills two major requirements: You must have at least one digit on the far outside edge of each stack so that they can be pushed together. Additionally, one digit must be able to hook underneath where the two stacks meet. It's normal to experience some discomfort in your hand when you first start to shuffle since you may be using muscles in ways you're not used to. However, if you continue to feel uncomfortable after practicing, consider modifying your finger placement. Ask someone to watch or record your shuffle. When you're shuffling poker chips, it can be difficult to see what's going on since your hand will be blocking your view. Someone else closely watching you shuffle can help you figure out the exact step you're having trouble with. Even better, ask him or her to make a close-up video of you shuffling. Watch the video for yourself in slow motion, paying close attention to the position of the chips and your hand motions. Observing your actions from the outside can give you a better perspective. Add more chips. Once you can confidently shuffle six poker chips, add two more chips and practice shuffling eight together. Once you get comfortable with eight, try ten. Keep adding chips in increments of two. The only limiting factor to the number of chips you can shuffle will be the size of your hands. Practice with the maximum number of chips you can handle. Shuffling a large stack of chips is more difficult than working with a small one. However, you will use the same muscles and movements shuffling both. By practicing with a larger number of chips, you will be sure to shuffle a slightly smaller number with ease during an actual game. Try adding a third stack. Shuffling three stacks is fundamentally similar to shuffling two stacks but is much more difficult to accomplish. Even people with a lot of poker chip trick experience have difficulty with the triple stack shuffle. If you'd like to give it a try, the method itself is deceptively simple: Make a triangle out of three equal stacks of at least three chips. Press the fingers of your dominant hand vertically against the three stacks. Your thumb will hold one stack, your index and middle fingers a second, and your ring finger and pinky the final third. Push the three stacks into each other. While pushing, lift your hand up. While pushing and lifting your hand, try to tilt all three stacks upwards at the center of the triangle. Squeeze the three stacks together with your fingers. | Start out with six chips. Divide the chips into two stacks of three each. Place the two stacks on a flat surface in front of you. Position your dominant hand over the chips. Push the two stacks together while pulling your fingers up. Guide the chips with your middle finger. Split the stack and do everything again. Look at the chip pattern for clues. Experiment with finger placement. Ask someone to watch or record your shuffle. Add more chips. Practice with the maximum number of chips you can handle. Try adding a third stack. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Bad-Smells-out-of-a-Microwave | How to Get Bad Smells out of a Microwave | To get bad smells out of a microwave, add 4 teaspoons of white vinegar and some water to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave this on high for 6 minutes, and when then wipe the inside of the microwave with some soap and water. If you don't have vinegar, you can microwave a mixture of 5 teaspoons of baking soda in a bowl of water instead. Then, just dip a sponge or cloth in the baking soda mixture and use that to wipe down the inside of your microwave. | Avoid heating anything made of metal in the microwave. Foods and beverages take in the heat created by a microwave, while metallic items cause this heat to bounce around. This may start a fire and/or damage the inner-workings of your appliance, leaving you with far worse problems than a bad smell. Don't put any kind of metal into the microwave—both aluminum foil and metal utensils can damage your appliance. Heat up white vinegar mixed with water to remove any bad smells. Boil 1 cup (0.24 L) of water and 4 tablespoons (59 mL) of white vinegar by heating it in the microwave for at least 4 minutes. Once the mixture is steaming, let it sit for another 5 minutes before you open the door and wipe out the inside with a damp rag or paper towel. You can use a mixture of soap and water to clean out the microwave. After the microwave boils the water for four minutes, let the bowl stay in the microwave for another 15 to cool off and keep freshening up the scent. Depending on the wattage of your microwave, it might take less than 4 minutes for the vinegar mixture to boil. Check the user manual for your microwave to see if the manufacturer lists any recommended heating times. Deodorize your microwave with lemon juice if you don’t want to use vinegar. Stir 4 teaspoons (20 mL) of lemon juice and 1 cup (0.24 L) of water into a small bowl, and heat the solution for 4 minutes or until it's boiling. Keep the door closed for 5 minutes to let the mixture cool down, and to let the steam spread throughout the smelly microwave. A single lemon slice contains about 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of juice. You'll need half of a lime to get the same amount. As an alternative, place 2-4 lemon slices on the bottom of a small container filled with 1 cup (0.24 L) of water. Microwave the mixture for 4 minutes, or until it reaches a boiling, steaming temperature. You can use lime, orange, or any other type of citrus juice if you'd prefer not to use lemon. Remove bad stains and smells with baking soda if you’d prefer a less acidic method. Dip a sponge or rag into the mixture of 5 teaspoons (25 mL) of baking soda and 1 US quart (0.95 L) of warm water. Use this solution to thoroughly scrub all parts of the microwave. Clean the appliance by wiping in a circular motion. If splattered food has solidified inside of the microwave, apply 0.5 teaspoons (2.5 mL) of baking soda to a sponge or cloth to attack the stain more directly. This method accomplishes 2 things at once, as it allows you to clean and freshen your microwave! Warm up some coffee grounds to make your microwave smell like java. Place a container of 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of ground coffee mixed with 0.5 cups (0.12 L) of water in the microwave and heat the mixture for around 3 minutes. This won't just remove bad odors, but it will also leave your microwave smelling like fresh coffee! This method works best with coffee grounds that have already been used. Warm up vanilla extract instead of coffee to create a sweeter smell. Heat a mixture of 4 teaspoons (20 mL) of vanilla extract and 2 cups (0.47 L) of water for at least 2 minutes, or until it's boiling and creating steam. Don't take the bowl out right away—while the mixture is still hot, let the steam spread throughout the microwave to overwhelm all of the bad odors. Wait at least half an hour before removing the bowl and dumping out the mixture. Remove any extra moisture from the microwave by wiping it out with a cloth or paper towel. Put a bowl of cloves in the microwave overnight to add a spicy aroma instead of heating something up. Pour 27.5 grams (0.97 oz) of cloves into a container and set it inside the microwave. There's no heating involved for this method—instead, you'll shut the door and leave the cloves to sit all night. The closed microwave door allows the spicy aroma of cloves to fill your microwave and cancel out any bad smells. Heat up a covered bowl of berries if you want your microwave to smell fruity. Take a mixture of your favorite berries and place them in a small container. Secure the top of the bowl with plastic wrap, and microwave the berries for several minutes. As the fruit heats up, their scent will begin to spread through the microwave, thus cancelling out any bad odors. You can use any kind of berry for this. Make sure you like the scent of whichever fruit you choose to microwave. Try to keep the plastic wrap from touching any of the berries. This helps keep the berries smelling fresh, even if the plastic wrap melts. | Avoid heating anything made of metal in the microwave. Heat up white vinegar mixed with water to remove any bad smells. Deodorize your microwave with lemon juice if you don’t want to use vinegar. Remove bad stains and smells with baking soda if you’d prefer a less acidic method. Warm up some coffee grounds to make your microwave smell like java. Warm up vanilla extract instead of coffee to create a sweeter smell. Put a bowl of cloves in the microwave overnight to add a spicy aroma instead of heating something up. Heat up a covered bowl of berries if you want your microwave to smell fruity. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Good-at-Geography | How to Be Good at Geography | If you want to be good at geography, start by studying the flags and country locations on a world map. Then, study details like capitals and population amounts, and test your memorization skills by having a friend quiz you. With a friend, you can also play games based on country and city names. For example, if you say “California,” which ends in “A,” your friend has to state a city that ends in the letter “A.” | Read. You can spend enjoyable hours browsing through encyclopedias, all the while picking up tips ranging from the names of world capitals to an understanding of how a river system affects a particular country. Sets are a dime a dozen these days, so if you are willing to pick up one which is a few years old, these can often be found at a thrift store, or if not, you can always check your local library. Read books about countries, landmarks, oceans and weather as these are extremely important in Geography. Don't read hard books at the start, read children's and teenager's books to gradually build up your knowledge. Get a subscription to a weekly newspaper or news magazine. In reading one or two articles a week, you will learn about cultures and follow the news. This will help you remember the general locations of places. If a country is having trouble with tidal flooding, for example, it is probably located on a coast. Visit your local library often and read articles from such magazines as National Geographic. This publication offers in-depth information with engrossing photography. Gaze at maps. Get yourself a good atlas. Some of the larger bookstore chains offer quality atlases for reasonable prices. Whether you want to memorize the countries or just familiarize yourself with the major mountain chains, maps are a good place to start. Post a world map on your wall and refer to it whenever a geographical question occurs to you. If your mom tells you that you have a cousin in Mumbai, go to the map and see just where that is. If there has just been a 6.5 earthquake in Hawaii, check the map to find the location of the epicenter. Locating places in this way will help them stick in your mind. Study flags and country locations. Test yourself or ask a friend to question you. To make it trickier, test yourself on population amounts and capitals. Watch TV. Information about cities, cultures, and populations can be found on shows like Jeopardy, The Weather Channel, CNN, the BBC, or your local news. Watch the listings coming up for the Travel Channel, the Discovery Channel and the History Channel, and don't forget public TV. Play games based upon names of countries or towns. Suppose you say "California". "California" ends with the letter "A", then your friend says the name of a place which starts with "A". Say "Amsterdam" (the Dutch capital city). Then you say the name of some place which starts with "M". Say "Mexico" and so on... This way you can have fun and at the same time you will learn from others too! Make and eat food from other cultures. Try sampling foreign cuisine. Study another language as this is also good for geography. Travel. Even traveling locally can help expand your understanding of how geography has shaped the world. For example, if you visit a historic town nearby, you may learn at a museum or visitor's center just which geographical features enticed the town leaders to build there. When you are traveling to other places, you can learn about agriculture and which kinds of crops and fruits are grown in season. Get an email pal or pen pal. Regular correspondence with a friend living overseas can expand your knowledge beyond what you can learn from books. | Read. Get a subscription to a weekly newspaper or news magazine. Visit your local library often and read articles from such magazines as National Geographic. Gaze at maps. Post a world map on your wall and refer to it whenever a geographical question occurs to you. Study flags and country locations. Test yourself or ask a friend to question you. Watch TV. Play games based upon names of countries or towns. Make and eat food from other cultures. Study another language as this is also good for geography. Travel. Get an email pal or pen pal. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Run-an-AGM-(Annual-General-Meeting) | How to Run an AGM (Annual General Meeting) | To run an annual general meeting, start by welcoming the attendees with a formal greeting. During this time, make sure the meeting agenda and annual reports are being distributed to the attendees. After you formally open the meeting, review the previous meeting's minutes and vote to accept them or amend them. Next, introduce any new matters or present concerns. Once any new business is taken care of, review the reports from the president, secretary, and treasurer and motion to accept them. If there are any elections, make sure to announce them and take care of them at this point. Then, discuss general business, including any issues or concerns that the attendees may have. When everything has been covered, declare the meeting closed. | Review the organization's rules. Before you set anything up, review the organization's rules and regulations regarding the AGM. While most organizations adhere to the same general structure, some details can vary. Details you may need to pay special attention to include the sort of notice you must provide members with regarding the meeting, the procedure for electing new board members, and the type of information that must be reviewed at each AGM. You should also check on how many people must be present for the meeting to be considered official and the manner in which new amendments to the organization's constitution should be presented and voted on. Schedule the meeting early. Set the date and time of the AGM as early as possible. Notify key members immediately. Non-essential members should be informed once the details are finalized. Once everyone has been informed of the date, you should send out regular reminders to prevent anyone from forgetting. Secure the venue. If you do not have your own venue, you will need to pick a venue that can hold your AGM and secure it as soon as possible. Even if you have your own facilities, holding the AGM at a separate venue may make the occasion seem more significant and, as such, may attract more attendees. Pick a venue that can accommodate everyone involved. Make sure that the room is large enough to hold everyone comfortably. If you have members or other attendees who need special accommodations (like wide doorways and ramps for wheelchair-bound members), verify that the venue can match these needs before you book it. Once you decide on the right venue, book it as soon as you have the date and time set. Prepare an agenda. The agenda is essentially a list or outline of the information that will be covered at the AGM. Prepare this agenda in advance. You may need to send it out to attendees with the notice of meeting, but even if you don't, you will need to have it ready to pass out at the actual meeting. List the topics of discussion in the order you expect to address them. Usually, listing the title of each topic is enough on an agenda. You probably don't need to provide any detail about each topic. A sample agenda might look something like: AGENDA 1) Welcome 2) Apologies for absence 3) Previous AGM minutes 4) Matters arising from minutes 5) Chair-person's annual report 6) Secretary's annual report 7) Treasurer's annual report 8) Election of officers 9) General business 10) Date of next meeting 11) Close of meeting Take the necessary time to prepare documents and reports. It takes time to prepare all of the various statements, reports, and documents you will need for the AGM, so start early. Take care of all documents and reports you're in charge of as early as possible. Remind other committee members to prepare the information they're in charge of, as well. Documents you may need to prepare can include monthly financial reports and other financial statements, the previous AGM minutes, the president's report, the secretary's report, and the treasurer's report. Communicate with members about leadership roles. If board elections will be discussed at the AGM, you should look for members who may fit the necessary roles before the meeting itself. Talk to the members you have your eye on and ask if they would be willing to take on the role. If extra training will be required, provide those members with the training they'll need. Send the notice. You need to send a formal "Notice of Meeting" to all members. Follow the regulations set down in your organization's rules when determining when and how to do this. You may also need to invite sponsors, lifetime members and alumni, and other stakeholders or related parties. Typically, a notice of meeting must include the date, time, duration, and venue of the AGM. You will need to state that elections are being held when applicable. You may include the entire agenda of the meeting, or you may opt to mention one or two key items. Check the organization's constitution to determine the correct procedure. Set up the space before the meeting. On the day of the AGM, arrive several hours early so that you can set up the room. Keep in mind that some attendees may arrive 30 minutes early or so. Try to have the all of the seats and refreshments set up before that happens. Take minutes. The secretary is usually responsible for taking meeting minutes, but if this is not the case for your organization, you will need to appoint someone to record the contents of the AGM. Keep a record of any decisions made at the AGM, especially those regarding elections and changes to the organization's constitution. It can also be a wise idea to record the names and contact information of the attendees. You can do this by instructing the attendees to sign in as they arrive. Welcome the attendees. Open the AGM with a formal greeting. During this greeting, make sure that the meeting agenda and annual reports are being distributed to the attendees. Declare the meeting to be open. As you do so, state the organization's full name and the current AGM number (the twenty-second Annual General Meeting, the thirty-nine Annual General Meeting, etc.). Welcome all members and name any special visitors. Make any necessary apologies. If any officer or significant member is absent, you may want to briefly state the names of those absent after your welcome message. You may invite other present members to make apologies on behalf of additional absent attendees, as well. Make a formal motion to accept the apologies. Review the previous meeting minutes. Verify that everyone has received a copy of the meetings from last year's AGM. Review these minutes and, when all issues are addressed, move to formally accept the minutes. If there are any amendments or corrections that need to be made, they must be made before the minutes are accepted. After voting to accept the minutes, the chairperson will need to sign off on them. Introduce any new matters. Topics that are related to the minutes from your previous AGM should be addressed immediately after those minutes are accepted. Discuss the matters as needed. This is usually a time to present concerns and observations, so formal motions may not be necessary. Review the reports. You will need to discuss the president's or chair-person's report, the secretary's report, and the treasurer's report. Read and discuss each report one by one. After each report has been reviewed thoroughly, you should make a formal motion to adopt that report. During the treasurer's report, you will need to present the attendees with a record of the previous year's finances. The treasurer can usually perform the task, but some organizations may require the use of an independent party. Go through any elections. If new board members need to be elected at this year's AGM, you should hold those elections after the reports are delivered but before any general business has been addressed. Prepare the necessary materials in advance. Decide on the voting system before the meeting. Explain the system clearly before the votes are cast. A neutral party should count the votes. The minutes will need to show who was nominated, who proposed the nomination, and who seconded it. It should also list the number of votes each candidate had and who was elected for each position. Discuss general business. General business is usually the last matter discussed at an AGM. This is a time for attendees to bring up issues and concerns not otherwise covered. Since this part of the meeting is somewhat informal, you probably won't take any motions or votes during this time. Set a date for the next meeting. If you know the date and location of the next AGM, state it at the end of this meeting. Skip this step if no formal plans have been made yet. Close the meeting. When everything has been covered, declare the AGM closed. Post a greeter at the door. Appoint a member or two to stand at the door and greet people as they arrive. The use of greeters can make the atmosphere seem friendlier and more welcoming. Provide refreshments. At minimum, try to provide water for the attendees, especially if the meeting will be a lengthy one. Offering a variety of refreshments is a better option. Consider providing both cold drinks (water, iced tea, and lemonade/punch) and hot drinks (coffee and hot tea). Depending on the time of day, it may also be appropriate to offer light snacks like cheese and crackers. Invite a guest speaker. The guest speaker should talk on an unofficial issue of great importance to the members of your organization. Typically, the speaker will follow the presentation of general business but will come before the close of the actual meeting. If desired, though, you may ask the speaker to present after the official meeting closes. Offer prizes. A door prize can encourage attendance. Raffles can encourage both attendance and financial support. Consider hosting a 50/50 raffle in which half the proceeds go to the winner and half go to the organization. Gift basket raffles are another option. Consider making attendance a requirement for claiming prizes. Follow the meeting with a social. Encourage attendance by keeping the formal business part of the AGM as brief as possible. Follow it with a social where attendees can interact and enjoy themselves. If you have the budget, consider hosting a luncheon after the meeting ends. You can cut costs by making the luncheon a potluck. For organizations with lower budgets, an informal cocktail hour might be more realistic. Instead of providing refreshments during the meeting, wait until afterward and serve the snack food with a variety of non-alcoholic drinks and wine. | Review the organization's rules. Schedule the meeting early. Secure the venue. Prepare an agenda. Take the necessary time to prepare documents and reports. Communicate with members about leadership roles. Send the notice. Set up the space before the meeting. Take minutes. Welcome the attendees. Make any necessary apologies. Review the previous meeting minutes. Introduce any new matters. Review the reports. Go through any elections. Discuss general business. Set a date for the next meeting. Close the meeting. Post a greeter at the door. Provide refreshments. Invite a guest speaker. Offer prizes. Follow the meeting with a social. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Code-a-Video-Game | How to Code a Video Game | Coding a video game can seem like a huge task, but it's probably easier than you think. You'll need to choose a game engine, which is a program that lets you script events and characters without having to do it from scratch. If you're coding a simple mobile game, use MIT App Inventor or Game Salad. For professional 3D games on any platform, try Unity. If you want a drag-and-drop program with the option of coding as well, try the free version of GameMaker. | Learn about game engines. Most video games are made using a specialized engine that allows you to “script” events, characters, and so forth without having to code each one from scratch. Creating a full game engine from scratch can take years, so most independent developers use an existing engine. You'll only need to follow one of the following steps in this section, depending on how comfortable you are with programming and how much time you want to spend on the little details. Consider simple game-making software. These tools require very little programming knowledge, so they may not be for you if you're interested in the coding aspects of game-making. On the other hand, a simple dive-right-in approach could teach you a lot about your game, and let you tweak the higher-level concept before you move on to a larger prototype. Here are several free options: For mobile games, try MIT App Inventor or Game Salad For browser games, try Scratch, or the more serious version Snap! intended as an introductory programming tool For adventure games, use Visionaire. If you want a drag-and-drop program with the option to delve into coding as well, try the free version of GameMaker Try more professional development interfaces. This is a great option for getting your hands dirty, getting game-coding experience without having to start completely from scratch. Many professional independent game developers start at this level. While there are many engines and Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) available, the following are free and relatively easy to learn: For mobile games: ProjectAnarchy For 3D games on any platform: Unity For more advanced coders: LWJGL (based in Java), SFML (based in C++) Choose a tool for building your own engine. If you already have some programming knowledge and are dead set on building your own engine, here are a few places to get started. If this is your first attempt, you'll likely need tutorials ActionScript will let you make a Flash-based engine. This is a good place to start for intermediate programmers. Java is relatively simple to learn. You'll need a Java Development Kit (JDK), plus Eclipse or another Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for Java. If you're not sure how to get started. If you already know a programming language (especially a C language or Python), look for an IDE for that language. It should include a compiler and the ability to easily work on graphics, audio, and other code in the same project. Build your own engine. If you are up to the challenge and chose one of the advanced tools in the previous step, you will most likely need to find a tutorial, a help forum, or an experienced game developer for advice specific to your language. If you're not sure where to start or what to ask about, here are a few basic components you'll need to build early on: A client-side server, which interprets user input and processes the result. Make the input system responding correctly before you put serious work into graphics and gameplay. (Try researching "action listeners" if you're stuck.) AI for other characters, so they react to the user's actions. For a simpler project, just have the characters move and act in a set path. Ability to render graphics (put together and send instructions to the graphics card). A game loop that runs constantly while the game is executed. This should take user input, process it, process other game logic (such as enemy movement, background animation, and triggered events), calculate what needs to be drawn (displayed on screen), and send the information to the graphics card. Run this at least 30 times per second (30 fps) if your system can handle it. Nail down your concept first. Spend a good amount of time nailing down what your game is before you touch a line of code. What genre is it? Is it 2D or 3D? Does the player progress in the game by solving puzzles, following/creating the story, fighting enemies, and/or exploring? The more questions you answer and the more detail you give your ideas, the more time you'll save in the long run. If you decide to make a major change after you've already started coding, the change can take many times longer to implement. Pare this down to something way, way simpler than your original idea. A small prototype that explores how your game works and gives a couple levels to play is an excellent start. Once it's finished, you can use it as a foundation to expand into a full game, or incorporate what you learned into a new project. Work on the steps below in any order. At this point, there are weeks or months of hard but rewarding work ahead of you. While a team of people will generally divide up the tasks below and work on them simultaneously, an individual will have to decide which task is easiest to start with or most important at each stage. Read through all the steps below and start on the task that appeals to you most. Gather or create art assets. Unless you're making at text-base game, you'll need 2D images, and possibly 3D models and textures (patterns you apply to the models). Music and sound effects you can delay until a bit later in the process, but they are highly recommended if you plan to publish your game. Simple icons, user interface, and fonts are lowest-priority when your game is young, but a little effort here can greatly improve the player experience. There are many places to find free or cheap art assets online. Try this list at makeschool.com. Hiring an artist will make a big difference. If you can't afford to, gather the assets yourself and show the result to artistic friends or post it to game development or art forums online for advice. Work on story or progress arc design. Much of this will be written as planning documents outside the game code itself, although a story-based game may need to include branching dialogue trees. Even a game without a traditional story should have a sense of progression that you need to plan around. A platformer could involve a series of movement and weapon upgrades, while a puzzle game might add more features as it ramps up the complexity and difficulty of the puzzles. Work on level design. Start with a small, simple level or area. Focus on constructing the path the player takes through the level, then add side paths (optional), more detailed graphics, and tweak the difficulty (such as by adjusting platform heights or moving enemies around). Use light sources and item drops to guide the player to the next spot in the area. Use shadows to discourage players from entering dead-ends or awkward paths, and use enemies for both purposes (depending on how the game teaches you to bypass enemies). A well-designed area makes the player feel like he is making his own decisions or exploring, but guides him along the most straightforward route using subtle clues. Tweak and optimize the graphics. This is not necessary if you are using simple game-making software. If you are willing to delve into the deeper end of graphics systems, you can start by creating shaders and particle effects, or going through the graphics code and removing tasks that are unnecessary for your game. Because graphics are almost always the choke point that determines processing speed, even a 2D game usually goes through significant optimization tweaks and rewrites in order to minimize the burden on the graphics card and processor. Get feedback from playtesters. Once you have a simple level or a prototype of gameplay, have your friends play the game and offer feedback. Find out what people think is fun, and what frustrates them. Later on in the process, when the game is more polished, feedback from strangers or acquaintances can be an excellent source of honest advice, as they are less invested in your success or encouraging you. Players are not trained to offer feedback from a developer's perspective. If players dislike an aspect of the game, there's usually something about it that could be improved... but the specific suggestions the players make are often not useful. Ask them very specific questions to discover the exact features that bother them. | Learn about game engines. Consider simple game-making software. Try more professional development interfaces. Choose a tool for building your own engine. Build your own engine. Nail down your concept first. Work on the steps below in any order. Gather or create art assets. Work on story or progress arc design. Work on level design. Tweak and optimize the graphics. Get feedback from playtesters. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Reduce-Hemorrhoid-Pain | How to Reduce Hemorrhoid Pain | To reduce hemorrhoid pain, try soaking in a tub of warm water with Epsom salts to ease your discomfort. If you don't have time to make a bath, you can also apply a warm, wet, cotton washcloth to the area a few times a day to relieve pain. As your hemorrhoids heal, consider taking an over-the-counter stool softener, which will make your bowel movements less painful. You should also avoid straining when you do go to the bathroom, which can make your hemorrhoids worse. Instead, try the “breathe push” method by sitting up straight, taking a big, deep breath, and slowly exhaling to gently push out the stool. If your hemorrhoids don't go away in a week, or if they get worse, make sure to see your doctor for treatment. | Take pain relievers to reduce your swelling and irritation. You can take 200- or 300-milligram tablets of acetaminophen or ibuprofen for your hemorrhoids. Only take 1 dose at a time and wait about 30 minutes to feel relief. If you still have pain 4–6 hours later, it's okay for you to take another pain reliever. Avoid taking more than 3–4 doses within 24 hours since it may cause liver problems. Painkillers that contain codeine can cause constipation, so be sure not to use them. Apply witch hazel ointment to your hemorrhoids to relieve swelling. Squeeze a fingertip-sized amount of the ointment onto your finger or a cotton applicator pad. Gently rub the ointment onto your hemorrhoids to start feeling instant relief. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water immediately after you apply the cream so you don't spread any bacteria. Use your ointment up to 4 times daily for 1 week to see if it shrinks your hemorrhoids. Wear disposable gloves while applying your ointment if you have them so you stay sanitary. You may also find pads pre-soaked in witch hazel so it's easier to wipe your hemorrhoids without touching them directly. Witch hazel contains natural anti-inflammatories and antioxidants, which means it will bring down your swelling and reduce your pain. Moisten your toilet paper before you use it. Use cold water from your bathroom sink to lightly wet your toilet paper right before you wipe. Be careful not to get the toilet paper too wet, or else it will rip or fall apart. The cool water will help soothe your pain so it doesn't hurt as much. You can also use baby wipes, but don't flush them down your toilet since they could clog your pipes. Throw them in a trash can instead and take out your trash every few days to avoid odors. Don't apply a lot of pressure while you're wiping since you could cause more irritation. Hold ice against your hemorrhoids to treat discomfort. Fill a plastic sandwich bag with ice and wrap a towel around it. You can use the ice over your clothes or put the towel directly against your skin. Keep the ice there for up to 15–20 minutes at a time to bring down your swelling and ease your discomfort. Don't put the ice directly against your skin or leave it on for longer than 20 minutes since it could damage your nerves. If you place the towel and ice on your skin rather than over your clothes, be sure to wash it after each time you use it. Soak in a shallow bath to help relieve your pain. Fill your tub with at least 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) of the warmest water you can tolerate. Sit down in the bath so your hemorrhoids are completely submerged, but don't put any pressure on them. Keep soaking for 15–20 minutes at a time before getting out and patting yourself dry. You can do this as many times as you want throughout the day. The heat from the water will help reduce your swelling so your hemorrhoids don't feel as painful. You can also buy a sitz bath that fits inside your toilet seat so it's easy to drain and clean. Just fill it with water from your tub before putting it on your toilet. When you're finished, just pour the water into your toilet and disinfect the sitz bath with an all-purpose cleaner. Rub an Epsom salt and glycerin solution on your hemorrhoids to treat pain. Combine 2 tablespoons (30 g) of Epsom salt with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of glycerin until they're thoroughly combined. Put the mixture on a gauze applicator pad and place it against your hemorrhoid. Leave the pad in place for 15–20 minutes to help you get rid of your pain. Throw the pad out immediately when you're finished using it and wash your hands with soap. You can do this once every 4–6 hours to get relief throughout the day. You can buy glycerin at your local pharmacy. Epsom salt contains magnesium, which helps reduce redness and swelling. Don’t strain while going to the bathroom. Going to the bathroom should be an easy task, and forcing yourself can make your hemorrhoids feel worse or even cause them. Lean forward so your elbows are on your knees and keep your spine straight. If you can, use a squatting position so your knees are higher than your hips to make it easier for you to go. Try to go to the bathroom as soon as you feel the urge since it may be more difficult if you wait. Eat foods that are high in fiber. Avoid foods that have refined sugars since they aren't as nutritious as complex carbs. Opt for foods like whole-wheat bread and pasta, brown rice, broccoli, peas, apples, and bananas. Aim to have between 20–40 grams of fiber daily so you don't get constipated. For example, 1 slice of whole-wheat bread has 2 grams of fiber, 1 cup (150 g) of peas has 9 grams, and a medium-sized apple has 4.5 grams. Other foods that contain good sources of fiber include spinach, cauliflower, beans, granola, and almonds. Avoid eating processed or greasy foods. Processed foods don't contain as many nutrients and are harder to digest, which means it may put more strain on your body. Try to cut fast food and processed snacks from your diet as much as possible. Instead, opt for a piece of fruit or an organic granola bar to get nutrients and fiber. Bake, grill, or pan-sear your meals so they aren't as greasy or oily. Drink 8 glasses of water throughout the day. Water combines with the fiber and waste in your digestive system and helps soften your stool. Aim to have 8 glasses of water during the day that are each around 8 fluid ounces (240 ml) each. Try incorporating 100% fruit juice, decaf tea, or low-fat milk to help you stay hydrated. However, stay away from soda and other sugary beverages since they can dehydrate and constipate you. Cut back on alcoholic and caffeinated beverages. Alcohol and caffeine can stress out your body and make your hemorrhoids feel more painful. Try to cut out coffee, soda, and any alcohol you drink while you have hemorrhoids so they don't flare up with pain. Once your hemorrhoids go away, you can reintroduce them back to your diet. Exercise for 30 minutes 4–5 times a week so you don’t get constipated. Set aside time in your schedule where you can get active so your body stays healthy. Try a variety of workouts, such as biking, jogging, swimming, or lifting weights, to exercise your entire body. As you work out, your body will digest food better to get more nutrients, which will make it easier for you to use the bathroom. Try using a stool softener so it’s easier for you to go. Choose a stool softener or fiber supplement containing psyllium or methylcellulose to get the best effects. Take 1 dose of the stool softener daily to help prevent constipation and make you feel more comfortable when you're using the bathroom. Only use stool softeners for up to 7 days. Avoid using stool softeners if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Insert a rectal suppository to soothe hemorrhoid pain and constipation. Suppositories are laxatives that help soften your stool so you don't feel as much pain when you use the bathroom. Wet the pointed end of the suppository with cold water or the lubricant provided in the package. Lie on your left side and bring your left leg up to your chest so it makes a 90-degree angle. Slowly push the suppository into your anus as deep as your finger and stay still for about 5 minutes. Slowly pull out your finger and wash your hands thoroughly with soap. Suppositories usually work within 15–60 minutes. Don't use suppositories if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Avoid taking a rectal suppository by mouth since it will not be effective. Get medical attention for any pain or discomfort in your anus. While hemorrhoids often cause pain and discomfort, there may be other causes for your pain, such as anal fissures, infections, constipation, or a fistula. Contact your doctor to let them know about your symptoms and how long you've been experiencing them. They may perform a rectal exam to confirm if you have hemorrhoids or not. Sometimes a blood vessel in your anus can rupture and form a clot, causing severe pain and swelling. You may need medical treatment to deal with this type of hemorrhoid. Call your doctor right away if you experience rectal bleeding. If you see bright red blood on your toilet paper or in the toilet, make an appointment to get an exam from your doctor. You should also contact your doctor if your stool looks black or has the appearance of coffee grounds. While rectal bleeding is a common symptom of hemorrhoids, it may also signal that you have a more serious condition, such as anal fissures or bowel disease. It's especially important to get rectal bleeding evaluated if you're over 40 or have other symptoms, such as changes in the color or consistency of your bowel movements since it could potentially be a sign of rectal or colon cancer. Call emergency services or go to the emergency room if you have bleeding that won't stop and if you feel dizzy or faint. Go to the doctor for hemorrhoids that don’t improve within a week. If you've been using home treatments on your hemorrhoids for 7 days and they haven't improved, schedule an appointment with your doctor. They will check for any serious complications or underlying problems before recommending treatment. If you get a high fever or your hemorrhoid leaks pus, contact your doctor immediately since you may have a more serious infection. Discuss surgery if home remedies aren’t working. If home treatment isn't helping or if your hemorrhoids are internal or severe, ask your doctor if they think surgery would work for you. They may inject hemorrhoids to shrink them, cauterize them, or remove them completely if they're large. Some hemorrhoid surgery methods do not require any cutting. Sometimes hemorrhoids can be dealt with using a simple procedure, such as shrinking them with a laser. | Take pain relievers to reduce your swelling and irritation. Apply witch hazel ointment to your hemorrhoids to relieve swelling. Moisten your toilet paper before you use it. Hold ice against your hemorrhoids to treat discomfort. Soak in a shallow bath to help relieve your pain. Rub an Epsom salt and glycerin solution on your hemorrhoids to treat pain. Don’t strain while going to the bathroom. Eat foods that are high in fiber. Avoid eating processed or greasy foods. Drink 8 glasses of water throughout the day. Cut back on alcoholic and caffeinated beverages. Exercise for 30 minutes 4–5 times a week so you don’t get constipated. Try using a stool softener so it’s easier for you to go. Insert a rectal suppository to soothe hemorrhoid pain and constipation. Get medical attention for any pain or discomfort in your anus. Call your doctor right away if you experience rectal bleeding. Go to the doctor for hemorrhoids that don’t improve within a week. Discuss surgery if home remedies aren’t working. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Poem-About-Nature | How to Write a Poem About Nature | If you want to write a poem about nature, try to spend as much time as you can outside to get inspiration from the sights, sounds, and smells of nature. While you're out, write down your observations and try to connect those observations to your own life or your feelings. When you feel ready to write a poem, look through your observations and pick out a theme you can base your writing on. For example, maybe you used to go on long walks with your grandma and nature is causing you to reflect on your childhood. Once you have a theme, write a rough draft using concrete words and images. If you want to rhyme or write in a form, you can, but writing freeform is the easiest way to get your thoughts out. When your draft is finished, revise it until it accurately represents your feelings. | Read some existing nature poetry. Great writers read extensively. Reading nature poetry that's already been published by successful poets can give you ideas, inspiration, and can open your eyes to what's possible in a nature poem. A good place to find nature poetry is the Academy of American Poets website. You can search for poets, or use the website's filter to find all works categorized as nature poems. Search for poems by poets known for their nature-based works. Gary Snyder, for example, is an American poet who's been writing about nature for much of his life. Romantic poets such as Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, and John Keats are also known to include nature in their poetry. Check your library for published books of nature poetry, anthologies, and nature-themed literary journals. Spend time in nature. If you're interested in writing a poem about nature, the best way to start is by going out into nature. Whether you go for a short walk, a long camping trip, or anything in between, getting outdoors will help you find inspiration and imagery. In contemporary times, nature takes many forms. You don't have to go out to the countryside or deep in a forest to find inspiration - try visiting an urban park if you can't get into the wilderness. Consider seeking inspiration where the natural world meets the pavement. Even remote forests wouldn't be accessible without roads to lead you there - perhaps you can find something inspiring in that transitional zone. Write your observations. When you're out in nature (however you define it), you should begin to feel inspired or creative as you take in your surroundings. It's okay if it doesn't come to you right away - you can always analyze your thoughts/feelings later. As you observe the natural world around you, begin by noticing what you see, hear, smell, and feel. Next, try to draw associations from the things you're observing. What do your observations remind you of in your own life? Why do you notice the things you do in nature? You can take another step back and consider where you first learned to interact with nature. Don't worry about producing poetry yet. Just try to notice things in nature, write down your initial observations, and work out your own understanding of those observations. Use your imagination. Poetry is, of course, often image-heavy. You may have a lot of image-based observations that you've written while spending time in nature, but how do you turn those into actual lines of poetry? One of the easiest ways to start is with your imagination and your initial observations. Read through the list of observations you compiled. Try to visualize different images that come to mind when you reflect on each observation. Your images don't have to be directly tied to what you've seen/heard in nature. It can be any association your mind makes. Write down a description of those images/associations. Find a theme. Before you begin to actually compose a poem, you'll want to think about what your poem will actually be about. Obviously it will involve nature, but in what way? Why are you in nature, and what are you taking away from it? Perhaps your trip into nature allowed you to reflect on things going on in your life, or maybe you remembered going for long walks with a deceased relative when you were younger. Whatever you think your nature experience is "about," write it down and try to elaborate on it as much as possible. Theme can be thought of as a combination of an idea and an opinion on that idea. Revisit your observations, and read through the images/associations you expanded on. What about your experience stands out to you the most? What does all of it mean to you? Does being in nature make you think about life? Death? Lost loved ones? Current events, either in your own life or in politics/society/culture? Ultimately, the theme you decide on will influence not only what you write about, but how you write it as well. Build off of your chosen theme. Once you have your theme in mind, it may be helpful to build off of it so you have some related ideas to expand on in your poem. If nothing else, building off of your chosen theme may at least give you a bank of words/phrases to draw from that can help enrich your final piece of writing. Try making a list with three columns: sense, object, and thought. Think about what you observed in nature through the lens of your chosen theme. How do your other observations/thoughts/descriptions relate to your theme? Choose the most descriptive, the most image-filled, or the most emotionally powerful words/phrases/lines you come up with, and set them aside as possible material. Decide if you want your poem to rhyme or not. Poetry does not have to rhyme, but rhyming can add an almost musical quality to the words that you write. Rhyming can also help you to emphasize certain words and ideas in your poem. Think about whether or not you would like your poem to rhyme and where you might place rhyming words in your poem. Keep in mind that it is possible to rhyme too much as well, which can make a poem start to sound a bit like a nursery-rhyme. Experiment with rhyming to see what you like and remember that you can always revise to include more or less rhyming words. Rhyming can also narrow your choice of words as well. For example, it is much easier to find a rhyming word for “tree” or “flower” than to find a word that rhymes with “chlorophyll” or “chrysanthemum.” Choose a form. There are many different poetic forms. You can also choose to write in free-form, meaning there are no "rules" to follow for line length, structure, or arrangement. There is no single right or wrong way of writing a poem, and which form you choose will likely depend on your style as well as what you hope to accomplish with your poem. Some common poetic forms include: Haiku - consists of three lines. The first line contains five syllables, the second line has seven syllables, and the third has five syllables. Tanka - consists of five lines. The first three lines follow the structure of a haiku (five/seven/five), and the last two lines each have seven syllables. Lantern - a loosely-written poem meant to imitate the visual shape of a Japanese lantern. Couplet - consists of two lines that rhyme with one another. A couplet is not usually considered a poetic type, but it can be part of a poetic type. Quatrain - consists of four lines with a specific rhyme pattern. The rhyme pattern is usually one of four possible patterns: AABB (first two lines rhyme, last two lines rhyme), ABAB (first and third lines rhyme, second and fourth lines rhyme), ABBA (first and fourth lines rhyme, second and third lines rhyme), or ABCB (first three lines are all unrhymed, fourth line rhymes with the second line). Quatrains are also not poetic types, but they are often used to create a specific type of poem. Write a rough draft. If you've chosen a form to work with, your draft should incorporate the images, descriptions, and memories you've compiled into the prescribed structure of that form. If you are writing a free-form poem, you do not have to worry about the structural "rules" of form and can experiment as you create. Choose concrete words instead of abstract ones. This will make your poem stronger and more rooted in imagery, rather than in vague concepts or ideas. Don't worry about rhyming any lines unless you've chosen to work with a poetic form that requires a rhyme scheme. Rhyming in contemporary poetry is often seen as stuffy or old fashioned, and without proper understanding of stress/emphasis a rhymed poem could be sloppy. If you're interested in working within poetic forms, try experimenting with different forms until you find one that works best for your theme and imagery. Incorporate simile and metaphor. Simile and metaphor are often what makes a poem's verses poetic. They often use concrete words to describe abstract comparisons, like saying "His eyes were an inferno" to describe someone's expression of anger. Similes are comparisons that use "like" or "as". For example, the phrase, "He's curious as a cat," uses the word "as" to compare a person's curiosity to that of a cat. Metaphors are comparisons that do not use "like" or "as", effectively pretending (for literary effect) that one thing is actually something else. For example, "Her love is a flower" compares a person's love with a beautiful but delicate flower. Find and improve clichés. Clichés can be thought of as dull or overused word choices and literary elements. They may have come easily as you wrote your first draft, but a cliché can quickly turn readers off to your work. Rather than saying something in a way that's tired and played out, try to come up with an original way to say what your cliché is supposed to convey. Even if it's a bit confusing or nonsensical, it will surprise and captivate a reader, rather than make readers roll their eyes. Look for any instances of cliché. Try to figure out what you were trying to say with your cliché. Describe what your cliché is trying to describe in your own original words. Re-write the cliché in a descriptive and original way. Revise your poem. Every writer knows that revision is an important part of the writing process, and poetry is no different. Revision doesn't just mean correcting typos (although you should do that as well). Some useful strategies for revision include : cutting away prepositions, adjectives, adverbs, and any lines that explain needlessly playing with where you place line breaks (the end/beginning of a line) within your poem reading your poem out loud and thinking about the way your poem sounds (not just rhymes, if you incorporated rhyme, but also the way words sound together) rearranging lines for emphasis, sound placement, and image placement | Read some existing nature poetry. Spend time in nature. Write your observations. Use your imagination. Find a theme. Build off of your chosen theme. Decide if you want your poem to rhyme or not. Choose a form. Write a rough draft. Incorporate simile and metaphor. Find and improve clichés. Revise your poem. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Overcome-Short-Term-Memory-Loss | How to Overcome Short Term Memory Loss | To overcome short term memory loss, keep your brain sharp using crossword puzzles, musical instruments, and new routes to work. It may also help to socialize more often, since socializing reduces stress and depression and therefore improves short term memory. If that isn't enough, try chewing gum while you learn since scientists have proven that it makes learning easier. | Keep your brain sharp. The connections in your brain that create short-term memory can be strengthened if you keep mentally active. Things like doing crossword puzzles, playing a musical instrument, or even learning new routes between home and work can help with brain activity. Try a crossword once or day, either in the morning or in the evening. If you don't already know a musical instrument, consider taking lessons. If you already play (or sing) set aside a half hour or so a day to practice. Socialize more often. Depression and stress can both contribute to short-term memory loss. By spending more time with your friends or family, you can ward off stress and depression, and therefore improve your short-term memory. Something as simple as a regular phone call, or meeting for lunch for can help with short-term memory loss. Get focused. If you find that you have a hard time remembering what you read, or what you've studied, try to limit the number of distractions around you. Pick a quiet space to work in. Turn your phone's notifications off, or turn your phone on silent. The less distracted you are as you work, the more likely you are to improve your short-term memory. Chew gum while you learn. Scientists aren't sure why, but chewing gum while learning can increase activity in the area of the brain responsible for memory. While you're studying or working on an important project, chew a piece of gum. It could improve your ability to retain what you've learned! Make sure that you chew the same flavor of gum each time you study. When taking the exam, ask your teacher if you can chew gum. Use the same flavor. Doodle while you listen. If you're worried about your ability to retain what someone says to you, try doodling while they talk! Doodling can actually help you focus on just two things – what you're drawing and what someone else is saying. Just make sure you warn the person you're speaking to that you'll be doodling. For example, you can say something like “I find that doodling while I speak to someone helps me remember what we said later. Do you mind if I doodle while we chat?” You can doodle in meetings, too, just make sure you're being polite. Get enough sleep. Our brains create new connections – some of them related to memory – while we sleep. Getting enough sleep can therefore help you overcome some short-term memory loss. You should get at least 8 hours every night, and you should try to go to sleep and get up at the same time every day. Make sure you avoid any sort of stimulants - like caffeine - 30 minutes before bedtime. These can keep you awake. Don't eat fatty, spicy, or heavy food before you sleep. They can cause heartburn, which can either keep you awake or wake you up. Avoid those types of food 2 to 3 hours before bed. Avoid using electronics in bed. The light that comes from the screens of phones, tablets, and laptops can make your brain think it's daytime, which can keep you awake. Stay active. Being physically active contributes your body's overall health. And if you're generally healthy, your memory can improve. You should get 30 minutes of activity each day, whether that's walking, going for a run, or taking an exercise class. If you can't get up and exercise for whatever reason, consider stationary exercises. Eat a healthy diet. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are as good for your brain as they are for your body. Add some low-fat protein, like chicken, and plenty of water to your diet, too. You might find that the cleaner you eat, the clearer your memory is. For breakfast, try a bowl of mixed fruit and a hard-boiled egg or two. You can also have coffee or tea, but don't put too much creamer in either. A sandwich with lots of veggies and lean protein like sliced chicken or turkey, on whole wheat bread, is a great lunch idea. So is a salad. For dinner, try grilled or baked chicken or fish, and a heaping side of vegetables. Manage health conditions. There are plenty of health conditions that can affect your short-term memory, including depression, high blood pressure, and thyroid problems. Make sure you take the medication you're supposed to, since untreated health conditions can contribute to short-term memory loss. If you are taking your medicine regularly and you start to notice changes in your short-term memory, talk to your doctor. Some medications can interfere with your memory, and how you react to them might change over time. Meditate. Learning how to meditate means learning how to ignore everyday distractions. People who mediate often find that even when they're not meditating, they're able to focus better. Give yourself 10 minutes a day to sit in a quiet room and meditate. You can learn to meditate in a lot of different ways. There are smartphone apps that lead you through meditations. There are also lots of YouTube videos that do the same. Talk to your doctor if you’re worried. If you find that your short-term memory loss interferes with your ability to live your daily life, see your doctor. Short-term memory loss can indicate other serious health issues, and your doctor can help identify and treat them. Write everything down. If you have a hard time remembering appointments or your to-do list, write them down! Use one thing to track everything go on in your life, whether it's a calendar app, a paper planner, or just a plain notebook. Refer to it often and check things off as you complete them. If this is a digital notebook or app, having a backup copy somewhere would be a very good idea. Make sure everything has its own place. If you find you can't remember where you left objects you need every day, assign a place for them. When you first assign everything its place, write them down. That way you'll have a list you can refer to until you get accustomed to where everything is. For example, you could: Install a hook by the door for your keys. Always leave your cell phone and wallet on your desk. Keep your checkbook in a drawer in the kitchen. Stick to a routine. Everyone has things they need to do every day. Turn yours into a routine, where you do your daily tasks in the same order, at the same time, every single day. Eventually, the routine will become second nature and you won't have to worry about forgetting to do something. While you're getting used to your routine, schedule it in a planner or notebook every day. Note what time you'll get up, make coffee, brush your teeth, make dinner, clean dishes, and get ready for bed. Ask people to repeat themselves. Short-term memory loss might make you feel embarrassed, but most people won't mind repeating themselves if you ask. This way, you know that you won't have to remember things, and some of the pressure will be taken off of you. You can say something like, “please forgive me if I've already asked you this. But would you mind reminding me where the room is for the conference?” Use mnemonics. This is a great tool for everybody to master, not just for people who suffer from short-term memory loss. Mnemonics is the technique of attaching a word, phrase, or image to an object. This skill can be very powerful, and the memorization will stick in your brain like super glue. Perhaps you've never heard of mnemonics, but ask yourself: "Self, how many days are in September?" Chances are, the first thing that popped into your mind was "30 days hath September." If you meet a woman named Zoe, rhyme a feature on her face with her name. It doesn't even have to make sense. "Zoe, eyes aglow-y," for example. Make yourself laugh with your mnemonic. Make your memory aid a rude limerick, as in "The new boss's name is Vig Ronson, who's rumored to have a...," etc. (Fill in the blanks—–it's good for your memory!) Try "chunking" information. If you need to memorize something important and you're finding it difficult to do so, separate the information into smaller groups. Try this technique with grocery lists, birthdays, names or other things you want to remember. The most common example of chunking is phone numbers––instead of trying to remember one 10-digit number, most people find it easier to remember two 3-digit numbers and one 4-digit number, like 123-456-7890. | Keep your brain sharp. Socialize more often. Get focused. Chew gum while you learn. Doodle while you listen. Get enough sleep. Stay active. Eat a healthy diet. Manage health conditions. Meditate. Talk to your doctor if you’re worried. Write everything down. Make sure everything has its own place. Stick to a routine. Ask people to repeat themselves. Use mnemonics. Try "chunking" information. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Wood-Signs | How to Make Wood Signs | To make a wooden sign, start by purchasing a block of wood from a craft or hardware store and cleaning it with soap and water. Once the wood is completely dry, use a hand or electric saw to cut it to the size and shape you want your sign to be. Then, sand the entire wooden block in a circular motion with 220-grit sandpaper until all the sides are smooth and even. After brushing off all the sandpaper dust, use a paintbrush to apply a coat of wood primer. Let the primer dry, then brush on a coat of wood stain or any color paint you like. Finish by using a stencil and spray paint to add letters or designs to your sign. | Purchase a block of wood from a hardware or craft store. Choose a piece of wood with the approximate size or shape of your intended sign. If you can't find a block in the right size, choose a piece that is slight larger, as you can always cut it to size later. Soft wood like pine, beech, or spruce generally makes for good wooden signs. Some large businesses also discard their wood from pallets or boxes when they're done using them. Contact businesses in your area and ask if they have extra lumber to get wood for free. Clean the wood with soap and water. Mix dish soap and water in a bucket at a ratio of 2 tablespoons (30 mL) to 1 US gal (3.8 L), and dip a washcloth in the solution. Scrub the entire surface of the wood block with the washcloth, focusing on particularly dirty or dusty areas. If you just bought the wood from a store and it looks clean, you may not need to wash it. Towel or air dry the wood afterward to prevent it from growing mold or mildew. Cut the wood block to size, if needed. If your wood block is too large, measure the dimensions you want on the wood and apply painter's tape along the lines that you to cut. Then, secure the wood block to a flat surface with clamps and cut along the tape's line with a hand or electric saw. Wear goggles and earplugs while cutting with saws, and work carefully to prevent injuries or uneven lines. The tape prevents the wood edges from splintering while you cut it. Sand the wood block. Press a 220-grit sandpaper block on the the wood block and rub it in circular motions. Rub the wood block from one end to the other until the entire block is smooth to the touch. After sanding the wood block, brush it with a dry washcloth to get rid of any sandpaper dust. Apply a wood primer to the sign's surface. Dip a bristle brush in the wood primer and spread it along the wood's surface in long, even strokes. After applying the coat, wipe off any excess primer with a washcloth and let it dry for an hour. Priming the wood helps the paint or wood stain achieve a smoother, more uniform texture. You can buy wood primer from most hardware or craft stores. Paint the wood surface if you want bold, solid colors. Dip a bristle brush in the paint and apply it to the wood's surface in long, even strokes. Let the first coat dry for about 30-60 minutes, then add additional coats if desired for a brighter color. Latex or water-based paint is ideal for painting wood signs. You can buy it from most craft or hardware stores. Depending on your design preferences, you can paint the entire wood block or just the front. Apply a wood stain for a more rustic look. Dip a washcloth or bristle brush in the wood stain and use long strokes to coat the entire surface. After staining the surface, dab off excess puddles of wood stain with a dry washcloth. If the stain isn't dark enough, apply 2-3 more coats of wood stain after letting it dry for 30-60 minutes. Add a wood sealant to protect outdoor signs. Dip a bristle brush in the wood sealant and brush it into the wood along the grain. After coating the surface in the sealant, leave the wood sign undisturbed overnight to let the sealant cure. Oil- or water-based polyurethane stains are usually best for wood signs. You can buy wood sealants from craft or hardware stores as well as online. Spray paint the design on using a stencil. Trace the outline of the letters or design onto paper or vinyl, and use scissors to cut out the outline. Tape the paper or vinyl to the wood sign and apply the spray paint about 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) away from the surface. If you cut the stencil out of vinyl, remove the backing before Apply decal stickers for a sleek, smooth surface. Remove the backing from the decal stickers and carefully lay them over your wood sign's surface. Smooth out any bubbles, as well as folded or uneven areas, with your fingers after rolling on the sticker. You can make your own decal stickers or contact a graphic design business to purchase vinyl stickers. Trace the design onto the wood sign with paint. Using a pencil, draw the outline of the design onto the wood. Then, dip a bristle brush in the paint and trace over the outline as neatly as possible, working slowly to prevent any mistakes. Use a small bristle brush to trace tinier, more intricate designs without smudging the block. This generally results in a less even design than stencil or vinyl options. Draw the design using a felt-tipped marker or paint pen. Apply a thin coat of craft glue over the wood's surface where you want to draw the design, and wait for it to dry for about an hour. Then, make the design using a permanent felt-tipped marker or a paint pen, working slowly to prevent mistakes while you work. The glue prevents the marker or paint pen from bleeding into the wood while you're drawing the design. Trace the outline of the letters first with a pencil for more even lines. Add an extra layer of wood sealant to protect your design from wear. After applying or drawing the design, dip a bristle brush in wood sealant and apply it to the sign along the grain. Leave the wood sign undisturbed overnight (at least 12 hours) to let the sealant cure. Wood sealant will prevent the paint, vinyl, or marker from fading or flaking off over time. Apply the extra layer over the design even if you've already applied sealant over a wood stain or paint coat. | Purchase a block of wood from a hardware or craft store. Clean the wood with soap and water. Cut the wood block to size, if needed. Sand the wood block. Apply a wood primer to the sign's surface. Paint the wood surface if you want bold, solid colors. Apply a wood stain for a more rustic look. Add a wood sealant to protect outdoor signs. Spray paint the design on using a stencil. Apply decal stickers for a sleek, smooth surface. Trace the design onto the wood sign with paint. Draw the design using a felt-tipped marker or paint pen. Add an extra layer of wood sealant to protect your design from wear. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Ramen-Noodles | How to Cook Ramen Noodles | If you want to cook ramen noodles, bring water to a boil and add the seasoning packet that came with your ramen. After the broth has cooked for 1 minute to let the seasoning dissolve, add the noodles and cook them for 2 minutes. Once you've removed the noodles from the pan, rinse them under cold water or fan dry them to stop the cooking process. To finish, return the noodles to the broth, add your toppings, like an egg or vegetables, and serve in a bowl. | Bring the water to a boil. Pour 2 ⁄ 2 cups (590 mL) of water into a saucepan. Place the saucepan on the stove and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Stir in the soup base. Tear open the seasoning packet that came with your ramen. Pour the contents into the boiling water and give it a stir. Allow the broth to cook for 1 minute. This ensures that the powder dissolves completely and that the water is hot enough for the next step. Add in the noodles. Gently press down on the noodles with a chopstick or a wooden spoon so that they sink into the water. You may have to hold them down for a little bit. Do not break the noodles in half or stir them. They will separate on their own. You can also cook the noodles separately in a pot of boiling water. Cook the noodles for about 2 minutes. Once they start to break apart, pull them out of the broth using a pair of chopsticks or tongs. You can also pour the broth into a serving bowl through a strainer. Fan the noodles. This will help stop the cooking process and prevent them from turning limp and soggy. You can use a hand-held fan, a little electric fan, or even a stiff piece of paper or a folder. Another alternative would be to rinse the noodles under cold water. Add the noodles back to the broth. At this point, you can add some tasty toppings, such as an egg, meat, or vegetables. Some toppings should be added at the last minute, after you've already poured the ramen into a serving bowl. Serve the ramen. Pour the ramen into a large, deep bowl. If you added a pouched or fried egg into the pot, consider scooping it out with a soup ladle, then placing it back on top of the ramen, after it's already in the bowl. At this point, you can also add other toppings, such as cooked meat. Add extra flavor with sauces and condiments. If the sauce or condiment is very salty, it might be a good idea to use less of the seasoning in the packet. This will help keep the ramen from turning out too salty. Listed below are some tasty options that you could try: Fish sauce Japanese curry powder Ponzu Miso paste Thai curry paste Add extra flavor with spices, oils, and other seasonings. This is a great option if fish sauce and curry powder or paste aren't your thing. Here are some ideas to get you started: Citrus juices, such as a squeeze of lemon or lime. Add these just before serving. Oils such as: animal fat, chili oil, or sesame oil. Spices such as: chili flakes, coriander seeds, or white pepper. You will need to remove the seeds prior to serving, however. Toss in some vegetables for a healthier meal. You can add delicate and quick cooking vegetables just before serving the ramen. You can also add sturdier, long cooking vegetables to the noodles as you cook them. Here are some more tasty options: For quick cooking vegetables, try: baby spinach, bean sprouts, scallions, or watercress. For long cooking vegetables, try: broccoli, snap peas, snow peas, or shredded carrots. No fresh vegetables? Try frozen ones instead! Be sure to thaw them under running hot water for about 30 seconds first. Give your ramen bowl extra protein with an egg. Ramen is full of sodium, starch, and fat, which isn't very healthy. You can make your meal a little more nutritious with an egg, which is packed with protein. Soft boiled and hard boiled eggs sliced in half are the most popular, but you can use other types as well. Here are some options for you to try: Hard boil an egg in cold water. Peel it, slice it in half, then add it on top of the ramen, just before serving. Soft boil an egg after the water has already started to boil. Cook it for 3 to 7 minutes, then peel it, slice it in half, then add it to the ramen just before serving. Try an egg-drop instead. After the noodles and broth have cooked, give them a stir. Pour a lightly-beaten egg into the pot while the broth and noodles are still moving. Poach an egg right on top of the noodles. Let the egg boil for 30 seconds. Turn off the stove, cover the pot with a lid, and wait 30 more seconds. Add a fried egg on top. You will need to fry the egg and cook the ramen separately. Slide the fried egg right on top of the ramen before you serve it. Add more protein with meat. Thinly sliced meats are the most popular, but you can also use chicken breast, flank steak, or pork tenderloin. Cook them in the broth while the noodles are simmering in their own pot. Take the meat out of the broth, add the noodles, then drop the meat back on top. Keep the meat to a minimum. You want to focus on the ramen noodles and broth itself. Thinly sliced pork belly or shoulder are the most popular and authentic. Try other authentic toppings. For most of these, you will need to go to a supermarket specializing in Asian produce. You might also be able to find some of these in the Asian foods section of your local supermarket. Here are some tasty options for you to try: Fish cakes Sliced daikon, lotus root, or shitake mushrooms Shredded nori Menma-fermented bamboo shoots. Finished. | Bring the water to a boil. Stir in the soup base. Allow the broth to cook for 1 minute. Add in the noodles. Cook the noodles for about 2 minutes. Fan the noodles. Add the noodles back to the broth. Serve the ramen. Add extra flavor with sauces and condiments. Add extra flavor with spices, oils, and other seasonings. Toss in some vegetables for a healthier meal. Give your ramen bowl extra protein with an egg. Add more protein with meat. Try other authentic toppings. Finished. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Introduce-an-Older-Cat-to-a-New-Dog | How to Introduce an Older Cat to a New Dog | To introduce an older cat to a new dog, start by keeping them in separate spaces in your home so they don't have direct contact. Next, switch their sleeping blankets so they can get used to each other's scent. Then, begin feeding them at the same time, but on separate sides of the same door, so they can sense and smell each other. Finally, put your dog on a leash and let them meet face to face for a few minutes. Gradually work up to longer intervals, always keeping the dog on the leash and letting the cat come and go as it pleases, until they can co-exist peacefully and unsupervised. | Start by keeping the animals apart. When you're introducing a new dog to an older cat, you'll want to plan their introduction carefully. Though they're sharing your home, male sure that they're confined to their own spaces at first. Allowing them time to adjust to each others' scents within your home will help them get used to each other. You'll want to prevent any direct contact until your new dog has had his vet checkup and is cleared of any contagious diseases or infections. Consider having a sanctuary room for your cat, who's likely to be more comfortable in a confined space. Swap scents. Animals use smell to "see" and understand one another. To help speed this process for your new dog and your resident cat, switch their sleeping blankets so they become used to each other's scent. Or try rubbing a towel on one animal and put it under the food dish of the other. If you have other animals, do this with each animal in the house. Allow your animals to sniff each other when they're in close proximity. Feed the two animals on separate sides of a door. During the time when they're still being separated, start to feed them at the same time, but on separate sides of the same door. For example, if your cat's sanctuary space is in your bedroom, put her food dish by the door inside your room, and put your dog's food dish in the hall. They'll be able to smell each other and recognize how closely they're in proximity to each other. This will encourage them to associate each others' scent with good things, like food. With each feeding, move their bowls a little closer together, but keep the door closed. Start training your dog. If he's a rescue dog, he may already know some basic commands, such as "sit" or "stay." If he doesn't, he may learn them quickly. For example, teach your dog to sit by holding a treat above and slightly behind his head. His body will naturally sit in order to access the treat. As soon as his bottom touches the floor, reward him with the treat. Say, "Good dog!" in a cheerful voice. Repeat, using identical gestures and voice commands. Being able to follow basic commands (sit, down, come, and stay) will help ease the introduction to your cat. Introduce them face to face. Once they've become accustomed to each others' scents, allow them to meet. Your cat should be able to come and go as she pleases, while your new dog should be held on a leash. Keep these initial meetings quite short, and provide plenty of treats and praise so that they continue to associate each other with good things. Don't restrain either pet in your arms, because this risks injury. Repeat this introduction process several times per day for several days. Allow your cat to come and go. After a few introductions, allow your cat to come and go while your dog remains confined to a leash. If your dog is crate-trained, keep him in the crate while encouraging your cat to explore the room. If your dog obsessively paws the floor, whines, barks, or attempts to get out of his crate when looking at the cat, you're likely to need the help of a behavior specialist. If your dog relaxes his attention, appears calm or stays focused on you, reward him with a treat. Reward your dog's good, calm behavior. When you're making introductions, have your dog sit or stay. If he obeys your command, reward him with a tasty treat. Dogs are more likely than cats to learn to associate the treat with behavior. This will also keep the dog's attention on you, rather than the cat. Your cat can then explore the dog with more confidence. You can toss some cat treats to your cat as well, but don't allow your dog to catch them. If either pet acts aggressively, such as growling or snarling at the other, calmly distract and redirect him. Finish by calling the dog's name and returning him to his own space. Allow the cat to return to her own sanctuary space, and close the door. Watch for warning signs that this is not a safe match. There are some dogs and cats who should never be left unsupervised together. Be aware that some dogs will never be safe around cats. A cat who continually hisses and growls at all types of dogs won't be happy living with dogs. Some dogs and cats just aren't good matches with each other, though they may be fine around other animals. Even though there's likely to be a difficult period at first, if you don't see improvement in your pet's behavior within 48 hours, you'll likely need to consult with an animal behavior specialist. Warning signs include the following: Warning signs include: If your dog continues to be overly focused on the cat, not taking his eyes off the cat If your dog ignores you, and doesn't follow your commands when the cat is present If your dog lunges at the cat when she moves If your dog lunges, snarls, growls or snaps at your cat even if she's not moving If your cat attacks your dog when your dog is quiet and not moving Keep both animals confined when you're not there. Your cat should be allowed to stay in her sanctuary space, and your dog should be left either in his crate or in a fenced area outside. Don't allow unsupervised time together until you're confident that they are safe together. The use of baby gates to keep your animals confined is encouraged. Both animals should have access to food, water, blankets or bedding, and (for your cat) a litter area in their separate spaces. Understand differences in social order. To cats, physical space is of paramount importance. To help a cat stay calm, make sure she has a safe physical space. For dogs, the social order is the most important element. To help your dog stay calm, make sure he feels that he's secure in his relationship with you. This is one reason why teaching the dog basic commands and keeping him on a leash for the initial introduction will be important. Make sure your cat's food is out of your dog's reach. Any dog will happily eat cat food. Continue to praise calm behavior. Keep treats in your pocket so you can "catch them being good." Whenever you notice calm interactions between your dog and cat, praise them with a cheerful voice, saying, "Good dog!" and offer treats. Whenever your dog doesn't bark or chase cats, you'll want to reward this behavior. Try to avoid situations where you have to tell a dog "No." Telling a dog "no" results in stress and confusion for a dog, without any real idea of what the "right" behavior might be. Don't expect your animals to be friends right away. Dogs and cats communicate in very different ways. While they might become good companions, they might only learn to tolerate each other. They'll need to establish their relationship at their own pace. Make sure that you continue to pay attention to your resident cat. If you have more than one new dog, don't allow them to gang up on the cat. Make sure your dog is getting enough exercise. Ask a behavioral consultant for help. A behavioral consultant can help you figure out what might be the problem between your dog and your cat. If your cat has stopped eating, if she avoids the litter box and stays away from people, she's not happy. Call your local animal support group to find quality animal behaviorists who can help you. Your veterinarian will also have the contact information about local animal behavior specialists. | Start by keeping the animals apart. Swap scents. Feed the two animals on separate sides of a door. Start training your dog. Introduce them face to face. Allow your cat to come and go. Reward your dog's good, calm behavior. Watch for warning signs that this is not a safe match. Keep both animals confined when you're not there. Understand differences in social order. Continue to praise calm behavior. Don't expect your animals to be friends right away. Ask a behavioral consultant for help. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Do-Condition-Scoring-for-Horse-Yearlings | How to Do Condition Scoring for Horse Yearlings | To do condition scoring for horse yearlings, put the yearling in a standing position and evaluate its general shape, noting any areas that seem out of proportion. Next, closely inspect the neck, withers, loin, ribs, shoulders, and the top of the tail, noting how much of the horse's bones you can see and feel in these areas. Then, get a condition scoring scorecard and score each body area on a scale of 1 to 9, with 1 being extremely thin and 9 being extremely overweight. A healthy yearling should have a score between 5 and 7. | Put the yearling in a standing position. It will need to be standing in order to be assessed properly. From a standing position you will be able to reach all the areas on the yearling's body that you need to feel. Make sure that you keep the yearling at ease while you are doing condition scoring. If you have a report with the horse, it is more likely to allow you touch the areas you need to. Consider giving it a treat or petting it how it likes to be petted while doing the scoring in order to keep it happy and cooperative. Assess the horse's general shape. Get a general impression of the horse's shape to begin with. You are looking for areas on the body that seem out of proportion or are noticeably thin or thick. You will need to look at the horse from all directions: the front, the back, and the sides. This overview will allow you to get a general sense of the condition of the horse. Having a general understanding of the horse will help you move forward through your assessment. Look at specific areas of the body. The condition scoring system was designed to take information from six key areas of the horse's body: the neck, the withers, the loin, the ribs, the shoulder, and at the top of the tail. Looking at these specific areas will allow you to assess how much fat the horse is carrying. The condition scoring is based on how much of the horse's bones you can see and feel in these areas. You will need to look at each of these areas and make a determination about how much of the animals bones can you see through the coat. If the bones are sticking out a lot, then the horse is too thin. If the bones are not visible, then the horse is carrying too much fat. Feel the horse's body. In addition to looking at the horse's body, you will need to feel it to determine how much fat is being held under the skin. Like with the visual inspection, this should be done at the six key points: the neck, the withers, the loin, the ribs, the shoulder, and at the tail. Feel each of these spots on the horse to assess how easily you can feel the bones underneath. For example, if you can really easily feel the ribs, then the horse is too thin. If there is a crease down the yearling's back, then it is probably overweight. If the condition scoring is done in the winter, the yearling may have its winter coat on, which may make the horse look and feel different from other times of year. Take this into consideration when condition scoring. It is often the case that a thick winter coat can hide the fact that a horse is too thin. Get a condition scoring scorecard. This is a chart that allows you to fill in a score for each area of the yearling's body that you assess. It usually includes parameters for what each score would look and feel like on the horse. For example, it will give a description of what you might feel and how much that would score. In the case of the yearling's ribs, if you can't see the ribs but can feel them easily, that would be a score of five, which is ideal. To get a scorecard, do an online search for "horse condition scoring scorecard." Once you find one, you can download and print it for your own use. Assign scores to each body area. When feeling each area on the yearling's body you will need to assign a numerical score. This numerical score, between one and nine, is directly connected to how much you can feel the animal's bones through its coat. Under the body conditioning system, one is used for extremely thin and nine is used for extremely overweight. In between those numbers are various parameters for differentiating between levels of thinness and thickness. For example, a horse who has ribs that are protruding prominently should get a rib score of one. A horse that has ribs that can't be seen but can be easily felt should get a score of 5. Review the scores. Look at all the scores for all areas of the body. These are your horse's body conditioning scores. For a healthy yearling, you expect the score in each category to be somewhere between five and seven. If the score is higher than seven or lower than five, then you should work on changing the amount of fat your horse is carrying around on its body. Figure out ways to improve the score. There are a variety of ways to change your horse's body condition. This depends on if your horse has too much fat or too little fat. If the horse does not have enough fat then you need to feed it more, feed it food that gives it more nutrition, work it less, or keep it warmer. Many times a horse that is cold in the winter will lose too much weight because of it. Simply putting a blanket on it or adding to its shelter can help it gain weight. If the horse has too much fat then you should reduce the amount it is eating and consider working it more. However, if you reduce its feed, still make sure it is getting enough nutrients to sustain it. Discuss your horse's score with its veterinarian. Whether your horse's score is good or needs improvement, it's a good idea to discuss it with the horse's veterinarian. If the score is good, tell your veterinarian so they know the good news. If the score is not good, discuss ways to improve it with the horse's veterinarian. If your horse's score is good, you can wait until its next exam to tell the veterinarian the good news. If the score is bad, you should contact your veterinarian right away to begin helping your horse improve its health. | Put the yearling in a standing position. Assess the horse's general shape. Look at specific areas of the body. Feel the horse's body. Get a condition scoring scorecard. Assign scores to each body area. Review the scores. Figure out ways to improve the score. Discuss your horse's score with its veterinarian. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Sauteed-Chicken | How to Make Sauteed Chicken | To make sautéed chicken, start by cutting chicken breasts into thin slices or bite-size pieces. Then, heat some oil in a pan over medium heat and add the chicken. Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes, stirring and flipping it over every couple of minutes so it cooks evenly. While it's cooking, add seasonings like salt, pepper, and garlic powder. After 5-7 minutes, transfer the chicken to a plate and serve. | Wash the chicken breasts and cut them up into bite-sized pieces. Wash 4 boneless chicken breasts and cut them up into 1-2" pieces (2.5-5 cm). Combine the flour, salt, and pepper. Place 2 cups of flour, 2 tbsp. salt, 2 tbsp. of pepper in a large bowl. Stir the ingredients together to combine them. This will make the breading for the chicken. Heat 3 tbsp. of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Place 2 tbsp. of minced garlic in a pan and heat it for 1-2 minutes while stirring. This will be enough time for the garlic to become fragrant. Bread the chicken. Place the cut chicken into the bowl and stir them around until they're coated in the flour mixture. Make sure the outside of the chicken is thoroughly covered, so that they fry properly and evenly in the pan. Fry the chicken in the pan over medium heat. Shake the excess flour off the chicken and place it in the pan with the garlic. Put the pieces side-by-side in the pan to begin the frying process. Flip the chicken as they darken in color, and continue doing so until they have turned into a golden/very light brown color. This should take about 6-8 minutes. When the chicken is done, you can season it with a bit more salt and pepper to taste. Serve. Serve this tasty chicken on its own or with tasty veggies, such as carrots, peas, or broccoli. Wash the chicken breasts and cut them up into bite-sized pieces. Wash 3 boneless chicken breasts and cut them up into 1-2" pieces (2.5-5 cm). Heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Heat the oil for 30 seconds to a minute. Add the chicken to the pan and cook it for 5-7 minutes. Flip the chicken around after 2 minutes so that it evenly absorbs the oil and cook it until it's nice and golden brown. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste while you're cooking it. When you're done cooking it, remove it from heat. Serve. Sprinkle it with 2 tbsp. of chopped parsley and enjoy it on its own or with a side of veggies or mashed potatoes. Preheat your oven to 350ºF (176ºC). Wash the chicken breasts and cut them up into bite-sized pieces. Wash 4 bone-in chicken breast halves and cut them into 1-2" (2.5-5 cm) pieces. Make the flour mixture. Combine 1/8 tsp. of ground black pepper, 1/8 tsp. of paprika, and 2 tbsp. of all-purpose flour together in a small bowl. Coat the chicken breasts with the flour mixture. Place the chicken the bowl and toss it to coat it completely with the flour mixture. Heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Wait about 1 minute for the oil to heat up. Cook the breaded chicken in the skillet. Cook the chicken for about 5-7 minutes, until it's golden brown on both sides. Flip it over halfway through the cooking process. When it's done, remove it from the skillet. Cook the onions and potatoes in the skillet for about 5 minutes. Add 2 quartered small red onions and 1 lb. of quartered new potatoes to the skillet and stir them to combine the flavors. The onion should be translucent by the end. Add the carrots, chicken stock, lemon juice, and oregano to the skillet and heat them until the stock is boiling. Add 8 oz. of fresh whole baby carrots, 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock, 3 tbsp. of lemon juice, and 1 tbsp. of chopped oregano leaves to the skillet. Place the chicken in the skillet again. Cover the skillet. Place the skillet in the oven and bake the chicken covered for 20 minutes. Uncover the skillet and bake for 15 more minutes. Cook it until it's cooked through. Then, wait 3-5 minutes for the chicken to cool a bit after you remove it from the oven. Serve. Sprinkle the chicken with 1 tbsp. of thyme leaves and enjoy it with the veggies and potatoes. Wash 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Cut the chicken into 1-2" (2.5 - 5cm) pieces. Season the chicken breasts in salt and pepper to taste. Place 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour in one bowl. Place 2 beaten eggs in a second bowl. Mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, rosemary, and chives in a third bowl. Mix together 2/3 cup of seasoned Italian breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp. of salt, 1/4 tsp. of black pepper, 1. tbsp. of chives, and 1 tbsp. of rosemary together in the third bowl. Coat each chicken breast piece with the ingredients in the three bowls. First, dredge the chicken breast in flour. Then, shake off the extra flour and dip the chicken into the egg mixture, turning it around to coat it evenly. Then, dredge the chicken in the bread crumb and cheese mixture until it's coated well. Repeat this process until all of the chicken breasts are breaded. Heat 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil and 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Wait 1-2 minutes for the oil to heat up. Add the chicken breasts to the pan and cook them for 2-3 minutes. Cook them until they're golden brown on one side. Flip the chicken over and cook it for 2-3 more minutes on the other side. Serve. Serve this chicken immediately with a few lemon wedges on the side. Finished. | Wash the chicken breasts and cut them up into bite-sized pieces. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper. Heat 3 tbsp. Bread the chicken. Fry the chicken in the pan over medium heat. Serve. Wash the chicken breasts and cut them up into bite-sized pieces. Heat 2 tbsp. Add the chicken to the pan and cook it for 5-7 minutes. Serve. Preheat your oven to 350ºF (176ºC). Wash the chicken breasts and cut them up into bite-sized pieces. Make the flour mixture. Coat the chicken breasts with the flour mixture. Heat 2 tbsp. Cook the breaded chicken in the skillet. Cook the onions and potatoes in the skillet for about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, chicken stock, lemon juice, and oregano to the skillet and heat them until the stock is boiling. Place the chicken in the skillet again. Place the skillet in the oven and bake the chicken covered for 20 minutes. Uncover the skillet and bake for 15 more minutes. Serve. Wash 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Place 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour in one bowl. Place 2 beaten eggs in a second bowl. Mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, rosemary, and chives in a third bowl. Coat each chicken breast piece with the ingredients in the three bowls. Heat 2 tbsp. Add the chicken breasts to the pan and cook them for 2-3 minutes. Flip the chicken over and cook it for 2-3 more minutes on the other side. Serve. Finished. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Wake-up-Your-Hamster-Without-Scaring-It | How to Wake up Your Hamster Without Scaring It | To wake up your hamster without scaring it, start by slowly approaching its cage. Then, try talking in a soft voice or humming to wake up your hamster. You can also try holding a treat close to where your hamster is sleeping to wake it up. If that doesn't work, gently blow on its face. Just avoid poking or grabbing your hamster or else you'll startle it and make it defensive. | Talk to him softly. Try waking your hamster with the sound of your voice. Go near his cage and begin speaking softly. You may even try humming or singing until he is awake. Offer him a treat. Another way to rouse your hamster is to offer him a treat. Try holding a treat out where he is sleeping (close enough for him to smell it) and allow this to draw him from his sleep. You may use a small piece of a vegetable (like carrot or broccoli), or a store-bought hamster treat. Blow in his face. If your hamster is sleeping out in the open, another option is to gently blow in his face. Of course, you do not want to startle your hamster, so begin with a mellow release of air, and increase in intensity until your hamster begins to wake. Avoid poking him. Whatever you do, avoid jabbing or poking at your hamster. This is not an effective way to wake him up because he will immediately become defensive. If he is roused in this way, he will not want to be held or to play. Move slowly. Remember, the point is to wake him without scaring him, so avoid swift or jarring movements. Instead, whenever you approach your sleeping hamster, move slowly. This allows him to wake gently and in a good mood. Make the room dark. Hamsters begin to wake up and move around at dusk and dawn (or twilight). Thus, you may be able to wake your hamster by dimming the lights in your room. If you can make it dark enough, your hamster should rouse in response to the change in light. Change the temperature. Another idea is to alter the temperature of your hamster's environment. Hamsters sleep more when it is cold, and wake when it is warm. You can try warming up the whole room (by turning up your heat or using a space heater), or warming only your hamster's cage (by using a heat lamp or heating pad). Jiggle his food bowl. You can appeal to you hamster's sense of hearing and desire for food at the same time by reaching into his cage and jiggling his food bowl. Place a little bit of fresh food into his dish and move it around (making a subtle noise) until he wakes. Lift up his hut. Often hamsters will sleep inside of a hut (or enclosure) within the cage. One method for rousing your hamster is to simply lift up his hut. You may to choose to lift up the hut and move it to another location in the cage (exposing the hamster), or simply lift it up and put back down (which may rustle him enough to wake him up). Tap lightly on his cage. You can use soft noises in conjunction with vibration by tapping lightly on your hamster's cage. Using your finger, gently rap on his cage (near where he is sleeping) until your hamster is awake. Understand that hamsters are “crepuscular. ” Hamsters are commonly (though mistakenly) called “nocturnal,” when in fact they are “crepuscular.” Whereas nocturnal animals are most active at night, your hamster will be most active during twilight hours (dusk and dawn). Understanding this about your hamster will help you better understand and cope with his sleep patterns. Track your hamster’s schedule. If you would like to train you hamster to wake up a bit earlier (so that you can spend time with him), the first step is to track his schedule. Spend 3-5 days writing down precisely when he is asleep and awake. Feed him at the same time each day. Once you know your hamster's schedule (specifically what time he wakes in the evening), begin feeding him at this time each day. For example, if your hamster wakes each night at 8:30pm, begin feeding him at 8:30 on the dot. Do this for at least one week before moving on to the next step. Begin moving your feeding time back. Begin moving the feeding time back in 15-minute increments. For example, after the first week, you'll begin waking your hamster up a bit earlier by feeding him at 8:15pm. Continue this until he begins waking at 8:15 on his own (this should take about one week). Then, begin feeding your hamster at 8:00pm, and so on. Be patient. This technique needs to be done subtly, over time, in order for it to work. So be patient through this process. Once again, understand that it is your hamster's innate nature that causes him to wake at dusk and dawn. You are not going to alter that overnight. Furthermore, you're never going to change it completely. At best, you may be able to train your hamster to wake one hour earlier than he did before. | Talk to him softly. Offer him a treat. Blow in his face. Avoid poking him. Move slowly. Make the room dark. Change the temperature. Jiggle his food bowl. Lift up his hut. Tap lightly on his cage. Understand that hamsters are “crepuscular. Track your hamster’s schedule. Feed him at the same time each day. Begin moving your feeding time back. Be patient. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Wrist-Brace | How to Clean a Wrist Brace | To wash your wrist brace, scrub it with solution of water and dish soap using a lint-free rag. Then, rinse your brace, and let it dry on a flat surface. Alternatively, if your wrist brace is machine washable, wash it in your washing machine with warm water on a delicate cycle. Lay your brace flat to dry. | Read the manufacturer's instructions. If there are instructions on how to clean the brace, read them carefully to ensure that you don't damage the fabric or structure. The fabric of your brace needs to remain both strong and flexible in order to support your wrist during daily activities or exercise. You can find these instructions on the brace itself or enclosed within the product packaging. Usually these instructions will include specific information about the proper washing temperature, proper chemical detergents, and safe drying techniques. Gather your supplies to prepare for washing. In order to wash the brace, you'll need: laundry detergent, a clean cloth, a large bowl, and a colander. Gathering your supplies in advance will save you time and energy. Use only mild detergent, in order to protect the synthetic fibers of your brace and the skin of your hands. You may substitute 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) of dish soap for laundry detergent. Fill the bowl with warm (not hot) water. Most powdered detergents are designed for use with warm water, and warm water is recommended for man-made materials, as it removes stains and dirt with a lower chance of shrinking your brace than hot water. You can also try a coldwater detergent as a more eco-friendly option, as a number of coldwater alternatives are equally efficient at cleaning fabrics. Mix the ingredients together well with a large spoon or whisk. Make sure that the detergent fully dissolves to avoid leaving residue on the brace, which could damage the fabric quality and irritate your skin. Remove the brace from your wrist. Move with care and attention to your injury or pain, as your wrist will no longer have the support of the brace. Remove metal splints inside the brace, if necessary. The chemicals in your detergent may damage or rust the metal components of the brace. Take note of the proper location for the metal splints so that you can replace them correctly after washing. Rub the cleaning solution on the wrist brace using a clean, lint-free cloth. Using the cloth, instead of just your hand, will reduce your exposure to potentially harsh chemicals and will ensure a more thorough clean. Avoid vigorous rubbing that may damage the fibers of the brace. Pay attention to small, hidden areas, especially between the finger area, to fully remove dirt and bacteria. Rinse the wrist brace. If your faucet has a sprayer, place the brace in the colander and rinse. If not, submerge the brace in a clean bowl of water and squeeze the water through until clear. Rinse completely: residue remaining in the brace could irritate your skin. Avoid using running water, as the force of the water may stretch the fabric and reduce its effectiveness. Squeeze excess water out of the brace. Avoid "wringing," or twisting while squeezing, in order to prevent damaging the brace. Twisting can pull the fibers of the fabric apart and weaken the brace's support structure. Lay the brace flat on a dry towel, then gently roll the towel and brace together to remove more water. Avoid hanging to dry, as the weight of the water may stretch the fabric. Do not dry the brace in direct sunlight, as the artificial materials of the brace can shrink when exposed to hot temperatures, and the UV rays of the sun may bleach or lighten the colors of the brace. Return the metal strips to the brace when it has completely dried, if necessary. The synthetic fabric will dry quickly in just a few hours, although be sure check interior of any splint pockets to ensure they are thoroughly dry. Dampness in those slots could damage the metal components and decrease the long-term usability of the brace. Read all labels to ensure the brace can be safely machine washed. The label should indicate machine temperature and/or cycle setting, such as "Gentle Cycle." If the label includes a water temperature, but not a cycle setting, you can assume the regular cycle is appropriate. Consider always using "Gentle Cycle" setting in order to protect the fabric fibers from too much agitation in the machine and to extend the life of your brace. Remove the brace from your wrist. Be sure to move with care and attention to your injury, as your wrist will no longer have the support of the brace. Remove the metal splints from the brace. This will prevent damage to the metal splint inside the brace that is used for stabilizing and splinting the wrist. Additionally, removing the metal splints will protect the fabric from damage caused by any shifting of the metal components during the agitation cycle. Take note of the proper location for the metal splints so that you can replace them correctly after washing. Secure all fasteners on the brace before washing to prevent damage to the straps or fabric. Fasteners may catch on other fabrics in the wash or become twisted, which may stretch the brace components and impair the support structure of the brace. Consider putting the brace in a mesh lingerie wash bag or a pillowcase to protect the it and other wash items from becoming entangled or twisted. Wash the brace in warm (not hot) water. Most powdered detergents are designed for use with warm water, and warm water is recommended for man-made materials. Avoid using hot water, as it can shrink and damage the brace. You can also try a coldwater detergent as a more eco-friendly option, as a number of coldwater alternatives are equally efficient at cleaning fabrics. Use mild detergent that is safe to use on the brace's synthetic materials. Strong detergents or bleaches may harm the integrity of the brace and impact the effectiveness of the support. If your brace is particularly malodorous, you can add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the wash to freshen the material and increase the cleaning power of your detergent. Squeeze excess water out of the brace. Avoid "wringing," or twisting while squeezing, in order to prevent damaging the brace. Twisting can pull the fibers of the fabric apart and weaken the brace significantly. Lay the brace flat on a dry towel, then gently roll the towel and brace together to remove more water. Avoid hanging to dry, as the weight of the water may stretch the fabric. Lay the brace on a flat surface and allow to air dry. Place the brace somewhere shaded, with good air flow, to promote quick drying. Do not dry the brace in direct sunlight, as the artificial materials of the brace can shrink when exposed to hot temperatures, and the UV rays of the sun may bleach or lighten the colors of the brace. Return the metal splints to the brace when it has completely dried, if necessary. The synthetic fabric will dry quickly in just a few hours, although be sure check interior of any splint pockets to ensure they are thoroughly dry. Dampness in those slots could damage the metal components and decrease the long-term usability of the brace. | Read the manufacturer's instructions. Gather your supplies to prepare for washing. Fill the bowl with warm (not hot) water. Mix the ingredients together well with a large spoon or whisk. Remove the brace from your wrist. Remove metal splints inside the brace, if necessary. Rub the cleaning solution on the wrist brace using a clean, lint-free cloth. Rinse the wrist brace. Squeeze excess water out of the brace. Return the metal strips to the brace when it has completely dried, if necessary. Read all labels to ensure the brace can be safely machine washed. Remove the brace from your wrist. Remove the metal splints from the brace. Secure all fasteners on the brace before washing to prevent damage to the straps or fabric. Wash the brace in warm (not hot) water. Use mild detergent that is safe to use on the brace's synthetic materials. Squeeze excess water out of the brace. Lay the brace on a flat surface and allow to air dry. Return the metal splints to the brace when it has completely dried, if necessary. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Prune-Buddleia | How to Prune Buddleia | Prune your buddleia in early spring by cutting back all the branches to the ground. Stop pruning once your stems are about 1 foot in length to avoid harming the plant. Since buddleias can become overcrowded if too many branches sprout, remove older branches completely. Then, throughout the flowering season, deadhead spent blooms. | Prune your buddleia in early spring. When you prune your buddleia matters greatly in terms of care. You should always prune your plant in early spring. Usually, March is the recommended time for pruning. However, when to prune truly depends on your region. Severe frost, present in late spring in some areas, can cause damage to a buddleia. Making a decision on when to prune your buddleia heavily depends on the weather in your area. As stated above, if you prune too soon early spring frost can harm the plant. However, waiting until later in the summer, or even the fall, can be deadly for the buddleia. If new growths do not harden before winter, they will be killed by the cold. This results in a dead plant the next spring. Keep an eye on the forecast, especially if you live in a colder area or an area with unpredictable weather patterns. If you see freezing temperatures or snow in your 10 day forecast, hold off on pruning. Wait until the weather's been consistently warm and above freezing for a few weeks before pruning. Cut back hard in the spring. Buddleias bloom on new wood. Even if there is no sign of rot or damage to existing branches, cut all of the branches back to the ground in early spring. This will stimulate blooming and growth from your buddleia during the flowering season. Buddleias grow in bunches of stems sprouting from the same patch of ground. You prune the plant by cutting these stems downward towards the ground. Stems should be at least a foot tall. Stop pruning once your stems are about a foot in length. Trimming any shorter could cause damage to the plant. When you finish pruning your buddleia, it should look somewhat like a stag's antlers. Don't be alarmed by how much you cut from the plant. Such intense pruning is what helps the buddleia grow new flowers when the rainy season passes. Remove older branches. Buddleias can become overcrowded if too many branches sprout. If your buddleia bush looks crowded, remove older branches completely rather than just trimming them down. It's fairly easy to differentiate old stems from young stems. Young stems tend to be green. Old stems are of a darker shade and usually have peeling, gray-brown bark and appear woodier. You should dig out old branches by the roots. This will prevent them from re-blooming in the coming season. Deadhead spent blooms throughout the flowering season. The main pruning should be done in spring. The buddleia flowers in multiple places. Both main stems and side shoots that grow from main stems may flower. When seeking out dead flowers, look in all these places. Spread mulch in early spring. Spread mulch or compost around the stump of your buddleia plant, as this will help it retain moisture and fight off unwanted weeds. Spread about 6 inches of mulch or compost along the stumps of the plant. Plant new buddleias 5 to 10 feet away from existing plants. You may decide you want to plant more buddleias. You should keep the new plants 5 to 10 feet away from existing plants to make sure all your plants have adequate space to grow. Buddleias may expand as they grow, branching out new stems. Therefore, it's vital you make sure the plants have the space necessary to thrive. Water appropriately. Buddleias need to be watered. The amount of water they need depends on the season. Young buddleias that are still growing should be watered thoroughly. Buddleias do tolerate drought well. However, prolonged dry soil can be a problem for the plants. Therefore, regular watering is important in dry months. Water the soil around the buddleia thoroughly so the soil is moist without being over-saturated. Before a buddleia blooms, it will need more watering. Water the buddleia at least once a week before it blooms. You may want to water twice a week or more if you live in an area experiencing a drought or very hot temperatures. Once a buddleia is full grown, it requires less watering. However, check the soil surrounding the plant regularly to make sure it's damp. If it feels dry, water the soil until it moistens slightly. | Prune your buddleia in early spring. Cut back hard in the spring. Remove older branches. Deadhead spent blooms throughout the flowering season. Spread mulch in early spring. Plant new buddleias 5 to 10 feet away from existing plants. Water appropriately. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Know-if-You-Have-an-Enlarged-Liver | How to Know if You Have an Enlarged Liver | To know if you have an enlarged liver, check to see if your skin or the whites of your eyes look yellow, which is called jaundice. Next, gently feel your abdomen to check for swelling and note if you feel any pain. If you're experiencing jaundice or swelling along with other symptoms like fever, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, or weight loss, make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor will probably draw blood and order a CT or MRI of the abdomen to take a closer look at your liver and evaluate how it's functioning. | Be aware of jaundice symptoms. Jaundice is a yellow pigmentation of the skin, mucus, and whites of the eyes caused by excess bilirubin in your blood stream. Bilirubin is a yellowish-orange pigment found in liver bile. Because a healthy liver usually eliminates excess bilirubin, its presence indicates a liver problem. In addition to yellowish pigmentation to the skin and whites of the eyes, symptoms of jaundice may include fatigue, abdominal pain, weight loss, vomiting, fever, pale stools, and dark urine. Jaundice symptoms are usually present when the liver is seriously impaired, and it is best to seek medical attention immediately if you are experiencing them. Look for abdominal swelling (distention) or pain. Abdominal swelling, if you are not pregnant, usually indicates an accumulation of fat, fluid, or feces, or the presence of a tumor, cyst, fibroids, or other enlargement of an organ such as the liver or spleen. In some severe cases, you could actually look eight months pregnant even if you're not. Many causes of abdominal swelling indicate an underlying medical condition that your doctor should examine. If it is a fluid accumulation, then it is referred to as ascites and is a common symptom of an enlarged liver. This abdominal swelling will often lead to a decrease in appetite as you are too “full” to eat. This symptom is termed “early satiety.” You may also not have an appetite at all due to the swelling. You may also experience swelling in the legs. Abdominal pain, especially in the right upper side of your abdomen, may also be a sign of an enlarged liver, especially if you have other symptoms as well. Recognize general symptoms that could indicate an enlarged liver. Fever, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, pain in the upper right side of your abdomen, and weight loss are symptoms that are not specific to liver enlargement, but can be a sign of liver disease and enlargement if they are severe, prolonged, or unexpected. A lack of appetite or unwillingness to eat can accompany abdominal distention, as mentioned above. It can also be a symptom of gallbladder disease as sufferers may be unwilling to eat, since eating is a trigger for pain. Lack of appetite may also accompany cancer and hepatitis. Doctors typically define significant weight loss as more than 10% of your body weight. If you're not attempting to lose weight, and you notice weight loss, you should get in touch with your doctor. Fever is a marker of inflammation in the body. Because liver enlargement could be due to an infection such as hepatitis, it's important to recognize and address fever when it occurs. Unusually pale, light grey, or even white stools may be a sign of liver problems. Look for fatigue. When you experience fatigue, you feel tired after exerting only a little effort. This can occur when the liver's reserve of nutrients is damaged, and the body depletes its muscles of their nutrients as an alternative energy source. Fatigue can indicate the presence of a liver problem, and swelling can be an accompanying symptom. Viral hepatitis and cancer can both cause fatigue. Notice increased itching. When the liver is impaired, you may experience pruritus (itchy skin) that may be either localized or generalized. This condition happens when the liver biliary ducts are obstructed. As a result, bile salts that have been excreted into your bloodstream deposit themselves in your skin and causing an itching sensation. You may be tempted to treat the itching, but if you suspect a liver problem, you must see your doctor first. Recognize spider angiomas. Spider angiomas, also called spider telangiectasia or spider nevi, are dilated blood vessels that spread out from a central red dot and look like spider webs. These veins often form on the face, neck, hands, and upper half of the chest and are a classic sign of liver disease and hepatitis. A single spider nevus is not typically a cause for concern on its own. However, if you exhibit other health conditions or symptoms, such as lethargy, fatigue, bloating or signs of jaundice, you should see your doctor as this may be a sign of liver problems. In addition, if you have multiple clusters of spider nevi, you should also see your doctor as this suggests something is wrong with your liver. Spider angiomas can range in size up to 5 millimeters in diameter. If you apply moderate pressure with your fingers, their red color will disappear for a couple of seconds and they'll turn white (blanching) because the blood will drain out. Make an appointment with your primary health care provider. At the beginning of the appointment, your doctor will want to do a complete medical history with you. It's important to be forthcoming and honest with your provider so they can create the best treatment plan for you. Be aware that some of the questions your doctor will ask are quite personal and concern substance use, alcohol consumption, and sexual partners. However, your answers are critical to your diagnosis. Be clear and tell the truth. Tell your doctor about any medications or supplements you're taking, including vitamins and herbal remedies. Get a physical examination. A clinical physical examination is the first step to diagnosing an enlarged liver. Your physician will begin by examining your skin for jaundice and spider angiomas if you have not already reported these as symptoms. He may then examine your liver by feeling your stomach with his hand. An enlarged liver may feel irregular, soft or firm, with or without lumps depending on the underlying cause. This kind of test can determine the liver's size and texture in order to assess the degree of liver enlargement. Your doctor will use two methods of physical examination: a percussion test and a palpation test. Use percussion to assess the state of your liver. Percussion is a method to assess the size of the liver and to make sure that the liver does not exceed the boundaries of the right costal margin (the rib cage), which is the liver's protective barrier. It explores your inner organs by analyzing the sounds they produce. Your doctor conducts this exam by tapping on your body's surface and listening to the resulting sound. If they hears a dull sound that stretches more than 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the bottom of your rib cage, then your liver may be enlarged. Note that if you are experiencing abdominal distention, this test will not be accurate and you will likely need to have an abdominal ultrasound. Your doctor, if right-handed, will place their left hand on your chest and press their middle finger firmly against the chest wall. Using the middle finger of their right hand, they will strike the midpoint of their left middle finger. The striking movement should come from the wrist (much like playing the piano). Starting from below your breast, the percussion should result in a tympanic drum sound. That is because your lung is located there, and is filled with air. Your doctor will move slowly down in a straight line overlying the liver, listening for when the tympanic drum sound changes to a “thud.” This signifies that your doctor is now over the liver. They will continue to percuss and pay close attention as they near the end of your rib cage to see if they continue to hear a "thud" noise and how far. Your doctor will stop when the "thud" changes to a mix of intestinal noises (gas and gurgling). The doctor will count how many centimeters below, if any, the liver, went beyond the rib cage. This is usually a sign of disease, as our rib cage is intended to protect our important internal organs like the liver and spleen. (If you have hyperinflated lungs but are otherwise healthy, your doctor may be able to feel the liver edge.) Try palpation to determine liver shape and consistency. Your doctor will also use palpation to determine whether your liver is enlarged. Palpation, like percussion, uses the touch and pressure provided by the hands. This is performed, if your doctor is right-handed, by placing their left hand under your right side. You will have to take a big breath in and exhale slowly out as your doctor tries to “capture” the liver between their hands. They will use their fingertips to feel the liver between its edge and the bottom of the ribcage, looking for important details such as shape, consistency, surface texture, tenderness, and border sharpness. Your doctor will be feeling for a surface texture that is rough, irregular or nodular and also whether the liver has a hard or firm consistency. They will also ask you if you feel any tenderness as they press. Get blood tests. Your doctor will likely want to have a sample of your blood drawn in order to assess your liver's function and health. Blood tests are usually used to identify the possible presence of a viral infection such as hepatitis. The blood sample will indicate what your liver enzyme levels are and thereby provide important information about the health and functioning of your liver. Other blood tests may also be appropriate, including a complete blood cell count, hepatitis virus screen, elastography, and blood clotting tests. These latter tests are especially useful to assess liver function because the liver is responsible for creating the proteins involved in clotting blood. Get imaging testing. Imaging tests such as ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are often recommended to confirm the diagnosis and assess the anatomy of the liver and its surrounding tissues. These tests can provide specific information to your doctor who can then make an informed assessment of your liver's condition. Abdominal Ultrasound — In this test, you will lie down as a handheld probe is moved over the abdomen. The probe emits high frequency sound waves that bounce off the organs in the body and are received by a computer, which translates these sound waves into an image of your internal abdominal organs. Your healthcare provider will tell you how to prepare for the test, but in most cases, you are not supposed to eat or drink before the test. Abdominal CT scan — In a CT scan, x-rays are taken to create cross-sectional images over your abdominal region. You have to lie on a narrow table that slides into the CT machine and stay still as the x-rays are taken and rotate around you. These are translated into images on a computer. Your doctor will tell you how to prepare for this exam. Because the test sometimes involves a special dye called contrast being put into your body (either through IV or orally), you may not be able to eat or drink beforehand. MRI abdominal scan — This test uses magnets and radio waves to create images of the internal abdominal region, rather than radiation (x-rays). You have to lie on a narrow table that slides into a large tunnel-like scanner. To make your organs more clear on the scans, the test may require dye, something that your doctor will discuss with you beforehand. As with the other tests, you may be asked not to eat or drink before the test. Undergo an Endoscopic-Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). This is a scope that looks for problems in the bile ducts, the tubes that carry bile from the liver to your gallbladder and small intestine. In this test, an IV line is placed in your arm and you will be given something to relax you. Then, your doctor will insert an endoscope through your mouth and down the esophagus and stomach until it reaches the small intestine (the part closest to the stomach). They will pass a catheter through the endoscope and insert it into the bile ducts that connect with the pancreas and gallbladder. Then, they will inject dye into the ducts, which helps the doctor see any problem areas more clearly. X-rays are then taken. This test usually follows imaging tests, including ultrasound, CT scan or MRI scan. As with many of the other tests mentioned, your doctor will outline the procedure and tell you what to expect. You will need to provide your consent for the ERCP and not eat or drink for four hours prior to the test. An ERCP can be a good option because your physician can also use it to facilitate treatment. For example, if there are stones or other obstructions in the bile ducts, the physician can remove those while the ERCP is being conducted. Look into getting a liver biopsy. As a general rule, an enlarged liver and any liver diseases or conditions can be diagnosed successfully through a medical history, physical examination, blood tests, and, finally, imaging tests. A biopsy, however, can be recommended in certain situations, particularly if the diagnosis is unclear or if cancer is suspected. The procedure involves the insertion of a long, thin needle into your liver to collect the liver tissue sample and will usually be conducted by a liver specialist (either a gastroenterologist or hepatologist). Because it is an invasive test, you will be placed under local or general anesthesia. The sample is then sent to a laboratory for further investigation, particularly to examine whether there are any cancerous cells present. Get a magnetic resonance elastography (MRE). A relatively new imaging technique, magnetic resonance elastography combines MRI imaging with sound waves to construct a visual map (elastograph) to assess the stiffness of body tissues, in this case of the liver. A hardening of the liver is a symptom of chronic liver disease, and something that the MRE can detect. This test is noninvasive and can be an alternative to a liver biopsy. Magnetic resonance elastography is a new but rapidly developing technology. It is currently offered only at a few medical centers but is on the rise. Check with your doctor to see whether this is an option for you. Determine the risk posed by hepatitis. Hepatitis A, B, and C cause liver inflammation, and can lead to enlargement accompanied by a smooth, tender liver edge. If you have any form of hepatitis, you are at higher risk for having an enlarged liver. The damage to the liver is due to blood and immune cells that flood the liver in an attempt to fight against the hepatitis infection. Consider whether you have right-sided heart failure. Blood can accumulate in your liver as a result of inefficient pumping of the heart, so heart failure can produce an enlargement of the liver, with a smooth, tender liver edge. Essentially, because the heart isn't doing its job, blood backs up into the liver. Talk to your doctor if you think you may have heart problems. Recognize the risk cirrhosis poses. Cirrhosis is a chronic disease that leads to an increased density of the liver, as a result of fibrosis (excessive scar tissue production). Cirrhosis is usually the result of lifestyle choices that have an adverse effect on the liver. Alcohol abuse, in particular, can directly cause cirrhosis. Cirrhosis may produce either enlargement or shrinking, but is most often associated with enlargement. Consider any genetic or metabolic conditions you have. People with certain genetic or metabolic conditions, such as Wilson's disease and Gaucher's disease, may also be at a higher risk of developing an enlarged liver. Understand the risk cancer poses. People with cancer may develop liver enlargement due to the spread of cancer (metastasis) into the liver. If you have been diagnosed with cancer, especially cancer of an organ near the liver, you are at a higher risk of an enlarged liver. Be cautious of excessive alcohol use. Chronic or excessive alcohol consumption beyond a few drinks a week can cause damage to the liver and impair liver regeneration. These can both induce irreversible functional and structural damage to the liver. As the liver loses its functionality due to alcohol use, it can become enlarged and swollen due to decreased drainage capacity. You may also develop fatty deposits in your liver if you consume alcohol in excess. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines "moderate" drinking as no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men. Consider your drug consumption. Many over-the-counter medications can damage your liver if used for extended periods of time or if used beyond the recommended dosage. The most liver-toxic drugs include oral contraceptives, anabolic steroids, diclofenac, amiodarone, and statins, among others. If you are on long-term medication, you should get regular check-ups and closely follow your physician's advice. Acetaminophen (Tylenol), especially when overdosed, is a common cause of liver failure and can cause liver enlargement. The risk is higher if acetaminophen is mixed with alcohol. Be aware that some herbal supplements, such as black cohosh, ma huang, and mistletoe, can also increase the likelihood of liver damage. Monitor your intake of fatty foods. Regular consumption of fatty foods, including french fries, hamburgers, or any other junk food, can lead to fat accumulation in the liver, called fatty liver. Pools of fat can develop that will eventually destroy liver cells. Your damaged liver will be impaired and may swell due to a decreased ability to process blood and toxins and the accumulation of fat. Be aware as well that being overweight or obese increases your risk of liver disease. Whether someone is overweight or obese is determined by using the body mass index (BMI), an indicator of body fatness. BMI is a person's weight in kilograms (kg) divided by the square of the person's height in meters (m). A BMI of 25-29.9 is considered overweight, while a BMI greater than 30 is considered obese. | Be aware of jaundice symptoms. Look for abdominal swelling (distention) or pain. Recognize general symptoms that could indicate an enlarged liver. Look for fatigue. Notice increased itching. Recognize spider angiomas. Make an appointment with your primary health care provider. Get a physical examination. Use percussion to assess the state of your liver. Try palpation to determine liver shape and consistency. Get blood tests. Get imaging testing. Undergo an Endoscopic-Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Look into getting a liver biopsy. Get a magnetic resonance elastography (MRE). Determine the risk posed by hepatitis. Consider whether you have right-sided heart failure. Recognize the risk cirrhosis poses. Consider any genetic or metabolic conditions you have. Understand the risk cancer poses. Be cautious of excessive alcohol use. Consider your drug consumption. Monitor your intake of fatty foods. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Raspberry-Lemonade | How to Make Raspberry Lemonade | To make raspberry lemonade, combine 1 cup (128g) of sugar and 1 cup (240ml) of water in a saucepan. Heat the mixture until the sugar dissolves. Next, put 3/4 cup (96g)of raspberries in a blender and puree them until the mixture is smooth. Then, pour the raspberry puree through a fine mesh sieve set over a pitcher to remove the pulp and seeds. Finally, add 1 cup (240ml) of lemon juice, 4-6 cups (950 - 1420ml) of cold water, and the sugar mixture to the pitcher. Stir the ingredients together thoroughly. Pour your raspberry lemonade over ice and enjoy! | Prepare the simple syrup. Combine 1 cup (225 grams) of sugar and 1 cup (240 milliliters) of water in a saucepan. Cook it over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Set side and let cool. Puree the raspberries in a blender or food processor. Keep pureeing the raspberries until you get a smooth mixture. Don't worry about the seeds yet. Pour the raspberry puree through a fine, mesh sieve into a large pitcher. Press the back of a spoon against the sieve to get as much pulp out as possible. When you are done, discard the seeds. If you don't mind the seeds, then you can simply pour the raspberry puree into the pitcher, and omit the sieve. Add the lemon juice and simple syrup into the pitcher. Make sure that the simple syrup has completely cooled before you add it in. Add 4 to 6 cups (950 milliliters to 1.4 liters) of cold water into the pitcher. How much water you add will depend on how sweet or tart you want your lemonade to be. Start with 4 cups (950 milliliters) of water, give it a taste, then add more if needed. Give it a final stir, and serve. Fill some tall glasses with ice cubes, and carefully pour the lemonade into each one. Garnish with lemon slices, raspberries, and/or mint leaves. Empty a 12-ounce (340 grams) package of thawed, frozen raspberries into a blender or food processor. Make sure that you let the raspberries thaw first, or your lemonade will be too thick. If you do not have any frozen raspberries, you can use 3 cups (375 grams) of fresh raspberries instead. Frozen raspberries can be a little tart. If you prefer sweeter drinks, add ¼ cup (55 grams) of white sugar. Add one 12-ounce (355 milliliters) can of thawed, frozen lemonade concentrate. Again, make sure that you let the lemonade thaw, or your lemonade will be too thick. If you can't find any frozen lemonade concentrate, combine 1 cup (240 milliliters) lemon juice with ¾ cup (170 grams) sugar, and use that instead. Blend the raspberries and lemonade until evenly combined. There should be no chunky pieces. If you see any seeds, don't worry; you can strain them out. Pour the mixture into a large pitcher. If you don't want the seeds to be in the lemonade, pour the mixture through a fine, mesh sieve. Press the mixture against the sieve with the back of the spoon to get as much of it out as possible. When you are done, discard the seeds. Add the sparkling water just before serving. You can make the syrup ahead of time, but you should pour in the sparkling water at the last minute. The longer it sits, the less fizzy it will become. Pour carefully. The lemonade will fizz a lot! Serve. Fill several tall glasses with ice, and carefully pour the lemonade into each. You can garnish them with lemon slices, raspberries, or even mint leaves. Pour the lemon juice, sugar, raspberries, and water into a blender or food processor. How much sugar you add will depend on how sweet you want your drink to be. The more sugar you add, the sweeter it will be. Puree until smooth and the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. There should be no lumps or chunks. Don't worry if you see any seeds, however; you can strain them out. Strain the mixture through a fine, mesh sieve, if you don't want the seeds. Press the back of a spoon against the mess to ensure that you get all the pulp out. When you are done, discard the seeds and return the mixture into the blender. If you don't mind the seeds, then you can skip this step. Add the ice into the blender, and blend until smooth. If you have not already, return the raspberry puree to the blender, and add the ice. Pulse until everything is smooth and evenly combined. Pour the lemonade into two cups, and serve. If you'd like, you can garnish them with mint leaves, lemon slices, or raspberries. | Prepare the simple syrup. Puree the raspberries in a blender or food processor. Pour the raspberry puree through a fine, mesh sieve into a large pitcher. Add the lemon juice and simple syrup into the pitcher. Add 4 to 6 cups (950 milliliters to 1.4 liters) of cold water into the pitcher. Give it a final stir, and serve. Empty a 12-ounce (340 grams) package of thawed, frozen raspberries into a blender or food processor. Add one 12-ounce (355 milliliters) can of thawed, frozen lemonade concentrate. Blend the raspberries and lemonade until evenly combined. Pour the mixture into a large pitcher. Add the sparkling water just before serving. Serve. Pour the lemon juice, sugar, raspberries, and water into a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth and the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine, mesh sieve, if you don't want the seeds. Add the ice into the blender, and blend until smooth. Pour the lemonade into two cups, and serve. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Talk-to-a-Guy-Who-Doesn%27t-Like-You-Anymore | How to Talk to a Guy Who Doesn't Like You Anymore | Talking to a guy who doesn't like you anymore can feel bad, but you can make it less awkward by being polite and avoiding uncomfortable topics. Regardless of how you really feel, do your best to be polite whenever you have to talk to him. Maintain a calm, even tone, and treat him as you would a clerk at a store or a co-worker. Additionally, don't keep the conversation going on for longer than it needs to. For example, if you need something back from him, say, "I just wanted to return that book you lent me. Here you go." To make the conversation less stressful, avoid bringing up serious topics, like how you felt during your relationship, as this can easily turn into a fight. | Ask yourself if it’s really necessary. If he doesn't like you anymore, accept the fact that he probably doesn't want to shoot the breeze. Save yourself from any pain or embarrassment. Take a step back and think about whatever it is you want to talk to him about. If it's something that you really need to discuss, go ahead and do so. But if you're just using this an excuse to have one more talk with him, bite your tongue and let it go. Be polite. Regardless of what you need to talk about, ensure that your conversation will be productive by acting civil. Keep a calm, neutral tone. Address him the same way that you would, say, ask for help from a clerk at a store, like: “Hey, do you have a second? I just need to ask you something real quick.” “Hi there. Do you mind if I ask you something if you're not busy?” “Sorry to interrupt, but could I steal you away for a few seconds?” Get straight to the point. Anticipate the likelihood that he probably doesn't want to get involved in a meandering conversation. Don't beat around the bush trying to get to whatever it is you need to discuss. Bring it up first thing in a matter-of-fact way so he doesn't feel like you're wasting his time or acting clingy. For instance, just say: “I just remembered that I left my sweater at your place. Do you mind bringing it in tomorrow?” “Doug called me last night to say he's going to be in town next week, and he wants to see you. Just letting you know.” “I just wanted to return that book you lent me. Here you go.” Avoid long speeches about difficult topics. If what you need to talk about is way more serious than a lost sweater, don't go on and on about it. Say your piece as clearly and simply as you can, and leave it at that. Avoid repeating or paraphrasing yourself so you don't lose his attention or make him feel defensive, since this will only make him act less responsive. For example, if you need to find out why he stopped talking to you all of a sudden, address the issue briefly and directly, like: "I'm just confused about why you've stopped talking to me. I'm not sure if it's because it's something I said or did. I'd like to know why." Of course, what you have to say may be a little complex. If so, write it down and rehearse it beforehand. Aim to say everything you need to say in five minutes or less. Switch topics if the conversation turns into a fight. Shelve whatever issue you're talking about if you both find yourselves arguing over it. Redirect the conversation to another topic to get it moving in a positive direction again. For example: Let's say the two of you were in a relationship and adopted a dog together, which is a pretty big deal. Now you're arguing about whether only one of you will keep it or if you'll both share custody, and you've reached a stalemate. Just say, “We can deal with this later,” and bring up a new topic that you need to discuss. Ideally, pick one that he's likely to agree with you about, like, say, cancelling reservations for that Vegas vacation you booked before breaking up. The more that the two of you come to agreements about easy subjects, the more receptive he'll be when you need to return to the more difficult ones. This isn't a guarantee that he'll change his mind, but it should at least reset the tone so it's more civil. Text or email if that works better. Write him a line if talking in person is too awkward, painful, or counterproductive. Give yourself the chance to put yourself in his shoes while reading it over and rephrase your message if needed. Give him the chance to process what you have to say without feeling put on the spot. This way he can really think things over before responding. Similarly, use the post office if you need to send or return something, like that book he lent you. Stick in a simple note like “Didn't want you to think I stole it,” put it in the mailbox, and be done with it. Don’t spend more time than needed on this. It might sound counter-intuitive, but going over what went wrong is an important step in healing, and yet it can also also prolong hurt feelings and confusion if you overdo it. How much time you need depends entirely on you, but aim to find the right balance. Go over your relationship to find the answers you need, and then put it behind you. For example, if he's grown distant because he's started hanging out with a much different crowd, acknowledging this is necessary for you to come to terms with what happened, but dwelling on it won't really accomplish anything. Review your relationship in order to move on. Identify what went wrong, but avoid the temptation of using your answers as a means to correcting mistakes and winning him back. Instead, aim to learn from your experience so you can apply those lessons to future relationships. Keep the future in mind, not the past. For instance, let's say that he broke things off because you betrayed a secret that he told you in confidence. Whether he can trust you again is up to him. All you can do is learn from this so you can avoid repeating the same mistake with someone else. Ask yourself if he was right for you. Whether your relationship was romantic or platonic, perhaps the easiest explanation of why things went wrong is that the two of you weren't well suited for each other. Evaluate your own wants, needs, hopes, and interests. Compare them with his. If they're wildly different, also look back on other guys in your life. Ask yourself if they fall into a pattern so you know what to avoid in the future. Keep your emotions in check. Emotions are a fact of life, so don't feel guilty about feeling whatever feelings come to you. However, keep in mind that a successful, mature relationship often requires you to have some (if not total) control over those feelings. Evaluate how often you allowed yourself to be swept away by them, especially the negative ones, like anger. Examine how you deal with fights and disagreements. Things may have been great between you two as long as everything else was fine, but his feelings may have changed after the two of you found yourself at odds. Think back about how you handled yourself in those moments. Ask yourself if there was a more positive way you could have approached them in order to resolve conflicts. Accept the situation. It's okay to wish that things didn't turn out this way, but don't deny your new reality. Remember that it's much tougher to get over something if you don't accept that it happened in the first place. You may not like it, but embrace the fact that he doesn't like you anymore so you can deal with it. Give yourself time to recoup. Chances are that you feel out of sorts and a little less than enthusiastic about life in general. Don't treat this is a failure on your part. Allow yourself some time to grieve. Keep in mind that this will help you heal far faster than pretending nothing's wrong will. Expect a wide range of emotions. Don't beat yourself for being “crazy” just because you feel depressed one minute, ticked off the next, and uncertain after that. View this as a perfectly normal reaction to losing his favor. It isn't fun, but take comfort in the fact that it won't last forever. For now, just ride it out as best as you can. Express yourself. Avoid bottling everything up. Share what you're feeling with your friends and family if you have a strong support network. If not (or if you're just uncomfortable with sharing at this stage), start a journal and articulate your feelings in there. Use either method or both to air yourself out and put your feelings into perspective. Focus on you, not him. Avoid unnecessary contact with him. Stop dwelling on what he might be up to or how he's feeling. Concentrate instead on what you're up to and how you're feeling. Recognize the fact that the longer you keep him front and center in your mind, the longer it will take for you to get over him. Wish him the best to make yourself feel good. Obviously, your emotions at times might swing toward hating this guy or wishing him ill, and that's okay, as long as it's temporary. However, don't hold onto those feelings. Even if he acted like a jerk, resist the temptation to bear any grudges. Remember that the longer you harbor mean thoughts, the meaner you'll feel in general. Engage in new activities. If the two of you used to spend lots of time together, you probably have a lot of free time on your hands now, so make use of it. Start a new hobby, join a class, and/or just make more plans with old friends. Occupy both your time and your brain so you don't spend it all dwelling on his absence. | Ask yourself if it’s really necessary. Be polite. Get straight to the point. Avoid long speeches about difficult topics. Switch topics if the conversation turns into a fight. Text or email if that works better. Don’t spend more time than needed on this. Review your relationship in order to move on. Ask yourself if he was right for you. Keep your emotions in check. Examine how you deal with fights and disagreements. Accept the situation. Give yourself time to recoup. Expect a wide range of emotions. Express yourself. Focus on you, not him. Wish him the best to make yourself feel good. Engage in new activities. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Paper-Purse | How to Make a Paper Purse | To make a paper purse, start by cutting out pieces of double-sided scrapbook paper to make the body of the purse with. Then, assemble the body of the purse using double-sided tape, and cut out 2 long, thin strips of double-sided scrapbook paper for the handles. Next, attach the handles to the top of the purse with tape. Finally, embellish the handles with gemstones, pearls, or metal studs. | Cut a sheet of double-sided scrapbook paper into two 4½ by 12-inch (11.43 by 30.48 centimeters) strips. One side will be the outside of your purse, and one side will make the lining. To make a more realistic-looking purse, choose paper that is patterned on one side and solid-colored on the other. For the neatest cut, cut a paper trimmer or paper cutter. If you don't have one, use a metal ruler and craft knife. For the rest of this tutorial, the double-sided scrapbook paper will be referred to as "DSP." Trim one of DSP (double-sided scrapbook paper) pieces down to 7 inches (17.78 centimeters) long. You will end up with one 4½ by 12-inch (11.43 by 30.48 centimeters) strip of paper, and one 4½ by 7-inch (11.43 by 17.78 centimeters) strip of paper. Use double-sided tape to join the two pieces together to make a long, skinny rectangle. Lay down a strip of double-sided tape along one of the narrow edges of your first piece of DSP. Peel off the backing, then press the narrow edge of the other piece of DSP on top. Do not overlap the two pieces by more than ½-inch (1.27 centimeters), or the body of your purse won't be long enough to wrap around the bottom of your purse. Set the taped DSP aside when you are done. Cut some solid-colored scrapbook paper into four ¾-inch (1.91 centimeters) wide strips to make the top border on your purse. Cut two ¾ by 11-inch (1.91 by 27.94 centimeters) strips of paper first. Then, cut two more ¾ and 8½-inch (1.91 by 21.59 centimeters) strips. Choose a color that contrasts with your DSP, but that also goes well with it. Neutral colors, such as black or white, are great options. Use double-sided tape to attach one of the 11-inch (27.94 centimeters) long strips to one of 8½-inch (21.59 centimeters) long strips. Be careful not to overlap the ends by too much, or your border won't be long enough to wrap around the top of your purse; ½-inch (1.27 centimeters) will be plenty. Repeat with the remaining two pieces. When you are done, you will end up with two, very long strips of paper. Set the border pieces aside when you are done. You will be attaching them to the body of the bag towards the end. Cut a 5 by 8-inch (12.7 by 20.32 centimeters) rectangle out of solid-colored scrapbook paper. Use the same color as you did for the border pieces in the previous part. You will be folding this into a box shape to make the bottom of your purse. Score folding lines at the top, bottom, and side edges. Score a vertical line, going from top to bottom, 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) away from the left side edge. Repeat this for the right side. Score a horizontal line, going from side to side, 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) away from the top edge. Repeat this for the bottom edge. For the neatest scores, use a scoring board. If you don't have one, lightly draw the lines using a pencil and ruler first, then fold along those lines a few times to make a crease. When you are done, you will have a large rectangle in the center, and four skinny rectangles at each edge. You will also have four squares, one in each corner. Cut four 1-inch (2.54 centimeters) vertical slits at the top and bottom corners of your rectangle. Orient the rectangle horizontally first, with the long edge facing you. Then, using the vertical scores as guides, cut a 1-inch (2.54 centimeters) long slit into each corner, right along the score line. These slits will make little flaps so that you can tape the bottom of your bag together. Fold the paper along each of the scored lines to make a box. Fold both side edges down towards the center, and run a bone folder along the creases. Repeat for the top and bottom edges. Tape the flaps to the inside walls of your box to hold it together. Place a few strips of double-sided tape to the back of each flap. Then, press each flap against the inside walls of the box. You will end up with something that looks like a how-box lid. Set the bottom of the purse aside when you are done. Cut two 1 by 11-inch (2.54 by 27.94 centimeters) strips of solid-colored scrapbook paper for the handles. For a fancier touch, you can crop or round the corners, but not by much. Use the same color as you did for the border pieces. Score both strips vertically down the center, lengthwise, but leave 1½-inch (3.81 centimeters) at each end un-scored. You'll be using these un-scored ends to attach the handles to the bag. It will also mimic the look of a real bag. Glue the handles along the fold, but leave the un-scored parts alone. Draw a line of glue to one side of the score, then fold the handle in half. Leave the 1½-inch (3.81 centimeters) bit at each end un-folded and un-glued. The handles will be flat and skinny along the middle, with curved "cups" at each end. The smooth part of the cups will be on the front/outside of the handles. The curved, "V" part of the cups will be on the back/inside of the handles. Curl the handles using a bone folder to give them some shape. Place the flat, folded part of the handle on the edge of a bone folder. Place your thumb on top of the paper. Use your free hand to pull the paper downward, between your thumb and the bone folder. Repeat this step for the other handle. This is the same technique used for curling ribbon. Set the handles aside when you are done. Place a strip of double-sided tape along the bottom and one of the narrow, side edges of the DSP strip. Take the DSP strip you made at the beginning, and flip it over so that the side you want to be on the inside of your purse is facing you. Place a long strip of double-sided tape along the bottom edge. Place another strip along one of the short, side edges. Wrap the DSP strip around the bottom part of the purse. Start from the short edge that does not have any tape on it. Carefully wrap the body of the bag around the bottom of your purse, pinching the corners as you go. Finish off by pressing the taped side edge down. Run your finger along the seam to seal it. Make sure that the bottom of the DSP strip aligns neatly with the bottom of your purse. Attach the ¾-inch (1.91 centimeter) wide border strips around the top inside and outside edges of the purse. Run a strip of double-sided tape along one of the border strips first, then wrap the strip around the top, inside edge of your purse. Repeat this step with the other strip, but this time on the outside of your purse. This gives your purse some design as well as strength. Make sure that the top edges align neatly. Don't align the seams on the border pieces with the seams on the body of your purse. You will create less bulk this way. Place several strips of double-sided tape along the bottom edges of each handle. Take your first handle, and turn it so that the back is facing you. You should see a "V" at each end of the handle. Place a strip of double-sided tape onto the bottom edge of each end. Repeat this step for the other handle. Attach the handles to the front and back of your purse. Take the first handle, and position it on the front of your purse. Make sure that the bottom edges of the handle align with the bottom edge of the border. Press the taped ends to the front of your bag. Flip the bag over, and repeat for the other side. Embellish the handles. Place a drop of glue onto the bottom corners of your front handle. Next, press a small, flat-backed gem, pearl, or metal stud onto the glue. Repeat this step for the back handle. You can also use glue dots instead of glue. Use the bag with care. Because this bag is made out of paper and tape, it is very fragile. It is meant mostly for decorative purposes, although you can use it to store paper cards and other supplies on your desk. You can also use it as a fancy gift bag. | Cut a sheet of double-sided scrapbook paper into two 4½ by 12-inch (11.43 by 30.48 centimeters) strips. Trim one of DSP (double-sided scrapbook paper) pieces down to 7 inches (17.78 centimeters) long. Use double-sided tape to join the two pieces together to make a long, skinny rectangle. Cut some solid-colored scrapbook paper into four ¾-inch (1.91 centimeters) wide strips to make the top border on your purse. Use double-sided tape to attach one of the 11-inch (27.94 centimeters) long strips to one of 8½-inch (21.59 centimeters) long strips. Cut a 5 by 8-inch (12.7 by 20.32 centimeters) rectangle out of solid-colored scrapbook paper. Score folding lines at the top, bottom, and side edges. Cut four 1-inch (2.54 centimeters) vertical slits at the top and bottom corners of your rectangle. Fold the paper along each of the scored lines to make a box. Tape the flaps to the inside walls of your box to hold it together. Cut two 1 by 11-inch (2.54 by 27.94 centimeters) strips of solid-colored scrapbook paper for the handles. Score both strips vertically down the center, lengthwise, but leave 1½-inch (3.81 centimeters) at each end un-scored. Glue the handles along the fold, but leave the un-scored parts alone. Curl the handles using a bone folder to give them some shape. Place a strip of double-sided tape along the bottom and one of the narrow, side edges of the DSP strip. Wrap the DSP strip around the bottom part of the purse. Attach the ¾-inch (1.91 centimeter) wide border strips around the top inside and outside edges of the purse. Place several strips of double-sided tape along the bottom edges of each handle. Attach the handles to the front and back of your purse. Embellish the handles. Use the bag with care. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Tame-a-Mouse | How to Tame a Mouse | If you've trapped a wild mouse and want to tame it, put it in a rodent cage so it is protected and can't escape. You should also give it treats regularly, like a piece of fruit or rodent treat from the pet store, which will encourage it to associate you with something positive. Additionally, wear cloth gardeners' gloves and gently pick up the mouse so it can't bite you. While the mouse is on your hand, feed it treats so it learns not to see you as a threat. After a week or two, try handling the mouse without wearing gloves. | Feed the mice. If you find mice that have been orphaned, they're probably in desperate need of food. Try to get them fed as quickly as possible. They'll need to be fed liquid nutrients with droppers, since they're still very young and would normally be nursing. By feeding them as babies, you're getting them to think of you as a mother, which is key to taming them from a young age. Feed baby mice every two hours. This can become tiresome, but it's what's necessary to keep them alive until they're weaned. If there's another nursing mother nearby, they should be nursed by her. Mice are good mothers and will nurse babies that aren't their own. Assuming there's not a nursing mother nearby, the best things you can give the babies are goat milk or kitten formula. Do not try to feed them cow milk, as it's very hard to digest. Massage them to encourage elimination. Baby mice will not automatically urinate or defecate. They need to be physically encouraged to do so. Rub gently on their abdomens and their genitals to induce urination after eating. This is another way to gain their trust and develop their dependence on you, making them tame. The best way to do this is with a warm, damp washcloth. Do this each time the mice feed until you notice that they urinate on their own after eating. Keep the mice warm. Normally, baby mice would be kept warm by their mother's body heat. You need to simulate this as best you can. Create a nest for them that is between 75°F (24°C) and 90°F (32°C). The mice must be kept warm at all times. A good option is a plastic critter carrier lined with a towel. Then, place either a hot water bottle or an electric heating pad (set on the lowest setting) under the towel. Give the mice a cooler area within their space that they can move to if they get too hot. Treat diarrhea. Diarrhea is a common problem for baby mice and can be serious. The baby mice can become dehydrated and die. Luckily, you can treat diarrhea in mice with over the counter treatments that are suitable for humans. When you care for your baby mice in this way, they continue to have positive associations with you as their keeper. Pedialyte is excellent for helping baby mice stay hydrated and recover from diarrhea. Feed it to the babies with a dropper. Wean the babies. Once the babies are about four weeks old, you can begin to wean them. To do this, add some crushed solid food to the liquid feedings, as well as some simple fruit for them to chew on. Now the mice will be less dependent on you for feeding, but they should also be fairly tame from the bottle feeding up to this point. Rodent blocks are available at pet stores and can be crushed up and put inside a dropper. Place a slice of apple or a peeled grape near the babies so that they can practice chewing and eating solid food. Provide healthy conditions. Dirty cages and coats can cause health problems. If your mice don't like their conditions, they will be less good as pets. Keep your mice healthy by making sure they have everything they need. This includes: Fresh water always available via a bottle Removing leftover, uneaten food from the cage each time you feed the babies Cleaning up any messes they make, as well as feces in the cage Handle the mice regularly. These mice will have essentially imprinted on you, since you've raised them since they were babies. They will have the impression that you're their mother. Continue to handle them regularly and they will be wonderful pets. Some people even let their mice sit on their shoulders while they go for a walk or a bike ride! Spend time with your mouse. While your mouse is in the cage, spend time talking to it, feeding it, and giving it fresh water. These things will give the mouse positive associations with your presence. This is important because you're so big that you can easily be seen as a threat. Get down to the same level as your mouse's cage. That way, the mouse won't always see you as a giant towering over it. Hand-feed the mouse. Mice love treats. Feeding the mouse treats from your hand will give it more positive associations with you. However, you want to be careful not to get bitten, and not to encourage biting in the future. Put a treat in the palm of your hand and lower your hand into the cage slowly. The treat can be a piece of fruit or a rodent treat from the pet store. Wait for the mouse to approach you. Let it take the treat. This will teach the mouse to consistently approach you and that your hand is safe. Pick up the mouse. Once the mouse is used to your hand coming into the cage, and it doesn't see you as a threat, pick it up. You can just gently scoop the mouse into your hand. If this is difficult, you can grab the mouse gently from the base of his tail and then quickly put him into your other hand. If you're going to use the tail to pick up your mouse, do so by the very base, and only do so for a moment. It can be quite painful for a mouse to be held or dangled by its tail. Hold the mouse for increasing periods of time. While you hold the mouse, speak to it gently, and try to make sure the experience is pleasant and not stressful. Do this everyday, spending more and more time with your mouse until it's very comfortable with you. Always try to end the holding session on a positive note. For example, if the mouse urinates on you, or bites you, and you immediately put it back in its cage, it will learn that those behaviors will get it to go home. Instead, aim to put the mouse back after a desired behavior, such as approaching food in your hand, or remaining still for a long moment. Keep the mouse in a cage. In order to tame a wild mouse, you'll need to catch it first. There are many ways to catch mice. You want to make sure that you catch the mouse in a way that won't hurt it or scare it too much if possible. You can buy mouse traps that will simply catch the mouse without causing it any kind of injury. Once you've caught the mouse, an aquarium or small rodent cage will do. Make sure the mouse has comfortable bedding, fun toys or furniture to play on, and a water bottle. Get the mouse’s attention with treats. Some people call this “bribing” the mouse. However, all you're really doing is letting the mouse know that you're not a threat, and in fact, have positive things to offer. Put your hand (with a treat on it) into the cage. Let the mouse approach and come onto your hand to get the treat. Handle the mouse with gloves on. Cloth gardener's gloves work well for this. Gently scoop up the mouse out of the cage. Handle it for a few minutes, and let the mouse crawl on you. Then, put the mouse gently back in its cage. Give the mouse treats while it crawls on you. This will give it positive associations with you. Do this as often as you and the mouse have the patience for. The more you practice, the quicker you'll tame your mouse. Remove the gloves. After a week or two, try taking the gloves off when you handle the mouse. Do this gently. If the mouse seems afraid or bites you, you can put the gloves back on and try again. Continue practicing and picking up the mouse without gloves until it's easy and the mouse feels comfortable. | Feed the mice. Massage them to encourage elimination. Keep the mice warm. Treat diarrhea. Wean the babies. Provide healthy conditions. Handle the mice regularly. Spend time with your mouse. Hand-feed the mouse. Pick up the mouse. Hold the mouse for increasing periods of time. Keep the mouse in a cage. Get the mouse’s attention with treats. Handle the mouse with gloves on. Remove the gloves. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Coffee-Jelly | How to Make Coffee Jelly | To make Japanese coffee jelly, combine hot water and gelatin in a bowl until the granules dissolve. Next, heat the dissolved gelatin in a saucepan with coffee and sugar until it comes to a boil. Then, pour the mixture into serving dishes and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours to let it set. Alternatively, if you want to cut the jelly into cubes, pour the mixture into a lightly greased pan and chill it for 6 hours. Finally, serve the jelly with a dollop of whipped cream. | Dissolve the gelatin in hot water. Pour the hot water into a small bowl. Stir gently until the gelatin dissolves. To ensure smooth jelly, allow the gelatin to "bloom" in the hot water for 1 or 2 minutes before stirring it. Allowing the granules to absorb the water like this them may help them dissolve more readily. Combine with the coffee and sugar. Pour the dissolved gelatin mixture into the hot coffee. Add the sugar and whisk until the sugar dissolves. The coffee must be very hot (near boiling) when you use it. If you use cold coffee, it could result in stringy or clumpy coffee jelly. If you do start with cooled coffee, you'll need to combine the coffee, gelatin mixture, and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat the entire mixture on your stove over high heat until it reaches a boil. Pour the mixture into serving dishes. Evenly distribute the coffee mixture among four custard dishes, coffee mugs, or similar serving glasses. If you wish to cut the coffee jelly into cubes, you'll need to pour it into a lightly greased 8-inch by 8-inch (20-cm by 20-cm) pan. Chill until firm. Place your filled dishes into the refrigerator and allow the coffee jelly to firm up. If you plan to eat it directly from its dish, the coffee jelly might be ready in as few as 3 to 4 hours. If you want to cut the coffee jelly into cubes, you should wait at least 6 to 7 hours for it to solidify even further. Serve. The coffee jelly should be done and ready to enjoy. Consider garnishing the dishes of jelly with a dollop of whipped cream. If you wish to make cubes of coffee jelly, cut the sheet of firm jelly into even cubes using a warm knife. Gently invert the pan into a large serving dish to collect the cubes. Cover and store remaining coffee jelly in your refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days. Heat the water and agar agar. Pour the water and agar agar into a small saucepan. Whisk until combined, then set the saucepan on your stove over high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil before continuing to the next step. Note that agar agar powder (also called "kanten powder") works best, but you could use three-quarters of an agar stick if necessary. Break the stick into pieces and soak them for 20 minutes in separate water. Drain the soaking water, then use the broken pieces of agar as you would use the powder. Equal amounts of unflavored powdered gelatin could be used instead of the agar agar powder, but gelatin is not vegetarian-friendly. Add the sugar and coffee. Once the mixture starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium. Pour the sugar and instant coffee into the saucepan and whisk to combine. Continue cooking the mixture at a gentle simmer for approximately 2 minutes, or until everything dissolves. Stir the mixture occasionally to help it along. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Turn off the heat and remove the saucepan from the stove. Allow it to rest at room temperature for approximately 5 minutes. During this time, the liquid should begin to thicken. Make sure that it does not solidify, though. Agar sets quickly, and waiting too long can make it difficult to pour. Pour into serving dishes. Pour the hot mixture into individual serving dishes. Wait another 5 to 10 minutes, then cover each dish with plastic wrap. After pouring the mixture into each dish, use a spoon to scoop away any bubbles that form on the surface. Chill for 4 to 5 hours. Place the filled dishes in your refrigerator. Chill them until the jelly sets and becomes thoroughly cooled. Jelly made with agar will technically set even at room temperature, but the process will take more time. Moreover, the jelly will taste better cold. Serve. The coffee jelly is finished and ready to enjoy. Consider serving each portion with whipped cream or 1 to 2 Tbsp (15 to 30 ml) of half-and-half. Leftover coffee jelly should last for up to 2 days when stored in the refrigerator. Combine the gelatin and water. Place the cold water in a medium mixing bowl. Sprinkle the unflavored gelatin over the water and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. As the gelatin sits, the individual granules should begin to absorb the water. This process, known as "hydrating" or "blooming," makes it easier to dissolve the gelatin once you add hot liquid. Add the hot coffee. Pour the strong, hot coffee into the gelatin mixture. Stir well for several minutes, or until the gelatin completely dissolves. Note that the coffee must be very hot when you add it; otherwise, the gelatin may not set properly. The coffee should also be quite strong to balance the sweetness of the condensed milk and mimic the taste of Vietnamese coffee. Stir in the condensed milk. After the gelatin dissolves, pour the sweetened condensed milk into the mixture. Stir well to combine. You must use condensed milk. Do not used evaporated milk since it lacks the sweetness and thickness of condensed milk. Pour the mixture into a glass dish. Carefully pour the coffee mixture into an 8-inch by 8-inch (20-cm by 20-cm) square glass dish. To make thinner cubes of coffee jelly, you could use a 7-inch by 11-inch (18-cm by 28-cm) glass dish or a 9-inch by 13-inch (23-cm by 33-cm) glass dish. Chill until set. Place the filled dish into the refrigerator. Chill for 2 to 4 hours, or until the coffee jelly is firm. Thinner cubes will solidify quicker than thicker cubes. Wait until the jelly feels firm enough to hold between your fingers. To be on the safe side, you may wish to wait 8 hours or overnight. Serve. Cut the finished coffee jelly into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes and turn the cubes out into a large serving bowl or dish. Enjoy immediately. Store extra coffee jelly in an airtight container kept in the refrigerator for up 3 or 4 days. Lightly grease the brioche molds. Spray six to eight brioche molds with nonstick cooking spray. Use a clean paper towel to spread the oil over the bottom and sides, coating the entire mold in a thin layer. Ideally, you should use 4-inch (10-cm) molds or 1/2-cup (125-ml) molds. Brioche molds work well and give the finished jelly an appealing appearance, but any similarly sized mold would also work. If you do not wish to remove the jelly from its dish before serving it, you could use six to eight 1/2-cup (125-ml) custard dishes, instead. Do not coat the dishes with cooking spray if you choose this option. Combine the gelatin and coffee liqueur. Pour the coffee liqueur into a small to medium mixing bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Allow it to stand for 5 minutes. As it stands, the gelatin should soften or "bloom." The individual grain will absorb the moisture and will dissolve more readily once you add them to the hot coffee. Add the coffee, sugar, and salt. Pour the hot coffee, sugar, and salt into the bowl. Stir well until the gelatin fully dissolves. The coffee must be hot when you add it to the gelatin. Using cool coffee can result in stringy jelly. Continue stirring until the entire mixture seems like a smooth liquid. This should take approximately 2 minutes. Pour the mixture into the molds. Divide the mixture evenly between your prepared brioche molds. After filling the molds, loosely cover them with a single layer of plastic wrap. Chill overnight. Place the filled molds in your refrigerator and keep them there until the jelly becomes firm. Chilling them for 8 hours or overnight should result in very firm jellies, which will be ideal if you plan to remove them from their molds. If you wish to eat the coffee jelly directly from its dish, however, it might be firm enough to enjoy after 4 hours. Waiting longer will still produce a firmer texture, though. Remove the firm jelly from the molds. Remove the coffee jelly from your refrigerator. Use your fingers to gently pull the jelly away from the edges of the mold, then turn each mold over onto its own dessert plate. If the coffee jelly sticks to the mold, quickly dip the bottom of the mold into hot water. The heat should loosen the jelly and make it easier to remove. Serve. The coffee jelly is finished and ready to enjoy. If desired, garnish each serving with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. This coffee jelly is best when enjoyed immediately, but you can cover and store the leftovers in your refrigerator for up to 4 days. | Dissolve the gelatin in hot water. Combine with the coffee and sugar. Pour the mixture into serving dishes. Chill until firm. Serve. Heat the water and agar agar. Add the sugar and coffee. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Pour into serving dishes. Chill for 4 to 5 hours. Serve. Combine the gelatin and water. Add the hot coffee. Stir in the condensed milk. Pour the mixture into a glass dish. Chill until set. Serve. Lightly grease the brioche molds. Combine the gelatin and coffee liqueur. Add the coffee, sugar, and salt. Pour the mixture into the molds. Chill overnight. Remove the firm jelly from the molds. Serve. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Store-Coconut-Oil | How to Store Coconut Oil | To store coconut oil, put it in a cool, dry place like a cupboard or pantry. Avoid spots that have a lot of moisture since moisture can ruin coconut oil. To help it last longer, transfer the oil to a dark container so it's not exposed to light. If you want your coconut oil to be solid, you can store it in the fridge until you're ready to use it. Wherever you store your coconut oil, make sure you keep the lid on the container so it stays fresh. | Store the coconut oil in a dark container. If you purchased coconut oil that came in a clear jar or bottle, transfer it to a dark container to protect it from light. You should also place the coconut oil in a dark place in your kitchen or pantry so it's not exposed to sunlight. Avoid storing the coconut oil in reactive metal containers since these may add an undesirable flavor to the coconut oil. Store the coconut oil in a cool, dry place. Place the coconut oil in your pantry, cupboard, or any dry, cool space in your kitchen. Try to find a storage space that's below 75 °F (24 °C) to prevent the oil from melting. It's common for coconut oil to melt since it has such a low melting point. Don't worry; this won't damage the oil. For example, avoid storing the oil in the bathroom even if you'll be using the coconut oil for beauty products. Bathroom temperature can fluctuate and introduce moisture into the oil. You should also avoid storing the oil in the attic or garage. Refrigerate the oil to firm it up. If your coconut oil melts and you want to return it to a solid state, place the container in the refrigerator for several hours. Chill the coconut oil until it's the texture you want. You can store the coconut oil in the refrigerator all the time, but it will become completely solid. Store the coconut oil at a constant temperature. Heating and chilling the coconut oil frequently can cause it to go bad faster. Instead, choose one storage space or temperature for the coconut oil and keep it there. Don't worry if you got home from the store to find that the jar of coconut oil melted on the way. You could stick it in the fridge until it firms up a little and then store it in the pantry. Secure the lid on the jar or container. Even if you don't transfer the coconut oil to a dark jar or bottle, you'll need to keep it in a container with a tight fitting lid. Ensure that the lid is pressed down or screwed on tight to prevent oxygen from spoiling the oil. If it takes you a long time to finish a bottle or tub of coconut oil, consider transferring the oil to a smaller container once you've used about half of it. This will reduce the amount of oxygen that comes into contact with the oil. Use clean, dry utensils to scoop into the oil. When you go to use the coconut oil, ensure that the spoon, measuring cup, or knife that you use is completely dry. Utensils that are wet or dirty can introduce bacteria into the coconut oil which will cause it to spoil faster. Check the coconut oil every few months. Since coconut oil can be stored for several years, it's important to look it over for mold or signs that it's become rancid. Look at the coconut oil every month or two and discard the coconut oil if you see or smell: An unpleasant odor. Yellowish color. Brown or green flecks of mold. Chunky or curdled consistency. Cook and sauté with coconut oil. Use a few spoonfuls of coconut oil in place of cooking or vegetable oil. Melt a little of the coconut oil in a skillet and sauté your favorite vegetables or meats. You can also stir melted coconut oil into mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes. Avoid leaving the coconut oil out next to the stove while you cook. The heat from the stove could melt the oil. The coconut oil will give a mild, tropical flavor to your meals. Bake with coconut oil. Replace butter or cooking oil with coconut oil in your favorite baking recipes. For example, substitute coconut oil in recipes for biscuits, cakes, cookies, or muffins. You may be able to buy coconut oil in stick form which makes it easy to cut and measure. Look for this in the refrigerator section of the grocery store. Set the sticks out at room temperature to soften a little before you bake with them. Use coconut oil in homemade beauty products. For simple beauty treatments, warm coconut oil between your palms and run the oil through your hair. Rinse it out for shiny, healthy-looking hair. You can also use coconut oil instead of lotion to moisturize dry skin. If you use coconut oil every day for beauty products, you may want to transfer some oil into a small container. You can store the smaller container in the bathroom if you know you'll be using the oil quickly (within a week). Consider mixing coconut oil in with essential oils to create lip balms or salves. Fry foods with coconut oil. Heat a large pot of coconut oil instead of peanut, canola, or vegetable oil. Use the hot oil to fry a variety of foods. For example, you can fry chicken strips, french fries, or fish. You can cool and reuse the coconut oil for frying. Discard the oil after using it a few times. Remember to move the coconut oil container away from the skillet of hot oil or it may melt the rest of your coconut oil. | Store the coconut oil in a dark container. Store the coconut oil in a cool, dry place. Refrigerate the oil to firm it up. Store the coconut oil at a constant temperature. Secure the lid on the jar or container. Use clean, dry utensils to scoop into the oil. Check the coconut oil every few months. Cook and sauté with coconut oil. Bake with coconut oil. Use coconut oil in homemade beauty products. Fry foods with coconut oil. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Over-Rejection | How to Get Over Rejection | Being rejected can feel terrible, but you can learn how to cope so it doesn't feel like the end of the world, because it isn't! When you first get rejected, be it by a romantic interest or a dream job, it's better to let yourself express your feelings than to pretend you don't care. Then, examine these feelings and put them into perspective. For example, if you're thinking, “She didn't want to go to prom with me because I'm ugly,” recognize that this is speculation. Instead, say, “She didn't want to go to prom with me.” As you work on moving on, focus on keeping yourself healthy with diet and exercise, and spend time hanging out with friends and doing things you love to stay focused on your own happiness. | Understand that your pain is normal. Feeling hurt after rejection is a normal human response with both emotional and physiological causes. Research has shown that experiencing unexpected rejection actually causes physical symptoms: emotional pain activates the same neurons in your brain as physical pain does. In fact, experiencing rejection can actually make you feel literally “heartbroken” because it activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for things like your heart rate. Experiencing rejection from a romantic relationship, such as with a nasty breakup, can actually trigger the same responses in the brain as withdrawing from a drug addiction. People who suffer from depression may have an even harder time with feelings of rejection, according to research. Because depression inhibits the release of opioids, or your body's natural painkillers, depressed individuals who experience rejection may feel the hurt more acutely and for longer than non-depressed people. Allow yourself to feel upset. Rejection causes real pain, both emotional and often physical. Denying or minimizing your hurt -- for example, brushing off a rejection from your top college choice by saying “it's no big deal” -- can actually make it worse in the long run. You need to acknowledge that your hurt feelings are normal so that you can begin to move on from them. It's fairly common for society to promote “being tough” or “keeping a stiff upper lip,” as though accepting and expressing your emotions makes you an inferior person. This is far from the truth, however. People who repress their emotions rather than allow themselves to experience them actually have more difficulty resolving their problems, and may also continue to create situations where they experience negative feelings. Express your feelings. Expressing your emotions will help you accept that you're going through something painful. Rejection can create intense feelings of disappointment, abandonment, and loss, and you will probably have an initial grieving period to deal with not getting what you had hoped for. Do not belittle or bottle up your feelings. Cry if you feel like it. Crying can actually reduce feelings of anxiety, nervousness, and irritability. It can also reduce your body's stress levels. So yes, real men (and women) do cry -- and should. Try not to scream, shout, or punch things. Research suggests that even expressing anger through aggression towards an inanimate object, such as a pillow, can actually heighten your feelings of anger. It's more productive to write about your feelings, reflecting on exactly why you feel angry. Expressing your feelings through creative outlets such as art, music, or poetry can be very helpful. However, try to stay away from extremely sad or angry things, as these can actually make you feel worse. Examine your feelings. It's helpful to understand exactly ''why'' you feel upset after experiencing a rejection. Were you disappointed that someone else was picked for the team rather than you? Were you hurt that the person you're interested in doesn't return your feelings? Did you feel unworthy because your job application was turned down?? Thinking through your feelings will help you understand how to address them. Use this opportunity to consider the reasons that might have been behind the rejection. This is not about picking yourself apart; it's about making a sensible analysis of what you might wish to do differently next time. Whatever the reasons you find––such as avoiding people who are overly narcissistic, getting your essays turned in on time or training harder––these can give you a practical platform to work from rather than staying focused on the act of rejection itself. Stick to the facts. It can be easy for your self-esteem to take a nose-dive after you've been rejected, especially if that rejection was highly personal, such as romantic rejection. However, as you examine your feelings and thoughts, try to keep your statements as factual as possible. For example, rather than saying “That girl I like refused to go to the prom with me because I'm fat and ugly,” stick to what you actually ''know'': “That girl I like didn't want to go to the prom with me.” It's still rejection, and it still hurts, but the second way of thinking avoids shaming or criticizing yourself, which are very unhealthy behaviors. Rejection actually temporarily lowers your IQ. So if you're having trouble thinking through your feelings clearly, don't feel bad about it -- you actually can't help it. Avoid lashing out at others. Because rejection hurts, some individuals react to the pain it causes by becoming angry and/or lashing out at others. This response can be a way to try to reassert control or demand that others pay attention to them. However, this response can actually cause further rejection and isolation, so while it's tempting to get angry and aggressive after you're rejected, try not to. Take some ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Believe it or not, research indicates that emotional hurt runs along many of the same pathways as physical hurt. Because of this, taking a normal dose of over-the-counter painkillers such as Advil or Tylenol for three weeks has been shown to reduce the lingering effects of emotional pain from rejection. Use only over-the-counter pain medicine and don't take more than the daily recommended dose. You want to treat your pain, not start an addiction. Stay healthy. Eat good food and exercise regularly. Don't self-medicate by over-consuming alcohol or using dangerous substances. Exercise actually releases natural painkillers, called opioids, so whenever you feel so pent up that you're fit to burst, go for a walk, cycle, swim or other activity you love to actively do. Try to channel your energy into physically aggressive activities like running, kick boxing, taekwondo or karate, if you are feeling angry about your rejection. Hang out with friends. Feeling a loss of connection is one of the big side-effects of rejection. Connect with people who love and support you. Research has shown that having fun, healthy interactions with people you enjoy can boost your body's recovery systems. Experiencing emotional acceptance from your friends and family can help you overcome the pain of feeling rejected. Have fun. Distract yourself from the painful thoughts and find ways to involve yourself in things that help you to feel good. Watch funny shows, listen to parody podcasts, or go to see comedies at the cinema. While having fun won't immediately mend your broken heart, it will help reduce your feelings of anger and increase your positive emotions. Laughter is particularly important after experiencing rejection because it triggers the release of chemicals known as endorphins, which result in feelings of positivity and well-being. Laughter can even increase your tolerance of physical pain! Share your feelings of rejection with someone you trust. This person might be your best friend, a sibling, a parent or a therapist. Tell them what has happened and how it has made you feel. They may tell you about their own experiences of rejection and what they did to cope; this can be helpful for you to learn from. Practice self-compassion. Rejection can take a serious toll on your self-esteem, leading you to beat yourself up over mistakes or believe that you will never be successful or happy. Practicing self-compassion can help you learn to accept mistakes and failures as part of living, rather than obsessing over them. Self-compassion has three basic elements: Self-kindness. Self-kindness means extending the same kindness and understanding to yourself as you would to a loved one. It doesn't mean that you excuse your mistakes or ignore problems, just that you recognize that you're not perfect. Loving yourself also allows you to be more loving toward others. Common humanity. Recognizing your common humanity means embracing the fact that negative experiences, including rejection, are part of human life and not necessarily due to anything about you. Understanding this can also help you move past rejection, as you realize that rejection really does happen to everyone. Mindfulness. Practicing mindfulness means acknowledging and accepting the experiences you're having without judgment. Practicing mindfulness through meditation can help you process your negative emotions without focusing too much on them. Avoid personalizing the rejection. It can be very easy to view rejection as confirmation of our worst fears about ourselves: that we're not skilled at something, that we're not worth loving, that we're never going to be successful. However, learning to avoid personalizing your experiences of rejection will help you take positive lessons from them and feel less emotionally devastated. Don't “catastrophize.” Catastrophizing is basically blowing out of proportion some mistake or failure you made while ignoring your own positive qualities. If you are rejected from a job offer, it doesn't mean that you will never find a job and end up living in a box under a bridge somewhere. If you get negative comments back on an essay or job, it doesn't mean you can't learn and improve. Catastrophizing takes away the possibility for you to see how you can learn and grow from your experiences -- even the truly negative ones such as rejection. Make a list of your positive characteristics. Rejection often kicks you right in the gut and the negative voices in your head can grow stronger––if you let them. To counteract the desire to only find what's wrong with yourself, be proactive and write a list of all your great, positive and strong characteristics. Studies show that when you consciously remind yourself that you are valued and worth loving, you not only are able to overcome rejection better, you develop resilience to later rejection. See rejection for what it is. It is a change in what you hoped for, often an abrupt and undesirable one. But it's also a chance to reorient your pathway to something more productive and more likely to work for you. Although it hurts as you're going through it, rejection can teach you how to develop your strengths and focus your energies productively. For example, if you've just been through a breakup, the person who no longer wishes to be your intimate partner has just made it clear that you both wouldn't make it as a couple in the long run. While that rejection stings, it's better to recognize the unworkable situation now than to invest heavily in someone only to discover much later that you are unlikely to ever be compatible. Let time heal. It's a cliché for good reason––time mends because you get the perspective of distance. You also have the chance to do some personal growing, which will help you look at things in a different light. It is very hard as you're working through the pain, but over time, you will likely come to realize that what was lost was not meant to be. Learn something new. Learning how to do something you've always wanted to do will help you feel successful, which can repair your wounded self-confidence. Learning something pleasant such as cooking, guitar, or a new language will also boost your mood. You can also consider things like assertiveness training. Sometimes, people experience rejection because they weren't clear enough in communicating their desires and needs. You may find that learning to be more assertive about what you want and need lessens your chances of being rejected. There may be times when you have doubts when you try something new. Do it all slowly, to avoid overwhelming yourself. If you've decided to overhaul parts of your life, it will be understandable that at times you'll feel like a novice and have all the feelings of inadequacy that accompany that. Try to push through any such feelings though and realize that "beginner's mind" is actually a positive state to be in, as you are receptive to new ways of perceiving everything. Treat yourself. “Retail therapy” actually can have positive effects. For example, research shows that when you go shopping, you may envision how what you buy will fit into your new life. Buying an item of clothing that looks great on you or getting a smart new haircut can increase your self-confidence. Don't use spending as a salve for your pain, or you'll simply mask what needs dealing with. Additionally, don't go overboard with your spending, or you could end up simply adding to your stress levels. However, it can be uplifting to allow yourself a treat or two, especially if it helps you to get on your new path to brighter things Remember that not everyone will be compatible with you. If your rejection was more personal, such as a breakup or not making the sports team, it can be tempting to see these instances as confirmation that you're somehow an inferior person. However, by becoming comfortable with yourself and remembering that there are some people in this world who simply aren't compatible with you, you'll be able to accept their rejection and move on without becoming obsessed by it. Remember: the more you love yourself, the less you'll need to rely on others for validation. Practice being rejected in a low-stakes environment. Putting yourself into situations where you might experience rejection without any huge negative or personal consequences can help you learn that rejection often has nothing to do with you personally. For example, asking for something that you know is likely to be refused (but that isn't terribly important to you) can help you practice dealing with rejection. Keep taking risks. People who've been rejected may become risk-averse, where they stop trying things or approaching people because they've allowed their fear of being rejected to dominate their thinking. It's very important to remain positive and hopeful even in the face of rejection. For example, if you are having a conversation with a friend and you feel rejected in some way, you might “tune out” of the conversation to protect yourself from feeling hurt. While this can lessen your initial discomfort, it also disconnects you from others and can actually end up making the rejection worse. Remember: you are rejected from 100% of the opportunities you don't seek. Expect to succeed (but understand you might not). This balance is very tricky to accomplish, but it's important to keeping you healthy even after experiencing rejection. Research shows that whether you believe you will fail or succeed at something influences how hard you will work at achieving that goal, which indirectly affects your performance. Believing that you will succeed actually helps you try harder. However, it's important to remember that your perception of whether you'll succeed doesn't determine your actual success, only whether you put more or less effort into the attempt. It's still possible (and, at some point in your life, probable) to fail at something you felt good about and worked hard at. Understanding that you can only control your own actions, not the outcome, will help you depersonalize rejection when it happens. Acknowledge to yourself that rejection is a possibility, but that you will do your best regardless of the outcome. Practice forgiveness. When you're feeling hurt and disappointed due to rejection, the last thing on your mind might be forgiving the person(s) who caused those feelings. However, trying to empathize with the other person may help you deal with your emotions. Try to think about why the other person may have said “no.” Often, you'll realize that their actions don't have anything to do with you. | Understand that your pain is normal. Allow yourself to feel upset. Express your feelings. Examine your feelings. Stick to the facts. Avoid lashing out at others. Take some ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Stay healthy. Hang out with friends. Have fun. Share your feelings of rejection with someone you trust. Practice self-compassion. Avoid personalizing the rejection. Make a list of your positive characteristics. See rejection for what it is. Let time heal. Learn something new. Treat yourself. Remember that not everyone will be compatible with you. Practice being rejected in a low-stakes environment. Keep taking risks. Expect to succeed (but understand you might not). Practice forgiveness. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Chop-Cilantro | How to Chop Cilantro | To chop cilantro, start by cutting off the stems with a sharp knife. Then, use the knife to chop the bundle of cilantro in half. After you chop the cilantro in half, take one of the piles and fold it in half, holding it with your fingers. Next, place the knife at one end of the folded pile and quickly rock it back and forth as you work your way across the cilantro. Once the first pile is chopped, repeat with the second pile of cilantro and then you're finished. | Fill a medium sized bowl with cold water. Take the bundle of cilantro and place it inside the bowl. Twirl the cilantro around in the bowl and then let it soak for about 10 minutes. This helps to gently loosen any dirt particles on the cilantro leaves. Set the bundle of cilantro in a colander. Turn on cold water and place the cilantro underneath the water in the kitchen sink. Rinse the cilantro well. Move the bundle of cilantro around while the water hits it. By moving the cilantro around, you help to rinse away dirt particles underneath and between the leaves Shake the colander with the cilantro bundle well until all of the excess water exits the colander. Place the cilantro onto a large paper towel. Absorb any excess water from the cilantro with the paper towel. Keep the paper towel for storing the leftover cilantro. Look through the cilantro for any discolored or wilted cilantro leaves. Pick these out of the bundle and discard appropriately (compost if available). You can simply use your hands for this. Make sure only the healthy, green leaves remain. Decide how much of the stems you want to keep. Depending on your preference for the texture and taste of cilantro stems, you may want to remove some of the long stems of the cilantro. For salsas and curries, many find the cilantro stems add a pleasant amount of concentrated cilantro flavor. If your recipe doesn't specify on the inclusion of stems, use your best judgement. Remove however much of the stems you wish. Place a cutting board on the counter. Place the cilantro on the cutting board and with a sharp knife, cut the long stems. These stems are located near the bottom of the cilantro bundle. You can place a moist washcloth underneath the cutting board to help provide traction so the cutting board does not slide around when you are chopping the cilantro bundle. Chop the bundle of cilantro in half, using the middle as a guideline. This is where the abundance of cilantro leaves are located. When you need to use a small amount of cilantro, separate the bunches in half. Avoid removing the leaves from the portion of the cilantro you are storing for later, as it will last longer intact. Store the unused cilantro. Wrap the unused bundle and the stems in the paper towel you used to dry the cilantro. Place them in a zip lock bag and place the bag in the refrigerator. This will keep it fresh for three to five days. Decide how finely chopped you want your cilantro. Cilantro is tender, so it isn't usually necessary for it to be very finely chopped. The later in the cooking process you intend on adding the cilantro, the more finely it should be chopped. If you are using your cilantro as a garnish, chop it just enough so that it can be easily sprinkled over your food. Fold the bunch of cilantro leaves in half and place them on the cutting board. Use a rocking motion with the knife when chopping cilantro. Go back again with the knife to ensure that all the cilantro is chopped. Regardless of how fine you want your cilantro, try to keep the chop even. | Fill a medium sized bowl with cold water. Set the bundle of cilantro in a colander. Shake the colander with the cilantro bundle well until all of the excess water exits the colander. Look through the cilantro for any discolored or wilted cilantro leaves. Decide how much of the stems you want to keep. Remove however much of the stems you wish. Chop the bundle of cilantro in half, using the middle as a guideline. Store the unused cilantro. Decide how finely chopped you want your cilantro. Fold the bunch of cilantro leaves in half and place them on the cutting board. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Natural-Shampoo | How to Make Natural Shampoo | To make natural shampoo, start by boiling water and pouring it into a mug. Then, steep a bag of chamomile tea in the water for 3 minutes. Next, discard the tea bag, and stir in 1 tablespoon each of honey and lemon juice. Finally, wait for the mixture to reach a comfortable temperature before using it to wash your hair. | Boil some water and pour it into a mug. Add a bag of Chamomile tea, and let it steep for two to three minutes. Once the tea is done steeping, put out the tea bag and discard it. Stir in 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. The lemon juice will help clean and brighten your hair, while the honey will help hydrate it. Wait for the "tea" to reach a comfortable temperature. You will be pouring this mixture over your hair, so you don't want it to be too hot. Most people find that their hair looks best after using lukewarm water; however, if the water is too hot it may cause frizz. Use the shampoo. Step into the shower and get your hair wet. Tilt your head back, and pour the mixture over your head. Massage it into your scalp, then rinse it out. Follow up with your regular conditioner. While this shampoo is great for cleaning your hair, it is not so great for conditioning it. When you are done washing your hair, choose your favorite conditioner, and massage it through your hair. Rinse it out well. Fill two jars with 1 cup (240 milliliters) of cold water each. One jar will be for the "shampoo" mixture, and the other cup will be for the "conditioner" mixture. Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda in the first jar. Stir the baking soda until it dissolves completely. The baking soda will help clean your hair. This will be your "shampoo." Add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to the second jar. The vinegar will help restore your hair's natural pH and get rid of any buildup from hair products. It will also help soften your hair and make it shiny again. This is an important follow-up to the baking soda shampoo. It will act as a conditioner. If you have very light hair, or have a sensitive nose, use white vinegar instead. It will be less likely to tint your hair, and it won't smell as bad. Use the baking soda shampoo first. Get into the shower and dampen your hair. Tilt your head back and power the baking soda water over your hair. Gently massage your hair, then rinse it out. Use the apple cider vinegar conditioner next. Once you have gotten the baking soda water out, tilt your head back again and pour the vinegar water back over your hair. Be very careful not to get it into your eyes — it will sting. Rinse the apple cider vinegar out. Consider finishing off with a cold water rinse on your hair. This will help seal the hair follicles and make your hair appear even shinier. Don't worry if your hair smells a little bit like vinegar. The smell will go away by the time your hair dries. Choose a Castile soap. Unlike other types of soap, Castile soap is natural and free of harmful parabens, sulfates, and silicones, all of which can damage your hair. This soap is gentle enough to be used on hair. You can use a scented Castile soap or an unscented one. If you choose an unscented one, you can make up your own scent by adding some essential oils. Fill a plastic bottle with 1/3 cup (80 milliliters) of Castile soap. Try using an old shampoo bottle, or an old soap dispenser. This shampoo will be thick, so you want to be able to squeeze or squirt the shampoo out. Add ¼ cup (60 milliliters) of coconut milk. Coconut milk is incredible for hair. It helps soften and replenish it, and acts very much like a conditioner. Make sure that you are using the unsweetened kind, as the sweetened coconut milk will have too many additives. Coconut milk may separate in the can. Give the can a shake before you open it. Consider adding a little bit of honey or olive oil if you have dry hair. Not only will honey make the shampoo smell nice, but it will also help soften your hair. Olive oil is also a good option. Consider adding 10 to 20 drops of essential oil. Choose your favorite scent, and add it to the bottle. Great scents for shampoos include tea tree, eucalyptus, rosemary, lavender, and rose. Close the bottle tightly, and shake it to mix. Keep shaking the bottle until everything is mixed together, and the shampoo is an even color. Use the shampoo like you would any other shampoo. When you are not using the shampoo, remember to store it in the fridge. Use it within a week. | Boil some water and pour it into a mug. Add a bag of Chamomile tea, and let it steep for two to three minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Wait for the "tea" to reach a comfortable temperature. Use the shampoo. Follow up with your regular conditioner. Fill two jars with 1 cup (240 milliliters) of cold water each. Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda in the first jar. Add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to the second jar. Use the baking soda shampoo first. Use the apple cider vinegar conditioner next. Consider finishing off with a cold water rinse on your hair. Choose a Castile soap. Fill a plastic bottle with 1/3 cup (80 milliliters) of Castile soap. Add ¼ cup (60 milliliters) of coconut milk. Consider adding a little bit of honey or olive oil if you have dry hair. Consider adding 10 to 20 drops of essential oil. Close the bottle tightly, and shake it to mix. Use the shampoo like you would any other shampoo. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Flutter-Kick | How to Flutter Kick | To flutter kick, start by pushing one of your legs down into the water with your toes pointed and turned slightly inward. Then, as your leg is floating back up in the water, repeat with your other leg. Continue alternating your legs and increasing your speed, making sure your feet aren't breaking the surface of the water. To practice flutter kicking, try holding onto a kickboard so it's easier to propel yourself forward. You can also push off from the pool wall before flutter kicking to give yourself some momentum. | Hold onto a pool wall or lane marker. Grasp a wall of the pool, a lane marker, or another stationary object that allows you to extend your body in the water behind it. Hold your arms out straight from the wall, with the rest of your body as horizontal as possible in the water. Ideally, have your face submerged in the water so that your head is in the same line as your body. Obtain a snorkeling mask to make it easier to maintain this position without having to bring your face up for air. You can have your head out of the water to breathe, but it may be more difficult to remain horizontal and stable in the water this way. Push one leg down in the water. Flex the hip of one leg slightly to push the leg down, and continue the motion down the leg by slightly bending the knee and powerfully pushing down with the top of the foot. Make sure your toes are pointed and turned slightly inward. Imagine that the widest part of the top of your foot is as parallel as possible to the pool floor. Avoid bending your knee too much as you kick the leg down, as if you were pedaling a bike rather than kicking. Keep the leg mostly straight; the power driven by the hip will naturally move the knee slightly. Repeat with the opposite leg. Let the first leg float up in the water while you repeat the same kick with the opposite leg, remembering to drive the downward motion from the hip and push with a pointed toe. Make sure that while you're alternating kicking legs, neither foot breaks the surface of the water. Your feet should also not be moving too far below the line of your body. Continue alternating legs to kick. Keep kicking one leg down while the other floats up, and increasing the speed until you are alternating quickly. Observe how the force of the kick propels your hips and legs upward. You can adjust the strength of the kick to the point where your whole body is floating in an even, horizontal line in the water. If you have trouble with your legs sinking down too low, try pushing your chest slightly further down in the water. If your legs are rising up too much, do the opposite, or kick at a lower strength and speed. See if you can maintain the kick and your balanced, horizontal position in the water while barely holding onto or relying on the wall or lane marker anymore for support. This will prepare you to start moving in the water with the kick. Try holding onto the wall with both of your hands, then have someone stand behind you with their arms fully outstretched and their hands about 1 foot (30 cm) apart. Then, kick your feet, trying to tap their hands with each kick. Try a kickboard. Obtain a kickboard for the pool and use it to support your hands out in front of you. Assume the same horizontal position with your body in the water, then perform the flutter kick as you did holding onto the wall. Avoid using a kickboard for someone younger than 6 years old since it may not teach proper swimming technique. Notice how the kick feels as it works to propel you forward in the water as well as hold you up. Adjust the strength and speed of your kick accordingly. You can hold your head out of the water so you don't have to pause to breathe, but you may not find the right horizontal balance as you will when you submerge your face into the water and come up for breath when you need it. Push off from a pool wall. Push yourself off of a pool wall using your legs, and straighten your body out horizontally underwater. Glide through the water until you feel you are losing momentum, then begin to do the flutter kick. Try to make your body as streamlined as possible when you glide away from the wall. Place arms in a torpedo position out in front of you, one hand on top of the other, and point your toes. If you like, you can just push off from the wall and glide a few times without kicking at all to get a feel for the right streamlined position of your body through the water. When you add on the kick, it should only be to maintain this same streamlined, balanced position. Try adding arm strokes at the same time. Move your arms in sync with the flutter kick for a simple freestyle stroke. Your right arm comes out of the water and above your head to reenter the water in front of you at the same time as your left leg kicks down. Repeat on the opposite side. Try a 2-beat kick by kicking twice (once with each leg) for each cycle (one stroke on each arm). This timing is often used by long-distance swimmers and triathletes. Do a 4-beat kick by kicking four times (twice per leg) for each cycle (one stroke on each arm). This timing is often considered the most natural speed, and can be used by short-, middle-, and long-distance swimmers. Try the 6-beat kick by kicking six times (three times per leg) for each cycle (one stroke on each arm). This speed is considered traditional for the flutter kick, and is used by short-distance and other swimmers. Try a freestyle stroke. Do a freestyle stroke, also called a front crawl, by using the flutter kick simultaneously with a windmill motion of the arms. Each arm comes up out of the water to come down and “scoop” the water in front of you, propelling you forward. Reach your arm as far as possible ahead of you on each stroke, and remember to maintain the same balanced horizontal body position to complete your flutter kick. You'll notice that the kick helps stabilize you in the water to support the movement of your arms. Try a backstroke. Execute a backstroke by positioning yourself face-up in the water and finding a balanced horizontal position in the water. Alternate rotating your arms in the same way as a freestyle stroke. You'll notice a slightly different feeling and movement of your legs when you do the flutter kick on your back, as your legs are now pushing up on the water instead of down. However, the movement is the same: drive the motion from your hips, point your toes, and don't bend your knees too much. Do a dog paddle. Though it's not an official swim stroke, try the dog paddle as an intuitive way to stay afloat and swim short distances. Use the flutter kick while your head is above water and your arms make small circular motions under the water to propel you up and forward. Note that this stroke is not ideal for swimming a significant distance, as you are not in a horizontal position and the arms and legs thus have to work harder to keep you afloat. | Hold onto a pool wall or lane marker. Push one leg down in the water. Repeat with the opposite leg. Continue alternating legs to kick. Try a kickboard. Push off from a pool wall. Try adding arm strokes at the same time. Try a freestyle stroke. Try a backstroke. Do a dog paddle. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Blue-Crab | How to Clean a Blue Crab | To clean a blue crab, stick your thumb in the small opening at the backside of the crab and pull off the top of its shell. Next, lay the crab on its back and remove the abdomen by wedging a knife underneath it. Then, use your fingers to pull out the gills and scoop out the innards. Finally, rinse the crab thoroughly under running water, or by dunking it in a bowl of water. | Kill the crab humanely before you remove the shell. If you're using a live blue crab, submerge the crab in a large bowl of ice water for 2-3 minutes to stun it. Then, remove the crab from the ice water and lay it on its back. Use a knife or ice pick to stab the crab through its shell 1 inch (2.5 cm) below its mouth. You can also boil the crab for 1 minute to kill it. Numb the live crab in the freezer for 15 minutes before boiling. Then, remove the crab from the freezer and drop it in a pot of boiling water. Let the crab boil for 1 minute with the pot uncovered. After 1 minute, remove the crab using tongs and submerge it in a bowl of ice water so it stops cooking. Pull the top of the crab’s shell off using your fingers. Stick your thumbs in the small opening at the backside of the crab. Pull in opposite directions with your thumbs until the top part of the crab's shell tears from the rest of its body. Discard the top part of the shell. The crab's 2 front legs should fall off when you pull off the top of the shell. If they don't, gently pull them off the crab's body. Remove the crab’s abdomen. Lay the crab on its back so the bottom of the crab is facing up. Take a knife and wedge it under the edge of the crab's abdomen, which looks like a triangle. Use the knife to lift the abdomen up. Then, pull the abdomen off the crab's body using your fingers. Take out the crab’s gills. The gills are the thin grey muscles located on both sides of the crab's body. To remove them, simply grab them with your fingers and pull them off. Discard the gills after you remove them. Scoop out the crab’s insides. The area between where the crab's gills were located is full of its guts. Tear off the thin tissue covering the guts with your fingers. Then, use your fingers or a spoon to scoop out all the guts inside the crab. Once you've cleared out all the insides, throw them away or save them as a seasoning for the crab meat. Make sure you're not throwing away the white crab meat. The meat is located on both sides of the crab, underneath where the gills were. Rinse the crab thoroughly. Hold the crab under a faucet or dunk it in a bowl of water to rinse it. Make sure any leftover guts or tissue is rinsed off the crab's body before you continue. Cut the crab in half lengthwise. Lay the crab right-side up and hold a sharp chef's knife so the blade is running down the center of the crab's body lengthwise. Push down on the top of the knife with your free hand so it makes a neat cut through the crab's body. Separate the two halves. Cut the crab into quarters. Grab one of the halves of the crab and hold the knife so the blade is positioned in the middle of the 4 legs. There should be 2 legs on each side of the knife. Press down with the knife to cut the piece of crab in half. Repeat on the other half of the crab. Store the crab on ice until you’re ready to cook it. When you're ready to cook the crab, take it off the ice and boil the quartered pieces. You can also grill and roast the crab. Don't forget to add seasoning! | Kill the crab humanely before you remove the shell. Pull the top of the crab’s shell off using your fingers. Remove the crab’s abdomen. Take out the crab’s gills. Scoop out the crab’s insides. Rinse the crab thoroughly. Cut the crab in half lengthwise. Cut the crab into quarters. Store the crab on ice until you’re ready to cook it. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-the-Upper-Quartile | How to Calculate the Upper Quartile | Quartiles are numbers used to divide a set of data into 4 equal parts or quarters. The upper quartile is the top 25 percent of numbers in the data set, or the 75th percentile. To calculate the upper quartile, first, arrange the numbers of the data set in ascending order. Then, determine how many numbers are in the set. The formula for calculating the upper quartile is Q3 = ¾ (n +1). Q3 is the upper quartile and n is the number of numbers in your data set. For example, if you have 10 numbers in your data set, you would solve Q3 = ¾ (10 + 1), then solve ¾ x 11, which would give you 8 ¼. If you get a fraction or decimal as your answer, the upper quartile will be the average of the number below and above in your data set. For example, if you calculate 8 ¼ for Q3 and the numbers below and above in your set are 8 and 10, the average of them is 9. Therefore, 9 is the upper quartile. | Arrange the numbers of the data set in ascending order. This means ordering them from the smallest value to the largest value. Make sure to include all repeated values. For example, if your set of numbers is [3, 4, 5, 11, 3, 12, 21, 10, 8, 7], you would reorder them like this: [3, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 21]. Determine how many numbers are in the data set. To do this, simply count each number in the set. Don't forget to count each instance of a repeated value. For example, the set [3, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 21] has 10 numbers. Set up the formula for calculating the upper quartile. The formula is Q 3 = 3 4 ( n + 1 ) {\displaystyle Q_{3}={\frac {3}{4}}(n+1)} , where Q 3 {\displaystyle Q_{3}} is the upper quartile, and n {\displaystyle n} is the number of numbers in the data set. Plug the value of n{\displaystyle n} into the formula. Remember that n {\displaystyle n} is the number of numbers in the data set. For example, if there are 10 numbers in your data set, your formula will look like this: Q 3 = 3 4 ( 10 + 1 ) {\displaystyle Q_{3}={\frac {3}{4}}(10+1)}. Complete the calculation in parentheses. According to the order of operations , you must attend to the parentheses first when evaluating a mathematical expression. In this instance, add 1 to the number of numbers in the data set. For example: Q 3 = 3 4 ( 10 + 1 ) {\displaystyle Q_{3}={\frac {3}{4}}(10+1)} Q 3 = 3 4 ( 11 ) {\displaystyle Q_{3}={\frac {3}{4}}(11)} Multiply the sum by 34{\displaystyle {\frac {3}{4}}}. You could also multiply by.75 {\displaystyle.75}. This will show you the placement of the value in the data set that is at the three-fourths, or 75 percent mark, and thus the place where the data set is split into the upper quartile and the lower quartiles. This will not give you the number of the upper quartile. For example: Q 3 = 3 4 ( 11 ) {\displaystyle Q_{3}={\frac {3}{4}}(11)} Q 3 = 8 1 4 {\displaystyle Q_{3}=8{\frac {1}{4}}} So, the upper quartile is given by the number at the 8 1 4 {\displaystyle 8{\frac {1}{4}}} position in the data set. Determine the number representing the upper quartile. If you calculated a whole number, simply find that number in the data set. For example, if you calculated 12 using the formula, then the upper quartile is the 12th number in the data set. Calculate the upper quartile, if necessary. Usually, you will calculate a fraction or decimal using the formula. In this instance, find the value above and below this position in the data set, and find their mean, or average. To do this, divide the sum of the two values by 2. This will give you the upper quartile of your data set. For example, if you calculated 8 1 4 {\displaystyle 8{\frac {1}{4}}} using the formula, then the upper quartile is between the 8th and 9th number in the data set. In the set [3, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 21], 11 and 12 are the 8th and 9th number. Calculate 11 + 12 2 {\displaystyle {\frac {11+12}{2}}} to find the average: 11 + 12 2 {\displaystyle {\frac {11+12}{2}}} = 23 2 {\displaystyle ={\frac {23}{2}}} = 11.5 {\displaystyle =11.5} So, the upper quartile of the data set is 11.5 Input your data into Excel. Enter each value into a separate cell. Don't forget to include any repeated values. You can enter your data in any cells in the spreadsheet. For example, you might enter the data set [3, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 21] into cells A1 through A10 in the spreadsheet. Enter the quartile function into another cell. The quartile function is =(QUARTILE(AX:AY, Q)), where AX and AY is the data range, and Q is the quartile. Begin typing this function into Excel, then when it pops up in the menu, double-click on it to select. Select the cells containing the data. Select the first cell of the data range, then scroll down or across to select all the cells in the range. Enter 3 into the function to denote the upper quartile. Make sure you include a comma after the data range, and two closing parentheses. For example, if you want to find the upper quartile of cells A1 through A10, your function will look like this: =(QUARTILE(A1:A10, 3)). Show the upper quartile. To do this, hit enter after typing the function into Excel. This will show you the actual upper quartile, not the position of the quartile in the data set. Note that with the release of Office 2010, there are two different quartile functions: QUARTILE.EXC and QUARTILE.INC. These functions cannot be used in earlier versions of Excel, and QUARTILE can still be used. The two Excel quartile functions use a different formula to calculate the upper quartile. QUARTILE/QUARTILE.INC uses the formula Q 3 = 3 4 ( n − 1 ) {\displaystyle Q_{3}={\frac {3}{4}}(n-1)} , and the QUARTILE.EXC function uses the formula Q 3 = 3 4 ( n + 1 ) {\displaystyle Q_{3}={\frac {3}{4}}(n+1)}. Both formula are accepted ways to calculate quartiles, although the former is becoming standardized in statistical software. | Arrange the numbers of the data set in ascending order. Determine how many numbers are in the data set. Set up the formula for calculating the upper quartile. Plug the value of n{\displaystyle n} into the formula. Complete the calculation in parentheses. Multiply the sum by 34{\displaystyle {\frac {3}{4}}}. Determine the number representing the upper quartile. Calculate the upper quartile, if necessary. Input your data into Excel. Enter the quartile function into another cell. Select the cells containing the data. Enter 3 into the function to denote the upper quartile. Show the upper quartile. |
https://www.wikihow.life/Cleanse-Pores | How to Cleanse Pores | To cleanse pores deeply with steam, heat 1 quart of distilled or filtered water in a large pot on your stove and remove it once it starts boiling. Next, place the pot on a table or counter where you can comfortably lean over it. Then, position your face 6-8 inches inches above the pot and let the steam open your pores for 10 minutes. Finally, wash your face with a gentle cleanser and follow up with a good moisturizer. | Take a warm bath or shower. The heat of the water relaxes your skin and opens your pores, which helps gets rid of excess oil, which may cause blackheads and acne. The water doesn't need to be so hot that it is uncomfortable, just warm enough for cleansing. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser. This doesn't mean to just get some soap and rub it all over your face. Choose an oil-free, water-based skin care product for best results. Some kinds of cleansers may be specifically marketed for facial care; it is up to you to judge whether or not these help you with your complexion. Over-the-counter acne creams may be desirable, as they contain ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, which help dry skin oils. But keep in mind that medicated cleansers, as well as facial scrubs, products containing astringents, and body wash, may irritate your face rather than cleanse it. Use what feels right for your body. Wash off all skin care products. Cleansers, if drying on your skin, may themselves be irritating. You may wish to wash it off with colder water, which can make your skin feel tighter. If you wear makeup, always remove it before going to bed. Use a facial lotion. Facial lotions will moisturize your skin, keeping it from producing too much oil. There are many kinds of different skin types, so there are many kinds of different lotions. Choose one that fits your skin type and lifestyle; for example, if you are acne-prone, you may want to try an oil-free gel rather than a heavy lotion. Other lotions contain plant-based oils that may be necessary for skin that tends to be dry. Wash your bed sheets and choose the right pillowcase. Keeping your bed linens clean is key to maintaining clean pores. If dirt, oil, and bacteria build up on your sheets, then they can transfer to your skin and clog your pores. Additionally, silk pillowcases can help prevent wrinkling, which can minimize the look of your pores. Eat well and stay hydrated. Keep your pores clearer with a diet that features fruits, vegetables, dairy, and lean meats. These foods will provide you with nutrients that can help the overall look of your skin. Choose foods that are low-glycemic and minimally processed to promote healthier skin. To stay hydrated, drink 8-10 glasses of water. Protect your skin. Clean pores don't just happen in the shower; they must also be maintained. Choose a daily sunscreen that will protect your skin, and make sure you keep your skin clean (for instance, after exercising) without overwashing. Boil one quart of water in a pot. You should use distilled or filtered water; avoid waters, such as tap water, that may have hard or heavy minerals in them. After the water begins to boil, remove it from heat. Place the pot in an area, such as a table or counter, where you can comfortably lean over it. Consider placing folded towels under your pot in order to insulate your table from heat. You may want to pour the water into another container or bowl so that you do not accidentally touch a hot pot. Be careful that you do not put your equipment in areas that may be damaged by heat. You may also avoid putting your water into plastic bowls or containers. Plastic may release chemicals into the water upon heating. Prefer clean metal containers. Add fragrance if desired. Clean and basic ingredients, often herbal, can enhance your cleanse, making it more spa-like. You can add a few drops of essential oils, such as rosemary, lavender, or thyme, to the water. This will release a fragrance, which acts as an aromatic. Allow the oil to steep for ten minutes. You can also wrap whole herbs in a cheesecloth and add them to the water, allowing them to steep for ten minutes. Some herbs, such as dried lavender, act as a stress-reliever. Others, such as anise seeds or rosemary, can aid overly oily skin. Feel free to experiment with which herbs work best for your skin and mental state. Wash and exfoliate your face. Use a gentle cleanser to wash your skin, as well as an exfoliator such as baking soda. This will remove any residual dirt, grime, and dead skin cells from your face, preparing it for the steam. Add the exfoliator to your cleanser, or try a cleansing product that already contains an exfoliator. Put your face over the pot and steam it. Put your head six to eight inches above the pot, but make sure you avoid contacting the pot or the water. Allow the steam to warm and wet your face. You can put a towel over your head to trap the steam, which will further clean your face. You can steam your face for however long is comfortable. Ten minutes is plenty; those with sensitive skin may want to limit their steam to five minutes. If your water stops releasing steam, boil fresh water and herbs; don't reuse what you have. Use a pore strip. The best time to use a pore strip is after steaming your face because your pores are open. This will allow for maximum extraction. Apply the strip and wait the recommended time before slowly pulling the strip from your skin. Cleanse your face with a cleaner. Follow the considerations laid out above: choose a gentle cleanser either with or without medication and avoid harsh products. You may want to choose an extra-gentle cleanser for this kind of cleanse, as the hot steam will have loosened up much of the oil and dirt in your face. Simply washing your face with cold water can suffice if you spent ten or more minutes steaming. Make sure you wet your whole face to remove steamed-out oils and dirt. Wash your face with cold water to remove all cleanser. You may prefer to use warm water, but cold water can often feel good after a steam. Use what feels best for you. Moisturize your face. Follow the considerations laid out above: consider oil-free or oil-containing products depending on your skin type. Be gentle with your skin; pat the moisturizer in and spend time massaging in areas on your forehead, cheeks, and temples. Don't wash your face too much or too hard. Though cleaning your skin feels nice, washing your face more than twice a day can make it too dry, which can irritate your face or cause it to overproduce natural oils. This can contribute to acne. Additionally, using too heavy of a touch when washing your face can damage your skin. Use a gentle, non-invasive touch to massage your skin while cleansing. You may require a more specific regimen for your skin type or history with acne. Ask your dermatologist or doctor about how often you should be cleansing your face. Avoid touching your face. Your face encounters enough pollution, dirt, and chemicals from the air; it doesn't need contact with other pollutants. Everyday sweat, oil, and bacteria from your hands or clothing can get on your face, where it can block pores. Avoid touching your face in order to keep it clean. Avoid squeezing or picking at pores. Even though it may be tempting, squeezing at blemishes can cause scarring. Pimples are inflammations that do go away on their own over time. Popping them may force bacteria deeper into the inflamed pore, which may result in longer-lasting pimples or scars. If a blemish remains longer than a week, and if it is a real problem, a dermatologist can safely lance it for you, which will avoid further inflammation or scars. Remove makeup before bed. Cleaning your skin removes normal dirt and dust from the environment, but your pores can also be clogged by what you put on your skin deliberately. Remove makeup before you retire for the night, as well as heavy sunscreens. Makeup removers are special cleansers that are formulated to remove heavy or stubborn makeup. A gentle and effective cleansing at night can remove the need for a morning cleanse--your face will have been on a clean pillow all night, so there will be no need to wash it again. Use retinol. You can find over-the-counter products that contain retinol, or you can ask for a prescription-strength product from your doctor. Retinol will help speed up cell turnover and prevent clogged pores. Popular retinol-containing creams include Retin A and Differin gel. Use an exfoliating brush. If washing with a cleanser that contains benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid is not working for you, try an exfoliating cleansing brush. You can find different kinds of face brushes to use for cleansing, including some that spin. These brushes will clear away dead skin cells to allow your products to better penetrate the skin and clear out your pores. Use products from your kitchen. Many products that you already have in your kitchen can help you clean your pores. Baking soda, coconut oil, lemons, avocado, and honey are all great examples. You can even make your own facial products by combining ingredients. For example, you could combine coconut oil, baking soda, and honey for a decadent exfoliating face mask. Consider noncomedogenic skin care products. Noncomedogenic products are those that avoid ingredients that may make acne worse. They are generally labeled as such on the front or back of the packaging. Such products are generally oil-free or do not contain ingredients that contribute to oil build-up. Your skin type may require products formulated for dry skin, oily skin, sensitive skin, or inflamed skin. Your dermatologist is the best person to ask for advice on medicated or non-medicated products for your skin type. Try a facial or chemical peel. While they can be pricey, facials are one of the best ways to deep clean your skin and may be able to provide you with the results you're looking for. If you feel like your situation is extreme, a chemical peel will help remove dead skin cells and stimulate new ones to grow, which reduces the appearance of pores. Talk to your esthetician, the skincare expert who will do your facial or chemical peel, about what you need to do before and after your appointment because you will likely need to stay out of the sun and avoid using makeup or other products for a period of time afterwards. | Take a warm bath or shower. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser. Wash off all skin care products. Use a facial lotion. Wash your bed sheets and choose the right pillowcase. Eat well and stay hydrated. Protect your skin. Boil one quart of water in a pot. Add fragrance if desired. Wash and exfoliate your face. Put your face over the pot and steam it. Use a pore strip. Cleanse your face with a cleaner. Wash your face with cold water to remove all cleanser. Moisturize your face. Don't wash your face too much or too hard. Avoid touching your face. Avoid squeezing or picking at pores. Remove makeup before bed. Use retinol. Use an exfoliating brush. Use products from your kitchen. Consider noncomedogenic skin care products. Try a facial or chemical peel. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Know-if-Your-Ex-Misses-You | How to Know if Your Ex Misses You | If you're wondering if your ex misses you, take a look at their social media activity and watch for posts that are sad, like posting lyrics from sad songs. While social media isn't always an accurate depiction of what's going on in someone's life, your ex might be having a hard time dealing with the break up if they're commenting on old pictures with the two of you in them. Whenever you see your ex out and about, observe their body language, since they might avoid making eye contact or cross their arms if they're nervous to be around you again. Combine the body language you see with other things you've noticed them doing for a fuller picture. For example, if they seem like they don't want to be around you but they still call you every day, your ex might miss you but is feeling defensive. | Think about what you know about your ex. Tuning in to your knowledge of yourself, your ex, and your relationship is the best possible way to know how to interpret observed behavior. Think back about your relationship and how your ex communicates and deals with conflict. Is he blunt and straightforward? Then he's probably not hiding his feelings and you'll be able to tell if he misses you. Did he used to avoid you when he was mad and upset? Then his silence now probably means he's not pining for you — he's probably upset and angry and doesn't want to talk. Is he someone who lingers on things and dwells on the past? Then maybe he is thinking a lot about you. Use what you know about your ex and his personality to interpret his behavior toward you. Keep in mind that behavioral interpretations are filtered through the observers biases and wishes (when it's a personal relationship), and thus you tend to see things that are not actually there. If your ex is big on texting and you haven't heard a word from him since your breakup, don't try to interpret that silence to mean he misses you — he'd probably be texting you if he missed you. Try to look at his behavior from a more objective perspective. Note how often she contacts you. If your ex doesn't miss you, she probably only contacts you if she really has to (for example, to arrange picking up her things from your house). If she does miss you, she will probably have a hard time resisting the urge to call, text, email, etc. When your ex gets in touch with you, she may not have a specific reason. She might say something like, “Hey! I was just wondering how you're doing.” An exception to this might be if your ex was the one that ended the relationship, but also expressed a desire to remain friends. If this is the case, getting in touch with you could be a sign that she misses you, but she may also simply be trying to stay friends. If your ex is constantly “drunk dialing” you, which means that she contacts you in the middle of the night after she's had a few drinks (and thus, is less inhibited) there is a pretty good chance that she has some feelings that she hasn't been able to work through. Think about how he behaves when he contacts you. If he is contacting you, he probably is looking for excuses for calling so that he isn't continually contacting you for no reason. He might ask for advice or for help dealing with a problem. He might also try to steer the conversation towards deeper topics. For example, he might talk about things he wants to accomplish in his life or thoughts he's been having about the kind of life he wants to live. When he contacts you does he “accidentally” call you by a pet name that he used when you were together? This slip of the tongue could indicate that he still thinks of you in that way. Note how long she takes to get back to you. When, and if, you contact your ex, how quickly does she respond to your text or email? How long does it take to call you back? Although one instance of taking hours to respond doesn't necessarily mean anything, if she consistently ignores you for hours or even days, she probably isn't missing you that much. If an ex is completely ignoring your calls and messages, avoid sending more messages or calling again. If you're missing her, this can be very hard to do; however, imposing a rule on yourself that you won't get in touch with her will help you move on. Observe their body language. If you do end up in the same place as your ex, notice his body language around you. If your ex is avoiding eye contact, has his arms or legs crossed, and isn't smiling, he probably isn't very happy to be around you. Although body language is a great indicator of how a person is feeling in that moment, it won't tell you everything. For example, your ex may miss you terribly, but acts like he wants to have nothing do with you in your presence. This may be because he is afraid of being hurt again. Try to observe his body language and combine it with the other information you have. For example, if your ex's body language is suggesting that he doesn't want to be around you, but he is calling you every day, then it may be that he does miss you, but he is feeling defensive in your presence. Notice if she shows up in places you frequent. If your ex randomly drops by your work, or shows up at a place that she knows you frequent, it probably wasn't an accident. If you have mutual friends, she might find out where you will be and “coincidentally” be there too. If your ex does show up somewhere that you are, don't forget to observe her body language. Does she keep glancing in your direction? If so, she is probably trying to observe your behavior, too. Browse his social media. If you are still friends on social media, observe his postings and interactions carefully. Is he posting lots of vague and/or sad posts (sad songs about lost love, etc.)? Is he commenting on old pictures of the two of you or “liking” them? If so, it may be a sign that he is having a hard time dealing with the break up. Remember though that social media is not always an accurate depiction of what's going on in someone's life. Even someone who posts lots of pictures looking like he has the perfect life could be dealing with major emotional issues. Don't go overboard with browsing social media. Respect the privacy of your ex, and limit yourself to checking once each day, at the most. Notice how she acts around you in social situations. If you and your ex still hang out in a group of mutual friends, carefully (but discreetly) observe how she behaves when you are in a group of friends together. If your ex seems agitated when hanging out with you in a group, and tries to avoid interacting with you, it might be because they she is still dealing with lingering feelings. Be careful though. Your ex may still be dealing with old feelings, but that doesn't necessarily mean she is missing you. For example, she may be very angry at you because you really hurt her with your actions. Try to keep your judgements about her behavior within the context of your breakup and past interactions. Take note if your ex constantly glances at you even when interacting with other people. This could mean that she is interested in observing your behavior to see how you're feeling, too. Talk to mutual friends. If you have mutual friends that you trust to keep quiet about your investigating, ask them if your ex has mentioned anything about you. Your mutual friends will probably be able to give you great insight into how your ex is doing. If you have mutual friends, but are afraid they'll tell your ex you asked about him, you can try asking very casually. For example, instead of being really direct, you could say something like, “I was just wondering how [name of your ex] is doing? I know he had a big exam coming up, and I hope it went well.” They may still catch on, but it won't be as obvious as saying, “Has [name of your ex] said anything about me?” Avoid constantly hassling your mutual friends about the topic, though. It's OK to bring it up once or twice, but if you bring it up all the time, they will probably get annoyed. If your mutual friends say something like, “I'm sorry, but I really don't want to get involved in the situation” then respect their wishes. This doesn't mean they don't care about you; it means that they care about both and don't want to get dragged into a “he-said-she-said” scenario or choose sides. Decide whether or not this is a good idea. The easiest and most direct way to find out whether or not your ex misses you is to ask him. Unfortunately, for most people, this is also the most intimidating way; however, simply talking with him is likely the quickest way to figuring out what's going on. Be aware that, depending on the person, some people may not be honest about their feelings, especially if they are afraid that you are trying to hurt them. If you and your ex aren't able to communicate without getting into a big fight, meeting up to try and have conversation about a topic like this may not be the best idea. Asking your ex outright seems scary, but it can save you a lot of confusion in the long-term — instead of spending time trying to interpret his silence or what, exactly, his use of that smiley emoji meant, you'll know flat-out if he wants to get back together. If he doesn't then you can begin the work of letting go and moving on and not waste your time on someone who no longer wants to date you. Get in touch with her. You can contact her via text or email, but the fastest way is probably just to call her. Keep your conversation as light and friendly as possible. Ask her if they'd like to meet up for lunch or coffee because you want to talk about something with her. Understand that she might refuse. If she does refuse to see you it's a good sign that she doesn't miss you, or if she does, she isn't ready to see you yet. Try not to get angry. Instead, be respectful of her wishes. Keep it light. If this is the first time you are seeing each other since the break up the situation will probably feel a bit awkward. Take the initiative and try to keep the situation as light as possible. Ask him how things are going for him (e.g. with school or work), and let him know a few things that are going on in your life. Try to keep the conversation on light things and don't just jump straight into talking about your relationship. This will help lighten the mood, and let him know that you aren't trying to start a fight. Wait for the right moment. If you are at a restaurant or cafe, and are ordering food and/or drinks, it might be a good idea to wait until you have gotten your order to bring up the reason you wanted to meet. This will ensure that you aren't interrupted continually by the staff wanting to take your order, bring you your food, etc. If you are ordering drinks, avoid alcoholic beverages (if it is relevant for you). Though you might think having a few drinks would help you relax it may also lead you to saying things you didn't want to say or you might get emotional. Be honest. Although it might be scary, at some point, you will need to bring up the reason for meeting. Start by saying that you appreciate him meeting with you, and that you'd like to talk about some things that have been on your mind. If you still have feelings for him, then be honest about it. If you miss him, telling him the truth about your feelings may make you more vulnerable, but it may also mean he is more likely to open up about his feelings for you. For example, you could say, “The truth is, I've been thinking about you a lot. I know we broke up, and I respect your feelings, but I'd like to find out how you're feeling about me.” You could potentially do this over the phone or over text, but having a conversation in person will allow you to observe his body language and facial expressions. Decide what to do next. If it turns out your ex misses you, and you miss her too, then it's time to decide what to do about those feelings. Try to have an objective conversation about the reasons you broke up, and whether or not it's worth giving it another try. If it turns out she doesn't miss you, then you know you can move on with your life. Don't try to make her feel things that she doesn't. Although it is very difficult, try to think rationally about whether giving it a second try is a good idea. You may discover you both miss each other, but getting back together still isn't a good idea. For example, if you fought constantly about basic values (e.g. religion or ideas about how you should live your life) giving it another go probably won't end any differently. | Think about what you know about your ex. Note how often she contacts you. Think about how he behaves when he contacts you. Note how long she takes to get back to you. Observe their body language. Notice if she shows up in places you frequent. Browse his social media. Notice how she acts around you in social situations. Talk to mutual friends. Decide whether or not this is a good idea. Get in touch with her. Keep it light. Wait for the right moment. Be honest. Decide what to do next. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Cut-Chains | How to Cut Chains | If you need to cut through a chain because you've lost a key or need to make a chain a specific length, you can do so using bolt cutters. Find bolt cutters that are large enough to fit around the chain you need to cut. Position the link as far back into the cutters as possible, then cut the link on both sides. If you don't have bolt cutters, use a hacksaw, angle grinder, or reciprocating saw instead. Secure the chain in a clamp or vise, then saw through 1 link. Keep sawing until both sides of the link are cut in two. | Find bolt cutters that are large enough to cut your chain. Bolt cutters come in a variety of sizes. Find a pair that is big enough so that the chain you want to cut will fit between the cutting blades when the cutters are in the open position. If you have a large pair of bolt cutters, such as a 24 inches (61 cm) pair, they should be big enough to cut most common chains. Pick out the link to cut. If you need to cut a chain to a specific length, you should measure the chain and mark the link that you want to cut. Remember, the link you cut will be destroyed, so you should mark the link past the length that you need. It may be helpful to put a mark on the link with a marker, just so you don't lose sight of which one to cut. Position the bolt cutters on the link. You should try to put the link as far back between the cutting blades as possible. However, if you are cutting a large chain, you only want to put one side of the link between the blades at one time. Position the cutters so that you are cutting through the long side of the link. This will make it easier to position the cutters in place. Putting the link towards the back of the cutters will give you more leverage when cutting through it. Cut both sides of the link. In order for the chain to break apart, you will need to cut a link on both sides. If you were to cut just one side, the link would be weakened but would not fall apart. If your chain is large, you may need to cut one side of the link at a time. If you have a small chain, you can cut both sides of the chain at once. Pick a saw to use. If you don't have bolt cutters or you have a hardened metal chain that bolt cutters won't cut through, you can use a saw instead. There are a wide variety of saws that will effectively cut through a chain. Saws that are commonly used to cut chain can be manual or powered and include: Hacksaw Metal grinder, such as an angle grinder. Reciprocating saw Coping saw Decide which link to cut. If you are cutting the chain to a specific length, measure the chain and mark the specific link that needs to be cut. Be aware that the link you cut will be destroyed, so the link you want to cut should be the one right after your desired length. Put a mark with a marker on the link you want to cut so that you can keep track of it as you go through the process of setting up your cut. Secure the chain in a clamp or vise. It's important to make sure that the chain link you are cutting won't move while you are cutting through it. To accomplish this, put the chain in a vice or secure it to a solid surface with clamps. However you secure it, make sure the link you need to cut is in a position that allows you to cut it. If the chain is attached to something, such as if it is held together with a lock, find a link to cut that can be steadied either with your hands or against what it is attached to. However, be aware that it is hard to saw through a chain by just holding it your hands while sawing. Saw through one link. Position the blade across the link and begin sawing, either by turning on your power tool or by moving your manual saw across the metal. Keep sawing until both sides of the link are cut in two. If you are using a manual saw, take your time and adjust your position if necessary. It can take a lot of energy to cut through a large chain. Once you have cut through the link, it will be unusable. It should be easy to pull out of the remaining solid chain pieces. Get small cutting pliers. To cut small chains, such as necklace chains, you need small pliers that can cut through metal. These are often called “nippers,” or wire cutters. Small pliers such as this can be found at any home improvement or craft supply store. If you are just cutting chain one time, use whatever small pliers you have. If you plan on cutting a lot of chain, you may want to purchase small jeweler's pliers, which are made to cut chain. Line up the link you want to cut in the pliers. Put the link inside the very tip of the pliers. Be sure to position the link so that the pliers will only cut one link. It won't take a lot of pressure to cut through very small chain, so you don't have to position it in the very back of the cutting area like you do with large chain. Cut the chain and remove the link pieces that were cut. Squeeze the pliers until the link is cut in half. With a small chain, this shouldn't take much pressure. In many cases, the cut link pieces will fall out of the rest of the chain immediately after being cut. In some cases you will need to use small-nosed pliers to pull out the pieces of chain that you cut from the ends of the chain. | Find bolt cutters that are large enough to cut your chain. Pick out the link to cut. Position the bolt cutters on the link. Cut both sides of the link. Pick a saw to use. Decide which link to cut. Secure the chain in a clamp or vise. Saw through one link. Get small cutting pliers. Line up the link you want to cut in the pliers. Cut the chain and remove the link pieces that were cut. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Teriyaki-Chicken | How to Make Teriyaki Chicken | Start your teriyaki chicken by boiling 1/3 cup of mirin and letting it simmer for 10 minutes. Then, stir in 1 cup of soy sauce, 4.5 teaspoons of rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, and 1/3 cup of sugar. Once combined, add 7 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of fresh minced ginger, a dash of red pepper flakes, and a dash of black pepper to the liquid and simmer for 5 minutes. Finally, marinate the chicken in the sauce for at least an hour before cooking over medium heat. Cook for six minutes on each side. | Over high heat, bring the mirin in a medium saucepan to a boil. Once at a boil, turn heat down to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar. Stir until fully incorporated. If you desire a thicker Teriyaki sauce, add 2 teaspoons of cornstarch dissolved in a little bit of water to the sauce. Cornstarch will help thicken the Teriyaki sauce and let it bind more to the outside of the chicken. Add the seasonings to the sauce at this point. Add the garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, and pepper. Continue to simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from the burner and let cool for 10 minutes. Be sure that the Teriyaki sauce has sufficiently cooled before using. Too-hot sauce will also have the unpleasant side-effect of beginning to cook your chicken. Transfer all but 1/4 cup of the Teriyaki sauce to a sealable plastic bag, along with the chicken. The reserve sauce can be used either as a baste at the end of the cooking process or as a dipping sauce. Refrigerate the marinade and the chicken for at least an hour but preferably a day. Up to a day, the longer you marinade your chicken, the juicier and more flavorful it will eventually turn out. When you're ready to start cooking, remove the chicken from the sealable bag and set a burner at medium heat. Discard — do not use — the marinade that came in contact with the chicken. Cook chicken in a large pan for 6 minutes, covered, without flipping. Flip the chicken and cook, covered, for another 6 minutes. The chicken should start to develop good color on both sides. Baste the chicken with the remaining Teriyaki sauce, flip it, and sear it on medium-high for 2-3 minutes per side, uncovered. Be vigilant about burning. In order to avoid burning, cover the bottom of the pan with more Teriyaki sauce. Serve your Teriyaki chicken with steamed rice, asparagus, and crispy edemame. | Over high heat, bring the mirin in a medium saucepan to a boil. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar. Add the seasonings to the sauce at this point. Continue to simmer for 5 more minutes. Be sure that the Teriyaki sauce has sufficiently cooled before using. Transfer all but 1/4 cup of the Teriyaki sauce to a sealable plastic bag, along with the chicken. Refrigerate the marinade and the chicken for at least an hour but preferably a day. When you're ready to start cooking, remove the chicken from the sealable bag and set a burner at medium heat. Cook chicken in a large pan for 6 minutes, covered, without flipping. Flip the chicken and cook, covered, for another 6 minutes. Baste the chicken with the remaining Teriyaki sauce, flip it, and sear it on medium-high for 2-3 minutes per side, uncovered. Serve your Teriyaki chicken with steamed rice, asparagus, and crispy edemame. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Prune-Wisteria | How to Prune Wisteria | To prune wisteria, start in late winter when the branches are bare and easy to reach. Use pruning shears to cut the long shoots down until only 2 to 3 buds are left on each one, then snip off the whip-like water shoots. Avoid pruning again until late summer, right after the wisteria finishes flowering. Cut the shoots down to 6 inches, leaving 5 to 6 leaves on each shoot, and get rid of any root suckers you see. Trim the new growth back every 2 weeks until summer ends and you're all set until winter! | Plan your wisteria’s first pruning of the year around late winter. This is the best time to prune your wisteria because the leaves and flowers have not grown back yet after falling off during the fall. This means that the branches are bare and easier to reach. If you are hard pruning an old, neglected wisteria, don't do everything all at once. Space the process out over the span of a few years. Get a pair of hand pruners, gloves, and a step ladder. You will need the hand pruners to do the actual pruning, and a step ladder to reach the vines. A pair of gloves will help protect your hands against scratches. If you are hard pruning an old, neglected wisteria, switch to a pair of loppers or a pruning saw. Cut the long shoots down until they have 2 to 3 buds each. This will help tidy the vine up and ensure that the blooms get enough sunlight. Make sure that you prune wisteria to 2 to 3 buds on the inner side of the shoot. You do not need to leave any buds on the outside of the shoot. The inner side of the shoot is the side that is facing away from you. The outer side of the shoot is the side that is facing you. Be sure to cut off the whip-like water shoots as well. The only things you want left on the vine are the flower buds. If you are hard pruning an old, neglected wisteria, focus on the old, hard branches. Cut them back to where a new shoot begins. Be careful not to bump the flower buds. The flower buds are very fragile, and if you accidentally bump against them, they may fall off. If these buds fall off, then your wisteria will have fewer blooms. Decide whether you want to tie or trim the thin shoots. The vine will have developed lots of thin shoots during summer. If you want to train the vine to cover more area on your wall or pergola, you will have to tie the vines into place with wire. If the shoots are all tangled up, it would be better to cut them down to 1 inch (2.5 cm) instead. To tie the shoots, hold them against your desired support, then loosely wrap a piece of thin wire around both the vine and the support. Twist the wire together, then trim the excess wire off. Cutting the thin shoots down will help encourage bigger blooms the following year. Get out your tools and prepare to prune again in late summer. As soon as the wisteria is done flowering, it is time to get out your tools again. This includes your hand pruners, ladder, and gloves. If you are doing hard pruning on an old wisteria, get out the loppers or pruning saw. Cut the shoots down to 6 inches (15 cm) each. This will help tame the vine, and encourage it to produce more blooms the following year. Try to leave 5 to 6 leaves on each shoot. This way, you will have enough leaves left behind for a visually-appealing appearance, but not so many leaves that the vine wastes energy on them. Trim away shoots that aren't necessary for the vine’s support. Wisteria is a vine, which means that it grows on a pergola or wire support. Some of the shoots help keep the vine attached to the pergola or wire support. Other shoots stick out randomly and lead to an unruly appearance. It is these shoots that you should cut away. It would be a good idea to cut back any root suckers as well, especially for grafted vines. Root suckers are thin vines or branches without any flowers or leaves on them. Trim the new growth back every 2 weeks until summer is over. This will help maintain a tidy appearance and encourage more blooms. How far you trim depends on how long and unruly the shoots get. About 1 to 2 leaf joints would be ideal, however. Decide whether or not you want to leave the seedpods on. Some people like the way the seedpods look, while others prefer to cut them away. If you decide to leave the seedpods on, be aware that they will burst once temperatures rise. | Plan your wisteria’s first pruning of the year around late winter. Get a pair of hand pruners, gloves, and a step ladder. Cut the long shoots down until they have 2 to 3 buds each. Be careful not to bump the flower buds. Decide whether you want to tie or trim the thin shoots. Get out your tools and prepare to prune again in late summer. Cut the shoots down to 6 inches (15 cm) each. Trim away shoots that aren't necessary for the vine’s support. Trim the new growth back every 2 weeks until summer is over. Decide whether or not you want to leave the seedpods on. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Paper-Garland | How to Make a Paper Garland | To make a paper garland, start by gathering at least 10 pieces of construction paper and cutting at least 3 strips from each piece. Next, create a loop by connecting the edges of the paper together with glue, staples, or tape. Then, take another strip of paper, run it through the first loop, and connect the ends of it to form a second loop. Finally, repeat this process until all of the loops are connected. | Cut 1 by 10 in (2.5 by 25.4 cm) strips from 2 pieces of paper. Pick out at least 2 pieces of construction paper in alternating colors. Using a pair of sharp scissors, cut out strips that are at least 1 in (2.5 cm) wide and about as long as the sheet of paper. You can adjust the size a bit according to your preference -- adjusting the width of the strips will make the garland loops wider and adjusting the length will make the loops longer. Try using red and pink pieces of paper for Valentine's Day, green and red paper for Christmas, or pastel colors for a baby shower. Your strips don't have to be the exact same size, so you can just eyeball it as you cut them out. Attach the ends of one strip, then glue them together in a loop. Grab a strip of paper to start with and bring the ends together to form a closed circle. Overlap the ends about 0.5 in (1.3 cm), then use a glue stick to attach them together. Hold the loop closed for about 1 minute to let the glue dry. If you don't have a glue stick, use clear tape or a stapler instead. Slide another strip through the first loop, then glue the ends together. Take another strip of paper and run it through the first loop until you connect the ends of that strip to form a second loop. Connect the ends of the second loop with the glue stick and hold them together for about 1 minute. If you're going for alternating colors, make sure you pick a different color for the second loop! Keep adding loops until you run out of strips. Continue running each strip of paper through the previous loop and then connecting it to make a loop. Use your glue stick to secure each piece of paper so they all stay connected. If you'd like your garland to be a bit longer, just cut more strips of paper and create more loops until you're satisfied with the length. Hang the garland with a nail or a push pin. You can drape the garland over a tree, a back patio, a column, or any piece of furniture. If you want to hang your garland up on the wall, hang the loops over a sturdy protruding nail or a push pin on the wall. These simple paper garlands make great decorations for the classroom, birthday parties, and even your own home! Cut cardstock into 3 in (7.6 cm) circles. Find a water bottle or the bottom of a glass and use that to stencil out circles that are about 3 inches (7.6 cm) in diameter. Use scissors to cut them out to create your paper pieces. Cardstock is a little thicker than regular paper, so it will keep its shape better. Try using patterned cardstock in alternating colors for a cool effect! Or, go for some metallic cardstock to really catch the eye. Arrange your circles in the order you’d like them to hang. On a flat surface, organize your circles so they're in the order you want them to go. Start from the top and work your way down to create each strand. Depending on how long you'd like your garland to be, you can use 5 to 20 circles for each strand. Sew down the center of one circle with a straight stitch. Place your first circle on your sewing machine and set your needle to a short straight stitch using white thread. Carefully sew directly down the middle of the circle, slowing down as you reach the end of the paper. Although cardstock is thick, a normal sewing needle with regular strength thread should have no problem stitching right through it. Pump the needle 10 times to create a length of thread after the circle. When you reach the end of the circle, use the knob on the side of your sewing machine to manually move the needle up and down 10 times. This will create a length of thread that's floating after the initial circle. Using the knob on the side gives you more control than the foot pedal, which is why you should use it for creating the extra length on the end. Place the second circle down next, then keep stitching. Grab your next cardstock circle and place it directly behind the length of thread you just sewed. Stitch directly down the center of the next circle to connect it to the first one. If you don't get the stitches directly down the circle, that's okay! Try to make them as centered as possible for an even strand. Add more circles until you’re happy with the length of your garland. Keep sewing circles and then stitching about 10 times in between each circle. When you're finished with one strand, cut the thread and tie it off at the bottom to keep it in place. Hang the garland with a push pin or double-sided tape. Place the top of your garland on a doorframe or a wall, then use a push pin or tape to hang it up. Add more strands right next to it for an interactive doorway or a fun picture wall at a party! Try hanging up your garland strands in front of a white wall to make a fun background for people to take photos. Cut 50 3 in (7.6 cm) circles out of tissue paper. Grab a package of tissue paper and fold it into thirds. Use the bottom of a bowl or a cup to make 3 in (7.6 cm) circles in pencil, then use scissors to cut the circles out of each layer of tissue paper. Folding the tissue paper will save you time so you don't have to cut out each circle individually. Try using multiple colors of tissue paper for a fun, decorative garland. Stack the circles in groups of 10. Group up the circles you cut out so they're in 5 stacks of 10. If you're using multiple colors of tissue paper, make each stack a different color or alternate the colors in each stack. For example, if you wanted to make a purple gradient, try 2 stacks of dark purple, 2 stacks of light purple, and 1 stack of white. Or, for a rainbow garland, alternate red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple in each stack. Thread a needle with about 6 ft (1.8 m) of thread. Grab a sharp sewing needle and cut a length of sewing thread that's 6 ft (1.8 m) long, or however long you'd like one strand to be. Put the thread through the eye of the needle, then tie a knot at the end of the thread that isn't touching the needle. You can use any color of sewing thread that you'd like to. Push the needle through the center of 1 stack. Grab your first stack of tissue paper circles and line your needle up so it's in the very center. Carefully push the needle through to the other side until it pushes through all 10 of the circles and through to the other side. If your needle is sharp enough, you shouldn't have too much trouble pushing through the flimsy tissue paper. Do the same thing to the rest of your stacks of paper. Grab the rest of your stacks and push the needle through their centers as well. Make sure you add the stacks in the order you'd like them to hang, since you can't take them off again. Spread out each individual circle so they’re about 1 in (2.5 cm) apart. Lay the length of thread down on a flat surface like a table or the floor. Slowly spread the circles out so that they overlap on the edges, but keep about 1 in (2.5 cm) of space in between the base of each circle. This will make the tissue paper circles spread out over the length of the thread for a cute, fluffy decoration. Attach the thread to each circle of paper with a dot of glue. Take a bottle of liquid school glue and align the tip of the glue with the hole that the thread pokes through the circle. Add a small dot of glue to the circle on top of the thread to hold the paper in place. Keep doing this to each circle, being careful not to get glue anywhere else. This will hold the circles in their position on the thread so they don't all fall to the bottom of the garland. Tie the end of the thread in a double knot to secure the paper. Once you reach the end of your garland, take the needle off the thread and tie a small double knot in the end of it. Set your garland aside to dry for about 1 hour to make sure the circles are secure. If you hang the garland too early, the paper circles could fall off. Hang the garland up on a wall or a doorway. Grab the top of the garland and hold it up against the wall or the doorway. Use a push pin, a nail, or some double sided tape to attach it to your area. Add more strands of the garland to completely cover a wall or doorway for a cute decoration. Try hanging your garland in front of a white backdrop to really make it pop. | Cut 1 by 10 in (2.5 by 25.4 cm) strips from 2 pieces of paper. Attach the ends of one strip, then glue them together in a loop. Slide another strip through the first loop, then glue the ends together. Keep adding loops until you run out of strips. Hang the garland with a nail or a push pin. Cut cardstock into 3 in (7.6 cm) circles. Arrange your circles in the order you’d like them to hang. Sew down the center of one circle with a straight stitch. Pump the needle 10 times to create a length of thread after the circle. Place the second circle down next, then keep stitching. Add more circles until you’re happy with the length of your garland. Hang the garland with a push pin or double-sided tape. Cut 50 3 in (7.6 cm) circles out of tissue paper. Stack the circles in groups of 10. Thread a needle with about 6 ft (1.8 m) of thread. Push the needle through the center of 1 stack. Do the same thing to the rest of your stacks of paper. Spread out each individual circle so they’re about 1 in (2.5 cm) apart. Attach the thread to each circle of paper with a dot of glue. Tie the end of the thread in a double knot to secure the paper. Hang the garland up on a wall or a doorway. |
https://www.wikihow.pet/Look-After-Your-Pet-Rabbit-in-an-Environmentally-Friendly-Way | How to Look After Your Pet Rabbit in an Environmentally Friendly Way | To look after your pet rabbit in an environmentally friendly way, give it any of the leafy green vegetables you would normally throw away like carrot tops and leftover lettuce. You can even grow some of your rabbit's food, such as beets, cucumber leaves, and basil, in your own garden. Since rabbits love dandelion greens, you can put your rabbit in a movable cage with no bottom and let it snack on the weeds. Just remember to keep it away from plants it's allergic to like azaleas, daffodil, and ivy! | Use your rabbits to limit your food waste. Rabbits mostly eat the same sort of leafy green vegetables that you should probably be eating yourself. Give your rabbit the greens you can't finish or parts of the plant that you typically throw away. Seventy-five percent of a rabbits' diet should be composed of leafy greens and fifteen percent should be non-leafy greens, and less than 10% should be fruit. You should feed your rabbit about one cup of leafy greens for every two pounds of your rabbit's body weight. These include arugula, carrot tops, cucumber leaves, endive, escarole, frisee lettuce, kale, mache, lettuce, spring greens, turnip greens, mint, basil, watercress, wheatgrass, chicory, cilantro, radicchio, bok choy, fennel, borage leaves, and dill leafs. Only a third of these vegetables should be high in oxalic acid, which can be harmful in large quantities. These include: parsley, spinach, mustard greens, beet greens, swiss chards, radish tops, and sprouts. You should feed your rabbit about one tablespoon of non-leafy greens per two pounds of their body mass every day. These include carrots, broccoli, roses, pansies, hibiscus, celery, bell peppers, Chinese pea pods, brussel sprouts, cabbage, summer squash, and zucchini squash. Feed your rabbit about one teaspoon per 2 pounds of your rabbit's body weight in fruit everyday. Good fruit to feed your rabbit include apples, cherries, pear, peaches, plum, kiwi, papaya, mango, berries, pineapple, banana, melons, star fruit, apricots, currants, nectarine. Alternate what you feed your rabbit as much as possible to ensure that your rabbit gets sufficient nutrition. Rabbits will eat many parts of the food that we generally don't eat like the green tops of carrots and celery, the center of pineapples, cauliflower leafs, raspberry and strawberry leafs, and broccoli stalks. Grow your rabbit’s food. One of the reasons that rabbits are such an eco-friendly pet is that you can grow much of their food for them. It's healthier for your rabbit, you can have some of it for yourself, it'll improve your gardening skills, and provide you with a fun new hobby. Don't expect to grow everything that your rabbit eats. You should aim to feed your rabbit three different types of vegetables everyday and alternate the types of vegetables you feed it. It is improbable that you can grow a garden with enough vegetable variety to entirely care for your rabbit, but you can make it a major source of its nutrition. Some of the easiest rabbit foods to grow are beets, cucumber leafs, lettuce, basil, dill leafs, cilantro, parsley, and bok choy. Make your rabbit into a weed eater. Dandelion greens are both one of the most invasive weeds in most people's yards and one of the favorite treats for a bunny. You can gather them yourself or allow your rabbit to munch on the lawn in a movable cage with no bottom. Alternatively, consider cutting the dandelions and giving them to the rabbit. Rabbits are allergic to azaleas, bloodroot, caladium, christmas rose, cone flower, daffodil, daphne, elephant ear, tobacco, foxglove, iris, ivy, jimson weed, lantana, nightshade, poison hemlock, and poison ivy. Get your food from a local farmer. One of the staples of rabbit food is grass hay, which most farmers have in abundance. Try to make contact with a local farmer who is willing to sell you some. It should be cheap and ecofriendly, because your rabbit food won't need be shipped, cutting down on carbon emissions. You can vary up the types of hay you feed your rabbit and mix several types together. You should refrain from feeding your rabbit alfalfa hay though, because it has more calories and protein than your rabbit needs. Familiarize yourself with what not to feed your bunny. While it might seem like your rabbit is a garbage disposal, there are some household plants that can be dangerous to your rabbit. Familiarize yourself with what not to feed your rabbit. Do not feed your rabbit the leaves of agave, the seeds of apples, buckeye seeds, castor bean seeds, eggplants, horse chestnuts, mistletoe berries, morning glory seeds, mustard, potatoes, sweet potatoes, sweet peas, rhubarb leaf, and tomato leafs. Recycle household products as rabbit toys. Rabbits love to chew on found objects. A plain cardboard box that would otherwise be thrown away will provide hours of fun. The cardboard inside a toilet paper roll will be a suitable toy for your rabbit. Old phone books and towels can also be a source of entertainment for your bunny. This will allow you to recycle household products. There will also be less waste from packaging and producing toys. Do not give your rabbit any wood that has been painted or treated with chemicals, These can be dangerous to rabbits. Employ your bunny as a paper shredder. Save yourself the expense of an electronic shredder and give your sensitive documents to your rabbit. They won't tell anyone your bank accountant number, but they will shred it up. They can even use the paper as a nest, so that you won't need to provide specialized nesting material. Use your rabbit's droppings as compost. You can use your rabbit's droppings, as well as litter made out of recycled newspaper pellets, hay/straw, or wood shavings as compost. This can be used to help grow the vegetables that you feed your bunny with! In contrast, the droppings of cats and dogs are not compostable, because they are carnivores. The meat in their diet makes their droppings unsuitable for compost. Rabbits also don't require the plastic bags that are necessary for disposing of dog droppings. Save yourself a drive to the park. Rabbits are content to run around in confined places, so you don't need to drive them to a park to walk them. This will reduce your carbon foot print. Reduce the amount of chemical cleaners you use. Rabbits are surprisingly clean and disease free. You don't need to treat them with pet shampoos and tick treatments. The chemicals in these cleaners pose a variety of ecological issues. | Use your rabbits to limit your food waste. Grow your rabbit’s food. Make your rabbit into a weed eater. Get your food from a local farmer. Familiarize yourself with what not to feed your bunny. Recycle household products as rabbit toys. Employ your bunny as a paper shredder. Use your rabbit's droppings as compost. Save yourself a drive to the park. Reduce the amount of chemical cleaners you use. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Rust-from-Carpet | How to Remove Rust from Carpet | To remove rust stains from your carpet, try using warm, soapy water. First, scrape up as much of the rust as you can using a butter knife and vacuum up the flakes. Then, blot the stain with warm, soapy water using a sponge to blot the stain. Let it soak for 5 minutes, then soak up any excess water with a clean white towel and blot the stain until it's gone. You can also remove rust stains with lemon juice. Start by scraping and vacuuming up as much rust as possible. Then, apply lemon juice and salt and work them into the carpet. After you've blotted the stain, leave your cleaner to soak for 5 minutes. Then, pour 2 cups of hot water onto it, soak it up with a towel, and blot it clean. | Remove the source of the rust stain. If the stain came from a piece of furniture or a plant stand, move it off of the carpet before you start the cleaning process. You may want to permanently relocate the offending piece of furniture to protect your carpet from future stains. Rust stains happen when iron or steel, oxygen, and moisture combine. Use a butter knife to scrape up as much visible rust as you can. Gently scrape the knife against the stain; you will notice small flakes of rust coming off the carpet. Be patient—you don't want to snag threads or rip the carpet. Use a vacuum to remove the flaked off rust from the carpet. When you have finished scraping the rust up, your carpet will still be stained but the stain will have lightened in color. Mix 2 cups (470 mL) warm water with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) dish soap. Use a bowl or a bucket to mix your stain removal mixture—just make sure it is clean before you add the water and soap to avoid transferring any dirt or dye to your carpet. If you can, avoid using a dish soap that is dark in color (like purple or blue). Usually these soaps are fine to use, but sometimes they can stain light colored carpet. Use a sponge to blot the stain with the warm water and soap mixture. Blot repeatedly until the stained area is completely saturated. You may need to squeeze out and refill your sponge with the soapy water several times to ensure the entire area is treated. Blot the stain rather than rubbing. Blotting is when you repeatedly press down on the stain, rather than rubbing back and forth. Rubbing can spread the stain to clean areas of the carpet. Let the stain soak for 5 minutes after you finish blotting. This gives the soap and water time to loosen the rust stain and clean the fibers of the carpet. You can leave the area wet for longer (10-15 minutes), but you want to make sure the soapy water and loosening rust stain doesn't dry and set in to the carpet again. Soak up excess water with a clean white towel. Using a white towel helps you see how much of the stain is transferring up from the carpet. Press dry sections of the towel repeatedly to the stain. The rust stain should transfer from the carpet to the towel. Keep blotting the stain until your towel comes away clean and dry (so after you press the towel into the stain, there is no more transfer of liquid or rust). If you're cleaning a large area, you may need to use more than 1 towel. Use warm water and ammonia for tougher stains. If the stain is still there after using warm water and dish soap, make a new mixture of 2 cups (470 mL) of warm water and 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of household ammonia. Pour this mixture directly onto the stain and let it sit for 5 minutes. Blot the carpet dry with a white towel after it has soaked. If you dislike the smell of the ammonia, try adding 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of lemon juice into the mixture. Remove the offending piece of furniture from the carpet before cleaning. You'll want to either find a new location for that piece of furniture or look into coating it with an anti-rust solution to prevent new stains. Check your windows —leaky windows can let in extra moisture that then reacts with the metal in your furniture to cause rust. Scrape up excess rust with a butter knife. The more rust you can remove before cleaning, the better your chances of getting rid of the stain completely. Be patient and gentle as you scrape—you want to be thorough but you also don't want to rip or snag the carpet threads. Vacuum up the flaked rust from the carpet before moving on to the stain removal steps. Apply lemon juice and salt directly onto the stained area. You can use fresh lemon juice or bottled—whichever you have on hand will work! If you have sea salt, sprinkle that on top of the lemon-soaked area. If you don't have sea salt, common table salt will work, too. Let the stain soak for 5 minutes. The lemon juice and salt combination creates a mild abrasive cleaner and helps break up the rust composition. If you like a more hands-on approach, you can mix the lemon juice and salt in a bowl and use a sponge to blot it onto the stain directly. Pour 2 cups (470 mL) of hot water onto the treated carpet. The rust stain should start to disappear. If the stain is particularly large, you may need to use more than 2 cups (470 mL) of hot water. The main thing to keep in mind is that you want the water to saturate the stain so it removes the salt and lemon juice mixture and clears the stain. Use a clean white towel to blot up the excess liquid. Try to get as much of it soaked up from the carpet as you can. If the towel you're using gets completely soaked, use another clean white towel and continue until the area is as dry as possible. Allow the area to dry completely before placing any furniture back on it. Use a mixture of lemon juice, white vinegar, and salt for tougher stains. Mix 1 cup (240 mL) of white vinegar with 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of salt. Pour this mixture onto the stain and let it sit for 2 hours. After a few hours have passed, blot the area with a damp white towel until it comes clean. | Remove the source of the rust stain. Use a butter knife to scrape up as much visible rust as you can. Mix 2 cups (470 mL) warm water with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) dish soap. Use a sponge to blot the stain with the warm water and soap mixture. Let the stain soak for 5 minutes after you finish blotting. Soak up excess water with a clean white towel. Use warm water and ammonia for tougher stains. Remove the offending piece of furniture from the carpet before cleaning. Scrape up excess rust with a butter knife. Apply lemon juice and salt directly onto the stained area. Pour 2 cups (470 mL) of hot water onto the treated carpet. Use a clean white towel to blot up the excess liquid. Use a mixture of lemon juice, white vinegar, and salt for tougher stains. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Mala | How to Use a Mala | To use a mala in meditation, begin by identifying the guru bead, which will be distinct from the rest of the beads. Then, hang the mala on your ring finger, and begin your meditation on the mala bead, which is used as a place of reflection to ground your meditation. If you have a mantra you'd like to use during meditation, use your thumb to pull one bead toward you every time you repeat the mantra. Once you reach the guru bead, take a moment for silent reflection and decide whether or not to continue your meditation. | Identify the guru bead. The guru bead, or mountain bead, generally hangs perpendicular to the counting beads. The guru bead is intended to be used as a place of rest and contemplation during meditations and mantra recitations. Guru beads can be connected to a tassel, made of different material than the counting beads, or have carvings and other ornamentation. The guru bead will be where you begin and end your meditation or mantra recitation. Place the mala in your right hand. The right hand is the traditional placement for malas as some cultures view the left hand as being impure. However, there are many other cultures and traditions that do not specify in which hand you need to place the mala. Consult the specific tradition you are practicing in if you are unsure of which hand you should place the mala. If you are relatively new to meditation, or do not practice within a specific tradition, use whichever hand is most comfortable. Hang the mala on your third finger. Place your mala on your third, or ring, finger before you begin reciting mantras or meditating. The third finger has a symbolic significance in many buddhist traditions. Placing the mala on your third finger will also allow you to efficiently cycle through the mala throughout your meditation and mantra recitations. Try placing the mala on your middle finger if you have dexterity or flexibility issues in your hands. Malas, specifically in the Hindu tradition, can be placed on any finger except for the index finger. In Kundalini yogic meditations, each finger corresponds with a particular quality. The index finger is for wisdom, knowledge, and prosperity; the middle finger is for patience; the ring finger is for health, vitality, and strengthening the nervous system; and the little finger is for intelligence and communication. Count with your thumb. Use your thumb to count each bead throughout your meditation. Your thumb should allow you to easily move through each bead that is held by one of your fingers. Simply use the pad or nail of your thumb to pull each bead toward you and cycle through your mala. Know that although they are called counting beads, you will not necessarily be counting by number. The counting beads are meant to serve as markers of your progress in your mantra or meditation to allow you to further deepen your contemplative practice. Start with the guru bead. Find a quiet and comfortable place to sit, and take a moment of silence before beginning your meditation and mantra. Find the guru bead on your mala once you have settled. The guru bead is meant to function as a place of reflection and acknowledgement that will help ground your meditation. Once you have found the guru bead spend time deciding on a mantra. Mantras are often given by spiritual teacher or advisors. However, you can try using a positive affirmation in place of a mantra if you have not been given one by a teacher. Try an affirmation like, “I love myself,” or repeat a word like “Calm.” You do not need to have a mantra in order to use a mala. Malas can also be used in silent meditation. Use your thumb to pull one bead toward you. Once you have chosen a mantra, and have collected yourself, begin by pulling one counting bead toward you. Use your thumb to pull the bead and let the mala slide over your third finger. Each counting bead you pull should correspond with one recitation of a mantra. If you are not meditating with a mantra, use your mala to count breaths instead. Although all of the beads on the mala, other than the guru bead, are called counting beads, you will not be counting outloud or in your head. Rather, the beads will be doing the counting for you as you scroll through and “count” with each breath or mantra. Continue moving one bead per mantra. Continue counting a bead with each breath or mantra you recite. Try to keep your counting as consistent as possible so that you can receive the full effects of your meditation. Part of the intention of the mala is to count your breaths or recitations so that you don't have to. Remember, using a mala should be a contemplative process and allow you to relax and concentrate on your meditation. Stop once you reach the guru bead. The guru bead should not be counted with the other counting beads and it should not be passed over. Instead, take another moment of silence and inner collection once you have reached the guru bead. Then, decide whether you would like to continue counting beads or to end your meditation. If you would like to end your meditation, simply remove the mala and put it in a clean and safe place. Remember, each mantra recitation or meditation should continue until you reach the guru bead. Malas can come in a variety of sizes, from 108 beads to as little as 21. The length of your meditation will depend on the length of your mala. Flip the mala around and continue counting. If you are reciting your mantra in repetitions, or want a longer meditation, flip the mala around once you reach the guru bead. Take the mala and turn it so the guru bead is just below your thumb. Once repositioned, continue counting each bead as you have done throughout your meditation or mantra recitation. Each mala should be used for only one mantra. If you would like to recite multiple mantras in one meditation, try to have one mala for each mantra. Keep the mala in a special and clean space. Make sure that your mala is kept somewhere where it will be kept clean and ready for meditation. Malas often have spiritual significance to those that use them, so try and find a sacred space to keep them in. This could be among grounding stones, healing herbs, or other spaces dedicated to meditation and spiritual practice. Try keeping your mala in a box or jewelry case so that it will stay clean and only be used for meditation. Grasp a bead with each hand at random. Place the mala in your lap and grasp it with both hands. The goal of divination is to reveal intentions and encounters that are otherwise unknown to you, so grasping at random in essential. Try closing your eyes while you grasp the mala to be sure your selection is as random as possible. Move your hands toward each other by counting in threes. Begin counting by three beads at a time once you have a bead in each hand. You should be moving each hand closer to one another as you count. There is no specific form for moving your hands through the mala in divination, so try whatever is most comfortable. The easiest way to count by threes is to use your thumb to move each bead while the mala rests on your index finger for support. Continue until there are no more than three beads between your hands. Continue counting until there are three, two, or one bead in between your hands. Each number has a specific significance in the process of divination. Make a mental note, or a quick note on a piece of paper, of how many beads are in between your fingers. Repeat the grasping and counting three times. In order to have a complete divinatory practice you will need to repeat the initial grasping and counting three times in total. The number of beads that remain in between your fingers (three, two, or one) will have a specific significance depending on which repetition they were counted. Consult a divination chart with your results. Consulting a divination chart will allow you to read and understand the divination you have just performed. If you are practicing divination within a specific tradition, like Tibetan Mala Divination, use a chart that corresponds to that tradition. Divination results and readings will vary depending on which chart and tradition you consult. | Identify the guru bead. Place the mala in your right hand. Hang the mala on your third finger. Count with your thumb. Start with the guru bead. Use your thumb to pull one bead toward you. Continue moving one bead per mantra. Stop once you reach the guru bead. Flip the mala around and continue counting. Keep the mala in a special and clean space. Grasp a bead with each hand at random. Move your hands toward each other by counting in threes. Continue until there are no more than three beads between your hands. Repeat the grasping and counting three times. Consult a divination chart with your results. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-the-Wet-Hair-Look | How to Get the Wet Hair Look | If you want to get the wet hair look, wet your hair, then blow dry it or let it air dry until it's just damp. Spritz your hair all over with sea salt spray to create waves, and add a frizz control product if your hair tends to have flyaways. If your hair is very straight, apply a generous amount of styling wax through your roots, and finish off the ends with gel. If you have dry, curly hair, use hair styling wax without using any gel for waves, or gel only if you'd prefer wet curls. You can also comb pomade through your hair to create a wet look. | Dry your hair until it's just damp. It's a good idea to start with damp hair for this technique. If it's too wet, your product may not stick. If it's not wet enough, it's more difficult to create the wet look. Blow dry your hair or let it air dry until it's just damp. You can fake damp hair at times with pomade or gel. For dry hair, use a spray bottle to make it damp. Spritz the water all over your head, using your fingers to work it in. If you need to even out the water, use a brush to help spread it out. Spritz on sea salt spray to help create waves. Squirt this spray all over your hair, using your hand to work it in. You can be generous with it, but don't go too much past damp. Gently scrunch your hair with your hand as you go to help make waves, if that's the look you're going for. Apply a frizz control product if your hair tends to be flyaway. Pull your hair into 3 sections and use clips to hold the top and middle sections out of the way. Use your fingers to add a dime-sized dollop of product to the bottom section. Pull down the middle and do the same. Finish with the top, but start at the roots this time. Try hair styling wax and gel on very straight hair. Get a generous amount of wax on your fingers. Run it through your roots with your fingertips, which will help with volume, and hit the pieces that float around your face. Finish the ends off with gel, which will help prevent flyaways. Apply hair styling wax without gel to dry, curly hair for waves. Start with blow-dried hair for this process. Separate your hair into sections, and begin applying the wax throughout the hair. Use a generous amount, as you want your hair pretty much soaked in the wax. Gels have too much water in them. They'll make your hair spring back to curls. Add gel to curly hair to keep it curly. Start with a leave-in conditioner. Spritz it in to your hair and work it in lightly with your fingers. Add a generous amount of gel to help keep your curls sleek. Use your fingers to work the gel into your hair in sections. For curls that are even more defined, try twisting small strands of hair around your fingers. Comb in pomade to straight or curly hair. For a wet ponytail look, comb the pomade in section by section until you've covered all of the hair. Pomade also works on curly hair because it flattens the curls out as you comb it through. If you want to leave your hair down but create a sleek look at the top, work the pomade into the roots with your fingers. Use a fine-tooth comb to work the pomade through the hair, stopping about midway down. Scrunch your hair to create waves. If your hair is naturally wavy, wait until it's dry before you scrunch it. If it's naturally straight, scrunch it while it's still damp to help add waves. To scrunch it, tilt your head to one side and scrunch it towards your head, or use the diffuser attachment on your blow dryer to scrunch and curl the hair. Comb your hair straight back for a slick back. Use a very fine-tooth comb, such as a rattail comb, to smooth out your hair. Comb it to the back of your head, creating a smooth finish on the sides and top. For this look, make sure to leave the pomade, gel, or wax off the bottom of the hair so it has some movement. Finish it up by applying a smoothing serum over the bottom hair if you haven't already. You can also use this technique to pull your hair back into a ponytail. Part your hair to the side for a bit of sophistication. Use the pointed end of a rattail comb. Start just to the left or right of center, and draw a line straight back in your hair. Separate the hair on either side of the part. Use a fine-tooth comb or a tint brush to smooth your hair down. Use a flexible hairspray or shine spray to finish. To help keep the look in place, spray it lightly with a flexible hairspray. A shine spray will give it extra gloss. Hold either spray about a 1 foot (3.0 dm) from your head and mist it all over your head. Some products won't need finishing spray, such as pomade. | Dry your hair until it's just damp. Spritz on sea salt spray to help create waves. Apply a frizz control product if your hair tends to be flyaway. Try hair styling wax and gel on very straight hair. Apply hair styling wax without gel to dry, curly hair for waves. Add gel to curly hair to keep it curly. Comb in pomade to straight or curly hair. Scrunch your hair to create waves. Comb your hair straight back for a slick back. Part your hair to the side for a bit of sophistication. Use a flexible hairspray or shine spray to finish. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Identify-an-Australian-Shepherd | How to Identify an Australian Shepherd | To identify an Australian Shepherd, start by looking at the dog's body, which should be solid and slightly longer than it is tall. Additionally, check its coat for medium-length fur that's smooth and thick, especially at the back of its legs. You can also note the color of the coat, since Australian Shepherds typically have multiple colors in its fur, including black, red, and white. Alternatively, check the dog's ears to see if they are high on its head, triangular, and folded down, which are characteristic of an Australian Shepherd. | Look at the dog's body size and shape. The Aussie's body is slighter longer than it is tall. They stand about 20-23 inches tall at the shoulders for males, and about 18-21 inches tall at the shoulders for females. The Aussie has a sturdy build that is solid but well balanced. Look for a smooth, thick coat. The Aussie has a signature coat. It typically consists of medium length fur that is relatively smooth and thick. This fur is especially pronounced at the back of the legs, where it is typically feathered. The coat is also water-resistant, which helps the Aussie work all day in the outdoors, rain or shine. Look for a multi-colored coat. The Aussie is a multi-colored dog that usually has exciting and dynamic color combinations. The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognizes four different coat colors: black, blue merle, red, or red merle. "Merle" refers to a "marbling" of colors that has a mixture of colored and silver fur. The AKC also recognizes three distinct markings, which can be added to any of the coat colors. These include tan points, white markings, or a combination of both. Observe how the dog stands. The Aussie's hind legs generally extend just a little behind its body, so it should not give the impression of being squared off like a table. However, it does have a flat back and a strong neck, which gives it a strong appearance. The front legs should seem to be set back from the front of the dog's body, as the chest of the Aussie puffs out. Check the dog's head shape and proportion. An Aussie's head should look in proportion to the size of its body. The dog's muzzle should have a slightly protruding look and should be a little less than half the length of the skull. Look for folded ears. The Aussie has ears that are connected high on its head. They are folded down, but they do not look floppy. Instead, they are triangular, with rounded points, and are stiff in appearance. Overall, they should reach down to, or slightly past, the pivot area of the lower jaw. There is some debate about whether an Aussie should have folded or upright ears. While show dogs are required to have folded ears, there are many purebred dogs that have upright, or pricked, ears. Look for large, multi-colored eyes. Not all Aussies have multi-colored eyes, but many do. If the dog has two colors in the same eye or a different color in each eye, this condition is called heterochromia. Aussies can have a mix of any colors, including brown, yellow, green, orange, and blue. However, brown is dominant, so most likely. Any combination of colors, whether solid or marbled, is acceptable for show dogs. Even with marbled colors in their eyes, the pupils of an Aussie should be clearly differentiated from the iris. Look for a bobbed tail. Most Aussies have a naturally bobbed tail. However, breeders will dock the tail to about 4 inches long if it is longer than average. If the tail is present, it should arc slightly upwards when the dog is holding it upright. The tail can be described as bushy. It is normally about level to the head when the dog holds both upwards. Tail docking is cosmetic. It is not needed for the health or wellness of the dog. Some breeders may decide not to dock the tails of the dogs. Look for large, oval feet. They should be oval and densely compact. Aussies have somewhat large feet, with thick pads and arched toes that should be resilient to the environment around them. Look for high energy. Australian shepherds are known to be high energy dogs. This is because they were originally bred to herd sheep in difficult terrain. If you are just keeping an Australian shepherd as a pet and not as a work dog, you will need to give them lots of exercise to keep them happy and healthy. If your dog has lots of energy and can keep up with vigorous activity, then you may have an Aussie. This high energy can translate into having a love of being involved in a wide variety of activities, such as training sessions, hiking, running errands, or playing in a park. Pay attention to herding behavior. Aussies are working dogs that love to have a job, such as other herding animals do. They will stay by your side and will eagerly respond to commands you give them. If you don't have other animals for the Aussie to herd, it may try to herd you or other people it comes into contact with. You should train them not to do this. Assess whether the dog has high intelligence. Australian shepherds are highly intelligent dogs that can learn most commands very quickly. Because of this, they are typically easily housebroken and taught house rules. This means that you can teach your dog to follow a wide variety of commands and you can do all kinds of activities with it, such as obstacle courses or fetching games. | Look at the dog's body size and shape. Look for a smooth, thick coat. Look for a multi-colored coat. Observe how the dog stands. Check the dog's head shape and proportion. Look for folded ears. Look for large, multi-colored eyes. Look for a bobbed tail. Look for large, oval feet. Look for high energy. Pay attention to herding behavior. Assess whether the dog has high intelligence. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Journal | How to Start a Journal | To start a journal, find a notebook, put the date on the first page, and write your first entry. You can make your journal entries about anything you want, like your day-to-day activities, your personal feelings, or your dreams. Get into the habit of carrying your journal around with you so if you are suddenly inspired to write something you can. This will also help you write in your journal daily so it becomes a habit. | Find a notebook to write in. The book can be simple or ornate. If you're happy with a simple journal, then just buy a basic college-ruled notebook. If you want something more serious, look for a nice leather-bound journal – perhaps even one with a lock and key! Choose between a lined or an unlined notebook. A lined notebook can be better for writing, while an unlined notebook might facilitate art and drawing. Think about how you prefer to set down your ideas, and choose a notebook that inspires you to fill it. If you plan to carry your notebook with you (in your purse, pack, or pocket,) make sure to use a notebook that is small enough to conveniently pack around. Decorate the notebook. Make the journal your own by infusing it with a unique style. Personalize the covers with words, art, stickers, and colors. Take clippings from your favorite magazines, and post them on the inside or outside of the journal. If decoration isn't your thing, then feel free to leave the journal plain! Consider numbering the pages. You can do this all at once, or you can gradually number the pages as you fill them. This can be a great way to keep track of what you write. Keep a digital journal. This can be a secure and easy-access means of preserving your thoughts. Log your entries in Microsoft Word or another basic word processor. Save the entries in a special folder, or compile them into a single, canonical document. Consider using a system that you can access with a password through a cloud or over the Internet. This way, you can open and edit your journal from any computer or device! Try WordPress , or even using your email client. For all the benefits of digital journal-keeping, you may miss the charm of a physical journal. Try it out, if you're curious. Consider keeping some notes in a physical notebook, and others in a drive on your computer. Write the first entry. The most important step of starting a journal is actually setting down the first entry. The notebook, the decoration, and the security are all just ways of making the journal feel like a safe space for you to write. Think about the sort of journal that you keep. Then, write what's on your mind. Write about what happened today. Include where you went, what you did, and who you spoke to. Write about what you felt today. Pour your joys, your frustrations, and your goals into the journal. Use the act of writing as a way to explore your feelings. Consider keeping a dream journal. Keep a learning log. Write about what you learned today. Use the journal as a way to explore and connect your thoughts. Turn your experiences into art. Use the journal to write stories or poetry, to make sketches, and to plan out projects. Feel free to mix this in with your other entries. Date your entry. If you are going to keep a regular journal, then it's good to establish some way of tracking when you wrote what. Write the full date, or whatever you'll need to jog your memory: e.g. 2/4/2016 or Feb. 4, 2016. For a slightly more involved record, write the time of day (morning, afternoon, night), your mood, and/or your location. Log the date at the top of the page or the top of each entry. Get into the flow of writing. Try not to think too critically about what you're setting down. Let go of your doubts, and write your truth. The beauty of a journal is that you can tell the story that you don't usually people: the deep thoughts and feelings that lie behind your day-to-day decisions. Take the opportunity to explore yourself. Imagine that you are talking to someone. Whether you are talking to a close friend or pouring your thoughts into a journal: you are putting them out into the world, and thus making them real. It can be hard to really get a grasp on what you're thinking until you make your thoughts real. Use journaling as a healing tool. If there is something haunting you or bothering you, try to write about that thing and understand why exactly it has stuck on your mind. Think before you write. If you're having trouble finding your flow, try taking a few minutes to quietly reflect on what you're feeling. The act of writing can help you tease out these feelings. However, it can be hard to write until you have a clear idea of where to begin. Time yourself. Try setting aside a discrete amount of time to write in your journal. Set a timer for 5 to 15 minutes, and then let yourself go. The "deadline" of the ticking clock may help motivate you to get writing. Don't worry about making it perfect! Simply write down everything that's on your mind. If the timer goes off and you haven't finished journaling, then feel free to keep going. The point of the timer is not to limit you, but rather to spur you. This can be a great way to fit your journaling practice into the busy flow of everyday life. If you have trouble finding the time to write in your journal, then you may need to schedule it in. Carry the book with you. This way, you can record your thoughts whenever they strike. Keep the journal in your purse, your pack, or your back pocket. When you have a free moment, try pulling out your journal instead of your cell phone. You may find that this helps you stay grounded on a day-to-day basis. Carrying the journal around has the added bonus of keeping your words private. If you always keep your journal close, then it's less likely to fall into the wrong hands. Keep your journal private. If you've poured your deep, personal thoughts into this journal, then you probably don't want anyone else to read it. Hide the journal somewhere that no one else will find it. Great hiding places include: Behind the books on your bookshelf. Under your mattress or pillow In the drawer of your bedside table Behind a picture frame Keep the cover discrete. Do not label the journal things like "Private!" or "Do NOT read!" This will make people curious and want to read it even more. It would be best to leave the cover blank or to disguise it as something more boring, such as "Homework" or "Shopping Lists." If you do want to label it "My Journal" or "Private!" be sure to hide it well. Write regularly. Make a practice of keeping a journal. Reap the various mental-health benefits of staying in touch with your emotions on a day-to-day basis. Each time you write in your journal, remind yourself to be honest and tell the whole truth. Try scheduling journal time into your day-to-day flow. Some people journal before bed, or immediately after they wake. Some people journal during their daily commute or during their lunch hour. Find a time that works for you. Journal when you need to heal. Studies have indicated that writing in a journal can be a powerful way to process grief, trauma, and other emotional pains. Let your writing habit hold you up when you feel that everything is falling apart. | Find a notebook to write in. Decorate the notebook. Keep a digital journal. Write the first entry. Date your entry. Get into the flow of writing. Think before you write. Time yourself. Carry the book with you. Keep your journal private. Keep the cover discrete. Write regularly. Journal when you need to heal. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Computer-Genius | How to Be a Computer Genius | If you're trying to be a computer genius, start by reading books or watching videos about computer hardware to learn about the parts of a computer and how they work together. Then, visit websites for different operating systems, like Windows and Mac OS X, to understand how to use them. Next, play around with the different operating systems at home, or on computers at places like your local library, so you'll be familiar with them. You can also read user blogs to get more information about computer hardware, software, and operating systems. | Find (and read) a book for a beginner. Even if you are not brand new to using a computer, getting a book for beginners is a great way to fill the gaps in your knowledge. Ask your librarian to show you books for beginning computer users, search your favorite bookseller's website for “computers for beginners,” or try one of these: Any computer-related book in the “For Dummies” series, such as PCs for Dummies or Macs for Dummies. How Computers Work by Ron White Upgrading and Repairing PCs by Scott Mueller Learn the names of the hardware in your computer. To become a computer genius, you will need to understand how the different parts of a computer work with one another. Everything inside of your computer is connected to the motherboard, including the CPU, which acts as the computer's “brain.” RAM stores data that's currently in use. Become familiar with how it works with and connects to the motherboard. Peripheral cards add functions to the computer. Learn about sound, networking, and video cards. Storage and disk drives are places to store data. Research hard drives, CD/DVD-ROM drives, and removable media like USB flash drives and SD cards. Go to a computer store and try out the latest technology. Each computer's hardware specs should be visible on a label or sign near the unit. Notice the different amounts of RAM, different CPU brands and speeds, and different screen resolutions. Try opening the same program on different computers and notice differences in speed. Ask a salesperson which computers they recommend for various tasks. For example, “Which of these units is good for gaming?” or “Which would you recommend to someone who just needs to write papers for college?” Then, observe the difference in specs between the different computers. Watch YouTube videos of people opening their computers. Watch other computer geniuses install RAM or replace dead hard drives to get a sense of what these tasks entail. Listen carefully as the person describes what they are doing. Open your computer and locate each hardware component. If you're feeling confident, look inside your own computer to see how the different hardware components connect to one another. If you feel apprehensive, ask someone who knows more about computers to walk you through the process. Never open a computer unless the machine is on a sturdy surface and you are properly grounded. Learn the differences between different operating systems. There are pros and cons to using Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Chrome OS, etc. Visit each operating system's website to familiarize yourself with its features. Then, search the web for blogs that cater specifically to users of those operating systems. Reading user blogs is a great way to discover how people use their computers. Windows is pre-installed on most PCs and is used by businesses as both servers and workstations. Windows is also popular with home users and gamers who love tinkering with hardware. Mac OSX is known to be sleek and aesthetically pleasing. Made popular by artists, Mac OSX almost always runs on Apple hardware (although it can be installed on modern desktops) and has a familiar design that is gaining in popularity. Linux is a free (usually) flavor of “Unix” used by more advanced computer users. It's highly customizable, secure, can be used on basically any type of hardware to perform any type of function. Chrome OS is a simple operating system found on Google Chromebooks. It's geared toward people who are more interested in using the web (and web applications) than anything else. Use every opportunity to play with operating systems other than the one you use. To be a well-rounded computer genius, you should have experience using all operating systems and a wide variety of software. You can find Windows PCs at public libraries. Most college campuses have both PCs and Macs available for student use. Alternatively, you can ask a friend or a relative if you can try using their computer. Try doing the same sort of task (like browsing the web) on a Windows, Linux, or Mac computer and notice the differences. Explore the operating system you use on your own computer. Both Macs and Windows have built-in System panels that provide details about the computer. Try to explore a new area of the Control Panel (Windows) or System Preferences (Mac) every day. Just poking around and clicking to view the different options will add necessary information to your budding genius brain. To open the Control Panel in Windows, press ⊞ Win + S to launch the search, then type control panel. Click “Control Panel” in the search results, then browse through the various panels. To view System Preferences on your Mac: Click the Apple menu at the top-left corner of the screen, then click “System Preferences.” Install new software. If it's your first time, start with something easy, like a new web browser. If you're at a more advanced level, try installing Linux. Linux is a free operating system popular with the geeks (your team!) that can be installed on lots of different hardware configurations. Because Linux is so popular with people who love computers, there's an entire community of Linux users active on chats and forums. Learning Linux is bound to make you new friends, perhaps even a mentor. Study programming languages such as Java, SQL, Ruby on Rails, or PHP. Once you have nailed the basics, venture into advanced territory. Knowing how to code separates the computer geniuses from casual users. Research what different programming languages do and select one to study. Get a book on the language. Starting with a beginner's book will build a great foundation for your advanced study. Look into classes that provide hands-on coding experience. You will have to pay for some of the more prestigious courses available through coding academies, but you'll find the occasional free class through Coursera and Khan Academy. Set up a network. Getting one computer on the Internet is simple, but what about configuring an entire network of computers? Challenge yourself to learn different ways to connect computers to the Internet, share files across systems, and set up firewalls. Learn about (and protect yourself from) threats to your computers, code, and networks. Knowing how to set things up is a great start, but protecting your handiwork from security threats is a whole new world. Research things like Denial of Service attacks, code vulnerabilities, database hacks, and worm viruses to prepare yourself for what's possible. Network with other computer enthusiasts. Having a community of computer geniuses (or those who are still in the aspirational stage) will allow you to ask and answer questions, as well as learn about new technology that might interest you. Research local meetup groups in your area. Discover chatrooms and forums full of computer users that are accessible 24/7. Commit to a lifetime of learning. Becoming a computer genius will not happen overnight. It takes hard work, dedication, sharp problem-solving skills, and a genuine passion for information. Technology is always evolving, so you will need to stay current. The information you know now may be obsolete next year. Read computer magazines, follow popular computing blogs, and stay familiar with the latest in software technology. Upgrade to the newest operating systems when they are released. Join beta-testing groups for various operating systems and apps so you can be among the first to get hands-on experience. Define the problem. When it comes down to it, the way you will be able to show off your genius computer skills is by solving problems. Troubleshooting is one of the most important skills to have in the IT industry. When you're experiencing a computer issue, start by figuring out what exactly is going on. Defining the problem as “The mouse doesn't work” is too broad—narrow it down to the precise behavior or error message, such as “When I connect the mouse to the USB port, I see a message that says “This IRQ is assigned to the keyboard.” Sharpen your Google skills. One of the most important skills a genius-in-the-making must learn is how to find information. There's an art to getting accurate information about computer problems with Google. Use quotes (“) around exact words and phrases ( “this IRQ is assigned to the keyboard” instead of irq assigned to keyboard ) to make sure your results match what you are looking for. Using Google to search a single site. If you're looking for information about wireless networking and prefer your results be from Microsoft.com, type mouse problems site:microsoft.com instead of mouse problems microsoft. Filter results by date (often relevant, as computers are always changing) by clicking “Search Tools” at the top of the search results, then change “Any time” to a different time range. Read the search results thoroughly, and not just the first page. While the manufacturer's product pages may be among the first search results, some of the best troubleshooting information will come from user forums. It will not take you long to figure out which sites return good search results and which should be avoided. If your search for information brings you to a page that seemingly has little to do with what you searched, that source will not be useful to you. Join forums to gain insight into problems experienced by users like you. Don't be afraid to ask questions—but before you do, try using the forum's “search” feature to reduce the possibility of duplicating an already-resolved thread. Many online forums will not allow you to search their content until you register for an account. Fix your friends’ and family’s computers. Now that you've been practicing your troubleshooting skills, find opportunities to get hands-on experience. Ask people you know if they are having trouble with their computers, and then offer to fix them. Use your new skills to find other people online who've experienced similar issues and try implementing suggested fixes. Set up a test computer. Computer geniuses learn how to troubleshoot by breaking things. Rather than messing with the computer you use every day, get yourself a test computer (or even better—a test lab with several types of computers) so you can really get your hands dirty. Run system updates. Make sure you are using the latest and greatest version of your operating system by checking for system updates. Updating operating system software may cause older applications to break. Frustrating! However, finding fixes for such issues is great for improving your troubleshooting skills! Think about what you might be able to add to your computer to make it better. Ask yourself some questions: What frustrates me about my computer? What can I not do with my computer that others can do with theirs? Once you have some answers, you should be able to determine what kind of hardware or software would improve your experience. Browse forums for your specific type of computer to see what sorts of upgrades others are doing. Even if you decide not to do any upgrades, you'll still learn a lot about the different possible configurations for your computer. Pick something about computers that interests you. Is it web design? Great-looking video? Programming in Python? Becoming an expert on a single topic is an excellent way to assert yourself as a computer genius. Read articles about your topic online. Use your new Google search wizardry to find up-to-date articles about the topic that interests you. You should also: Find (and follow) blogs that are dedicated to that topic. Join forums for users who share your interest in that topic. Watch YouTube instructional videos about your topic. Interested in learning how to set up Wordpress? Fixing broken motherboard components? You will find plenty of instructional videos for just about anything on YouTube. Look into classes that focus on your topic. If you're enrolled in college, check to see if classes on that subject are offered. Don't forget community colleges—they provide a wide variety of courses at a cheaper rate than a university. If you would rather learn from home, there are plenty of online courses available in a wide variety of topics. Some courses are even available for free on sites like Khan Academy and Coursera. You may even find a course on Youtube. | Find (and read) a book for a beginner. Learn the names of the hardware in your computer. Go to a computer store and try out the latest technology. Watch YouTube videos of people opening their computers. Open your computer and locate each hardware component. Learn the differences between different operating systems. Use every opportunity to play with operating systems other than the one you use. Explore the operating system you use on your own computer. Install new software. Study programming languages such as Java, SQL, Ruby on Rails, or PHP. Set up a network. Learn about (and protect yourself from) threats to your computers, code, and networks. Network with other computer enthusiasts. Commit to a lifetime of learning. Define the problem. Sharpen your Google skills. Read the search results thoroughly, and not just the first page. Join forums to gain insight into problems experienced by users like you. Fix your friends’ and family’s computers. Set up a test computer. Run system updates. Think about what you might be able to add to your computer to make it better. Browse forums for your specific type of computer to see what sorts of upgrades others are doing. Pick something about computers that interests you. Read articles about your topic online. Watch YouTube instructional videos about your topic. Look into classes that focus on your topic. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Have-Flawless-Skin-in-a-Week | How to Have Flawless Skin in a Week | To get flawless skin in a week, start washing your face once in the morning and once at night with a non-comedogenic gentle cleanser. Use an exfoliating scrub on the 1st, 4th, and 7th day of the week to remove dead skin so your face looks smoother and healthier. Throughout the week, drink at least 8 glasses of water every day and get 8 hours of sleep every night. | Determine your skin type. Is it oily, dry, normal, or combination of either? In order to do this, wash your face, let it dry and leave your face completely untouched for an hour. Inspect by dabbing a tissue between your nose and cheek, called the T-zone: Normal skin shows neither oil nor flaking skin. It should feel supple and smooth. If you have it, consider yourself lucky! Oily skin is characterized by the grease on the tissue. It is also common for a person with oily skin to have large pores and a bit of a shine. Dry skin may feel taut or show flakes of dead skin. It is associated with small pores. Moisturizing is important for this skin type. Combination skin is most common. It exhibits traits of all three of the above skin types. Usually, the skin is oily in the T-zone and normal to dry elsewhere. Invest in a cleanser, toner, moisturizer and facial scrub suited to your skin type. (If you're young there's no need for a facial scrub.) You might have to test out a couple of brands before you find the perfect one. Talk to an associate at a makeup or skin care counter. You will be able to test different formulas. They may even offer samples so you can try a product out for a day or two. Try to get a cleanser, toner, and moisturizer that is non-comedogenic. This just means that it won't clog your pores, leading to pimples. If you have a bad case of acne or any other skin problem like eczema, see a dermatologist. They will give you the specific treatment you need. It's likely that any medication you get from a dermatologist will be prescription strength, too, meaning it will be stronger. Buy an SPF 15+ sunscreen for daily use. Try for a facial sunscreen with no fragrance or oil. Sunscreen will help block harmful UV-A and UV-B rays that can lead to skin damage and cancers. Many moisturizers these days have sunscreen built into them. Experiment with different moisturizers to see if the sunscreen works well and the moisturizer keeps your face hydrated. Use your face wash every day. You will not see a difference if you only use it once a week. Use your scrub, which lifts off dead layers of skin, only every few days as to avoid scrubbing off too much skin. Do not use a washcloth, loofah or any other abrasive material to wash your face. Washing with your hands is perfectly acceptable, and will lower the irritation you might otherwise get with an abrasive material. Wash once in the morning and once at night. This is especially important if you have very oily skin or numerous pimples. Moisturize after every wash. Washing your face with a facial cleanser sucks all the natural oils from your face. Clear, beautiful skin is hydrated skin. Wash off your makeup. Before going to bed remember to take off any makeup you put on. Washing your face may do the trick, but some makeup may require makeup remover. Don't be lazy about taking off makeup. If you're prone to leaving your makeup on or forgetting to wash your face, invest in some wipes and keep them close to your bed. Although this isn't exactly optimal, it is only for time-saving, so if you can, wash your face after to remove any excess makeup. Eat properly. A great menu is a balanced menu. Remember the food pyramid? Eat fruits and vegetables. Nutritionists recommend eating 3 servings of fruit and 5 servings of vegetables daily. Avoid foods with caffeine and sugar, as well as greasy foods and red meat. Drink plenty of fluids. Try to drink 8 glasses of fluids, preferably water, every day! Avoid sugary soft drinks, caffeine, and coffee. Green/herbal tea is rich in antioxidants, which protect cells in your body from damage. Exercise. Exercising helps you metabolize. A walk with your dog or some yoga lessons do make a difference! Healthy skin is just another part of a healthy body. Exercising is also good for relieving stress. Studies show that there's a link between how stressed you are and how bad your acne is. So if you're super-stressed all the time, try your favorite form of exercise to get rid of it pronto. Sleep. Make sure you get your 8 hours every night, perhaps a bit more if you are a teenager. Being well rested gives your body more energy to go about its daily routine, and leaves you feeling even better. Flawless skin doesn't have big dark circles. Do this every day, and you will soon begin to see the results. | Determine your skin type. Invest in a cleanser, toner, moisturizer and facial scrub suited to your skin type. Buy an SPF 15+ sunscreen for daily use. Use your face wash every day. Wash off your makeup. Eat properly. Drink plenty of fluids. Exercise. Sleep. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Separate-Salt-from-Water | How to Separate Salt from Water | To separate salt from water with a basic evaporation experiment, start by putting a few cups of water in a pan and placing it on a hot burner. When the water heats up, add teaspoons of salt at a time, stirring them in as you go, until the salt no longer dissolves. Next, turn the burner off and allow the water to cool slightly. Then, spoon the water onto dark construction paper and wait for the water to evaporate. As the water evaporates, it should leave behind miniature salt crystals. | Heat water and add salt to make saltwater. It's easy to see the principles of evaporation in action by performing this simple experiment. To start, all you'll need is a little ordinary table salt, some tap water, a saucepan, a little black construction paper, and a stove. Add a few cups of water to the pan and place it on a hot burner. Wait for the water to heat — it doesn't necessarily need to boil, but the hotter it gets, the more quickly it will dissolve the salt. The reason hot water is best for dissolving salt (and other chemicals) has to do with the motion of the molecules making up the water. When the water gets hot, the molecular motion increases, running into more salt molecules and making the bonds easier to pull apart. Add salt until it no longer dissolves. Continue adding small spoonfuls of salt and stirring to dissolve them. Eventually, you'll reach a point at which the salt won't dissolve anymore, no matter how hot the water is. This is called the water's saturation point. Turn the stove off and let the water cool slightly. When water reaches its saturation point, it no longer has any ability to dissolve salt at a molecular level — so much salt has dissolved that there is no longer any chemical potential for the water to pull apart new salt crystals. Spoon the water onto dark construction paper. Using a spoon or ladle, pour a little of your saltwater over a dark-colored piece of construction paper. Place this paper on a dish to avoid having it soak through to the countertop or work surface below. Now, all you need to do is wait for the water to evaporate. This process will be slightly faster if you leave the paper somewhere the sun's light can hit it. Don't waste your leftover salt water — there are tons of things you can use it for. For instance, you can use it to poach an egg, boil potatoes, preserve spinach, and even help you peel nuts! Wait for salt to form. As the water evaporates, it should leave behind miniature salt crystals. These should look like small, shiny, white or clear flakes on the surface of the paper. Congratulations! You've just separated salt from water. Feel free to scrape a little bit of salt from your paper to season your food — it should be perfectly safe to eat. Be careful not to get any paper shavings in your food, though! Start boiling a pot of salt water. The simple experiment above showed how to get the salt from water, but what if you want to keep the salt-less water, too? Distillation is the answer. Distillation is the process of heating substances with different boiling points to separate them, then collecting the condensation, which should be relatively "pure". In this case, we'll start by making a few cups of saltwater (see above for directions) and heating it to a boil on the stove. Set a lid on the pot offset. Next, find a lid for your pot (it doesn't necessarily have to fit perfectly). Balance the lid on the pot so that part of it is hanging over the rim. Try to arrange the lid so that the portion hanging off of the edge is the lowest point on the lid. Watch as condensation forms on the bottom of the lid and starts to trickle down it. As the saltwater boils, the water (minus the salt) will turn into steam and rise out of the pot. As it hits the lid, it will cool slightly and form liquid condensation (water) on the underside of the lid. This water doesn't contain salt, so all we need to do is gather it to have salt-free water. Let the water collect in a bowl. Since water runs downhill, the condensation on the underside of the lid will naturally gather at the lowest point of the lid. Once enough condensation gathers here, it will start to form drops and fall. Place a bowl under this spot to catch the drops of distilled water as they fall. If you like, you can also run a long, skinny metal or glass object (like a stirring rod or thermometer) from the bowl up to the lowest point on the lid — the water should run down this object into the bowl. If necessary, repeat. As the salt water in the pot boils, more and more distilled water should gather in your bowl. This water will have most of its salt removed. However, in some situations, a small amount of salt can remain. In this case, you may want to perform a double distillation — boiling the distilled water you gathered in the same way as you boiled the salt water to remove any lingering salt. Technically, this water should be safe to drink. However, unless you're sure that both the lid for your pot and the bowl you collected the water in (and the skinny metal or glass rod, if you used one) are clean, you may not want to do this. Use reverse osmosis. The methods above aren't the only ways to separate salt from water, they're just the most convenient for most people working at home. It's also possible to separate salt from water with other methods requiring specialized materials. For instance, a technique called reverse osmosis can remove salt from salt water by forcing the water through a permeable membrane. This membrane acts as a filter, permitting only water molecules to pass through and keeping dissolved contaminants (like salt) out. Reverse osmosis pumps are sometimes sold for residential use but are also often used for recreational purposes like camping. Pumps can be somewhat expensive, usually running several hundred dollars. Add decanoic acid. Another way to separate salt and water is via chemical reaction. For instance, research has shown that treating salt water with a chemical called decanoic acid is a reliable way to remove the salt. After adding the acid and heating slightly, then cooling, the salt and other impurities precipitate (that is, solidify and sink to the bottom). When the reaction is complete, the water and salt sit in two completely separate layers, making it easy to remove the water. Decanoic acid is available from chemical supply stores — usually around $30-$40 per bottle. Use electro-dialysis. Using the power of electricity, it's possible to remove particles like salt from water. This is done by submerging a negatively charged cathode and a positively charged anode in water and separating them with a porous membrane. The electrical charge of the anode and cathode essentially "pull" dissolved ions (like those that make up salt) toward them like magnets, leaving relatively pure water. Note that this process does not necessarily remove bacteria or other contaminants from the water, so further treatment may be needed to get drinkable water from this method in the wild. Recent research has been promising, however, suggesting new techniques that do kill bacteria as part of the process. | Heat water and add salt to make saltwater. Add salt until it no longer dissolves. Spoon the water onto dark construction paper. Wait for salt to form. Start boiling a pot of salt water. Set a lid on the pot offset. Let the water collect in a bowl. If necessary, repeat. Use reverse osmosis. Add decanoic acid. Use electro-dialysis. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Shoe-Designer | How to Become a Shoe Designer | To become a shoe designer, start by challenging yourself to create a new shoe design every day for a month, and look for themes that could develop into your personal style. As you work on your designs, compile a portfolio that you can show to potential employers. Then, apply for an internship with a designer to gain experience and make contacts. Alternatively, work in a retail shoe store to gain exposure to different styles and customers. Finally, grow your network by attending trade shows or events and talking with design professionals. | Create a 5-year plan. Make a plan for yourself that includes a series of steps that are realistic to achieve. Include a timeline for achieving each step so that you can stay focused. Be flexible with your plan. This isn't written in stone, so if a new opportunity or contact presents itself, be flexible so you can incorporate a new direction. Reevaluate this plan every year or two. Determine if you're on track or if you need to make adjustments. Decide on your focus. There are many paths you can follow in shoe design. For example, you can design shoes for women, men, children, athletes, and so on. What appeals to you most? Consider which aspect of the shoe design process appeals to you most. Do you love designing shoes but you don't care about actually making them? Do you want to actually make your own shoes? Do you want to work for a big company like Adidas or Nike, or do you want to own your own boutique? Get a degree in design. While it is not necessary to get a degree, a degree can help you develop skills and contacts that will be useful for succeeding in the industry. Enroll in a 2- or 4-year program at an accredited institution. Your degree doesn't need to be in shoe design. Any degree in an art- or design-related field will be applicable. These might include shoe design, industrial design, graphic design, art, product design, fashion design, and accessory design, among others. Start developing your style. A great shoe designer will have an interesting and original look to their designs. You can start developing your own style and brand immediately. Limit the elements that you can use, such as restricting yourself to three colors, or two types of fabric or material. This will force you to be imaginative and innovative. Give yourself assignments. Design shoes for different types of people, for example. What are some similarities that resound through each design? Challenge yourself to create something new every day. Design a new shoe every day for a month. You may start to see themes in your shoe designs. Find inspiration in the world. You may have a tendency to look at other shoe designs and designers for inspiration, but this risks replicating designs. Look for inspiration in other areas of art or the world. Christian Louboutin, for example, has drawn from archaeology to influence some of his designs. Learn about the industry. There is more to shoe design than just drawing pictures. The industry is roughly divided into three parts: design or creative, manufacturing, and retail. Design/creative : This is the division where you create your design. But this involves more than sketching a shoe on paper; it also involves pattern making, and for some designers, using or making original lasts to determine shoe fit (lasts are reproductions of the foot, usually made of high-quality plastic or resin). Manufacturing : This is the division that turns your design into an actual pair of shoes. Learn about the chain of manufacturing, from selection of materials to production. Retail : This is the division that sells your shoes. Understanding the retail side involves understanding what consumers are looking for; these are the people who will be wearing your shoes. Who are the consumers you're hoping to target? Also consider what stores and buyers are looking for and how your shoes might suit their needs. Keep track of current trends. Following the industry and trends in shoes will help you figure out where you can be cutting-edge and stand out. This is a competitive industry and being on top of trends is a necessity. Read design and fashion magazines to keep up with trends. Sketch a lot. One of the most important skills that a shoe designer has is the ability to envision something and translate that onto paper. The goal here is not to replicate what you can already see. Rather, you should imagine a shoe and sketch that out. Sketching doesn't have to be done on physical paper. You might use design software to create your shoe designs. Learn how to use design software. Shoe design is not all done with pencil and paper sketches. You will need to know design software, such as the Adobe Creative Suite. This includes PhotoShop, Illustrator, InDesign and other programs. Be able to recreate your pencil sketches on the computer. Also learn how to use computer-aided design (CAD) programs. These will enable you to create 3D digital designs. Learn how to design shoe patterns. When you learn the different parts that go into creating a shoe from a design sketch, you will understand more about the entire shoe-making process. Make patterns for different types of shoes. Build a portfolio. Assemble your best shoe designs that demonstrate your skill and versatility as a designer. Aim for about 20 designs for a physical portfolio and 30 for an online portfolio. Keep the content fresh by updating your portfolio once in a while with new work. Include a designer's statement, in which you talk about your influences and inspirations. Also include an up-to-date resume. Get an internship. An internship is a chance for you to work with a designer and assist them in the everyday work of creating shoes. This may also expose you to other roles in a shoe company that you hadn't previously considered Check with your favorite companies to see what their internship requirements are. Some internships are not paid, but they may offer college credit in exchange for your work. It is best to receive some remuneration for your work if possible. Work in retail. Working in a shoe store or the shoe department of a major department store will expose you to all kinds of customers and salespeople. These are, after all, the core people who will come in contact with your shoes on a daily basis when you are a designer yourself. Get to know the business from the ground up by having some experience on the retail side. Work in shoe manufacturing. Just like in retail, working in manufacturing will give you a lot of insight into how shoes are produced. You might witness how decisions are made and how the shoes are actually put together. This might also give you good contacts for manufacturing your own shoe designs, when you get to that point. Start out as an assistant. A design assistant, pattern maker, sketching assistant and production assistant are different types of entry-level jobs that allow an individual to work directly with shoe designers. Through these positions, you can help convert the shoe designers' ideas into drawings and actual patterns. Grow your professional networks. Start attending openings, trade shows, trunk shows, professional gatherings and so on. Dress smartly and introduce yourself to people. Don't be pushy, but do focus on chatting with people in a friendly way. Bring business cards with your contact information printed on them. This will help people remember your name and make it easy to contact you if an opportunity comes up. You may not want to restrict yourself completely to shoe-related events. Art events more generally, for example, will be gathering places for artistically minded people who may be in a good position to help you move up in the industry. Go on an informational interview. An informational interview is a chance to talk to someone who does the kind of job you want to do. Contact a shoe designer and set up a time to talk about the industry and their job. Be sure to plan a time and location that is convenient for the designer. This is not an interview for a job. You are presenting yourself as someone interested in learning more about the industry, rather than as someone looking to be hired on the spot. Join a professional organization. A professional organization is a network of people who participate in a similar profession. These organizations often host conferences, advocate policy, promote education and professional development, and give awards. Most are member-based, and you will have to pay an annual fee to join. Some examples related to shoe design include: Industrial Designers Society of America, American Institute of Graphic Arts, American Apparel and Footwear Association, and Association of Sewing and Design Professionals Many professional organizations have regional or local chapters and student chapters. Find a mentor. Talking regularly with someone who has a solid career in shoe design can give you good insight and advice as you progress on your trajectory. You might find a mentor through a professional organization, an internship or through a university design program. Connect with a manufacturer. Do your research on finding a good, reliable manufacturer who can produce the quality of shoe that you are looking for. In addition, their manufacturing must produce a shoe that is representative of what you have designed. Manufacturers can vary greatly, even in terms of the types of shoes they typically produce. For example, thin-soled shoes with thin leather are more often manufactured in Portugal, while heavier-soled, rounded shoes are more often made in England or Hungary. Shop around for a manufacturer. Take your design to a few different manufacturers and ask them to make a sample shoe. Compare these to find the best choice for you. Hold a trunk show. A trunk show is an event where you sell your work (shoes, accessories, and dresses are sold at most trunk shows) at a boutique or store. You attend the trunk show as well, talking and selling to customers. This usually lasts from a few hours to a couple of days, and offers special deals on your items that may not normally be available in stores. They are excellent promotional events, helping get your name out there. Partner with a boutique or shop. Find a local boutique that has an aesthetic that complements your shoe design style. Ask if they will carry your shoes in their store. The store will normally ask for a percentage of the sales in exchange for selling your shoes. Sell your shoes online. Set up an online shop, either through your own website or through a storefront website, such as Etsy. This is usually an easier first step to selling your own shoes, rather than opening your own store. | Create a 5-year plan. Decide on your focus. Get a degree in design. Start developing your style. Find inspiration in the world. Learn about the industry. Keep track of current trends. Sketch a lot. Learn how to use design software. Learn how to design shoe patterns. Build a portfolio. Get an internship. Work in retail. Work in shoe manufacturing. Start out as an assistant. Grow your professional networks. Go on an informational interview. Join a professional organization. Find a mentor. Connect with a manufacturer. Hold a trunk show. Partner with a boutique or shop. Sell your shoes online. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-Bond-Order-in-Chemistry | How to Calculate Bond Order in Chemistry | To calculate bond order in chemistry, subtract the number of the electrons in the antibonding molecules from the number of electrons in the bonding molecules. Divide the result by 2 to get the result. The higher the bond order, the more stable the molecule. | Know the formula. In molecular orbital theory, bond order is defined as half of the difference between the number of bonding and antibonding electrons. Bond order = [(Number of electrons in bonding molecules) - (Number of electrons in antibonding molecules)]/2. Know that the higher the bond order, the more stable the molecule. Each electron that entered a bonding molecular orbital will help stabilize the new molecule. Each electron that entered an antibonding molecular orbital will act to destabilize the new molecule. Note the new energy state as the bond order of the molecule. If the bond order is zero, the molecule cannot form. The higher bond orders indicate greater stability for the new molecule. Consider a simple example. Hydrogen atoms have one electron in the s shell, and the s shell is capable of holding two electrons. When two hydrogen atoms bond together, each completes the s shell of the other. Two bonding orbitals are formed. No electrons are forced to move to the next higher orbital, the p shell – so no antibonding orbitals are formed. The bonding order is thus ( 2 − 0 ) / 2 {\displaystyle (2-0)/2} , which equals 1. This forms the common molecule H 2 : hydrogen gas. Determine bond order at a glance. A single covalent bond has a bond order of one; a double covalent bond, a bond order of two; a triple covalent bond, three – and so on. In its most basic form, the bond order is the number of bonded electron pairs that hold two atoms together. Consider how atoms come together into molecules. In any given molecule, the component atoms are bound together by bonded pairs of electrons. These electrons revolve around the nucleus of an atom in "orbitals," each of which can only hold two electrons. If an orbital is not "full"—i.e., it only holds one electron, or no electrons—then the unpaired electron can bond to a corresponding free electron on another atom. Depending on the size and complexity of a particular atom, it might have only one orbital, or it might have as many as four. When the nearest orbital shell is full, new electrons start to gather in the next orbital shell out from the nucleus, and continue until that shell is also full. The collection of electrons continues in ever-widening orbital shells, as larger atoms have more electrons than smaller atoms. Draw Lewis dot structures. This is a handy way to visualize how the atoms in a molecule are bonded to one another. Draw the atoms as their letters (e.g. H for Hydrogen, Cl for Chlorine). Illustrate the bonds between them as lines (e.g. – for a single bond, = for a double bond, and ≡ for a triple bond). Mark the unbonded electrons and electron pairs as dots (e.g. :C:). Once you've drawn your Lewis dot structure, count the number of bonds: this is the bond order. The Lewis dot structure for diatomic nitrogen would be N≡N. Each nitrogen atom features one electron pair and three unbonded electrons. When two nitrogen atoms meet, their combined six unbonded electrons intermingle into a powerful triple covalent bond. Consult a diagram of electron orbital shells. Note that each shell lies further and further out from the nucleus of the atom. According to the property of entropy, energy always seeks the lowest possible state of order. The electrons will seek to populate the lowest orbital shells available. Know the difference between bonding and antibonding orbitals. When two atoms come together to form a molecule, they seek to use each other's electrons to fill the lowest possible states in the electron orbital shells. Bonding electrons are, essentially the electrons that stick together and fall into the lowest states. Antibonding electrons are the "free" or unbonded electrons that are pushed to higher orbital states. Bonding electrons: By noting how full the orbital shells of each atom are, you can determine how many of the electrons in higher energy states will be able to fill the more stable, lower-energy-state shells of the corresponding atom. These "filling electrons" are referred to as bonding electrons. Antibonding electrons: When the two atoms try to form a molecule by sharing electrons, some electrons will actually be driven to higher-energy-state orbital shells as the lower-energy-state orbital shells are filled up. These electrons are referred to as antibonding electrons. | Know the formula. Know that the higher the bond order, the more stable the molecule. Consider a simple example. Determine bond order at a glance. Consider how atoms come together into molecules. Draw Lewis dot structures. Consult a diagram of electron orbital shells. Know the difference between bonding and antibonding orbitals. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-over-Strep-Throat-Quickly | How to Get over Strep Throat Quickly | To get over strep throat quickly, you should see your doctor right away, since strep throat requires a prescription to treat. In addition to taking your antibiotics as directed, try gargling with warm salt water for 1 minute, several times a day, to relieve your throat pain. Eat soft foods like yogurt and soups to avoid irritating your throat, and avoid smoking or breathing in irritants that will make your throat pain worse. You may also need as much as 4-5 extra hours of sleep each day while you're recovering. | Recognize the symptoms of strep throat. A sore throat alone can have a variety of causes, many viral (such as a common cold). Your immune system can handle these infections alone over several days or a week without help from a doctor. Other symptoms besides just throat pain that can point to a strep throat infection include: Fever—101°F (38.3°C) or above Swollen lymph nodes in your neck Fatigue Rash Headache Nausea or vomiting Red or inflamed tonsils with white patches See your doctor. Treating strep throat is easy, but it does require a prescription from your doctor. If you believe that you have strep throat based on the above criteria, then you should make an appointment to see your doctor. Ignoring strep throat may lead to severe complications from the spread of the infection, including: Scarlet fever Kidney disease Rheumatic fever, which can affect your heart, joints, and nervous system Submit to any diagnostic testing. Your doctor will look down your throat and feel the lymph nodes in your neck as part of a physical examination. He or she may also ask you to submit to another, more concrete form of testing to confirm strep throat as the diagnosis. The fastest test your doctor can use is a rapid antigen test, which requires a swab of your throat. Though the test can provide an answer in minutes, it's not the most reliable method. If the test comes back negative for strep throat, then your doctor may still order the next test. A throat culture will also use a sterile swab of your throat, but the swab will be sent to a lab for a day or two as a culture to see if more strep bacteria grow from the sample in that time. Begin your course of antibiotics. If your diagnostic testing confirms that you have strep throat, then your doctor will write you a prescription for a course of antibiotics that will kill the strep bacteria. The duration of the prescription will vary based on the antibiotic prescribed (but ten days is common). Common antibiotics prescribed for strep throat include penicillin and amoxicillin. If you've also been vomiting due to your illness, then your doctor can give you an antibiotic via injection. You may then take an anti-nausea medication along with a regular course of antibiotics. If you're allergic to common antibiotics, then your doctor can prescribe other options, such as cephalexin (Keflex), clarithromycin (Biaxin), azithromycin (Zithromax), or clindamycin. Take the complete prescription of antibiotics. Your symptoms may start to improve within a day or two of beginning your course of antibiotics, but it's important to take the entire prescription until it's gone. By stopping the course of antibiotics before you have finished it, you run a higher risk of recurrence of the infection, and it can also help to breed antibiotic-resistant strains of the strep bacteria. Ensure that you follow all other directions that accompany your antibiotic, including whether or not to take the drug on am empty stomach, avoiding alcohol, and the time interval between doses. Though you're still taking the antibiotics, you can return to school or work without risk of infecting others after you've been on the antibiotics for a full twenty-four hours. Take an over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever. While waiting for your lab culture to confirm your diagnosis (or even while waiting for your antibiotics to reduce symptoms), you can take other steps to soothe strep throat pain. OTC pain medications can relieve throat discomfort and reduce fever associated with your strep throat as well. Common OTC options include ibuprofen (Advil) and acetaminophen (Tylenol). Avoid the use of aspirin in children under the age of eighteen due to the risk of Reye syndrome—a potentially life-threatening condition that can lead to seizures, coma, or brain damage. Gargle a mix of warm salt water. Warm eight ounces of water and then stir in a quarter teaspoon of plain table salt. Gargle the mix at the back of your throat for one minute and then spit it out. This can help relieve throat pain, and it is safe to do several times a day as needed. This option is also safe for younger children. However, ensure the child is old enough to properly gargle the solution without choking or swallowing the salt water. Get some sleep. Sleeping gives your immune system time and resources to fight the bacteria with the help of the antibiotics. Aim to sleep an extra four to five hours during the day in addition to a full eight hours at night. Cover up with blankets and try not to have any drafts or overhead fans on, as these can cause postnasal drip, worsening your sore throat. Drink plenty of liquids. In addition to preventing dehydration, drinking plenty of water will also keep your throat moist, which will ease the pain associated with swallowing. Current recommendations vary between men and women. On average, men should try to drink around thirteen cups (three liters) each day, and women should aim to drink nine cups (2.2 liters) each day. Some people find warm liquids more soothing whereas others prefer cold. If warm liquids are soothing, you can try warm broth or green tea with some honey. If you prefer cold liquids, you can even suck on a popsicle for some temporary relief. Stick to soft foods. Rough shards of toast or other sharp foods will only irritate your throat further. During the worst of your sore throat symptoms, you'll find it more soothing to stick to relatively soft foods. Yogurt, soft-cooked eggs, soups, etc. will all be much less abrasive to your throat. In addition to avoiding dry, rough foods, you will also find it wise to avoid spicy foods or acidic options such as orange juice. Probiotic yogurts containing active cultures are a good idea. Your antibiotics will target some of the healthy bacteria in your system as well, and these types of yogurt can help restore your system to normal more quickly. Consider using a humidifier. Along with drinking water, using a humidifier is another way to keep your throat moist to avoid painful swallowing. This is an especially good option while you sleep at night and nap during the day to avoid waking up with more throat pain than necessary. Make sure that you clean the humidifier daily since the moist environment is perfect for breeding bacteria. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to clean the humidifier. If you don't have a vaporizer or humidifier, you can simply place several dishes of water in the room with you. As the water evaporates a bit at a time, it will naturally humidify the air. Suck on herbal cough drops or lozenges. These medicated lozenges can also help relieve sore throat pain. If it is your child who has strep throat, ensure that he or she is old enough not to choke on the lozenge. Sprays containing similar ingredients as sore throat lozenges are also available. Reduce exposure to any throat irritants. Irritants such as air pollution and cigarette smoke can inflame your throat, leading to worsened sore throat symptoms. If you smoke, then you should avoid smoking while you recover (and consider quitting altogether). Avoiding secondhand smoke will also help you to avoid making your throat hurt more than it already does. Wash your hands with soap and hot water often. Since strep throat is a bacterial infection, you risk not only infecting those around you but potentially reinfecting yourself after you've recovered, simply by having infected items around you. Most importantly, wash your hands often with warm, soapy water and lather them for at least twenty seconds. For situations when you cannot wash your hands, consider keeping a bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer around. Ensure that the solution is at least 60 percent alcohol. If your do have to touch your mouth, such as when you floss your teeth, be sure to thoroughly wash your hands before and after. Replace your toothbrush. Once you've been on your antibiotic for at least twenty-four hours, you should replace your toothbrush since it's come into contact with the strep bacteria in your mouth. If not, you risk reinfecting yourself once you've already cleared your infection. Wash items in hot, soapy water. Utensils, cups, and other items that have come into contact with your mouth should be washed in hot, soapy water to ensure that you kill the strep bacteria present on them. This also includes pillowcases and sheets that have been close to your mouth while you were sick. Wash them with detergent on the hot setting of your washing machine. Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough. If your sore throat has also led to coughing, then you should make sure you cover your mouth with your hands, sleeve, or a tissue to avoid potentially infecting those around you. Make sure you wash your hands after as well. Do not share items. Along with cleaning them well, you should also avoid sharing items such as cups during the course of your illness. | Recognize the symptoms of strep throat. See your doctor. Submit to any diagnostic testing. Begin your course of antibiotics. Take the complete prescription of antibiotics. Take an over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever. Gargle a mix of warm salt water. Get some sleep. Drink plenty of liquids. Stick to soft foods. Consider using a humidifier. Suck on herbal cough drops or lozenges. Reduce exposure to any throat irritants. Wash your hands with soap and hot water often. Replace your toothbrush. Wash items in hot, soapy water. Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough. Do not share items. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Draw-in-3D | How to Draw in 3D | To draw a simple box in 3D, start by drawing a square in the center of a piece of paper. Next, draw an identical square slightly to one side and above the first square so the two squares intersect. Then, add lines that connect each corner of the first square to its corresponding corner on the second square to complete the 3D box. Using this same technique, experiment by drawing other simple 3D shapes, such as triangles or stars! | Draw a square. Creating a 3D box begins by simply drawing a square with your pencil, since some lines may need to be erased. The square can be a variety of sizes, but it should only take up a quarter of the page at most. Center it on the page, so there is room to draw the rest of the box.< In the final drawing, this first square will serve as the front of your box. Draw a second square that intersects with the first square. Place the second square positioned slightly to one side and above the first square. Begin by drawing the bottom line of the second square so its center intersects with the center of the left side of the first square. Then draw the right side of the second square so that its center intersects with the center of the top of the first square. Then finish drawing the top and left side of the second square. The second square should be exactly the same size as the first square. This second square will be the back of the cube in the final drawing. Add lines to connect the 2 squares. Connect each corner of the first square to its corresponding corner on the second square. For example, draw a line from the upper left-hand corner of the first square to the upper left-hand corner of the second square. These lines will create the illusion of the top, bottom, and sides of the cube. Erase the lines to make the cube look solid, if necessary. If you are trying to draw a solid cube, as opposed to a transparent one, you need to erase some of the lines you have drawn. Erase any line that you wouldn't be able to see from the angle you have drawn. Lines to erase include the bottom right-hand side connecting line, the right-hand side of the second square, and the bottom line of the second square. It may seem strange that you needed to draw these lines in the first place, but they helped you draw the cube in the right shape. Color the sides of the cube if you like. To highlight the 3D perspective of your drawing, you can color each side of the box a different color. This makes it clear that the drawing has depth and that each side of the box is distinctive. Draw variations of the 3D box. Once you get the hang of drawing the 3D box, you can start drawing other shapes, such as a rectangular box. For a rectangular box, start by drawing a rectangle. Then draw a second rectangle slightly to one side and above the first. Finally connect the corresponding corners of both rectangles together. You can do other shapes , such as triangles, stars, or abstract shapes. Choose the object you would like to draw. The object you pick needs to have a clear and simple outline, as this will make it easier to create your 3D drawing. For example, you could draw a hand, a banana, or a doughnut. Each has a simple outline and overall shape. Trace the item you want to draw if it is a size that fits on your piece of paper. For instance, you can use your hand, as it will fit on a standard piece of paper and can easily be traced. Make a light preliminary outline of the object with pencil. Either draw or trace the outline of the object you want to draw on your piece of paper. Center the object on the page, although it can touch the top or bottom of the paper if necessary. Draw this outline lightly so you can erase any unnecessary pencil marks later in the process. Draw horizontal, parallel lines across the page. Cover the whole the whole paper with these lines except for inside the shape you have outlined. Make the lines close together, at most 0.25 inches (0.64 cm) apart all the way down the page. It's easiest to draw these lines by using a ruler, so that they are completely straight and evenly spaced. If you are using lined notebook paper, you could trace over the existing lines Draw curved lines inside the shape outline. Start each of these curved lines where one of the straight parallel lines touches the outline. Draw the curve across the entire outline and then come back down, connecting at the end to the corresponding straight line on the opposite side of your outline. Each curved line will complete a horizontal line that goes all the way across the page. The curved lines should mimic the general shape of the item you are drawing. If the shape varies, the lines should gradually transition to follow the object's shape. Trace over the completed horizontal lines. To make the 3D effect really pop, define the lines you have drawn. Trace the entire length of all of these lines, including the straight sections and the curved sections. You can use a pen, colored pencils, or marker to trace the lines. The ink can be done in any one color or in a variety of colors. Erase the pencil outline. After the ink has dried, erase the initial outline that you made. This will add to the 3D effect of your drawing and make the object pop off the page. Study your subject. If you want to draw something in 3D that you have in real life, it can be help to look at its details. By looking at it, you can begin to understand how you will translate real world depth on to a flat surface. For example, if you want to draw a bowl of fruit sitting on a table, you should study how all the elements of your composition relate to each other. How much of the fruit, bowl, and table can you see? Where does each part intersect with the others? Where are shadows located and where does the light hit your objects? Start a drawing with a horizon line. For drawings that aim to show a great distance, it's important to create a horizon line where the sky meets the land. This line creates a point that is the furthest away from the viewer. It should usually be located between a third and half of the way up your page and span the entire page. This is a great way to start a landscape drawing. Once you draw the horizon line, you can begin drawing the foreground below it and the sky or large objects in the landscape above it. Incorporate a vanishing point in to a drawing. A vanishing point is the spot where items in the distance disappear. In practical terms, it is the spot where parallel lines that go from the front of the image to the back of the image come together on the page. Marking this spot at the center of your horizon line allows you to have a spot to end items that are moving into the distance. For instance, if you are looking straight down a road, there is a point in the distance where you can no longer see the road. While the road will be wide at the bottom of your drawing, which is the spot closest to the viewer, the sides of the road will come together and end at the vanishing point. | Draw a square. Draw a second square that intersects with the first square. Add lines to connect the 2 squares. Erase the lines to make the cube look solid, if necessary. Color the sides of the cube if you like. Draw variations of the 3D box. Choose the object you would like to draw. Make a light preliminary outline of the object with pencil. Draw horizontal, parallel lines across the page. Draw curved lines inside the shape outline. Trace over the completed horizontal lines. Erase the pencil outline. Study your subject. Start a drawing with a horizon line. Incorporate a vanishing point in to a drawing. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-an-Installment-Loan-Payment | How to Calculate an Installment Loan Payment | To calculate an installment loan payment, find your loan documents. You'll need to know your interest rate, the principal amount you borrowed, and the term of repayment. Once you have that information, you can use the formula: Monthly Payment = P (r(1+r)^n)/((1+r)^n-1), where r equals your rate, n equals the number of payments, and P equals the principal. You can also enter this information into an Excel spreadsheet by clicking on the "fx" button, choosing the "PMT" option, and entering your information. | Find your loan information. The loan information is in your loan documents. If you are estimating a payment before applying to a loan you can just plug in estimates. Speak with the loan originator if you have problems locating any details. Note that typically the tax is not included in the loan principle unless it is specifically rolled into the loan. There are two types of taxes. One is a property tax and the other is a transfer tax. Either party may pay either tax. In the United States for non-foreclosure properties, the seller generally pays the transfer tax, on some foreclosures the buyer pays. Both sides usually pay their prorated portions of the property tax due up to the date of sale for the seller and from the date of sale for the buyer. A lender can roll these taxes into the loan if the property appraises high enough to allow enough equity or there is enough of a down payment to roll them in and have the required down still. Learn the equation to calculate your payment. The equation to find the monthly payment for an installment loan is called the Equal Monthly Installment (EMI) formula. It is defined by the equation Monthly Payment = P (r(1+r)^n)/((1+r)^n-1). The other methods listed also use EMI to calculate the monthly payment. r: Interest rate. This is the monthly interest rate associated with the loan. Your annual interest rate (usually called an APR or annual percentage rate) is listed in the loan documents. To get the monthly interest rate that you need, simply divide the annual interest rate by 12. For example, an 8% annual interest rate would be divided by 12 to get a monthly interest rate of 0.67%. This would then be expressed as a decimal for the equation by dividing it by 100 as follows: 0.67/100=0.0067. So 0.0067 will be the monthly interest rate used in these calculations. n: Number of Payments. This is the total number of payments made over the life of the loan. For example, in a three year loan paid monthly n = 3 x 12 = 36. P: Principal. The amount of the loan is called the principal. This is typically the final price after tax of the asset purchased less any down payment. Plug your information into the equation. In the above example n = 36, we will use 0.0067% for the monthly interest rate (from an annual 8%), and $3,500 for the principal. So filling this out, Monthly Payment = $3,500*(0.08(1+0.0067)^36)/((1+0.0067)^36-1). Write out the formula with your numbers even if you feel comfortable working with it. It can eliminate simple math errors. Solve the parentheses first. Simplify the first part of the equation to $3,500*(0.0067(1.0067)^36)/((1.0067)^36-1). Handle the exponents. This then becomes $3,500*((.0067(1.272)/(1.272-1)) Finish the parts still in parenthesis. This results in $3,500*(0.008522/0.272) Divide and Multiply the rest. The result is $109.66. Understand what that number means. In this example, the formula resulted in a payment of $109.66. That means you would make 36 equal payments of $109.66 for a loan of $3,500 at an 8% interest rate based on our example. Try changing some numbers in order to understand the impact of different interest rates or term length of the loan on the monthly payment amount. Open Microsoft Excel. Identify your loan information. This is part of any method used to calculate a payment for an installment loan. You will need to know the total amount financed or principal, the number of payments and the interest rate. Write these down or enter them into cells in Excel to use later. Choose the cell where you want the payment. The cell you click on in Excel does not matter unless you want the information in a certain place. This is based on user preference. Use PMT formula. In the cell where you want the payment listed, type the = sign or click the fx button in Excel. The fx button is on the top part of the screen below the primary toolbar unless you have customized Excel. Choose either manual or dialog box aided entry. If you click the fx, enter PMT into the search box and select the PMT function. It will bring up a dialog box to enter the information. You can also choose to enter the data by hand into the equation “=PMT(Rate, Nper, Present Value, Future Value, Type)”. Clicking the fx button is preferred if you need help remembering the formula. Enter the information into the popup box. After you clicked fx and selected PMT, you then enter the information into this dialog box. Rate is the monthly interest rate changed and it is 0.67% in our example. This is the annual rate of 8%, listed as the APR in loan paperwork or documentation, divided by 12 (8%/12=0.67%). This will also need to be expressed as a decimal by dividing the number by 100, so it will be 0.67/100, or 0.0067, when used in the equation. Nper is the number of periods in the loan. So if it is a 3 year loan paid monthly that is 36 payments (12 x 3 = 36). Pv is the present value of the loan or the amount you are borrowing, we will assume $3,500 again. Fv is the future value of the loan after 5 years. Typically, if you plan on paying off the full value, this is entered as a 0. There are very few cases where you would not enter a "0" in this box. A lease is an exception where Fv is the residual value of the asset. Type you can leave this blank in most cases, but it is used to change the calculation if you make the payment at the beginning or end of the period. If you were to type this into the Excel cell without using the fx dialog box, the syntax is =PMT(Rate,Nper,PV,FV,Type). In this case “=PMT(0.0067,36,3500,0)”. Read the result: This results in a payment of $109.74. It comes out as a negative number since you are paying money versus receiving it. If you want to switch the sign to positive number enter -$3,500 instead of $3,500 for the PV. Search for Installment Loan Payment Calculator. You can do this search through Google, Bing or your favorite search engine. Choose a reputable website that does not ask for any personal information. There are plenty that are easy to use that fit this profile. Locate the required information. Each one works a bit differently, but they will all ask for the same information. The interest rate, loan amount and number of payments are listed in the loan documents. If you are estimating payments for a loan you are considering, many of the sites also include probable interest rates for that type of loan. Enter the Information. Enter the information into the boxes or cells in the loan calculator. Every site works a bit differently, but almost all of them make it easy to enter the data. Locate the Result: After you enter the data, the calculator will provide the monthly payment for your loan. It is always wise to double check this and make sure it makes sense. For a 12 month loan of $1,000 at a 5% interest rate, a monthly payment of $500 would not make sense. Check a second site to confirm the number if you are at all uncertain. Adjust the inputs. Try to change some of the original data like interest rate or total loan amount to understand how each one impacts the monthly payment. This will make you a much smarter consumer if you are still searching for a loan. | Find your loan information. Learn the equation to calculate your payment. Plug your information into the equation. Understand what that number means. Open Microsoft Excel. Identify your loan information. Choose the cell where you want the payment. Use PMT formula. Choose either manual or dialog box aided entry. Enter the information into the popup box. Read the result: Search for Installment Loan Payment Calculator. Locate the required information. Enter the Information. Locate the Result: Adjust the inputs. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Math-Magic-Trick | How to Do a Math Magic Trick | If you want to amaze your friend with a math magic trick, start by asking them to write down their age on a piece of paper and tell them not to show you anything they write. Then, have them multiply their age by 5 and add a 0 to the number they get. Once they have that number, tell them to add today's date. For example, if it's august 9th, they would add 9 to their current number. Once they add the date, ask them to multiply the number by 2 before adding their shoe size. Make sure they round their shoe size up to the nearest whole number since you don't want any decimals. Finally, have them subtract today's date twice to reveal the final number, the first part of which should be their age and the last 2 digits their shoe size. | Ask a volunteer to write down her age. Give her a piece of paper and instruct her not to show you what she's writing. This trick won't work on someone 100 years old or above, but that's almost never a problem! Have her multiply it by 5. Ask her to follow your instructions as you tell her what calculations to solve. Start by asking her to multiply her age by 5. For example, if someone is 42 years old, she would write down 42 x 5 = 210. Let her use a calculator if she'd prefer to. Write a zero at the end of the answer. This is the same as multiplying by 10, but phrasing it this way makes it more difficult for the volunteer to follow the trick. In our example, adding a zero to 210 makes 2100. Add today's date. It doesn't actually matter what she adds here — we'll undo it later — but today's date is an easy small number to add. Mention the date aloud to make sure she knows it. For example, if today is March 15th, the volunteer in our example would sum 2100 + 15 = 2115. Tell her to ignore the month and year. Double the answer. The volunteer should multiply her answer by two. (This is where a calculator comes in handy.) 2115 x 2 = 4230. Add the volunteer's shoe size. Ask the volunteer to write down her shoe size, and to round up if it's not a whole number. She should add this to her last answer. If her shoe size is 7, she'll add 4230 + 7 = 4237. Subtract twice today's date. It's best to calculate this in your head, then tell her to subtract the number you come up with. For example, it's March 15th in our example, so multiply 15 x 2 = 30 in your head. Say "Subtract 30 from your answer" and the volunteer will calculate 4237 - 30 = 4207. Reveal the magic. Tell her to read her answer out loud. The first part of the number is her age, and the last two digits are her shoe size. Pick a friend with decent math skills. This trick only involves addition and subtraction, but some people get confused by the instructions. It works best on a friend who will pay close attention, and who is unlikely to make a math mistake. Write down 1089 on a hidden piece of paper. Announce that you'll write down a "magic number" on a piece of paper. Write down 1089 without showing anyone, then fold the paper in half. Ask your friend to write down a number with three different digits. Tell him not to show you the number or tell you what it is. Make sure he understands that none of the three digits can be the same. For example, he could pick 481. He might need a simple calculator as well. Instruct him to write down the number in reverse. On the next line underneath the number, he should write down the same digits in reverse order. For example, 481 backwards is 184. Make it into a subtraction problem. Now that your volunteer has two numbers, have him subtract the smaller one from the larger one. 481 - 184 = 297. If the number is only two digits, add a zero at the beginning. Now ask him if his number is two or three digits long, without telling you the actual number. If it is only two digits long, have him place a 0 at the beginning. In our example, 297 has three digits, so you can skip this step. Sometimes your friend will end up at 99, and this step will turn that into "099." Reverse this number as well. Ask him to take his answer and reverse the digit order again. If he added the zero the beginning, remind him to include it as part of the number. For example, the reverse of 297 is 792. Add the last number and its reverse together. As the final calculation, your friend adds the last two numbers he wrote down. In our example, 792 + 297 = 1089. Show everyone your prediction. Announce that you know the last number he wrote down. Unfold the piece of paper and reveal the 1089 you wrote down earlier. The answer is always 1089. If your friend has a different answer, he did not follow instructions, or he made a mistake. | Ask a volunteer to write down her age. Have her multiply it by 5. Write a zero at the end of the answer. Add today's date. Double the answer. Add the volunteer's shoe size. Subtract twice today's date. Reveal the magic. Pick a friend with decent math skills. Write down 1089 on a hidden piece of paper. Ask your friend to write down a number with three different digits. Instruct him to write down the number in reverse. Make it into a subtraction problem. If the number is only two digits, add a zero at the beginning. Reverse this number as well. Add the last number and its reverse together. Show everyone your prediction. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Find-Building-Ideas-for-Minecraft | How to Find Building Ideas for Minecraft | If you're looking for building ideas for Minecraft, try searching for Minecraft creations on Google images or YouTube. You can also search online for “Best of Minecraft” lists to see incredible things other gamers have built. Or, search for real buildings and landmarks, like the Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal, which you can recreate in Minecraft. Alternatively, design your own skyscraper or giant statue to put your building skills to the test. If you have a little more time on your hands, try building a floating fortress or a water park for your friends to visit. | Try wikiHow! The very site you're on right now has numerous articles about how to tackle cool building projects in Minecraft. Try searching for terms like "how to build X in Minecraft," (or just "Build in Minecraft") to look for results. A few pages you may want to check out are linked below: How to Make a House in Minecraft How to Make Cool Stuff in Minecraft How to Build a Minecraft Village How to Build Medieval Buildings in Minecraft Try Google Image Search. A quick visit to Images.google.com can be all you need to get started on a new building adventure. If you're not sure what you want to build, try search terms like "Amazing Minecraft" to get literally hundreds of eye-popping results. Or, if you have a general idea of what you want to make, try searching " X in Minecraft" to look for example images. Try YouTube. Many Minecraft experts like to post their building achievements to YouTube, so this is another great place to search for building ideas. One great thing about YouTube (and other video sites) is that videos can show you how a project is built instead of just letting you see the final product. One great YouTube series for this is The Minecraft Project , available here. Though this series isn't just about building amazing structures, you'll see numerous examples of cool projects throughout the hundreds of available episodes. Try "Best of Minecraft" lists and articles. When someone makes something really cool in Minecraft, sometimes the internet takes notice. A simple search engine query like "amazing minecraft" or "best minecraft projects" should give dozens of articles listing impressive feats of in-game engineering. Just a few examples are linked below: 50 Most Realistic Minecraft Creations 25 Minecraft Creations that will Blow Your Flippin' Mind Seven Spectacular Minecraft Creations Look for inspiration in the real world. You don't just have to look online for Minecraft building ideas. Because the game's building tools are so versatile, it's possible to build a block version of almost anything you can think of from real life, including houses, trees, streets, waterfalls, skyscrapers, and more. It's all up to you — the next great Minecraft project could be right outside your window! Make a home for yourself. This is the first thing many players do in the game to make a safe place for themselves. If you're trying to get creative, make yourself a place with style! Try adding stairs, windows, wall decorations, and more to give your home a "finished" feel. This can make your home something you're proud of — not just a place you stop to use the crafting table. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/8b\/Find-Building-Ideas-for-Minecraft-Step-6.jpg\/v4-460px-Find-Building-Ideas-for-Minecraft-Step-6.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/8b\/Find-Building-Ideas-for-Minecraft-Step-6.jpg\/aid3307452-v4-728px-Find-Building-Ideas-for-Minecraft-Step-6.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:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Looking for an extra challenge? Try to recreate your real home in the game! Protect yourself with a set of walls. A person's home is their castle! Once you've finished your Minecraft house, give it a set of walls. Stone blocks are plentiful and look great for this project. Not only will you make your home look more impressive — you'll also protect yourself from mobs if you're playing in survival mode. If you're looking for an extra project, try adding a secret underground entrance so that only you can get through the walls. Make the tallest tower you can. One easy way to get noticed is to build something so tall that it can be seen from miles around. Building a super-tall tower isn't terribly hard, but if you're playing in survival mode it's easy to die from an accidental fall, so watch out! For an even cooler project, try putting a spiral staircase in your tower so that you can actually climb to the top of your tower. If you build your tower near water, you can jump off the top and you won't be hurt (as long as you land in the water). Use block letters to send a message to others. Minecraft's block-by-block building style makes it easy to write out giant words and messages. For example, you might try marking your territory by building your name in huge letters or recreating the Hollywood sign. The possibilities are endless. Careful with dirty words and profanity — some servers may ban you for this. Make a small village. What's better than one house? A whole community! Building a collection of small buildings is a fun way to make your mark on the Minecraft world. You might even try making special buildings to hold crafting tables, furnaces, treasure chests, and so on. This is especially great if you often play with friends — each person can make their own house for a village you can call your own. Make a floating fortress. This project isn't that hard to actually make, but it can throw newbies who don't know how to build it for a loop. Start by building a tower up to the height you want your fortress. Then, build a thin bridge out to the side. Make a wide, flat area of blocks connected to the bridge. Build your fortress, then, when you're done, get rid of the bridge. Your building will stay floating in the sky! Try using the /sethome command while you're inside your floating building. Later, you can use /home to teleport yourself back so you don't have to build another bridge. Make a monument to yourself. After you've been building amazing projects for a while, reward yourself with a monument to your glory. For example, you might try making a giant statue of yourself in shimmering gold blocks. Alternatively, if you're a little more modest, you can try making something more abstract, like a pyramid or an obelisk. Consider using the sign block (crafted from six wooden planks over one wooden stick) to give your monument a plaque at the bottom. After all, what use is a monument if no one knows who it's to? Make giant-sized pixel art. Minecraft's blocks are perfectly square, just like the tiny pixels used to make 2-D computer images. One ambitious project is to make an exact replica of a pixelated image. Video games are a common source of inspiration for projects like this. Minecraft experts sometimes go to great lengths to make exact replicas of Mario, Megaman, and other heroes of the 16-bit era of video games. To do this, you'll need to have a copy of the pixel image you can look at while you're building. It's easy to find pixel images of video game characters on Google Image Search and similar sites, but you can also make your own pixel art. Make a sprawling city. In terms of the time and attention required, it's hard to beat making your own city. Getting an entire city perfect down to the last block of sidewalk can take weeks or months, but the result is truly impressive. You can make your own city from scratch or use an existing city for inspiration. Minecrafters have replicated everything from modern day New York City to fantasy cities from The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. For an added challenge, make buildings that you can enter and interact with, not just hollow boxes. Recreate a real-life landmark or monument. History's biggest, most impressive architectural achievements are ripe for imitation in Minecraft. Making a scale model of something like the Eiffel Tower can take some serious time, but they're guaranteed to look amazing when they're done — after all, that's why they were built in the real world. As other examples, you might try to recreate The Great Pyramids, The Empire State Building, The Colosseum, The Great Wall of China, or another famous piece of architecture. Make a working water park. Water physics in Minecraft can be complicated, but you can make some truly amazing structures if you figure them out. For example, you might try building an area filled with long, curvy slides full of running water to make your own water park. Don't forget to build a way to get to the top of the slide! You'll need plenty of buckets for this so that you can transport the water. You can craft a bucket from three iron ingots arranged in a "V" at the bottom of the crafting box. Build a computing machine with command blocks. Bored of ordinary Minecraft building projects? Using the game's specialized command blocks, it's possible to make simple computers within the game world. These computers can then be programmed to perform various tasks — just like real computers! Building one of these in-game computers is a very complex process. Luckily, there are a few good video guides available online, including this one. Know that you'll need lots of redstone ore for this project to build the command blocks and their "circuits". | Try wikiHow! Try Google Image Search. Try YouTube. Try "Best of Minecraft" lists and articles. Look for inspiration in the real world. Make a home for yourself. Protect yourself with a set of walls. Make the tallest tower you can. Use block letters to send a message to others. Make a small village. Make a floating fortress. Make a monument to yourself. Make giant-sized pixel art. Make a sprawling city. Recreate a real-life landmark or monument. Make a working water park. Build a computing machine with command blocks. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Stay-Motivated-in-School | How to Stay Motivated in School | If you want to stay motivated in school, start by creating a scheduled routine for your study time to keep you on task. Then, find a quiet, well-lit place to study and keep it neat and tidy so you won't be distracted by messes. If you have a big goal or project, break it into smaller tasks so that they're more manageable and you don't get overwhelmed. Finally, record all due dates on your phone and set reminders for when deadlines are approaching so you won't forget. | Imagine the life you want as an adult. School may be boring on a day-to-day basis, and some of your classes might feel unimportant right now, but remember that without school, you won't be able to live the life you want as an adult. Studies have shown that young people working toward clear goals have higher achievements and life satisfaction. Write a list of the things you'd like to be able to provide for yourself as an adult. Some examples of things you want as an adult might include: Traveling the world Supporting a family Driving a good car Buying season tickets for your favorite sports team Having extra money to see concerts, eat out in fancy restaurants, see plays, etc. Consider the skills you’ll need in your dream job. You want to love the job you have when you grow up, so take your time in school to prepare the skills you'll need to get that job. Make a list of all the jobs you can see yourself being happy in. For each job, list the skills you'll need to do that job well. Match up those skills with the classes and clubs at school that will prepare you for your dream job. Work extra hard in those classes. Join those clubs. Know that working hard in school will ensure a fulfilling career later in life. Take advantage of social opportunities. This doesn't mean that you should be talking through class or passing notes, but it does mean to make school more enjoyable by embracing your classmates. Don't have a bad, grumpy attitude just because you're in school. Enjoy your classmates' company, and you might even find yourself looking forward to school. Make good use of your downtime at school. Lunchtime and the time between classes is a great time to recharge your energy before your next class by having a good laugh with a friend. Join after-school clubs and teams to find people who share your interests. Schedule your study time. If you don't set yourself up to do well in school, you'll hate facing it every day. So you must try hard. By creating a regular schedule for after school and the weekends, you'll bring up your grades, improve your self-confidence, and appreciate school more. Set a patterned routine. Successful people often stick to regular routines to help them stay on task and achieve their goals.. There might be some variation throughout the week — for example, you might have a club or practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but not the other days. But every week, you should know what to expect from each day. Give yourself a break from time to time. Studies have shown that taking a break to recharge when you feel like you're going to burn out help improve your productivity. Maintain a calendar. School won't seem so overwhelming if you stay on top of all of your obligations. Buy a daily planner to help keep track of the schedule you created in the previous step. Write down all your homework in this calendar, as well as due dates for long-term assignments and projects. Remember to write reminders about long-term projects in the days leading up to the due date, so you don't forget about it until the last second. You can also use a calendar app on your cell phone to keep track of your obligations. Most apps can be programmed to remind you of deadlines. Create a good studying environment. If you're working in a hectic area, then you might hate the time you spend working. Make sure your study space is set up to help you enjoy your study time as well as you can. Keep your desk neat and clean so you don't get frustrated by how sloppy it is. Keep your tools (pencils, highlighters, staplers) neatly organized so you can find them easily. Make sure the space is well-lit. Dim lighting can give you a headache, which definitely won't help you stay motivated. Figure out if you work best with silence or with a little background noise. Some people are distracted by noise, while others can't work without a little music playing in the background. Start a study group. When you study with friends, it doesn't feel so painful! But you have to make sure you stay on task instead of joking around and having a good time. Study groups should have no more than 3-4 members so they don't get unruly Meet at least once a week on a regular schedule. You can meet at school during a free period, or after school at somebody's house. Volunteer to be the group leader/coordinator. You will determine what classes and projects the group will focus on in a given week so that everyone's working together and helping each other instead of randomly working on their projects. Prepare for each session. Don't just show up and expect to do work in your study group. Come prepared with insight on the task you've been working on all week. Remember to give the group short breaks from time to time to relax and recharge. Break large tasks into smaller ones. Don't get overwhelmed by a class presentation or a long paper. Remember that you don't have to finish a project in one sitting. List all the different steps you must complete to finish the project. Make a schedule that forces you to finish one small piece of the project per day. For a paper, you might read and summarize one source on day one; another source on day two, a third source on day three; synthesize their arguments on day four; outline your argument on day five; integrate quotations from your sources into your outline on day six; write your paper on days seven and eight; rest on day nine; and revise on day ten. Reward yourself. If you want to stay motivated in school, you need something to look forward to. Bargain with yourself: if you study for two hours, you can watch your favorite TV show at 8:00. If you get an A on your paper, you'll take the whole weekend off and just relax. Remember that nobody can work all the time. Give yourself a little time off when you deserve it. If you don't meet your goals, keep yourself to your promise. If you goof off on social media for half of the two hours you were supposed to be studying, don't let yourself watch your favorite TV show! Create consequences for yourself. If you don't achieve the work goals you set for yourself, give yourself a punishment. You'll work harder during the week if slacking off means you can't go to the movies with your friends over the weekend. Be vocal about your goals. Spread the news: you're setting a high bar for yourself. Tell your friends, your parents, tell everyone you know that you plan on bringing your English grade up to a B by the end of the semester, or that you're going to ace the chemistry test. By telling others about your goals, you will work harder to avoid the embarrassment of failing to meet those goals. If you work your best and still fail to meet those goals, don't be discouraged. Redouble your efforts. With hard work and time, you'll meet your goals. Practice meditation. Meditation will clear your mind of the distractions that might keep you from focusing on your studies. Before you sit down to study, set aside fifteen minutes to meditate; this will help you get in the right state of mind for working toward your goals without distractions. Find a quiet environment. Sit cross-legged on the ground in a comfortable position, supporting your back against a wall if you need to. Close your eyes and focus on the darkness. Think about nothing but the darkness that you see. Don't let yourself think about anything else. When fifteen minutes have passed, get to work! Summarize interesting readings and videos. Even if you don't like to read for homework, you probably read every day. You read interesting articles online and watch interesting videos online and on TV. Summary is one of the most useful skills you can have, and it's the foundational building block of everything you do in school. By practicing this skill on stories and information you find personally interesting, you are honing an important academic skill while thinking about something you enjoy. Practice mindfulness tricks. Whether you're in class or sitting at your desk at home, you might find yourself nodding off or getting lost in a daydream because you're bored. A good way to bring your mind back into focus is to practice mindfulness tricks. Create a simple but distinct action that sends a clear message to yourself It should be something you don't do regularly — wiggling your toes, for example. Every time you feel your mind drifting away, wiggle your toes to snap yourself back into focus. Count backwards from 100. If you feel like your mind is scattered and you can't focus on your goal, give yourself a task that you know you can accomplish that will take up a couple of minutes and that is just difficult enough to require concentration, but not difficult enough to frustrate you. Counting backward from 100 will help calm you down and focus your mind. Raise your heart rate. Studies have shown that exercising for as little as ten minutes before tackling a task can improve performance by increasing the flow of blood to the brain. The effects can last up to a few hours, so there's a big payoff for a little bit of exercise. Try jumping rope, doing jumping jacks, running in place, or any other simple activity you can do easily in your room. Get 8-10 hours of sleep every night. Studies have shown that teenagers' bodies don't function well early in the morning, so many middle and high schoolers have trouble focusing in school because they're sleepy. A large part of why many students don't like school is that they're tired. Teenagers' bodies naturally want to stay up late and sleep in late, but you need to train your body to your school schedule. Make yourself get in bed at a reasonable hour, even if you're not tired yet. Don't watch TV or use your computer for at least an hour before you go to bed. Don't take naps during the day, so you'll be more tired at night. Eat a healthy diet. It might not be immediately obvious how your diet relates to your performance in school, but it's very important! A poorly balanced diet might fill you up, but it won't necessarily give you the energy you need to stay focused and productive, and you won't be motivated if you're tired. Remember to always eat breakfast to help power up your body first thing in the morning. Fish with omega-3 and whole grains improve memory function. Dark fruits and vegetables provide antioxidants that improve memory and cognition. Foods rich in Vitamin B, including spinach, broccoli, and beans, are good for memory and alertness. Get enough exercise. Many studies have demonstrated a link between exercise and improved productivity, so stay active. Regular exercise will not only help you focus when you're studying, but it also improves your mood. Being focused and in a good mood are very important to staying motivated for school. | Imagine the life you want as an adult. Consider the skills you’ll need in your dream job. Take advantage of social opportunities. Schedule your study time. Maintain a calendar. Create a good studying environment. Start a study group. Break large tasks into smaller ones. Reward yourself. Create consequences for yourself. Be vocal about your goals. Practice meditation. Summarize interesting readings and videos. Practice mindfulness tricks. Count backwards from 100. Raise your heart rate. Get 8-10 hours of sleep every night. Eat a healthy diet. Get enough exercise. |
https://www.wikihow-fun.com/Know-if-You%27re-a-True-Juggalo-or-Juggalette | How to Know if You're a True Juggalo or Juggalette | Juggalos and Juggalettes come from all walks of life, but all share a love of the Insane Clown Posse band and the lifestyle it represents. If you want to be a true Juggalo, you should dress the part, know the lingo, and attend gatherings when you can. To look the part, try wearing the black and white clown makeup worn by ICP band members. For a more low-key look, wear clothing with the ICP symbol on it, also known as HatchetGear. You'll also want to greet other Juggalos by saying “Whoo-whoop” or “Wassup Juggalo?” when you see them. Every year ICP's record label puts on a big Juggalo gathering. You might try to attend this, or you could also look for local Juggalo gatherings in your area. | Love the music. If you love ICP's music and it influences how you see the world, chances are you've got at least a little Juggalo/lette in you, even if you don't wear the makeup or HatchetGear. Part of loving the music means collecting all of the Joker's Cards (full-length studio albums) and knowing each of them by heart. Attend the Gathering. The Gathering, aka Gathering of the Juggalos, is an annual festival put on by Psychopathic Records (ICP's record label). It features performances by some of the label's bands as well as occasional, more mainstream guest performances — for example, Busta Rhymes performed there in 2011. The Gathering has been described by many as a sort of “Juggalo Woodstock”. Juggalos and Juggalettes flock there to meet up with other fans, who they regard as “family”. A popular short documentary of the Gathering, titled American Juggalo , explored the general atmosphere and attitude of the attendees, depicting a wide variety of fans who in general seemed to adhere to ICP's peace, love, and family (often chanted as “fam-i-ly” by 'los and 'lettes) philosophy. Celebrate Juggalo Day. If you're a true 'lo or 'lette, chances are you celebrate Juggalo Day, which is on February 17th each year. Everyone celebrates it a bit differently, but the main goal for most is to celebrate their love of ICP, Psychopathic Records, and their Juggalo/lette family members. Be familiar with the Dark Carnival. Violent J (1/2 of ICP) describes the Dark Carnival as God, but not the same God as in Christianity or other religions. The Dark Carnival is its own religion. Visitors to the Gathering — including non-Juggalos/lettes — often report of feeling a certain magic at the festival: a wonderful feeling of connectedness and being loved. For ICP, that feeling — of being loved — is akin to God, aka the Dark Carnival. ICP raised some controversy amongst fans when they first confirmed the religious undertones of their music; however, the band does not require anyone to have faith in order to be a true Juggalo or Juggalette. Know your lyrics. Knowing the lyrics to ICP songs will help you be true to the lifestyle. A lot of the songs are comically violent and sexual, but beneath that humor, there is often a sense of togetherness and family, which is key to being a true Juggalo/lette. For example, the song “Homies” encourages love and acceptance amongst all 'los and 'lettes. Know the lingo. Knowing the specific greetings and terms used by 'los and 'lettes is an important element of being a member of the family. If you listen to the music and attend the events/hang out with other 'los and 'lettes, chances are you already know a lot, but if you don't, you can get started with a few basics: “Whoop-whoop!” This is used in a number of ways — often to greet fellow 'los and 'lettes or to voice agreement. Example: If you are out at the mall and you see someone wearing an ICP shirt you could give them a little “Whoop-whoop!” to signal that you're part of the family and that you recognize them. “Wassup Juggalo?” It's nice to show recognition when you see a fellow 'lo or 'lette. If you see someone rocking the Hatchetman or Hatchetgirl logo (a man or girl running, holding a hatchet, often in red), say “Wassup Juggalo (or Juggalette, if it's a female)?” They'll likely smile in response. “Down with the clown.” This phrase is used to describe people who subscribe to the Juggalo/lette lifestyle. Ex: A fellow Juggalo might ask you if you're “down with the clown,” to which you might reply, “Yeah, whoop-whoop!” Listen to other Psychopathic Records bands. If you're a Juggalo/lette, chances are your fandom isn't just limited to ICP. Some other Psychopathic Records bands that you like might include Twiztid, Dark Lotus, and Blaze. Eat junk food. Part of the Juggalo/lette lifestyle is eating junk food — things like pizza and tacos, particularly from fast food restaurants and buffets. Drink Faygo. If you're a true 'lo or 'lette, you likely drink Faygo — the cheap, sweet soda that has become one of ICP's trademarks, which they often spray at the audience during shows. Diet Faygo is also okay! Be friends with other ‘los and ‘lettes. If you're a Juggalo/lette, chances are your friends with other 'los and 'lettes. Your fellow fans are your family — many 'los and 'lettes claim that they're closer to their fellow fans than their own blood. Be kind. ICP's lyrics might be violent and sexualized, but the band itself does not promote violent behaviour. Juggalos and Juggalettes form an inclusive family whose members support and stand up for one another. Although some self-proclaimed Juggalos and Juggalettes have broken off into sects and behaved in a violent, gang-like manner, ICP denies that the family is a gang at all — so don't feed the misinformation by behaving like a gangster! Doing good deeds in your community will help give ICP and the family a better name. Make your family look good! Keep an open mind. Juggalos and Juggalettes come from all walks of life. If you're a true Juggalo/lette, you won't judge people by how they look, what they believe in, or how rich or poor they are. In “What is a Juggalo”, Violent J says a Juggalo “ain't like anybody that you've ever met before.” He and Shaggy 2 Dope say a lot of other things that suggest Juggalos are a wacky bunch, which is true — a true Juggalo/lette will see past the literal meaning of the lyrics and understand that to be a Juggalo/lette is to embrace life and, like the running Hatchetman (or Hatchetgirl), always move forward and cut their own path. In short, a true Juggalo/lette will be themselves and accept others for who they are. Embrace absurdity. Life often doesn't go the way we want it, and absurd things happen. A true Juggalo/lette sees the absurdity of life — which is reflected in ICP's song lyrics — and instead of getting angsty about it, celebrates it. Have a dark side. If you're a fan of ICP's music, chances are you're into horrorcore (a subgenre of hip-hop music whose lyrics contain horror themes/imagery). A true Juggalo/lette likely enjoys horror-related things — beyond ICP's lyrics. Maybe you like horror movies or stories, or other violent things. Many Juggalos/lettes defend ICP's violent music by saying it lets them vent their dark side and impulses, helping them stay kind and happy in everyday life. Paint your face. The Juggalo/lette look mimics the wicked clown makeup worn by ICP's 2 members, Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. Many 'los and 'lettes just copy Violent J's and Shaggy's looks exactly, but you can also create your own look and your own Juggalo/lette name. The two key ingredients are a completely white painted face plus black details around the mouth and eyes that create a wicked clown face. Violent J and Shaggy shake this up by changing the colors inside the black clown makeup outlines — for example, adding green, blue or red inside of the black outlines around their mouths and eyes. When applying face makeup start with the white and cover your entire face, then block out the design on your face with a cotton ball — wiping off the white where you'll put the black/other colors. Be sure not to apply too much face makeup — try to keep it in a thin, even layer. To make the makeup stick and feel a little less wet/greasy, lightly dust it with a sheer face powder (baby powder will work in a pinch) with a large blush brush. Do your hair. How you wear your hair when you're dressed in full Juggalo/lette gear will depend on your personality, but a common style is to wear your hair in twisted sections that stick out from your head like spider's legs. Many Juggalos/lettes wear their hair in braids or dreadlocks, but just as many have shaved or funky-colored, shorter hair. It's really up to you! Wear HatchetGear. You don't have to paint your face and do your hair to be a true Juggalo/lette. Many 'los and 'lettes show their support by wearing HatchetGear — ICP shirts, necklaces, belt buckles, hats etc. Giving a Hatchetman/girl charm to another 'lo or 'lette is considered a high honor. Remember, it's ultimately not about how you look; it's about acceptance and family. Have a Hatchetman or Hatchetgirl tattoo. A die-hard Juggalo/lette will likely have a tattoo of either the Hatchetman or Hatchetgirl. Know that how you look is not really important. Your appearance is the least important aspect of whether you're a Juggalo or Juggalette; living the lifestyle and listening to the music are the most important aspects of being part of the family! | Love the music. Attend the Gathering. Celebrate Juggalo Day. Be familiar with the Dark Carnival. Know your lyrics. Know the lingo. Listen to other Psychopathic Records bands. Eat junk food. Drink Faygo. Be friends with other ‘los and ‘lettes. Be kind. Keep an open mind. Embrace absurdity. Have a dark side. Paint your face. Do your hair. Wear HatchetGear. Have a Hatchetman or Hatchetgirl tattoo. Know that how you look is not really important. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Sirloin-Tip-Roast | How to Cook Sirloin Tip Roast | To cook sirloin tip roast in the slow cooker, layer potatoes, carrots, and onions on the bottom of the cooker. Next, lay the roast directly on top of the vegetables and sprinkle it with garlic powder and pepper. Cook the meal on high for 2 hours, then continue cooking on low for 4-6 hours. If you aren't able to switch the heat, you can cook the roast on low for 8 hours, instead. When done, the roast should fork tender. To serve, cut it into pieces across the grain. | Salt the roast overnight. Rub salt evenly over the surface of the roast. Wrap the roast tightly in plastic wrap, then secure it, Place it in a large bowl or on a large plate in the refrigerator overnight. Salting the roast ahead of time gives the salt more time to soak into the meat. As a result, the sirloin tip roast will be more flavorful, and the flavor will be evenly dispersed. Make sure the roast is thawed, or at least thawed enough for the salt to stick. Let the roast become room temperature. After a day elapses, remove the roast from the refrigerator an hour in advance so that it can become room temperature. A room temperature roast cooks fast and evenly. It is important, though, that the roast does not sit out longer than an hour or else bacteria can grow. Unwrap the roast. Peel off the plastic wrap from the roast. If moisture has developed on the surface of the meat, gently pat it dry with clean paper towels. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (120 degrees Celsius). Make sure that the rack inside the oven is placed in the middle. You should also prepare a rimmed baking sheet by placing an oven-safe wire rack in the center. This is where the roast will sit as it cooks, and the additional rack will allow the fat to drip away from the meat instead of gathering around it. Season the roast. Rub the roast with 1/2 Tbsp (7.5 ml) cooking oil and the minced garlic. Afterward, evenly rub the spices onto the meat, as well. Combine the spices in a small dish before applying them evenly to the roast. Sear the roast on the stove. Heat some oil in a large cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Sear each side of the roast for 3 to 4 minutes or until it is browned on all sides. Alternatively, use a Dutch oven for the entire process. Sear the roast inside the Dutch oven on the stove. Then, simply transfer the Dutch oven with the roast directly into the oven. Transfer the roast to the oven. Place the roast on your prepared baking sheet and place it in the oven. Cook for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the roast. At this stage, it should be 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius). Let the roast continue cooking with the oven off. Turn the oven off but keep the roast inside. Let it cook slowly at this low temperature for another 30 to 40 minutes. Leave the door closed the entire time to prevent letting the heat out. For medium-rare, cook the roast to an internal temperature of 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54 degrees Celsius). For medium, cook the roast to an internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius). Allow the roast to rest before serving. Remove the cooked roast from the oven. Let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. When ready, slice it and serve as desired. Preheat the grill for indirect grilling. Only light one side of the grill, whether it's a gas or charcoal grill. Lightly oil the grate with cooking spray. If using a gas grill, light one side of the grill and close the lid. Let it reach 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). If using a charcoal grill, pile the coals to one side of the grill in a large heap. Light the coals, then let the flame die down until white ash forms on the surface of the coals. Close the lid to keep heated. Season the roast. Combine the chili powder, black pepper, and garlic powder. Rub the seasonings evenly over all sides of the roast. Blending the spices in a small dish will help you apply the seasoning evenly to the roast. Place the meat on the grill. Transfer the seasoned roast to the unlit portion of the grill. Cover the grill and cook for 1 hour. Stick a meat thermometer into the center of the sirloin tip roast to test its internal temperature. At this stage, it should be 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius). Monitor the temperature of the grill as the meat cooks to make sure it stays relatively consistent. Brush with barbecue sauce and continue grilling. Use a basting brush to evenly apply 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the barbecue sauce over all sides of the roast. Grill for additional 10 minutes. At this stage, the meat should be 150 degrees Fahrenheit (65 degrees Celsius) inside. Let stand. Remove the meat from the grill and transfer it to a cutting board. Allow it to stand for 10 minutes. Create a tent out of aluminum foil and place it over the roast as it stands. When done, it should have the internal temperature of medium doneness, 160 degrees Fahrenheit (70 degrees Celsius). Slice, add remaining sauce, and serve. Cut the roast across the grain, forming thin slices. Place these slices in a large and top with the remaining barbecue sauce. Toss with tongs to coat the meat, and serve. Layer the vegetables inside the slow cooker. Place the potatoes on the bottom of the slow cooker, followed by the carrots, and topped by the onion. Make sure that the potatoes have been cut into bite-size pieces and that the onion has been sliced or chopped. If using baby carrots, they can be left whole. If using larger carrots, cut into bite-size pieces. The vegetables are layered according to the length of time required to cook them. To limit the amount of mess during the cleanup stage, you can spray the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray before adding the vegetables or you can use a special slow cooker liner. Add the roast. Lay the roast directly on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle with garlic powder and pepper. Note that you do not need to add any liquid to this recipe, even though liquid is recommended for most slow cooker recipes. The meat and vegetables should give off enough liquid to prevent the roast from drying out during the cooking process. If, however, you want the meat to be even more moist, you can add 1/2 to 1 cup (125 to 250 ml) of water or beef broth to the contents of the slow cooker, as well. Cook on high for 2 hours. Cover the slow cooker and cook the contents for 2 hours on high heat. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. After the first 2 hours, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for an additional 4 to 6 hours. If you will not be home and able to switch the heat, you could simply cook the roast on low for 8 hours, instead. When done, the roast should be cooked to well doneness and fork tender. Serve. Remove the roast from the slow cooker and cut into pieces across the grain. Scoop out the vegetables and serve them alongside the meat. Heat oil in the pressure cooker pot. Add 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of cooking oil to the pressure cooker pot and select the "browning" setting. Give the oil a minute or so to become hot. Brown the meat in small batches. Add the cubed tip sirloin roast to the hot oil in the pressure cooker a little at a time. Cook, stirring frequently, until all sides have browned. Do not crowd the meat. It would be better to remove some of the beef from the pot as you add more batches to ensure that all the meat is equally browned. When done, place all the browned meat back into the pressure cooker pot. Add the onion and beef broth. Sprinkle the chopped onions over the meat and pour in the beef broth. Stir quickly to mix the ingredients. Cook at high pressure for 15 minutes of cook time. Cover the lid and lock it into place. Select the "high pressure" setting and cook the meat for 15 minutes. Note that the cook time only refers to the amount of time at which the device is sitting at its cooking pressure. It will also take 15 minutes for the machine to pressure up and another 20 minutes for it to release that pressure. Mix the flour and water. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and water to form a slurry. This slurry will be used as a thickener for the drippings in the pressure cooker. Without it, you would be unable to form any gravy. Add this slurry to the cooked meat and boil. Stir the flour slurry into the broth and meat in the pressure cooker pot. Select the "browning" setting and let the liquid reach a boil. Continue cooking at a boil for a couple of minutes, or until the liquid thickens to gravy consistency. When thickened, add a little salt and pepper into the gravy according to your own tastes. Serve. Spoon out the sirloin tips and gravy into serving dishes filled with hot cooked egg noodles. | Salt the roast overnight. Let the roast become room temperature. Unwrap the roast. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (120 degrees Celsius). Season the roast. Sear the roast on the stove. Transfer the roast to the oven. Let the roast continue cooking with the oven off. Allow the roast to rest before serving. Preheat the grill for indirect grilling. Season the roast. Place the meat on the grill. Brush with barbecue sauce and continue grilling. Let stand. Slice, add remaining sauce, and serve. Layer the vegetables inside the slow cooker. Add the roast. Cook on high for 2 hours. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Serve. Heat oil in the pressure cooker pot. Brown the meat in small batches. Add the onion and beef broth. Cook at high pressure for 15 minutes of cook time. Mix the flour and water. Add this slurry to the cooked meat and boil. Serve. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Disconnect-a-Car-Battery | How to Disconnect a Car Battery | To disconnect a car battery, start by turning off the engine and opening the hood so you can access the battery. Wear eye protection when working with the battery to protect your eyes from sparks. Locate the positive and negative terminals on the battery. The positive terminal will be marked with a “+,” and the negative battery will be marked with a “-.” If there are plastic caps over the terminals, remove those now. Next, use a wrench to unbolt the negative battery cable. Be careful not to touch the negative and positive terminals at the same time with the wrench or you could create a spark. Lift off the negative battery cable and set it aside. Then, unbolt the positive battery cable and lift that off too. If the battery is still stuck, you'll need to use a socket wrench to unbolt the clamp that's locking the battery in place. Otherwise, lift the battery out of the vehicle, and you're done! | Take the necessary precautions before you try to disconnect your battery. Besides holding a potentially lethal electrical charge, batteries contain corrosive agents that can produce a flammable gas. Before you remove your car's battery, take these safety steps. Turn off the ignition. Wear safety goggles and gloves to protect your eyes and hands. Find the negative terminal on the top of your car's battery. It usually has a black cover. The battery itself may have a minus sign near the connector post. The positive terminal usually has a red cap or a plus sign on the battery near its connection post. Determine what size socket you need to loosen the nut on the negative terminal. Always work on the negative terminal before the positive when you disconnect your battery. Grab a socket from your socket kit and hold it near, but not against, the nut on the negative terminal of your battery. Ascertain visually the socket size you'll need to loosen the nut. Put the appropriately sized socket on your wrench. You might have to attach a wrench extender to reach the nut. Put the wrench on the nut on the negative terminal and turn counterclockwise (remember: righty tighty, lefty loosey). It will take only a few turns to loosen it. Pull the negative connector from the battery after you've loosened the nut. Push it aside so it is unable to make contact with the battery while you're doing your work. If the cable is seized to the battery post, a special battery cable removal tool may be needed to remove the negative connector. Ask your local auto parts store or mechanic. Follow the same procedure to disconnect the positive terminal. After removing it from the terminal, don't let the positive connector touch any metal part of the car. There is residual current in the system that, if it were to touch a metal surface, could disrupt or damage the circuits in the vehicle. Continue with your work. With the battery cables disconnected, you can safely perform repairs on electrical components of the vehicle. If you just need to put in a new car battery, it can be done in a few simple steps. After the battery is disconnected, unscrew the brackets that hold it in its tray. Lift the battery straight up, out of its tray. Keep in mind that car batteries can weigh 40 lbs. so ask for help if you need it. Using an old toothbrush, brush the tray and battery cables with a diluted baking-soda mixture and allow them to dry before putting in your new car battery. Place the new battery on the tray and tighten the clamps. Connect the cable for the positive terminal first, then the negative. Remember to securely tighten the nuts on each. Close the hood and start the car. Dispose of the old battery properly. The auto-parts store you bought your new battery from probably will take the old one as part of its service arrangement. If not, take it to a recycling center or automotive garage. Most accept old batteries for a nominal fee. | Take the necessary precautions before you try to disconnect your battery. Find the negative terminal on the top of your car's battery. Determine what size socket you need to loosen the nut on the negative terminal. Follow the same procedure to disconnect the positive terminal. Continue with your work. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Contact-the-FBI | How to Contact the FBI | Before contacting the FBI, make sure that your inquiry falls under their jurisdiction, which includes terrorism, cyber security, civil rights, and organized or white-collar crime, and some other offenses. If you have a tip to give about a case or something you've seen, you can submit it using the online “Tips and Public Leads” form. To call the FBI about a case or suspicious activity, call the Major Case Contact Center at 1-800-225-5324. You can also contact a regional field office. There are 56 in the U.S. and many around the world. Using the FBI's website, find the one closest to you and whose jurisdiction you'd fall under and contact it according to the given information. | Know when to contact the FBI. As a federal investigative and intelligence agency, the FBI has the authority and responsibility to respond to a range of federal crimes, cyber crimes, and national security threats. Contact the FBI any time to give information on the following crimes: Possible acts of terrorism or activities related to terrorism People sympathetic to terrorists Suspicious activities that could be a threat to national security, especially if foreign parties are involved Computer crimes, especially those related to national security Corrupt government activities at the local, state, or federal level, or in law enforcement Race-related and hate crimes Human trafficking Civil rights crimes Organized crime activities Financial crimes involving fraud (corporate fraud, mortgage fraud, investment fraud, etc.) Health care industry fraud People who have committed or are planning to commit crimes including bank robbery, kidnapping, extortion, valuable art theft, large interstate shipment theft, and monetary instrument theft Violent gang activity Use the online tip form. Information submitted via the "FBI Tips and Public Leads" form will be reviewed as soon as possible by an FBI agent or professional staff member. Note that you may not get a reply to your submission due to the large volume of submissions the FBI receives. Provide as much detail as possible when filling out the form. Contact your nearest FBI office. The FBI has 56 field offices in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, as well as dozens more offices attached to U.S. embassies around the world. You can contact your nearest office with information on possible criminal activity. If you want to email the FBI, you will need to contact a field office, as the FBI has no central email address. Look up the address, phone number, and email of the nearest U.S. field office here. Find the phone number of the closest international office here. Call or write to the FBI headquarters. Though it is more efficient to submit a tip form or contact a local office, you can also call the FBI headquarters with a tip or complaint about criminal activity. The phone number is 202-324-3000, and the address is: FBI Headquarters 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20535-0001 Call the Major Case Contact Center (MC3) with information on ongoing cases. If you don't know what number to call to report a crime, then try the MC3 at 1-800-225-5324 (1-800-CALLFBI). Also use this number to respond to local or national request for information put out by the FBI. Report a missing child or child exploitation as soon as possible. The FBI Child Exploitation Task Force works with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to investigate missing or sexually exploited children. If your child is missing, a child you know goes missing, or you suspect a child of being sexually exploited, you should contact the FBI immediately at any time of day. Call 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST). Use the cyber tip line. Contact the Child Exploitation Task Force officer at your local FBI field office. Contact the State Department if your child has been abducted and taken out of or into the United States by the other parent. From the U.S. and Canada call 1-888-407-4747. From abroad call 1-202-501-4444. If you need to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, but the need is not an emergency, you can call 703-224-2150 or use their online contact form. Provide information on possible human trafficking by phone, online, or at a local field office. Both the illegal smuggling of people across boarders and the holding of people as virtual slaves forced to work in prostitution or in grueling conditions are investigated by the FBI and the Human Smuggling Trafficking Center. If you know of human trafficking or are a victim of it: Call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888. Contact your local FBI field office. Submit an online tip. File a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Internet crime primarily refers to hacking, online scams and e-mail hoaxes, including advance-fee schemes, non-delivery of goods or services, and business opportunity schemes. You can file a complaint so long as one of the two parties (victim or person that defrauded him or her) is located in the United States. File your complaint at the IC3 site. You will be asked to include: Your name Your mailing address Your telephone number Name, address, and telephone number of the person or business that defrauded you Website and email address of the person or business that defrauded you Details on how you were defrauded Report suspicious activity involving chemical, biological, or radiological materials by calling 855-835-5324 (855-TELL-FBI). You might be being targeted for attack or the theft/purchase of raw materials if: You are getting calls asking about your use of security guards, operating hours, or your total number of employees. You have received recent bomb threats. People are asking about your products but cannot explain what they will use them for. Potential customers are willing to pay cash for large orders. Potential customers are unaware of safe handling procedures. Customers want delivery to a suspicious location. Contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF). The NCDF was set up in the wake of hurricane Katrina to combat fraudulent claims relating to the billions of dollars in federal aid distributed in the wake of the disaster. Since then, the center has investigated fraudulent claims linked to the BP oil spill, hurricane Sandy, and other disasters. If you suspect or have evidence of fraud, waste, and/or abuse related to local, state, or federal disaster relief, this is the section of the FBI you need to get in touch with. Call: 1-866-720-5721 E-mail: [email protected] Write: National Center for Disaster Fraud, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4909 Use the corporate fraud hotline to report corporate corruption. If you suspect fraud at your company, you can use this hotline, established in 2003 in the wake of the Enron investigation. The number is 1-888-622-0117. Corporate fraud investigated by the FBI includes: Falsification of financial information, including false entries, fraudulent trades to inflate profits or hide losses, and transaction designed to evade oversight Self-dealing by corporate insiders, including insider trading, kickbacks, misuse of corporate property for private gain, and tax violations Obstruction of justice designed to conceal the above crimes Report public corruption with one of the local corruption hotlines found here. The FBI investigates corruption at all levels of government from local to state to federal and across all three branches. Bribery is the most common form of corruption, but the FBI also frequently investigates extortion, embezzlement, racketeering, kickbacks, and money laundering, along with wire, mail, bank, and tax fraud. Current areas of focus are corruption along the borders, corruption related to natural disaster relief funds, and election crimes involving campaign finance, voter/ballot fraud, or civil rights violations.. Get a copy of your Identity History Summary (rap sheet). If you have been fingerprinted in connection with an arrest, or for federal or military service, the FBI is sent a record of the fingerprints and the information associated with them. Individuals may request this information – or ask for certification that they have no Identity History Summary – for personal review, to challenge the information, to satisfy adoption requirements, or to satisfy requirements to move to a foreign country. Only you can request a copy of your own rap sheet. To submit your request directly to the FBI: Fill out an Applicant Information Form. Obtain a set of fingerprints on a standard fingerprint form. Include payment by credit card , money order, or certified check. Mail all of the above to: FBI CJIS Division – Summary Request, 1000 Custer Hollow Road, Clarksburg, WV 26306. To submit your request through an FBI-approved Channeler (a private business the FBI contracts to collect and pass on your application information): Contact an FBI-approved Channeler to schedule an appointment. You can usually fill out the Applicant Information Form, have your fingerprints taken, and pay at the Channeler facility. Be sure to discuss the exact procedure when you call the Channeler. Request records about yourself. The FBI may have a file on you beyond the Identity History Summary sheet associated with fingerprints. To obtain this file: Use the U.S. Department of Justice Certificate of Identity Form DOJ-361. Or write your own letter, sign it, and have it notarized or state “Under penalty of perjury, I hereby declare that I am the person named above and I understand that any falsification of this statement is punishable under the provisions of Title 18, United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 1001 by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by imprisonment of not more than five years, or both; and that requesting or obtaining any record(s) under false pretenses is punishable under the provisions of Title 5, U. S. C., Section 552a(i)(3) as a misdemeanor and by a fine of not more than $5,000.” Send your request by email to [email protected]. By fax to 540-868-4391/4997. By mail to: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Attn: FOI/PA Request, Record/Information Dissemination Section, 170 Marcel Drive, Winchester, VA 22602-4843 Request records about someone else. You can review records in the FBI's electronic reading room, but if you want records sent to your home, or if you need to request unreleased records, you will need to submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The records, if available, will be sent to you on CD. To find out additional information about requesting records, email the FBI at [email protected]. Use the sample FOIA request letter , or write your own letter, including: Your complete name and address. Identifying information to locate what you are looking for, such as the subject's name, aliases, date and place of birth, social security number, and former addresses. A full description of any particular incident you are interested in. If you are requesting information about a living person, you will need evidence of their written consent. Use the U.S. Department of Justice Certificate of Identity Form DOJ-361 and complete the section titled Authorization to Release Information to Another Person. If you are requesting information about a deceased person, you must provide proof of death, such as an obituary, death certificate, a recognized media source, a date of birth over 100 years ago, or a Social Security Death Index page. State how much you are willing to pay in duplication fees. Send your request by email to [email protected]. By fax to 540-868-4391/4997. By mail to: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Attn: FOI/PA Request, Record/Information Dissemination Section, 170 Marcel Drive, Winchester, VA 22602-4843 Call the national press office if you are a member of the news media seeking information. For questions regarding cases, personnel changes, policies, or other matters, you can contact the press office by calling 202-324-3000/3691. Contact the FBI about possible job openings. You can learn more about jobs online at the FBI jobs site , by attending a recruiting event , or by contacting the nearest field office. Jobs are applied for online. You can find out how here. Find out about business opportunities. The Finance Division is responsible for the procurement needs of the FBI. They hold monthly vendor outreach in Washington, D.C., which you can register for by calling 1-800-345-3712. You can also contact the Small Business Program Office of the FBI directly. By mail: Mr. L.G. Chuck Mabry, Small Business Specialist Acquisition Strategy and Planning Unit, Room 6863, 935 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20535 By phone: 202-324-0263 By email: [email protected] Find out about law enforcement partnerships. If you are part of a different law enforcement agency or organization and need to partner with the FBI, you should contact the FBI's Office of Partner Engagement. By mail: Assistant Director Kerry Sleeper, Office of Partner Engagement, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice, 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20535 | Know when to contact the FBI. Use the online tip form. Contact your nearest FBI office. Call or write to the FBI headquarters. Call the Major Case Contact Center (MC3) with information on ongoing cases. Report a missing child or child exploitation as soon as possible. Provide information on possible human trafficking by phone, online, or at a local field office. File a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Report suspicious activity involving chemical, biological, or radiological materials by calling 855-835-5324 (855-TELL-FBI). Contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF). Use the corporate fraud hotline to report corporate corruption. Report public corruption with one of the local corruption hotlines found here. Get a copy of your Identity History Summary (rap sheet). Request records about yourself. Request records about someone else. Call the national press office if you are a member of the news media seeking information. Contact the FBI about possible job openings. Find out about business opportunities. Find out about law enforcement partnerships. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Emboss-Leather | How to Emboss Leather | To emboss leather, start by purchasing unfinished leather at a craft supply store, since embossing doesn't work on finished clothing or accessories. Then, find a sturdy metal shape or metal leather stamp in a design you like. Next, dampen a sponge and brush it across the leather before placing the metal shape or stamp where you want your design to be. After that, secure a C-clamp directly over the center of the stamp and crank the clamp as tight as it will go. Leave it for 20 minutes, then seal the leather with a leather finish to preserve your design. | Purchase unfinished leather at a craft supply store. Embossing doesn't work on pre-treated clothing or accessories. Find a sturdy metal shape or a metal leather stamp. You can use a charm or purchase a leather stamp in the design of your choice online. You can order custom leather stamps through sellers on Etsy. If you use a metal charm, make sure it has cut edges, rather than a tapered design. It will make your shape appear more pronounced in the leather. Smooth your unfinished leather section onto a worktable. The front side should be facing up. It must be near the edge of a table on which you can hook a strong C-clamp. Dampen a sponge. You don't want it to be sopping wet, so squeeze it out several times. Brush the leather with the sponge in one even layer. Move the leather so that it can fit under the clamp. Place the flat metal stamp or metal object on the leather where you want the embossed design to be. Set the top foot of the C-clamp in the center of the metal object. Crank the clamp until it is clamped as far as it will go. Remove the C-clamp after 20 minutes. Seal the leather with leather finish, if you want to improve the durability of the design and surface of the leather. Leather finish should be applied after all embossing is complete. It should also be done before you sew or complete assembly on a leather project. Purchase a leather stamping set online or at a craft store. Buy 3-D stamps with a cylinder that can be inserted into any of the flat stamps. You can order custom stamps online or start with a set of alphabet stamps. Make sure the metal cylinder will match your stamps. The cylinder is the piece you use to pound the shape of the stamp into the leather. Place your piece of unfinished leather on a flat worktable. Make sure the front of the leather is facing up. Decide where you want to emboss your design. Wipe your leather surface with a slightly damp sponge. If the water changes the color of the leather drastically, wait for it to dry a little. Place the metal stamp on your leather where you want the design to be. Insert the metal cylinder into the center of the stamp. Hold it firmly with one hand. Hit the top of the stamp several times with your wooden mallet. Be careful not to move the stamp while you hit it. You can pick up the stamp, see if the impression is inlaid deep enough and align it for stamping again. It requires some practice to learn how hard to strike the stamp. Repeat these steps with other stamps if you want to make a more intricate design. Use a leather-finishing product when you have completed you embossing and before you assemble your final project. You can also apply leather paint to the embossed design to give it more flair. Any alcohol-based paint can be applied before the leather is finished. | Purchase unfinished leather at a craft supply store. Find a sturdy metal shape or a metal leather stamp. Smooth your unfinished leather section onto a worktable. Dampen a sponge. Brush the leather with the sponge in one even layer. Place the flat metal stamp or metal object on the leather where you want the embossed design to be. Set the top foot of the C-clamp in the center of the metal object. Remove the C-clamp after 20 minutes. Purchase a leather stamping set online or at a craft store. Place your piece of unfinished leather on a flat worktable. Wipe your leather surface with a slightly damp sponge. Place the metal stamp on your leather where you want the design to be. Insert the metal cylinder into the center of the stamp. Hit the top of the stamp several times with your wooden mallet. Repeat these steps with other stamps if you want to make a more intricate design. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Girl-to-Admit-That-She-Likes-You | How to Get a Girl to Admit That She Likes You | If you want to get a girl to admit that she likes you, make sure you spend enough alone time together, doing fun things that you'll both enjoy. As you get to know her better, find out if she's told any of her friends about you, since that could be a sign that she likes you. You may also want to drop hints that you like her, which you can do by flirting, giving her compliments, telling jokes, and making playful romantic comments toward her. For example, if she mentions going on a bad date in the past, you could say something like, "Our dates would be so much better than that." Then, when you're ready to take things to the next level, tell her how you feel and ask her if she likes you, too. | Tell her how you feel. If the subtle hints you're giving a girl don't cause her to admit that she likes you, try having a blunt conversation with her. Girls appreciate honesty, and don't like to feel like they are getting played, so you making the first move will make her feel more comfortable. Telling her that you have feelings for her may cause her to tell you that she likes you as well. Ask her if she likes you. If you're not getting a clear answer from her, you should simply ask her if she likes you. Don't catch her by surprise or make her feel uncomfortable. Express to her that you have feelings for her and ask her if she feels the same way. Let her know that her actions have led you to believe that she likes you, and you want to know for sure. You can try: "When we talk and spend time together, I feel like we have a great connection. I've been wanting to ask you if you have feelings for me, because I have feelings for you." You could also try saying something like, "I've liked you for a while now, and I was hoping you had feelings for me too. Do you?" Ask her on a date. The ultimate way to get a girl to admit that she likes you is to ask her on a date. If she agrees, she's basically telling you that she's interested in you as well. This may take some courage, but if you really like this girl and want to find out if she likes you, it will be worth it. Do not pressure a girl into saying something she doesn't mean. Just because you like a girl doesn't mean she has to like you back. If you have expressed that you like her and she has told you that she doesn't feel the same way, you need to respect her choice. If a girl tells you that she doesn't like you, do not be upset with her or yell at her. If a girl tells you she doesn't like you back but you still want to be friends, you should say something like "I understand. I still think that you're an amazing person, and I'd still like to be friends." If a girl tells you she doesn't like you back and you're not sure if you can handle being friends, you should keep your response sweet and simple. Say something like "I understand. Thanks for being honest with me." Spend time together alone. If you like a girl, and you're pretty sure she likes you, it's important to spend some alone time together. Hanging out with a group of friends together can be fun, but it won't allow you two to make a personal connection. Break off from your group of friends from time to time to have meaningful conversations and get to know each other one-on-one. Ask her questions about her life. Talk to her about her goals and her dreams, about her family, and about her interests. Showing her that you genuinely care about her will make it easier for her to open up to you about her feelings for you. You'll also learn more about her, which can make future conversations more intimate and easier to initiate. Do fun things together. If you do something fun together, she will remember it. Ask her what types of things she likes to do for fun, and do those things. Once she realizes that she has enjoyed hanging out with you on multiple occasions, she may be more comfortable admitting that she likes you. Creating enjoyable memories together is a great way to continuously remind someone how much they enjoy spending time with you. Pay attention to her body language. If you're unsure whether or not a girl likes you, her body language is usually a dead giveaway. Pay attention to how a girl acts when she is around you. She might be too shy to actually tell you that she likes you, but her body language will be pretty obvious. If she gives you her full attention when you speak, this can sometimes be a sign. When you're talking with a group of people, it's easy for people to get distracted and not give you their full interest. However, if she makes a point to pay attention to everything you say, this could be a sign that she likes you. Does she play with her hair around you? Girls often flirt with their body language by twirling their hair when they're around someone they like. If a girl is consistently playing with her hair in a flirty way, this could be a sign she likes you. Don't confuse this with a girl whose hair is in her way, or a girl who is putting her hair in a ponytail. Does she always stay close to you or find reasons to touch you? A girl will go out of her way to be physically near you if she likes you. She'll grab your arm if you make her laugh, she'll always sit next to you, etc. Does she flirt with you? This is the most obvious sign, but a girl probably likes you if she's always flirting with you. Find out if she has told her friends about you. When a girl likes you, she almost always tells her friends about you. In fact, they probably know as much about you as she does. If she doesn't come right out and tell you that she's told her friends about you, you can find out if she's told her friends about you in a few different ways. Tell her a story about you telling your friends about her. For example, say "I was telling my roommate that you've never seen The Lion King, and he couldn't believe it!" If you share a story like this, she may be more willing to share one of her own. Ask her if she's talked to her friends about a conversation that the two of you had. If the two of you were talking about a book or a movie and had a funny disagreement, ask her if she asked her friends their opinion. If she has talked to her friends, she more than likely has told them about you. Flirt with her. If you're too shy to just tell a girl that you like her, being flirtatious is a great way to show her. Give her compliments, joke around with her, be playful, and throw in casual comments or jokes about you two in a romantic way. For example, if she makes a comment about a bad date in her past, say something like "Our dates would be SO much better than that" with a smile. If you notice she's wearing new perfume, make a comment like "I see you're wearing a new perfume for me." Always say these comments in a light-hearted, relaxed manner. Take note of the things she tells you. Pay attention when the girl you like talks to you, and apply what they've told you to your future actions. Listen to the things she says she likes and doesn't like, and remember those things. When you show a girl that you like her, she will be more likely to be honest about her feelings for you. If she's scared that you don't like her back, she'll be more hesitant to tell you. For example, if she mentions she loves cupcakes, bring her a cupcake next time you see her. If she mentions that she's struggling with a subject in school, offer to help her out. Do kind gestures for her. Girls notice when you do kind things for them, so do kind things for the girl that you like. Don't overdo it, or the girl might begin to feel smothered. Give her compliments and gifts every once in awhile (maybe 2-3 times per week) instead of every day. Kind gestures can include giving her compliments, buying her flowers, offering to rub her back or feet of she complains they are hurting, getting her presents, bringing her lunch, etc. Ask her questions about dating. Direct your conversations toward romantic topics, like which qualities she thinks are most important in significant other. Ask her about her biggest turn-offs, too. When you engage in this type of conversation with someone who likes you, she may mention good qualities that you possess. Pay attention to see if she's dropping clues about you. If you initiate this type of conversation, a girl might even go so far as to tell you that she likes you. | Tell her how you feel. Ask her if she likes you. Ask her on a date. Do not pressure a girl into saying something she doesn't mean. Spend time together alone. Ask her questions about her life. Do fun things together. Pay attention to her body language. Find out if she has told her friends about you. Flirt with her. Take note of the things she tells you. Do kind gestures for her. Ask her questions about dating. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Reduce-Your-Risk-of-Hemorrhoids | How to Reduce Your Risk of Hemorrhoids | To prevent hemorrhoids, eat plenty of high-fiber foods, like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, which will make your bowel movements easier so you're less likely to develop hemorrhoids. You should also make sure you're drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day so you're not straining yourself during bowel movements. Also, try to exercise for 30 minutes every day, even if it's just walking or doing yoga, which can relieve pressure on your veins and reduce your risk of hemorrhoids. | Use the restroom as soon as you feel the need to go. Delaying a bowel movement can cause your stools to harden. This makes them harder to pass, making you strain. Since straining can cause hemorrhoids, this increases your risk. Don't try to hold in bowel movements! Excuse yourself to the restroom as soon as you can. Avoid straining to have a bowel movement. If you feel the urge to go but can't, it's best to get up and walk around. This can help loosen your bowels without straining. If you regularly strain when you have a bowel movement, especially while holding your breath, you might cause a hemorrhoid. Straining is a sign of constipation. If you find yourself frequently straining to have a bowel movement or if you are unable to have a bowel movement more than 3 times a week, talk to your doctor. They can help you figure out what is causing your constipation and suggest treatment options. Movement, such as walking, can keep waste moving through your bowels. If this doesn't work, talk to your doctor about taking a stool softener, which can make your bowel movements pass more easily. Leave the toilet as soon as you’re finished. Reading in the bathroom or playing on your phone is a common way to pass the time. However, don't let that keep you on the toilet once you've finished relieving yourself. Lingering on the toilet can strain your anal area, increasing your risk of hemorrhoids. Don't allow reading material, your phone, or a handheld game in the bathroom if you feel tempted to sit on the toilet longer than necessary. If you are struggling with constipation, your doctor may recommend bringing some entertainment into the bathroom with you to encourage relaxation and help you go. In general, however, it's best not to spend more than 10 minutes on the toilet if you can help it. Use moist wipes instead of toilet paper to gently clean yourself. Moist wipes are a good option if you are prone to irritation and hemorrhoids. They clean your anus better than toilet paper. Additionally, they're gentler on the area, reducing irritation and providing relief if you have hemorrhoids already. You can find wet towelettes for use on your genitals and anus in the toilet paper aisle. Check the label to make sure your towelettes are fragrance and alcohol free. These ingredients can irritate the area. Only use wipes labeled for bathroom use. Talk to your doctor if you have chronic diarrhea or constipation. Both chronic diarrhea and constipation can increase your risk of hemorrhoids. Diarrhea makes you spend more time in the restroom and requires that you wipe your anus more. Constipation makes you more likely to strain to have a bowel movement and makes your bowel movements harder. Your doctor may help you find relief. If you have alternating diarrhea and constipation, there may be an underlying medical condition causing these issues. See your doctor to get a diagnosis and discuss treatment options. Keep your anal area clean if you develop hemorrhoids. This will help you minimize your discomfort and help the area heal faster. Wash your anal area daily with soap and warm water. Make sure the soap you use to clean your anal area doesn't have fragrance or alcohol. If you're at high risk of developing hemorrhoids, consider getting a bidet or a handheld shower head that you can use for rinsing your anal area. Drink at least 8 8 fl oz (240 mL) glasses of fluids daily. Drinking plenty of fluids each day helps keep your stools soft. This makes it less likely you'll need to strain to have a bowel movement. Any fluids can help you stay hydrated, including water, juices, tea, and soups. If you want to flavor your water to make it tastier, add sliced fruit to it. If you're pregnant, it's best to drink at least 10 glasses of fluids daily to make sure you stay hydrated. Children don't require as much fluids as adults. Here's a breakdown of the recommended fluid intake for kids: Children aged 1-3 need 1 litre (4.2 c) per day Children aged 4-8 need 1.2 litres (5.1 c) per day Children aged 9 through puberty need 1.5 litres (6.3 c) per day Eat your recommended daily amount of fiber. Eating a high fiber diet helps keep your stool moving through your bowels. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, which all contain fiber. Great options include broccoli, kale, sweet potatoes, apples with skin, berries, beans, lentils, and high-fiber cereals. Up to age 50, daily fiber recommendations are 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. After age 50, fiber recommendations drop to 21 grams for women and 30 grams for men. If you struggle to meet your daily recommendation, you can add a fiber supplement to your diet. However, talk to your doctor first. with a balanced diet. Maintain a healthy weight Obesity is a common cause of hemorrhoids because it puts pressure on your body. This is especially true for obese people who sit for long periods of time. You can reduce your risk by keeping your weight in a healthy range for your age and height. Eat meals that contain about half vegetables, ¼ lean proteins, and ¼ starchy vegetables. For example, you might eat a small salad, a cup of broccoli, 3 ounces (85 g) of fish, and a half cup of roasted sweet potatoes. People who are underweight are also at risk of developing hemorrhoids. Talk to your doctor or a dietitian about the best way to achieve a weight that is healthy for you. Exercise for at least 30 minutes per day. In addition to helping you maintain a healthy weight, daily exercise keeps your bowel moving and helps avoid constipation. It also helps you relieve the pressure on your anal veins, reducing your risk of developing hemorrhoids. Here are some great exercises to try: Walking Running Dancing Aerobics Swimming Group gym classes Yoga Avoid sitting for long periods of time. Sitting puts pressure on the veins in your anal area. Pressure can cause hemorrhoids to develop. If you sit a lot due to your job or schooling, get up and walk around for a few minutes every hour. Avoid heavy lifting if you have chronic hemorrhoids. Whether you're lifting heavy objects or weights, you're putting stress on your entire body. This includes the veins in your anal region. Straining to lift can cause hemorrhoids or exacerbate them. Ask for help when you need to move something heavy. Follow a strength training routine that doesn't use heavy weights. For example, you might lift lighter weights or do body weight exercises. Take warm baths to relax your anal area. Baths not only soothe existing hemorrhoids, they also help with prevention. Make sure your water is warm, not too hot, which can irritate your skin. Soak in the tub for at least 20 minutes. You might also add Epsom salts into your bath. Use caution with anal sex. Anal sex can increase your risk of developing hemorrhoids because it strains the area. If anal sex is part of your sexual lifestyle, have a conversation with your doctor about how to do it safely and minimize your risk of hemorrhoids. If you currently have hemorrhoids, avoid having anal sex until they heal. Anal sex could exacerbate any hemorrhoids that are already present. | Use the restroom as soon as you feel the need to go. Avoid straining to have a bowel movement. Leave the toilet as soon as you’re finished. Use moist wipes instead of toilet paper to gently clean yourself. Talk to your doctor if you have chronic diarrhea or constipation. Keep your anal area clean if you develop hemorrhoids. Drink at least 8 8 fl oz (240 mL) glasses of fluids daily. Eat your recommended daily amount of fiber. with a balanced diet. Exercise for at least 30 minutes per day. Avoid sitting for long periods of time. Avoid heavy lifting if you have chronic hemorrhoids. Take warm baths to relax your anal area. Use caution with anal sex. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Ants-Out-of-Your-Car | How to Get Ants Out of Your Car | To get ants out of your car, start by cleaning it from top to bottom. Throw out any garbage from the floor, seats, and dash and then vacuum the whole interior thoroughly. Use an all-purpose cleaner to wipe down the inside of the windows, doors, and cup holders. Once the car is clean, set ant traps on the floor of your car to draw the ants out and kill them. Then, spray your tires with ant spray to deter ants from crawling up and entering your car. | Remove any garbage in the car. Food wrappers, scrap paper, fliers, and napkins should all be removed from your car and thrown away. Go into your car and remove all trash on the floors, seats, and dash, as well as any garbage in the glove compartment, cup holders, and trunk. If you have a small bag that you use as a makeshift garbage in the car, empty it or replace it with a new bag. Vacuum the interior of the car. Use a small, handheld vacuum or a vacuum with an extendable head to get rid of crumbs, dirt, and other substances that may be attracting the ants. Run the vacuum over the floors, seats, and armrests to ensure you remove all surface debris. If you come across any ants as you vacuum, you can kill them by vacuuming them up. You may need to remove the floor mats from the car and vacuum them individually to really remove food and dirt from them. If you do not have access to a vacuum, you can go to the car wash to use one. Wipe down the windows and doors in the car. Wet a soft cloth and use all purpose cleaner to wipe down the inside of the windows and doors in the car. Make sure you remove dirt and debris in the crevices of the doors and windows. Use window cleaner to wipe down the inside of the window to remove marks on the glass. Wipe down the seat belts, cup holders, and glove compartment as well. Buy ant traps at your local hardware store or online. Look for ant traps that contain poison that will attract and kill the ants. The traps or bombs should be small enough to fit in your car. Go for odorless ant traps so they do not make your car smell bad. Get 2-3 ant traps so you can spread them out in your car to kill the ants and keep them away. Place ant traps on the floor of your car. Position the ant traps under the seats of your car on the floor so they can draw the ants in and kill them. You may also put an ant trap in your trunk and in your glove compartment. Most ant traps work right away to attract and kill the ants. You may need to replace the ant traps once they become full of ants so they can continue to work effectively. Make sure you keep children and pets away from the traps in your car so they are not exposed to the chemicals. Spray your car tires with ant spray. Prevent ants from crawling up your tires and getting into your car by spraying pesticide on your tires. Look for pesticide in spray form at your local hardware store or online. Avoid using ant spray or pesticides in the car as they can make your car smell. Applying 1-2 layers of the spray to your tires once a week should be enough to keep them out. Set traps in your garage to kill ant colonies in the area. If your car is really infested with ants, there may be an ant colony or hill that lives close to your car. Search your garage or regular parking spot for an ant colony. Set traps next to the colony to kill it so the ants stop getting into your car. Keep pets and children away from the traps so they are not exposed to the chemicals. You can also park your car in a different location until the ant colony is killed so the ants can't get into your car. Keep food out of your car. Try not to eat in your car, as the food can attract ants. Tell passengers not to eat in the car so they do not leave crumbs or bits of food that the ants will be drawn to. If you do eat in your car, keep food in a wrapper and try not to spread crumbs or bits of food around. Remove trash from the car regularly. Place wrappers, paper, and fliers in a designated garbage in the car. Then, empty the garbage at the end of the day so it does not sit in your car overnight and attract ants. Get in the habit of taking garbage out of your car at the end of the day so ants are not drawn to it. Check the area for ant hills before you park. Inspect parking lots and garages for ant colonies or hills. Avoid parking in areas with ant hills, as this will increase the likelihood the ants will get into your car. Keeping your garage clean and protected with ant traps will ensure it is a safe place to park your car. Do a good clean of the interior of your car every few weeks. Vacuuming and wiping down the interior of your car can help to remove food and debris that tends to attract ants. Get in the habit of cleaning your car every few weeks so ants are less likely to take up residency. You may pay for a car detailing at a car wash every few months so your car can get a good clean done by professionals to keep it free of ants. | Remove any garbage in the car. Vacuum the interior of the car. Wipe down the windows and doors in the car. Buy ant traps at your local hardware store or online. Place ant traps on the floor of your car. Spray your car tires with ant spray. Set traps in your garage to kill ant colonies in the area. Keep food out of your car. Remove trash from the car regularly. Check the area for ant hills before you park. Do a good clean of the interior of your car every few weeks. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Being-Scared-After-Watching-Scary-Movies | How to Stop Being Scared After Watching Scary Movies | To not be scared after watching a scary movie, try distracting yourself by watching a funny TV show or movie. You can also try dancing, jogging, or doing some jumping jacks for 5 minutes to let off steam so you feel less tense. If you're trying to fall asleep, keep a soft, dim light on so it's not as dark and put some relaxing music on, like nature sounds, to help you drift to sleep. Also, consider inviting a friend to sleep over or calling them before bed to keep your mind off of the scary movie. | Watch the movie in the morning to make it seem less scary. Instead of watching the movie after sunset, turn it on at the beginning of your day. By the time it's time for bed, you'll have a whole day's worth of activities to distract you. As a result, you won't be as scared of the movie. You are more likely to get scared of a horror movie if you watch it when it's dark outside. This doesn't mean you have to skip the popcorn! Avoid watching scary movies by yourself. Oftentimes scary movies seem worse when you are alone and don't have as many distractions. To avoid this, always watch scary movies with at least 1 other person. The more the merrier! This way, you are less likely to be scared after the movie is over. Talk to yourself or others throughout the movie to ease your mind. Discuss the plot, setting, and characters with your friends or family members if you are watching the movie with others. If you are watching the film by yourself, make comments like “How silly” as the movie plays. This way, you offer reassurance to yourself (and others) and break through any tension created from the plot. Making comments about the movie can help reduce stress and make you feel more relaxed. You can say things like, “Did you see how slow she ran!” or “Nice hairstyle,” with a sarcastic tone. Laugh during the scary part of the movie so you don't get spooked. When the music gets intense and you know something scary is coming, laugh or say something funny. Do this even if you don't think the part of the movie is comical. Laughing alleviates the tension, and the scary moments won't seem as traumatic. This also lightens the mood overall, so if you are watching a movie with other people, they will likely relax too. Watch the special features to educate yourself on the film. If you see how the movie was made, it often seems less realistic and scary. Most DVDs offer behind-the-scenes features, and you can look up director specials online. The special features usually go in-depth in describing the storyline and detailing the characters, which can make it seem more unrealistic. You can also read movie reviews to help you better understand the movie. Remind yourself that the movie is not real and you are safe. Say to yourself, “This is fake,” and “I am safe,” over and over again until you believe it. This may take some repetition and self-trust, but it is helpful to reassure yourself that the movie is a work of fiction. You can remember parts of the movie that are especially cheesy or unrealistic to help convince yourself. Lock your doors if that puts your mind at ease. Even scary movies advertised as “based on a true story” are exaggerated and intensified to make it more convincing. For example, maybe the villain has bad makeup so you know his real identity the whole time. Or, maybe the characters in the movie are unrealistic in real life, like a swamp monster or a zombie. These details can help convince you that the movie is fictitious. Do brief exercises for 5-10 minutes to get rid of any extra energy. After you watch a horror movie, you are in a state of “fight or flight.” Exercise can help reduce stress. Do things like dance around, jog in place, do jumping jacks , or have a pillow fight. After you let off some steam, you likely will feel less tense and scared. Avoid over-exercising before bed. It may be even more difficult to sleep if you are stimulated. Distract your mind with an uplifting TV show, movie, or book. An easy way to stop being scared is to distract yourself. Immediately turn on a different movie or TV show, and make sure its a lighthearted subject with a positive tone. This way, you'll focus on the good and not feel worried and anxious. Select a comedy or inspiring documentary, for example. You can also read a book, flip through a magazine, or draw. Additionally, focus on positive upcoming events to keep yourself distracted. Maybe you have an exciting date night or concert to look forward to. Spend time with friends or family so you don't feel alone. If you watched a movie with others, continue spending time with them. If you watched the movie by yourself and are scared afterward, reach out to a friend or family member. Invite them over to hang out, for example. If you are alone, you are more likely to feel scared and worried. Having other people around will reassure you. You can cook a meal, chat about your day, or play a game, for example. Sleep with a night light turned on if it makes you feel more safe. Plug a nightlight into a nearby outlet, and turn it on before you go to bed. This way, you can see in the dark and know there are no ghosts or a boogeyman coming for you. Try to only use this after you watch the movie, so you don't depend on the night light every time you go to sleep. For example, you can use a decorative night light, like one shaped like a moon or star, or you can use a simple night light. Play relaxing music if you are having trouble falling asleep. Background music can lull you to sleep, even if you are worried after watching a scary movie. Before you go to bed, turn on nature sounds like waves crashing on a beach or birds in the forest. Then, let yourself drift off to sleep peacefully. Also listen to instrumental sleepytime music, such as “Brahms Lullaby.” You can listen to this in headphones or through a sound system. Tell yourself “It's just a movie” if you wake up in the middle of the night. If you are able to fall asleep but wake up out of fear, remind yourself that you simply had a nightmare and it is not real. Then, repeat to yourself that the scary feelings are just from the movie. Do this until you believe it and fall back asleep. Take some deep breaths as you repeat this to yourself. This will help you relax so you can go back to bed. Ask a friend or family member to have a sleepover so you're not alone. If you cannot get to sleep no matter how hard you try, you may feel better if you sleep around someone else. Ask a friend, relative, or roommate if you can sleep on their floor, or ask them to sleep in your room. This way, you can more comfortably go to sleep knowing you aren't alone and are safe. Do this if you truly are afraid and nothing else seems to work. Additionally, bring extra pillows, blankets, snacks, and activities to make it a slumber party ! This way, you can have fun while forgetting about your fears. | Watch the movie in the morning to make it seem less scary. Avoid watching scary movies by yourself. Talk to yourself or others throughout the movie to ease your mind. Laugh during the scary part of the movie so you don't get spooked. Watch the special features to educate yourself on the film. Remind yourself that the movie is not real and you are safe. Do brief exercises for 5-10 minutes to get rid of any extra energy. Distract your mind with an uplifting TV show, movie, or book. Spend time with friends or family so you don't feel alone. Sleep with a night light turned on if it makes you feel more safe. Play relaxing music if you are having trouble falling asleep. Tell yourself “It's just a movie” if you wake up in the middle of the night. Ask a friend or family member to have a sleepover so you're not alone. |
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