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https://www.wikihow.com/Buy-a-Leased-Car | How to Buy a Leased Car | If you want to buy the car you're leasing, you'll need to read the terms of your lease to check how much it will cost. The cost of the buyout will usually be the residual value set out in your contract plus the purchase option fee. Once you've worked out the cost, check car dealers to see if you can get a better price. If you find a cheaper deal, contact your leasing company and tell them you'd like to buy the car from them but you've found it cheaper somewhere else. Even if you don't find a cheaper deal, you can still try to negotiate to bring the price down. If you need a loan to buy the car, search banks, credit unions, dealerships, and online lenders to find the best deal. | Read the terms of your lease. The conditions of a buyout may vary from dealer to dealer. By reading the lease, you will learn exactly how much you will need to pay to buy out your lease. Some terms you may encounter include: Capitalized cost: the value of the car when you first leased it. Residual value: the expected value of the car at the end of the lease. The residual value is agreed upon when you first lease the car. Market value: the actual value of the car at the end of the lease. Purchase option fee: an administrative cost for buying out the car instead of returning it. It is usually between $300-600 USD. Early buyout: buying the car before the lease ends. Some leases may not allow for early buyout while others will charge a fee. Lease-end buyout: buying the car at the end of the lease. Some leases may not allow you to buy the vehicle in the last few months of the lease. Factor any mileage or damage fees into your decision. If you're on the fence about buying a leased car, remember that you may still need to pay fees on the car if you return it. Some leases may have a mileage limit, with fees if you go over the limit. Other leases may charge for wear and damage on the car. If you return the car, you may need to pay these fees. Add up the fees and residual value to find the cost of the buyout. The cost of the leased car is usually the residual value plus the purchase option fee. If your lease states that there are other fees, however, you may need to add those as well. If the residual value is $15,000 and the purchase option fee is $600, the cost of the car will be $15,600. If you have a fee for early buyout, you will need to add that as well. If the buyout fee is $400, the residual value is $15,000, and the purchase option fee is $600, you will have to pay $16,000. Check for better deals on the same type of car. If the market value is lower than the residual value, check out used car dealers to make sure that you can't get a better deal on the same make, model, and year of car. If you still want to buy out the car, you can use this information to help you negotiate with the leasing company. Popular cars tend to be a better deal when it comes to buying out leases. Since the car is so popular, the residual value tends to be lower than the current market price. for a lower price. Haggle with the leasing company Call the leasing company directly or contact the dealership you leased the car from. Tell them that you want to buy the car but the price is too high. Ask them if they are willing to reduce the residual value or the purchase option fee. For example, you might say, “I love the car, but the residual price is just too much. Are you willing to lower the price?” If you found that the market price was lower than the residual value, mention this. You can say, “The residual value is so much higher than the market price now, I'm not sure it's a good value. If you would lower the price, I would consider it.” If they're not willing to lower the price, ask them what other incentives they can offer for buying out the car. You might say, “So if you can't lower the price, what can you do to make this a good deal for me?” Research local lending institutions for a lease-buyout loan. Start before you buy the car. This will let you take some time to shop around for the best deal. Look into options from banks, credit unions, dealerships, and online lenders. Banks are a good deal for people with high credit scores. Your local branch may also be willing to work with you if you have a previous relationship with them. Credit unions offer lower interest rates, but they may only lend out to members of the union. Car dealerships can offer subsidized down payments and interest rates, but there may be additional fees to pay the dealer. Online lenders are often a cheaper and faster option. That said, their customer service may be more difficult to deal with and there may not be as much room to negotiate. Get quotes from lending institutions for the loan. You will need to give the lender your name, address, Social Security Number, and proof of employment, such as pay stubs or a contract. The lender will do a credit check to see if you have good credit. They will then give you a quote for a loan based on your credit score. People with credit scores of over 750 may be able to get between 0-3% interest. People with scores below 650 may need to pay over 10% in interest. Your credit score can be affected by too many credit checks. That said, if you get all of your quotes within a 2 week period, it won't affect your score. Compare the rates to find the best deal. Focus on the annual percentage rate (APR) of the loan. This rate combines interest payments and additional fees to help you understand what the loan will cost you each year. Even if 2 lenders offer the same interest rate, the lender with the lower APR is usually the better deal. Make sure that you can afford the monthly payments on the loan before proceeding. A longer loan will have smaller monthly payments, but it may also come with more fees or interest over time. Make a down payment to reduce the cost of the loan. In many cases, you may not be required to pay a down payment, but it may still be a good idea. A down payment of up to 20% of the residual value could reduce the term of your loan, the interest, and the monthly payment. Lock in the best rate. Once you have located the best deal, talk to the bank about locking in the rate. This will ensure that you keep the deal for a certain amount of time. Before that time is up, you will need to call your leasing company and purchase the car. You will usually have about 30 days after locking in the rate to buy the car. Inform your leasing company that you want to buy the car. You should call the company or dealership and speak to your leasing agent to notify them that you want to buy the car. The leasing agent will notify you of any penalties or fees you may need to pay. The leasing company will call you near the end of your term to talk about returning the car. If you are allowed to buy the car at the end of the lease, you can tell them you want to buy the car then. Sign the documents sent by the leasing company. In most cases, you will receive the documents through the mail, although you may be asked to visit a dealership. Read through the terms of sale very carefully. When you are ready, sign the contract. Mail these back to the leasing company. If you are paying in cash, you should mail a check to the company. Ask the leasing company for documents proving the sale. Before you go the DMV, you will need 3 things from the leasing company. The leasing company must sign the title over to you with all liens released on the car. They must also provide a bill of sale showing that you paid your sales tax, and a federal odometer statement. If you do not get these documents, ask for them. If you financed the car using a lender other than a dealership, the leasing company will mail the documents to the lender. The lender will then send you the documents. Visit the DMV with your documents, insurance card, and ID. You will need to bring the Certificate of Title, the bill of sale, the federal odometer statement, proof of car insurance, and ID, such as a driver's license. You will also need to fill out an Application for Registration and Title. This form will be available on your state's DMV website. Once you take these documents to the DMV, you will be registered as the legal owner of the car. Titling fees can vary by state. Look up the cost on your local DMV website. Make monthly payments to pay off your loan. In some cases, if you don't make your monthly payments, the lender can repossess your car. Always pay your loan payments on time to keep a good credit score. | Read the terms of your lease. Factor any mileage or damage fees into your decision. Add up the fees and residual value to find the cost of the buyout. Check for better deals on the same type of car. for a lower price. Research local lending institutions for a lease-buyout loan. Get quotes from lending institutions for the loan. Compare the rates to find the best deal. Make a down payment to reduce the cost of the loan. Lock in the best rate. Inform your leasing company that you want to buy the car. Sign the documents sent by the leasing company. Ask the leasing company for documents proving the sale. Visit the DMV with your documents, insurance card, and ID. Make monthly payments to pay off your loan. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Catch-a-Toad | How to Catch a Toad | To catch a toad, start by checking under logs, near stumps, and around rocks near water. Once you spot a toad, kneel down and cup your hands around it slowly but steadily. Then, cradle it gently in both hands to keep it from jumping out and injuring itself. Additionally, make sure to release the toad after a few seconds since the oils in your skin can be harmful to toads and other amphibians. | Find a toad. You can find toads almost anywhere there is consistent moisture. Toads will be especially easy to find near the concrete foundation of buildings and porches after it rains. Check under logs, near stumps, and under rocks near water as well. During the spring, male toads will relax in pools of water and call to female toads, hoping to attract company, not to mention the chance to procreate. Once you find a toad, don't make any sudden movements. Approach it slowly. Be careful not to squish the toad when moving any rocks or other heavy materials. Catch and handle a toad gently. Kneel down and cup your hands around the toad slowly but steadily. Cradle them gently in both hands to ensure they don't jump out and injure themselves. If the toad “waters” in your hands, don't be alarmed - it's not pee, it's water released from their water bladder. You cannot get warts from handling toads. Don't handle a toad too much, as the oils on your skin can hurt it after a while. House a toad indoors. If you're hoping to keep a wild caught toad as a pet , see the corresponding wikiHow article for more specific steps. The first step, of course, is providing your toad a habitat. Use a ten gallon fish tank, or comparable container, with a tight fitting lid. If you continue to practice your toad hunting skills, each new acquisition requires about 5 gallons worth of space. If you catch baby toads, smaller plastic 'critter keepers' from the pet store will be more than sufficient for housing before the toad nears full size – which can be over four inches long! Clean the interior of the toad's enclosure once a month with heavily diluted bleach – shoot for about 5% bleach and 95% water. If you only intend to keep your toad for a few days, a box with a reliably closing lid and no holes larger than a dime will also work. Provide something in which your toad can dig. Toads are all about burrowing, so they need something they can dig into. Use non-fertilized potting soil missed or sphagnum moss. Mix them together to really spoil your toad. This material, called substrate, should be at least 4 inches deep. Know that toads are nocturnal, and will likely bury themselves in the substrate during the day – so don't be worried if you can't spot your toad. Lightly spray the substrate with water every day. This will make it easy for your toad to maneuver around their domain and comfortably lounge in choice pockets of substrate. Replace all of the substrate every 2 to 4 months. Outfit the toad’s home properly. You also need to ensure the toad's home is appropriately decorated and kept at the right temperature. Similarly, the proper amount of light is vital, as is adequate humidity. Most importantly, provide a wide, shallow pool of water for your toad to soak in. Carefully add a piece of wood. Your toad will likely burrow right beneath it. A hollowed out log is even more exciting, as a lazy toad can simply post up inside of it. As long as there is adequate substrate and you keep it clean and moist, the toad will be able to regulate it's temperature. Room temperature is okay, even with natural cooling of 10-15 degrees F in the evening. Toads do not need artificial lighting for warmth. Replace the water in their toad tubs daily. Feed your toad the finest crickets you can find. Toads eat mostly insects in the wild, with growing toads eating over a dozen small insects in a single evening. Since crickets are readily accessible at pet stores, they will be your most reliable food source. Toads will also eat minnows, earthworms, and other insects as well. You may have to dangle non-lively critters in front of your toad to bait them into attacking. Make sure you only feed your toad food that is smaller in size than the width of your toad's mouth. Toads are naturally ravenous beasts, and may attempt to swallow things they probably shouldn't. Let your toad eat as much as it wants for fifteen minutes every evening. Remove any food they attempt to hoard at the conclusion of their nightly feeding session. Build an outdoor toad abode. No joke: you can literally build a toad home, and soon enough you'll have a toad neighbor. Find a shady spot near a water source in your yard – even if only a large bowl of water, and stake a claim for toad habitation. Toads love small, dark recesses. Turn a small ceramic flower pot upside down and prop it up with a rock or other natural materials. Leave the ground of your toad abode un-floored. Toads like to dig. Favor natural landscaping. If you're looking to befriend a few toads and potentially catch them from time to time just to hang out, you'll want to make sure your yard is alluring to toads. Natural landscaping is their favorite. Create a pond or other water feature in your yard. For an especially easy water feature, install a bird bath at ground height. A backyard pond will attract all sorts of biodiversity, including toads. Protect existing toad habitats. Watersheds are particularly sensitive habitats, and amphibians are especially dependent on the health of their environment. If there's a stream or wetland on or near your property, do your part to protect existing toad habitats. Do not allow pollution or development on or near your land. Consider allowing your yard to serve as a habitat for wildlife generally, as a healthy natural ecosystem is best for all animals, including toads. Find information specific to the health of your watershed online, from organizations such as the Environmental Protection Agency. Watch out for invasive species. Invasive species – sometimes even toads – can wreak havoc upon an ecosystem. Native toads are especially vulnerable to attack or competition from nonnative amphibians. Help biologists who study amphibians by participating in a scientific monitoring program online. Learn about the invasive species in your area and try to keep them out of your habitat, so the toads you know are safe. Cane toads are a particularly dangerous invasive species, as they can kill larger predators – and even pets – that eat them. Catch cane toads when they’re still spawn. Finding and removing cane toad eggs is the easiest and most humane way to remove cane toads from where they shouldn't be. Recognize cane toad spawn: long, jelly-like strands with black dots all along the strands. Remove strings of eggs from the water and dispose of them in your compost, bury them in your garden, or leave them in the sun to dry out. Catch cane toad tadpoles by using cane toad poison. It's also preferable to catch tadpoles before they turn into toads, in part because it is more humane, but also because it is more effective. Place a dead cane toad inside a funnel trap and submerge the trap in a body of water where you've found evidence of cane toad presence. The secretion from cane toads' shoulders will attract cane toad tadpoles, helping you curb the species presence in waterways around your home by catching them before they take over completely. Dispose of tadpoles by burying them in your compost or garden. Handling adult cane toads. Adult cane toads do have poison glands on the back of their heads – though they don't release poison unless handled roughly. Still, protect yourself for safety. Wear gloves, rubber boots, and a sack to catch adult cane toads. Collect cane toads at night using flashlights and other concentrated light sources, which will immobilize toads. Euthanize toads humanely. Though unpleasant, invasive species must often be killed. Do so in a manner that causes no pain or stress to the toads. Put the toad(s) in a plastic container with airholes punched into it. Place the container in the fridge for at least four hours. This will put the toad(s) into a coma-like state. Place the container in the freezer for at least three days. This will kill the toads as humanly as possible. Most communities that struggle with cane toad infestation will have a collection center that will kill and dispose of cane toads for you. Do not engage in animal cruelty. Do not bash toads with anything or grab them and bash them against hard surfaces. Aside from being incredibly inhumane, bashing cane toads actually presents a risk to your safety; if their poison splatters into your eyes, it can temporarily blind you. A golf club is an immature and sadistic item to touch any animal with in any way. Similarly, spraying toads with aggressive chemicals is a vile way to treat animals. In particular, do not use bleach, hydrogen peroxide, or Dettol. While each of these have a reputation for killing toads, they may simply maim them, and cause immense pain to the animals. Furthermore, avoid the use of chemicals to ensure that you are not adding anything that may harm other species to the environment. | Find a toad. Catch and handle a toad gently. House a toad indoors. Provide something in which your toad can dig. Outfit the toad’s home properly. Feed your toad the finest crickets you can find. Build an outdoor toad abode. Favor natural landscaping. Protect existing toad habitats. Watch out for invasive species. Catch cane toads when they’re still spawn. Catch cane toad tadpoles by using cane toad poison. Handling adult cane toads. Euthanize toads humanely. Do not engage in animal cruelty. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Dress-Up-a-T%E2%80%90Shirt | How to Dress Up a T‐Shirt | To dress up a t-shirt, try wearing a collared shirt, like a button-down or a polo, underneath for a layered look. Alternatively, wear an open striped or plaid shirt on top for a smart-casual outfit. If you're looking for a more professional vibe, wear a blazer or jacket over your t-shirt instead. You can also pair the t-shirt with a nice pair of khaki trousers for a business environment. | Wear a collared shirt underneath for a dressy touch. Choose a short-sleeve or long-sleeve shirt with a collar to add a dressy layer to your outfit. This can be a button-down or polo, for instance. Put on the collared shirt first, then place the tee over top. This adds a more professional touch to your outfit, making it great for a night out or a dinner date. To keep a neat and tidy appearance, choose a plain, solid-colored T-shirt. You can wear this with jeans or trousers, for instance. Wear a button-down open over top for a polished layer. Choose a striped, stylish button-down or a plaid, colorful flannel for another layer. Put on your T-shirt first, then put your arms through the sleeves of your outer layer. Don't button up the shirt, so you can still see the tee underneath. This adds a refined touch to your outfit, making your T-shirt appear a bit dressier. Wear a flannel shirt with your T-shirt if you are going to a concert or hanging out with friends. Go with a professional button-down if you want to wear this look to the office on casual Friday. Add a cardigan sweater to your ensemble for a business-casual look. Cardigans are warm, button-down sweaters that look great with T-shirts. Go with a fitted cardigan for a polished look, or try an oversized, long cardigan for a stylish accent. This layering piece ties your look together, so your favorite T-shirt will look great whether you are heading to work or running errands. Wear a colored cardigan with a neutral tee if you want to brighten up your look. Pick a red, blue, or purple sweater, for instance. Throw on a neutral cardigan if you want a subtle outfit. Choose shades like cream, black, or brown. Throw on a jacket or blazer for a professional touch. Adding a blazer instantly makes your outfit more formal. If you have a plain shirt, you can wear a striped, plaid, or textured jacket. If you are wearing a striped or polka-dotted shirt, pair this with a plain blazer. This is a great idea if you want to look professional in the workplace or dress for a lunch meeting. Pair your tee with a vest for a stylish layer. If your shirt has a pattern or many colors, choose a neutral vest. If your shirt is plain and you want to add some embellishment, choose a vest with a fun pattern or interesting texture. Vests helps your shirt look less casual, making this a great option for a night out, for school, or for work. For example, wear skinny jeans with a red-and-navy striped tee and a navy vest. Rock a T-shirt as a dress if it is long enough. If you have a large, oversized shirt that covers you up enough, wear the tee as a dress! You can pair the shirt with stylish leggings. Or, you can purchase a T-shirt style dress for a fun, flirty option. To check the length, put on the shirt and let your arms hang straight by your sides. If your fingertips come further than the end of the shirt, it is too short. If you think your T-shirt dress is still not fancy enough, try adding layers and accessories until it fits your formal needs. For instance, add a jacket and a pair of pumps. Go with tailored, well-fitting jeans to dress up your casual looks. If you want to elevate your casual style, choose jeans that have a modern cut and fit your body well. To choose the best fit, try on several styles and select the pair that feels the best. Try a tapered, skinny jean for a modern style, or try a flared or bootcut pair for a classic look. Measure your waist and inseam with a tape measure to find your ideal jean size. In addition, try tucking in your T-shirt. This can make your outfit look pulled together. Dark-washed denim is a flattering option that you can wear with many outfits, dressy or casual. If your jeans are too tight or too loose, they may look sloppy rather than dressy. Choose a pair of trousers for a professional style. Dress pants put off a more professional vibe than jeans or leggings. Choose a khaki, brown, grey, navy, or black pair of trousers. This is an easy ensemble that is dressy enough for most business-casual office environments. If you want to style your shirt professionally, put on a vest, blazer, or cardigan over top. Pair your tee with a stylish skirt for a upscale outfit. A skirt is a polished bottom option that works great to dress up your favorite tee. You can choose a knee-length, A-line skirt to wear to the office, or go with a pencil skirt or mini skirt to wear for a night out. In addition, consider wearing a leather or fringe skirt out to the bar or club. Wear a fashionable coat with your outfit for a classic touch. If you aren't wearing a blazer or jacket already, an overcoat or trench coat can be the instant upgrade you need! Choose a long coat in a bright or neutral color for a stylish outer layer. For instance, a red trench coat can look polished and modern. This is a good idea for the fall and winter or on rainy days. Tie a scarf around your neck to add interest to your outfit. Scarves add pattern, texture, and color to your outfit, which is helpful if you want to take your tee to the next level. Choose a thin, airy scarf on warm days, or go with a Pashmina or wool scarf for fall or winter weather. After you put on your shirt and bottoms, drape the scarf around your neck so both sides are about even. You can also try an infinity scarf, which is 1 piece of fabric sewn into an oval shape. Pashminas are very soft scarves made from the wool of the Kashmir Pashmina goat. For example, pair a pastel, floral scarf with white T-shirt, blue cardigan, and dark denim jeans. Try wearing a large, statement necklace for a touch of glam. Choose to wear either a 16–20 in (41–51 cm) necklace for a collarbone length, or go with a 22 in (56 cm) or longer necklace for a lengthy option. Both look great to add some embellishment and interest to your ensemble. Attractive options include necklaces with bright colors, jewels, or rhinestones. For instance, choose a blue and navy bedazzled necklace, and wear this with a plain white tee and a floral skirt. In addition, you can wear multiple necklaces to make a multi-layered look. Select 1-3 necklaces in various lengths, and wear them all together. Choose dress shoes to finish your look. You can easily dress up your T-shirt by selecting fancy footwear. Choose shoes such as heels, flats, Oxfords , or Brogues for a dressier option than sneakers or sandals. For subtle outfits, choose a neutral shoe, like tan, black, or navy. If you want a pop of color, consider a brightly-colored or patterned shoe. Add some funky sunglasses for a stylish addition. A bold, fancy pair of sunglasses can add a great finishing touch to your outfit. Choose a colored pair, a stylish set, or those with an oversized look. This is particularly a good idea on sunny, bright days in the summer. For instance, choose an oversized, cat-eye pair for a retro look. You can choose a colorful pair, such as red or yellow, for a splash of color. | Wear a collared shirt underneath for a dressy touch. Wear a button-down open over top for a polished layer. Add a cardigan sweater to your ensemble for a business-casual look. Throw on a jacket or blazer for a professional touch. Pair your tee with a vest for a stylish layer. Rock a T-shirt as a dress if it is long enough. Go with tailored, well-fitting jeans to dress up your casual looks. Choose a pair of trousers for a professional style. Pair your tee with a stylish skirt for a upscale outfit. Wear a fashionable coat with your outfit for a classic touch. Tie a scarf around your neck to add interest to your outfit. Try wearing a large, statement necklace for a touch of glam. Choose dress shoes to finish your look. Add some funky sunglasses for a stylish addition. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Vodka | How to Make Vodka | To make your own vodka, start by heating water, flaked wheat, and crushed wheat malt in a 10-gallon pot to make a wheat mash base. After a couple of hours, cool the mash and let it sit overnight. Then, strain the mash into a food-grade bucket or carboy, and stir some distillers yeast into it to kick off the fermentation process. Once you've added the mash and yeast, attach an airlock to the top of the container so carbon dioxide can get out but oxygen can't get in. When you're finished, siphon off the fermented, alcoholic liquid into a clean container, and leave the yeast sediment behind. Add the alcoholic liquid to a still, then heat it to separate the alcohol and water. Throw away the first distilled liquid, which is toxic and dangerous to drink. After that, collect the rest of the distilled liquid, and test it with an alcometer to see how strong it is. If you'd like, you can distill it a few more times to make your vodka stronger and purer. Finish by filtering the vodka through an activated carbon filter and diluting it with water until it's at your desired strength. | Choose the ingredients you want to ferment into vodka. Vodka is commonly made from wheat, rye, barley, corn, or potatoes. Sugar and molasses can also be used alone or added to other ingredients. One distiller even makes an innovative vodka from Pinot Noir red wine. Whatever you choose, it must have sugars or starches so that alcohol is ultimately produced. Yeast eats sugars or starches and spits out alcohol and carbon dioxide. When making vodka from grains and potatoes, a mash must be made that contains active enzymes that break down the starches from the grains or potatoes and makes fermentable sugars. Fruit juice already contains sugars so starch-degrading enzymes are not needed. As with fruit juice, vodka made from store-bought sugars need only be fermented, thus bypassing the need for a mash. When already fermented mediums such as wine are used, the medium can be distilled right away into vodka. Decide whether you need additional enzymes. Depending on what you decide to make your vodka out of, you may need to add enzymes to help convert the starches into sugar. If you're using grains and potatoes, you'll need additional enzymes. Grains and potatoes are sources of starch, so enzymes are needed to break the starch down into sugar. If you're using malted whole grains, you do not need additional enzymes. Malted whole grains, like malted barley or malted wheat, are rich in natural enzymes that break down starches into fermentable sugars. If you're using refined sugar and molasses, you do not need additional enzymes because the sugar is already present. Add additional enzymes, if necessary. Food-grade amylase enzyme powder can be purchased from a homebrew shop and added to the mash to convert the starch into fermentable sugars, if you're using potatoes, for example. Use the recommended amount for the amount of starch to be broken down. There is no need to use malted, enzyme-rich grains such as malted barley or wheat when using enzyme powder. For enzymes to be able to break down starches, the starches must first be gelatinized. Flaked (rolled) grains are often already gelatinized. Un-gelatinized ingredients such as potatoes and unrolled or malted grains are heated in water to the gelatinization temperature of the particular starch that is used. Potatoes usually gelatinize at about 150° F (66° C), and barley and wheat gelatinize at about the same temperature. Theoretically, a potato mash should only need to be heated to 150° F (66° C). If a low temperature is used with potatoes, the potatoes should be finely shredded before adding them to the water. Starch-degrading enzymes only work at specific temperatures and are destroyed at high temperatures. A temperature of 150° F (66° C) is common, but temperatures above 158° F (70° C) will result in the destruction of the enzymes. The absolute maximum temperature is 165° F (74° C). Try a wheat mash. In a 10 gallon (38 L) metal pot with lid, heat 6 gallons (23 L) of water to about 165° F (74° C). Add 2 gallons (7.6 L) of dry, flaked wheat and stir. Check the temperature and ensure that it is between 150° F (66° C) and 155° F (68° C). Stir in 1 gallon (3.8 L) of crushed wheat malt. The temperature should be about 149° F (65°). Cover and let rest for 90 minutes to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. The starches should convert into fermentable sugars during this time, and the mixture should become much less viscous. After 90 minutes to 2 hours, cool the mixture to 80° to 85° F (27° to 29° C). Use an immersion chiller for rapid cooling or just let it cool overnight, but don't let it get much below 80° F (27° C). Go for a potato mash. Clean 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of potatoes. Without peeling, boil them in a large kettle until gelatinized, about one hour. Discard the water and thoroughly mash the potatoes by hand or with a food processor. Return the mashed potatoes to the kettle and add 5 to 6 gallons (19 to 23 L) of tap water. Mix to blend and bring mixture to just over 150° F (66° C). Add 2 pounds (0.91 kg) of crushed, malted barley or wheat and stir well. Cover and stir periodically over the course of 2 hours. Let it cool overnight to 80° to 85° F (27° to 29° C). Letting it cool for a long period of time also gives the barley malt enzymes more time to break down the potato starch. Make a corn mash. Make a mash according to the wheat mash recipe, but substitute flaked, pre-gelatinized corn (maize) for the flaked wheat. Alternatively, sprout your own corn over the course of 3 days and make a mash from it without added malted grain. A root about 2 inches (5.1 cm) long should sprout from each grain. The sprouted corn will contain enzymes that were formed during the germination (sprouting) process. Clean all your utensils and prepare the area properly. Fermentation is conducted in clean, sanitized vessels that are sometimes open but often sealed from the air to prevent cross-contamination. Fermentation usually lasts for 3-5 days. Fermentation is also possible in vessels that haven't been cleaned or sanitized, and the distilled product will yield drinkable alcohol, but the fermentation may result in a high level of unwanted flavor compounds and higher alcohols due to the action of unwanted yeast stains and bacteria. Oxidative cleaners such as B-Brite are available at homebrew shops, as are sanitizers such as iodophor. Choose and set up your airlock. An airlock is a mechanism that will allow CO 2 to escape without letting O 2 to get in. Five-gallon (19-L) batches of strained mash can be fermented in a 7.5-gallon (28-L) food-grade bucket or in 6-gallon (23-L) carboys. Lids can be affixed to buckets, as can drilled rubber stoppers to carboys, but when using a lid or a stopper, never seal the vessel completely, as pressure from carbon dioxide production will create explosive pressure. Always affix an airlock to lids and drilled rubber stoppers to prevent explosive pressure from building. When fermentation is conducted in open vessels, put a cheesecloth over the vessel to keep out bugs and other undesirable things. Strain the mash or liquid into your fermentation vessel. If a mash was made, strain the liquid with a fine mesh strainer from the mash into your cleaned and sanitized fermentation vessel. Try to splash the liquid and pour it from a distance so that it is well aerated. Yeast needs air (oxygen) initially to grow and start a quality fermentation. This is because yeast makes cellular material in the form of lipids from oxygen. However, oxygen is not desired after this initial growth stage, as yeast produces alcohol in the absence of oxygen. You may want to add a sugar solution at this time. Aerate the sugar solution by pouring it from a distance into the fermentation vessel. If juice is to be fermented, aerate by pouring from a height through a sieve or strainer into the fermentation vessel. Add yeast to the fermentable medium. Hydrate the appropriate amount of dried distillers or other desired yeast and add it to the liquid. Stir with a clean, sanitized spoon to evenly disperse the yeast. If using an airlock, the airlock will bubble during active fermentation, and the bubbling will slow dramatically or cease altogether as the liquid becomes completely fermented. Keep the fermenting liquid in a room that is about 80° to 85° F (27° to 29° C) to facilitate good, efficient fermentation. Alternately, use a heating belt in cold areas. Distillers yeast will ferment cleanly, produce a high amount of alcohol (ethanol), and produce a relatively low amount of unwanted compounds such as alcohols other than ethanol. The amount of yeast used will depend on the specific brand or type of yeast used. Nutrients may be included with the yeast in the yeast packet. Yeast nutrients are needed when fermenting a medium that is low in nutrients, such as sugar solutions, but they can also improve fermentations when used with nutrient-rich mediums such as those made from grains. Collect the wash. Siphon off the fermented, alcoholic liquid (called the wash) into a cleaned and sanitized vessel or into the distillation apparatus. Leave the yeast sediment behind in the fermentation vessel, as it can scorch when heated in the still. The siphoned wash may also be further clarified by filtration or other means before distillation. Use a column still if possible. Column stills are more complex and sophisticated than pot stills. They can be purchased or, depending on the still design, built using readily available materials. However, column stills and pot stills work in a relatively similar manner. Cooling water is usually circulated through a sealed compartment in the distillation column, causing the vaporized alcohol and other substances to condense in the column. This means that such a still must be attached directly to a faucet or a mechanical pump to move water from a supply into the still. If not recirculating water from a single supply, thousands of gallons of water may need to be used to make a small batch of vodka. If water is recirculated from a central reservoir using a pump, about 50 gallons (189 L) of water can be used, but the water will heat up and become less effective. Opt for a pot still if you can’t find a column still. Simple pot stills are akin to pressure cookers that are attached to piping or tubing. They can be constructed very easily and cheaply. Unlike column stills that are essentially vertical columns, pot stills may utilize bent or coiled tubing or piping that can be submersed in a vessel of cooling water. Pumps and large volumes of cooling water are not required, but can be used. Use a reflux still, if necessary. A reflux still can do multiple distillations at one time. The packing between the condenser and the pot allows vapor to condense and trickle back down to the liquid pool. This “reflux” cleans the rising vapor and increases the purity of the vodka. Get ready for distillation. Stills heat the fermented, relatively-low alcoholic wash to a temperature that is greater than the boiling point of alcohol, yet less than the boiling point of water. In this way, the alcohol vaporizes while the bulk of the water does not. The vaporized alcohol (along with some vaporized water) travel up into the column, pipe or tube of the still. External cooling in the form of cold water is applied to the column, pipe, or tubing, causing the vaporized alcohol to cool and condense back into liquid. This alcoholic liquid is collected and becomes vodka. Heat the wash in the still to begin the distillation process. Depending on the type of still being used, gas burners, wood fires, or electric hot plates are all options. A temperature of about 173° F (78.3° C) at sea level is desirable, but the temperature must be kept below the boiling point of water, 212° F (100° C) at sea level. As the wash becomes heated, alcohol and other substances vaporize and condense in the water-cooled area of the still. Throw out the heads. The first distilled liquid (called the “heads”) that is recovered from the still will be full of harmful methanol and other volatile chemicals that are toxic and can be fatal. For 5 gallons (19 L) of wash, discard at least the first 2 ounces (60 mL) of distillate. It is extremely important that you do not drink this distilled liquid! Collect the body. After you discard the heads, the collected distillate will contain the desired alcohol (ethanol), along with some water and other compounds. This is called the “body” or the “heart.” During this time, if using a column still with flowing cold water, the water flow can be adjusted to control the distillate output and purity. Aim for 2 to 3 teaspoons (9.8 to 14.8 mL) of distillate per minute. Increased distillate output results in decreased purity. Throw out the tails. Towards the end of the distillation process, when the temperature creeps up to 212° F (100° C) and beyond, the distillation process produces other nasty chemicals. These are called the “tails,” which contain fusel alcohols. The tails are undesirable as they contain propanol and butanol and should be discarded. Always make sure to throw out the tails, as they should not be consumed! Check the alcohol content and purity of the distillate. Cool a sample of the distillate to 68° F (20° C) and use an alcometer to measure the percentage of alcohol of the distillate. The distillate may be too diluted to serve as acceptable vodka (weaker than 40% alcohol), or may be more concentrated than desired (perhaps higher than 50% alcohol). Vodka is usually diluted before bottling, so the distillate may have a very high alcohol content. The distillate may also be too flavorful and aromatic and require additional distillations or carbon filtering. Redistill the liquid, if necessary or desired. This increases the alcohol content and further purifies the distillate. It is common to redistill the distillate 3 or more times to achieve vodka that has a high purity. Keep in mind that the heads and tails need to be discarded each time you distill the vodka! Premium brands of vodka go through 4 or 5 distillates, and most other brands go through 3 before the vodka is diluted and bottled. Filter the vodka through carbon. Pass the distillate through an activated carbon filter, such as those available at homebrewing shops, to remove unwanted volatile flavors and aromas. Carbon water filters can also be modified to purify the distillate. Dilute the vodka to the desired strength. Add purified water to the distillate to attain the desired alcohol percentage. Use an alcometer to measure the alcohol percentage several times throughout this process until you achieve the desired strength. Bottle the vodka. Fill bottles using a gravity bottle filler setup and cork or cap the bottles. Label the bottles with custom labels if desired. Some gravity fillers may consist of a 7.5 gallon (29 L) bottling bucket (with spigot), vinyl tubing, and a simple spring-loaded plastic bottle filler. Multiple-spout wine bottle fillers can also be used. | Choose the ingredients you want to ferment into vodka. Decide whether you need additional enzymes. Add additional enzymes, if necessary. Try a wheat mash. Go for a potato mash. Make a corn mash. Clean all your utensils and prepare the area properly. Choose and set up your airlock. Strain the mash or liquid into your fermentation vessel. Add yeast to the fermentable medium. Collect the wash. Use a column still if possible. Opt for a pot still if you can’t find a column still. Use a reflux still, if necessary. Get ready for distillation. Heat the wash in the still to begin the distillation process. Throw out the heads. Collect the body. Throw out the tails. Check the alcohol content and purity of the distillate. Redistill the liquid, if necessary or desired. Filter the vodka through carbon. Dilute the vodka to the desired strength. Bottle the vodka. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Call-Someone-You-Haven%27t-Talked-to-in-a-Long-Time | How to Call Someone You Haven't Talked to in a Long Time | To call someone you haven't talked to in a long time, start by calling at a time they're likely to be free, such as between 6 and 9 pm on a weekday. Then, tell them who you are and remind them where they know you from, saying something like “Hi, Greg! It's Nicole from Dartmouth.” After that, explain what made you pick up the phone, using words such as “I reread that book you gave me, and it made me think of you.” You may also want to offer an apology for being out of touch, like “I'm sorry I didn't keep in touch after the wedding.” | Find their number. If you haven't talked to this person in a while, you may have lost their number. Check to see if you have their number in your phone or address book. If you don't have it, you have several options. Ask a mutual acquaintance. Consider asking a mutual friend or colleague for this person's number. Contact this person through social media. If you are friends on Facebook or connected through another social media site, message them. Say something like “Hi Lucy! I was just thinking of you the other day, I hope that you're still doing well in Chicago. My number is 111-111-1111 if you ever want to catch up!” Do a Google search. If you don't have any mutual acquaintances and are not connected to them in any way, Google them. There is a good chance you will find some information you can use to get in touch. Call at a good time. If you know when the person is free, give them a call at this time. If you aren't sure, don't call them extremely early in the morning, or past 9 pm. Also avoid calling them during the hours that most people generally are at work or school, between the hours of 9-5. The best time to call them is on the weekend in the afternoon or between the hours of 6 and 9 on the weekdays. Tell them who it is. When the person answers the phone, greet them and tell them who it is. If you haven't talked in a while, they won't expect you to be calling, especially if they don't have caller id. Say something like, “Hi Greg, how are you doing? It's Nicole from Dartmouth!” It's a good idea to mention where you know this person from. If it's been a long time since you've been in touch, they may have met other people with your name and won't put two and two together. If you give them a context, it will be much easier for them. Tell them why you’ve been thinking about them. Something must have made you pick up the phone and give this person a call. Even if there isn't a specific reason, mention what drove you to call them. Saying something like this will make your call seem less out of the blue. You could say something like, “I just reread the book that you gave me last year, it made me think of you!” You could even just say, “I was thinking about you the other day.” Apologize for the disconnect if necessary. Sometimes people drift out of touch. However, if you feel like you could have been better at keeping in touch or that it was partially your fault that you lost touch with one another, own up to it. Say something like, “I'm sorry that I did such a bad job at keeping in touch after the wedding!” Just one apology is enough, if you keep going it could make them feel uncomfortable. Ask them how they have been. Ask them simply, “How have you been?” This gives the person time to tell you how they are and what they have been up to since you last talked. Instead of worrying about what to say next, listen carefully to what they say. Ask a follow up question. You probably are curious about something that they told you about and want to know more. Asking them about this is a good way of keeping the conversation going. For instance, if they mentioned that they are now teaching at a college, ask them what subject they teach. If you can't think of anything to ask them, ask them something relating to the way in which you know each other. For instance, if you were friends in high school, ask them if they keep in touch with any other of your old friends. Tell them what you have been up to. After they tell you about what they have been doing since the time that you last talked, talk about what you have done. Tell them about work or school, as well as any major developments in your life. You could mention things like new pets or hobbies that you have. For example, say something like “I've actually just moved to Austin, Texas and I'm working at a non-profit.” Mention any reason you are contacting them. You may have a reason why you are calling up this person at this time. For instance, you may be calling to ask for donations for a fundraiser, or to ask to borrow something of theirs. If you are calling with a specific purpose, mention it at this point in the conversation. If you are just calling to get back in touch, keep the conversation going. Bring up old memories. A great way to reenergize a conversation with an old acquaintance is to reminisce about the past. Talk about the memories that you share together, or the place or people through whom you met. For instance, if you are childhood friends, say something like, “I remember when we used to make chocolate chip pancakes together.” Though it's safer to stick to happy memories, you could also tell them how their friendship has helped you. You could say something like, “It meant a lot to me that you were there for me after my mom died.” Remember to smile. As you are talking, remember to smile. Many people forget to smile when on the phone, but just smiling can make your tone of voice sound friendly and inviting. Because they can't see your face, the tone of your voice is extremely important in communicating that you are excited to be talking to them. Avoid uncomfortable topics. You don't want to make the conversation awkward by asking them uncomfortable questions or mentioning topics that you should avoid. This is especially true for exes that you are getting back in touch with. Saying something like “So how's that guy you dumped me for?” will make the conversation uncomfortable for both of you. Don't keep them on the phone for too long. You're probably excited to reconnect, but make sure not to have the conversation go on for too long. You don't know what this person's schedule is like these days or how busy they may be. Remember that you don't have to fill them in on every single thing that has happened since you last talked, and that you can always talk again soon. Fifteen minutes is a good time frame to get reacquainted. However, if the other person seems eager to keep catching up, by all means keep talking! Tell them that you enjoyed talking. When you feel like the conversation has reached its end or one of you has to go, say something like, “It's been so nice talking to you” or “I'm so glad that we got back in touch.” This will show them how much you've enjoyed talking to them. Make plans. After talking, you may decide that you want to meet up with this person. If you feel like meeting in person, say something like, “We should get together sometime.” You can take it a step further if you want and ask them to do something specific, like getting lunch or coffee. Tell them that that you should stay in touch. If you don't feel like meeting up with this person or you are living in different places, but you still want to talk every now and then, say something like, “Let's try to keep in touch.” You could also be more specific by saying, “I'll give you a call next week,” or “I'll give you a call after my trip to Puerto Rico and tell you how it went!”. Say goodbye. After you have finished telling them how much you've enjoyed getting back in touch, it's time to say goodbye. Since you've already set up your goodbye, you can say something simple. Even saying something like, “Alright, well we'll talk soon. Take care,” is a good farewell. Greet them and say your name. It's possible that this person did not pick up your call at all, and now you are left with the message machine. When you are leaving your message, start in the same way as if they had picked up the phone, by saying hi and telling them who is calling. Say something like, “Hi Marco, it's Deborah from law school!” Tell them that you hope they’re well. After saying your name, tell them something like, “I hope you're doing well” or “I hope that you and Claire are well.” This is a nice way of showing them you care about their well-being and acts as a stand in for asking them about themselves, which you can't do when you're leaving a message. Tell them what made you call. If you have a specific purpose for calling, for instance if you need a favor or have a question, mention it in the message. If you are just calling to get back in touch, say something like, “I was just thinking about you the other day and thought I should give you a call.” It doesn't have to be an elaborate reason or story; just saying that they were on your mind is enough. Mention something about yourself. Say a few sentences about how you are and how you've been. Say a few basic things that relate to how you've been spending your time. Keep it short and don't go on and on, or else it will seem like you're more interested in yourself than you are in them. For instance say: “I've been doing well. I just got a new job as a social media coordinator and I've taken up tennis again.” Tell them to give you a call back. Say that you are sorry you missed them, and say that they should give you a call back. Make sure to give them a call back number as well as the best time to reach you. Say something like, “Give me a call back when you're free and we can catch up! I'm usually free in the evenings if that's a good time for you.” Say goodbye. Say a quick goodbye after you are done giving your contact information. Something like, “Alright, I hope to talk to you soon, bye,” is a perfectly good way of saying goodbye. | Find their number. Call at a good time. Tell them who it is. Tell them why you’ve been thinking about them. Apologize for the disconnect if necessary. Ask them how they have been. Ask a follow up question. Tell them what you have been up to. Mention any reason you are contacting them. Bring up old memories. Remember to smile. Avoid uncomfortable topics. Don't keep them on the phone for too long. Tell them that you enjoyed talking. Make plans. Tell them that that you should stay in touch. Say goodbye. Greet them and say your name. Tell them that you hope they’re well. Tell them what made you call. Mention something about yourself. Tell them to give you a call back. Say goodbye. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Wind-a-Grandfather-Clock | How to Wind a Grandfather Clock | To wind a grandfather clock, start by locating the winding points on the face of the clock, which are usually close to the 3, the 9, and the center. If you don't have a key, measure the openings in millimeters, then purchase a new key online, or from a clockmaker. Next, insert the key into the first winding point and rotate it until it no longer turns easily. Then, repeat this process with the two other winding points. Finally, check to see if the clock is still displaying the correct time, and make adjustments as necessary. | Look for the winding points. If your grandfather clock is wound by a crank or a key, it should have one to three small holes on the clock face. Most commonly, these are located near the 3 (III), the 9 (IX), the center, or anywhere in the lower half of the clock face. If you do not see a hole, and your clock did not come with a crank or key, see the instructions for chain-wound clocks instead. Obtain a clock crank or key of the correct size. Newly purchased clocks of this type should come with a key or crank, but if you acquired a used clock, or misplaced the winding implement, you can find a new one online or from a clockmaker. Open the door protecting the clock face, and measure the width of each hole precisely using a ruler or tape measure with a millimeter scale (mm), or preferably a set of calipers that can measure in 0.25 mm increments. Purchase a crank or key with this shaft width for safe and easy winding. You may wish to purchase three or four winding implements in different sizes, in case your measurement was slightly off. Note: When purchasing a crank, make sure the length of the shaft is sufficient to raise the crank above the level of the clock hands, so you can turn it 360º without damaging them. Some manufacturers sell keys in a numbered scale, rather than by shaft width. However, there is no single industry-wide scale, so referring to the exact millimeter size is recommended. Use the crank or key to wind the first weight. Gently push the shaft of the crank or key into any one of the winding holes. It should be a snug fit, but do not force it in. Gently hold the clock face steady with one hand, and use the other to gently turn the crank. Try turning in both directions, and see which one moves smoothly; each individual clock winds either clockwise or counterclockwise. One of the long weights lower down in the clock should rise as you turn. Stop turning right before the weight touches the wooden "seat board," or when the key no longer easily turns. If you cannot turn the key easily, or you do not see a weight moving, check to see if one of the weights is already at the top. If one or more of the chimes is turned off, the weight responsible for timing that chime will not fall, and does not need to be wound. The weights are typically located above the pendulum. You may or may not need to open the lowercase in order to see them. Repeat the process for the other winding points. If your clock has more than one weight, it should also have more than one winding point in the clock face. Move the crank or key to the remaining winding points, turning it in each one until every weight is nearly touching the wooden board above it. If necessary, make adjustments carefully. Now is a good time to check whether the clock is still displaying the correct time. If not, you may physically move only the minute hand to the correct time, moving it clockwise only. Always stop at the 12 (XII) and allow the clock to strike the hour before continuing. Do the same for other points if the clock chimes at additional times (typically the quarter hours at the 3, 6, and 9). There are some clocks that can safely have their minute hand turned counterclockwise, but do not risk it unless you are certain. If the minute hand "resists" attempts to move it clockwise, and can move smoothly counterclockwise, you may have an unusual model that should be adjusted counterclockwise. If your clock is running too fast or too slow, find the knob or nut at the bottom of the swinging pendulum. Tighten it clockwise in order to slow the clock down, or loosen it counterclockwise to speed it up. Wind weekly, or as necessary. Almost all grandfather clocks are made to run for seven or eight days without winding, so winding them on the same day each week will ensure that it never stops. If your clock stops before its regular winding time, however, you may need to wind it more frequently. Look for chains hanging next to the weights. Open the door protecting the long, hanging weights in the clock case (not the pendulum). Most clocks have one, two, or three weights, but there may be more on unusual models. If you see a hanging chain next to each weight, your clock is probably chain-wound. If you cannot find either a chain or a winding hole in the clock face, ask someone to help you look, or consult a professional clockmaker or clock repair shop. Gently pull on one of the chains. Grasp a chain hanging next to a weight that is not at the top of the case. Slowly pull down on the chain and watch the weight rise. Continue until the weight is almost touching the board at the top of the weight case, or until you cannot move the weight by pulling at the same gentle rate. Pull on the chain next to a weight, never the chain the weight is attached to. It does not matter which weight you wind first. Repeat with the other weights. Each weight has its own chain. Gently pull on each of these until the weight associated with it has nearly touched the board above the weights. Your clock is fully wound once all the weights are in the top-most position. Typically, the center weight controls the clock's timekeeping. If other weights are present, they control the hour strike, or the quarter-hour chime. Make adjustments if necessary. Physically rotate the minute hand, not the hour hand, of the clock if you need to set the time. Rotate clockwise unless you feel resistance in that direction, and use your free hand to steady the clock face as you turn. Be gentle to avoid bending or breaking the clock hand, and stop and wait for the clock to strike or time before continuing to move the hand. A nut on the bottom of the pendulum can be tightened to slow the clock down, or loosened to speed it up. Adjust this if you find yourself adjusting the time every week or two. | Look for the winding points. Obtain a clock crank or key of the correct size. Use the crank or key to wind the first weight. Repeat the process for the other winding points. If necessary, make adjustments carefully. Wind weekly, or as necessary. Look for chains hanging next to the weights. Gently pull on one of the chains. Repeat with the other weights. Make adjustments if necessary. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Improve-Your-Skin-Complexion | How to Improve Your Skin Complexion | The easiest way to improve your skin's complexion is to wash your face twice a day to get rid of dirt and oils. Additionally, avoid touching your face throughout the day, which can push dirt and bacteria into your pores. You should fight the urge to pop any pimples, since this could lead to redness and scarring. Along with good skincare habits, reduce the amount of dairy, white flour, and sugar you eat in order to prevent acne, sagging and premature aging. | Wash your face at least once or twice a day. Washing your face will help get rid of all the dust, dirt, grit, and oil that gets on your skin during the day. Washing your face too often, however, will strip the moisture and natural oils from your skin. This will cause your skin to produce even more oil to compensate. In turn, this will lead to even more breakouts and acne. If your skin gets oily during the day, try blotting the oily spots with blotting papers. You can find them in most beauty shops. Avoid using hot water when washing your face. Hot water can be very drying. Use warm water instead, and rinse with cool water when you are done. Always wash your face and remove your makeup before going to bed. If you leave makeup on, you may clog your pores and end up with a breakout. Use a gentle facial cleanser meant for your skin type. There are different types of cleansers available, and some are meant to help certain problems, such as acne, oiliness, or dryness. When choosing a cleanser, avoid anything that is heavily perfumed or colored, as it may irritate your skin. Try finding a cleanser that is also exfoliating. Exfoliants will help buff away the dead skin cells, and reveal the bright skin underneath. If you have dry skin, look for something that says "hydrating" or "moisturizing." If you have oily skin, look for something that is oil-free, or is labeled "for oily skin." If you have acne or blackheads, try using something that says "deep cleaning" or “purifying.” These products will flush out the dirt inside your pores. Try not to touch your face too often. This is especially important for those battling acne. The more you touch your face, the more dirt and bacteria you get into your skin. This will lead to more acne and breakouts. Fight the urge to pop any pimples that show up. This could lead to more redness, or worse: scarring. Try using a sulfur-based pimple treatment instead. If you must pop pimples, soften your skin first with steam or a washcloth soaked in hot water. Use a sterilized pimple extractor rather than your fingers. When you're done, gently clean the area with rubbing alcohol. Use a facial toner and moisturizer. Toners help re-balance your skin's pH and tighten pores. Moisturizers help hydrate your skin. They are great for all skin types, including oily skin. If you have oily skin, try to use a light-weight, oil-free moisturizer. Choose the right foundation. Some foundation can make your skin not only look worse, but also feel worse after you take it off. Sometimes, the way you put on your makeup will also make a difference. Be sure to use a foundation suitable for your skin type. Also, try using a face primer before putting on foundation. Primers help fill in any pores and imperfections, and make your skin appear more smooth. If you have oily skin, use oil-free, mineral-based makeup. Stay away from cream-based foundation, and reach for the powder or liquid kind instead. Make sure the label on your foundation says “non-comedogenic” (meaning that it will not clog your pores). If you have dry skin, skip on the powder foundation, as this can make your skin look flaky. Instead, use liquid or cream-based foundation. Try to find something that is also moisturizing. Keep your makeup brushes clean. Dirty makeup brushes can spread bacteria onto your face. This may lead to acne, breakouts, and pimples. Clean your brushes a few times a week using soap and water or a makeup brush cleaner. Enjoy the sun, but be sure to protect yourself from it as well. Sunlight is not a bad thing, because it gives you Vitamin D, but too much of it can do your skin a lot of harm. Aim for about 20 to 25 minutes of sunlight a day. Too much sunlight can lead to skin cancer and wrinkles. Here are some tips on how to keep yourself safe from the sun's harmful rays: Wear sunscreen with at least 15 SPF. Reapply every 2 hours for continued protection. Try to avoid the sun between 10am and 2pm. It is the strongest during the time. If you are going to spend a lot of time out in the sun, be sure to cover yourself with long sleeves and hats. Drink six to eight glasses of water a day. This washes away impurities and leaves your skin with a healthy glow. Water will also help hydrate your skin, and make it look more firm and youthful. If your skin looks dull and grayish, you need to drink more water. Green tea is also great for your skin. It is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. It can help your skin look clearer. Try drinking iced green tea, without any sugar added. Hot green tea may increase redness in skin. Be sure to get seven to eight hours of sleep. Sleep is important for both your skin and your overall health. It gives your skin time to heal and replenish itself. Try to sleep on your back, instead of on your side or tummy. This will help prevent wrinkles, puffiness, and under-eye bags. Keep your head slightly elevated while you are sleeping in order to prevent fluid buildup in your face. Eat well for healthy skin. Certain foods are not only good for your body, but also for your skin. They contain vitamins and antioxidants that help your skin look healthy. Here are some things you could add to your diet to improve your skin's health: Healthy fats are found in avocado, fish, nuts, and seeds. Most of these foods also contain Vitamin E. They help hydrate your skin, and keep it youthful. Selenium is an antioxidant found in broccoli, eggs, fish, nuts, shellfish, and tomatoes. It protects your skin against cancer, sun damage, and age spots. Vitamin C is an antioxidant. It can brighten your skin and give it a healthy glow. It can also lessen blemishes. You can find it in: blackcurrants, blueberries, broccoli, guava, kiwi, oranges, papaya, strawberries, and sweet potatoes. Vitamin E is found in avocado, nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils. It helps slow down aging and makes your skin healthier. Zinc helps repair damage and keeps skin feeling soft. You can find it in fish, lean red meat, poultry, nuts, seed, shellfish, and whole grains. Avoid foods that may damage your skin. Some foods do your skin more harm than good. Try to eat less dairy, carbohydrates, white flour, and sugar. These may lead to acne, sagging, and premature aging. Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. Exercising will help increase blood flow to your skin and keep it healthy. It may also reduce stress. Too much stress can cause your skin to produce too much oil, which can lead to acne. Try going to the gym or enrolling in some dance or yoga classes. If you do not have the time or money, you can always go for a walk or jog around the block. Try to cut back on the stress. Stress can lead to breakouts and acne. If you can, try to set aside some time during the day or week where you relax, decompress, and de-stress. Here are some ideas on what you can do: Take a walk or exercise. This will help your mind focus on moving, rather than what is stressing you. Try meditating. Find a quiet spot, and focus on your breathing. Be aware of your surroundings, but don't focus on them. Listen to some relaxing or uplifting music. If you are musically talented, you can also try to sing or play music. Try doing some arts and crafts, such as drawing, painting, or knitting. Try to quit smoking. Studies have shown that smoking can lead to premature aging and wrinkles. Cut back on alcohol. Too much alcohol can be hard on your skin. Alcohol dehydrates you, contributing to dry skin, fine lines, and wrinkles. It can also keep your body from absorbing enough vitamin A, which is crucial for skin regeneration. Alcohol dilates the blood vessels in your face, leading to redness, puffiness, and permanent spider veins. If you do drink alcohol, make sure to drink plenty of water both while you are drinking and after. Use shea butter as a moisturizer. Shea butter is completely natural, and free of any harmful synthetic chemicals. It also tones down redness and inflammation, and can be very soothing. Simply apply a thin layer of shea butter to your face, as you would any other moisturizer. Take care to avoid the sensitive areas around the eyes and mouth. Don't use shea butter on your face if you have oily skin. It may contribute to breakouts or make your skin greasy. Make a banana face mask to treat oily skin. You will need 1 ripe banana, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of honey, and 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of lemon juice. Mix everything together in a small bowl and smooth it onto your face. Let the mask sit for 15 minutes, then wash it off using cool water. Brighten dry, dull skin with a Greek yogurt mask. Mix 2 to 3 tablespoons (29.6 to 44.4 ml) of Greek yogurt with 1 to 2 teaspoons (5-10 ml) of honey. Apply the mixture to your face, taking care to avoid the area around the eyes. Leave it on for 20 minutes, then wash it off with warm water. You can add a few drops of lemon juice to brighten your face some more, but you will have to avoid the sun for a few hours afterward. You can also add some blueberries. They are full of antioxidants, which makes them great for treating acne. You will need to mix your face mask in a blender to get everything smooth. You can also use plain yogurt, without any honey, lemon, or blueberries. Try the oil cleansing method. Start with a dry face. Your skin does not have to be clean. Mix together some of the oils from the list below, and massage a quarter-sized drop onto your face. Avoid the eyes and mouth. Keep massaging, using a smooth, circular motion, for one to two minutes. Dampen a washcloth in hot water, and press it against your face. Repeat, if necessary, with the other side of the cloth. Use the corners to dab excess oil away from the hard-to-reach parts of your face, such as the nose. You may notice some oily residue, which is normal and actually helpful. Keep in mind that it may take a few days for your skin to get used to this; your skin may get worse before it gets better. Here are some combinations to get you started: If you have oily skin, use 1 part castor or hazelnut oil and 2 parts sunflower, grapeseed, or sweet almond oil. Hazelnut and sunflower oil are a great combination for acne. If you have combination skin, use 1 part castor or hazelnut oil and 3 parts sunflower or any other oil. If you have dry skin, go for pure avocado, apricot kernel oil, jojoba, or grapeseed oil. Use very little to no castor oil. Keep in mind that jojoba oil may clog pores. Avoid using coconut oil or olive oil. Both tend to clog pores, which leads to breakouts. Make a face scrub to brighten and clarify your skin. Instead of going out to buy a face scrub, you can try making your own at home. You might even have most of the ingredients in your pantry. Simply combine oil and salt or sugar in a small bowl. Mince the fruit or vegetable of your choice, and add it in. You want to use just enough fruit or veggies to thicken the scrub, but not so much that it becomes clumpy. Massage the scrub onto a damp face for a few minutes, then rinse it off using warm water. Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Here are some recipes to get you started: To make a moisturizing mask, you will need 2 parts salt, 1 part olive oil, and tomato pulp. To make a clarifying mask, you will need 2 parts sugar, 1 part safflower oil, and a peeled kiwi. To brighten your skin, you will need 2 parts sugar, 1 part almond oil, and strawberries. If you have sensitive skin, try making a soothing mask. You will need 2 parts brown sugar, 1 part avocado oil, and a peeled cucumber. Treat deep wrinkles with fillers. Fillers are substances that can be injected into the skin to fill in wrinkles and stimulate the production of skin-plumping collagen. Filler treatments may last anywhere from six months to a couple of years. Common fillers include: Radiesse, a filler made from tiny calcium beads (lasts about 18 months) Sculptra, a synthetic lactic acid (lasts about 2 years) Hyaluronic acid, a filler with shorter-term effects that last for about 6 months Improve wrinkles with laser resurfacing. Laser treatments can significantly improve the appearance of wrinkles, and the effects may last for several years. Laser resurfacing comes in a couple of different forms: nonablative (which is relatively gentle and superficial) and ablative (which removes the top layers of your skin). While laser resurfacing is very effective at treating deep wrinkles, the treatments are painful and may require a few days of recovery time. Clear up redness and inflammation with topical medications. Redness on your face can have a lot of different causes, ranging from sun damage or allergies to infection. Depending on the underlying cause of the redness, you may be able to treat it with an antibiotic ointment (such as MetroGel or Sulfacet) or a medication that reduces immune reactions, like Elidel. Consult with a dermatologist to determine the cause of the redness, and come up with a treatment plan. Use KTP laser or intense pulsed light treatments for discoloration and redness. KTP laser therapy and intense pulsed light (IPL) treatments are both effective at reducing redness caused by clusters of blood vessels near the surface of the skin. They can also be used to treat discoloration caused by sun damage, hormonal changes, or injuries to the skin. You may need to do several treatments of KTP laser therapy or IPL therapy over the course of a few weeks to get the desired result. Get a chemical peel to improve the overall look of your skin. Chemical peels can improve a wide array of skin issues, including wrinkles, fine lines, discoloration, sun damage, and mild scarring. If you would like to achieve a fresher, more even skin tone , consider getting a chemical peel. Take care to protect your face from the sun after a chemical peel, as your skin's sensitivity to the sun will be temporarily increased. Some people may experience scarring or discoloration of the skin after a chemical peel. Treat acne with prescribed medications. If you have stubborn acne that won't respond to over-the-counter treatments or lifestyle changes, talk to your dermatologist. They may be able to prescribe a medication that will work for you. Common medical treatments for acne include: Topical retinoid treatments. Antibiotic ointments, often used in combination with retinoids. Oral antibiotics. Hormone-based treatments, such as oral contraceptives (the pill) or anti-androgen agents. Isotretinoin. This medication is very effective, but because of the risk of severe side effects, it is only used to treat extremely severe and difficult to treat cases of acne. | Wash your face at least once or twice a day. Use a gentle facial cleanser meant for your skin type. Try not to touch your face too often. Fight the urge to pop any pimples that show up. Use a facial toner and moisturizer. Choose the right foundation. Keep your makeup brushes clean. Enjoy the sun, but be sure to protect yourself from it as well. Drink six to eight glasses of water a day. Be sure to get seven to eight hours of sleep. Eat well for healthy skin. Avoid foods that may damage your skin. Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. Try to cut back on the stress. Try to quit smoking. Cut back on alcohol. Use shea butter as a moisturizer. Make a banana face mask to treat oily skin. Brighten dry, dull skin with a Greek yogurt mask. Try the oil cleansing method. Make a face scrub to brighten and clarify your skin. Treat deep wrinkles with fillers. Improve wrinkles with laser resurfacing. Clear up redness and inflammation with topical medications. Use KTP laser or intense pulsed light treatments for discoloration and redness. Get a chemical peel to improve the overall look of your skin. Treat acne with prescribed medications. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Millwright | How to Become a Millwright | If you want to become a millwright, you'll first need to go through the necessary training and find an apprenticeship. You'll need to earn your high school diploma or GED to get into an apprenticeship. Although it's not always necessary, you'll be able to find an apprenticeship more easily if you get a head-start with a millwright training course at a community college or technical school. When you've finished studying, join the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, which will help you find an apprenticeship. You can also contact your local millwright union and labor management committee for advice and help finding jobs. Once you've completed your apprenticeship, apply for any open positions at the company you apprenticed for. If they don't have any jobs available, search for local companies that are hiring. | Learn about the job. Millwrights tackle a variety of tasks related to industrial machinery. As a millwright, you should expect to install, maintain, and dismantle heavy machinery and equipment across a wide range of industries. Millwrights log plenty of hours at manufacturing plants and construction sites, but they also assist in mining operations, power plants, and commercial sites. You could end up installing an escalator at the mall or a large conveyor belt in a nearby factory. Most of the work involves physical labor, but you'll also need to know how to read blueprints and troubleshoot problems that arise during installation or maintenance. Meet the basic requirements. For legal reasons, you'll need to meet a few basic requirements concerning age, working status, and related matters. You must be at least 18 years old or 17 years old with written parental consent before joining an apprenticeship program. There is no maximum age limit, however. If you aren't currently a citizen or legal resident of the country you plan to work in, you'll need to go through the appropriate paperwork to achieve legal employable status. When working in the United States, you need to be able to read and understand English. This is vital so that you can understand your training courses and on-site instruction. Fluent communication also makes the working conditions safer for both you and your future coworkers. Stay in shape. Since so much of the work involves manual labor, you need to be healthy and in physically adequate shape. If you aren't strong enough to lift and move moderately heavy equipment, you won't be strong enough to complete many of the tasks you'll be assigned. You should be able to lift at least 75 lbs (34 kg) on a regular basis, if not more. This will allow you to perform the lift, pull, and hold heavy tools and equipment necessary for the job. Aside from lifting strength, you should also have the endurance to stand, stoop, and move around for long periods of time without rest. For these reasons, this may not be the right job for someone with joint troubles, breathing difficulties, or other chronic physical ailments. Earn your high school diploma. All millwrights must have, at minimum, their high school diploma or GED. You should earn your diploma or GED before you attempt to join an apprenticeship program. If you're still in high school, it's a good idea to take courses that will help prepare you for more advanced training later on. Such courses may include advanced mathematics, drafting, mechanical drawing, metal/industrial shop, and other construction classes. Attend technical school. While not strictly necessary, you should consider completing an appropriate program at a community college, vocational school, or technical school. Doing so may make it easier to find work. Many millwrights opt for either formal education or training through an apprenticeship program, but you can improve your chances of finding work by completing both. The best way to progress is to complete a few courses at a technical school before looking for work as an apprentice. You can then complete the rest of your schooling and your apprenticeship simultaneously. While completing a technical program, you should expect to cover topics like blueprint reading, hydraulics, mill maintenance, occupational job searching, industrial math, and welding. Build related skills. In addition to the skills directly required for the job, you should also learn knowledge and improve indirectly related skills you'll inevitably use while working as a millwright. Improve your ability to work through problems. This requires keen attention to detail, analytical thinking, and innovation. Prepare to work both independently and in cooperation with teammates and clients. When working independently, you need to be dependable, eager to take initiative, and capable of exercising self-control. When working with others, you'll need to be patient and capable of showing concern for those involved in the project. Join the union. Millwrights are members of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. It'll be much easier to find an apprenticeship and an actual job if you join this union when you first start searching. When you join the union, you'll also get benefits like medical care, dental care, vision care, vacation hours, annuity, and a pension. To join the union, contact the nearest UBC training center or regional council and proceed by following their instructions. Find the nearest UBC training center here: http://trainingcenters.carpenters.org/training.xml Find the nearest UBC regional council here: https://www.carpenters.org/regional-council/ Complete an apprenticeship program. Most prospective millwrights break into the field by joining an apprenticeship program. These programs take four to five years to complete and combine classroom instruction with paid on-the-job training. The easiest way to find an apprenticeship will be to contact your local labor-management committee. Call or visit your local millwright union for guidance and assistance. During your apprenticeship, you'll work under the guidance of "journeymen," skill workers who will teach you the things you need to know while on the job. Most programs require you to complete 48 months and 4,800 work hours. You may also need to complete 576 hours of related instruction. Focus on the most needed skills. Certain types of millwright work are in higher demand than others, so training in those areas will improve your chances of finding a full-time job after your apprenticeship ends. Job availability for the field is expected to grow at a slow rate of only one to six percent through 2016, which is slower than anticipated for most professions. The installation of new machinery and removal of old machinery are the two tasks most needed in the current job market. As such, you should make sure that your apprenticeship gives you experience with machining , welding, and general mechanics. Understand the payment scale. As with most jobs, you'll start at a fairly low rate when you first enter the field, but your wages will increase as you grow in experience and skill. You will earn money as an apprentice, but typically, you'll only make roughly half the wage of the journeymen you work with. Your wage will increase every six months or so, and by the end of your apprenticeship program, you should reach the low end of the full journeyman's payment scale. The annual salary of most millwrights ranges between $46,658 and $62,166, but the top 10 percent of millwrights earn more than $72,375. Find work. After you complete your apprenticeship program, you will be eligible to find work as a fully trained millwright. Start by inquiring with the journeymen and company you've done your apprenticeship with. If they are unable to offer you full-time work, you can seek help from the union or state apprenticeship bureau. You may also need to search through the classifieds and other job ads. Expect to work eight-hour days. You'll usually work indoors, but you may also need to work outdoors depending on the job. Typically, you'll also need to travel long distances for work, especially if you don't live in a densely populated area. The union requires employers and clients to offer over-time pay and travel allowance for such circumstances, however. Work your way up. As you gain more skill and work experience, you may be promoted to supervisory and team leadership positions. These positions usually come with better pay and may include additional benefits. To further improve your chances of promotion, you should complete additional coursework and continue to earn related certificates from technical schools, training programs, and other institutions. | Learn about the job. Meet the basic requirements. Stay in shape. Earn your high school diploma. Attend technical school. Build related skills. Join the union. Complete an apprenticeship program. Focus on the most needed skills. Understand the payment scale. Find work. Work your way up. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Determine-Whether-Your-Long-Distance-Relationship-Is-Working | How to Determine Whether Your Long Distance Relationship Is Working | If you are in a long-distance relationship, you may be trying to determine if it's working well or not. While it may be tricky being apart, if you're feeling happy, cared about, and listened to, then these are encouraging signs. Trust can be another difficult factor when you and your partner can't be together all the time, so consider if you trust your partner and if you feel like your partner trusts you. If your partner doesn't take you at your word or gets angry when you don't immediately answer your phone or texts, then you may want to reassess if your relationship is really working. Another red flag would be if, when you are together, you don't enjoy each other's company. | Check in with your feelings. If a long distance relationship is working, you should feel as much or more trust and satisfaction as people in geographically convenient partnerships. Think of your partner. If you get a warm, thrilling feeling, that's a good sign. Some other questions you can ask yourself to check on your feelings include: Am I happy? Do I feel fulfilled and supported by this relationship? Do I feel listened to, cared about, trusting, and open? Consider your communication style. Is it a pleasure to talk to your partner? Do you love sharing details of your day? Do you love hearing details of your partner's day? All of these are good signs that you are actively building a loving relationship. Is your conversation affectionate? Do you tell your partner what you appreciate about them, and do they do the same for you? Every time you share appreciation you are building your attachment. Try doing video chats over Skype or FaceTime so you can still have face-to-face quality time with each other. Ask yourself how you're handling the long distance intimacy. How are your conversations about physical intimacy? Couples in long distance relationships often have better communication about sex than couples who live nearby. If you have frank, happy conversations about the things that you like and don't like, you're building a healthy sex life. Can you have conversations about things you remember doing together? Things you haven't tried yet, but would like too? If you both feel free and comfortable sharing fantasies and desires, that's a great sign. Conversely, if you feel like you can't talk about sexual things, or if one of you is always demanding photos and messages that the other isn't comfortable with, your relationship might not be working out. Examine the trust you share. Long distance relationships only work with great degrees of trust. In fact, the best long distance relationships have a stronger element of trust than other relationships. Being long distance means you can't check out one another's stories. You have to take your partner at their word. Ask yourself: Do you trust your partner? Do you feel like your partner trusts you? Watch out for controlling behavior. If your partner doesn't take you at your word, that's a bad sign. If they frequently get mad at you for not answering your phone or texting them back quickly enough, they may be trying to control you. Watch out for phrases like "I'm checking in on you" or "I don't want you hanging out with someone I don't trust." Similarly, if you are feeling distrustful or controlling, you may want to back off. Notice if the relationship demands too much of your time. In an unhealthy relationship, one partner often tries to control the other by insisting on a greater time-commitment than is actually enjoyable or practical. Ask yourself: Does your partner insist on more of your time than you want? Do you feel like you "have to" visit every weekend? Does talking and texting with your partner interfere with your social life? If you try to negotiate this, what happens? If you mention to your partner that you are feeling pressured to always be on call, your partner should respond by asking you what schedule you would prefer. If your partner responds by getting angry or cold, you should take that as a sign that your relationship is not working out. Check in when you visit. Does it feel wonderful to see them? It may be awkward at first, but after a day or so, do you settle in? Can you still talk about all the things you talk about when you're at a distance? Meet their friends and family. Your partner should want to introduce you to some of their friends. Make sure that their friends know who you are and are friendly towards you. If anyone acts nervous around you, or if nobody seems to have heard of you, something might be going on. When your partner visits, are you proud of them? Do you want to introduce them to the people in your life? You should be pleased to bring your sweetheart into your community—if you aren't, that might mean you aren't that into them. Take your bad feelings seriously. Do you feel trapped, or stuck? Do you feel guilty for not thinking about your partner all the time? This may mean your relationship is not working. If you're not sure whether or not your relationship is healthy, talk about it with a psychologist, or try calling a hotline like Love Is Respect (1-866-331-9474). You can also talk with your partner about any feelings of satisfaction you are having. Try saying something like, “I am feeling dissatisfied with our relationship because…” Decide how long you can handle being in a long distance relationship. Do you know how long you are willing to be long distance? Does your partner know? It is important to agree on a length of time. If the distance depends on a circumstance with no certain end date, your reunion may keep getting pushed off. Make sure that you discuss the financial aspects of maintaining your relationship with your partner as well. Being in a long distance relationship can be expensive, especially if you travel often to see your partner. If your partner is waiting for a controlling parent to "back off," that means neither of you have any control over the date. Similarly, if you are waiting for a job to open up in your partner's city, you may be stuck waiting with no date in sight. To avoid this, agree on a date by which you will either move (with or without the job) or break up. For instance, you might say "I'll move to your city as soon as I find a job there. However, if I haven't found one in the next six months, I'll just move and take my chances." However, make sure that you have a conversation about finances before doing something like this to make sure that one partner is able to support the other as they look for a job. If you are planning to be in a perpetually distant relationship, make sure you are both okay with that. Keep a communication schedule that works for both of you. You should both feel comfortable with the amount of texting, calling, emailing, and visiting you do. Ask your partner if they feel you're at the right level, and ask yourself how you feel as well. If you find that one of you is feeling neglected or inundated, agree on a different schedule together. If it feels like only one of you is willing to compromise, your relationship might not be working. Make sure you can both maintain a social life. You should still be able to hang out with friends, visit family, go to parties, and have time to yourself. If you feel like your long distance relationship is making it impossible for you to have a social life where you are, you need to draw some boundaries. Tell your partner you can't visit them as frequently. Explain that you are feeling lonely from never making any friends where you are. Explain to your partner that you will schedule a certain amount of time to talk to them, but that you can't be on call constantly. If your partner freaks out or refuses, your relationship might not be working. Clarify your expectations. Do you know the terms of your relationship? Does your partner? Ask yourself what you expect, then make this clear to your partner and ask what they expect as well. For instance, if you believe that you and your partner are monogamous, in love, and heading toward living together in the next few years, tell your partner! Similarly, if you believe you and your partner are in an open relationship, you'll need to define those terms as well. Being distant means communicating more, not less, so make an effort to get on the same page. If your partner wants to "keep it loose," that means they aren't willing to be open with you about their expectations. That's a bad sign. | Check in with your feelings. Consider your communication style. Ask yourself how you're handling the long distance intimacy. Examine the trust you share. Watch out for controlling behavior. Notice if the relationship demands too much of your time. Check in when you visit. Take your bad feelings seriously. Decide how long you can handle being in a long distance relationship. Keep a communication schedule that works for both of you. Make sure you can both maintain a social life. Clarify your expectations. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Know-if-Your-Cat-Is-Afraid-of-Something | How to Know if Your Cat Is Afraid of Something | To know if your cat is afraid of something, watch for dilated eyes, flattened ears, and crouching low to the ground, which are all signs that a cat is frightened. Also, monitor how your cat reacts to a situation to tell if it's afraid. If it runs away and hides or freezes in place, it could be a sign that it's scared. You should also keep an eye out for aggressive behavior, like puffed-up hair, hissing, and swatting, since cats sometimes lash out when they're afraid. | Look for dilated eyes. When your cat is afraid, its pupils are likely to get large. That means its eye will look mostly black as the pupil fills it. Your cat is trying to see everything it possibly can because it is afraid, and eye dilation helps it do that. You've probably noticed the same reaction in humans. When you're watching a horror flick, your eyes "go wide"--dilate--at the scary parts! Dilated eyes can also be a sign that your cat is excited, so don't assume this means your cat is afraid. Instead, check the rest of your cat's body language to determine if the cat is afraid or excited. Additionally, it's helpful to consider the current environment. Check if your cat's ears are flattened. Typically, if your cat is a little afraid, or at least on alert, its ears will be turned to the side. However, if your cat is feeling very threatened or scared, it will flatten its ears out completely, often to the side. This posture is different from aggression, where your cat turns its ears back like its ready to attack something. Note whether your cat is wrapping its tail around its body. If your cat is scared, it may try to tuck itself in around its own body. That means it may wrap its tail around itself or tuck it under its body completely. This action is likely self-comforting in part. See if your cat is crouching low. If your cat is scared, it may take a defensive position with its body crouched low to the ground. The cat will seem tense and ready to move at any moment with its feet under it, not relaxed and laid out flat. In this position, it may lower its head, too. Notice if your cat's hair is bristling. If a cat is upset and afraid, it tries to make itself look bigger by fluffing out. That way, it can scare away whatever it's afraid of. You may notice its hair sticking out on end, for instance, with the whole body puffed up. In addition, the cat's tail will likely puff up with the rest of its body. In that case, it may stick straight up or out to make the cat look bigger. It may also swish back and forth. Watch for an arched back. An arched back is a sure sign your cat is feeling fearful and aggressive. The arch makes them appear bigger to whatever it is its facing in an attempt to scare it off. The arched back and bristling fur usually happen at the same time. If you're not sure what an arched back looks like, think of a depiction of a scary Halloween cat with an arched back. Look for bared teeth and hissing. When your cat is getting aggressive, it may start showing its teeth. That's meant to tell you its feeling threatened and it may attack. When it opens its mouth to show its teeth, it may also make a hissing sound at you. Hissing is warning sound that's saying "Back off!" Be ready for swatting, biting, and scratching. When your cat's behavior turns aggressive, you could be hurt in the fray. Your cat may intentionally or unintentionally bite you or scratch you, as a way to show you it can defend itself against whatever is scaring it. It may bite or scratch at other animals and things, too, such as a dog or the vacuum cleaner. Look for loss of bladder and bowel control. If your cat is truly frightened out of its wits, it may defecate or urinate where it is. You may see this happen when you carry your cat in a carrier, for instance, on the way to the veterinarian; your cat may use the bathroom simply because it's frightened. Your cat may do this at home, too, particularly if its afraid of another cat, as it may not want to use the same litter box as the other cat. See if your cat seems frozen in place. While flight or fight are 2 of the normal responses to something your cat is scared of, "freeze" is another response. Think of a deer in the headlights; it's frozen in place because it's afraid. Sometimes, this happens to your cat, too, when it's afraid. Your cat may become statue-like, frozen in a scared position. Notice if it runs away. Your cat is employing the "flight" part of the flight-or-fight response. When faced with a scary situation, your cat's main options are to fight the issue or to run away from it. You may notice it shows other signs of fear and then runs off, for instance. If your cat disappears as soon as it hears the vacuum, you can be sure its afraid of it! Pay attention if your cat hides all the time. A cat who hides away under the bed or in closets is afraid of being out around its humans or of something in your house. That is not necessarily your fault, as some cats are just more fearful than others. Still, you should take note of this behavior so you can try to find ways to deal with it if you can. If your cat is new , it may just take time to get used to you. Leave a hiding cat where it is. If your cat is eating, drinking, and using the bathroom, let it stay in its hiding place for the moment, as long as it is otherwise healthy. Dragging a fearful cat out from its hiding place will only make matters worse. You can still encourage it to come out with a calm voice and treats, but you shouldn't yank it out of its hiding place. If possible, place its food, water, and litter box closer to its hiding place. That way, it won't have as far to go to get what it needs. Ignore an aggressively fearful cat. If the cat turns aggressive on you , your best bet is to act as if the cat isn't being aggressive. That is, the cat wants you to be afraid and retreat, so if you do, it's learned that aggressive behavior gets the result it wants. Instead, hold your ground, but don't try to approach the cat. Also, don't try to pet or console the cat, as that could result in you being hurt. Avoid fear triggers when possible. Of course, you can't avoid everything that makes your cat afraid. Many cats are afraid of the vet, but your cat will likely still need to go. On the other hand, if you know your cat doesn't like children, give it a chance to hide when a child comes over. Avoiding these triggers will help your cat be less fearful. Don't intentionally antagonize your cat. For instance, if you find out your cat doesn't like canned air, don't keep spraying the air at it! Teach your cat to not fear other triggers. With other triggers, try using food to help your cat understand there's nothing to be afraid. For instance, if your cat is afraid of the vacuum cleaner, show your cat the vacuum from across the room and then put it away. If your cat doesn't react aggressively, give it a treat and praise it for good behavior. If your cat is aggressive, try repeating the process over time until your cat shows less aggression. Encourage a shy cat to come out with play. Sit in the room with the shy cat and bring a laser pointer or fishing-type toy. Try to entice the cat out by moving the laser or toy around, getting the cat's attention. It may want to come out and play. If it does, try not to make any sudden movements. Over time, the cat will begin to associate the fun time with you and may work up to hanging out with you more. Introduce strangers slowly to shy cats. If your cat isn't fond of being out and about when friends come over, try working with a single person to help increase your cat's interest. Have the person sit still in a room. Encourage the cat to come into the room with a toy or treats and slowly move it toward the new person. If your cat gets upset, let it go back to the other room, though you can encourage it to come out again with treats or a toy. Repeat these sessions, and over time, your cat may become used to having strangers around and even approach one. Try a pheromone spray or plug-in to help a cat that's always anxious. These products provide similar pheromones to natural ones your cat produces, and it may help soothe an anxiety-ridden cat. You simply spray the air or plug the product into the wall, and it will release pheromones for your cat. You can find these online or at most pet stores. Take your cat to the veterinarian if it suddenly starts acting fearful. Sudden changes in cat behavior can indicate other issues, such as an underlying health issue. If you notice a dramatic change, it's always good to have your cat checked out to make sure nothing else is wrong. Make note of any other symptoms you notice, such as a change in eating or bathroom habits. | Look for dilated eyes. Check if your cat's ears are flattened. Note whether your cat is wrapping its tail around its body. See if your cat is crouching low. Notice if your cat's hair is bristling. Watch for an arched back. Look for bared teeth and hissing. Be ready for swatting, biting, and scratching. Look for loss of bladder and bowel control. See if your cat seems frozen in place. Notice if it runs away. Pay attention if your cat hides all the time. Leave a hiding cat where it is. Ignore an aggressively fearful cat. Avoid fear triggers when possible. Teach your cat to not fear other triggers. Encourage a shy cat to come out with play. Introduce strangers slowly to shy cats. Try a pheromone spray or plug-in to help a cat that's always anxious. Take your cat to the veterinarian if it suddenly starts acting fearful. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Eyelash-Extensions | How to Remove Eyelash Extensions | Before you take off your eyelash extensions, remove all of your eye makeup so you can see where your lashes end and the extensions begin. Then, fill a bowl with steaming water, and drape a towel over your head. Hold your face over the bowl for 15 minutes so the steam can loosen your eyelash extensions. Next, wet a cotton ball with olive oil, and wipe it on your lashes until the extensions begin to fall off. Once they're all off, wash away any excess oil with a gentle cleanser. | Buy a professional grade eyelash extension glue remover. Since the glue used to apply eyelash extensions is very strong, regular eyelash glue remover may not work on your lashes. Get glue remover that's labeled for use on eyelash extensions and that says it's “professional grade." You can find eyelash extension glue remover at a drugstore, in a beauty supply store, or online. If you had your extensions professionally done, ask the technician which solvent they uses. Then, see if you can purchase it from them. Remove your eye makeup to easily see where the extensions start. Apply eye makeup remover to a cotton swab or pad, then wipe it over your eyes. Be sure to remove all of your mascara and eyeliner. This will allow you to identify where your real lashes end and the extensions begin. You can use your normal makeup remover for this step. Don't use a cotton ball or a fuzzy pad, since these could leave lint or cotton fibers behind on your lashes. Place under-eye pads below your eyes to protect your skin. Under-eye pads are thin, C-shaped pads that have an adhesive on the back. You can use these pads to protect the delicate skin under your eyes. To apply them, pull the back off the adhesive side of a pad. Then, position the pad under your eye with the scooped out side facing your eye. Lightly pat along the surface of the pad to make it stick. This step is optional, but it will help keep the glue remover off of your skin. If you get the glue remover on your skin, it may cause itching or irritation. You can find under eye pads at your local beauty supply store or online. Apply eyelash glue remover to 2 brush applicators or spoolies. Use disposable brush applicators or spoolies so you can easily apply the glue remover to your lashes. Coat the brush end of both applicators or spoolies with the glue remover. Then, set 1 of the applicators or spoolies aside for later. You're going to use 1 applicator or spoolie to apply the glue remover. Then, you'll use the second applicator to remove your extensions. If you prefer, wait to apply the glue remover to the second applicator until you need it. However, it will be difficult for you to see after you apply the glue remover because your eyes will be closed. It's best to do this ahead of time. Set the second applicator or spoolie down somewhere close by so that you can easily find it with your eyes closed. Close the eye you're working on so you don't get the glue remover in it. The glue remover can sting and irritate your eyes, so it's important that you don't get it in them. Tightly close your eyes before you apply the remover, then leave them closed until you're finished removing the extensions. It's best if you can have someone help you apply the glue remover and take off your extensions. That way, they can apply the glue remover to both eyes at the same time so you'll be able to finish the process faster. Typically, this is the way a professional technician will do it. However, it's okay to do it yourself if you don't have help. Swipe the applicator or spoolie from the midpoint of your lashes to the tips. Pull the applicator or spoolie through your lashes like you're applying mascara. However, focus on the ends of your lashes where the extensions are applied. You don't need to get the glue remover on your natural lashes below the extensions. It's okay to open the eye you aren't working on so you can see what you're doing. Just make sure you keep the eye you're working on closed. Sweep glue remover on the lower part of your lashes, avoiding the lash line. Apply a thin layer of glue remover just below the midpoint on your lashes. This will make sure that all of the glue dissolves. However, don't put the glue remover on the roots of your lashes or your lash line. It may irritate your skin, and you don't want to risk getting it into your eye. It's okay to skip this step if you know you've already coated the area where the glue is located. You just need to apply the remover over the glue itself. Let the glue remover sit for 3 minutes so it can break down the glue. Set a timer and wait 3 minutes for the glue remover to dissolve the glue. Leave your eye closed while the glue remover is on your lashes. Don't rinse off the remover after 3 minutes because you still need to remove the extensions. Some glue removers may recommend leaving the product on for up to 5 minutes. Read your label to check the instructions for the product you're using. Pull the second applicator or spoolie through your lashes to remove the extensions. Retrieve the second applicator or spoolie that you coated with glue remover earlier. Then, slowly pull the applicator or spoolie through your lashes, starting below the midpoint. The lash extensions should come off in the brush. Use your fingers to pick the lashes off the applicator or spoolie, then continue working until all of your extensions are gone. You may need to make several passes to remove all of your extensions. You'll know they're all gone when you just see your natural lashes, which will be shorter and an even length. Discard the extensions once you've removed them. Use a gentle eye makeup remover to clean away excess glue remover. Soak a cotton swab or pad with your makeup remover, then wipe it over your eyes to clean away any excess glue or glue remover. Make several passes to make sure the area is totally clean. If you want to cleanse your face, it's okay to do that instead. Remove your eye makeup so you can tell where your natural lashes end. Use a gentle eye makeup remover to wipe away any mascara or eyeliner. This makes it easier for you to see where your real lashes end and the extensions begin. Use your normal makeup remover to clean your eyes. Fill a bowl with steaming hot water. Boil water on the stove or in the microwave. Then, carefully pour the water into a heat-safe bowl. Set the bowl on a table or countertop where you can bend down over it. If you like, you can add some essential oils to the bowl to help you relax. For instance, you might add 2-3 drops of lavender, tea tree, peppermint, or eucalyptus essential oil to the water. Put a towel over your head, then lean over the steam for 15 minutes. Set your timer for 15 minutes, then drape the towel over your head and lean forward. Be careful not to get too close to the water, as it could scald your face. Position the towel so that it encircles the bowl and traps in the steam. Keep your head over the steaming bowl for 15 minutes. The steam will loosen the glue on your extensions so it comes off more easily. Soak a cotton swab in olive or coconut oil. Pour olive oil or coconut oil onto a cotton swab. Make sure that it's really saturated, as dry cotton may scratch or irritate the skin around your eyes. If you're using coconut oil, you may need to microwave the oil for a few seconds to get it into a liquid state. You may need to use multiple cotton swabs to get off all of the lashes, so have extras on hand. Swipe the oil over your eyelashes until all of your extensions come off. Start at the inner corner of your eye and pull the cotton swab across your lashes. Make several passes to coat the extensions in the oil. Once the oil coats your lashes, the extensions should start to come off. Keep wiping until all of the eyelash extensions are removed. If your skin starts to feel irritated, stop wiping immediately. Wash your face, then see a professional to get the remaining extensions removed. If necessary, apply more oil to your cotton swab or get a new swab. Don't simply pull off the extensions, as this can damage your natural lashes. If the extensions don't wipe away easily, comb the oil through them with a spoolie, then let it sit for a minute. Once it's had a chance to soak in, run the spoolie through your lashes again to comb out the extensions. Use a gentle cleanser to wash away the excess oil. After you've removed all of your extensions, apply a pea-size amount of mild facial cleanser to your skin. Work the cleanser over your face to remove any excess oil from your skin. Rinse your face with cool water, then pat it dry with a clean towel. It's okay to use your normal facial cleanser to clean away the oil. Go back to the salon technician who applied your extensions. Eyelash extensions are most often affixed using surgical-grade glues, which are a type of superglue. This type of glue is extremely difficult to remove without the proper tools and chemical solutions, so it's best to return to your eyelash technician. Make an appointment with them to get your eyelashes removed. If you've had your lashes for less than a week, then it's very important that you go back to your technician. It's very difficult to remove a full set of extensions that have only recently been applied. Go to a different salon if you're concerned about the application. While eyelash extensions are generally safe, sometimes people make mistakes, especially if they're a beginner or lack proper training. If you have any concerns about how your extensions were applied, go to a different salon to have them removed. For instance, you might want to see a different technician if you experienced any of the following: Unprofessional, crooked, patchy, or unattractive eye lashes Pain around your eyes Itching or stinging around your eyes Eye redness See a doctor if you're experiencing pain, irritation, redness, or swelling. In some cases, eyelash extensions can cause an allergic reaction or lead to an infection. Similarly, improperly applied lashes may cause pain, irritation, and damage. If you're getting your lashes removed because they're bothering you, it's best to see a doctor so you can get proper treatment. In rare cases, an infection can cause serious complications, so don't hesitate to see your doctor. You'll likely receive a referral to an ophthalmologist, who can make sure your eyes are okay. | Buy a professional grade eyelash extension glue remover. Remove your eye makeup to easily see where the extensions start. Place under-eye pads below your eyes to protect your skin. Apply eyelash glue remover to 2 brush applicators or spoolies. Close the eye you're working on so you don't get the glue remover in it. Swipe the applicator or spoolie from the midpoint of your lashes to the tips. Sweep glue remover on the lower part of your lashes, avoiding the lash line. Let the glue remover sit for 3 minutes so it can break down the glue. Pull the second applicator or spoolie through your lashes to remove the extensions. Use a gentle eye makeup remover to clean away excess glue remover. Remove your eye makeup so you can tell where your natural lashes end. Fill a bowl with steaming hot water. Put a towel over your head, then lean over the steam for 15 minutes. Soak a cotton swab in olive or coconut oil. Swipe the oil over your eyelashes until all of your extensions come off. Use a gentle cleanser to wash away the excess oil. Go back to the salon technician who applied your extensions. Go to a different salon if you're concerned about the application. See a doctor if you're experiencing pain, irritation, redness, or swelling. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Draw-Cartoon-Eyes | How to Draw Cartoon Eyes | To draw cartoon eyes, start by drawing 2 large circles where you want the eyes to be. Then, draw a smaller circle inside of each circle and shade the smaller circles in to make the pupils. Next, color in the iris around each pupil using whatever color you'd prefer, like blue, green, or purple. Finally, go in and add the eyelashes and eyebrows, using them to convey the emotions that your cartoon character is feeling. | Draw a circle on your sketch paper. It will be helpful to draw a perfect circle using a compass, if one is available to you. Set the width of your compass to a small or medium-sized circle. Place the point of your compass on the sketch paper, and gently place the pencil tip of the compass down on the paper. Pivot the pencil tip around the stationary point of the compass to draw your circle. It may be helpful to lightly hold onto both “legs” of the compass, as the angle can sometimes widen with the pressure of pivoting and drawing. This will help maintain the size of your circle. Use a ruler to draw a cross in the middle of the circle. The cross splits the circle into four quadrants, which will help you position the eyes for the cartoon. Draw the lines as close to the middle from top-to-bottom and side-to-side as you can. This will help ensure that your eyes are placed evenly and at an equal distance from each other. Design the shape of the cartoon character's head. Around the baseline of the circle, draw the shape of your character's head. The shape of the character's head will inspire you in the type of eyes you give your character. It will also help you determine whether your character is male or female or maybe even an animal or monster! Drawing the shape of the head will include the chin/jawline, ears, and hairline. Decide where you want the eyes to sit. You can position them anywhere on the cross, but it is important to keep a couple of things in mind. The higher the eyes sit, the smaller they might have to be to account for eyebrow and forehead space. Visa versa, the lower they are set, the larger and more dramatic the eyes can be. You will likely want the eyes to be an equal distance from the vertical line of the cross as well as levelly placed on the horizontal line of the cross. Draw a pair of ovals in your face, equidistant from the vertical line of the cross and evenly placed on the horizontal line. Your ovals can have a few different shapes. Straight up-and-down (Note: In this style, you may want your ovals touching on their inner sides right in the middle of the face.) Slanted to the outside edges Overlapped, with a small semicircle drawn at the bottom of the eye, cutting off the bottom of the oval Shade pupils into the ovals. These again take on your creativity, as you can choose how big they are and where you want them. Here are a few ideas: Shade small pupils into the center of the ovals Draw and shade large pupils that fill the bottoms of the ovals Draw the pupils on the inside of each oval, making the character look cross-eyed Leave a small spot of the pupil unshaded to hint at the glint that often appears on human eyeballs in light Color the iris around the pupil. This will give your character a little more life and realism. Common colors for eyes include blue, green, brown, gray, and hazel. However, you can get creative with your cartoon and use other colors, such as purple, orange, or red. Depending on the size you made your pupils, you can make the iris thicker or thinner. The size of the pupil indicates the emotion of the character, i.e. if the character is scared, then his/her pupils will be larger, showing less iris. Add eyelashes and eyebrows. It is up to you how you draw these characteristics, as it will depend on whether your character is male or female. Shade in the top edge of the oval to be a thick line that tapers at either edge to demonstrate more masculine eyelashes. Draw wispy eyelashes from the top of the oval to demonstrate more feminine eyelashes. You might still want to add in the tapered shading mentioned above to give the appearance of makeup. Only add a few thick eyelashes to make the eyes and face look very rudimentary and simple. Shade in the eyebrows to a style of your liking. You can make them thick and bushy for a male or slender and arched for a female. You can also play around with the emotions of the eyebrows, making them angry, surprised, shocked, worried, et cetera. Decide where to place the eyes on the face. Circular eyes seem to make the most sense being placed evenly apart from each other, as opposed to side-by-side. How high or low the eyes sit on the face could help convey an emotion, so take that into consideration as you begin to draw. You will also need to decide how big you want the eyes to be. How much space of the face they take up determines what other features you can add to it. Draw a pair of circles in your face at an equal distance from the vertical line of the cross. Circles are a great shape for cartoon eyes because humans do not have circular eyes. Use your compass to make these circles. Be sure to adjust the angle of your compass in order to make smaller circles. Make the circles large enough to leave room for pupils inside. Remember that you may need to hold both legs of the compass to avoid your angle widening as you draw the circles. Shade dark pupils somewhere into the circles. Circular eyes are great for conveying a few different emotions, and the placement and size of the pupils lend showing to these emotions. Surprise Fear Shock Worry Delight Color the iris around the pupil with your preferred hue. Keep in mind the emotion that you are trying to convey with your cartoon character's eyes. The thickness of the iris helps your audience better understand how your cartoon character feels. The color that you choose for the iris can also help to convey an emotion. Or, the color can simply demonstrate your unique creativity and the embodiment of what you envision your cartoon to look like. Add eyelashes and eyebrows to the eyes and forehead. It is up to you how you shade in these characteristics, as it will depend on whether your character is male or female. You might want to simply thicken the top line of the eye, with tapers at either end, to indicate eyelashes without drawing wispy lashes. Alternatively, you might want to add a number of eyelashes. Fewer numbers of eyelashes, or even no eyelashes, are common with circular cartoon eyes. Remember to draw your eyebrows in a shape that helps convey your character's emotion, as well as to indicate male or female. High arching eyebrows indicate surprise or fright, while lower, less arched eyebrows might indicate boredom or sadness. Decide where you want the eyes to sit on the character's face. They can be placed anywhere on the face, but you have to add other features, as well. If they sit higher on the face, you might have to make them smaller or make the eyebrows smaller. However, this could lend to an emotion like surprise or fright, where the eyebrows “disappear” high on the forehead. In most cases, you will likely want the eyes to be an even distance apart from each other, as well as level with each other horizontally. Draw two almond-shaped eyes on your face, using the cross as your guide for placement. Almonds are typically wider on one end than they are on the other. For cartoon eyes with this shape, typically the wider end is placed on the inner part of the eye, close to where the nose will be. Sometimes the wide end is exaggerated, making the inner part of the eye very large, while the outer part of the eye tapers down to a small point. This is good for conveying concepts or emotions like innocence, surprise, and youth. Almond-shaped eyes are often used for female cartoon characters to create the ideal of beauty and femininity. Shade pupils into the circles, in a place that makes sense. Almond-shaped eyes convey a slightly different set of emotions from the other two methods above, and they are more human-like. This potentially opens you up to a wider range of emotions for your cartoon face. Innocence Sadness Fear Surprise Excitement Shyness Color the iris around the pupil with whatever hue you like for the character. Remember to make your iris thicker or thinner based on the emotion you want your cartoon face to convey to your audience. If you are going for a flirty, feminine character with this eye shape, then it could be fun to use colors such as purple or pink for the iris. Colored pencils are the most useful tool for this type of coloring, as you can sharpen their tips to keep the coloring crisp and neat. Add eyelashes to the eyes and eyebrows to the forehead. It is up to you how you shade in these characteristics, as it will depend on whether your character is male or female. For female cartoon characters with this eye shape, it is common to place eyelashes only on the outer edges of the top eyelids. This gives off a flirty, feminine vibe. Keep in mind that you want to match the shape of your character's eyebrows to his/her emotion. With more emotions available with this particular eye-shape, you must take care to match the two together. | Draw a circle on your sketch paper. Use a ruler to draw a cross in the middle of the circle. Design the shape of the cartoon character's head. Decide where you want the eyes to sit. Draw a pair of ovals in your face, equidistant from the vertical line of the cross and evenly placed on the horizontal line. Shade pupils into the ovals. Color the iris around the pupil. Add eyelashes and eyebrows. Decide where to place the eyes on the face. Draw a pair of circles in your face at an equal distance from the vertical line of the cross. Shade dark pupils somewhere into the circles. Color the iris around the pupil with your preferred hue. Add eyelashes and eyebrows to the eyes and forehead. Decide where you want the eyes to sit on the character's face. Draw two almond-shaped eyes on your face, using the cross as your guide for placement. Shade pupils into the circles, in a place that makes sense. Color the iris around the pupil with whatever hue you like for the character. Add eyelashes to the eyes and eyebrows to the forehead. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Melt-Honey | How to Melt Honey | Whether you're getting rid of crystals or creating a thinner consistency, you can melt honey by pouring it into a microwave-safe container and microwaving it for 30-40 seconds on medium power. Remove it and stir to distribute the heat. Continue heating it at 20-second intervals if it's not thin enough or you can see more crystals. Store your honey at room temperature in an airtight container until you're ready to use it. | Spoon the honey into a glass jar. Transfer all the honey you want to melt into a tall, room temperature glass jar with a lid. Loosely cover the jar. A glass jar is the ideal container since the glass can withstand hot temperatures while also allowing that heat to be transferred to the honey inside. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/cc\/Melt-Honey-Step-1Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Melt-Honey-Step-1Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/cc\/Melt-Honey-Step-1Bullet1.jpg\/aid4671118-v4-728px-Melt-Honey-Step-1Bullet1.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>"} Make sure that the jar you use is room temperature, though, and not cold. Glass can shatter under extreme changes in temperature. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a4\/Melt-Honey-Step-1Bullet2.jpg\/v4-460px-Melt-Honey-Step-1Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a4\/Melt-Honey-Step-1Bullet2.jpg\/aid4671118-v4-728px-Melt-Honey-Step-1Bullet2.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>"} Using a lid will help prevent water from accidentally getting inside the jar and into the honey. A lid is not strictly necessary, though, especially if the jar is fairly tall. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/2d\/Melt-Honey-Step-1Bullet3.jpg\/v4-460px-Melt-Honey-Step-1Bullet3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/2d\/Melt-Honey-Step-1Bullet3.jpg\/aid4671118-v4-728px-Melt-Honey-Step-1Bullet3.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>"} Boil a saucepan of water. Fill a deep saucepan roughly halfway with water. Place this saucepan on the stove over high heat, keeping it there until it reaches a rolling boil. Before boiling the water, make sure that you have enough water in your saucepan to melt the honey. Place the jar inside the saucepan and check the water level. The level of water should approximately match the level of honey inside the jar. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a3\/Melt-Honey-Step-2Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Melt-Honey-Step-2Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a3\/Melt-Honey-Step-2Bullet1.jpg\/aid4671118-v4-728px-Melt-Honey-Step-2Bullet1.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>"} Remove the pan from the heat. After the water reaches a steady boil, remove it from the stove and set it down on a heat-resistant surface. Alternatively, you can keep the water on the stove and reduce the heat to low. Before placing the jar of honey in the water, though, you need to make sure that all simmering stops. Hot temperatures will not make the honey inedible, but temperatures above 110 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) can destroy some of the beneficial health properties of the honey. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/ec\/Melt-Honey-Step-3Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Melt-Honey-Step-3Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/ec\/Melt-Honey-Step-3Bullet1.jpg\/aid4671118-v4-728px-Melt-Honey-Step-3Bullet1.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>"} Lower the honey into the water. Sit the jar of honey directly on the bottom of the pan so that it is now surrounded on all sides by hot water. If you are using a lid, make sure that the lid is on very loose. You want to prevent water from getting inside while allowing air to escape. If you tighten the lid too much, pressure could build up inside of the jar and cause the glass to crack. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/df\/Melt-Honey-Step-4Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Melt-Honey-Step-4Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/df\/Melt-Honey-Step-4Bullet1.jpg\/aid4671118-v4-728px-Melt-Honey-Step-4Bullet1.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>"} Stir the honey. Periodically remove the lid and stir the honey while the jar is still sitting inside the hot water. This can help the honey melt more evenly and at a quicker pace. Continue doing this until the honey melts. If you are trying to melt crystallized granules out, keep at it until you no longer see any crystals left. If you are trying to melt thick, raw honey, continue melting it in the hot water until it thins to the consistency of store-bought honey. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/c5\/Melt-Honey-Step-5Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Melt-Honey-Step-5Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/c5\/Melt-Honey-Step-5Bullet1.jpg\/aid4671118-v4-728px-Melt-Honey-Step-5Bullet1.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>"} This process can take a long time depending on how much honey you have. Expect to wait anywhere from 20 to 60 minutes. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/ac\/Melt-Honey-Step-5Bullet2.jpg\/v4-460px-Melt-Honey-Step-5Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/ac\/Melt-Honey-Step-5Bullet2.jpg\/aid4671118-v4-728px-Melt-Honey-Step-5Bullet2.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>"} Store at room temperature. When done, remove the jar from the water and dry it off with a clean dish towel. Tighten the lid on securely and store the honey at room temperature until you are ready to use it. The ideal storage temperature is 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 21 degrees Celsius). At colder temperatures, the honey will begin to crystallize. You should also keep the honey away from hot, moist conditions for similar reasons. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d9\/Melt-Honey-Step-6Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Melt-Honey-Step-6Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d9\/Melt-Honey-Step-6Bullet1.jpg\/aid4671118-v4-728px-Melt-Honey-Step-6Bullet1.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>"} Make sure that the lid is airtight. Otherwise, the honey can lose moisture and start to crystallize again. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/2c\/Melt-Honey-Step-6Bullet2.jpg\/v4-460px-Melt-Honey-Step-6Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/2c\/Melt-Honey-Step-6Bullet2.jpg\/aid4671118-v4-728px-Melt-Honey-Step-6Bullet2.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>"} Place the honey in a microwave-safe container. A thick glass container, like a glass canning jar, is usually a safe choice. Spoon the honey you need to melt into the container. It is best to check the container to verify that it is microwave-safe before using it. Typically, this information is labeled on the bottom of the container. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d1\/Melt-Honey-Step-7Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Melt-Honey-Step-7Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d1\/Melt-Honey-Step-7Bullet1.jpg\/aid4671118-v4-728px-Melt-Honey-Step-7Bullet1.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>"} Never use a metal container. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/48\/Melt-Honey-Step-7Bullet2.jpg\/v4-460px-Melt-Honey-Step-7Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/48\/Melt-Honey-Step-7Bullet2.jpg\/aid4671118-v4-728px-Melt-Honey-Step-7Bullet2.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>"} Plastic containers are debatable. Many are marked as being microwave-safe, but there is some evidence that chemicals from plastic can leech into the contents of the container when heated. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/9b\/Melt-Honey-Step-7Bullet3.jpg\/v4-460px-Melt-Honey-Step-7Bullet3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/9b\/Melt-Honey-Step-7Bullet3.jpg\/aid4671118-v4-728px-Melt-Honey-Step-7Bullet3.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>"} Microwave on medium power. Place the container of honey in your microwave. Set the power to 50 percent, then microwave the honey for 30 to 40 seconds. The exact amount of time can vary based on how powerful your microwave is and how much honey you have inside the container. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/c9\/Melt-Honey-Step-8Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Melt-Honey-Step-8Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/c9\/Melt-Honey-Step-8Bullet1.jpg\/aid4671118-v4-728px-Melt-Honey-Step-8Bullet1.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>"} Keep an eye on the honey as it melts inside the microwave. If it appears fully melted before the full amount of time passes, stop the microwave and remove the container. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a9\/Melt-Honey-Step-8Bullet2.jpg\/v4-460px-Melt-Honey-Step-8Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a9\/Melt-Honey-Step-8Bullet2.jpg\/aid4671118-v4-728px-Melt-Honey-Step-8Bullet2.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>"} Stir the honey. Carefully remove the container of honey from the microwave. Stir the honey with a spoon to distribute the heat. If some of the honey has not yet melted, return the container to the microwave and heat for another 20 seconds at medium power. Repeat this process as needed. Heat the honey in 20-second intervals at 50-percent power, stirring after each interval, until the honey melts. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/9e\/Melt-Honey-Step-9Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Melt-Honey-Step-9Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/9e\/Melt-Honey-Step-9Bullet1.jpg\/aid4671118-v4-728px-Melt-Honey-Step-9Bullet1.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>"} If you are trying to decrystallize honey, stop heating it once you can no longer spot any crystals. If you only want to melt honey to a thinner consistency, simply stop heating it once it has become thin enough for your liking. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d7\/Melt-Honey-Step-9Bullet2.jpg\/v4-460px-Melt-Honey-Step-9Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d7\/Melt-Honey-Step-9Bullet2.jpg\/aid4671118-v4-728px-Melt-Honey-Step-9Bullet2.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>"} Store melted honey at room temperature. Pour the melted honey into an airtight storage container. Store that container in a dry, room temperature location until you need to use the honey. The ideal temperature range is between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit (10 and 21 degrees Celsius). Colder and hotter temperatures can speed up the crystallization process. Moist conditions should also be avoided. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/2e\/Melt-Honey-Step-10Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Melt-Honey-Step-10Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/2e\/Melt-Honey-Step-10Bullet1.jpg\/aid4671118-v4-728px-Melt-Honey-Step-10Bullet1.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>"} The container must be an airtight one if you want to prevent moisture loss and crystallization. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/3b\/Melt-Honey-Step-10Bullet2.jpg\/v4-460px-Melt-Honey-Step-10Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/3b\/Melt-Honey-Step-10Bullet2.jpg\/aid4671118-v4-728px-Melt-Honey-Step-10Bullet2.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>"} Mix a little water into the honey. Spoon some honey into a small jar or dish. Add fresh water to the honey, 1 Tbsp (15 ml) at a time, mixing after each addition. Continue until the honey reaches your desired consistency. No heat is required for this method. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f0\/Melt-Honey-Step-11Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Melt-Honey-Step-11Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f0\/Melt-Honey-Step-11Bullet1.jpg\/aid4671118-v4-728px-Melt-Honey-Step-11Bullet1.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>"} Since you aren't actually melting the honey in this process, you cannot use this method to decrystallize hardened honey. In addition to thinning out the honey, water will also dilute the taste. The exact amount of water you need will depend on how thin you want the honey to be and how strong you want the flavor to remain. Typically, though, you will not want to exceed a ratio of equal parts honey to water. Store in the refrigerator. While undiluted honey is best stored at room temperature, a honey syrup like this is best stored in the refrigerator. This thinned out honey will only last for about three weeks, though. After three weeks pass, the honey will start to lose its flavor and may show signs of crystallizing. Store this thin honey syrup in an airtight container to prevent moisture loss. Finished. | Spoon the honey into a glass jar. Boil a saucepan of water. Remove the pan from the heat. Lower the honey into the water. Stir the honey. Store at room temperature. Place the honey in a microwave-safe container. Microwave on medium power. Stir the honey. Store melted honey at room temperature. Mix a little water into the honey. Store in the refrigerator. Finished. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Paint-a-Fiberglass-Canoe | How to Paint a Fiberglass Canoe | If your fiberglass canoe's paint job is starting to fade, you can make it shine again in a few days. All you'll need is a sander, marine paint, and paint thinner. If your canoe has any deep gouges, you'll need to repair these with a gelcoat repair kit. You'll also need to remove the old paint job using an electric sander or sandpaper. Once that's done, it's smooth sailing from there. You'll just need to apply a couple coats of marine paint mixed with paint thinner. Let the first coat dry for 24 hours and lightly sand the canoe again before you apply the second coat. Once the second coat is on, your canoe should be good to go in 48 hours! | Check the forecast and pick 3 days of clear, dry weather to paint your canoe. You'll be working outdoors for this job and you'll have to let the canoe dry overnight a couple of times. Make sure you start working on a clear, dry day when there are at least 2 more rain-free days coming up. You can move the canoe inside a garage or other covered storage space overnight if you want, but you'll still have to let the canoe dry for several hours after each coat of paint before you can pick it up to move it. Put the canoe upside down on a pair of sawhorses outside. Pick an outside area with plenty of room to work, such as a clear yard or driveway. Set up 2 sawhorses and flip the canoe upside down on top of them to expose the entire hull for painting. You need to work somewhere outside since you will be using water to clean the canoe as well as making a mess when you sand it. It's also best to work outside for the ventilation because you'll be working with chemicals as well. Spray the entire canoe down using a power washer. Set up your power washer near the canoe and connect it to a hose. Turn it on and spray down the entire canoe with plain water to remove any dirt and grime. If you don't have a power washer, you can rent one at many home improvement centers or hardware stores. Make sure to wear eye protection and closed-toe shoes while operating a power washer. If you are using a gas-powered pressure washer, wear earplugs as well since they are louder than electric power washers. Let the canoe air dry completely before proceeding. Wait for all the water from power washing to evaporate. Run your hands over the hull of the canoe when it looks dry to make sure. You can wipe down the hull with a towel and then let it air dry for a shorter time if you want to speed up the process. Repair any deep gouges with a gelcoat repair kit. Examine the hull for any deep cracks or gouges. Mix together a 2-part gelcoat repair kit according to the manufacturer's instructions and press the gelcoat into the cracks using the mixing stick. Let the gelcoat cure for 8 hours before proceeding with sanding. If there are any minor scratches, you don't need to worry about repairing them. They will disappear as you sand and paint the canoe. Scrape off any stickers using a utility knife. Use the edge of a utility knife to pry up the edges of any stickers or decals to loosen them. Peel them off in sections as you go until you get them completely off. If there is any sticker residue left after you remove the stickers themselves, you can rub it off with acetone. Put on protective eyewear and a dust mask. Always wear a dust mask and eye protection when you are sanding fiberglass. The particles can be very harmful to your lungs or eyes. Work gloves are optional if you want to protect your hands against any slips. Use an orbital electric sander and 120-grit sandpaper to rough up the old paint. Fit an orbital sander with a 120-grit sanding disk. Turn on the sander and pass it along the entire hull of the canoe, working lengthways, until you have roughed up the entire old coat of paint. You don't have to worry about removing all the old paint. The goal is to just give the hull and even, rough coat that the new paint will stick to. Wipe down the canoe with a tack cloth to remove all the dust. Use a clean tack cloth to wipe all the dust from sanding off the hull of the canoe. Make sure it is totally clean before you proceed to paint it. A tack cloth is a special kind of cloth used for wiping up dust from surfaces before painting. The sticky, or tacky, surface picks up loose particles of dust much better than any other kind of cloth. Tape off all non-fiberglass parts on the canoe with masking tape. Cover up any metal or wood pieces along the hull, such as gunwales and end caps, with masking tape. This will protect them while you paint so you don't have to worry about getting any paint on them by accident. Gunwales are the rims along the top side of the hull and end caps are coverings at the front or back of the canoe where the gunwales meet. Mix up to 1 part paint thinner with 9 parts marine paint. This will thin the paint to help it coat the fiberglass better. Use a paint mixing stick to stir the paint thinner and marine paint thoroughly together in a can or paint tray so the mixture is no more than 10% thinner and at least 90% paint. It's OK to use less thinner, but any more than 10% will make the paint too liquidy. Marine paint is a type of oil-based paint made specifically for boats. It creates a durable surface that endures prolonged contact with water and is easy to clean. You can buy it at a marine supply shop, paint store, home improvement center, or online. Apply the first coat of marine paint using a combination of a brush and roller. Use a paint roller to roll on marine paint to the large areas of the hull, working in areas approximately 2 ft (0.61 m) in diameter. Apply paint near the gunwales, end caps, and any other areas where it's difficult to roll paint onto using a paintbrush. If there are any bubbles in the paint that you apply with the roller, you can smooth them out with your paintbrush. It's easiest to use a small paint roller, such as a 4 in (10 cm) roller. You can use a paintbrush of the same size or slightly smaller for the hard-to-roll spots. You could also use a sprayer as an alternative method to apply the paint. Just keep in mind this method can be much messier. Let the first coat of paint dry for 24 hours. The paint needs to dry a full 24 hours before you can recoat it. It will be dry to the touch in 1-2 hours and dry enough to handle in 4-6 hours. If you plan to move the canoe into a garage or other storage space to leave it overnight, wait 4-6 hours before picking it up and moving it. Sand the canoe lightly using 120-grit sandpaper. Give the whole first coat of paint 1 pass using your orbital sander and a 120-grit sanding disk. This will rough it up again so the second coat of paint sticks to it well. Remember to wear a dust mask any time you are sanding the canoe so you don't inhale paint or fiberglass particles. Wipe away the dust from sanding using a tack cloth. Use a clean tack cloth to wipe down the whole canoe again before you apply a second coat. Any dust particles will interfere with the paint sticking to the hull. If you don't have a tack cloth, you can wipe down the canoe using a clean cloth dampened with acetone to remove the dust. Apply a second coat of paint using the same method as the first. Work in areas of about 2 ft (0.61 m) in diameter and apply paint using your paint roller. Use your paintbrush to paint around the gunwales, end caps, and any other hard-to-roll areas. You can repeat the process for a third coat if you aren't happy with how it looks yet, but 2 coats is generally enough. Wait at least 48 hours before putting your canoe in the water. The paint will be dry after 24 hours, but wait 48 hours before using the canoe to be extra sure that the paint is fully cured. It's OK to move the boat inside for storage and drying after 4-6 hours when the paint is dry enough to handle. Double-check the manufacturer's instructions for the marine paint you used for any specific info about drying time. | Check the forecast and pick 3 days of clear, dry weather to paint your canoe. Put the canoe upside down on a pair of sawhorses outside. Spray the entire canoe down using a power washer. Let the canoe air dry completely before proceeding. Repair any deep gouges with a gelcoat repair kit. Scrape off any stickers using a utility knife. Put on protective eyewear and a dust mask. Use an orbital electric sander and 120-grit sandpaper to rough up the old paint. Wipe down the canoe with a tack cloth to remove all the dust. Tape off all non-fiberglass parts on the canoe with masking tape. Mix up to 1 part paint thinner with 9 parts marine paint. Apply the first coat of marine paint using a combination of a brush and roller. Let the first coat of paint dry for 24 hours. Sand the canoe lightly using 120-grit sandpaper. Wipe away the dust from sanding using a tack cloth. Apply a second coat of paint using the same method as the first. Wait at least 48 hours before putting your canoe in the water. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Treat-Carpet-Burns | How to Treat Carpet Burns | If you have a carpet burn, help it heal faster by treating the area immediately. Cleanse the wound right away and apply an antibacterial cream to prevent infection. Run cool water over the carpet burn every hour or 2 to help soothe discomfort. Apply aloe to help speed healing and relieve pain, or try spreading honey over the carpet burn to relieve itching. | Wash your hands before treating the carpet burn. The burn has damaged the skin, which is the body's first line of defense. Carpet burns and abrasions can become infected if bacteria gets inside them. If the wound does get infected, then Clean the burned area. Wash it gently with a clean washcloth using warm water and antibacterial soap. Be sure to remove any visible dirt or debris. This helps to prevent any infection. Disinfect the wound. You need to disinfect the wound to guard against infection. Use iodine, hydrogen peroxide, or an antiseptic if there are signs of dirt in the abrasion, or if any bleeding areas are deep. Soak a cotton ball in iodine, peroxide, or antiseptic and carefully dab it on the burn. All of these products may cause some pain when you apply them. Alcohol can inflict pain and cause harm, so avoid using it. Apply an antibacterial cream to the injured area. Smear some Neosporin or another ointment on the carpet burn. Check the burn for any deeper damage, like cuts or lacerations. These might need medical attention if they are serious. Cover the burn with gauze or an adhesive bandage. Cover the area loosely with a bandage. Remove the bandage and check the burn in 24 hours. If the surface of the skin has started to scab or form a crust, the burn will heal best if left uncovered and exposed to the air. Put a fresh bandage back on for another 24 hours if the skin is still red and raw and crusting has not started yet. Run cold water over it. If the burn is hot and painful, try running some cool water over the injured area. Try running cool water over the carpet burn for five to 10 minutes every hour or two. Do not apply ice or butter to a burn. Don't wear clothing over the burn. Fabrics can irritate the burn. If you have to wear clothes over the burn, cover it with gauze or a bandage first. Keep the area dry. Try to keep the burn free from moisture. Moisture encourages bacteria to breed. Dry the skin with a cotton ball if it becomes wet. If the rug burn is oozing, don't wipe it away and further irritate the burn. Instead, remove the gauze or bandage and allow the wound to air dry. If the burn is oozing pus or blood, see a doctor immediately. Cover the carpet burn in aloe. Apply some aloe onto the burn to help speed up the healing process. Aloe comes in many forms: spray, gel, liquid, lotion, and cream. You can also get aloe directly from the plant, which is the strongest form. Just cut off a small portion and squeeze the inside gel onto the burn. Try honey. Spread some honey over the carpet burn. This can provide relief from itching and help speed up healing. Make a paste from marigold flowers and parsley leaves. Crush some marigold flowers and parsley leaves and mix them together to make a paste. Spread the paste over the wound to help heal the burn. Make a turmeric paste. Turmeric has been proven to stimulate skin regeneration and clean wounds. Mixing 1/4 of a teaspoon (1 ml) of turmeric powder with one teaspoon (5 ml) of cocoa butter. Apply the paste to the area three times a day. Use essential oils. Different essential oils can help the healing process. Lavender is known to help healing with its regenerative and antiseptic properties. It can also help relieve the pain. Thyme also has regenerative and antiseptic properties. Apply two to three drops of essential oil to gauze and press it to the burn. Change the gauze two to three times a day. You can also clean the wound with five or six drops of essential oil diluted in a cup of water. Avoid lotions, oils, and powders. Some products can cause further harm to the carpet burn. You should avoid lotions, powders, oils, sunscreen, and alcohol on the carpet burn. Increase your vitamins. Increasing your vitamins can help boost your healing. Up your intake of vitamin C to boost your immune system and protect you from bacteria. Eat more citrus fruit, strawberries, broccoli, and tomatoes. Take a daily vitamin C supplement if your diet is lacking. Eat more foods high in vitamin E. These foods include milk, eggs, whole grains, spinach, and asparagus. Vitamin E is high in antioxidants, which helps the body heal. Watch the burn for signs of infection. If you develop any signs of infection, or the wound doesn't heal, see your doctor. Signs include increased redness and tenderness, pus seeping from the wound, a red rash developing that spreads up from the wound, tenderness in the armpits or groin, or fever. | Wash your hands before treating the carpet burn. Clean the burned area. Disinfect the wound. Apply an antibacterial cream to the injured area. Cover the burn with gauze or an adhesive bandage. Run cold water over it. Don't wear clothing over the burn. Keep the area dry. Cover the carpet burn in aloe. Try honey. Make a paste from marigold flowers and parsley leaves. Make a turmeric paste. Use essential oils. Avoid lotions, oils, and powders. Increase your vitamins. Watch the burn for signs of infection. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-Bond-Value | How to Calculate Bond Value | To calculate the value of a bond, add the present value of the interest payments plus the present value of the principal you receive at maturity. To calculate the present value of your interest payments, you calculate the value of a series of equal payments each over time. To get the present value of the principal due at maturity, input the same variables into a present value formula. | Consider how a bond works, and why bonds are issued. A bond is a debt instrument. Entities issue bonds to raise money for a specific purpose. Governments issue bonds to raise capital for public projects, like a road or a bridge. Corporations issue bonds to raise money to expand their businesses. All of the features of a bond are stated in the bond indenture. Bonds are usually issued in multiples of a $1,000. Assume, for example, that IBM issues a $1,000,000 6% bond due in 10 years. The bond pays interest semi-annually. $1,000,000 is the face amount or principal amount of the bond. That is the amount that must be repaid by the issuer at maturity. IBM (the issuer) must repay the $1,000,000 to the investors at the end of 10 years. The bond matures in 10 years. The bond pays interest of ($1,000,000 multiplied by 6%), or $60,000 per year. Since the bond pays interest semiannually, the issuer must make two payments of $30,000 each. Review how an investor can profit from owning a bond. Using the same example, keep in mind that dozens of investors may buy a portion of the $1,000,000 bond issue. Each investor will be paid interest twice per year. An investor will also receive their original investment (principal or face amount) when the bond reaches the maturity date. Many retired people buy bonds because of the predictable stream of income from the interest payments. All bonds are rated, based on their ability to pay interest and repay principal on a timely basis. A bond with a higher rating is considered a safer investment due to the collateral securing the bond and/or the financial strength of the issuer. All things being equal, lower rated bonds generally pay a higher rate of interest since they have greater risk of default. Assume that IBM and Acme Corporation both issue a bond due in 10 years. IBM has a high credit rating and offers a 6% interest rate. If Acme has a lower rating, the company will have to offer a rate higher than 6% to attract investors. Go over present value. To compute the value of a bond at any point in time, you add the present value of the interest payments plus the present value of the principal you receive at maturity. Present value adjusts the value of a future payment into today's dollars. Say, for example, that you expect to receive $100 in 5 years. To find out what the $100 payment is worth today, you would compute the present value of $100. The dollar amount is discounted by a rate of return over the period. This rate of return is often called the discount rate. An investor can select the discount rate using several different approaches. The discount rate may be your estimate of the rate of inflation over the remaining life of the bond. Your discount rate may also be a minimum expected rate of return. The minimum expectation is based on the bond's credit rating, and the interest rate paid by bonds of similar quality. Assume that you decide on a 4% discount rate for the $100 payment due in 5 years. The discount rate is used to discount (reduce) the value of your future payments into today's dollars. In this case, you're calculating the present value of a single sum of money. You can find present value tables on the Internet, or simply use an online present value calculator. If you use a table, you will locate the present value factor for a 4% discount rate for 5 years. That factor is.822. The present value of $100 is ($100 X.822 = $82.20). The present value of your bond is (present value of all interest payments) + (present value of principal repayment at maturity). Use the concept of an annuity to calculate the value of your interest payments. An annuity is a specific dollar amount paid to an investor for a stated period of time. The interest payments on your bond are considered a type of annuity. To calculate the present value of your interest payments, you calculate the value of a series of equal payments each year over time. If your 10-year, $1,000 pays 10% interest each year, for example, you would earn a fixed amount of $100 per year for 10 years. The formula for present value requires you to separate your annual interest payments into the smaller amounts you receive during the year. If, for example, your $1,000 bond pays interest twice a year, you would use two payments of $50 each in your present value calculation. The sooner you are able to receive any payment, the more valuable it is to you. This concept is sometimes called the "time value of money", Receiving $1 today is inherently more valuable than receiving $1 tomorrow because over the time you hold the $1 you can invest it (or simply spend it) and to gain a return. Following that logic, if you receive $50 in June and $50 in December those payments are more valuable than receiving the entire $100 in December. This is because you have the opportunity to use the initial $50 without having to wait until the end of the year. Apply the present value of an annuity (PVA) formula to your interest payments. The formula is P V A = I [ 1 − ( 1 + k ) − n ] / k {\displaystyle PVA=I[1-(1+k)^{-}n]/k}. The variables in the formula require you to use the interest payment amount, the discount rate (or required rate of return) and the number of years remaining until maturity. Assume that a bond has a face value of $1,000 and a coupon rate of 6%. The annual interest is $60. Divide the annual interest amount by the number of times interest is paid per year. This calculation is I, the periodic interest paid. For example, if the bond pays interest semiannually, I = $30 per period. Each period is 6 months. Determine discount rate. Divide the discount rate required by the number of periods per year to arrive at the required rate of return per period, k. For example, if you require a 5% annual rate of return for a bond paying interest semiannually, k = (5% / 2) = 2.5%. Calculate the number of periods interest is paid over the life of the bond, or variable n. Multiply the number of years until maturity by the number of times per year interest is paid. For example, assume that the bond matures in 10 years and pays interest semi-annually. In this case, n = (10 X 2) = 20 interest-paying periods. Plug in I, k and n into the present value annuity formula P V A = I [ 1 − ( 1 + k ) − n ] / k {\displaystyle PVA=I[1-(1+k)^{-}n]/k} to arrive at the present value of interest payments. In this example, the present value of interest payments is $30[1-(1+0.025)^-20]/0.025 = $467.67. Input the variables and calculate the present value of the principal payments. The present value of the interest payments was an annuity, or a string of payments. The principal is a single repayment to the investor at maturity. If, for example, you own a $100,000 bond due in 10 years (the bond has a likely face value of $1,000, $100,000 represents the entire issue), you will receive a single payment of $100,000 10 years from now. You use a discount rate to discount (reduce) that single payment into a value today. The formula uses some of the same values you used in the annuity formula. Use the annuity formula first then apply those same variables to the principal payment formula. Plug in k and n into the present value (PV) formula. Use the formula P V = F V / ( 1 + k ) n {\displaystyle PV=FV/(1+k)^{n}} to arrive at the present value of the principal at maturity. For this example, PV = $1000/(1+0.025)^10 = $781.20. Add the present value of interest to the present value of principal to arrive at the present bond value. For our example, the bond value = ($467.67 + $781.20), or $1,248.87. Investors use the present value to decide whether or not they want to invest in a particular bond. | Consider how a bond works, and why bonds are issued. Review how an investor can profit from owning a bond. Go over present value. Use the concept of an annuity to calculate the value of your interest payments. Apply the present value of an annuity (PVA) formula to your interest payments. Input the variables and calculate the present value of the principal payments. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-an-IRS-Transcript | How to Get an IRS Transcript | To get an IRS transcript, start by creating an account at IRS.gov. Then, click on "Get my Tax Record," followed by "Get Transcript Online." From there, you can enter your personal information and download a PDF of your IRS transcript. Alternatively, you can click on "Get Transcript by Mail" to have your transcript sent to you within 5-10 days. | Create an account at IRS.gov. If you already have an account, log in. If you don't, go to the IRS website, and click "Get my Tax Record." Then click "Get Transcript Online." To make a new account you will need to provide: Your full name Email Date of birth Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) Tax filing status (single, married, etc.) Mailing address used on the last tax return Mobile phone number that accepts texts Verify your new account using the code texted to you. As soon as you create a new account, a page will appear asking for a verification code. This code should be texted to you almost immediately. Type this code into the box. If you do not have a mobile phone that accepts texts, you cannot request an online transcript. Provide a number from 1 financial account to prove your identity. The form will ask you for the account number from a credit card, mortgage, home equity loan, or car loan. You only need to provide an account number from one of these. Choose why you need the transcript. There are many different types of tax transcripts. To help you find the one that you need, the online portal will ask you why you are requesting a transcript. Choose an option from the drop down box, such as "Student Aid," "Mortgage Application," or "Income Verification." Choose the tax year that you want the transcript for. The portal will tell you which years are available. Click on the year that you want. Most transcripts will only allow you to see the current tax year and the previous 3 years. In some cases, you may be able get transcripts for up to 10 years before the current tax year. Download the PDF file. Once you have filled out all of the information, you will receive a PDF. Download it and save it to your computer so that you have it. Print out the transcript to keep a physical copy. Visit the IRS website. Go to https://www.irs.gov/ , and click "Get my Tax Record." Select "Get Transcript by Mail." This is a simple online form. You do not need to create an account to get your transcript by mail. Fill the form out with your personal information. The form asks for your Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Tax ID Number (ITIN). You must also provide your date of birth, mailing address, and zip code. The mailing address must be the one that the IRS has on file for you. In most cases, this will be the address on your last tax return. If your address has changed since your last return, fill out and submit Form 8822-Change of Address before proceeding. Choose which type of transcript you would like. You will see a dropdown box with 2 options for transcripts. Choose which option you need. In most cases, you should select a tax return transcript. This can be used to verify your income, apply for student aid, or get a mortgage. A tax return transcript shows your adjusted gross income as well as most forms and schedules from your tax return. A tax account transcript tells you basic information about your return, such as return type, filing status, taxable income and payment types. Wait 5 to 10 days for the transcript to arrive. A paper transcript will arrive in an envelope. Keep in mind that this will not be a copy of your tax return. If you would like a copy, file Form 4506 instead. Call 1-800-908-9946. This number will connect you to an automatic system to request your transcript. Follow the prompts as they are spoken to you. Make sure that your address is up to date with the IRS before you begin. If you have moved since filing your last tax return, you will need to submit Form 8822 before you can proceed. Follow the prompts to provide your SSN and street address. These details will verify your identify. First, you may need to dial in your SSN. Then you may be asked for the numbers in your street address. For example, if your street address is 123 Main Street, dial in “123.” Choose option 2 on the menu. You will hear a menu with options. Press option 2 to get tax return transcripts. Enter the tax year that you want. When prompted by the operator, dial the year using the keypad. For example, if you want a transcript from 2016, dial in “2016.” Wait 5 to 10 days for the transcript to arrive by mail. The transcript will be sent to the address that the IRS has on file for you. Fill out and print form 4506-T. You can fill out the form using a PDF reader. Type in the employer identification number (EIN), the address, and the name on the original return. Check which type of transcript you would like. Print the form out when you are done. You can find the form at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506t.pdf. Ask an approved representative to sign the form. If you are requesting the transcripts of a business, estate, or corporation, you will need the form signed by either a representative of the board, an officer with legal control of the company, or a shareholder with more than 1% ownership. The signatory must check the box that states “Signatory attests that he/she has read the attestation clause and upon so reading declares that he/she has the authority to sign the Form 4506-T.” Have them sign at the bottom of the first page where it states “Sign Here.” Under the signature, write the title of the person within the company. Mail the form to the correct address on page 2. Where you send the form depends on which transcript you are requesting and where you live. The second page of the form has a list of addresses. Find the address which applies to you, and file the form there. It will take up to 30 days to receive your transcript. | Create an account at IRS.gov. Verify your new account using the code texted to you. Provide a number from 1 financial account to prove your identity. Choose why you need the transcript. Choose the tax year that you want the transcript for. Download the PDF file. Visit the IRS website. Fill the form out with your personal information. Choose which type of transcript you would like. Wait 5 to 10 days for the transcript to arrive. Call 1-800-908-9946. Follow the prompts to provide your SSN and street address. Choose option 2 on the menu. Enter the tax year that you want. Wait 5 to 10 days for the transcript to arrive by mail. Fill out and print form 4506-T. Ask an approved representative to sign the form. Mail the form to the correct address on page 2. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Caller-Number-10-to-a-Radio-Station | How to Be Caller Number 10 to a Radio Station | If you want to be Caller Number 10 to a radio station, start by saving the number for the radio show in your phone so that you can access it easily and you don't dial the wrong number. Next, wait until the DJ asks for people to call in for a giveaway, then dial the saved phone number right away. If you get a busy signal or you aren't the 10th caller, hang up and try again because you still have a chance on the next call. | Listen to the radio. You'll need a pretty good idea of when your favorite radio stations are holding these contests. Sometimes a station will randomly welcome callers to enter these types of contests. Choose a few stations and write down the times for when they begin the contest. Save their number in your phone. Be careful to save the number that the DJ lists for callers to call in on. If you get the wrong number, you could easily mistake it for a busy signal. Set the number to speed dial. If your phone doesn't have speed dial, then store the number into your favorites. This will increase the speed at which you'll be able to dial the number. Wait until they ask for callers. Calling into the station at any old time could get you nowhere. Listen for the DJ to actually say we are now accepting callers for a chance to win yada yada. If you're caller number 4, 7, or 9 in the giveaway you shouldn't give up. Even if you're caller 9 and they're looking for the 10th caller, don't give up. DJs often get distracted and don't always answer the phone calls in the order they started ringing. Redial if you get the busy signal. Lots of people will also be calling into the station. Chances are that you'll call-in at the same moment as someone else. Hang up as quickly as you can and redial. Remember that the phones inside the studios don't ring out loud and they just have a little flashing light. Don't give up when no one answers in 20 rings. They may be getting to you. Don't call too late or too early. The radio station usually starts accepting calls after the contest has been solicited and the new song or commercials have started. You should wait until they say they are going to play the music or news so that you have a chance for your phone to ring. Learn the "delay" of your phone. If you use a cell phone, it usually takes about 5 seconds or so for the call to start. Keep this information in mind and call ahead. Decipher which radio stations answer. If you find that one station never picks up your calls, but a different one will, on occasion, spend more time with the latter station. Some radio programs are extremely popular, like morning shows. Research to see if there are any call-in contests on the weekdays or after the morning traffic. Get an extra phone. This might sound a bit far-fetched and expensive, but it doesn't have to be. Purchase a pay as you go phone and only use it to call DJs. Program your phone to have the radio station on speed dial. As you dial the initial call on your phone, make another call on your spare phone. Ask a friend to help. Lots of radio station prizes are for two tickets. If you have a friend or partner that you were planning to take to an event, then ask if they'd be interested in helping you. Two people have an increased chance of winning. Research the program. Check the station's website and register to be a VIP, registered user, etc. Don't forget to opt in. You aren't restricted to winning on the air. More radio stations are also doing web based giveaways of the same prizes given away on the air. Set an alarm. It's a good idea to set some type of a reminder for yourself. This will also help you be less of a victim to waiting around for the radio show. Engage after the program. Most DJs have Myspace.com pages, facebook.com pages or pages and emails accessible from the station's website. Send a polite email or message telling them how much you love the station, that they're your favorite DJ. Most all DJs have egos so play up to it. You may not increase your chances of winning but it certainly doesn't hurt. Don't call every time you hear a contest. Most stations have limits to how many times you can win in a 30 day period. Don't call to win the sausage sampler if you know AC/DC tickets are going on sale soon! Call the radio station to chat. Just call in to chat up the DJ. Ask when they will be giving away the prize you want to win. Some DJs may not mind sharing the info. Just be nice. Brush up your music knowledge. Lots of times these stations will ask music related questions. Look for websites that will quiz you on your music trivia. | Listen to the radio. Save their number in your phone. Set the number to speed dial. Wait until they ask for callers. Redial if you get the busy signal. Don't call too late or too early. Learn the "delay" of your phone. Decipher which radio stations answer. Get an extra phone. Ask a friend to help. Research the program. Set an alarm. Engage after the program. Don't call every time you hear a contest. Call the radio station to chat. Brush up your music knowledge. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Wear-a-Tie | How to Wear a Tie | To wear a tie, knot it so the tip sits just above your belt buckle. If your tie is too long, use a Windsor knot as it requires more fabric, and if it's too short, go for a four-in-hand knot. Choose a knot that works well with your shirt's collar, such as a four-in-hand if you're collar is button-down or narrow and a Windsor if it's wide. Also make sure that the tie you pick works well with your suit, like by combining a skinny tie with a slim-fit suit. If you want to wear a tie in a less traditional way, try draping one around your neck to add color to your outfit,. | Choose a shirt and tie in the same color family. Look for colors that are similar, or coordinate well. For example, a navy colored tie can look great with a light blue shirt. Likewise, you can go with a pink tie against a dark red shirt. Keep in mind that black ties are usually reserved for solemn or very formal occasions (like funerals). Choose colors to coordinate with your skin tone. Pick a tie that goes with your skin if you want your physical appearance to be highlighted. Wear purple, blue, or red ties if you have pale skin. Greens and browns can look great if you have darker skin. Pick a meaningful color if you want to send a message. Psychologically, colors convey different attitudes, so draw on this fact when choosing a tie to wear. For instance, many people find that: Red conveys authority. Yellow signifies positivity and energy. Silver suggests celebration. Navy blue is good for business dealings. Make a bold statement with a pop of color. If you want to stand out, choose a brilliant colored tie, such as purple, teal, or lime green. A bolder colored tie will make a statement that won't be obnoxious as long as you pair it with a plain shirt (and a traditional suit, if you're wearing one). For example, try a: Lime green tie with a black shirt. Teal tie against a plain white shirt. Orange tie against a light blue shirt. Find the dominant color of a patterned tie. For a tie that has multiple colors, look at it and decide which of its colors is most prominent in the pattern. Then choose a shirt accordingly. For instance, a tie with paisleys against a dark blue background (its dominant color) can go well with a light blue shirt. Go with a traditional patterns for variety. For example, get a couple of ties with diagonal stripes in contrasting colors. If you don't want to wear a solid-colored tie, a striped one is a great alternative. Other traditional patterns include: Checked Plaid Floral Dotted Wear a non-traditional pattern if you want to attract some attention. Just as you can wear a bold color to make a statement, choose a tie with an unexpected pattern to turn heads. You should still make sure that the dominant color of the tie coordinates with your shirt, however. A tie with a single vertical stripe is a great alternative to the traditional diagonally striped tie. Paisley patterns have been around for a long time, but go in and out of fashion. Wearing one will get some attention while still not seeming outlandish. Coordinate patterned ties and patterned shirts for a bold look. It is possible to wear a patterned tie with a print shirt. Just follow a simple rule of thumb: choose a tie that has a pattern that's either noticeably smaller or noticeably larger than the print of the shirt. For instance: Wear a tie with thick diagonal stripes against a shirt with thin vertical stripes. Choose a tie with tiny dots to pair with a shirt that has large dots or another print pattern. Pick a knot style that suits your shirt’s collar width. Collar width should determine the knot you choose, if at all possible. Tie a four-in-hand knot if your shirt has a narrow or button-down collar. A half Windsor is best for medium or spread-out collars. Go with a full windsor knot for very wide collars. Knot the tie so its tip sits just above your belt buckle. No matter the color or pattern, a tie won't look right if it hangs too low or too high. Ties come in different lengths, however, and people are of different heights. This means you may have to change your knot to get the right look: If your tie seems to hang too low, try using a windsor knot instead of a half-windsor or four-in-hand. It takes more fabric, which will raise the tie's end up. If your tie hangs too high, use a four-in-hand knot, which takes less fabric. If your tie is still too long or to short even after trying a different knot, choose a different tie that is shorter or longer than the first one. Choose a knot based on your tie width and suit style. Large knots, like the windsor and half-windsor, will look best on wide ties. A four-in-hand will look great with a skinny tie. The same goes for suit styles: choose a wide tie for a full-cut suit, and a thin tie for a slim-fit one. Wear a tie in non-traditional ways, if you want to express yourself. Ties are often thought of as part of traditional male formal and semi-formal wear, but the truth is you can use a tie as an accent no matter who you are or what you're wearing. There are tons of creative ways to wear ties, so just use your imagination or look around for inspiration! For example: Simply drape a solid-colored tie around your neck to add a pop of color to your outfit. Knot a tie loosely and tuck its ends into a cardigan. Wear a bow tie as a necklace. Wear a tie to most formal and semi-formal occasions. Unless an occasion is strictly casual or specifically requires other clothing, it's hard to be out of place wearing a tie. Go for one in many professional, formal, and personal occasions, including: Weddings Fine dining Job interviews First dates Meeting new people you want to impress (such as future in-laws) Business occasions Networking events Choose a tie width to coordinate with your body type and the occasion. If you have a broad and/or taller body type, pick a wider tie. Alternatively, if you are thin or not tall, go with a thinner tie. Beyond that, skinny ties are best for casual occasions, while wider ties will seem more formal. Select a fabric finish to match the occasion. Choose a fabric that has a shiny finish for formal or evening occasions. If you're wearing a tie for business or professional reasons, go with silk. A wide variety of matte finish ties are also available, and they're great for informal occasions. Rock a bow tie, when appropriate. Generally, you can wear bow ties (including clip-on or pre-tied ones) at occasions when a regular tie is also expected. Bow ties have been around for a long time, and are still a way to make a classy statement, if chosen carefully. Bow ties are perfectly acceptable at weddings and other formal events. Most of the time, bow ties can be worn at semi-formal occasions, such as working in an office, going to brunch, or attending religious services. You may not want to wear bow ties to solemn occasions such as funerals, since they may be seen as too outlandish. If wear a bow tie, go for either a bold tie with a plain shirt, or vice versa. Black bow ties may be required at very formal occasions, however. | Choose a shirt and tie in the same color family. Choose colors to coordinate with your skin tone. Pick a meaningful color if you want to send a message. Make a bold statement with a pop of color. Find the dominant color of a patterned tie. Go with a traditional patterns for variety. Wear a non-traditional pattern if you want to attract some attention. Coordinate patterned ties and patterned shirts for a bold look. Pick a knot style that suits your shirt’s collar width. Knot the tie so its tip sits just above your belt buckle. Choose a knot based on your tie width and suit style. Wear a tie in non-traditional ways, if you want to express yourself. Wear a tie to most formal and semi-formal occasions. Choose a tie width to coordinate with your body type and the occasion. Select a fabric finish to match the occasion. Rock a bow tie, when appropriate. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Ask-Your-Girlfriend-to-Stop-Talking-to-a-Guy | How to Ask Your Girlfriend to Stop Talking to a Guy | If your girlfriend has been talking to a guy who you don't like or trust, respectfully and calmly ask her to stop talking to him. Explain your feelings with “I” statements to put the focus on how you feel. Then, explain why you feel the way you do. For example, you might say something like “I feel uncomfortable when you've very affectionate with your ex because it makes me feel like you still have feelings for each other.” Then, tell her what you hope the outcome will be, like “I would feel more comfortable if you weren't so physically affectionate.” Make sure to give your girlfriend a chance to respond to your concerns and be willing to compromise to find a solution that works for both of you. | Explain your feelings with "I"-statements. As this is a delicate situation, phrasing things using "I"-statements can help reduce tension as you place the focus on your feelings. Begin with "I feel..." and state your feeling. Then, explain the behavior that led to that feeling and why you feel the way you do. Don't come into the situation and say something like, "It's hurtful that you're so flirtatious with your ex and it makes me insecure." This can sound hostile. Instead, calmly rephrase the above sentiment using an "I"-statement. For example, say, "I feel uncomfortable when you're very touchy and affectionate with your ex because it makes me feel like the two of you still have feelings for each other." Be matter of fact. After explaining your feelings, be direct and matter of fact about what you want. Remember, there is no guarantee she will be receptive. It's probably better to ask her to lessen contact or tone down interactions than demand she not talk to him at all. Say something like, "I would feel more comfortable if the two of you didn't talk as much, or if you toned down some of the physical affection, especially in my presence." Give her a chance to talk. Asking your girlfriend to change her relationship with someone is a very sensitive topic. It's important your girlfriend has a chance to share how she feels as it is still her decision. After making your case, let her respond without interrupting her. Give non-verbal cues to show you're listening, such as maintaining eye contact and nodding on occasion. It can also help to paraphrase what she's said to make sure you understand. For example, say, "So, you feel like the relationship is still important because the two of you were friends before you dated. Is that what you're saying?" Remain calm. Yelling, making accusations, calling names, and being otherwise hostile is not going to help the situation. It can be hard to stay calm during a confrontation, but take some deep breaths. Remember, you're trying to improve your relationship and not start a fight. Stay in the present. You're talking about a situation that is occurring right now. You are not discussing the past or other issues, so do not bring these things up. This is likely to make your girlfriend feel judged and get defensive. Be willing to compromise. It's very unlikely your girlfriend will flat out agree to stop speaking to someone as in this you are asking them to break bonds with someone else and this can be a large thing to ask. Therefore, you need to be willing to compromise. Find a solution where you both get what you want to some degree. For example, you could agree to let your girlfriend stay friends with her ex. She could agree to set firmer boundaries and be less physically affectionate with him. This could be a win-win situation for both of you! Make sure you're being fair. If you're worried about your girlfriend talking to a guy because he gives you bad vibes, it's appropriate to tell her so. However, if you're simply being jealous, it's not always a good idea to request your girlfriend stay away from a guy. This can easily backfire. If you're feeling jealous, look at the situation from a rational perspective. Is your girlfriend really going to be receptive to you asking her to not talk to a guy simply because you're insecure? Probably not. Think about if your jealousy is even related to the guy, or if it's part of a bigger issue. For example, maybe your jealousy is actually a reaction to your girlfriend being busier than usual. If jealousy is the main culprit, it's better to have a conversation about why you're feeling jealous and how the two of you can cope as a couple. Put yourself in your girlfriend's shoes. In any difficult conversation, empathy is key to successfully talking things out. Before you talk to your girlfriend, sit down and put yourself in her shoes. Try to imagine where she's coming from. For example, maybe she talks to an ex-boyfriend and the two often seem flirtatious with each other. While this behavior may feel hurtful to you, perhaps your girlfriend sees it differently. Think about how your girlfriend may see this situation. Is she generally affectionate with other friends, regardless of gender? If so, this may simply be how she acts with everyone. She may not see the relationship as a problem. Write down your thoughts. Take a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. Jot down your thoughts and feelings on the situation. Then, read over the words you wrote down and think about how you could verbally express them. As it's often hard to express yourself during a stressful conversation, having some idea of what to say can help. You should not write down what you want to say word for word. It's important to leave some room for flexibility. However, having a rough idea of how you'll phrase things can help. Release any expectations you have. If you go into a conversation with specific expectations, you may become frustrated or angry if things unfold differently. You cannot tell the future and you don't know how your girlfriend will react. Releasing expectations can help you go into the situation willing to listen and accept your girlfriend's reactions. Take responsibility for your feelings. Unjustified jealousy is your problem and not your girlfriend's. If your girlfriend is not cheating on you or violating your boundaries, you're the one who needs to work on your jealousy. Own up to the fact you're being jealous and do not place the blame on external factors. Remember your good qualities. Jealousy often stems from low self esteem. When you're feeling jealous, remember the good things about yourself. Jot down a list of your best qualities to bring yourself up. It can also help to remind yourself why your girlfriend wants to be with you. Does she say she loves your sense of humor or your kind personality? Keep this in mind, as it can curb feelings of jealousy. Assess your jealousy. Jealous people are often chronically insecure. They also may have issues from their past contributing to jealousy. Did you struggle to make attachments to caregivers early in life? Have you been cheated on before, or did one of your parents cheat on the other? If there are major issues contributing to your jealousy, see a therapist to sort them out. Manage your emotions in a healthier fashion. Making demands of your girlfriend is not the best means to deal with your jealousy. When you feel jealous, find healthier ways to regulate your emotions. When your thoughts start to get out of control, ground yourself in the present with mindfulness. Tune into your senses and notice the pattern of your breathing. Try other stress reduction techniques as well. Journal, exercise, or watch a movie to get your mind off your thoughts. Develop interests outside your relationship. If your relationship is the only thing you have going for you, you're more likely to obsess over it. Build up relationships with friends and family members. Take up a hobby or join a club. This way, you'll have more to focus on than your girlfriend's relationship with other men. | Explain your feelings with "I"-statements. Be matter of fact. Give her a chance to talk. Remain calm. Stay in the present. Be willing to compromise. Make sure you're being fair. Put yourself in your girlfriend's shoes. Write down your thoughts. Release any expectations you have. Take responsibility for your feelings. Remember your good qualities. Assess your jealousy. Manage your emotions in a healthier fashion. Develop interests outside your relationship. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Sing-Better-if-You-Think-You-Are-Bad | How to Sing Better if You Think You Are Bad | Even if you think you're a bad singer, try to sing with confidence. Remember, you are your harshest critic! When you're singing, stand up straight and tilt your chin down. Breathe through your diaphragm, the muscle below your rib cage, instead of your chest. You'll know you're breathing through your diaphragm if your stomach expands when you breathe. Also, keep your jaw open wide when you sing vowels to instantly sound better! | Maintain correct posture. To sing properly, make sure you have good posture. You should be standing or sitting up with a straight back. Your body should not be tilted to one side or the other. Make sure your head isn't tipped back or forwards. To get an idea of the proper alignment, try singing while laying flat on your back. Or, stand against a wall so that your shoulders and the back of your head are in contact with the wall. Learn to breathe from your diaphragm. Correct breathing is one of the most important things when singing. When you breathe, make sure you are taking air from your diaphragm instead of your chest. This means when you breathe in, your abdomen will expand instead of your chest. When you sing, you will push down on the diaphragm when you ascend a scale and release when you come back down the scale. Supporting your voice with the diaphragm is one of the keys to singing. To practice, place a hand on your stomach and inhale through your nose. Your abdomen should expand and jut out when you breathe in. Your chest should not move out or up. As you exhale, push down and contract the abdominal muscles. It should feel like doing a sit up. Repeat until this is natural when you are singing. An alternative way to practice is to lay on the floor and put a book on your abdomen. Ensure the book rises when you inhale and lowers when you exhale. Open your vowels. One quick way to improve your singing is to open your vowels. This is called open throat technique. To achieve this, start by saying "ah" or "uh." Elongate your mouth without widening it. You want to separate your tongue from your soft palette and keep them separated while you sing. Your tongue should be against your bottom jaw. This gives you better quality. Try saying A-E-I-O-U (pronounced ah, eh, ee, oh, oo). Your jaw should not close on any of those. If you can't keep your jaw down, use your fingers to encourage your jaw to move down. Keep repeating the vowels until you can say them with your mouth open. Sing the vowels. Keep the jaw open while you sing them like you did while saying them. Then sing a phrase and open the jaw when you sing each vowel. This will probably take some practice to achieve, but it will help improve the quality of your singing. By doing this you can start to grow your voice. Keep your chin parallel to the floor. When you are singing higher notes and trying to get power, avoid lifting or dropping your chin. Your head has a tendency to move up as you sing higher notes, which can cause problems with your vocal chords. Singing while focusing on keeping the chin parallel with the floor helps give your voice more power and control. Extend your vocal range. First, you must find your vocal range. After you have done that, you can begin to increase your vocal range. To do this, you must have proper technique. You must have non-airy vowels and proper resonance in your voice before you try to extend your vocal range. To extend your vocal range, do it a half-step or full step at a time. Practice with short scales and get comfortable singing that new note properly before trying to push your voice any higher or lower. Taking lessons from a vocal coach is the safest, most effective way of increasing your range. Transition between the different voice areas. Your voice is made up of 3 areas. Moving between these areas changes the resonance of your voice. Learning how to control this change can help improve your singing. The male voice has 2 areas: middle voice and falsetto. Falsetto notes are high, while notes from the middle voice are lower. The female voice has 3 different areas: the chest register, the head register, and the middle register. Each of these areas refers to the range of notes sung from that section of the body. Head voice is the higher area. When you sing high notes, they will resonate in your head. Place your hand on the top of your head as you sing high notes to feel the vibrations. Chest voice is the lower area of your singing voice. When you sing lower notes, they will resonate in your chest. Middle voice - or mixed voice - is the middle area between your chest voice and head voice. This area is where your voice will shift from the chest to the head to properly sing the notes. As you transition from high notes to low notes, you need go from head to chest voice. You should feel the notes moving up towards your head or down to your chest as you sing. Don't keep the notes in the same place as you ascend or descend. This will limit the quality of your voice. Drink water. Water helps keep the vocal cords moist and fluid so they can easily open and close. You can also drink any other unsweetened, decaffeinated, non-alcoholic beverage for the same effect. Aim to have at least 2 cups (470 mL) of water a day. Lukewarm drinks are the best for your throat. Drink something warm such as warm water or warm tea with honey. Try to avoid cold things, like ice creams or cold fizzy drinks, because they can cause your muscles to tense. Practice exercises daily. If you want to sing better, you have to train your voice. This takes commitment. Doing vocal exercises a few times a week or month is not going to make a significant difference. Exercise your voice every single day. You want to train it and develop the muscles so you can enhance your voice. Remember, before doing any vocal exercises, make sure you warm up. You can use tools, like the Vanido app, to help you practice. Make sure you're in an empty room to keep you focused Practice humming. Say, "Hmm?" Or say, "hmm" like you aren't sure you believe someone. Both of those noises should change in pitch. When practicing scales while humming, you want to feel a buzzing around your nose, eyes, and head, or down into your chest. Hum Do-Mi-Sol on an ascending scale, then back down to Mi-Do. While you are humming, work on the accuracy of your pitch. Do trills. A lip trill is when you blow air through your lips, causing them to flap and vibrate. It sounds like a br, like you are cold. If your lips are tense when you exhale air through them, they will not vibrate. Try to relax your lips, and if that doesn't work, push the corners of your mouth towards your nose while you do the exercise. Try doing tongue trills. This helps you relax your swallowing muscles so you keep them relaxed while you're singing. Keep the larynx steady. When you are trying to hit high notes, you want to keep your larynx, or voice box, steady instead of lifting it. This gives you better vocal control and helps avoid strain. To practice keeping the larynx steady, say "mum" over and over. Do this until you feel relaxed saying the word. Lightly hold your thumbs under your chin. Swallow. You should feel your swallowing/throat muscles engaging. When you sing, you want these muscles to be relaxed. Sing scales while making the "mmm" sound with your mouth closed. Your throat muscles should remain relaxed. You may end up making a funny face as you try to keep the sound in the top part of your face. That's okay. Exaggerate the facial movement and the sound if you have to. The important thing is to train your swallowing muscles to stay relaxed while going through the scales. Build your confidence while alone. One way to help you break through your nerves is to practice at home. When you practice, you need to take it even farther than usual. For example, sing louder and bolder, try different moves, or act crazy. Gain confidence in yourself before trying to gain confidence in front of others. Find a space where you feel comfortable practicing. You should be able to sing loudly and make funny faces or noises without feeling self-conscious. As you practice in the mirror or on video, learn how to show your emotion and passion on stage. It may feel uncomfortable at first to be that honest and vulnerable on stage, but some of the best professional singers have the confidence to sing honestly and emotionally. Step out of your comfort level. One of the ways you can build your confidence is to continuously step out of your comfort level. This can be many things. You may try singing in front of an audience. It may mean learning how to extend your range, or even singing in another genre. Developing your voice, trying new things, and learning everything you can will help build your confidence. Sing in front of friends and family. After practicing and learning new singing skills, you need to start singing in front of people. Start by singing in front of trusted friends and family members. Start with one person, then build slowly. This can help you get used to singing in front of people. Ask them to critique you when you sing. This can help you get better if you are making mistakes. Perform in your community. Another way to build your confidence is to sing in your community. This may not be as difficult or nerve-wracking as a concert or more formal event. Look for opportunities at nursing homes or children's hospitals. Try auditioning for local theater or sign up for acting classes. This might help you gain the confidence to be on stage in front of people without having to sing. Then you apply that to singing. Go to karaoke. Though karaoke with your friends is not a formal concert setting, singing in this environment can help you gain confidence. Though it's not helping your vocal technique, you can start to lose the anxiety you feel singing in front of a crowd. Sing a familiar song. The first time or two you sing on stage, sing a familiar song. This helps your confidence from the start. Choose a song in your range that flatters your voice. Don't try to do anything fancy with it; instead, sing it like the original. The key at this point is just to get you comfortable on stage singing in front of people. As you build your confidence, you can make the song your own, adapt your own style, and change it. Position your body to hide the nerves. If you are shaking, move around to help disguise the nerves. You can move your hips or walk around a little to help you appear confident and focus your nervous energy in another way. Try looking at a point above the audience if you are really nervous. Don't look at them. Find a spot on the back wall to focus all your attention to as you ignore the audience. | Maintain correct posture. Learn to breathe from your diaphragm. Open your vowels. Keep your chin parallel to the floor. Extend your vocal range. Transition between the different voice areas. Drink water. Practice exercises daily. Practice humming. Do trills. Keep the larynx steady. Build your confidence while alone. Step out of your comfort level. Sing in front of friends and family. Perform in your community. Go to karaoke. Sing a familiar song. Position your body to hide the nerves. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-New-Life | How to Start a New Life | To start a new life, start by clearly defining what specific and concrete goals you want to achieve. For example, if you want to start a career as a police officer, set this as your big, overall goal. Then, break this goal down into smaller objectives, like talking with a police recruiter or getting in shape so that you can pass the fitness test. Next, break these objectives down even further into smaller, more manageable tasks, such as locating the recruiting office and exercising 3 times a week. Finally, give yourself a timeline and track your progress for each completed task. | Determine your motivation. You need to think carefully to determine why you feel the need to start a new life. There are many valid reasons why you might do so, but there are also reasons that aren't so helpful. For example, if you're a new empty-nester facing life without kids in your house for the first time in decades, you might appropriately think it's time to start a new stage of your life: You aren't a primary caretaker for your children anymore and can reframe your life to focus more on you. On the other hand, using a life change to escape unpleasant feelings isn't a good idea, since this avoidance doesn't address the real issues you may be having. Emotions tend to follow you wherever you go. You have to deal with them before you can start a truly fresh life. Consider whether you have recently experienced any major life events. Major life events, such as getting married,a death in the family, a loss of a relationship or job, graduating high school or college, or a change in your financial or health status, moving to a new place, or becoming pregnant, can have a profound effect on your emotions. Some of these may make you happier, while others can trigger stress, depression and/or anxiety. If you have just experienced a major life event, keep in mind that your judgment may not be functioning at its best, and consider waiting to make any major decisions intended to turn your life around. If you have just experienced a major loss, allow yourself time to grieve it. Mourning is a necessary process of examining and processing your feelings of grief and adjusting to life after your loss. You don't have to feel rushed into changes or pressured to “get over it” right away. Examine your past. To make sure that starting your new life is as effective as you hope, think about your past patterns. You want to make sure that you're making this change from the right motivations, not as a way to run from your past. Running away from problems doesn't ultimately fix them. For example, do you have a habit of trying to “move past” or escape adversity as soon as it comes up? Research suggests that the necessary process of growth comes from working through both positive and negative emotions and situations. How do you react when the going gets tough? Do you stick to your goals, or do you run away? Examine your values. Your personal values are your roadmap for living. They're the very core of what you believe: about yourself, about others, about life in general. It's important to examine what your values are before making a major decision such as starting a new life. Once you know what is most important to you, you can ensure that you make the right decisions to prioritize those values. Accepting who you are is the first step to making big changes. Ask yourself some questions. For example, consider two people whom you admire. What do you most respect about them? Why? How could this play into your own life? Another good question to ask is what issues make you feel most invested or inspired when you hear them talked about. For example, do you feel passionate about hearing about new inventions and wish you could be a part of that innovation process? Does it make you feel fired up hearing about community service projects? Examining this could help you figure out what you value most, such as innovation, ambition, social justice, or service. Remember that there are no “inferior” or “superior” personal values. One person might value adaptability, while someone else might value stability more highly. Neither is “wrong.” It's all about embracing who you are and living a life that is in line with that. You can find lists of core values online, if you need some help coming up with words to define them. Studies suggest that in general, people tend to place a very high value on their social relationships and their feeling of value and respect at their work. If one of these areas is lacking, you might consider focusing your “new life” efforts on that area. Decide how big a change you want to make. For some people, starting a “new life” might mean starting everything over: relocating, building new social networks, getting a new job, etc. For others, it might mean smaller but substantive changes, such as ditching old habits or perspectives and focusing on developing new, value-congruent ways of living. Whatever your desire, make sure you are clear about how the big the changes are that you want to make. Figuring out what about your life needs to change can be very helpful here. For example, what is making you unhappy or dissatisfied? Do you need to change every single thing about your life, or would it be more effective to focus in on one or two areas? Making change is hard, so you might find better success if you start small and work your way up. Try the Best Possible Self exercise. This exercise can help you figure out what goals to set and what changes you will need to make. Research suggests that doing it can make you feel happier and more motivated. Take a moment to imagine yourself at some point in the future. In this future, you have been granted the magical power to achieve all of your hopes and dreams. You are exactly who and what you want to be. Imagine this in as much detail as possible. Who do you surround yourself with? Where do you live? What do you do? What does it feel like? Incorporate as much detail as you can to create a clear image. For example, you could imagine that you are a successful independent musician with your own band who travels around the country giving shows at small venues. Now, think about the strengths and skills you need to get you there. What do you already have? What areas need further development? Be honest with yourself here. For example, if you want to be a musician, you might already have musical skills, or at least a love of music. You would also need some business savvy, which you might need to work on improving. Keep your imagining attainable and positive. Obviously, you can't become a superhero like Superman -- that isn't possible or realistic. However, you could imagine what you could do that would be like that. For example, is it Superman's commitment to justice that you admire? You could imagine yourself fulfilling that mission in some way, such as becoming a police officer or attorney. Is it his kickass physique? You could imagine yourself becoming fit, or even becoming a personal trainer to help others with fitness goals. Set goals. As Lao Tzu once said, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step". Your journey must begin with what steps you will take along your road to your new life. Setting clear personal goals will help guide you as you embark on starting your new life. Consider where you see yourself in 6 months, a year, 3 years, 5 years, 10 years, and 20+ years. Set your goals. Make sure they're SMART goals , that is, they're specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Start by defining your big goal, and then break it up into smaller objectives. Break those down even further into tasks. For example, if you've decided you want to start a new career as a police officer to honor your values of service and justice, that's your overall goal. To accomplish it, you will need to achieve several objectives, or actions you take. Examples of objectives could be working on your physical fitness so you can pass the physical test, talking with a police recruiter, and applying to a police academy. Break those down even further in specific tasks, such as exercising 3x a week, looking online for your recruiter's information, and finding out the steps to apply to academies. Make sure that you are as concrete and specific as possible when setting your goals. This article can help you. Determine what changes you need to make. For large-scale do-overs, this list could be very long. If your idea of starting a new life is more limited, such as finding a new career or developing a new worldview, your list of changes might not be as long. In general, you'll probably need to consider changes in several aspects of your life: physical, emotional, geographical, social, financial, and career. Make a plan to achieve physical changes. For some people, changing their health condition or fitness level can feel like getting a fresh start on life. Perhaps you've been overweight for some time and want to feel healthier. Perhaps you've always been pretty sedentary but have decided you'd like to learn to run marathons. Fortunately, physical changes are some of the easiest to make. You can develop healthy habits and talk with your doctor about what plans are right for you. Weight loss is the number one New Year's Resolution, and also one of those that tends to be broken almost immediately. If your weight is something you'd like to change about yourself, or if it is causing you significant health issues, talk with a doctor about how to lose weight effectively and safely. Your doctor will probably recommend a combination of exercise and healthy eating habits. If your weight problems are very serious, your doctor may recommend a weight-loss surgery or medication. You should always consult with your doctor before starting a weight-loss plan. Eating better is pretty easy once you know where to start. Rather than thinking of modifying your eating habits as “going on a diet,” think of them as starting a new life-long commitment to healthy eating. Incorporate plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains, and skip processed and junk foods. Staying fit is the fifth most-popular New Year's Resolution. Unfortunately, about 80% of American adults don't get enough aerobic and muscle-building exercise. Aim for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic exercise, and do muscle-strengthening exercises at least 2 times per week. Dress to express yourself. How you dress affects how you feel about yourself and how others view you. Studies have shown that when you dress in a way that aligns with your goals, you're more likely to achieve them. So go ahead, wear that little black dress you've always wanted, or express your favorite fandom with some rad t-shirts. Make some emotional changes. Changes to yourself and how you handle your emotions can take time, but they're wonderfully rewarding. Changing your emotional outlook can give you a new perspective on the world and really make you feel like you've started a new life. Self-growth is a continual process that you'll spend the rest of your life working on, but here are some ideas to get you started: Keep a gratitude journal. Gratitude is more than an attitude: It's a way of approaching life, determined to acknowledge even the smallest moments of goodness and beauty. Research has shown that practicing gratitude makes you feel happier and more satisfied with life, it helps you learn flexibility and adaptability to change, increases your physical health and sleep quality, and can help you overcome trauma. Take 5 minutes every day to record something you're grateful for that day. Explore why you're grateful for it and what it brings to your life. Forgive. Forgiveness releases you from the burden of past injury and pain. You forgive others not for them, but for yourself. Studies show that forgiveness makes you feel less angry and anxious. Grieve losses. Allow yourself to feel grief and loss rather than trying to hurry yourself to “get past it.” Properly mourning takes time and patience with yourself. Acknowledging your sorrow is key to working through it and eventually incorporating it into the new life you build after the loss. Acknowledge your own needs. People are all too often taught to deny themselves proper self-care. Acknowledge that you have needs and that it is not selfish to meet them. You don't have to say “yes” to every invitation or request. Taking some time out for yourself is not wrong. Caring for yourself will not only help you feel better, it will help you interact more positively with others. Determine what geographical changes you want to make. Sometimes, moving to a new place is enough to feel like you're starting a new life. You probably have a new job, you have to build a new circle of friends, and you have to get used to the new community you've entered. You will need to learn to be self-reliant, to build new connections, and become more flexible and adaptable -- all excellent skills for your new life. Pushing past your comfort zone has been proven to improve your performance and increase your likelihood of finding success. This is because you are more likely to work harder and pay more attention when you are in a new, slightly uncomfortable situation. Do some research to determine where you will feel happiest in your new life. Things to consider include the crime rate, the unemployment rate, the average cost of living and property cost, and whether there are experiences available that match your culture and interests. Bloomberg and Livability both offer annual rankings of “best places to live.” These can be a good place to start. You can also consider quality of living rankings. If you can, talk to people who live in places you're considering. Plan a visit to see whether you would enjoy living there. The more information you can gather, the better prepared you will be to embark on your new life. Examine your relationships. It's hard to start a new life if you have toxic people dragging you down. In some cases, you must cut people out of your life for your own safety. In other cases, they're simply not good for you to spend time with, and you'll be happier if you remove them from your life. Interpersonal functioning and relationships are crucial to improving how you feel about yourself and your life. Research shows that we are highly influenced by the people we interact with, so in starting your new life, choose the people to include who matter most to you and will give you the love and respect you deserve. Here are a few signs that a person isn't good for you: You feel exhausted by spending time with them, or you dread interacting with them. They are hyper-critical or judgmental of you. You feel like you can't do anything right when you're around them. They say mean or vicious things about you, to your face or behind your back. You feel obsessive about this person, as though you can't live without them, even if they don't pay attention to you. You constantly feel stressed out when you're around them. You don't feel safe sharing your hopes, thoughts, needs, or feelings with them. Recovering addicts often must learn to avoid the places where they used to spend time, as well as many of their old friends, in order to avoid addiction triggers that could cause a relapse. If you are a recovering alcoholic, spending time with your old drinking buddies in your favorite bar would probably put far too much pressure on you and could cause you to take up drinking again. Forming a supportive social network that doesn't involve your past habits is critical to maintaining your successful recovery. It may also be helpful for you to make social changes if you are recovering from domestic or relationship abuse. Many victims of domestic abuse have been isolated by their abusive partners until they have very few connections that are not carefully monitored or controlled by the abuser. Learning to find sources of social support and caring is very helpful in starting a new life after surviving abuse. You could consider finding support at support groups for domestic abuse survivors, in your faith community, or through mental health provider referrals. Cleanse your social life. Getting rid of those toxic relationships is often very hard. After all, you probably wouldn't have started a relationship with that person if you didn't like something about him or her. However, eliminating unhealthy social relationships will help you move forward to a happier, healthier life. Here are some ways to move past unhealthy relationships: Speak with the person first. In some cases, the person may not realize that his/her behavior is causing you pain or stress. Share your feelings openly and honestly, and see if the person is willing to work with you to meet your needs. If not, you don't need that person in your life. Evaluate whether you need to cut a person off. Sometimes, people we love and who love us say things we don't want to hear. This doesn't mean that they're “negative people” whom we should cut off. Before cutting a relationship out of your life, decide whether they bring things to your life that you want and need, even if sometimes the relationship is hard. Conversely, just because a person always makes you feel good doesn't mean she/he's the best relationship for you; for example, enablers may make it easier for you to stay addicted to substances, but that isn't actually what's best for you. Foster your relationships with people who bring you joy. Make a list of the people who make you feel like you can be a better you, who bring you happiness and positivity. Make sure to foster your relationships with these people so that you don't feel like you have to keep negative relationships around just so you won't be alone. Stop talking to the person. If you have decided that a relationship with a person is just unhealthy for you, tell that person that you have to end the relationship for your own well-being. You need to not talk with him/her, stalk social media, or present yourself with constant reminders of the relationship. Start a new financial life. Whether you've just graduated from college or have been working for 30 years, it's never too early or too late to start your financial life afresh. Perhaps you want to start saving for a major life goal, such as buying a house or retiring. Or perhaps you want to revamp your spending habits so that you don't waste as much money. Take a look at your goals and decide how you need to manage your money to get you there. You may find consulting with a financial planner helpful, especially if your goals are significant or complex, like starting a small business. Examine your finances. Determine your net worth to give you a snapshot of what you owe and what your assets are. This will help you make good money decisions. People who have just gotten married will also benefit from taking a good look at their finances. You will likely want to form a budget, add each other as beneficiaries on any retirement and insurance plans, and consider a new insurance policy. If you have more debts than you can possibly manage to pay, you may consider filing for bankruptcy. Depending on the amount of debt and your income, most of your debts will be wiped out and you can start a new financial life. However, this is a very serious decision that has long-lasting effects on your credit and overall well-being, so you should not make this decision lightly. Speak with a bankruptcy attorney to determine whether this is a suitable option for you. Plan some changes to your career. Starting a new career is a great way to reinvent yourself. Plenty of people work at jobs they don't love or don't feel inspired by, and getting out of that rut is an excellent way to start a new life. Figure out what your core values are (see elsewhere in this article for that) and decide what career path will allow you to express those values. Take your current skills and aptitudes into account. What do you know? What are you good at? What unconventional skills do you have? For example, perhaps you're a real “people person” who feels inspired by interacting with others, and you don't get to do that in your current job. This could be something that you're good at and also something that's a core personal value for you. Don't feel limited by what you currently know or what your current life situation is. No matter where you start, you can become what you want to be. For example, if you decide that because you're a people person you want to become a therapist or teacher, you will likely need further education, but you can accomplish that. You're never stuck where you are. Reframe failure. When you think about failures as learning experiences, they stop being able to hold you back from accomplishing what you want for your new life. Instead of focusing on the mistakes you made and allowing them to drag you into the past, think about what you can take from them for success in the future. Give yourself SMART career goals. This means they are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. Decide where you want to be 6 months from now, a year from now, and 5 years from now. Determine how you will know when you have found success. Talk with others. When you want to start a new life, it can be helpful to talk to people who are living the type of life that you want. This is helpful because it can give you an idea of how to get there. For example, if you want to drop your 9-to-5 corporate drone job and become a life coach in Fiji, it would help if you could find out what other life coaches did to get themselves there so you have a roadmap. Asking people about their paths also allows you to build support networks that can be very helpful in setting out on your new life. It's also a very good idea to ask people hard questions about your new life. It can be easy to idealize a new career or new community. Understanding the nitty-gritty details of what you're about to embark on will help you stay on the course even when you encounter roadblocks. For example, you might daydream about ditching your boring job in Kansas and moving to Hawaii, where life is paradise. Unless you talked to people who live there, you might discover things you didn't know, such as the fact that it's incredibly expensive, healthcare is often hard to find, and if you aren't island-born with Native Hawaiian or Asian ancestry, you'll always be haole, or a “foreigner.” That wouldn't mean you wouldn't love your decision to move, but this knowledge would help you adjust to the realities of your new life better. Get support. Starting a new life can be a daunting prospect. Surround yourself with people who love and respect you and can help you on your journey. Knowing that you have sources of emotional support will help you feel strong and capable as you face your new life. If you don't have family or friends who can support you, consider looking in other places. Support groups and faith communities are common places where people find others to support them. Check in with yourself. Making the big life changes necessary to start a new life takes work, dedication, and patience. It can be stressful and intimidating. Make sure that you check in with yourself frequently. How are you feeling? What behaviors are you enacting? Are you worried about anything? Keeping a reflective journal can help you understand your emotions and determine whether there are areas in which you need more support or development. It's not uncommon for huge changes to trigger feelings of depression. If you frequently feel sad, empty, worthless, or hopeless, have experienced a loss of pleasure in things you used to enjoy, have seen changes in your weight or sleep habits, frequently feel anxious or guilty, or are considering harming yourself, seek help. Call your doctor or a mental health professional. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or plans, call emergency services or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK. Make changes along the way. Learning to adapt to roadblocks and challenges will be necessary as you live your new life. Starting a new career doesn't mean you'll never feel unappreciated or uninspired again. Moving to a new city doesn't mean you'll never miss home. When you encounter challenges, recognize them as such and do what you need to adapt. You may encounter roadblocks on your journey to your new life. For example, perhaps you wanted to join the Green Berets to fulfill your core values of service and honor, but found out you're too old to enlist. You could view this as a failure and the destruction of your dreams, or you could go back to the drawing board and determine whether there are other things you can do that will also allow you to express those core values. Consider counseling. Even if you don't think anything is “wrong,” it could be helpful to see a counselor or therapist when you're considering starting a new life. You'll be making some major life changes, and stress pretty much always accompanies decisions like this. A therapist will give you a safe “sounding board” to explore your hopes and fears as you make these changes. Your counselor/therapist can also help you learn helpful ways of thinking and reacting to challenges. Many people believe that people with only “everyday” issues wouldn't benefit from therapy, or that it's only for people with “serious” problems. The truth is, going to a therapist can be a lot like seeing your dentist for a cleaning: You're dealing with little build-ups of minor problems before they become disastrous. Some people believe that seeing a therapist is a sign of weakness or that you're “broken,” but this couldn't be further from the truth. Seeing a therapist is a sign that you care about yourself enough to get help when it's useful, and that's a good thing. | Determine your motivation. Consider whether you have recently experienced any major life events. Examine your past. Examine your values. Decide how big a change you want to make. Try the Best Possible Self exercise. Set goals. Determine what changes you need to make. Make a plan to achieve physical changes. Make some emotional changes. Determine what geographical changes you want to make. Examine your relationships. Cleanse your social life. Start a new financial life. Plan some changes to your career. Talk with others. Get support. Check in with yourself. Make changes along the way. Consider counseling. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Dry-Skin-on-Feet | How to Get Rid of Dry Skin on Feet | To heal dry skin on your feet naturally, remove dead skin with a pumice stone after bathing, and moisturize with olive oil or coconut oil before bed. Remember to bathe regularly and wear comfortable shoes that support your feet. If natural remedies don't work for you, an over-the-counter heel balm may help. For treating illnesses like athlete's foot or eczema, see your doctor for a medicated foot cream. | Try a sugar scrub. Sugar is a natural product that helps to remove dry skin and soften any hard or cracked skin. You can make a basic sugar scrub by combining brown or white sugar with a small amount of olive oil and an oil extract. You can also add essential oils to the mixture if you want so your feet end up soft and smelling good. To make a sugar scrub, combine ⅔ cup granulated white sugar, ⅓ cup packed brown sugar, and ½ cup olive oil in a mason jar. You can also add one tablespoon vanilla extract to give the scrub a vanilla scent. You can make a soothing peppermint foot scrub by combining 1 cup of Epsom salt, ¼ cup olive oil or almond oil, and 10-15 drops of peppermint essential oil in a mason jar. Do a weekly foot soak. Soaking your feet will help to hydrate and soften any dead skin. You should try to follow a foot soak with a good scrub with a pumice stone to help remove dry skin and leave your skin feeling soft and refreshed. Avoid soaking your feet in Epsom salt, as it can end up drying out your feet more. Instead, add ½ cup of apple cider vinegar to a warm bath and soak your feet in the solution for 10 to 15 minutes. Use a pumice stone after a shower or bath. A pumice stone is made of volcanic rock and is useful for removing dead skin on your body, including your feet. Run a warm bath and add a small amount of Epsom salt to the water. Let your feet soak for several minutes and then rub them with a pumice stone. The water epsom salt bath will help to loosen up the dead skin, making it easier to remove. Follow this foot scrubbing routine every night or several times a week. Using a pumice stone on a consistent basis will also allow any foot moisturizers you are using to penetrate your skin and soften hard or cracked skin on your feet. Apply coconut oil or olive oil to your feet. Use an all natural moisturizer to sooth and soften your feet. Avoid creams that contain alcohol, as alcohol can dry and irritate your skin. You can also use Vaseline, or cocoa butter to moisturize your feet. Apply a generous layer of coconut oil or olive oil to your feet at night before bed and then wear socks to seal in the moisture and to keep your feet from drying out in the night. Use heel balm. Heel balm can come in a container or in stick form and will help to moisturize your dry and cracked heels. Put it on in the morning to increase the elasticity of the skin on your heels before you start to walk around and move for the day and then put it on again at night to hydrate your feet while you sleep. You may find heel balm to be slippery on your heels, especially when you move around during the day in shoes without socks. If so, start with a small amount of heel balm on the rims of your heels and on any cracked areas. If you don't want to get heel balm on your hands, you can use a heel balm stick for easy application. Buy a battery powered foot file. These foot files act like power sanders for your feet and are great for removing dry, dead skin. You simply hold the foot file in your hand and run it over your feet, preferably in the bathtub so the dry skin does not end up all over your bathroom. Wash away the powdery foot dust with water once you are done using the foot file. Try to get into the habit of using the foot file twice a week. Most battery powered foot files are $30-$40USD. They are a good option if you are looking for a quick and fast way to remove dry skin on your feet. Ask your doctor about medicated foot cream and ointment. Though home remedies can help remove dry skin and prevent foot irritation, your doctor may be able to recommend over the counter foot creams or medicated ointments to speed up the healing of your dry skin. There are many over the counter foot creams that can help relieve dry skin on your feet. Your doctor may also prescribe a stronger cream or ointment, depending on the severity of your dry skin. Talk to your doctor if you suspect you have Athlete’s foot or eczema. If you display the symptoms of Athlete's foot , such as an irritated or burning sensation on your feet, peeling and cracked skin, and bleeding and pain, you should speak to your doctor about treatment. Your doctor will prescribe a topical, antifungal foot cream, or an antifungal drug, to help treat your Athlete's Foot. You should also check if you have symptoms of eczema on your feet, such as scaly skin, painful breaking of the skin, and possibly weeping or bleeding from the skin. Your doctor should help you determine the cause of your eczema, such as an irritant that you use when working or a substance in your shoes or socks, and prescribe a steroid cream or ointment. Wash your feet every day. Hygiene plays a key role in maintaining skin integrity. Soap, although important in hygiene, can cause irritation and may not help in removing any of the dead skin caused by dryness. Instead, rinse your feet thoroughly with warm water every time you bathe in order to promote moisture. Warm water (40 to 34°C) promotes circulation and both comforts and refreshes your feet. Always wash the bottoms of your feet well and between your toes. You should use a washcloth to get between your toes or use a long handled sponge on your feet if you prefer not to have to bend down in the shower. Dry your feet well after a shower or bath. Make sure you dry well between your toes with a towel as this will prevent the develop of infection, and reduce any odors or bacteria on your feet. Wear comfortable shoes that don’t restrict or rub your feet. Tight, uncomfortable shoes can cause painful foot growths and distort your toe shape. They can also irritate your feet and lead to blisters and cracked skin. Try to wear comfortable shoes that fit well on a daily basis, especially if you are always on your feet throughout the day. If you wear high heels, look for heels that are wide, stable, and no higher than two inches. Make sure there is enough room in your heels for your toes, as your shoes should not narrow until well past the balls of your feet. You should also alternate your heels heights regularly to prevent your Achilles tendon from shortening. Avoid wearing flip flops and completely flat shoes, as they do not provide arch support. You should also avoid walking around barefoot to avoid developing flat feet. Minimize the amount of time you wear shoes with no arch support to keep your feet healthy and strong. Alternate your shoes and change your socks every day. Try to alternate your shoes so you do not wear the same pair every day, even if you have two pairs of the same style. This will prevent shoe odor, and foot infections. You should also change your socks every day so you wear a fresh pair. This will prevent foot irritation and infections, which could trigger dry and cracked skin. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated. Promoting hydration is one of the best ways to keep any part of your skin healthy, including the skin on your feet. If possible, drink whenever you are thirsty--thirst is your body's way of telling you that you are becoming dehydrated. Try to drink at least eight glasses of water every day. Be cautious when getting a professional pedicure in a nail salon. Make sure the nail salon sanitizes and cleans every metal instrument before they use them on your feet and only go to a nail salon that is known for its good hygiene. A good nail salon can help remove dry skin from your feet, massage your feet to improve blood circulation, and moisturize your feet so they look their best. | Try a sugar scrub. Do a weekly foot soak. Use a pumice stone after a shower or bath. Apply coconut oil or olive oil to your feet. Use heel balm. Buy a battery powered foot file. Ask your doctor about medicated foot cream and ointment. Talk to your doctor if you suspect you have Athlete’s foot or eczema. Wash your feet every day. Dry your feet well after a shower or bath. Wear comfortable shoes that don’t restrict or rub your feet. Alternate your shoes and change your socks every day. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated. Be cautious when getting a professional pedicure in a nail salon. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Den | How to Make a Den | To make an indoor kid's den, start by clearing out a convenient location, like your playroom or a corner of a large living room. Then, arrange 2 or 3 pieces of heavy furniture, such as couches or chairs, to create a play space, and drape a large sheet over them. Next, make an entrance by lifting the sheet on one side, or by draping 2 small blankets over a gap in the furniture that kids can push aside and crawl through. Once you've got your den set up, fill it with pillows, blankets, and toys, and let the fun and games begin! | Clear out a convenient location. Once the den is built, it might end up as the favorite hangout spot for days or weeks afterward. The kids' bedroom or playroom is an ideal spot, but one corner of a large living room or other spare room could work. Move all valuable and breakable items out of the chosen area, to protect it from the wild den denizens. Some houses have secret, kid-sized areas underneath the staircase, which are perfect for dens. Arrange the structure. You can build the den over a bunk bed, a table, the back of a couch, or several chairs. Two or three pieces of heavy furniture are ideal, since you can create space between them. Lightweight objects like lamps or plastic chairs will just fall over when the blanket is added, so leave those out of it. To make the structure friendly for adults or tall children, tie a broom to the back of the furniture. Turn chairs so they face outward, to make the den roomier. Drape a sheet over the structure. Move the furniture apart so the sheet is almost taut, and you'll have more room and a more sturdy structure. Some fitted sheets will stay up on their own, but you'll often need to fasten them with clothespins or tape at each corner and halfway along each side. Rough play almost always pulls the sheet down, but dens are so quick and easy to repair that this doesn't matter much. A stack of heavy books or a few thumbtacks are sometimes necessary, but avoid them if the den is for younger kids. They will get pulled down eventually, and you don't want anyone getting hurt. For a more permanent den, have a crafty adult mount ceiling hooks and hang the sheet from that. Expand the den (optional). If the den feels a little small, add extra chairs and sheets, or set up a tent for an easy extension. Overlapping the sheets can form a more sturdy ceiling, but you may need alligator clips or similar tools to keep it stable. Create an entrance. Lift the sheet on one side so people can climb in. Drape two small blankets over that entrance instead, so people can push them aside and crawl in. Fill the inside. Add pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, and toys! To create a real palace, add a chest of games and snacks, a small television, or a miniature fridge. Then climb in and relax for thirty seconds before the first pillow fight starts. Visit a flat, dry forest or garden. If you don't have a garden or forest nearby, ask your parents to take you on a day trip to a national park. If the forest is near a motorway, shoreline, or other potential danger, make sure everyone knows how to stay safe. If you've had rain or fog, bring along a couple tarpaulins to use as a dry floor and rainproof cover. Find a knobbly structure. A living tree with a Y-shaped split near the ground is ideal for building a den, since you can use the Y branch as a ceiling. Boulders and other natural structures can also work, but avoid caves or hollows that look like they may be used by an animal. Don't use a dead tree, as the branches could break and collapse your den. Bushes and thick plant growth can be home to ticks, which can cause nasty diseases. Check the local wildlife warnings from the park service to see whether bracken is safe to use in your area. Gather materials. Look for fallen, unbroken branches that feel solid, but not heavy enough to cause injury if they drop on someone. If there aren't many of these around, tie smaller branches into bundles, or bring bamboo poles, broom handles, lightweight chairs, or other materials from home. Never break off a living branch. Interact with the forest respectfully, without harming the environment. Create the den structure. A sturdy tree branch or leaning tree makes a strong frame for your den all by itself, but there are several other techniques you can use: A sturdy branch can be wedged into a rock pile at a slant, but must be firmly in place before you continue. Three branches can be wedged against each other to form a triangle, with a little trial-and-error. Add more branches one by one to form a circular den. If you have rope or strong string, lean branches against each other in a tent shape, lay out a branch across the top, and tie them all together along its length. This may take several people. If you have a tarpaulin, tie each corner to a tree to make a ceiling. To prevent sagging in the rain, place a small rock in the center of the tarp from underneath, tie it in place, then attach a long rope and hoist the center by tossing the rope over a tall branch. Finish the den. Den-building is a great open-ended activity for kids to explore on their own. Some kids may just want to lean a few sticks on to the frame to hide underneath, while others will interlace branches in new and creative shape. Rope is handy to have around in case a structure needs more support, but with experience the builders can make dens using nothing but the natural materials around them. Decorate your den. To make a camouflaged or weather-resistant den, cover both surfaces with leaves and twigs. Sweep out the floor of your den to make it more comfortable. You can even make a garden outside the den by "planting" pine cones or colorful leaves, and surrounding them with a fence of twigs or stacked rocks. Choose a location. If you don't have a spare room, consider rearranging a living room or dining room to divide it into two parts. A tall bookcase or a tall-backed couch can create a section of the room to use as a den. Fix the space up. Do any repairs, cleaning, or redecorating to the room while it is at its emptiest. Does your room need new flooring or new paint to be attractive and comfortable? Tackle that now. Decide on the den's purpose. Think about what activities you or your family will pursue in the den, so you can make it as comfortable as possible. Here are some activities you might want to design your den around: Quiet, relaxing activities, such as reading, sewing, or other hobbies. Group activities, such as playing games or watching movies or sports. Desk activities, such as using a desktop computer, making art projects, or building things. Select a focal point to design around. This can be anything from a pool table to a writing desk, depending on the primary purpose of the room. As you arrange the other furniture, keep it oriented toward this focal point. This will make the den feel cozy and aesthetically pleasing. For smaller dens without space for large furniture items, arrange around a large window, a fireplace, a tapestry, or a painting. Install comfortable seating. Easy chairs or sofas are fine, but don't rule out bean bags , floor cushions, hanging sling chairs, or papasan chairs. Make sure there's comfortable seating for people of every height. If your den is in a basement, shed, or other area with less temperature and humidity control, consider wooden patio furniture instead to minimize mold and other damage. Add lighting. You may want comfortable, low light if you want the atmosphere room to seem more like a lounge. On the other hand, if you are reading or doing crafts in the den, you will need appropriate task lighting. Bring in extra amenities. If you like, add a small fridge, a television or computer, or a foosball table. If you have the space, consider a sound system , exercise equipment, or a dedicated area for playing musical instruments, weaving, or other space-intensive hobbies. Add more storage. If your family will be listening to music, watching DVDs, playing games, doing crafts, or reading books, you'll want storage. You can use an existing closet or add storage in the form of bookcases, media racks, cabinets, and so on. Decorate. Now that you've installed all the furniture, decorate the rest of the den however you'd like. Add a throw rug and couch pillows, hang up posters, or place decorative items on shelves. | Clear out a convenient location. Arrange the structure. Drape a sheet over the structure. Expand the den (optional). Create an entrance. Fill the inside. Visit a flat, dry forest or garden. Find a knobbly structure. Gather materials. Create the den structure. Finish the den. Decorate your den. Choose a location. Fix the space up. Decide on the den's purpose. Select a focal point to design around. Install comfortable seating. Add lighting. Bring in extra amenities. Add more storage. Decorate. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Crochet-a-Shamrock | How to Crochet a Shamrock | To crochet a shamrock, make a circle out of a chain of four to make the center. Then, form the petals by making a chain extending away from the circle and stitching back. Stitch away from the circle again, stitch back one last time, and make a final chain going away from the center to finish the first petal. Each petal should have 2 chains, with 3 lines of stitches in between them. Make the center stitch a little shorter than the others to make a realistic-looking dent in the leaf. Repeat that pattern for the other two leaves, and then make a stem by crocheting a chain out of the bottom of the shamrock. | Gather your tools and materials. Shamrocks may seem difficult to crochet, but they are easy if you have the right tools and materials. To make a shamrock, you will need: Medium worsted weight yarn in green A size H crochet hook. Scissors Make a slipknot and then chain four. Start by making a slipknot for your first loop on the hook. You can make a slipknot by looping yarn around your index and middle finger twice and then pulling one loop through the other. Slide this loop onto your hook and then make a chain of four. To make a chain, simply loop the yarn over the hook and pull it through the second loop on the hook. Keep doing this until you have a chain of four. Join with a slipstitch. Next, you will need to connect the chain of four into a circle with a slipstitch. To slipstitch, insert the hook into the first link in the chain, loop the yarn over the hook, and pull it through both loops. Now you should have a chain circle. You will be working into the center of the circle to create your shamrock petals. Chain four. Start your first shamrock petal by making a chain of four extending from the chain circle. This chain will be the outer edge of your first shamrock petal. Do a triple crochet into center. Next, triple crochet into the center of the circle. This will be your longest stitch and it will form the outer edges of your petal. To triple crochet : Loop the yarn around the hook twice. Then, insert the hook into the center of the circle and loop the yarn over again. Pull the yarn through the center of the circle, and the yarn over again. Pull the yarn through the first two stitches on the hook. Then, yarn over again and pull through the next two stitches on the hook. Finally, yarn over again and pull through the remaining stitches on the hook to complete a triple crochet stitch. Double crochet into center. The next stitch in the petal will be a double crochet stitch into the center of the circle. This stitch will be a little shorter than the triple crochet stitch, so it will create a slight indent in the petal, which is common for shamrocks. To double crochet : Start by looping the yarn around the hook once. Then, insert the yarn into the center of the circle and yarn over again. Pull the yarn through the center of the circle and yarn over again. Then, pull through the first two loops on the hook. Yarn over again, and pull through the last two loops. This will complete your double crochet stitch. Triple crochet into center again. For your next stitch, do another triple crochet stitch into the center of the circle. This stitch will create the second raised area of your petal. Chain four and slipstitch into center. To finish your first shamrock petal, make another chain of four and then slipstitch into the center of the circle to connect it. This will complete your first petal. Make two more petals just like this one to complete your shamrock petals. Chain seven. To start the stem, make a chain of seven extending from the center of your shamrock. This will be the base of your shamrock stem. If desired, you can make the stem a little longer or shorter. Do a half double crochet into third chain from hook. To give the stem a thicker base, start by doing a half double crochet stitch into the third chain from the hook. To do a half double crochet stitch : Loop the yarn over the hook and insert it into the third chain from the hook. Then, pull the yarn through this first loop and yarn over again. Then, pull through all three loops on the hook to complete the stitch. Slipstitch along the chain and back to the center. After the half double crochet stitch, all you need to do is slipstitch along the chain and up to the center of the shamrock. When you reach the center, you can cut your yarn a few inches away from the hook, pull it through to secure it, and then tie your starting and ending yarn pieces together to secure them. Your shamrock is now complete! Pin it on your shirt, sweater, or jacket with a safety pin to wear it, or make several shamrocks and then use a piece of yarn and a large eyed crochet needle to make a garland to wear or to decorate your home. Thread the yarn through the needle and then string the shamrocks onto the yarn. | Gather your tools and materials. Make a slipknot and then chain four. Join with a slipstitch. Chain four. Do a triple crochet into center. Double crochet into center. Triple crochet into center again. Chain four and slipstitch into center. Chain seven. Do a half double crochet into third chain from hook. Slipstitch along the chain and back to the center. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Celebrate-St.-Patrick%27s-Day | How to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day | To celebrate St. Patrick's Day, wear something green or dress up whatever you're wearing with a St. Patrick's Day-themed button or shamrock pin. Make the day festive by listening to Irish music at home or going to hear an Irish band that's playing locally. You can also look up recipes and make a traditional Irish meal of bangers and mash or Shepherd's pie. If you want to celebrate with friends, go check out a St. Patrick's Day parade together or do a pub crawl. | Go green. Unless you want to, you don't have to wear a sweater with a giant shamrock on it. (Though that would certainly help you stand out.) The great thing about this holiday is you are free to go as subtle or as wild as you like. St. Patrick's Day t-shirts have been a common article of clothing to wear proudly. Consider the following suggestions when picking out something to wear: An all green t-shirt with optional Irish-related sayings, for example, "Kiss me, I'm Irish!" Note that no real Irish person over the age of ten would be caught dead in one of these. T-shirts with Irish beer monikers such as Harp or Guinness are more acceptable For those who are feeling particularly festive, try buying or making a leprechaun costume, replete with white stockings, green top hat and fake (or real!) red beard. If you're working on March 17th, you can still get into the festive spirit by incorporating a little green into your work attire. Try a green-striped polo or collared shirt, a green or shamrock-dotted tie, or green socks and undies for the closet St. Paddy's Day fans. Accessorize. Buttons, pins and jewelry are all great ways to dress up an outfit. On St. Patrick's Day, they become ways to express the fun side of fashion. Nothing is too gaudy or outlandish. Buttons with clever (or not so clever) sayings are also encouraged. Small shamrock pins are a great and subtle way to express your support of the holiday. It is a tradition in Ireland for all attending parades and generally celebrating to wear a small collection of Shamrock fastened by a clothespin to your top (in the same place as a badge would be worn). Dying your hair or your pet's fur bright green is also a great way to stand out. Be sure to use a non-toxic dye. It's also common to see kids (and sometimes adults) with their faces painted on St. Patrick's Day, particularly if they're attending the parade. Cute shamrocks on the cheeks are a popular option, along with full-faced Irish flags of green, white and orange. Learn some Irish words and phrases. The Irish have their own distinct dialect of the English language, so if you want to sound like a true Paddy on St. Patrick's day, try sprinkling some of these Hiberno-English gems into your conversation: What's the craic? This phrase can be interpreted as either "How's it going?" or "What's going on?" or "What's up?" and is used in non-formal settings. Craic is a very important word in Ireland and can be used to describe your enjoyment of an event or activity, e.g "How was the party?" "Ah sure, it was great craic altogether!" Use "craic" in the correct context and you'll earn major points with the Irish. Grand. Grand is another multi-purpose word in Hiberno-English. It doesn't mean large or impressive, but rather translates as "fine" or "great" depending on the context. "I'm grand" is a perfectly acceptable reply to the question "How are you?" and means the person is doing just fine. If you ask an Irish person "How did the exam go?" and they reply "It was grand" that means it went okay, it wasn't amazing, but it wasn't a disaster either. Eejit. Eejit is basically the Irish word for idiot. If someone does something silly or stupid, you can comment "Ah ya big eejit!" It's not meant to be offensive, rather it's used to make fun of someone in a playful way. Learn to Irish Dance. Irish dancing is a form of step dancing which is popular both in Ireland and all over the world. Not only will it impress everyone you know, but it's also a fun way to increase flexibility and burn calories! You can learn how to Irish dance by attending classes in your local area or by copying some of the excellent Irish dancing videos and tutorials online. Whip out a few impressive steps and lifts the next time you hear a reel or a jig and nobody will question your Irish credentials. Get some friends together and learn how to céili (kay-lee) dance - a form of Irish social dancing that can be done with as few as two and as many as sixteen people. If you get good enough you can compete in the many feiseanna or Irish dancing competitions that take place all over the world. Even better, you can volunteer to perform in the next St. Patrick's Day parade! Learn a little of the history of St Patrick's Day. St. Patrick's Day has been observed as a religious festival in Ireland for over a thousand years, though it was only recognized as a celebration of Irish culture and heritage in the 1970s. The day is named in honor of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, who has been credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. There are multiple origin stories for St. Patrick, but: Most sources agree that St. Patrick's actual name was Maewyn Succat. They also agree that Maewyn was kidnapped and sold into slavery at age 16 and, to help him endure his enslavement, he turned to God. Six years after his captivity began, St. Patrick escaped from slavery to France, where he became a priest, and then the second Bishop to Ireland. He spent the next 30 years establishing schools, churches, and monasteries across the country. He brought Christianity widespread acceptance amongst the pagan indigenous peoples. It is thought that St. Patrick used a shamrock as a metaphor for the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), showing how three individual units could be part of the same body. His parishioners began wearing shamrocks to his church services. Today, "the wearing of the green" on St. Patrick's Day represents spring, shamrocks, and Ireland. Travel to Ireland. What better way to celebrate the quintessential Irish holiday than a trip to the land of Saints and Scholars! Dublin, the capital city, usually holds a five day festival in honor of the holiday and is the location of Ireland's largest and most impressive St. Patrick's Day parade. The city buzzes with life over the course of the festival - thousands of tourists flood the city and the pubs are overflowing with travelers and locals alike, eager to "drown the shamrock". So if you're looking to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in true Irish fashion, this is the place to be! Alternatively, you can take a trip down the country to escape from the tourist-ridden streets of Dublin and experience a somewhat quieter, but more authentic version of the holiday. Most towns will have some semblance of a parade - the quality varying from decent to poor - but the real reason to go is for the vibrant pub-scene, where you can enjoy high-quality traditional and contemporary Irish music surrounded by an authentic Irish crowd! As mentioned above, thousands of tourists flock to Ireland every March so it's advisable to book flights and accommodation well in advance, to avoid soaring prices and possible disappointment. Eat traditional Irish food. Beer and spirits are not the only great consumable goods to come out of Ireland. Corned beef, cabbage and lamb stew accompanied by traditional Irish soda bread are tasty ways to "keep it real." Potatoes are about as Irish as you can get and are one of the staples of the Irish diet. Traditional Irish foods include bangers and mash, colcannon, bacon (boiled ham) and cabbage, stew, boxty, Shepherd's Pie, potato bread and black pudding. In Ireland, the day is usually celebrated by eating food such as pink bacon or savory roast chicken. Note that corned beef and cabbage is more of an Irish-American tradition than an authentically Irish one. Play some Irish music. Ireland has a long history with music, and many incredible styles have emerged. Celtic, folk and traditional Irish pub songs might just get you in the St. Patrick's Day spirit! You can play some Irish music at home, listen to it on the radio (some stations will have special St. Patrick's Day features) or find out about any Irish bands or musicians playing locally. Find a compilation CD of traditional Irish songs or download some individual songs online. You should easily be able to find traditional Irish music by artists such as The Chieftains, The Dubliners, Planxty and Clannad, for example. If traditional music isn't your thing, don't forget about the many contributions Irish musicians have made to the world of rock and pop. Think U2, Van Morrison, Thin Lizzy and The Cranberries. Alternatively, you can try your hand at some traditional Irish instruments, such as the tin whistle, the bodhrán, the harp, the fiddle or the uilleann pipes. However, you're not likely to produce anything very melodic sounding if it's your first time! Attend or get involved in local parades. If you can't make it to the five day festival in Dublin, Ireland, check out the scene locally. Many parades feature the best of local dance troupes, marching bands, gymnasts and musicians in addition to spectacular themed floats and brightly costumed participants. You can enjoy the parade as a spectator or contact your local parade organization committee to get involved. There are many ways to participate in your local parade. You can get dressed up and march in the parade yourself, help design costumes or floats or help out with the organization of the parade. St. Patrick's day is a festive, communal holiday - so get involved! Though small towns aren't likely to have parades, many large cities such as New York City, Boston, St. Louis, San Francisco, Chicago, London, Montreal and Sydney have great celebrations. Savannah, GA boasts the second largest parade in the United States, while out of any US state, Boston has the highest number of Irish descendants by percentage of population, and its South Boston St. Patrick's Day parade is the first recorded anywhere in the world. Check out the pub scene. Most bars and pubs love St. Patrick's Day, as it's one of the few holidays known for a marked increase in alcohol consumption, so many will be catering to patrons with a festive St. Patrick's theme. You may find special prices on draft beer, food and cover charges. Call around to your favorite joints and ask if they have any celebration plans. A pub crawl can be a great way to get some friends together and explore the local pub scene, especially if there are a lot of Irish bars in your area. Make a list of the pubs you want to visit in advance (if you are ambitious you could aim for 17 pubs in honor of March 17th!), then make a rule that everyone needs to have a pint in each pub you visit. 17 pints of Guinness anyone? It would be a shame to drink Budweiser on St. Patrick's Day, regardless of where in the world you are. If Guinness isn't your thing, try a pint of Bulmers (also called Magners) cider, Smithwick's ale, Jameson Irish whiskey or some Bailey's Irish cream. Whatever you drink, avoid any green beer. Consider having a party at home. If you aren't a fan of the bar scene but still want to celebrate, invite a few friends over and have a St. Patrick's Day themed party. Go as extreme or as laid back as you want: insist that everyone wear green or just have them come as they are and chill out with a few beers. Consider starting a tradition, such as watching a movie, "The Quiet Man" with John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara is a fun choice; serve corned beef and cabbage or Irish stew with colcannon (mashed potatoes and cabbage). Make green beer and green chocolate chip cookies for your party. In Ireland it is common to get together with family for St. Patrick's Day, so perhaps you'd like to do this too. | Go green. Accessorize. Learn some Irish words and phrases. Learn to Irish Dance. Learn a little of the history of St Patrick's Day. Travel to Ireland. Eat traditional Irish food. Play some Irish music. Attend or get involved in local parades. Check out the pub scene. Consider having a party at home. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Do-Skull-Crushers | How to Do Skull Crushers | To do skull crushers, first lie down on a bench with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent. Next, hold weights straight out from your chest with your wrists facing inwards. If you're a beginner, start out with light weights like 5-lb dumbbells. Then, lower the weights towards the floor by bending your elbows and keeping your arms perpendicular to the floor. Finally, bring your arms back to the starting position and repeat for a total of 12 reps. | Lie down on a bench or stability ball. Lie down on your back. Your feet should be flat on the floor and your legs should be bent at the knees. If you're on a bench, your head should be at one end of the bench so you have space to use your weights. On a stability ball, just balance in the middle of your back. Hold weights straight out in front of you. Start with basic weights, such as dumbbells. If you haven't done this exercise before, start small, such as with 5-lb (2.3 kg) weights. Hold the weights straight out from your chest. Your wrists should face inwards. Lower the weights towards the floor by bending your elbows. Slowly bend your elbows, lowering the weights down towards your face. Keep your upper arms perpendicular to the floor, while your forearms move. It can be hard at first, so just do your best. Some people start in this position instead of with their arms straight. How you begin is up to you. Move back to the starting position. Slowly bring your arms back up to a straightened position. Repeat the movement for a total of 12 reps. You can do another set or move on to another exercise. You can also work up to more sets over time. Use different types of weights. Dumbbells are a good place to start, but really, you can use any type of weight for this exercise, including an EZ bar. You can also use cables or a barbell. Just use whatever is easiest for you. You can even just use canned goods as weights to start out. Instead of having your wrists facing inward, you'll grasp the bar with the tops of your hands towards your face. Keep your hands at shoulder width or closer together. Incline the bench up to work the triceps long head. Inclining the bench upwards will put more work on the long head because you're moving more toward an overhead position. If you're specifically wanting to work this muscle, increase the incline. The triceps long head is the muscle at the back of the upper arm on the inner side. Decline the bench to work the triceps lateral head. The other major muscle in the triceps is the lateral head. As you decline the bench, you'll work this muscle more, if that's your goal. You can also work the lateral head and the long head in turns by working at different inclines and declines. The triceps lateral head is the muscle at the back of the upper arm on the outside. Keep your upper arms still. With this exercise, you may be tempted to move your upper arms, too. However, that allows your shoulders to take some of the load. Since the goal of this exercise is mainly to work the triceps, try to keep those upper arms still. You can do it! Pull in your elbows. You may also be tempted to let your elbows pull away from your body, which reduces the work your triceps are doing. Keep your elbows in close to truly work your triceps as much as you can. Aim to make your upper arms perpendicular with the floor, not your body. Gravity is your friend on this exercise. Gravity is what makes it difficult to lift the weights back up. However, if you're on an incline bench, you may be inclined to keep your upper arms perpendicular to your body. Always check to make sure your upper arms are perpendicular to the floor instead. Don't go all the way up to the straightened position. If you straighten your arms completely, you likely get a little rest at the top, which feels good but doesn't work your triceps as much. However, if you stop just short, you're continuing the pressure on your arms, which helps work them that much harder. Of course, if you need to, don't be afraid to take a break. You don't want to injure yourself. | Lie down on a bench or stability ball. Hold weights straight out in front of you. Lower the weights towards the floor by bending your elbows. Move back to the starting position. Use different types of weights. Incline the bench up to work the triceps long head. Decline the bench to work the triceps lateral head. Keep your upper arms still. Pull in your elbows. Aim to make your upper arms perpendicular with the floor, not your body. Don't go all the way up to the straightened position. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Open-a-Bakery | How to Open a Bakery | To open a bakery, start by drawing up a business plan that includes your vision of what your bakery will sell, start-up costs, and profit goals. Once you secure a location, buy your equipment, including refrigerators, display cases, fax machines, and cash registers. You'll also need to call your local consumer health agency and have your bakery inspected for health safety. Then, it's time to hire employees and market your business on social media. | Decide what type of bakery you want to open.There are bakeries that only sell baked goods, those that sell sandwiches, and others that include coffee to go. Think about what kinds of goods you want to offer. Choose whether you want to sell conventional baked goods, or a more niche product like organic, gluten-free, or vegan (e.g., egg- and dairy-free) products. Decide on what kind of space you want. There are several options, and your choice may depend on the amount of capital you're able to raise. Keep in mind that storefronts have the attractive factor of foot-traffic and a recognizable place in the business community. Working from home is more affordable, but you may have less work space and will need to bring your kitchen up to health department standards. Online bakeries are a good way to start if you're low on capital. You can work from home and sell your goods through a website. You'll need to hire a web designer and figure out a system for ordering online. A counter-service bakery is a small commercial space where you sell baked goods to customers over a counter. You'll likely need at least one other employee. Sit-down bakeries have an area where customers order their baked goods, and tables and chairs where they can eat. Research the competition in the area to find out if there's a demand for the type of baked goods you want to sell. For example, if the local supermarket sells conventional, organic, and vegan baked goods at reasonable prices, you might not be able to compete. But, you could open up a new market if you open a bakery with a pleasant seating area and offer specialty baked goods and fresh sandwiches. Make a list of equipment you need to start your business. You'll need scales, bowls, pan racks, ovens, mixers, butcher-block tables, display cases (if working from a commercial space), and refrigerators. Check with the local consumer health department, which is responsible for setting regulations. Make sure you have included all necessary items in your list. Decide which baked goods to sell at your bakery and what ingredients you need. Some specialty ingredients can be quite costly, so you'll need this information prior to making your business plan. Draw up a business plan. Looking at your business from every angle is essential to ensuring a smooth start to your bakery. Define your business. Think about the products and services you provide, and your target customers (working professionals, busy mothers, catering businesses, etc.). Set goals about how much profit you'll make over the first few years, and any expansions you hope to make to your product line, services, or business space. Make a plan to generate revenue. You'll need to calculate the cost of producing your goods and how much you'll sell them for. For example, coffee can have a 500% markup, while specialty baked goods like vegan, gluten-free cupcakes might have a mere 50% markup. Calculate startup costs. These are one-time expenses, but you'll need to figure out how you're going to survive financially before you start making a profit. Calculate the costs of your location, supplies, staff, taxes, and marketing. Balance them against your projected income to determine how much you'll need to sell in order to make a profit. Review your business plan with an accountant. Be prepared for them to find additional expenses you've overlooked. An accountant can also advise you about how the costs of a startup can affect your tax returns. Raise the necessary capital for opening a bakery. Ask your bank for a business loan or talk to private investors to raise the money. Choose the location for your bakery. Make sure it's easily accessible, has plenty of foot traffic, and meets all safety requirements, which vary from state to state. Be very choosy as you look for locations. Look at several, compare prices, talk to local business owners, and research the area(s) to find the best fit for your bakery. Register your business with your city and apply for a sales permit to sell baked goods. At the very least, you'll need a business license, tax identification number and liability insurance. Depending on your region, you may need a separate license for a wholesale or retail baking business. You'll also need to apply for a food-handling permit. Buy your equipment and have it professionally installed. Make sure everything is safe and up to code. This is also the time to buy your supplies: To-go items for counter-top bakeries, including boxes, coffee cups, and napkins. Tables and chairs for sit-down bakeries. (You'll also need plates, cups, and utensils.) Business items like a telephone, fax machine, and cash register. If you plan to make deliveries, you may need a delivery truck, and portable refrigeration and/or warming units. Interview potential employees. Make sure they are friendly, efficient and trustworthy. You may want to establish a probation period before officially hiring anyone. If they are going to help with the baking, set the standard high and make sure they're capable of maintaining it. If they'll be working at the counter only, they must be reliable. Call your local consumer health agency and have your bakery inspected for health safety. Before you do so, verify that everything is in place and ready to run. Set business hours according to your customer base. When are your target customers out and about? If they'll want to stop on the way to work for coffee and a pastry, you'll need to open early. Should you stay open later to attract a young cafe crowd in the evening? Remember to factor in baking hours, which extend your work day. Start baking! Buy all necessary ingredients and prepare your first batch of baked goods. Make a lasting first impression with attractive pastries that are as delicious as they look. Market your business. Advertise your bakery in the local newspaper, on flyers and online. You'll need to do some work to promote your bakery as the original wonder it is. Keep a blog: writing about baking topics or sharing recipes can generate interest in your customer base. Use social media. Announce your bakery's opening on social networking sites, and create a page for your bakery. This makes it easy for customers to get information about what you offer, where you're located, and when you're open. You can also offer discounts for visitors to your page. Establish relationships with other local businesses. You may be able to put up fliers in their lobbies, for example, or offer them free samples to get the word out. Focus on customer service. Happy customers are returning customers. Make sure their experience in your bakery is a positive one. Counter service should be friendly and efficient, and the atmosphere (even if it's minimal) should be clean, positive, and inviting. Expand your line of products and services. Once you're into the swing of things, consider adding new products. You can start off small, such as trying out seasonal specials. For a larger step, add sandwiches and soups to your menu, or speciality items. If you're ready to diversify your business, look into taking online orders, adding a food truck, or working with catering companies. Find new ways to advertise. Don't sit on your laurels even if business is going well. You'll need to continuously expand your marketing strategies. Keep up your social media profile, participate in charity events, and add your presence to local fairs and markets. Don't forget to distribute business cards at every opportunity. Plan ahead for retirement. Remember that, in the long run, you'll need finances for retirement. Talk to a financial advisor and work out a savings plan. | Decide what type of bakery you want to open.There are bakeries that only sell baked goods, those that sell sandwiches, and others that include coffee to go. Decide on what kind of space you want. Research the competition in the area to find out if there's a demand for the type of baked goods you want to sell. Make a list of equipment you need to start your business. Decide which baked goods to sell at your bakery and what ingredients you need. Draw up a business plan. Review your business plan with an accountant. Raise the necessary capital for opening a bakery. Choose the location for your bakery. Register your business with your city and apply for a sales permit to sell baked goods. Buy your equipment and have it professionally installed. Interview potential employees. Call your local consumer health agency and have your bakery inspected for health safety. Set business hours according to your customer base. Start baking! Market your business. Focus on customer service. Expand your line of products and services. Find new ways to advertise. Plan ahead for retirement. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Hug-a-Girl-Who-Is-Shorter-Than-You | How to Hug a Girl Who Is Shorter Than You | If you want to hug a girl who is shorter than you, try the simpler one-arm side hug first. Step closer to the girl from the side and move the arm closest to her out to the side of your body. Once you're standing right next to each another, position your arm around her so that your hand is resting on the shoulder opposite you. Be sure to avoid placing your arm or hand on or around her neck, and keep your arm above hers so that your arms don't tangle together. If you're just friends with the girl, or if you've never hugged her before, embrace for about three seconds before releasing her and stepping away. | Get close to the girl you’re hugging. Since in this method you'll be approaching the girl facing forward, it will be easier to gauge where on your body her height reaches. Especially with a forward-facing hug you'll want to be sure her head doesn't end up right at waist height or lower. For the forward-facing hug you'll want to bend so that her head can meet your shoulder, or at least your lower chest. Bend at the waist and put your arms forward. As mentioned, bend enough that your chest is at the height of her head. Bring your arms forward in front of you and let her come the rest of the way. This way it will be her decision whether to place her head into your chest or into the bend of your neck. Fold your arms across her upper back as you would with any hug. Avoid placing them around her neck instead. Keep your head facing forward. Don't turn it to either side, as you might bump heads or breath in her face once she comes close. Stay bent for the duration of the hug. Some might make the mistake of thinking they would only bend at first to begin the hug and place their arms, and afterwards relax their pose. Better instead to stay bent for the short time of the hug. Trying to straighten your back will just end up in some awkward movement while you try to stay in the hug. Release after a few seconds. Again, the length of any hug will simply depend on your relationship with the one you're hugging. When you're hugging face forward, you'll want to release and step back first as the tall one. Since you're 'surrounding' the girl you're hugging, you'll want to move your arms out, straighten your back and step backwards. Approach the girl you intend to hug from the side. This will almost certainly be determined by how both of you are standing. Most likely you'll already be oriented in a certain way to one another, so it won't be a matter of choosing a side to hug. As the hug is beginning, you'll need to step close to the girl in question. As you get close, move the arm that will be used for the hug (it should be the arm closest to her) out to the side of your body. Begin to position it horizontally in anticipation of the hug. Wait until both of you have sides touching before placing your arm on the girl you're hugging; keep your arm out to the side instead. One of the strongest advantages of the side hug is avoiding the girl's head being pushed directly into your waistline or lower, which can be embarrassing for everyone. While the side hug alleviates this issue, you still might consider bending if the girl is still at or below your belt line. Tighten your arm with your hand at her shoulder. Once you've both come close and are against one another, position your arm around her so that your hand rests on the shoulder opposite you. Be sure to avoid placing your arm or hand on or around her neck. Keep your arm above hers. If your arms criss-cross in the hug, they can tangle and heighten any awkwardness. If you do bend down, it will be best to do so from the knees when in a side hug. Bending at the waist will create a difficult angle for the girl to put her arm around you. Whatever the height difference, the mid-waist and shoulder are really the only acceptable places to rest your arm and hand. You'll always want to avoid placing your hand(s) at their chest or neck/head. One will end up feeling a bit awkward while the other is uncomfortable. Embrace for a moment and release. A concern for any two people hugging, deciding how long to hold the embrace will simply be a matter of how close the two people hugging are. Conventional wisdom would suggest holding the hug for no more than three seconds for anyone who isn't a romantic partner. As the tall one in the hug, don't rush to remove yourself from the hug to avoid any awkward bumping. First relax your arm and move it away from her body. Let her back up and return to standing before you do the same. Don’t make it awkward. You don't have to apologize for being tall, and the girl you're hugging doesn't have to apologize for being short. There's no need to say “Guess I'll need to bend down” or “Sorry I'm so short.” Two people hugging will always recognize the size disparity between one another. However, there's always room for some playful honesty in moments like this. It won't hurt to be upfront and say “Okay, how would you like to do this?” Don’t just stand there. Plenty of guys might overthink the situation and wonder if it isn't better to just allow the girl to position herself however she's comfortable and let their own arms rest wherever seems appropriate. This, however, isn't really fair to whoever you're hugging. Be sure to be proactive at the start of the hug. As suggested, be sure to bend down if hugging from the front or move your arm(s) out when hugging for the side. It's not a terrible instinct to allow the shorter person to position themselves, but you need to meet them halfway by doing some positioning yourself. Keep your arms away from their neck and head. In either a side hug or a front-facing hug, your arms may very well be at the level of the shorter person's head. Since when two people of equal height hug they simply put their arms forward, the instinct is to do the same with any other hug. As you can imagine, having your head squeezed doesn't really constitute a great hug. Don’t lift her up unless she asks. Unless the girl you're hugging is your significant other, don't assume that just because a girl a short and you're tall that she'd like to be lifted into the air. Some might assume it's a playful and comical way to address the height difference, but it can quickly turn into an uncomfortable experience for the person you're hugging. | Get close to the girl you’re hugging. Bend at the waist and put your arms forward. Stay bent for the duration of the hug. Release after a few seconds. Approach the girl you intend to hug from the side. Tighten your arm with your hand at her shoulder. Embrace for a moment and release. Don’t make it awkward. Don’t just stand there. Keep your arms away from their neck and head. Don’t lift her up unless she asks. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Wear-Pearls | How to Wear Pearls | If you want to wear pearls to a formal occasion, wear a simple pearl necklace paired with matching earrings or a pearl ring. For instance, you might wear a short strand of pearls with a high-necked black gown, or you could wear a long strand of pearls with an elegant jumpsuit. You can even layer multiple strands of pearls with an understated outfit for a modern look. | Wear a simple pearl necklace for black-tie occasions. For black-tie affairs, you will want to keep your look simple and elegant. Pair a pearl necklace with a pair of matching pearl earrings or a pearl ring. The necklace should accentuate, not overpower, your look. This can be easily accomplished with a short, simple strand of pearls. Pearl necklaces pair beautifully with chiffon blouses. Be daring and wear a long strand of pearls with an elegant jumpsuit. Consider wearing your pearls with a black gown with high neckline for a classic, timeless look. If your vibe is more prim, proper, and classic, this is a good choice. Pair your pearl necklace with a little black dress. Nothing is more classic than a little black dress for a formal occasion. Couple it with a strand of white pearls for a polished look. Wear a shorter strand for a lower neckline and a longer strand for a higher one to balance out the neckline. Wear a black wrap dress with a short strand of pearls for a an effortlessly chic look. Wear a black cocktail dress with a turtle-neck type collar and a few long, layered strands of pearls for a classy look. Knot the bottom half of your necklace. Hold the strand with both hands at either end of the strand. Move your non-dominant hand to the lower third of the necklace. Wrap the pearls around your non-dominant hand so that there is a loop with an opening. Pull the opposite end of the pearls through the opening. Gently tighten the knot. Do not pull on the strand with a lot of pressure or else you will risk breaking your necklace. For longer strands of pearls, at least 30 inches (76.2 cm) or longer, consider the knotting the strand around the bottom half of the necklace. This will add a chic twist to a time-honored look. Layer strands of pearls. Multiple strands of pearls should be worn with an outfit that is elegant but understated or else you will risk distracting others with your “busy” look and detract from the beauty of your pearls. If your strands are long enough, twist them once before placing them over your head to create an additional loop. This will give the illusion that there are two strands, even though you are only wearing one. Wear a dress that is a solid color. Avoid busy or “loud” prints, as these will distract others from seeing your beautiful pearls. Pair layered necklaces with a dress or blouse that is simple; no ruffles, embellishments, or designs. Try a button-up shirt and slacks or a dress with a simple neckline. Wear a sweater or blouse with pearls sewn into the fabric. Pearls have become quite trendy in recent years and are often sewn into fabric to create a chic, classy vibe. Some sweaters go all out with pearly embellishments and some have just a few incorporated into their design. Some sweaters even use pearls as buttons. Dressing yourself in pearl-studded pieces will give any outfit effortless elegance. Make a statement at your next event with a pearl-studded dress or shoes. Choosing a pearl bracelet or ring could complement a pearl-embellished sweater. Pair the pearls with a casual blouse. A classic pearl statement necklace can emphasize and enhance a casual blouse, adding breezy charm to an outfit that would otherwise be more laid back. Choose a short strand with larger pearls to make a statement. Add several similar strands to draw even more attention to your neckline. Don't limit yourself to white or blush-colored pearls. Consider wearing a colorful strand for more casual occasions. You can even take a dress shirt, roll up the sleeves, pop the collar, unbutton one more button, and have a cute pearl necklace on underneath. Mix and match necklaces. In a casual setting, pearls can be mixed and matched with other necklaces to create a laid-back, yet effortlessly chic look. Don't be afraid to wear your pearls with other gems or metals. Your pearls can soften the look of bold gems, such as diamond, sapphire, or amethyst. Try mixing pearls with your favorite diamond piece or wear with a sterling silver necklace to complement both pieces. Wear a string of pearls with a beaded necklace to create a more bohemian feel. Pair your pearls with a diamond necklace to complement and bring out the best of both necklaces. Accessories are a great way to express your personal style, especially if your clothing tastes tend to be more simple. Wear your mother’s or grandmother’s pearls. If your mother, grandmother, or other individual in your family wore pearls in their wedding, consider wearing those same pearls. This will increase the sentimental value of the necklace and could even start a family tradition. Match your pearls to your gown. If you are wearing a white gown, you will want to wear white pearls to match. If you are wearing a blush dress, wear matching blush pearls. Wearing a different shade of pearls will draw attention away from your dress and to your neckline. A good pearl necklace, bracelet, or earrings should accentuate a gown, not draw attention away from it. If you are wearing a dress that is an unconventional color, try a classic white strand or perhaps pick a complementary color, such as yellow pearls with a blue dress, green pearls with a red dress, or orange pearls with a purple dress. Be creative and have fun! Incorporate colored pearls for casual weddings. For a wedding that is more relaxed and less formal, consider incorporating colored pearls. This could be an opportunity to match your pearls to your color scheme or choose a favorite color that you enjoy wearing. You could wear pink pearls to an outdoor spring wedding, light green or aqua pearls to a summer wedding, and silver or gold pearls to a winter wedding. This is especially true if you are a guest, as guests often have more opportunity for incorporating bolder colors into their outfits than brides do. Choose the length of pearls to flatter your dress. There are many different lengths of pearls but some necklace lengths suit some dress styles better than others. In general, the longer the strand of pearls, the higher the neckline the dress should be. Strands 14 inches (35.6 cm) in length will fit tightly around the neck and will suit scoop necks, V-necks, off-the-shoulder-, and boatneck dresses. Strands between 16–18 inches (40.6–45.7 cm) will fall between the base of the throat and the collarbone, respectively. These strands will pair well with almost any style of dress or neckline. This will give you plenty of flexibility! Strands that are 20–24 inches (50.8–61.0 cm) are best suited for business or casual wear. Pearl necklaces that are 28–42 inches (71.1–107 cm) will pair beautifully with high necklines and evening wear. | Wear a simple pearl necklace for black-tie occasions. Pair your pearl necklace with a little black dress. Knot the bottom half of your necklace. Layer strands of pearls. Wear a sweater or blouse with pearls sewn into the fabric. Pair the pearls with a casual blouse. Mix and match necklaces. Wear your mother’s or grandmother’s pearls. Match your pearls to your gown. Incorporate colored pearls for casual weddings. Choose the length of pearls to flatter your dress. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Money-Online | How to Make Money Online | One of the easiest ways to make money online is to register for paid survey websites where you can earn money for taking surveys. You can also search online for “website testing jobs” and get paid to record yourself testing websites. If you want something that pays better, become an online tutor or start an online freelance writing business. | Take surveys. You can earn $50 to $100 per month in cash and products by taking online surveys. Find survey sites by searching for “paid survey sites” online. Sign up for several survey sites to increase your chances of being selected for higher-paying surveys. Register with an email address, and check your email often so you can respond quickly to survey offers. Most surveys pay from $1 to $3, and the surveys generally take up to 45 minutes to complete. You might also get paid in gift cards, free products or by being entered in a sweepstakes. Never pay to participate in surveys. Look for a privacy policy displayed prominently on the site so you know that they are not selling your personal information. Test websites. Remote usability testing means getting paid to navigate a website for the first time and giving feedback to the website owner. Most tests take approximately 15 minutes, and you can get paid up to $10 for each test. A test involves performing a scenario on the client's website and recording yourself doing it. For example, you might be asked to go through the process of selecting and purchasing an item on a retailer's website. You need a computer with a microphone, an updated web browser and a high speed internet connection. Sites that pay you to test websites include User Testing , WhatUsersDo , UserLytics , UserFeel. Tutor students. Many families prefer the flexibility of using an online tutor. Depending on your background, you could be simply helping a child with homework or providing college-level support. You need to have your own computer and high speed internet. Experience required differs among companies. Some require “strong experience,” while others require a specific educational background. However, most companies do require a college degree. Some companies assign students to you, while others post your profile on their site and let customers select you. You can make anywhere from $9 to $30 per hour based on your educational background and the subject you teach. Sites that hire elementary-level tutors include Tutor.com , HomeworkHelp.com , Aim4a and Brainfuse. Kaplan hires SAT and ACT tutors. Understand how a niche website works. A niche website focuses on very targeted, specific information. The content must be specific, useful and interesting to your target audience. Successful niche websites get anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 visitors per month. You build content on a particular keyword, and you make passive income with Google Adsense or through affiliate links. Find a profitable niche. Starting with your interests, write down as many niche ideas as you can. Think about topics people might search online. Ideas include passions (like surfing or body building), fears (like spiders or speaking in front of crowds) and problems (like getting out of debt). Do keyword research to see it others are interested in the topic. Find out if a domain name is available that matches the keyword 100 percent. Use a keyword research tool to perform keyword research. Set up the site. Choose a website building platform, such as WordPress, Joomla or Drupal. Next, choose a domain name and web hosting for your site. The domain name is your web address. Web hosting is a service that connects your site to the internet. Once you have your domain name and web hosting, go to the control panel of your hosting account and install your website platform. Design your website by choosing and installing a theme. Popular web hosting companies include Bluehost and WPEngine. Create content. Create content that people will find valuable and that will help you rank higher in the search engines. Keyword research can help you to find out what topics people are searching for. Write content on these topics to improve your rank in the search engines. You cannot monetize without any visitors. Use a tool like Market Samurai to do keyword research. Put out advertisements to increase traffic to your site. Create a marketing campaign using social media outlets such as Facebook or Twitter. Monetize your site. Choose from several different strategies to monetize your website. You can have ads on your website and get paid when visitors click on them. Also, you can promote products, either your own or someone else's, and get paid when people purchase. With Google Adsense, you install some code on your site that allows ads to appear on it. You get paid when visitors click on the ads. You can also sell advertising space on your website. Affiliate marketing means that you promote products for your niche. A link or banner advertising the product is displayed on your site. If visitors click on it and make a purchase, you receive a commission. Consider your expertise. If you take the time to reflect on your experiences, you will realize that you have more knowledge about which to write than you might think. Begin by listing three assets that define you, such as your profession, a special hobby or a personality trait. Next, list three things that inspire you, such as religion, education or charity. Finally, list three of your dreams, such as getting married, traveling or spending more time with your children. These three lists should give you many ideas of topics about which you can write. Learn the principles of effective writing. As a freelance writer, much of your work will likely be published on the internet. The principles of writing for the web differ slightly than writing for print. The content must still be high-quality and well-written, but the presentation must be adjusted for the way people read online material. Because of the low resolution of online text, readers tend to scan rather than read everything from top to bottom. Make your text easily scannable by breaking up text using descriptive headings and bullet points. Get to the point by using the inverted pyramid style. This means writing the conclusion first and then providing examples to support it. Make your copy effective by being concise and using simple language. Aim your writing to an eighth-grade reading level. Remove unnecessary or confusing words or terms. Include keywords and phrases that improve your ranking in the search engines. Find work. When you first start out, you may have to accept work writing about a topic you don't find all that interesting. You must keep an open mind and be willing to accept work that may not be in your desired field. However, as you continue to write, you not only learn about more topics, but you also build your reputation. With time, you can be choosier about assignments you want to accept. Browse the internet for freelancing websites that hire contractors to do work online. Get samples. When you first start out as a freelance writer, it can be hard to get work without any published samples. However, it is possible to get quality samples if you are willing to do some writing for free. First, you can publish content on your own blog or website. Also, you can write guest posts for someone else's blog. Finally, you can write blog posts for free in exchange for a byline. Write pitches. If you have located a client for whom you want to write, send pitches, which are topic ideas for articles. Write pitches that not only show your expertise but also demonstrate your enthusiasm for the topic. First, read the publication to which you are sending pitches to familiarize yourself with what they publish. If applicable, identify a specific section and send our pitch to the appropriate editor. Also, include a brief summary of who you are. Create a writer website or blog. A website not only demonstrates your technical ability, but it also creates an online hub that allows clients to connect to you. Keep the design of your website clean and uncluttered. Include examples of your work that demonstrate the kind of writing you do. Make the samples easy to find and to read, and make it easy for visitors to figure out how to contact you.. A blog highlights your technical ability and showcases your ability to write blog posts. Your blog can be about different topics than those you write about for your clients. In fact, it should be on a topic that interests you. Visitors will see that you can not only write, but you can also build an online community. A good blog has the potential to earn you many referrals for more clients. Find items to sell. Purge your house. Set aside a few days or a weekend to clean out and declutter your house. Identify items to throw away, donate and sell. Categorize the items you want to sell. Different categories of items do better on different sites. You can also go out and buy items for selling online at a mark-up. Books, CD's and DVD's sell well on Amazon. Collectibles, high-end clothing, and small electronics sell well on eBay. Craigslist is best for generic items such as tools or toys. Open sellers accounts. Create accounts on Amazon, eBay, and Craigslist. These platforms make it simple for sellers to set up accounts. You generally need to provide some personal information such as your name and address, and you may need to provide financial information for processing payments. Amazon sellers connect their checking accounts, and proceeds from sales are directly deposited into their checking accounts. eBay will either send your payments directly to your checking account or will deposit them in your PayPal account. Learn then selling guidelines. Each marketplace has guidelines that define what you can and cannot sell. State and federal laws also impact what items are prohibited. In general, you cannot sell alcohol, weapons, service contracts, animals or event tickets. Also, while not always prohibited, you may find restrictions on how you can sell items in some categories, such as art, gift cards and coupons. eBay , Craigslist and Amazon publish these guidelines on their websites. Research selling prices of items similar to yours. Look up completed sales or current listings of items similar to yours. Find the high- and low-end prices, and price your object around the median price level. If you want your item to sell quickly, price it at the low end. The condition of the item also affects the price. Items in poorer condition should be priced at the lower end. Also, consider how many listings there already are of items similar to yours. If many similar items will be competing with yours, you may have to set the price lower to get the sale. Consider selling in lots. A lot is a collection of similar items that is sold in a group. For example, if you have a collection of books, magazines or similar pieces of jewelry, consider selling them all at once in a lot. You many not make as much money as you would have if you sold each item separately. However, the items will likely sell more quickly in a lot than they would individually. Write a thorough description. Including more details increases the likelihood of making a sale. Since the buyer can't see the object in person before purchasing, give them as much information as possible so they feel like they know what they're buying, If an item is used, be truthful and upfront about its condition. Proofread your description before publishing it. Write a descriptive title that provides information about the product, such as size, color or design. Add high-quality pictures of the item. Use several images that show the item from different angles. Remove all clutter from the background because it detracts attention from the item you're selling. Use natural lighting instead of a flash. Take close-ups so people can see all the details of the item. Provide excellent customer service. Answer any questions buyers post as quickly as possible. Be professional and courteous. Positive communication builds your reputation with buyers and gets you to return business. Also, package your product well and ship it out quickly. Allowing an item to become damaged or taking too long to ship can negatively affect your reputation among buyers. Wrap all items, especially fragile ones, in appropriate packaging. Commit to shipping items as soon as you receive payment. | Take surveys. Test websites. Tutor students. Understand how a niche website works. Find a profitable niche. Set up the site. Create content. Monetize your site. Consider your expertise. Learn the principles of effective writing. Find work. Get samples. Write pitches. Create a writer website or blog. Find items to sell. Open sellers accounts. Learn then selling guidelines. Research selling prices of items similar to yours. Consider selling in lots. Write a thorough description. Add high-quality pictures of the item. Provide excellent customer service. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Help-a-Blind-Person | How to Help a Blind Person | If you're around someone who's blind, you can help them by introducing yourself to them or announcing yourself as soon as you approach them. That way, they won't feel like you snuck up on them. If you see them in a situation where you think they could use assistance, such as being around stairs or trying to find something, say something like, “Can I help you with that?” If they say yes, lend a hand, but if they say no, it's impolite to insist. | Greet the person out loud. When you walk into a room where a blind person is waiting, saying something right away will alert them to your presence. Being quiet until you're right next to the person might make them feel as though you just snuck up out of nowhere, which isn't comfortable for anyone. Say your name so they know who you are. If the person offers a hand to shake, go ahead. Tell the person when you leave the room. It might not be intuitive, but you should always say something when you're about to leave. Don't just assume the person will be able to hear you walking out. It's impolite to walk away without saying anything, since you'll leave the person talking to air. This is frustrating and embarrassing. Ask if the person would like help. If it seems as though the person could use some assistance, the best thing to do is ask instead of just assuming they require your help. Just politely say, "would you like me to help?" If the answer is yes, ask what they'd like you to do. But if the answer is no, it's impolite to insist. Many blind people are perfectly capable of getting around without help. If they say they'd like assistance, do only what is asked, and no more. It's common for well-meaning sighted people to “take over” and end up hurting more than they've helped. In some situations, there's really no need to even ask. For example, if everyone's sitting around a table and the blind person is already seated, you don't need to walk up and ask if there's anything you can do. Be sensitive to the situation and don't make assumptions. Ask the person questions directly. Many people who don't have experience around the blind aren't sure how to address the blind person, so they instead address his or her companion. In a restaurant, for example, it's common for servers to ask the person seated next to a blind person if they would like more water, a menu, and so on. Blind people can hear just fine, and there's absolutely no reason not to address them as you would anyone else. Don't stress over words like “look” and “see. ” Your inclination might be to disrupt your normal speech habits and try to find ways around saying words like "look" and "see." It's okay to use these common words when not using them would sound awkward. It could make a blind person more uncomfortable for you to talk to them in a way that's different from how you'd talk to other people. For example, you can say “It's really nice to see you" or "It looks like rain tonight." However, don't use words like “look” and “see” when to do so would be impossible for the person. For example, if the person is about to collide with something, it's more helpful to say “Stop!” instead of “Watch out!” Don’t pet a blind person’s guide dog without permission. Guide dogs are highly trained animals that enhance the lives and safety of blind people. Blind people rely on their guide dogs to navigate, and that's why you shouldn't call or pet one. If the dog becomes distracted, this could create a dangerous situation. Don't do anything that could take up the dog's attention. If the person invites you to pet the dog, its OK to do so, but don't touch the dog otherwise. Don’t make assumptions about a blind person’s life. Asking a lot of questions or making a big deal about someone being blind is impolite. Blind people have already answered these questions. Every day they encounter situations and places that cater to people who are sighted. You can help a blind person feel more comfortable by being sensitive to this and just talking with them in a normal way. One common myth people often ask blind people about is whether they have a heightened sense of hearing or smell. Blind people have to rely on these senses more than sighted people do, but it's not true that they have super powers when it comes to hearing and smell, and it's rude to assume that. The person may not want to talk about why they are blind. (For example, it could have been due to a scary accident that is very painful to remember.) If they bring it up, it's fine to keep asking more questions and continue the conversation, but don't call attention to it otherwise. Don’t move furniture without telling the person. Blind people memorize where the furniture is in homes, classrooms, offices and other places they frequently go to. Moving the furniture around could be confusing and possibly unsafe. If you do move it, tell the person exactly how the layout of the room has changed. Avoid leaving obstacles in the person's path. Don't leave doors open. Don't have stacks of clutter on the floor. Offer a guiding arm. If the person has asked for assistance in walking from one place to another, offer your arm by touching their hand to the back of your arm, just above the elbow. This is a comfortable place for the person to hold your arm as you walk. When you start to move, walk a half step ahead, and at a moderate/slow pace. When you're guiding someone, you need to walk slower than you'd normally walk. Walking too fast could cause the person to trip. If the person uses a guide dog or cane, walk on the opposite side. Describe things in detail. As you walk, talk about what you're encountering. If you come to a curb, say "curb up" or "curb down" to let the person know they need to step. Be very specific and describe things in terms of where they are. If a blind person asks you for directions, it's not very helpful to point and say “over there.” Instead, describe how to get there by speaking in terms of distance. For example, say “The bodega is three blocks away. Turn left out the door, walk two blocks north, turn right, and you'll find it at the end of the block on the right side of the street." Describing directions in terms of landmarks isn't very helpful to a non-local, either. Saying “it's just past the gas station” won't be useful to someone who isn't familiar with the area. Describe things in the person's path. Alert them to the presence of low-hanging branches and other obstacles they won't be able to see. Help the person sit down, if needed. The best way to do this is to pull out a chair and place the person's hands on the back of it, so they can be seated. As you do so, describe the height of the chair and which way it's facing. Don't steer someone backward into a chair, since they could lose balance. Help the person take the stairs, if needed. Begin by saying whether the steps are leading up or down, and describe how steep they are and how long the staircase is. Then place the person's hand on the railing. If you're guiding the person, take the steps first, and make sure the person has time to step up behind you along the way. Help the person move through a doorway. As you approach the door, make sure the person is on the side with the hinge, and explain which way the door swings. Open the door and step through first. Place the person's hand on the doorknob, and let him or her close it after you've both passed through. Help the person get into a car. As you approach the car, tell them which way the car is facing and which door is open. Place their hand on the car door. They will probably be able to open the door and get seated, but stand by in case your assistance is needed. Share with the person that blindness is not a tragedy. If you have a friend or family member who has just become blind, the person may be struggling and frightened. They are probably spending a lot of time with doctors and therapists to make different life transitions. It's difficult to know what to say, but many blind people lead full, wonderful lives, with a rich school or work life and normal relationships. If the person shares that they would like to talk about being blind, be an empathetic listener. Learn about the best ways to assist a loved one who's blind, from helping the person develop a new organizational system to arranging the house in a way that's more accessible. Provide the person with information on organizations for the blind. Joining organizations for blind people is an essential way to make the transition from sighted to blind. It helps to talk with other people who have been through the same thing and who have a lot to teach what changes to make. Here are a few organizations devoted to helping blind people lead full and active lives: The National Federation for the Blind American Council of the Blind State-based organizations, which can be found here: http://www.blind.net/resources/organizations/organizations-for-the-blind.html Discuss rights and resources. Living life as a blind person has been made much easier due to modern inventions, policies and laws geared toward facilitating blind people's needs. If you know someone who is newly blind, help them find resources that will give him or her access to everything from equipment designed to help people read online to Social Security benefits to counseling, and so on. Help the person you know look into the following: Workplace rehabilitation Social Security benefits Laws (for example, only the blind may walk with a white cane) Products and aids for reading and navigation Acquiring a guide dog | Greet the person out loud. Tell the person when you leave the room. Ask if the person would like help. Ask the person questions directly. Don't stress over words like “look” and “see. Don’t pet a blind person’s guide dog without permission. Don’t make assumptions about a blind person’s life. Don’t move furniture without telling the person. Offer a guiding arm. Describe things in detail. Help the person sit down, if needed. Help the person take the stairs, if needed. Help the person move through a doorway. Help the person get into a car. Share with the person that blindness is not a tragedy. Provide the person with information on organizations for the blind. Discuss rights and resources. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Determine-Your-Dog%27s-Age-By-Its-Teeth | How to Determine Your Dog's Age By Its Teeth | If your puppy is starting to get teeth, it's probably between 3 and 4 weeks old. At 8 weeks of age, your puppy will have 28 baby teeth. For an adult dog, expect 1 or 2-year-olds to have white teeth, while 3-year-olds may have signs of tooth decay, such as yellow and brown tartar. If your dog has increased signs of wear and disease, it's likely between 5 and 10 years of age, while it will be between 10 and 15 if some teeth are missing and decay is widespread. | Understand the structure and organization of your dog's teeth. All dogs have four basic types of teeth: incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. These are found on the upper and low jaws, on both the left and right sides. The incisors are the small teeth running along the front of the mouth. Adult dogs have six incisors on the top and six on the bottom jaw. The two side incisors (next to the canine teeth) are a bit bigger than the middle incisors; on the top these also tend to stick out to the side a bit more. The canine teeth are located behind the incisors, one on each side for a total of four. These are the large, pointed teeth. Premolars come in behind the canines. There are four premolars both on the upper and lower jaw. The fourth premolar on the top is very large. Finally behind the premolars are the molars. On the top of your dog's mouth there are two molars. On the bottom jaw there are three molars. The first one is larger than the other two. Understand how your dog's teeth grow in. Puppies generally have around 28 teeth. For the first two to four weeks, there are no noticeable teeth. Baby canines start coming in after three to four weeks. Baby incisors and premolars start after four to six weeks. By eight weeks, all baby teeth are grown in. For the next three months, there will be no noticeable changes. After five months, permanent teeth will start coming in, usually canines and molars first. By seven months, all permanent teeth will have grown in. If your puppy has all of its permanent teeth, then it is most likely more that 7 months old. Adult dogs will have around 42 teeth. After the puppy stage, age is marked by tooth wear. At one year, teeth are white and clean. By the end of the second year, the white will have dulled and tartar will begin building up. This will cause yellowing on the back teeth. After three to five years the yellowing will increase and be visible on all teeth. There will be noticeable tooth wear. Understand how and why dog teeth wear down and decay. Tooth wear is a natural occurrence, but it can be accelerated by certain habits such as aggressively chewing on hard objects (bones, rocks, sticks) or in small dog's without good dental care. On the other hand, some chewing is great for a dog's dental health. Rawhides or “dental” chews can help dogs break down plaque and material on the teeth. Also understand how disease manifests. By age three, nearly 80% of dogs will exhibit signs of gum disease. This can be seen in the buildup of yellow and brown tartar, inflamed gums, and bad breath. Gum disease is more prevalent in small dog breeds. Food also plays a role in dog dental health. Dry food in strong chewers can help remove some plaque from the teeth slowing tooth decay and loss. There are specially formulated foods specifically for dental health. Your veterinarian can advise you on the proper diet for your dog if you are worried about its teeth. Water additives can also be used to combat teeth destroying and aging bacteria. Worn teeth can look fractured, though regular wear poses little health risk. Excessive wear can damage the root of the tooth, which can require a root canal. Evaluate a puppy's age by assessing its tooth growth. Teeth grow fast at the early puppy stage. Because the change is so rapid, this is the most accurate time to be able to tell a dog's age. Count the type and position of your puppy's teeth to estimate their age. Newborn puppies are born without their teeth erupted from the gums. At certain intervals teeth will erupt. The first baby teeth to appear will generally be the canine teeth at 3-4 weeks of age. At 4-5 weeks of age the two middle incisors erupt. At 4-6 weeks the first two molars erupt. At 5-6 weeks the third incisors erupt. And at 6-8 weeks of age the third molar erupts. The premolars do not appear until much later. At eight weeks and older puppies will have 28 baby teeth. At around 4 months of age the puppy will begin to lose its baby teeth as the adult teeth will erupt. Most times, puppies swallow these teeth but occasionally the owner will find a shed baby tooth or see the gum line is bleeding where a tooth has erupted. Just as with baby humans, puppies at this stage will love to chew on things! At 4-5 months the adult incisors, first premolar, and first molar will erupt. At 5-6 months the adult canine, premolars 2-4, and second molars erupt. Finally, at 6-7 months the adult third molar will erupt. All together there will be 42 adult teeth. Evaluate the condition of your adult dog's teeth to estimate its age. In the first two years of adult life, the teeth are generally white with very little wear. By the end of the second year the white will have dulled and tartar will begin building up. This will cause yellowing on the back teeth. Eventually wear and tear and accumulation of plaque and bacteria will begin to age the teeth. This is how we estimate an adult dog's age. By age three, most dogs will have some signs of tooth disease: accumulation of yellow and brown tartar, reddened gums, bad breath. Of course, dogs with owners who brush their teeth daily and who take their dog to the dog dentist regularly will not have these signs of wear and tear and disease. After three to five years the yellowing will increase and be visible on all teeth. There will be noticeable tooth wear. As the dog ages, teeth will continue to show increase wear. The gums may recede from the teeth leaving roots exposed which may lead to tooth loss. The teeth staining will become more pronounced turning the yellow to brown color. From 5 to 10 years, teeth will continue to show increased wear. Signs of disease will likely appear. By 10 to 15 years, some teeth may be missing and decay will be widespread. Consult your vet if you would like a more accurate estimation of your dog's age. All told, it can be difficult to determine a dog's age by merely looking at it's teeth. Food, habits, dental care (or lack of it) can all play a role in hastening or slowing teeth wear in all dogs. | Understand the structure and organization of your dog's teeth. Understand how your dog's teeth grow in. Understand how and why dog teeth wear down and decay. Evaluate a puppy's age by assessing its tooth growth. Evaluate the condition of your adult dog's teeth to estimate its age. Consult your vet if you would like a more accurate estimation of your dog's age. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Tell-if-You-Are-in-an-Abusive-Relationship | How to Tell if You Are in an Abusive Relationship | If your partner consistently uses psychological, physical, financial, emotional, or sexual control tactics to have power over you, this is abuse and it's not okay. Remember that abuse isn't love, and no one deserves to be treated this way. While most couples fight, if your partner physically harms you, breaks things in your home, threatens you, constantly criticizes you, or makes you engage in sexual acts against your will, then you're being abused. If you fear that you're in immediate danger, then call emergency services to ensure your safety. You can also call the domestic violence hotline at 1-800-799-7233 to get advice and help. | Know the definition of an abusive relationship. An abusive relationship describes a relationship where one person consistently and constantly uses tactics to psychologically, physically, financially, emotionally, and sexually control and have power over another person. A relationship that is considered to have domestic violence is a relationship where there is an imbalance of power. Recognize characteristics of an abuser. Everyone is different, but physically abusive partners tend to have certain characteristics that contribute to the cycle of violence and control. An abuser might have the following characteristics: Emotionally intense and codependent. Could be charming, popular, and talented. Fluctuates between emotional extremes. Might be a former victim of abuse. May suffer from alcoholism or drug addiction. Controlling. Bottles emotions up. Inflexible and judgmental. Might have a history of abuse and violence in childhood. Arm yourself with information about abuse. Domestic violence and abuse is more common than people generally expect. This has significant short- and long-term health implications for the victims. Here are some statistics about abuse in the United States: 25-30% of women experience domestic violence. Domestic violence situations cause disability and deteriorate your health, similar to “the effects of living in a war zone.” A little over 10% of men were victimized by their partners. 1,200 women die each year from domestic violence. Two million women sustain injuries every year from domestic violence. Domestic violence occurs across all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Domestic violence is most prevalent in the poorest of neighborhoods and people who went to college but did not finish school. Victims of domestic violence are more at risk for alcoholism. The risk of disability (emotional, mental and physical) for victims of domestic violence is doubled. The victim's likelihood that they cannot walk without using a device for assistance (like a cane or walker), or need a wheelchair raises by 50%. The risk of stroke for victims raises by 80%, as well as the risk of heart ailments and arthritic joints by 70%, and asthma by 60%. Think about what happens when your partner fights with you. Fights occur from time to time in relationships. An abusive partner might call what they do “fighting,” but it's much more than that. The yelling, the hitting, slapping, punching, pinching, and choking are not a result of disagreements, but a “pattern of behavior” your partner uses to control you. Track physical attacks that your partner has made. Physical attacks can vary greatly. They can happen just once in a while, or they can happen with great frequency. They can also vary in severity. They can also be a one-time incident. The physical attacks may occur in a pattern, or can be an apparent, or a constant, underlying or overt threat. They can also make you fear for your safety or the safety of the people, things, or even pets you love. When this is the case, physical abuse can permeate and affect every aspect of your life. Keep in mind that physical attacks can “cycle.” This means that there can be a period of calm, followed by an escalation, and then the attack. After the attack, the entire cycle can begin again. Look for signs of physical abuse. The actual acts of physical violence might seem like they are self-explanatory or too obvious to mention, but for people who grew up getting hit, they might not realize that this is not a normal, healthy behavior. Some of the signs of physical abuse are: Pulls your hair. Punches, slaps, or kicks you. Bites or chokes you. Denies you the right to meet your basic needs, such as food and sleep Breaks your belongings or the things in your home, such as throws your dishes, punch holes in the walls. Threatens you with a knife or gun, or uses a weapon on you. Physically bars you from leaving, calling 911 for help, or going to the hospital. Physically abuses your children. Kicks you out of your car and leaves you in strange places. Drives aggressively and in a dangerous manner while you are in the car. Makes you drink alcohol or take drugs. Count how many times you’ve had a “honeymoon” period. An abuser tends to go through a “honeymoon” period, where they appear to be the ideal partner to draw you in. They apologize and treat you well, buying gifts and being friendly. Then their behavior shifts and they start abusing again. You are slowly conditioned to accept their behavior. Count when you need to cover bruises or other injuries. As a result of physical abuse, you may experience bruises, cuts or other injuries. Think about if you're wearing turtleneck shirts in the summer or wearing makeup to hide bruises. Understand that physical abuse is usually accompanied by other abuse. It's the physical acts of abuse that usually call the most attention to the problem of an abusive relationship. These behaviors usually occur along with emotional, mental, financial, and sexual abuse. , Realize that physical abuse may not happen immediately. Physical abuse may not be apparent at the beginning of the relationship. The relationship might start out with what appears to be healthy, ideal behavior. One woman recalls her husband meeting her at the train station after work at the beginning of their relationship with flowers. This story was recounted while undergoing treatment in the hospital for a broken nose when her husband threw a laundry basket at her face. She blamed herself for this injury. That perfect beginning is often what keeps victims in the relationship. Or, the troublesome behaviors can be very subtle at first. It might begin with extreme jealousy and controlling behavior, convincing the victim that this is what “real love” is like. The abuser might say that they care for the victim so deeply that they can't help their bad behaviors: “You make me so crazy, I just lose control. That's how much I care for you.” Recognize what emotional abuse is. Emotional abuse usually contains verbal abuse, where the abuser systematically lowers your self-esteem by calling you names, picks on every single thing you do, doesn't show any trust, acts like you a possession, threatens you, and uses your children against you or threatens to hurt them, among other behaviors. Listen for criticisms. Oftentimes, emotional abuse comes in the form of double-edged comments. An abuser might say, “I love you but…” For example, they might say, “I love you, but if you don't spend every weekend with me, I'll think that you don't love me.” With this type of comment, the abuser makes their love contingent on you acting a particular way. If your partner is constantly putting you down and making you feel inadequate, you may be experiencing emotional abuse. Determine if the person is manipulating how you feel. An emotional abuser may try to make you feel certain ways, with the intention of controlling you. This manipulation might be: Humiliating or embarrassing you. Making you feel guilty. Making you feel like things are your fault. Watch for threats. An abuser may use threats to try controlling your actions and behavior. Listen for threats made against you. An abuser may also try to threaten to use your children against you or threaten to hurt them. Threats can also include statements like, “I'll kill myself if you ever leave me.” Determine if you feel socially isolated. Social isolation is a form of emotional abuse that an abuser may use to control how you feel and what you do. Social isolation may take one or more of the following forms: Preventing you from spending time with friends or family. Acting jealous and suspicious of your friends. Restricting your use of the car or phone. Making you stay at home. Demanding to know where you're at all the time. Preventing you from working or going to school. Preventing you from seeking medical care. Determine if you are being sexually coerced. “Sexual coercion,” in simple terms, makes you feel like you are being forced to have sex. They may control the way you dress, rape you, purposely give you a sexually transmitted disease, make you view pornography against your will, drug you or get you drunk to have sex with you, and so on. Determine if you are experiencing reproductive coercion. “Reproductive coercion” means not allowing you to have a choice in pregnancy. The partner may be tracking your periods. The person might get you pregnant against your will, or terminate your pregnancy against your will. Learn to recognize unwanted sexual contact. Sexual abuse consists of unwanted sexual contact, which can exist in many different forms. It can range from violent, physical behavior to more subtle acts such as calling you offensive, sexually-based names (e.g., “whore” or “slut”). The following are some examples of unwanted sexual contact: Touching or fondling you without your permission. Forcing you to have sex with other partners. Videotaping or photographing sexual acts without your permission. Insisting that you do sexual things that frighten or hurt you. Using the legal system to label you a prostitute (e.g., your partner tells the police that you're a prostitute). Demanding or forcing sex. Coercing you into sex and then degrading you later for it. Determine if you are being financially abused. Financial or economic abuse involves controlling you through money. This can entail an abuser not allowing you to have your own money whether or not you earned it. An abuser might take your credit cards. They could start a credit card in your name and ruin your credit history when they don't pay the bill. On the flip side, an abuser also might move into your home and not contribute to paying any of the bills or expenses. They might withhold money for your basic needs (such as buying groceries or filling prescriptions). Determine if there is digital abuse. Abusers utilize technology like cell phones, email accounts and social media accounts to threaten or bully you, or stalk or intimidate you. Abusers use social media to send you harassing messages, blackmail you, and stalk you. An abuser may insist you have your cell phone at all times. They might demand that you answer the phone the moment it rings. Determine if your abuser is stalking you. Stalking, or “obsessional following,” is when an abuser monitors your actions and movements. This can happen with someone with whom you're not romantically involved. But in an intimate partner relationship, your partner can still stalk you. Oftentimes, this happens when the relationship is ending. It can, however, happen when the relationship is still going on. This type of surveillance and over-possessiveness typically causes fear. Your partner may be stalking you if: They turn up at places that you regularly go to. They secretly follow you. They are spying on you. They send you threatening cards or letters in the mail. They leave threatening phone messages for you. They damage your personal property. They threatens or accosts other people that you're close to. Recognize domestic violence against men. Male victims of domestic violence don't just happen in gay relationships. Men can also be physically abused by women and suffer all of the signs of physical abuse and the accompanying abusive patterns. This often occurs in relationships where the men, for one reason or another, are in a financially inferior position to that of their female partners. Assess if you feel social pressures about admitting abuse. Men who suffer from domestic violence and physical abuse often feel much more embarrassed of having endured the abuse. They might not be as likely to come forward because of social pressures. You may feel that you need to maintain a macho reputation, for example. You may be afraid of appearing weak, especially if your partner is a woman who is dominating and controlling the relationship. Determine if you feel you can’t protect yourself. Men have been conditioned to not hit women, so they are less likely to fight back to protect themselves. If they do, they have the added worry of their partner claiming domestic violence against her. Since women are most often the victims of domestic violence, her case may be believed over the man's case. Men may be less likely to call for help, even if the woman had a weapon and is willing to use it. The woman may threaten that she will injure herself in order to claim domestic abuse. She may also use an injury caused by the man protecting himself in this way. Then, she may tell the police that the man was the abuser and get him arrested instead. Abused men have an added stigma and often have no recourse when they are abused by women. They are often not believed, nor are people as sympathetic towards their predicament, which leads to further isolation and stigmatization. Track how you feel. As a result of enduring physical abuse and its counterparts, you might be feeling certain ways that are telltale signs that you are in an abusive relationship: You still love your partner, but you want your partner's abusive behaviors to change. You feel lonely, suffer from depression, powerless, ashamed, anxious, and/or suicidal. You feel embarrassed and you think people will judge you. You are struggling with alcoholism or drug abuse. You can't leave because you don't have any money and you're afraid of what he/she will do if you do. You still feel your partner will change if you just love him/her enough. You believe that you need to stay with your partner because you made a commitment. You feel isolated from family. You feel trapped and there is no escape. If you try to leave, your partner will find you, and then it will get worse. You're afraid your partner will hurt your children or your pets. You worry that your partner will get custody of your kids. You feel distrust towards domestic violence services or law enforcement because of their poor handling of the situation in the past (whether it's perceived or true). If you can write down your feelings in a journal, try that. If you worry that your partner will see your journal, you may need to find another way to identify and sort out your feelings. This might be through talking with a friend, writing on a piece of paper and then throwing it away, Consider how you communicate with each other. When communicating assertively, people in healthy relationships communicate openly and honestly. This means that healthy couples can share their feelings with the other person. They don't need to be right all the time, and they listen to each other in a loving, open, and nonjudgmental way. Healthy couples don't play the “blame game.” Each person takes responsibility for their behavior, their thinking, and their emotions, as well as their own happiness and destiny. They also take responsibility for when they make mistakes and do what they can to make it up to their partner (apologizing is a good start). Think about when you argue with each other. Not everyone agrees all the time, even in the healthiest of relationships. Misunderstandings, miscommunications, and conflicts are dealt with promptly and assertively. Assertive communication maintains a level of kindness and respect within the relationship, as well as encourages cooperation in solving problems and issues. There is a healthy amount of respect towards each other. Healthy couples are kind to each other. They do not name-call, put each other down, yell, or exhibit other signs of abusive behaviors. They support each other privately and in public. Because couples take full responsibility, they also work to improve the behaviors that aren't working for the relationship. They try to be flexible and try to see things from their partner's point of view. Think about the personal boundaries in your relationship. Healthy couples have personal boundaries and can express their preferences and needs. They use assertiveness to express boundaries in a kind and loving way. Abusers methodically test their partner's boundaries, continually working to break down your boundaries until you are completely under their control. You start to accept their abuse and behavior. You accept their power over you. Your fear of being hurt or killed keeps you frozen in the relationship and under their control. Listen to how your partner talks about you in public. Does your partner insult you in front of other people? Do they put you down and call you names? Abusive partners often use derogatory comments to lower the other person's self-esteem. Determine how much you pursue your own goals. Oftentimes, abusive relationships have one partner who doesn't pursue what makes them happy. They mistakenly believe that making sacrifices like this is what people do when they love each other. Think about whether your life centers around making your partner happy. Think too about demands that your partner makes that involve sacrificing your own goals. Ask yourself if you’ve been isolated in your relationship. Isolating the victim is also often common in the beginning of an abusive relationship. An abuser might blame others for trying to break them up. They may also claim that they love you too much to share you with anyone else. It's understandable why this would make a person feel special. That's the abuser is counting on to draw you in and keep you tied to the relationship. They blur the lines of healthy emotional boundaries and rationalizes the erratic behavior. Think about why you’re in the relationship. It's easy to believe that your partner loves you so much that you make your partner lose his or her mind. This gives your self-esteem a boost. But it's really often the first of many techniques an abuser will use to gain control over you. This self-esteem is short-lived, as the abuser employs a large number of tactics to gain control over the relationship. And, this control is the key to the nature of an abusive relationship. In a healthy relationship, each person takes responsibility for their own self-esteem. Each does his or her best to work on building a healthy self-worth. Call 911. If you can tell your partner is going to physically abuse you, call 911 immediately. Calling 911 can ensure that you will be able to stop the physical abuse. This will ensure your safety as you and your kids leave the house. The police might arrest your partner. Tell the police about the physical abuse. Describe to the police what happened in detail and show where you were hurt. Have them take photos of the marks immediately or the next day when they show up, so the photos can be used in court. Be sure to get the officers' names, badge numbers. Ask for the case number so that you can get a copy of the report. Call a domestic violence hotline. Domestic violence hotlines have staff available to talk with you 24 hours a day. They can offer advice and help you locate resources in your area. These services are confidential and anonymous. National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 | 1-800-787-3224 (TTY) The National Domestic Violence Hotline also has a website (www.thehotline.com) where you can chat with someone online except for 2AM to 7AM central time. The staff will help you determine what your safest course of action is at this time. This website also has a list of 4,000 safehouses around the United States. They can help locate one for you and your children if need be. Find a safe shelter. You may need a safe place to go if you want to get away. Make a list of all the places you can go. These might include: Friends or family: Think of friends or family who are not familiar to your partner. Safehouses: Safehouses are usually maintained by nonprofit organizations. They have a secret location and are usually accessible 24 hours a day, so if you have to sneak away while your partner is sleeping, you can. They can help you coordinate with government social services to get benefits to get you started. They can also help you with a court order of protection and with prosecution. Many offer counseling services. Go to the hospital. If you have experienced physical abuse, you should get a medical examination immediately. It's important to get checked out because you could have a serious injury. If you are pregnant and were punched in your abdomen, you should seek medical attention immediately. If you were hit in the head, and you have dizziness, nausea, your vision is blurry, or you have a constant headache, you could have a serious head injury. Nonprofit domestic violence organizations often work with hospitals. Ask for an advocate to be with you for support while in the hospital. This person can help you gain access into a shelter if need be. Going to the hospital for your injuries is important to document the abuse. This will also be very helpful for prosecutors, because it provides evidence for their case. Make your personalized safety plan. The National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence has a personalized safety plan form that you can print. Fill out this safety plan so that you know what you will do and where you will go. The National Domestic Violence Hotline website also has safety plans that you can print out. They are available in English and Spanish. Get a personal protection order. A personal protection order (PPO) is issued by your Circuit Court. It protects you from a person who is abusing, stalking or harassing you. It can also restrict a person from coming to your house or workplace. Be sure to carry a copy of your PPO with you at all times. This will help you if your abuser violates the PPO and you need to alert police right away. See if your partner is willing to change. Your partner has to really want to change his ways. Whether it's their temper, their mood swings, or the way they use their hands, they have to be the one to initiate it. The saying goes, “You can bring the horse to the water, but you can't force it to drink.” You can't force your partner to go to therapy if they don't want to. You can't force them to change even just a little bit. They are the one who has to initiate and work on changing himself. Unfortunately, since the abuser asserts power over the partner, the abuser feels a certain sense of “righteousness.” They may feel entitled to having all the control in the relationship and treat everyone around him or her. For instance, he might say he has to control everything because he's the only smart one. Or they might blame everyone else for getting him so angry all the time. Unfortunately again, this is not the best mindset for changing. Try a certified domestic violence program. If your partner is willing to change, a certified domestic violence program for batterers could help. Research on batterer intervention programs does show mixed results, but this is most likely due to the fact that most batterers are forced to attend programs after they have been incarcerated and are still not willing to change the way they treat their partners and children. Look for a batterer intervention program. These types of programs often help batterers find motivation for completing the program (“overcoming denial”). They also help batterers take responsibility for their abusive actions, learning how to use other techniques rather than violence, and patient education on equality of males and females. Suggest that your partner attend counseling. Going to counseling after a batterer's program would be a healthy choice for your partner. You and your children should be attending counseling also, if not at a domestic violence program, with a family therapist or individual counselor with domestic violence expertise. Don’t expect change overnight. If your partner is willing to go to a batterer's program, that's great news! It's a good start. But don't expect your partner's behavior to change overnight. Change can take many years, sometimes twenty or thirty years, for abusive behavior patterns to change. Leave the relationship if your partner isn’t going to change. If it looks like your partner thinks everything is just fine and dandy, it's most likely you holding out for a change is unrealistic at this time. If you are getting beaten and bruised, no matter if it's only once a year or once a week, even though it's difficult, you need to realize that the way to ensure your own physical and emotional safety is by leaving. If your partner has your purse strings tied tightly and is controlling the money, and watching every movement you make, this can seem daunting. Seek help from a safehouse or domestic violence hotline to figure out your first steps for getting out. | Know the definition of an abusive relationship. Recognize characteristics of an abuser. Arm yourself with information about abuse. Think about what happens when your partner fights with you. Track physical attacks that your partner has made. Look for signs of physical abuse. Count how many times you’ve had a “honeymoon” period. Count when you need to cover bruises or other injuries. Understand that physical abuse is usually accompanied by other abuse. Realize that physical abuse may not happen immediately. Recognize what emotional abuse is. Listen for criticisms. Determine if the person is manipulating how you feel. Watch for threats. Determine if you feel socially isolated. Determine if you are being sexually coerced. Determine if you are experiencing reproductive coercion. Learn to recognize unwanted sexual contact. Determine if you are being financially abused. Determine if there is digital abuse. Determine if your abuser is stalking you. Recognize domestic violence against men. Assess if you feel social pressures about admitting abuse. Determine if you feel you can’t protect yourself. Track how you feel. Consider how you communicate with each other. Think about when you argue with each other. Think about the personal boundaries in your relationship. Listen to how your partner talks about you in public. Determine how much you pursue your own goals. Ask yourself if you’ve been isolated in your relationship. Think about why you’re in the relationship. Call 911. Tell the police about the physical abuse. Call a domestic violence hotline. Find a safe shelter. Go to the hospital. Make your personalized safety plan. Get a personal protection order. See if your partner is willing to change. Try a certified domestic violence program. Look for a batterer intervention program. Suggest that your partner attend counseling. Don’t expect change overnight. Leave the relationship if your partner isn’t going to change. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Dress-for-a-Night-Out | How to Dress for a Night Out | You may be scrambling to figure out what to wear on a night out, but if you know where you're going, you can easily pick the perfect outfit. If you're going somewhere casual, put on some dark wash jeans with a nice top, like a button-down shirt or a silky blouse. You could also wear a nice pair of pants or a skirt with a statement piece, like a graphic tee or a patterned button-up. If you're going somewhere fancier, like a nice restaurant or night club, you might want to wear a dress or suit. You should wear nice shoes as well, like heels or oxfords. Just make sure they'll be comfortable enough if you plan to dance. | Pair jeans with a nice top for an effortless look. Dress up denim for a night out by wearing it with a button-down shirt for men or a silky blouse or tank top for women. Tuck your top into your jeans for a more put-together vibe, especially if you're a woman wearing high waisted jeans. For tunics and tops meant to be worn outside your pants, leave them loose. Choose a cut for your jeans based on your body type. However, straight leg jeans look good on most men and boot cut jeans work for most women. Dark wash jeans are universally flattering and are a little more sophisticated than an acid wash. Leave super distressed jeans at home. A T-shirt made of a nicer material or with pretty embellishments upgrades the classic "T-shirt and jeans" combo. Mix in 1 trendy accent piece for a cool look. Don't try to wear every current trend at once. But add 1 statement-making item for a pop of playfulness and style. A jumpsuit paired with basic flats and accessories or a graphic tee worn with a simple skirt are both good options for women. Men can also rock a funky patterned short-sleeve button-up with neutral pants or a bold bomber over a plain T-shirt. Look for trends that you feel comfortable in and that express your personality. If you're more moody, for example, you might rock a '90s-style choker. Add 2 to 3 layers that are functional and fashionable. Layering for a night out is practical, especially in the spring or fall when the temperatures drop drastically as the night goes on. But it's also very stylish and on-trend. The key is picking layers that complement each other and avoiding anything too bulky or heavy. Good layering pieces include scarves, vests, jackets, and sweaters. For women, try putting a cardigan over a flirty dress and wrapping a thin scarf around your neck. Or drape a kimono over a tank top with layered necklaces. For men, keep it classic with a sweater over a collared shirt. You can also get creative and sport a leather jacket over a T-shirt and slouchy cardigan. Keep accessories minimal or understated. Stick to a simple watch, neutral color scarf, or even a pair of chunky frames for a hip vibe. For women specifically, pick small stud earrings, dainty necklaces, or a stack of plain bangle bracelets. The key is choosing 2 to 3 pieces maximum rather than piling on all the accessories. For example, wear a leather watch and a beaded necklace or a patterned scarf and a chunky ring. Wearing a tie for men is too formal, but on the other hand, a baseball cap may be too casual. Wear sneakers, flats, or boots depending on your activities. All 3 of these options are suitable for men and women, but make your pick based on what you'll be doing. If you're bar hopping, wear trendy sneakers that are easy to walk in. If you're going to dinner, ballet flats for women or low-rise leather boots for men look casual yet chic. While trainers and sneakers are very “in” right now, some places have dress codes that don't allow them. Check in advance. Don't wear slippers, flip-flops, or shoes that are overly worn or scuffed. Choose tailored clothing that fits your body well. For men, tuck a collared dress shirt into a pair of straight-leg or slim-fit slacks. Add a tie that complements the colors of your shirt and pants if the occasion calls for it. For women, dresses and skirts are more formal. Wear a shift dress or a pencil skirt that hits mid-thigh or lower. Avoid showing too much skin if you're attending a nicer event like a theater performance or fancy dinner. If you're a woman who wants to wear pants, choose dress slacks that are flattering and hemmed to the right length. A properly fitting dress shirt should have a collar that fits snugly around your neck, sleeves that hit just above your hands, and shoulder seams that line up with the ends of your shoulders. Pick pieces made from high-quality fabrics that look elegant. Materials like silk, satin, or velvet are all more formal. Avoid clothing that looks cheap or flimsy, or that has sloppy stitching or frays. A cashmere sweater paired with wool pants is a good option for men and women. Women might wear a velvet skirt with a blouse or a silk midi dress. Men could wear khakis and a tailored shirt paired with a satin tie. Embellishments like gems, pearls, or ruffles also add visual interest to your outfit. Pull together your outfit with a blazer or sport coat. What you wear on top of your outfit is just as important as the outfit itself. After all, it's what people see first. If it's cold outside or if you simply want to add a layer, slip on a fitted blazer or sport coat. It looks professional when worn over a flirty dress for women and smartens up a dress shirt for men. Get your blazer or sport coat tailored before wearing it so it fits properly. A blazer that's too baggy or has sleeves that are too long just looks sloppy. Consider heels if you're a woman who wants to elevate her look. Choose a pair that's around 3 inches (7.6 cm) high or lower to avoid looking trashy and to protect your feet. There are plenty of styles to pick from like stilettos, platforms, pumps, and kitten heels. Make sure you can walk in the shoes you choose to wear. Nothing kills an outfit faster than a woman limping around in 6 in (15 cm) stilettos. Your heel height should be based on what you're wearing, too. A long dress may require a certain heel height so it doesn't drag on the ground. If you're wearing a mini dress, choose a lower height. Wear formal footwear like dress shoes or Oxfords if you're a man. Shiny lace-up derbies pair well with suits for more formal events. Suede bucks or neutral leather Oxfords are still classy but can be worn with trousers or wool pants. Match your shoes to the color scheme of your outfit. Avoid clashing hues like black with navy or black with brown, for example. If you're wearing dress shoes, shine them first. Polish your shoes yourself or take them to a shoe repair store or kiosk in the mall to have it done. Accessorize with understated yet classy jewelry. If you're going to wear jewelry, stay away from gaudy costume pieces. Instead, opt for elegant accessories like a diamond-studded watch for men or a dainty gold chain with an emerald drop for women. A little goes a long way with quality jewelry so stick to 1 to 2 statement pieces. Charm bracelets, diamond stud earrings, pretty choker necklaces, and delicate jeweled rings are all chic options. Choose jewelry based on your neckline. For example, a high-collared top calls for bigger earrings and no necklaces whereas a low v-neck looks good with a long pendant. Carry a dainty clutch if you want to bring a bag. Pick a small handheld purse that matches your shoes or your jewelry. For example, if you're wearing silver jewelry, take a silver or cool-toned clutch or wristlet. Choose one in a fancier fabric like silk or one that's beaded and embellished. Stock your clutch with anything you might need like lipstick, extra bobby pins, and your wallet. Wear dark colors to hide sweat marks or spills. An all-black outfit not only looks uber trendy, it also disguises stains. Pick shades like black, dark gray, navy, or even a royal purple. This applies to footwear, too. White shoes are likely to get spilled on or stained. For girls, you can't go wrong with a little black dress. For guys, if you love the look of lighter shirts, toss on a dark blazer over top. Opt for clothing in bright colors if you want to stand out. Neon colors like lime green or hot pink or bold hues like bright red are very eye-catching. They'll really pop under the flashing lights of the club. Stay away from pastels or pale earth tones like beige or light gray. Vibrant abstract patterns in bright colors make for great clubwear. For example, wear a T-shirt with neon stripes across the chest or a mini skirt in a rainbow diamond print. Pick eclectic clothes that show off your figure and maybe a little skin. Nightclub outfits are notoriously more over-the-top and risque than your everyday style. Wear pieces that flaunt 1 of your best features. For example, go with tight hot pants to highlight your long legs or a quirky crop top to bare your stomach. The same rule applies to men. Skinny jeans show off a nice rear end and a fitted tank top draws attention to your sculpted shoulders. There's no limit to how crazy (or how scandalous) you dress for a nightclub usually. Just check the club's dress code to make sure. Pile on bold accessories that make a statement. Now is not the time for minimalism. Choose jewelry that's as loud as the music the DJ is playing. Oversized earrings, chunky chokers, and rings galore round off your fun party vibe. For men, sport a flashy watch or gold chain around your neck. Wear less expensive costume jewelry instead of your nicest pieces in case they come off on the dance floor. Avoid jewelry that could get caught on other people's clothes while you dance. Hoop earrings, for example, can easily snag and get ripped out. Ouch! For women, choose a small purse or wristlet that can be worn over your shoulder or across your body. You want your hands free for drinking and dancing. Slip on shoes that are comfortable for dancing. It's tempting to wear your highest stilettos or your snazziest dress shoes to the club, but are they the most practical? Remember you'll be on your feet most of the night so choose your footwear accordingly. Wedges or platforms make a better alternative to skinny heels for women. Men can wear leather loafers or boots. Find out if there's a dress code. Many nightclubs forbid sandals, flip-flops, work boots, or athletic shoes. If you are going to wear heels, bring a pair of flats to change into or bandages to cover up any blisters throughout the night. Iron out any wrinkles in your clothes to look polished and put together. Clothing that's creased or wrinkled looks sloppy. Look at the label on the inside of your clothes for the care instructions, which will often tell you what heat setting to use for ironing. Turn your clothes inside out and run the iron over any wrinkled areas right before you get dressed. Linen and cotton both wrinkle very easily. If you don't want the hassle of ironing, avoid clothes in these fabrics. Iron on a low heat setting to prevent heat damage if your clothes don't provide instructions. Turn up the heat as needed. Another easy solution to removing wrinkles is to dampen your clothes and toss them in the dryer for a few minutes. Apply makeup that plays up your best features if you want to wear it. Makeup for a night out on the town can be heavier and more dramatic than your everyday look. Focus on just one feature while keeping the rest of your makeup neutral. For example, if you love your eyes, make them stand out with a dark smokey eye and layers of mascara. Balance them out with light foundation and a nude lip. If you like your lips, rock a bold lipstick with subtle eye makeup. And if you're a fan of your cheekbones, dust them with shimmery highlighter. Don't be afraid to experiment with over-the-top styles like glitter, bright colors, and false eyelashes. To help your makeup last longer without smearing or fading, spritz a setting spray all over your face when you're finished with your makeup. Put a few essentials like lipstick or mascara in your purse to touch up your face while you're out for the evening. Style your hair in a way that matches the occasion. For more formal events, keep your hair sleek and perfectly styled. Women might wear their hair in a stylish blowout or an elegant updo whereas men can slick back their hair with gel. For casual events, women can wear loose, beachy waves or a chunky braid. For men, run some mousse through your hair for an effortlessly tousled style. Consider what activities you'll be doing during your night out. If you're playing pool or tearing up the dance floor, women will want their hair out of their face in a ponytail or bun, for example. Even though messy styles are trendy, that doesn't mean you should roll right out of bed and head out. Watch video tutorials online for how to accomplish the perfect balance of bedhead and beautiful. Spritz on perfume or cologne to smell nice. Apply a few squirts of your scent on pulse points like your wrists, neck, and even the back of your knees. These areas give off more heat which intensifies the perfume. Don't go overboard with your fragrance, either. Stick to 1 to 2 sprays of perfume or cologne. Carry a small, travel-size bottle of your fragrance with you to reapply as needed throughout the night. Don't forget deodorant, too! No amount of perfume can cover up bad body odor. | Pair jeans with a nice top for an effortless look. Mix in 1 trendy accent piece for a cool look. Add 2 to 3 layers that are functional and fashionable. Keep accessories minimal or understated. Wear sneakers, flats, or boots depending on your activities. Choose tailored clothing that fits your body well. Pick pieces made from high-quality fabrics that look elegant. Pull together your outfit with a blazer or sport coat. Consider heels if you're a woman who wants to elevate her look. Wear formal footwear like dress shoes or Oxfords if you're a man. Accessorize with understated yet classy jewelry. Carry a dainty clutch if you want to bring a bag. Wear dark colors to hide sweat marks or spills. Opt for clothing in bright colors if you want to stand out. Pick eclectic clothes that show off your figure and maybe a little skin. Pile on bold accessories that make a statement. Slip on shoes that are comfortable for dancing. Iron out any wrinkles in your clothes to look polished and put together. Apply makeup that plays up your best features if you want to wear it. Style your hair in a way that matches the occasion. Spritz on perfume or cologne to smell nice. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Red-Cross-Volunteer | How to Become a Red Cross Volunteer | To become a Red Cross volunteer, give your local Red Cross chapter a call and ask to speak to a volunteer coordinator. They'll be able to answer all of your questions and let you know what kind of volunteers they're looking for. There are all kinds of ways you can volunteer for the Red Cross depending on your skills and time commitment, like administrative work, teaching, and disaster response. If you find a position you're interested in, the Red Cross will likely run a background check and then have you complete orientation and training. | Learn about the mission of the Red Cross. Before you join the Red Cross as a volunteer, make sure you understand the organization and the people it serves. The Red Cross was founded over a century ago to alleviate human suffering in times of disaster and danger. Though the organization is known for helping in times of crisis, it also supports local communities all over the world in the day-to-day. Check out the Red Cross website. Read about the history of the organization. Evaluate the time commitment you can make. Working for the Red Cross is noble, and the efforts of volunteers are crucial. However, there are only so many hours in the week, and you probably have other things to worry about, like work, school, or family obligations. Be honest with yourself about the amount of time you have to dedicate to the Red Cross, and where it will fit into your schedule--whether that's for a couple of hours a week, an entire day once a month, or as-needed for disaster relief. It might help you to take your paper or electronic calendar and mark the free time you have during the week. Figure out what you want to do. The Red Cross is a behemoth of an organization, and many types of volunteers are needed to keep it running smoothly. This is great for you: it means there's probably a position that suits your passions and talents. There are over 30 types of opportunities, depending on location. Here are some of the most common. If you are good at administrative work, choose a clerical function. You can assist with mailings, grants, and special events. Investigate a stint on the Board of Directors if you have good leadership and fundraising skills. If you like to teach, volunteer as an instructor. The Red Cross uses volunteers to teach babysitting, life guarding, first aid, health, and water safety. If you want to volunteer in the field, sign up as a disaster prevention or response volunteer. You will have the opportunity to assist communities as they prepare for, prevent, and respond to disasters, but you may have to travel. Work as a volunteer on special services provided by the Red Cross. If you are especially interested in HIV/AIDS prevention, blood drives, homeless issues and humanitarian work, focus on that. Choose a project, and get involved in education, training, and other services. If you are eager to travel, and have foreign language skills and a large chunk of free time in your future, you can look into international volunteering opportunities. Call your local Red Cross. Find the number on your country's national Red Cross website; for instance, here is the chapter listing for the US Red Cross. Each local chapter is different, depending on the needs of the community. It stands to reason that you will best learn exactly what you can do to help by talking to the chapter itself. The chapter should be able to connect you to a volunteer coordinator, whose job it is to make sure you're informed. Ask plenty of questions. ”What kind of time commitment do you ask?” You should know how often you should come in every month, and for how long they seek to retain volunteers. ”Is there an area in which you're looking for volunteers right now?” You might want to be a swim instructor, but don't set your heart on it. If your chapter is glutted with swim instructors and is looking for someone to pass out snacks at blood drives instead, it's best to go where you're needed. ”Is any special certification required?” Most Red Crosses will provide the training you need to volunteer, but if you're already, say, CPR-certified, you'll be ahead of the game. Use Volunteer Match to find an opportunity. Once you've got an idea what it's like to serve your local Red Cross, and you understand where you're most needed, then sign up! Many countries' Red Cross websites have a tool to match you up with appropriate volunteer opportunities. It should be easily accessible from the national website. Enter your location and field of interest. Include a few special skills that you have. Note the distance you are willing to travel. Mention whether you are open to working with kids, teens, seniors, or large groups. Be willing to wait a week or two for processing. Be open to a background check. Especially if you are volunteering with kids, the Red Cross may ask if they can run a background check on you. This is commonplace for volunteer positions of all kinds, so don't be offended if you're asked to complete one. It's really just to ensure that everyone the Red Cross serves (including you!) is safe. Review your existing skills. If you're volunteering in a field that's already a specialty of yours, you may want to refresh yourself so you're in top shape to serve the organization. So do a review! Practice swimming or first aid, or review old textbooks to make sure you know the basics of your subject. If you're teaching, try a practice lesson on friends or family members. Check your existing certifications. Many first-aid certificates expire after a few years, so you may need to renew. Take an online orientation. In some cases, before you do in-person training, you can study up on your chosen volunteer post with a course on the Red Cross's website. After you receive your volunteer placement, Google it to see if the Red Cross offers any resources online. Make sure you understand everything you learned in the orientation--if it helps, you can quiz yourself with the "knowledge check" at the end of certain sections. Review any area that you are unsure about. Bookmark the orientation when you're finished. It might be helpful later. Train in-person. Your local chapter will let you know what kind of learning opportunities are required, and which are optional but accessible. Most offices will be able to train you in first aid and local disaster relief, which entails responses to things like house fires and accidents. You may also have the option to get trained in national disaster relief, which involves larger-scale events like hurricanes and floods. For in-person training, be professional: arrive promptly, pay attention, and stay the whole time. Think about other training you're interested in doing, even if they don't directly pertain to your post. A well-rounded volunteer is a good volunteer. Get help when you need it. Never be afraid to get in touch with the volunteer coordinator. After all, it's their job to make sure that all volunteers are equipped to serve the Red Cross to the best of their ability. Reach out to them if you have questions about your duties, schedule, or the structure of the organization. They're there to help. If you need to cancel a shift, let the coordinator know by calling as soon as possible and saying something like "Hi, it's Ruby, I won't be able to make my normal swimming class on Tuesday due to illness. Please let me know if I can help with finding a sub." If you're feeling a little overwhelmed and want to know ways to be more effective, you can say "I've appreciated the First Aid trainings I've done with the Red Cross, but I want to learn more about how to stay mentally calm and collected during an emergency. Do you know of any books or courses that might help?" Treat volunteering like a job. As a volunteer for the Red Cross, you're doing some of the most important work in the world. It's incredibly important to approach your commitment to the organization as seriously as you would approach a paying position. (Perhaps even more seriously--people's lives are at stake!) This means sticking to professional and courteous behavior. Take steps to make sure you: Arrive on time and stay for your full shift. Honor your commitments. If you say you're going to do something, then make sure you show up and do it. Do the best work you can. You can't phone it in here--bring all the energy you can. Be kind and build relationships. Help out staff and fellow volunteers when you can, because it's nice. In addition, you may want to ask for a reference in the future. Be flexible. The Red Cross is needed because disaster can strike at any time or place. As a volunteer for the Red Cross, you need to be ready for this. Plan ahead so you're ready to help whenever the moment calls for it. Keep a charged cell phone with you for alerts. Trade phone numbers with fellow volunteers. You may need to call them for backup, or to fill in if you're sick and have to miss a shift. Pack a backpack you can grab with supplies that you'll need. This may include clean water, a radio, and medications. Keep learning. You may have finished your initial training, but there's so much more to discover! Keep reading up on the organization's history and your particular function within it. Remember to review and advance your existing certifications when necessary. If you're working with a more experienced volunteer, ask questions. Broaden your horizons by taking additional non-required training. You might even discover a whole new area you want to volunteer in. Stay aware of current events. It's important to know about natural disasters that threaten other parts of the world, as well as your community. Support your fellow volunteers. Red Cross volunteers are some of the kindest and most dedicated people around. Though not everyone you meet will be your new best friend, it's still worth your time to get to know the people you're working alongside. You can teach each other a lot, and you'll probably have a lot more fun on your shifts if you know your cohort. On your shifts, ask your fellow volunteers (non-invasive) questions about their lives. What motivated them to start volunteering? Hold a skill share. If you work with several other volunteers, get together and learn! You can show each other cool skills that have to do with the Red Cross, or focus on other ones. Socialize outside of work. Go bowling or organize a potluck --anything that the group will enjoy. Help the Red Cross in other ways. The volunteers are the heart of the Red Cross, but it has other needs as well. In addition to volunteering, you can sign up to give blood, or make a donation to the charity. For your birthday or the holidays, ask for donations to the organization in lieu of gifts. Involve your friends and family, too. You might recruit new volunteers among them. Be proud of your work. The Red Cross is an organization with a long and wonderful history. It has accomplished amazing feats over the course of its existence, and a lot of this is directly due to the efforts of volunteers like you. Keep doing what you're doing--you are becoming a small part of history. | Learn about the mission of the Red Cross. Evaluate the time commitment you can make. Figure out what you want to do. Call your local Red Cross. Use Volunteer Match to find an opportunity. Be open to a background check. Review your existing skills. Take an online orientation. Train in-person. Get help when you need it. Treat volunteering like a job. Be flexible. Keep learning. Support your fellow volunteers. Help the Red Cross in other ways. Be proud of your work. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Falafel | How to Make Falafel | To make easy, baked falafel, start by blending chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, and salt in a food processor, pulsing the ingredients 10-12 times. Then, mix in some baking powder and flour and roll the mixture into 12 large balls. When you're finished, put the balls on a baking sheet and flatten them into patties. Finally, brush the falafel patties with olive oil and bake them for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. | Soak the dried chickpeas and baking soda in water for 16 to 18 hours. Put 2 cups (400 g) of dried chickpeas and 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) of baking soda into a large bowl. Pour in enough cold water to cover the chickpeas by at least 2 inches (5.1 cm). Let them soak at room temperature for at least 16 hours. It's important to soak the chickpeas until they're soft since the falafel will fry so quickly that the chickpeas won't become tender. The chickpeas may need an extra 1 to 2 hours if they're not tender enough. Drain and dry the chickpeas. Once the chickpeas are tender, set a strainer or colander in the sink and pour the chickpeas into it so the water drains. Then spread the chickpeas on a rimmed baking sheet and use a clean towel to pat them completely dry. Set the chickpeas aside while you chop the fresh herbs. Pulse the parsley, cilantro, and dill. Pull the leaves off of a bunch of fresh parsley, cilantro, and dill. Put 1 cup (25 g) of parsley leaves, 3/4 cup (40 g) of cilantro leaves, and 1/2 cup (5 g) of dill into a food processor. Pulse the herbs until they're finely chopped. Blend the chickpeas, garlic, and spices with the herbs for 40 seconds. Put the chickpeas into the blender along with 7 to 8 peeled cloves of garlic, and all of the spices. Then blend the falafel mixture until it's smooth. You'll need to add these spices to the processor: 1 tablespoon (7 g) of ground black pepper 1 tablespoon (6 g) of ground cumin 1 tablespoon (6 g) of ground coriander 1 teaspoon (2 g) of cayenne pepper, optional Salt to taste Cover and refrigerate the falafel mixture for at least 1 hour. Scoop the mixture into an airtight container and seal it shut. Put it in the refrigerator so the falafel mixture can chill for at least 1 hour. To make the mixture in advance, refrigerate it for up to 1 night. Stir baking powder and sesame into the mixture before you heat the oil. Once you're ready to form and fry the falafel, remove the mixture from the refrigerator and stir in 1 teaspoon (4 g) of baking powder along with 2 tablespoons (18 g) of toasted sesame seeds. Then pour oil into a large pot so it comes 3 inches (7.6 cm) up the sides and turn the burner to medium-high. Form the mixture into 24 falafel patties. Use a spoon or cookie scoop to divide the mixture into 24 even portions. Then shape each portion into a patty that's about ⁄ 2 inch (1.3 cm) thick. If the falafel mixture sticks to your hands, dip your hands in water occasionally. Fry the falafel for 3 to 4 minutes. Once the oil has reached 350 °F (177 °C) according to a deep-fry thermometer, carefully lower about 6 patties into the pot. Fry the falafel and turn them least once so they brown on both sides. Keep an eye on the temperature of the oil and adjust the burner so the oil stays at 350 °F (177 °C). Fry the remaining falafel in batches. Line a plate with paper towels and use a slotted spoon to lift the fried falafel onto it. Let the oil come back up to temperature and fry the remaining falafel in batches. If you overcrowd the pot, the temperature of the oil will drop dramatically and the falafel won't become crispy. Serve the warm falafel. To make a falafel plate, serve the warm falafel with hummus , tzatziki , and olives. If you'd like to make a falafel sandwich, stuff a pita with falafel and sliced vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions. Then drizzle the falafel with tahini or tzatziki. Store leftover falafel in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 to 4 days. Keep in mind that the falafel will become soft as it's stored. Preheat the oven to 375 °F (191 °C) and oil a baking sheet. Pour a little drizzle of olive oil over a baking sheet. Then use a pastry brush to spread the oil across the entire sheet so there's a thin layer of oil. The olive oil will prevent the falafel from sticking to the pan as it bakes. Put the chickpeas, onion, garlic, and herbs into a food processor. Open and drain 2 15-ounce (425 g) cans of chickpeas. Put them into a food processor along with: 1 cup (150 g) of chopped red onion 4 roughly chopped cloves of garlic 1/4 cup (5 g) of loosely packed parsley 1/4 cup (4 g) of loosely packed cilantro leaves. Add oil, lemon juice, and spices. Pour 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of lemon juice into the food processor. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons (4 g) of ground cumin, 2 teaspoons (4 g) of coriander, and 1 1/2 teaspoons (8.5 g) of salt over the chickpeas. Pulse the ingredients 10 to 12 times. Put the lid on the food processor and pulse the chickpeas with the seasonings. Keep pulsing until the mixture is combined and the chickpeas are chopped. At this point, you can taste the mixture and mix in the remaining fresh parsley or cilantro according to your taste. Mix in the baking powder and flour, if using. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons (8 g) of baking powder over the mixture in the food processor. If you'd like falafel that are easier to form and hold together, add 1/4 cup (30 g) of all-purpose flour. Put the lid on the processor and pulse it a few times so the mixture is finely chopped. To tell if you've blended the falafel mixture enough, gather some of the mixture in your hand and squeeze it. The mixture should form a ball that doesn't fall apart. If you want to make the falafel in advance, store the mixture in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 5 days. Roll the mixture into 12 large balls. Divide the falafel mixture into 12 equal portions. Then use the palms of your hands to shape each portion into a ball. If you prefer not to use your hands, use a large ice cream scoop to divide the mixture. Put the balls onto the baking sheet and press them into patties. Set the falafel balls onto the greased baking sheet so they're at least 2 inches (5.1 cm) apart. Use your palm or the bottom of a glass to press down gently on each ball. Press the patties until they're ⁄ 2 inch (1.3 cm) thick. Forming the falafel into large patties will make them crispy as they cook on the baking sheet. Brush the falafel with olive oil and bake them for 25 to 30 minutes. Drizzle a little more olive oil over the tops of the falafel and put the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Carefully flip the falafel halfway through the baking time and cook the falafel until they're browned and crisp on both sides. If any of the falafel fall apart as you're flipping them, gently press them back together. Remove and serve the easy falafel. Turn off the oven and transfer the falafel to a serving platter. You can eat them warm or at room temperature. Consider stuffing the falafel inside a pita and drizzling a little tahini dressing on it. Store leftover falafel in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. | Soak the dried chickpeas and baking soda in water for 16 to 18 hours. Drain and dry the chickpeas. Pulse the parsley, cilantro, and dill. Blend the chickpeas, garlic, and spices with the herbs for 40 seconds. Cover and refrigerate the falafel mixture for at least 1 hour. Stir baking powder and sesame into the mixture before you heat the oil. Form the mixture into 24 falafel patties. Fry the falafel for 3 to 4 minutes. Fry the remaining falafel in batches. Serve the warm falafel. Preheat the oven to 375 °F (191 °C) and oil a baking sheet. Put the chickpeas, onion, garlic, and herbs into a food processor. Add oil, lemon juice, and spices. Pulse the ingredients 10 to 12 times. Mix in the baking powder and flour, if using. Roll the mixture into 12 large balls. Put the balls onto the baking sheet and press them into patties. Brush the falafel with olive oil and bake them for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove and serve the easy falafel. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Stop-a-Dry-Cough | How to Stop a Dry Cough | To stop a dry cough, make sure you're drinking lots of warm fluids, like warm water, tea, juice, or broth. You can also try eating some honey to soothe your dry cough since honey has antibacterial and antiviral properties, as long as you're not giving any to an infant under one year old. Or, drink some peppermint or thyme tea, which can help suppress a dry cough. If natural remedies aren't cutting it, you may want to take an over-the-counter cough suppressant. | Get plenty of rest. While many people tend to push through an illness, you will get over a dry cough quicker if you allow yourself to rest and rejuvenate. If you push yourself, you are also likely to infect friends, family and co-workers, as well as risk becoming worse by running down your immune system. It can be tough, but if you need to, take a day off from work. Keep your kids home from school as well. Their teacher and all the other parents will appreciate it! Viruses are often spread through droplets sprayed by coughing. Make sure you or your child always cover your mouth when you cough. Try to cough into the crook of your elbow and wash your hands immediately if you cough into them. Keep the air humidified. Use a vaporizer or take hot, steamy showers. You can also leave bowls of water around your house, especially near sources of heat, so that the water evaporates into the air. Drink lots of warm fluids. Drink water, water, and then more water. You can add honey and lemon (another source of Vitamin C), and warm up the water. Other fluids can include tea, juices, and clear chicken or vegetable broths. While you should try to keep hydrated at all times, it's even more important when you have a cold. If you have a dry cough, you want to moisturize that cough. At a minimum, try to drink eight to 10 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Try drinking green tea, as it contains antioxidants. Eat small, nutritious meals. Try to eat small amounts of easily digestible food. Avoid greasy and heavy foods. You want to give your immune system enough energy to fight off the illness, so you will need to eat these meals frequently. Include quality protein, such as fish and skinless poultry, as well as complex carbohydrates. Some good foods to eat when you are sick include: Hot cereal, such as oatmeal: Adding a pinch of cayenne pepper can help break up the mucus and increase drainage. Yogurt: The active bacterial cultures can boost your gut bacteria and boost your immune system at the same time. Foods rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants: Foods that have high levels of Vitamin C include red peppers, oranges, berries (like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries) and leafy green vegetables. Foods rich in beta-carotene and Vitamin A: These include any yellow or orange food, including carrots, squash and sweet potatoes. Chicken soup: Keep it light with brown rice and a few easily digestible vegetables, such as spinach, peas, carrots, celery, or summer squash. Gargle with warm salt water if your throat hurts. Salt water will have little effect on your cough, but it can soothe a sore throat, which may accompany a cough. Add 1 teaspoon of salt (table salt or sea salt both work fine) to about 6-ounces of warm water. Stir to dissolve the salt and then gargle with it. Don't swallow! Just gargle and spit it out. The salt water does at least two things: First, the salt helps reduce any swelling in your throat, making a cough less likely. Second, the sea salt can help supply various minerals that can be useful for the immune system (zinc, selenium, magnesium). Consider letting your cough run its course. Coughing is the body's natural way of literally getting rid of the virus or other pathogen. Coughing also gets rid of the phlegm (mucus) that builds up during an infection or as a reaction to an irritant. So, it is generally best not to suppress a cough and to let your body get rid of the virus and fluids that are making your life miserable. On the other hand, the reality is that coughing can really affect your well-being. In some cases, coughing won't let you sleep and causes it to hurt when you breathe. If this is the case, it's probably a good time to consider a cough suppressant. Take an over-the-counter cough suppressant. Use cough drops, hard candies, or throat sprays to ease a dry cough. These can be found at any local pharmacy or drugstore and are usually very effective for less-serious coughs. Determine the cause of your cough to narrow possible treatments. A dry, non-productive cough is most commonly associated with irritations in the throat. These are mostly minor, but can be very annoying. A dry cough can also be due to: Inhaling an environmental irritant. Certain medications: Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and Beta-blockers in particular. Both ACE inhibitors and Beta-blockers are prescribed to treat high blood pressure and some heart diseases. Some disorders including Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), tuberculosis, viral infections and congestive heart failure. Smoking. Post-nasal drip irritating the throat and causing a reflex cough. Allergies. Asthma, especially in children. Chronic bronchitis. Get your medication changed. If you are on an ACE inhibitor or other medication that you suspect is the reason for your cough, speak to your physician about changing the medication or the dosage. That may be sufficient to eliminate the cough. For other causes of a cough, make sure you have a proper diagnosis and are being treated for the underlying disorder. If the cough does not disappear after that, you may need to get a second opinion about the specific cause of your cough. Get immediate medical care if you have severe symptoms. If you don't get any relief after several weeks or if you experience any of the "red flag" symptoms, call your physician for an appointment. Symptoms that are red flags and require immediate medical care include: If you or your child are coughing up thick, greenish-yellow phlegm. If you or your child are wheezing, or there is a whistling sound at the beginning or end of your breath. If you or your child experience any odd sounding coughs and have difficulty catching your breath, especially at the end of a cough. If you or your child experience a fever of more than 100.4°F (38°C). If you or your child experience any shortness of breath. If you or your child have a whooping cough. Whooping cough has been on the rise, likely because of decreased immunization rates and the appearance of new bacterial strains. It is characterized by fits of uncontrolled, violent coughs making it very hard to breathe. The deep breaths that follow a fit of coughing often sound like a “whoop.” This is a highly contagious disease that can be prevented and treated. Early treatment is very important. Eat honey to calm your cough. Honey has both antibacterial and antiviral properties. In fact, honey is better at soothing coughs than dextromethorphan, a commercial cough suppressant. Do not give honey to any child under one year old. There is a very small risk of getting infant botulism from the bacterial toxins sometimes found in honey. Infants have an immature immune system though, and being exposed to botulism could cause a fatal outcome. Medicinal honey (Manuka honey from New Zealand is recommended) can help soothe a cough but any organic honey will have antibacterial and antiviral properties. Take a combination of honey and lemon. Lemon should be added to honey for cough treatment because lemon juice contains high levels of Vitamin C. The juice of one lemon contains 51% of the daily Vitamin C requirement. Lemon juice also has antibacterial and antiviral properties. To take honey and lemon, gently warm up one cup of honey in a small saucepan. Add 3–4 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 4–5 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice, or a whole lemon, cut into thin slices. Heat over a low flame for 10 minutes and stir constantly until the mixture is warm and the lemons (if you used them) are broken up. Add ¼ to ⅓ cup of water to the honey-lemon mixture and stir. Take 1–2 tablespoons as needed. Refrigerate the mixture. Use a mixture of honey, lemon, and garlic. This recipe may work better for adults and children who enjoy garlic. Garlic has antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic and antifungal properties. Combine one cup of honey and one lemon, finely sliced in a small saucepan. Peel two to three cloves of garlic and chop them as finely as possible. Add this to the honey-lemon mixture. Heat on low flame for about 10 minutes. Stir in ¼ to ⅓ cup of water to the honey-lemon mixture. Keep heating briefly over the low flame. Take 1–2 tablespoons as needed and keep the mixture in your refrigerator. Make a mixture of honey, lemon juice, and ginger. Ginger is often used to improve digestion and to treat nausea and vomiting, but it is also used as an expectorant. It thins out mucus and phlegm and is a bronchial relaxant. This means that the urge to cough can be decreased by taking ginger. Combine one cup honey and one thinly sliced lemon in a small saucepan. Cut and peel about 1.5 inches of fresh ginger root. Finely grate it and add it to the honey-lemon mixture. Heat this honey, lemon, and ginger mixture over low flame for about 10 minutes. Then add ¼ to ⅓ cup of water to this mixture and stir in while heating over the low flame. Take 1–2 tablespoons as needed and refrigerate the remaining mixture. Allow the mixture to cool before taking it to avoid burning your mouth. Substitute glycerin for honey. If you don't have, don't like, or can't use honey, substitute glycerin. You should get natural glycerin (not the synthetic or man-made form). Use ½ cup of glycerin instead of one cup honey in the recipes provided. Glycerin has a “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) status with the FDA. Pure glycerin is a colorless and somewhat sweet vegetable product that is used to make all sorts of indigestible products and personal care products. Because it takes up water, it can be helpful in small amounts to reduce any swelling in the throat. Be aware that glycerin is used to treat constipation, so if diarrhea becomes a problem, reduce the amount of glycerin used. Prolonged and excessive ingestion of glycerin can increase blood sugar and blood fat levels. Take peppermint. Peppermint is considered safe for both children and adults. Peppermint can be used as a tea. Put 1–2 teaspoons of dried herb in 1 cup of boiled water and brew for two to four minutes. Peppermint can also be used as a steam treatment. To use as a steam treatment, add 1–2 teaspoons of dried herb to 2 cups of boiled water in a bowl. Being careful to avoid scalding, place your face over the bowl of water (make sure there is at least a distance of 12 inches between your face and the water), cover the back of your head with a towel, and breathe the fumes in through your nose and mouth. As with all herbs, there is a chance you can have an allergic reaction. Try a small amount of tea or steam first and wait 30 minutes. If there is no reaction, you can proceed. Use marshmallow root. Marshmallow root is not the soft, spongy candy but, like the candy, it is considered safe for both children and adults. It is also known as Althaea officinalis and has been used for centuries as a cough suppressant. In herbal medicine, it is known as a demulcent, which is a herb that relieves irritation, usually by decreasing inflammation. Like peppermint, marshmallow root can be used as a tea or a steam treatment. To make marshmallow root tea place 1–2 teaspoons of dried herb in 1 cup of boiled water. Brew for a few minutes and then remove the herb. Sweeten with honey if desired. Because there is a small risk of allergy as with all herbs, try a small amount of tea first and wait 30 minutes. If there is no reaction, you can proceed. Add thyme to your tea. Thyme has been traditionally used as a cough suppressant and for sore throats. It is considered safe for both children and adults and can be used as a steam treatment as well. Eat ginger root. Ginger root has also been used for centuries as a cough suppressant and to increase salivation, which can relieve a dry throat. The easiest way to use ginger is to cut off a small, quarter-sized slice of fresh ginger root and simply chew it. If the taste of ginger is too strong, try making a ginger tea or ginger steam. Ginger root is considered safe for both children and adults Drink turmeric milk. Turmeric milk is a traditional treatment for a cough. Mix ½ teaspoon of turmeric in one glass of warm milk. If you don't like milk, try soy or almond milk. Take a combination of fish oil and citrus juice. Combine a ½ ounce of fish oil with the juice of one lemon or one orange. They don't mix very well. The fish oil provides Vitamins A, D and E and the citrus provides Vitamin C, all of which can be beneficial in relieving your cough. In addition, the citrus does a pretty good job of covering the fishy taste of the oil. Hold your nose as you drink the fish oil and juice mixture. The perception of taste is based on a number of senses, and if you can't smell it, the taste won't be as strong. | Get plenty of rest. Keep the air humidified. Drink lots of warm fluids. Eat small, nutritious meals. Gargle with warm salt water if your throat hurts. Consider letting your cough run its course. Take an over-the-counter cough suppressant. Determine the cause of your cough to narrow possible treatments. Get your medication changed. Get immediate medical care if you have severe symptoms. Eat honey to calm your cough. Take a combination of honey and lemon. Use a mixture of honey, lemon, and garlic. Make a mixture of honey, lemon juice, and ginger. Combine one cup honey and one thinly sliced lemon in a small saucepan. Substitute glycerin for honey. Take peppermint. Use marshmallow root. Add thyme to your tea. Eat ginger root. Drink turmeric milk. Take a combination of fish oil and citrus juice. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Ask-God-for-Forgiveness-(Christianity) | How to Ask God for Forgiveness (Christianity) | To ask God for forgiveness, first admit your sin without justifying or excusing it, by saying something like, “Father, I took 5 dollars from my brother without asking him.” Then, tell God that you know it was wrong and apologize for your weakness. You can also incorporate scripture in your prayer, such as Romans 6:23 or John 3:16 to help you find the right words. Once you've confessed your sin to God, ask him for forgiveness by saying something like, “Please forgive me for my weakness in that moment.” After you've finished praying, accept God's forgiveness, since he loves you and will always forgive your sins when you repent for them. | Name and admit the thing you’ve done. Before asking forgiveness, you must specifically state the thing you did wrong and admit that you did it. If you're feeling guilty, you may be tempted to make excuses or deny that you did anything wrong. Forgiveness is impossible if you don't admit you did something wrong. You may think, “I guess maybe I shouldn't have lied, but I had a really good reason and it was a small lie.” You are trying to justify what you did rather than admitting to it. Begin by praying, “Father, I took $5 from my brother without asking him for it.” You have named the sin (stealing) and you have taken the responsibility for it without making an excuse. Tell God that you know what you did was wrong. Once you have named what you did, it's important to recognize that it was wrong. It's possible to say what you've done but to not believe that you were wrong to do it. Admitting you did it is pointless if you do not admit that you know it was wrong. You will not receive forgiveness if you say, “I've been sleeping with my co-worker even though I'm married, but I don't see anything wrong with it.” You must recognize what you did as sin, as something God is unhappy about. Say that you are sorry for what you did. It is still not enough to say what you did and admit that it was wrong. Now you must apologize for it. Feel sincerely sorry for the wrong, and let that regret come through in what you say to God. It's important that you are actually remorseful when you say you are sorry. Asking forgiveness from God is not like when you say sorry to a brother but you really don't mean it. It must be sincerely from your heart. Say something like, “I know that what I did was wrong, and I feel truly bad for it. I'm sorry that I broke our relationship. I'm sorry for sinning against you.” Pray about what you’re feeling. You must always be honest when you are asking for forgiveness. If you believe that God knows your heart anyway, there is no sense in lying to him. Tell him the guilt you feel for your sin, and that being separated from him has made you sad. Say, “God, I feel sick to my stomach because I know I have caused you pain.” It can be good to pray aloud to God so that you are saying specifically what is on your mind as opposed to only thinking it. Use scripture in your prayer. God's word is powerful, and he encourages you to use it when you speak to him. Since the words in the Bible come from God, they show a model for how to talk to God. Search your Bible, or online, to find scriptures about asking for forgiveness. Use those to make your prayer meaningful. Look these scriptures up and pray them in your prayer: Romans 6:23, John 3:16, 1 John 2:2. These scriptures talk about forgiveness. The New Testament is full of truth about forgiveness. Search on your own and find scriptures that speak to you about the forgiveness you're seeking. You can repeat the scripture verbatim or paraphrase it so it means more to you. Ask God to forgive you for what you’ve done. Just as you would with other people, after saying you are sorry you must ask to be forgiven. There is no special prayer you have to pray to earn forgiveness from God. All you have to do is ask him to forgive you, through Jesus Christ, and believe that he will forgive you. Say to God, “I denied knowing you to my friend. It was wrong and cowardly for me to do that. I'm sorry I didn't tell him about your love for us. Please forgive me for my weakness in that moment." You do not need to plead, beg, or repeat yourself over and over. Asking God one time, with a genuine heart, is all you have to do. Tell God that you believe He has forgiven you. Belief and forgiveness go hand in hand. It's no good to ask for forgiveness but not believe God will forgive you. God says that when you ask him to forgive you with sincere hearts that is He is faithful to forgive. Tell yourself you believe Him and tell God you believe Him. 1 John 1:9 tells you that, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Say this scripture to God and believe it. It's important to remember that forgiven sins are forgotten. Hebrews 8:12 says, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Seek forgiveness from people you hurt by what you did. Although sin ultimately breaks relationship with God, other people are often hurt, too. When you know that God has forgiven you, it's important to seek forgiveness from others. Tell the person you are sorry you hurt them and ask them to forgive you. Remember that you can't make someone forgive you, and you can't earn it from them. They will either accept that you are sorry for what you did and forgive you, or they won't. Don't pester them if they refuse to forgive. You can't make them change. Once you have apologized and asked for someone's forgiveness, you must release yourself from the guilt. Even if they don't forgive you, you've done your part in seeking to make amends. Repent of the wrong behavior. Once you are forgiven by God for your sin and by others for any hurt you caused, you must turn away from that sin. Make a conscious decision that you will not purposefully commit the same sin again after being forgiven. You must remember that you will always sin again, but it's important to say in the moment that you are turning away. The only way to get further from habitual sin is to tell yourself you are not going to do it again. Acts 2:38 is helpful in this process. It says, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Forgiveness is an important step, but walking away from sin is necessary, too, to remain close to God. Work to keep from doing the same wrong thing again. Part of your goal in following Christ is to move further from sin, and this takes committed work. You won't stop sinning immediately, but if you work on it, you will grow stronger. In Matthew 5:48, God calls you to become perfect, as he is perfect. It's a goal that you must work toward. Find people who can help you avoid repeated sins. Learn scripture to combat temptation. Remember that sin only harms and you don't need it. Spending time reading your Bible, praying to God, and talking with other Christians are all vitally important to living a life that is free of sin. | Name and admit the thing you’ve done. Tell God that you know what you did was wrong. Say that you are sorry for what you did. Pray about what you’re feeling. Use scripture in your prayer. Ask God to forgive you for what you’ve done. Tell God that you believe He has forgiven you. Seek forgiveness from people you hurt by what you did. Repent of the wrong behavior. Work to keep from doing the same wrong thing again. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Stop-a-Bruise-from-Hurting | How to Stop a Bruise from Hurting | To stop a bruise from hurting, take a painkiller like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, but avoid blood thinners like aspirin, which can make the bruise worse by increasing your blood flow. You can also ice your bruise to reduce swelling and lessen the pain. Wrap an ice pack in a towel, then apply it to your bruise for 10 minutes at a time, 3 to 4 times a day. Additionally, reduce blood flow to your bruise by elevating the area above your heart with a pillow. Be sure to rest and leave your bruise alone, because touching it can cause more damage. However, if you notice an unusual or infected bruise, contact your doctor, since this could be a sign of a more serious problem. | Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen. The fastest way to deal with the pain is to take a painkiller such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Neither one of these is a blood thinner, which is why they are a good choice with a bruise, and in fact, ibuprofen can help reduce inflammation. A blood thinner, such as aspirin, can increase blood flow, making a bruise worse. However, don't stop taking aspirin if you're on an aspirin regimen. Ask your doctor first. Ice your bruise. Wrap an ice pack or ice cubes (in a zip-top bag) in a towel. Hold it on the bruise for at least 10 minutes. The ice helps reduce the inflammation and swelling, which can lessen pain, but it will also have a numbing effect. You can use this treatment three to four times a day, though some professionals note that you can employ this technique once every hour. Instead of an ice pack, you can use a bag of frozen vegetables such as peas to ice your bruise. You can refreeze it when you're done, but only use it as an icepack from that point on. Try parsley. Some people claim that parsley can help ease the pain and inflammation of a bruise. To use this technique, start with fresh parsley. Crush the leaves with something heavy, such as a pot or a mortar and pestle. Rub the leaves on the bruised area, and use an elastic bandage to hold it in place. Keep it elevated. Elevating the bruised area forces your blood to pump uphill, which reduces the blood flow to the area. Reducing the blood flow helps keep the swelling down. For the best results, try to elevate the area so that it is above your heart. Get some rest. Try not to overuse the area where you got the bruise. Your tissue needs time to repair itself, and resting can help it do that. Using the muscles too much can cause further damage. Try St. John's wort. You may have heard that St. John's wort is sometimes used as a natural antidepressant. However, some people also use it to help with bruises because they believe it helps shrink tissues and slow down bleeding. To use, apply the oil version of this supplement to your bruise three times a day. Avoid massaging your bruise. Though it may be tempting to rub your bruise to help it feel better, doing so can actually cause more damage. Try vitamin K. Like St. John's wort, some people have luck gently applying vitamin K to the bruise because vitamin K helps with clotting. Find the cream version to use on your bruise, and use it twice a day. Apply arnica. This is often recommended by plastic surgeons to reduce bruising. Try rubbing an arnica cream, ointment, or salve onto the bruised area to reduce inflammation and and soothe any aching. Check for the cause. If you are badly bruised or have many bruises but you didn't fall or injure yourself, you should call your doctor. That can be an indication of a more serious problem. It could mean you have a problem with blood clotting or another blood disease. If the bruise doesn't improve after two weeks, reach out to your doctor. Look for signs of infection. One sign of infection is red streaking, where fingers of redness on the skin jut out away from the bruised area. Another symptom is if the bruise is draining something other than blood, such as pus. Also, check to see if you have a fever, as that can be an indicator as well. Call your doctor if you have these symptoms. Other signs of infection are if the bruised area gets more swollen, painful, or warm Feel for pressure. If you feel a great deal of pressure where you are bruised, that is also a reason to call your doctor. It can be a sign of compartment syndrome, a serious condition that slows down circulation in that area. The area may feel very firm or hard and be very painful. See your doctor immediately if the area below the bruise is numb, cold, very pale, or blue. Watch for lumps. If a lump forms over the bruise, called a hematoma, that is also a cause for concern. Hematomas are very similar to bruises. That is, they form when blood escapes from a blood vessel. However, they create larger bumps and can be more dangerous. Check your diet. If you aren't getting the right nutrients, you may end up bruising more easily. Make sure you are eating your fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains, lean protein, and dairy. The main deficiencies that can lead to excessive bruising are vitamins C, K, and B12. Lack of folic acid can also be a problem. These nutrients help your blood clot. Move obstacles in your house. If your house is especially cluttered, it can lead to you having more injuries. For instance, maybe you always trip over one particular table. Consider moving the table to another area to prevent the problem. Protect your skin with cloth. Just by wearing long sleeves and pants, you can help protect your skin from minor bruises. Work on your balance. Bruises often result from falling or klutziness, so by improving your balance, you can decrease your chances of getting a bruise. Try weight shifts. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Shift your weight to your right foot. Lift up your left foot. Balance in this position for 30 seconds. Shift to other foot, and hold it for 30 seconds. Get physical. That is, even exercises such as walking can help you improve your balance. Try taking a walk everyday to help you increase your balance. Wear protective gear when playing sports. Take measures to protect yourself when playing sports by wearing the appropriate gear. This may include a helmet, shin or wrist guards, padding, etc. Talk to your doctor about medications you are taking. Bruising easily is a side effect of some medications, especially blood thinners or heart medicines. Talk to your doctor about switching medicines or what you can do to prevent bruises if you are concerned. However, don't stop any of these medications without talking to your doctor. Avoid supplements that increase bruising. Fish oil, vitamin E, garlic, ginger, and ginkgo biloba are all supplements that may cause you to bruise easily, especially if you take a blood-thinning medication. Talk to your doctor about alternatives. | Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Ice your bruise. Try parsley. Keep it elevated. Get some rest. Try St. Avoid massaging your bruise. Try vitamin K. Apply arnica. Check for the cause. Look for signs of infection. Feel for pressure. Watch for lumps. Check your diet. Move obstacles in your house. Protect your skin with cloth. Work on your balance. Wear protective gear when playing sports. Talk to your doctor about medications you are taking. Avoid supplements that increase bruising. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Paid-For-Donating-Plasma | How to Get Paid For Donating Plasma | Before you can get paid for donating plasma, you'll have to pass a medical exam and complete a medical history screening. At your appointment, you'll be taken to a seating bed and a needle will be inserted into your arm. As the blood is drawn, the plasma will separate from your blood and your red blood cells will be returned to your body from the same needle. Once you're done, which will typically be in 90 minutes, you'll get paid between $20-$50. | Make sure you are a good candidate for plasma donation. Are you in generally good health? Do you already donate blood? If you answered 'yes' to both of these, you're likely a good candidate for plasma donation, although you will only be able to confirm your eligibility for donation on site at a plasma collection center. If you would like to donate, discuss this with your physician who will be able to advise you further on your candidacy. Because plasma that is paid for is not used for human transfusions, it is likely that plasma centers will accept plasma from any and all plasma types. In addition to getting the okay from your physician, you will also need to meet some minimum requirements on behalf of the plasma donation centers (see Step 3). Be aware that donating plasma is completely safe. Plasma donation in certified collection centers takes place in a highly controlled, clean environment by professionally trained medical staff. All equipment used for plasma collections is sterilized. Moreover, any equipment that comes into contact with you is used only once to eliminate the possible transmission of viral infections. Donating plasma is low-risk and has minimal and often no side effects. These minimal side effects include feelings of faintness or bruising from the needle. If you exhibit any other side effects after donating plasma, you should consult your physician and let the donation center know. Meet the requirements for donor eligibility. There are a number of eligibility requirements that you need to meet in order to donate your plasma. However, it is important to note that ultimately whether or not you are eligible is at the discretion of the particular plasma collection center you visit. Eligibility requirements include: Age - You must be at least 18 years old. Weight - You should weigh at least 110 pounds or 50 kilograms. Medical exam - You must pass a medical exam. Medical history - You must complete an extensive medical history screening. Testing - You must test as non-reactive for transmissible viruses (such as hepatitis and HIV). Diet - You should follow a recommended diet that includes 50 - 80 grams of protein every day. Find a plasma collection center. There are hundreds of plasma centers in the United States. You can easily locate a center by inputting your city, state, and/or postcode in the Donating Plasma Organization's searchable directory. You typically do not need to make an appointment in advance of visiting a center. You can set the radius of the search to within 10 miles of where you live if you want to find one nearby. You could also check with local hospitals or clinics to see if they can help you locate a center. Call the center ahead of your visit to find out its hours of operation and the compensation it offers or to ask any additional questions. Each company establishes its own compensation scale, so you may want to check out the different options beforehand. Bring proper identification with you. The center will want to be able to confirm that you are who you say you are. You will need: Current photo I.D. (such as a driver's license) Social Security or Border Crossing ID Proof of local address (such as a current lease agreement, a piece of mail (like a phone bill) postmarked in the past 30 days with your name and address on the front, etc.) Drink plenty of water and eat something beforehand. Before heading to the plasma collective facility to donate, make sure you are fully hydrated and that you've eaten something.This will decrease the likelihood of any side effects of faintness or dizziness. Drink a 4-6 ounce glass of water, juice, or other caffeine-free liquid before you donate. Avoid consuming any alcohol within 24 hours of your donation. Eat a meal rich in protein and iron about 3 hours before you donate. Protein-rich foods include beans, cheese, eggs, nuts, beef, chicken, milk, and yogurt, among others. Iron-rich foods include beans, broccoli, chicken, ham, turkey, beef, and leafy greens. Avoid foods high in fat, like chips, pizza, or French fries. Receive a physical examination. If this is your first visit, you will undergo a brief physical and have your vitals assessed. For example, your pulse will be checked, and your temperature taken. A technician will take a sample blood sample from your finger (just a little prick) to check your iron and protein levels. If your iron and protein levels are not considered sufficient, you may be unable to donate your plasma. Complete a Donor History Questionnaire. This questionnaire will ask you questions about your medical and family history, sexual habits, drug use, and so on. Notify center personnel if you have had surgery recently, have obtained a tattoo or piercing within the past year or are currently taking any medications or are receiving care for a specific medical condition. It's important that you fill out this questionnaire honestly. This information is to ensure that you are not at risk of transferring any diseases or viruses through your plasma to another person. Some centers may ask you to watch a video that explains the behaviors that could taint your blood, such as unprotected sex or sharing needles. Begin the donation process. If the center personnel deem you eligible to donate, you will be taken to the donation area with a comfortable seating bed. A technician will prepare your arm with antiseptic and then insert a needle to draw blood. You shouldn't feel more than a prick or a pinch. As the blood is drawn, the plasma is separated from your blood and your red blood cells will be returned to your body through the same needle. This process is called plasmapheresis. During this time, you can read a book, watch TV or listen to music with your headphones in. Some centers also offer free Wi-Fi. A staff member will check on you periodically to make sure you're comfortable. If you feel discomfort or faint at any moment, let a staff member know. Your first visit will take approximately two hours because of all of the medical screening. Return visits generally take only about 90 minutes. Check out and get paid. Once you have donated, the area where the needle was inserted will be bandaged. Then, you can collect compensation to thank you for your time at the end of the donation process. Though the amount varies according to each facility, the fee is usually between $20-$50. Remember that you can always donate again and that in fact, plasma collection centers encourage committed donors. Some centers may let you come in 48 hours later or twice a week, while others limit donations to once a month. Check with the center to determine the required length of time between visits. There are no known long-term effects if you donate often, although it is important to drink lots of water after donating if you plan to do it again soon. This will help your body replace fluids. In some cases, plasma centers and corporations offer bonuses if you donate a certain number of times a month (e.g., an additional $35 if you make 8 donations in a month) or if you donate during certain weeks. | Make sure you are a good candidate for plasma donation. Be aware that donating plasma is completely safe. Meet the requirements for donor eligibility. Find a plasma collection center. Bring proper identification with you. Drink plenty of water and eat something beforehand. Receive a physical examination. Complete a Donor History Questionnaire. Begin the donation process. Check out and get paid. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Life-Plan | How to Make a Life Plan | To make a life plan, start by writing down some specific goals and when you want to achieve them by, like "I want to get accepted to a master's degree program by April 2015." Then, write down the steps you need to take to achieve each goal. For example, your steps might be like "Research graduate programs; fill out and submit an application; wait to hear back; enroll in a program." Once you know what steps you need to take, revisit your life plan and check things off your to-do list as you work toward your goals. | Consider what roles you play in the present. Each day we play different roles, or give ourselves different labels through our actions. These roles can include things like 'daughter', 'painter', 'student', 'girlfriend', 'lover of cheese', etc. Create a list on a piece of paper. Which do you think are the most consistent roles? Examples of other roles include (but are certainly not limited to): chef, dog lover, brother, photographer, boss, mentor, traveler, grandchild, thinker, etc. Think about the roles that you want to play in your future. Some, if not all, of your roles from the present might be the same roles you want to play in your future, such as 'mother' or 'painter'. However, these roles are the nouns that you would want someone to use to describe you at the end of your life. Think about any of the roles you are playing the present that are stressing you out or causing a negative impact on your life--perhaps those are roles you would like to cross from your list in the future. To help you form your list, think about things that you hope to do. Do you want to travel to another country because you've never left your home state? If so, 'traveler' would be added to the future list. Consider the reasons you play, or want to play, these roles. To create a life plan, you need to decide what your priorities are at this moment in time. To do this, consider the roles that you want to continue playing, or those you want to add to your life in the future. What is the reason you want to play a certain role? Maybe you have 'father' written on your future goals because you want to have children with your partner and give them an amazing life. A helpful way to figure out the reasons behind your desires is to imagine your own funeral (while this is a morbid thing to do, it really does help!) Who would be in attendance? What you want people to say about you or describe you as? Perhaps the most important things you would want someone to say is that you were an amazing mother and changed the lives of thousands of animals through the organization you volunteered with. Write down your priorities. Once you have really considered the why behind the things you want to be and do in your life, make a list of them. Making a list will help you to stay organized when coming up with your plan. For example, you list might include: am 'sister' because I always want to be there to support my brother; want to be 'writer' so I can write down my grandparents' story, etc. You could also try writing your own eulogy. Think about what you would want people to remember about you and your life if you died tomorrow. This can greatly help you in figuring out your priorities. Think about your physical, emotional, and financial needs. What will you need to be the person you want to be? If one of the roles you want to play is 'climber of Everest', your physical needs might include staying fit and eating well. If one your roles is 'friend', your emotional needs might be met by surrounding yourself with loving people. If one of your financial goals is 'business owner,' challenge yourself to brainstorm business ideas and start coming up with business plans. Consider what goals you want to accomplish during your lifetime. Use your roles, priorities, and needs to help you solidify some things you want to achieve. Think of this list as your 'bucket list'--what do you want to do before you die? Remember, these are the goals you really want to achieve, not the goals you think others want you to have. If you need some extra help narrowing down your ideas, consider putting your goals into categories. Some example categories include: Career/Vocation; Social (family and friends); Finances; Health; Travel; Knowledge/Intellect; and Spirituality. Example goals (according to the order of categories): Become a renowned architect; get married and have two kids; make enough money to comfortably send my children to college; maintain a weight of 120 pounds; visit every continent; earn my master's degree in Architecture; visit Borobudur Buddhist temple. Write down some specific goals with specific dates to achieve each goal by. Once you have outlined the vague goals that you want to have in your life, such as earn your Masters, set out some defined goals and the dates that you want to reach them by. Here are some defined goals that are less vague than the ones written in the previous step: Lose 10 pounds by June of 2014. Be accepted to master's degrees programs in architecture by April 2015. Travel to Indonesia to visit the Borobudur temple in 2016. Figure out how you will accomplish your goals. This means assessing where you are right now. What steps are you going to need to do actually reach your goal from where you stand in the present moment. For instance, to continue with the goal of getting a Master's in Architecture: From now until April 2015, you will need to: A. Research graduate architecture programs. B. Write any necessary documents for the program's application. C. Fill out the rest of the application and submit it to the proper authorities. D. Wait to hear back from the schools. E. Pick the program that you want to attend the programs that accepted you. F. Enroll! Think about any potential people and resources that you can use to help you achieve your goals. If you know someone you know works in an industry you want to get into, for example, reach out to them and ask them to mentor you. Write down the steps you will need to take to reach each of your goals. You can do this in any format you like--handwrite it, type it in a Word document, print it on a large sheet, etc. Whatever format you choose to use, write the steps you will need to take to achieve each of your goals in chronological order. Congratulations--you have just written out your life plan. This is a good time to review the details of each step--like the names of the specific graduate programs you are going to apply to. Or, if one of your goals is simply to be happy, write out the details of what will make you most happy along the way. Review your life plan. One fact of life is that it always changes--and so do we. The goals and priorities that you had when you were 15 are probably not the same as the goals you will have when you are 25 or 45. It is important to review your life plan every so often to make sure that you are following a plan that will truly give you a happy and satisfactory life. When you review your life plan, also assess the successes that you have achieve so far. It is good to keep track of your accomplishments. Adjust your life plan. When you do find that your priorities and the goals associated with those priorities have changed, it's time to rewrite at least part of your life plan. Consider what is different, what is more important to you now, and how you will achieve this new goal. Rewrite your life plan as much as you need to. Don't limit yourself to a certain number of goals--your life plan is a fluid thing. Add goals as they become priorities in your life and remove those that aren't as important anymore. Failure at some points in your plan is inevitable. That doesn't mean it has to derail everything. Consider options and actions for when failure occurs. How you deal with setbacks can be the difference in whether or not you achieve your goals. | Consider what roles you play in the present. Think about the roles that you want to play in your future. Consider the reasons you play, or want to play, these roles. Write down your priorities. Think about your physical, emotional, and financial needs. Consider what goals you want to accomplish during your lifetime. Write down some specific goals with specific dates to achieve each goal by. Figure out how you will accomplish your goals. Write down the steps you will need to take to reach each of your goals. Review your life plan. Adjust your life plan. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Increase-Your-Short-Term-Memory | How to Increase Your Short Term Memory | If you'd like to increase your short term memory, there are a few strategies you can try. One strategy you can use is engaging all of your senses when you're trying to remember something. For instance, if you just learned someone's name, focus on what they look like, how their voice sounds, and even what their perfume or cologne smells like so your brain is fully engaged. You can also use a technique called "chunking,” which involves breaking information you're trying to remember up into smaller pieces. For example, if you're trying to memorize a grocery list, try grouping things into categories, like "dairy," "meats," and "vegetables," instead of memorizing one long list. It's also important that you take care of your brain. Eat a diet that includes foods with omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, soybeans, and walnuts, which promote brain health and memory. Try to get at least 7 hours of sleep each night so your brain can rest and recharge. | Understand how short term memory works. Your short term memory can be thought of as the “holding tank” your brain uses to temporarily hold information while determining whether to filter it out (and forget it) or move it along into your long-term memory. It is often said that your short term memory can hold about seven items of information at one time, for a period of time of typically 10-15 seconds (but even up to a minute). People sometimes associate the concept of short term memory problems with the kind of amnesia you might see on a daytime soap opera, but it is more an issue with taking in new information and effectively determining its need for long-term storage. Know the limitations of compensating for poor short term memory. Jotting down notes, keeping a voice recorder handy, or tying strings on your fingers might help you make it through your daily routines, but they won't facilitate any improvement of your short term memory. The only route to increasing your short term memory is through brain exercise and techniques to improve your focus and association skills. Keep your brain active. Like any other part of the body, brain inactivity can lead to weakness and decline. A more active brain is a more healthy brain, and a healthy brain is better with short term memory. Interact with people. The simple act of having a conversation with someone can help keep the brain more active. Even better would be to play chess, do puzzles together, or anything that challenges your brain to work harder. Stimulate your mind when alone as well. Don't just sit in front of the TV. Read a book; even better, write a book. Seek out brain exercises. There are many games and tests, some of which you can set up with items in your junk drawer, that can give your brain a good (and enjoyable) workout. Sitting down to do a few puzzles or other brain exercises twice a day can be enough to keep your memory powers from stagnating. Use flash cards. They worked in elementary school, and they can work now. Specialized memory card games are great, but even trying to remember a series of playing cards can work. Do test games such as laying everyday items out on a tray, then covering the tray and trying to remember everything on it. Add items as your recall improves. There are a wide range of books and games with brain exercises available for purchase, as well as convenient online resources. Try out different options and see what works for you. Focus on what you want to remember. Often people who assume they have a short term memory problem actually have a focus problem. Do you always forget your waiter's name because you never actually pay attention when he gives it? Some theorize that because 8 seconds is roughly the minimum time it takes to transfer a short term memory to long term memory, you should narrowly concentrate on an item you want to remember for at least that period of time. Block out distractions. If you want to remember that waiter's name, put down the menu, ignore the restaurant's mood music and your kids' complaints, and look at and listen to him when he gives it. Use all your senses. We've all experienced a scent or sound that triggers a memory from long ago. Utilizing your senses when adding to your short term memory enhances focus and builds associations that serve as markers for future recall. When you meet someone new and want to remember his name, engage as many of your senses as you can. Listen carefully and look directly at him as he states his name; repeat it immediately afterward; shake his hand and take notice of his grip; and even take notice of his cologne if possible. The more sensory associations you build, the more firmly the memory is encoded. Repeating a name, or anything else you want to remember, out loud is always a good way to help strengthen a particular short term memory. Listen to yourself saying the word or phrase, and keep doing so with regularity. Utilize mnemonics. Do you remember learning “Roy G. Biv” in school to keep track of the order of colors in a rainbow? This acronym is one type of mnemonic device, a visual or verbal memory technique that allows you to build associations among pieces of information. Construct colorful, even silly visualizations to help encode a short-term memory. For instance, picture a pile of trash falling onto your head when the clock strikes six to remind you to take out the trash each evening. Singing the “ABC Song” to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” is a familiar childhood mnemonic that uses an auditory cue. For more examples of mnemonics using number, color, and other associations, see How to Improve Your Memory. Try “chunking. ” Chunking is process related to mnemonics that involves breaking up a string of data into more digestible pieces. Perhaps the most common example is using hyphens to break up the string of digits in a phone number, because three groups of 3, 3, and 4 numbers is easier to remember than a string of 10. Remembering a grocery list might be a challenge, but can be made more manageable by grouping the items by category -- dairy, produce, meat, etc. Six smaller shopping lists is easier to recall than one larger one. Lay out “memory bait. ” When you have too much information to process into short term memory, try focusing on particular parts of the whole to create a foundation in your mind for creating additional memories on the topic. For instance, if you need to memorize a list of major U.S. Civil War battles in order, pick out a handful of key ones and commit them to memory. With those firmly established, the additional information will be more likely to “stick” to the existing memories -- or to follow the bait into your memory banks, so to speak. Eat a brain-healthy diet. By and large, the healthy, balanced diet you should strive to achieve for overall health is also what is needed for a healthy brain that is better primed to encode memories. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, add in lean proteins and whole grains, and cut back on saturated fats, sodium, and sugars. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, soybeans, and walnuts, seem to be particularly beneficial to the brain and thus memory-building. There are omega-3 and other nutritional supplements marketed as good for the brain and memory. These are an option, but it is usually considered better to get your vitamins and nutrients through food. Drink plenty of water as well. Dehydration negatively impacts the brain along with the rest of the body. Address existing health conditions. In the same way that a healthy body fosters a healthy mind and therefore healthy memory abilities, unhealthiness and illness can hamper your short term memory. Any circulatory problem that affects blood flow to the brain -- high blood pressure, for instance -- can have a negative effect on short term memory. But other conditions like diabetes, thyroid problems, cancers, and so on can likewise have an impact. Depression can also negatively impact memory abilities, particularly because it can impede your ability to focus. Some medications are known to have short term memory problems as part of their side-effects. If a person finds out that their medication is a factor in memory issues, they can always talk to their doctor about it. Practically anyone who thinks they may have short term memory problems worries about Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia. Short term memory loss is indeed one of the first signs of Alzheimer's, but the significant majority of people with short term memory problems do not have that condition. Even if you do have the misfortune of finding out you have some form of dementia, nourishing and exercising your brain and body, and working with your medical team to develop the best regimen of medications for your specific case, offers the best chance to delay onset of the disease. Get adequate sleep. A nightly pattern of 7-9 hours of sleep each night will allow your brain and body to adequately rest and recharge. There is some thought that “sleeping on a memory” -- focusing on something you want to remember before falling asleep -- can help firmly establish it in your mind. The brain continues to work even while you sleep. Keep blood flowing to your brain with exercise. Regular exercise, even as simple as walking, increases blood flow to the brain, thereby supplying it with more of the oxygen and nutrients it needs to be healthy, strong, and more capable of increase in short term memory. Walking in particular is a good activity for establishing a memory because it gives you time to focus on the memory while also benefiting from the increased blood flow. | Understand how short term memory works. Know the limitations of compensating for poor short term memory. Keep your brain active. Seek out brain exercises. Focus on what you want to remember. Use all your senses. Utilize mnemonics. Try “chunking. Lay out “memory bait. Eat a brain-healthy diet. Address existing health conditions. Get adequate sleep. Keep blood flowing to your brain with exercise. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Prevent-Malaria | How to Prevent Malaria | To avoid getting malaria while traveling to a country with high rates of the disease, make a doctor appointment 6 weeks ahead of your trip so they can give you a prescription for malaria pills. Since there's no vaccine for malaria, you should follow your prescription exactly to ensure the medication is effective. In addition to taking your malaria pills, try to stay in accommodations with screened quarters or air conditioning to reduce the likelihood of mosquitos being around. You can also set up a mosquito net around your bed to protect yourself while you sleep. When you're out during the day, wear long pants and sleeves and use mosquito spray so there's less chance of you getting bitten by mosquitos. | Determine whether you're at risk. If you're traveling to a country with high rates of malaria, it's important to take precautions. Malaria is preventable if you take the right medication before, during, and after exposure to dangerous mosquitoes. The following regions are high-risk: Africa Central and South America Parts of Caribbean Asia, Eastern Europe, and the South Pacific Schedule a doctor's appointment. If you are visiting one of these places, schedule an appointment with your doctor six weeks in advance of your trip. Start your trip planning early so you can start taking preventative medication before you set out on your journey. As an alternative to your regular doctor, you may schedule an appointment at a travel clinic in your area. Get a prescription for malaria pills. Talk to your doctor about where you are traveling. He or she can then provide a prescription for medication most effective against malaria in that area. These medications may include Chloroquine phosphate, quinine sulfate, or tetracycline. The type of medicine differs according to where you're going, so it's important to mention every place you'll be. There is no vaccine for malaria. Instead, your doctor will prescribe the same type of medicine used to treat malaria. You'll take it the entire time you're at risk of exposure. Make sure to discuss your other medications and health conditions. These could affect which prescription you're given. For example, you shouldn't take some malaria medicines while pregnant. Others shouldn't be used by people with certain psychiatric conditions. Your doctor or travel clinic attendant should also check whether there are any other diseases that are a risk. Take the medication as prescribed. The important thing to remember is to follow your prescription exactly. Malaria drugs are only effective when taken as indicated. You need to start some pills at least two weeks in advance of your trip. Others can be started just one or two days beforehand. Some you'll need to take once a day, others several times per day. If you must take a malaria pill once a day, take it at the same time every day. Keep taking the pills for the entire time recommended by your doctor. In many cases you'll need to take the pills for a week or more after leaving the high-risk area. If you do not do this, you may still be at risk of contracting malaria. Follow instructions to prevent harm from side effects. For example, some malaria pills (doxycycline) make you more prone to getting a sunburn. In this case, be sure to use sunscreen to protect your skin. Resistance to antimalarial medications is an increasing problem. Strains of the disease can become resistant if people overuse malaria pills, or if they do not finish the full course of medication.Take the full course as prescribed. Choose your accommodations carefully. When planning your trip, try to choose places to stay that have fewer mosquitoes. If possible, stay in screened quarters or quarters with air conditioning. In general, the best areas to stay in are cooler areas away from any stagnant water. Stagnant water serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Stagnant water sources such as lakes or non-running streams are especially prone to mosquitoes. Use a mosquito net. Mosquito nets are lightweight, tightly-woven nets that keep mosquitoes out of your tent or bed at night. Set the net up over your sleeping area each night before you go to sleep. You can also use them to cover any open windows or doors. Since you may not be able to find a mosquito net where you're going, buy one to take with you when you travel. Get dressed inside your mosquito net in the morning. Make sure to check it regularly for tears. You might want to bring an extra net as a backup. Buy mosquito nets treated with permethrin for the best protection. Keep doors and windows closed. If possible, you should keep doors and windows tightly sealed while you're indoors. People who sleep outside or are exposed to the outdoors at night are at much higher risk of contracting malaria. You may not be able to close the doors and windows if you're in a very hot, muggy place. Whether you can or not, use a mosquito net over your bed for added protection. Wear long pants and sleeves. You'll reduce the number of mosquito bites you get if you wear long pants and sleeves while you're out and about during the day. Bring high-quality lightweight clothing that will allow your body to breathe while protecting you from bites. Use mosquito spray. Choose the mosquito spray that's most effective in the area where you're traveling. Talk to your doctor about your options and to get recommendations. If you have children, consult their pediatrician about what types and strengths are safe for use on children. In almost all areas where malaria is present, DEET is the most commonly used compound. DEET is a chemical compound known as N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide, or just diethyltoluamide. This repellent comes in many different concentrations, from 4% to 100%. However, concentrations over 50% do not provide meaningful added protection. Apply the spray to your clothing and the room where you're staying for best results. Combining insect sprays with permethrin-treated clothing and gear offers the best protection. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) provides guidelines for the use of DEET. Read them carefully before using this product. Improper usage can lead to health problems. Stay inside between dusk and dawn if possible. Try to plan activities that permit you to be in protected areas between dusk and dawn. The mosquito that transmits malaria is most active at night. See a doctor if you experience symptoms. If you feel sick during or after travel and are worried you were exposed to malaria, see a doctor right away. It's important to get treatment as soon as possible. Early malaria symptoms are generally non-specific, but may include the following: High fever Shaking chills Profuse sweating Headache Vomiting Diarrhea Get treatment. The medication your doctor prescribes will depend on where you contracted the disease. Other factors, like pregnancy, are also important. Treatment usually means a strict course of medication for an extended period of time. Drugs used to treat malaria include the following: Chloroquine phosphate is the first-line medication for malaria unless there is resistance to the drug. This issue has become common, so your doctor may prescribe something else. Doctors prescribe quinine sulfate and tetracycline in areas with high chloroquine phosphate resistance. Alternatively, your doctor may prescribe atovaquone-proguanil and mefloquine. Sometimes, the infection may require an infusion of medication intravenously. If infected with the parasite P. falciparum, you may take IV quinidine and doxycycline. If the malaria is caused by either the parasite P. vivax or P. ovale, your doctor may prescribe a two-week regimen of primaquine phosphate. Again, early prevention is the best way to protect yourself before arriving in high-risk areas. If your doctor knows you are traveling to a chloroquine-resistant region, he or she may prescribe mefloquine. Continue monitoring your health after travel. See a doctor right away if you experience flu-like symptoms that could be symptoms of malaria. Even if it's been awhile since you've returned, you could still be at risk. Most cases of malaria become obvious within about two weeks of contracting the disease. But, in some cases symptoms show up much later. The parasite that causes malaria can lie dormant in the body for weeks, months, even up to a year. | Determine whether you're at risk. Schedule a doctor's appointment. Get a prescription for malaria pills. Take the medication as prescribed. Choose your accommodations carefully. Use a mosquito net. Keep doors and windows closed. Wear long pants and sleeves. Use mosquito spray. Stay inside between dusk and dawn if possible. See a doctor if you experience symptoms. Get treatment. Continue monitoring your health after travel. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Test-a-Transformer | How to Test a Transformer | To test a transformer with a digital multimeter (DMM), first turn off power to the circuit. Next, attach the leads of your DMM to the input lines. Use the DMM in AC mode to measure the transformer primary. If the measurement is less than 80% of the expected voltage, your problem could be with the transformer or the circuitry providing the primary power. To measure the secondary output, use the AC mode if there's no filtering or shaping. Otherwise, use the DC scale to determine what the issue is. | Inspect the transformer visually. Overheating, which causes the internal wiring of the transformer to run at elevated temperatures, is a common cause of transformer failure. This often causes a physical deforming of the transformer or the area surrounding it. If the transformer exterior is bulged or shows what appear to be burn marks, don't test the transformer. Instead, replace it. Determine the wiring of the transformer. The wiring should be clearly labeled on the transformer. However, it is always best to obtain a schematic of the circuit containing the transformer to determine how it is connected. The schematic for the circuit will be available in the product information or on the website of the circuit manufacturer. Identify the transformer inputs and outputs. The first electrical circuit will be connected to the primary of the transformer. This is its electrical input. The second circuit receiving power from the transformer is connected to the transformer secondary, or the output. The voltage being supplied to the primary should be labeled both on the transformer and the schematic. The voltage being generated by the secondary should be labeled in the same fashion as the primary. Determine the output filtering. It is common to attach capacitors and diodes to the transformer secondary to convert the AC power from the output to DC power. This information will not be available on the transformer label. Generally, you can find the transformer conversion and output filtering information on the schematic. Look for whether the transformer is AC or DC wherever the voltage is listed on the label. Prepare to measure the circuit voltages. Turn off the power to the circuit. Remove covers and panels as necessary to gain access to the circuits that contain the transformer. Acquire a digital multimeter (DMM) to take the voltage readings. DMMs are available at electrical supply stores, hardware stores, and hobby shops. Generally, you'll need to attach the leads of your DMM to the input lines to verify that the primary of the transformer is not shorted. The same process will be used to check the transformer secondary. Confirm the proper input to the transformer. Apply power to the circuitry. Use the DMM in AC mode to measure the transformer primary. If the measurement is less than 80 percent of the expected voltage, the fault could lie in either the transformer or the circuitry providing the primary with power. In that case: Separate the transformer from the input circuit. Test the input with your DMM. If the input power climbs to the expected value, the primary of the transformer is bad. If the input power does not climb to the expected value, then the problem lies not with the transformer, but with the input circuitry. The input and output on the transformer may be labeled with "input" and "output," or the input might be a black and white pigtail. If the transformer has terminals, the input will usually be L, which stands for "line," or hot power, and N, which stands for neutral, or the neutral power going into that wire. The output will be the low voltage side. Measure the secondary output of the transformer. If there is no filtering or shaping being performed by the secondary circuitry, use the AC mode of the DMM to read its output. If there is, use the DC scale of the DMM. If the expected voltage is not present on the secondary, either the transformer or a filtering or shaping component is bad. Test the filtering and shaping components separately. If the testing of the filtering and shaping components show no problems, then the transformer is bad. Understand the root of the problem. Transformer failure is usually a symptom of a different kind of failure somewhere in the electrical circuit. Transformers generally have long lives, and rarely burn out by themselves. Observe replaced transformers. If the problem causing your transformer to short out is coming from elsewhere in your circuit, it's likely the transformer will burn out again. After you've replaced the transformer, observe it to make sure this does not happen. If it does, you'll need to perform additional tests. An overloaded transformer will often make snapping and crackling noises. If you hear sounds like these, cut power to the transformer to prevent burnout. Verify the condition of external fuses, if necessary. If your transformer has an internal fuse, you may not have fuses in the line leading up to the transformer. Otherwise, there should be fuses in the power supply line to the transformer. Check to make sure these are in good condition and replace any that aren't working properly. Blackness, melting, and deforming in fuses are good indications that the fuse has been damaged. Simple remove and replace these. In some cases, it might be hard to tell if a fuse is in good condition. Attach your DMM to the fuse with one lead on each fuse end. If current runs through the fuse, it's good. Check for overdraw on your secondary. In some cases, the secondary of your transformer may be drawing too much current, causing it to short out. If you have a multi-tap transformer and you receive the reading "OL" from the secondary, it's likely the secondary is shorted. Test this by hooking up the secondary to its circuit and using your DMM to test the secondary lines. If the reading is above the amperage rating for the transformer, the circuit is drawing too much power. Many common transformers have 3 amp fuses. The amperage rating for your transformer fuse may be labeled on the transformer, but will also be available in the circuit schematic. Remove inputs and outputs to determine the source of the failure. For linear fuses, you'll only have one input and output. In this case, your trouble is either coming from the input circuit or the output circuit. For more complex fuses, remove inputs and outputs to the transformer one by one to determine what component of the entire circuit is causing the short. | Inspect the transformer visually. Determine the wiring of the transformer. Identify the transformer inputs and outputs. Determine the output filtering. Prepare to measure the circuit voltages. Confirm the proper input to the transformer. Measure the secondary output of the transformer. Understand the root of the problem. Observe replaced transformers. Verify the condition of external fuses, if necessary. Check for overdraw on your secondary. Remove inputs and outputs to determine the source of the failure. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Laundry-Detergent-Slime | How to Make Laundry Detergent Slime | To make laundry detergent slime, mix together equal amounts of white school glue and water in a bowl. If you like, you can also add in food coloring or glitter to the slime. Then, add a small amount of liquid laundry detergent to the bowl. Knead the mixture with your hands for 1 to 2 minutes until it firms up. Your slime is ready to play with! Store it in an air-tight container to keep it for later. | Mix together equal amounts of white school glue and water. Pour 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) of water into a bowl. Next, stir in 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) of white school glue. Make sure that you get all of the glue out of the measuring cup. Use a fork, spoon, or mini rubber spatula to get it all out. Add some food coloring or glitter if desired. Start with 2 drops of food coloring. Give the mixture a stir, then add more food coloring, if needed. If you want to make your slime sparkly, add 1 teaspoon of glitter. Give the mixture a stir, then add more glitter, if desired. Stir in 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) of liquid laundry detergent with a fork. As you stir the laundry detergent into the glue, the mixture will begin to stick together. Keep stirring until you have a glob. Use a clear laundry detergent or a color that matches your food coloring. Knead the slime with your hands for 1 to 2 minutes. If the bowl is too small for this, dump the slime onto a smooth counter, and knead it there. The more you knead the slime, the firmer and less watery it will become. This will take about 1 to 2 minutes. Play with the slime, then store it in an airtight container. A plastic box with a tight-fitting lid or a zippered sandwich baggie will work the best for this. Keep in mind that the slime will eventually dry out after a couple of days and turn hard, especially if you play with it a lot. Pour 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) of clear school glue into a bowl. Use a spoon, fork, or mini rubber spatula to get all of the glue out of the measuring cup and into the bowl. You can use regular clear school glue or glitter school glue. If you are using clear school glue, add 2 drops of food coloring and 1 teaspoon of glitter to make it more interesting. Use a fork to stir in 2 teaspoons of liquid laundry detergent. The glue will start to come together and turn into a glob. You can use any type of laundry detergent you want, but be aware that it will color your slime. For best results, match the color of the detergent to the color of the glue. You can also use clear laundry detergent if you can find it. Add in 1 more teaspoon of liquid laundry detergent and stir again. The glue will get harder, so you will need to press the detergent into the glue with the flat side of the fork. Knead the slime by hand for about 1 to 2 minutes. Pick the slime up with your fingers. Squeeze and squish it between your fingers until it starts to turn firm and become less watery. This will take about 1 to 2 minutes. The more you knead the slime, the firmer and more putty-like it will become. If the slime is still too sticky, add some more liquid laundry detergent. Start with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon. Add some shaving cream for fluffy slime if desired. If you wish to give your slime a softer texture, place the slime back into the bowl and add a dollop of shaving cream on top. Knead the shaving cream into the slime, making sure to pick up all the shaving cream from the sides of the bowl. This will take a few minutes of kneading. Make sure that you use the foam kind of shaving cream, not the gel. The slime will be lighter in color after you add the shaving cream. Play with the slime, then store it in an airtight container. A plastic box or a Ziploc baggie is the best place to store the slime. Keep in mind that the slime will eventually dry out after a few days and turn hard. How long the slime lasts depends on how much you play with it. The more you play with it and expose it to air, the faster it will dry out. | Mix together equal amounts of white school glue and water. Add some food coloring or glitter if desired. Stir in 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) of liquid laundry detergent with a fork. Knead the slime with your hands for 1 to 2 minutes. Play with the slime, then store it in an airtight container. Pour 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) of clear school glue into a bowl. Use a fork to stir in 2 teaspoons of liquid laundry detergent. Add in 1 more teaspoon of liquid laundry detergent and stir again. Knead the slime by hand for about 1 to 2 minutes. Add some shaving cream for fluffy slime if desired. Play with the slime, then store it in an airtight container. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Balance-School-and-Work-as-an-Adult | How to Balance School and Work as an Adult | If you're an adult and you're trying to balance school and work, keep track of your schedule in a planner, including your work hours, class times, and space each day for studying and homework. Having a healthy balance is important, so remember to include time for your friends, family, and hobbies. When you're studying, find a quiet place without any distractions so you can make the most efficient use of your time. | Create a flexible schedule. Some parts of your schedule are going to be inflexible, such as class times and work days. Fit homework and studying in when you're not in class or at the office. Build a routine that you can stick to , but are able to adjust if other important things come up. As a working student, you have to be ready to adapt to new assignments, unexpected errands, and sudden work crises that need to be addressed immediately. Make enough studying time in your schedule so that if something comes up, you can shift it into another slot during the week. Get a calendar. Write out what you need to accomplish each and every day. When you accomplish a task, check it off with a pen. This way you'll be able to still see how much you've accomplished, while keeping your future tasks organized. If you have other members in your household, keep your calendar posted where everyone can see it. That way, they can avoid making plans that involve you during times when you aren't available. Use a planner. A planner is especially useful if you have a lot of appointments and your days are so varied that you have trouble keeping track of your schedule. Fill in all of your fixed appointments - class times, work times, due dates, and familial obligations. This way you'll know exactly when your free time is, so you can schedule studying sessions or leisure time. Try a smartphone. Most smartphones have calendar and to-do list functions on them. Apple and Google products have the capability to sync with your laptops and desktop computers so that you can share your schedule between devices. If you add something to your calendar in your smartphone - a new assignment's due date for class, perhaps - it will appear on your home device as well. Share your schedule. Talk about your schedule with your friends and family. Give them a glimpse into what the life of a working student looks like and they might just empathize - perhaps, they'll even try to make your life easier. At the very least, they'll know when to expect you and when to leave you alone to conquer your other goals. Sign up for an online calendar and send the URL to the people who depend on knowing where you are and when. You can use a special calendar site, or just share a Google Calendar with them. Plan your academic path. Figure out what steps you need to make it to where you want to go and set goals for yourself. Do you need 5 courses to finish a program? Find out when they're offered and create a multi-year schedule. Every school is different. Go see an advisor and get them to help you map out your entire program, so you know what to expect. Make time for your family. As you fill out your schedule also include time for your family and family obligations. Create a separate column for things you need to do to keep your house in order, your spouse happy, and your children well. Schedule things like laundry and family meal times alongside studying and other work related activities. If you have children, make sure their needs are met. You'll have to take them to daycare/school. Some jobs and schools even provide daycare for their students. They'll need to be fed and you'll need to spend as much time as possible with them. Make sure that you don't neglect your children while going to school. Schedule a weekly social activity. You want to maintain your friendships. At the beginning of every week, schedule something fun to do with your friends for the upcoming weekend. It will show that you are still making an effort to be friends and it will give you something to look forward to during the week. Make time for yourself. With all of your responsibilities, you probably have a hard time finding time to get everything done, let alone give yourself any down time. However, in order to avoid burnout and stress, it's important to schedule some "me time" every week. Even if it's just an hour where you sit in a coffee shop and read a book for fun with no kids around, make yourself a promise that you will make time to keep yourself happy and healthy. Get organized. Keep your school materials organized and in one place so that it will be easy to find them. Mark upcoming deadlines on your calendar and start school projects early to allow sufficient time to complete them in case other things come up in the meantime. If you're taking several courses at once, don't spend all of your time on one course while other deadlines begin to loom on the horizon. Take great lecture notes. Focus on the main ideas covered in each class rather than all the superfluous information. Focus on noting steps in larger processes, summary statements (therefore, consequently), information that your professor repeats frequently, and everything written out on the board or in handouts. This is the information your professor will draw from for your tests. Focus on it. If you have to miss class for some reason, ask a classmate if she'll take notes for you. Find a study sanctuary. Find a place where you can study comfortably and without interruption. Make sure that you have a comfortable chair, a table, adequate lighting, and all the study materials you need for that study session. Reduce distractions while you’re studying. Turn off your cell phone and television. Leave your email alone. Keep away from social media. The key to efficient studying is to focus all of your efforts on the task at hand. If you are easily distracted by social networking sites such as YouTube, Facebook, or others, download one of several applications designed to regulate your access to them and to increase your focus. When you are done with your work, you can unblock access to all the sites as before. Make sure that your family understands that your study time is important. They should know not to interrupt you while you're studying. Don't feel bad about telling people that you cannot help them while you're studying. Review regularly, don’t cram. Start studying the first day of class and review your materials on a regular basis. Don't put it off to the last minute and then try to cram a month or more's worth of work into a single study session. Your brain won't be able to process and retain all that information in one fell swoop. Your brain is a muscle and like other muscles, constant repetition builds strength. You can't just go to the gym, lift one really heavy weight, and expect to be better for it. You need to go to the gym (to study) frequently and in short bursts, gradually building up to more difficult levels. Talk to your professors. If you don't understand a topic, visit the source. Professors hold regular office hours and/or answer emails relating to specific content questions. Create an open dialogue with your professor. It will help you jump hurdles in the class more quickly. Visit your school’s tutoring center. Many schools have free or cheap tutoring services staffed by fellow students or graduates. Rather than spend hours mulling over the same material at home, only to still not understand it, visit someone who does like a tutor. Make a list of the tasks you need to accomplish. Compile a list of both easy and difficult tasks. Note emails that you need to return, forms to be submitted, meetings to attend, and any other things you need to complete by the end of the day. Organize your list. Place the most important tasks at the beginning of your list and the least important at the end. If you find any tasks that seem inconsequential or unnecessary, get rid of them. Don't waste your time with "fluff" work. It will only hurt your productivity. Organize your work space. Getting organized is the first step to a really productive day. The main steps are decluttering, strategically organizing forms and information, and maintaining that organization. First, get rid of anything you don't need while you're at work. Knick knacks and family photos are ok, but anything else should be put in another room. You need to create a clean space free of distractions. Second, determine what forms or information (e.g., business cards, standard forms, email lists, payroll logs, or data reports) you need to have readily available. Purchase folders and place each kind of information in the same place. This way you'll know where to find it in the future. Third, at the end of every day, do some basic maintenance to your organization system. Make sure all forms are put away properly. This way when you arrive in the morning, you won't be confronted with a mess. Harness the power of teamwork. Delegate tasks. Break up complex assignments into manageable parts and then assign those parts to individual members of your team. Don't waste days to complete a task that a small group can accomplish in a couple of hours. Remember that it's okay to say "no" to additional responsibilities. If someone asks you to help on a project that you just don't have time for this week, explain that you'd usually be happy to help but you have a deadline for school that you can't miss. Consider talking to your boss. If you choose to, emphasize how your proposed plans will help you gain valuable skills or qualify you for a promotion. Sell her on your education plans. If your boss gets onboard, it will be easier to navigate between school and work. She might even be able to help you adjust your work hours when necessary to accommodate school work. You'll need to weigh the pros and cons of talking to your boss. Some bosses won't find your education advantageous to them or their operation. Keep work and school separate. Don't worry about work while you're at school, and vice versa. Focus on one thing at a time. Don't bring your books or notes to work and don't bring work stuff to school. The time you are at each place is dedicated to that endeavor. If you work hard at work, you shouldn't feel guilty for focusing on school when you are at school. Take those much-needed breaks. Give yourself time to collect yourself when you need it the most, so you can return to work/school with a clear head. Go for a walk. Read a newspaper. Make some tea. Try to take breaks every couple of hours, but limit them to 5 to 10 minutes. You don't want to turn them into time wasters. Avoid indulging in guilty pleasures too often during your breaks. Everybody has them, whether it's MTV, getting lost in idle chit-chat with your neighbor, or scanning Facebook for hours on end. If there's an activity that you tend to get caught up with, but that negatively affects your work-school-life balance, avoid it like the plague. And certainly don't turn to them during your brief breaks. Be active. Stretch. Swim. Run. Lift. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle helps relieve stress and you'll find that the more you get out and exercise, the easier work and school will seem. Exercising is commonly known to reduce stress. Scientists have shown that regular participation in aerobic exercise leads to decreased stress, elevated and stabilized moods, improved sleeping habits, and increased self-esteem. Get enough sleep. Make time in your schedule to sleep. Studies have shown that sleep increases your memory capabilities, improves your overall mood, and helps you stay attentive. All three of these will positively affect your stress levels. Staying up all night studying may be necessary on occasion, but don't make it a regular thing. If you become sleep-deprived, take a short nap (15 to 30 minutes) just to give your brain a little boost. Eat healthy. Eat high-fiber, carbohydrate rich foods. Scientists believe that carbohydrates cause the brain to produce elevated levels of serotonin, a hormone with relaxes us. Eat lots of fiber to regulate your system. Eat fruits and vegetables that are high in antioxidants to boost your immune system. Citrus fruits provide plenty of vitamin C. Acorn squash and carrots are great sources of the antioxidant beta-carotene. A balanced diet will lead to a healthier school-work-life balance. Avoid fatty foods, excessive caffeine usage, and sugary treats. Meats or cheeses contain light levels of fat, which thickens your blood and leaves you feeling lethargic. Caffeine probably seems like a necessity, but consume it responsibly and don't let it affect your sleep schedule. Lastly, sugar is simple carbohydrate that will give you a momentary high, only to leave you with a “crash”. Choose complex carbohydrates instead like pasta, beans, and lentils. Be realistic. There may not be enough time for everything, so get your priorities straight and don't beat yourself up if you don't accomplish every single task you've set out to do on a given day. Stay positive and be thankful that you have the opportunity to make a living and get an education — two things many people in the world go without. Going to school and working at the same time is not for everyone. Be realistic and prioritize. Don't let going to school jeopardize your income and your family's well-being. Remember why you're doing it. By taking on work and studies at the same time, you're accepting a challenge that many wouldn't dare attempt. But, you wouldn't be doing it if you weren't motivated. Maybe you want to pay your way through school and remain debt-free or you want to get ahead in your career. No matter what, be sure to keep your goals in mind whenever it starts to feel like too much. Allow others to help you. If you try to accomplish all of this by yourself, it will be infinitely more difficult. If you find yourself increasingly irritable, withdrawing from social interaction, distracted or forgetful, anxious, or emotionally strained, talk to someone. Talk to your significant other, your parents, your friends, or even a professional counsellor. Many colleges have full-time counselors, advisors, and therapists that can help you work through your issues. One of the first steps to success is knowing how to depend on others. Keep your momentum. Don't start and stop. Taking a semester off may seem like a fine idea, but only do so for extraordinary circumstances, such as illness, serious injury, or a death in the family. If you find you are tiring of school, reduce your course load for the next semester and take at least one class that you'll enjoy. Otherwise, you risk losing the momentum and never returning. Try keeping a diary of your work daily. What you aspire to do each day and what you actually managed to do. This will help in attaining your goal on a daily basis. Celebrate little and big successes. Create some sort of progress measurement. Cross completed classes off of a list or use a countdown clock to measure time to completion. This will help keep your eyes on the prize. When you make it over small and large obstacles, commemorate your achievements with friends and family.It doesn't matter if it is a good grade on a paper, passing a class, or graduating. It is necessary to celebrate to keep yourself motivated. Know that it can be done! It may seem overwhelming at times, but remember that other people have gone through the same thing you are and they have succeeded. You can too. | Create a flexible schedule. Use a planner. Try a smartphone. Share your schedule. Plan your academic path. Make time for your family. Schedule a weekly social activity. Make time for yourself. Get organized. Take great lecture notes. Find a study sanctuary. Reduce distractions while you’re studying. Review regularly, don’t cram. Talk to your professors. Visit your school’s tutoring center. Make a list of the tasks you need to accomplish. Organize your list. Organize your work space. Harness the power of teamwork. Consider talking to your boss. Keep work and school separate. Take those much-needed breaks. Be active. Get enough sleep. Eat healthy. Be realistic. Remember why you're doing it. Allow others to help you. Keep your momentum. Try keeping a diary of your work daily. Celebrate little and big successes. Know that it can be done! |
https://www.wikihow.life/Hem-a-Pair-of-Pants | How to Hem a Pair of Pants | To hem a pair of pants, first use a ruler or tape measure to measure both cuffs and pin them to the length you want. Next, iron the cuffs, measure 1 ½ inches from the bottom of the pants, and unpin the cuffs. Then, before you start hemming, use pinking shears to cut off any excess fabric past the 1 ½ inch mark, and turn the cuffs under so they won't be seen. Finally, pick some thread that matches your pants and use a sewing machine or hand sew the cuffs about ½ an inch from the hem. | Rip out the old hem. Use a seam-ripper to take out the stitching that holds the old hem in place. Insert the seam ripper under the stitches and break the thread, pulling it out as you go. Continue until the hem is completely ripped out from both pant legs. If you don't have a seam ripper you can use a small, sharp knife or a pair of nail scissors to do the job. Be careful not to catch the fabric of your pants as you rip the stitches out. Put on the pants with matching shoes. To find the right length for your pants, try them on with the shoes you will most likely wear them with. Even flat shoes have a little more height than your bare feet, so it's important to try on your pants with shoes. Try on jeans with sneakers or flats if that's what you plan to wear with them. Dress pants should be worn with heels of the appropriate height. Cuff the pants at the correct length. Fold the edges of the pant legs under to the length that falls at the right place over the top of your shoes. The cuffs should lightly graze your shoes, rather than hovering above them or bunching up around them. Place several straight pins around the cuffs to secure them in place. Walk around the room to determine whether the pants seem like they are cuffed at the right length. Check yourself out in the mirror. Do they ride up and swing? Do they catch on the back of your heels? Make adjustments as necessary. Remove the pants and turn them inside-out. Make sure the pins stay in place so you know exactly how short to hem the pants. They are now ready to be sewed. Measure the cuffs. Use a ruler or a measuring tape to measure the distance from the edge of the pant legs to the hemline fold. Make sure both pant legs are cuffed to the exact same length. Use several more straight pins to hold both cuffs in place. Iron the cuffs. Use a hot iron (on the right setting for your pants' fabric) to make a crease at the fold where the pants are cuffed. Take your time and make sure the crease you make is straight. At this point you may carefully try on the pants once more to ensure that the hem will fall exactly where you want it. Take care not to prick yourself with the straight pins. Measure 1 1⁄2 inch (3.8 cm) from the ironed hemline. This is where you will make a cut to remove extra fabric from the pants before sewing the hem. Use chalk or a marking pencil to make a mark 1 ⁄ 2 inches (3.8 cm) from the hemline around the entire pant leg. Repeat on the other side. Remove the pins and cut the fabric along the chalked line. Use pinking shears, rather than fabric scissors, to make the cut. Pinking shears are designed to cut fabric in such a way that it doesn't become unraveled. Repeat with the other pant leg. Take your time trimming the fabric. Make sure you don't accidentally dip too close to the hemline. When you're finished trimming, use straight pins to pin the fabric back in place about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the hemline. Sew the hems. Thread a needle with thread that matches the color of your pants. Use a blind stitch to sew around the pant leg about ⁄ 2 inch (1.3 cm) from the hem. Continue until you reach the place where you started, then knot the thread and use a scissors to cut it. Repeat with the other pant leg. This process can also be completed using a sewing machine. To make sure the hem is nearly invisible from the outside of the pants, pick up only one or two fibers at a time on that side of the fabric. Try on the pants. Turn them right-side out and iron the hemline once more. Try them on with the pair of shoes you plan to wear with them. Make sure the cuffs look even and drop to the right length. If they need adjustment, rip out the seams and start over. Cuff the pants to the correct length and iron them to create a hemline crease. Use a ruler or a measuring tape to make sure both pant legs will be hemmed to the same length. Trim the excess fabric 1 1⁄2 inch (3.8 cm) from the ironed hemline. Use chalk or a marking pencil to make a mark 1 ⁄ 2 inches (3.8 cm) from the hemline around the entire pant leg, then trim the excess fabric with pinking shears. Repeat on the other side. Unfold the cuffs and apply the fusible tape. Cut a length of fusible tape and remove the paper backing. Line up the edge of the tape with the crease in the fabric that you ironed. Press the tape down and continue lining it up and applying it around the entire pant leg. Cut more tape if you run out as you go, and fold the cuff back over the tape when you're finished. Repeat with the other pant leg. If you don't have fusible tape, hem tape and other temporary hemming products can be used in its place. These usually fall out after a wash or two. Make sure the tape is completely straight around the bottom of both pant legs. Fuse the tape with the fabric. Place a thin cloth over the cuffed fabric. Heat up an iron and apply it to the cloth for several seconds. Remove the cloth and continue ironing the fabric underneath. Use this procedure to fuse the tape with the fabric around the entire pant leg, then repeat with the second pant leg. After you've ironed a section, lift the cuff gently to make sure that the tape has fused with the fabric to hold the hem in place before moving on. Make sure your iron is set to a heat that won't damage the fabric of your pants. Try on the pants. Turn the pants right-side out and try them on. If you aren't happy with the length, launder the pants and run them through the dryer until the tape falls out, then hem them again. | Rip out the old hem. Put on the pants with matching shoes. Cuff the pants at the correct length. Remove the pants and turn them inside-out. Measure the cuffs. Iron the cuffs. Measure 1 1⁄2 inch (3.8 cm) from the ironed hemline. Remove the pins and cut the fabric along the chalked line. Sew the hems. Try on the pants. Cuff the pants to the correct length and iron them to create a hemline crease. Trim the excess fabric 1 1⁄2 inch (3.8 cm) from the ironed hemline. Unfold the cuffs and apply the fusible tape. Fuse the tape with the fabric. Try on the pants. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Chartered-Accountant | How to Become a Chartered Accountant | To become a Chartered Accountant, choose the type of organization you want to work for, like a non-profit or for-profit business, so you can choose a career path. Then, obtain an undergraduate degree with coursework in finance and accounting or a 2-year accounting associate degree. You'll also need to apply for a professional experience placement at an accounting or a financial firm. Once you have 3 years of work experience, take the qualifying exam to join the professional field as an official Chartered Accountant. | Choose a path. There are a number of different paths you can take under the heading of Chartered Accountancy. Some of these include Chartered Accountant (Audit), Chartered Certified Accountant, Chartered Management Accountant, Chartered Public and Finance Accountant. These vary depending on the training emphasis you have, size of organization you work for, whether you work in management, and so on. Ask yourself questions about the type of professional career you'd like. For example, what size firm would you like to work for? Do you want to have a private practice? Do you want to work for nonprofit organizations or for-profit businesses? As you get more training and experience, you'll get a better idea of the aspects you like and don't like. Get an undergraduate degree. Enroll in a four-year accredited university program. Aim for a degree in accounting, economics, or business. If you already have an undergraduate degree, it doesn't necessarily matter if your degree is not in one of these subject areas. You will, however, need to take extra classes to hone your skills in numeracy and other accounting-related subjects. Get good grades in your classes, especially in any math- or business-related classes. Alternately, some professional organizations will accept a 2-year accounting associate degree as a foundational education for an aspiring Chartered Accountant. Take courses in subject areas pertaining to accounting. If you have an undergraduate degree in a subject area unrelated to accounting or business, enroll in classes on accounting or economics at a local college. Courses might include accounting, taxation, finance, auditing, and statistics. Enroll in a chartered accountant prep program. Some accountancy programs offer programs that prepare you to start a CA training program. These programs give you education in specific subject areas to build your numeracy skills and other areas. Enroll in a chartered accountant training program. In a CA training program, you will take classes to build your competencies in key subject areas, such as finance, taxation, financial accounting and law. These courses may be offered in person or online. Some training programs, such as the program offered by Chartered Accountants Ireland, consist of courses that prepare you directly for the examinations. For example, in Ireland, you will register for the Chartered Accountant Proficiency 1 (CAP1) exam, which covers Finance, Management Accounting, Financial Accounting, Taxation, and Law for Accountants. The syllabus for the course describes the learning outcomes and weighting for the course's exam. Some programs are offered for working professionals who already have jobs and who have experience in the financial sector. Check with your local organization to learn more about the options for working professionals. Apply for a professional experience placement. A core requirement of the Chartered Accountant is to gain three years of professional experience with an approved employer. These employers are usually accounting firms or financial firms that are registered with the CA professional association in your region. Search for placements in your region by checking with your CA professional association. Apply for placements in your industry of choice. If you want to work for an organization that is not authorized, you may be able to register your manager as someone who is authorized to evaluate your performance and growth. Check with your CA professional association to see if this is an option. Work in a professional placement for 3 years. Once you have been hired in your placement, you will work in this organization for 3 years in order to gain experience in the company. Some placements rotate you through different divisions of the company so that you gain exposure to several different lines of business. Submit a report of your professional competencies. As you progress through your professional training, keep track of your achievements and competencies. At the end of your 3-year program, you will need to submit an evaluation of your competencies. In some regions in Britain, this is called an Achievement Log. In Canada, it is known as the Record of CA Qualifying Experience (RQE). Get additional professional experience. If you are living in a country where you are not a citizen, you may need to get additional experience in that country to qualify to become a Chartered Accountant. Some of your home country experience will likely count towards your qualifications, but getting experience in the local context will be useful and possibly necessary. Schedule your exams. Some regions will test you incrementally. When you finish one phase of your education, you will be tested, and then you will progress to the next phase. There will also be final comprehensive exams, which often are three-day testing sessions. In Ireland, for example, you will take the Chartered Accountant Proficiency 1 (CAP1), Chartered Accountant Proficiency (CAP2), and the Final Admitting Examination (FAE). The CAP1 covers Finance, Management Accounting, Financial Accounting, Taxation, and Law for Accountants. CAP 2 covers Audit & Assurance, Strategic Finance & Management Accounting, Taxation and Financial Reporting. The FAE is a comprehensive final exam. Study for the exam well in advance. Do not try to wing it by coming into your exam unprepared. Also, don't cram for the exam, thinking that you will absorb and retain all the information the day before the exam. Make a study plan that builds in plenty of time to study, working about a month out from your exam date. Find a study partner to help you study. This could be someone else who is also taking the exam, or it might be someone who is already a Chartered Accountant. Many work placements will give you some education leave so that you can take time off work to study for your exams. Take practice tests online. There are a number of practice tests for Chartered Accountancy exams available online. Check to make sure the practice tests are for your region and your exam, as the tests do vary from region to region. Confirm the time and location of your exam. Make sure you know when to arrive for your exam. Be sure to check out the location where you will be tested. Map out your route for getting there so that you can arrive early and get settled before the exam starts. Get a good night’s sleep. The night before your exam, be sure to get a good night's sleep. Get about 7-8 hours of sleep. Try to relax as much as possible. If you are having trouble getting to sleep, try listening to some calming music. Eat a good breakfast. Fueling your body with a healthy breakfast will help you maintain focus and concentration throughout your exam. Take the qualifying examinations. Different countries and accountancy organizations have different examination formats, but all require that you pass an evaluation to become a Chartered Accountant. There are different score minimums that you must attain; for example, you must achieve a minimum of 50% on your exams in Ireland in order to pass. In Canada, for example,you'll take the Uniform Evaluation, which is a three-day, national exam that tests you on your competencies in responding to business simulations. Become a member of a recognized accountancy organization. Your region will likely have a professional organization for Chartered Accountants. Once you have gained your professional experience and you have passed your examinations, you are eligible to become a member of this organization. Comply with your organization’s standards. Once certified, chartered accountants are monitored and supervised by their home institute, and must comply with all rules and standards established by these organizations to retain their certification. Apply for jobs. Polish your resume, including your new training and certification as a Chartered Accountant. Send your resume and a cover letter to accountancy firms. Alternately, you might be hired on permanently at the company where you had your professional placement. Find a mentor. Locating someone who can serve as a mentor as you build your career can be helpful. This person might be a former supervisor or another contact you've made in the field. They can help you determine strategic career paths, help you connect with other professionals, and give you career advice. Network in your field. Build your professional contacts in your field by networking with other Chartered Accountants. Join LinkedIn and other social media sites to connect with professionals. Attend networking events held by your professional association. | Choose a path. Get an undergraduate degree. Take courses in subject areas pertaining to accounting. Enroll in a chartered accountant prep program. Enroll in a chartered accountant training program. Apply for a professional experience placement. Work in a professional placement for 3 years. Submit a report of your professional competencies. Get additional professional experience. Schedule your exams. Study for the exam well in advance. Take practice tests online. Confirm the time and location of your exam. Get a good night’s sleep. Eat a good breakfast. Take the qualifying examinations. Become a member of a recognized accountancy organization. Comply with your organization’s standards. Apply for jobs. Find a mentor. Network in your field. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Peel-and-Cook-Beets | How to Peel and Cook Beets | For easy and delicious roast beets, start by scrubbing your beets to remove the dirt and trimming the green tops with a sharp knife. Rub the beets in olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Then, lay them out on a roasting pan lined with aluminum foil, cover them with another layer of foil. Roast them in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for at least an hour. Then, poke them with a fork to see if they're done. If the flesh is soft, serve them plain or add them to your favorite recipe. | Roast beets. Roasting beets is a delicious way to bring out their flavor and preserve their nutrients. Roasted beets make a great addition to salads, and they're wonderful when they are plain as well. Scrub the beets; make sure to remove all the dirt. Trim the green tops from the beets with a sharp knife. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius). Rub the beets in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the beets in a roasting pan lined with aluminum foil. Cover the beets with another sheet of foil. Place the pan in the oven and roast for at least an hour. Test to see if the beets are done by poking them with a fork. If you feel resistance, keep roasting the beets. If the flesh is soft, they are done. Remove the beets from the oven and allow them to cool. When the beets have cooled, peel off their outer skins. Use them in a recipe or serve plain. Boil beets. Boiling beets results in a soft, wet textured beet. Trim the leaves from the beets; be careful to leave about two inches of the leaf stalk intact. This is important to prevent bleeding while cooking. Place the beets in a pot and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil. Boil the beets until they are fork-tender. When the beats are almost ready, fill the sink or a large bowl with very cold water. Drain the hot water from the beets, then plunge them into the cold water. When the beets are just cool enough to handle, cup them in your hands and use your thumbs to push the skins from the beets. Season the beets as desired and serve, or use them in a recipe. Roast and peel the beets according to the method described above. Chop the peeled beets into bite-sized chunks. Place them in a bowl. Toss the beets with the avocado and onion. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Pour the dressing over the beets, avocado, and onion. Toss to combine. Divide salad greens into serving bowls. Top the greens with the beet mixture. Serve with additional dressing. Boil and peel the beets according to the method described above. Slice them into 1/4-inch discs. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (304 degrees Celsius). Oil a baking dish with olive oil. Lay the sliced beets in the dish, overlapping them if necessary. Make as many layers as needed. In a small bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, garlic, Gruyere, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the beets in the baking dish. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 35 minutes, or until the gratin is brown and bubbling. Let the dish cool for 10 minutes before serving. Served. | Roast beets. Boil beets. When the beets are just cool enough to handle, cup them in your hands and use your thumbs to push the skins from the beets. Season the beets as desired and serve, or use them in a recipe. Roast and peel the beets according to the method described above. Chop the peeled beets into bite-sized chunks. Toss the beets with the avocado and onion. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the beets, avocado, and onion. Divide salad greens into serving bowls. Boil and peel the beets according to the method described above. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (304 degrees Celsius). Oil a baking dish with olive oil. In a small bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, garlic, Gruyere, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the beets in the baking dish. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 35 minutes, or until the gratin is brown and bubbling. Let the dish cool for 10 minutes before serving. Served. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Talented | How to Be Talented | To be talented, find something you love to do, since your passion will help you as you practice and develop your skill. Whether you love singing, drawing, inventing things, or something else, practice your talent every day. As you practice your talent, replace negative self-talk, like “This is too hard,” with positive self-talk, like “It will get easier if I keep at it!” | Revisit your childhood. A good way to figure out where your talents lie is to go back to your childhood and think about what it was you wanted to do as a kid. This is often the time when you had plans that weren't limited by what people tend to think of as "reality." Fear of failure is one of the things that tends to hold you back from achieving or finding your talent. By returning to childhood, you're taking yourself out of that fear of failure or limitations mindset. Consider what it was you wanted to do when you were a child, and consider the things that you loved to do as a child. This doesn't mean that you get to raise dragons (sorry), or anything like that, but it can set you on a path towards your talent. For example, you might not be able to raise dragons but you might turn that desire towards writing stories, or leading a dragon camp at your local library. Consider what it is you do when you lose track of time. One of the chief things you can do is focus on what you love to do so much that you have a tendency to forget everything else for a while. Remember, not all talents are going to be super obvious. You might have to delve a bit deeper into the things you enjoy to discover what makes you tick. For example, if what you really love is playing video games, that can absolutely be a talent. While you might not be able to play them as your job, you can still find ways to use that talent (reviewing games on your blog or streaming to Twitch). Consider questions like: What is it you fantasize about doing when you're bored at work or school? If you were given unlimited funds, what would you do with that? If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? If you didn't have to work, how would you occupy your day? Answering these and similar questions can help you uncover what you're good at and what inspires you. Ask others. Sometimes, when you're having difficulty seeing clearly, it's good to get an outside opinion. Your friends and family members know you well and they should be able to offer you some insights into the areas where they think you're talented. Sometimes the areas you wish to have talent, aren't necessarily where others see you as having talent. That's okay! Just because you don't have an inborn talent at something, doesn't mean you can't be good at it and just because you have a talent at something doesn't mean that you need to pursue that in your life. For example: your family and friends might point to your talent as lying in the area of math, especially accounting and figures, but your true passions lie in rock-climbing. Instead of thinking you should throw in the towel on rock-climbing, consider using your math abilities to help you fund your rock-climbing passion. Try new things. Especially if you're not sure what your talents might be, you should get out and try new things. This way you're more likely to hit on what it is that you're really good and that really makes you tick. Observe and enjoy the talents of other people. In your quest for your own talent you should look into the talents of other people. Think about the people that you know who are talents (maybe your father is an amazing cook, maybe your mom has an amazing ability to listen) and enjoy their talents. Go out in your community. Take classes offered at your local university; attend lectures or author meets at your local library or bookstore; try out cooking, rock-climbing, or mentoring at the local school. Create space. While it is good to get the opinions of others, sometimes you need to give yourself time and space to figure things out for yourself. You don't want to be completely driven by other people's opinions. A lot of people find their talent through a moment that changes their life, that isn't scripted, or expected. It can happen that a brilliant musician attends a certain performance, which ignites a love of music in them. So, when confronted with something that might trigger that change in you, sit quietly and absorb the experience. Go solo. Do things by yourself, especially new things. This will give you time to figure out whether you have a talent for something without feeling like you have to perform one way or another in front of people. Practice. While talent can be important when it comes to doing things well, the real determinate is practice. It doesn't matter how talented you are. If you don't practice, you're simply not going to be as good at something, as you could have been. In fact, in many cases, people who are naturally talented at something, so worse in the long run, because they feel like they don't have to practice. Set aside specific time each day that's devoted to practicing your talent. For example, if writing is your talent, set aside a half hour before work every morning to get up and write. If your talent is basketball, get out there and practice on the court. Focus on the areas that you're less talented in. Even if you have a talent, it doesn't mean that you're going to be talented at every aspect of something. For example, you might have a talent for capturing dialogue, but struggle to create a coherent plot. Kick negativity to the curb. Talented or not, negative thinking can stop up your abilities quicker than anything else. The more you combat your negative thinking, the easier it will be to discover and develop your talent, because you won't be constantly second guessing yourself. Identify your thought patterns. The first step towards combating negativity is to notice when you're doing, and what you're doing. Perhaps you only allow the bad things into your mind (this is called filtering), or you tend to catastrophize everything. Notice how you think about yourself, about situations, and about your talent (do you for instance place undue importance on your talent?). Check in with your thinking every day. You have to be vigilant about your own thinking before you can work towards changing it. When you catch yourself catastrophizing ("I'm a failure because I keep forgetting to turn in my library books"), stop and identify the thought as what it is. Practice positive or neutral self-talk. The trick is to replace your negative thinking with positive or neutral thinking. So for example, when you start to think that you're a failure because you're having difficulty with a piano piece, turn that thought around and think "This is a challenging piece and I may have to practice harder to perform it to the standard that I would like." With a thought like that you're no longer casting value judgments on yourself. Be kind to yourself and to others. People have a bad tendency of linking themselves to their talent and when that fails (and it does occasionally) they feel like they're a failure. To keep your sanity and your happiness, be kind to yourself about your abilities. Your talents are going to make you the best at everything at every time. By being kind to yourself and not having how well you, or your talent does, determine your well-being, you'll be more likely to feel happier. You can use your talents in the service of kindness. This can help you feel fulfilled, as rather than focusing on what your talent can do for you, you're using your talent for other people. For example, If you're a writer, you could write a story for a sick friend to help cheer them up. Challenge yourself. Quite often talented people will hit a wall in terms of growth. Their talent has carried them as far as it can and they don't feel the need to keep developing it and growing. Remaining always in your comfort zone is a sure way to stagnate in your area of talent. Challenging yourself is a good way to stay humble, as well. There's nothing wrong with being proud about your accomplishments, but bragging or believing you can do no wrong is a surefire way to irritate those around you, or to lead to you taking a fall. Challenge yourself by going above and beyond what you've already done. Learned Spanish fluently? Work to translate a favorite book into Spanish, or start on a new language, something more difficult, like Arabic or Chinese. Whenever you feel like you've plateaued or conquered some aspect of your talent, take it to a new level. Do other things. Being focused on your talent (whether it's getting a PHd in New Testament studies, or composing music) is incredibly important for improvement. However, you should make sure that you do other things, outside of your talent, so that you're not focusing all your energies on that one thing. Do things that don't have anything to do with your talent, things that you're really bad at, or simply things that you find fun. This way you won't be limiting yourself and you'll have a wide range of experiences to draw on. For example: if your talent lies in math, try branching out and doing art, or going to the gym and trying out yoga. Avoid basing your self-worth on your talent and avoid basing your whole life on your talent. You can be motivated and focused without letting your talent take over your life. Find unusual outlets for your talent. There are great ways to use your talents that are unexpected, especially in terms of jobs that might come about because of your talents. This could be a job that you found, or a job you created based on what you saw was needed. For example, just because you're a trained singer, doesn't mean that you need to go into professional opera singing. You could use your musical abilities to start a singing camp for kids, or to help ease the seriously ill. Look around to see what's needed in terms of your talents. If you identify a missing need you could start up your own job. For example: if your talent is getting to know people, you could start up a business dedicating to connecting people with one another in your community. Find a way to incorporate your talent into your job. You don't necessarily have to have a job that is all about your talent. There's no reason for you not to try to incorporate it into your job, however. In fact, using your talent at work is a great way to increase your enthusiasm for your job. For example, if you love do artwork and you work at a coffee shop, consider decorating the specials blackboard, or turning your passion for art into learning latte art. Stop and consider how your talent might benefit your workplace. What is it you have to offer that might provide a creative or unusual solution to a problem? Do something with your talent outside of work. If you can't think of a way to apply your talents to your job (and there's usually at least one way), find avenues to pursue it on your own time. There are lots of ways that you can enjoy your talent and have other people enjoy your talent, as well. Consider creating a video or blogging series about your talent. For example, you might use your language skills to help others learn Arabic. Find other people who are talented in the same manner and work with them, either online or in person. This is another great way to stay humble about your skills, but it can also be fun. These people will share your passions and help speed you along to better work. Do something for your community. Turn that talent into a way to build community and to help other people. Think about all the people who have helped you on your road to success and try to do the same for others. Tutor low-income kids in your community in math skills, if math is your specialty. Participate in or create a local theater camp if acting is your talent. Offer to teach families in your city about gardening, or about fixing things, and so on and so on. You can find a million ways to give back. Be a mentor to someone in your field. If you've already gotten that professorship, for example, offer to mentor an up-and-coming graduate student in your field and help them identify their talents! | Revisit your childhood. Consider what it is you do when you lose track of time. Ask others. Try new things. Create space. Practice. Kick negativity to the curb. Be kind to yourself and to others. Challenge yourself. Do other things. Find unusual outlets for your talent. Find a way to incorporate your talent into your job. Do something with your talent outside of work. Do something for your community. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Gummy-Bears | How to Make Gummy Bears | To make your own gummy bears, add unflavored gelatin to cold water in a large pot, or opt for agar powder as a vegan alternative. Stir in a packet of flavored gelatin, such as Jell-O, and heat the pot on medium-low for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to help the gelatin dissolve. Transfer the mixture into a measuring cup with a lip for pouring, then carefully pour it into gummy bear molds. If you don't have molds, make your own bear shapes on parchment paper. Refrigerate for a few hours until your gummy bears are set, then enjoy. | Place 1⁄2 cup (120 mL) of cold water in a small saucepan on the stove. Don't start the stove yet. It is easiest to mix the ingredients right in the pan since the gummy mixture will stick slightly if you try and transfer it from another container. Add 2 tbsp (20 g) of unflavored gelatin to the water. You can find this at most grocery stores in the baking aisle. For a vegan substitute, try agar agar powder, which you can buy online or from a health food store. You can substitute agar agar for gelatin in the same amounts, so there's no need to adjust your measurements for this recipe. Add 1 packet (85 g) of flavored gelatin and mix well. The most common brand is Jell-O. The flavor you use will determine the color and flavor of the final gummies. Flavored gelatin comes in many flavors and colors, so you can make a whole rainbow of gummy bears. For example, you could get strawberry, orange, lime, and blue raspberry. Heat up the mixture on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes. Just keep stirring occasionally so that all the gelatin is completely dissolved in the water. Go slowly so that none of the candy burns. Turn the heat off and pour the mixture into a mixing cup. Any cup that is easily poured is fine. You can also use an eyedropper or a candy pump for more intricate designs. Pour the mixture into your molds and put them in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Simply pour the warm gelatin mixture into your candy mold and freeze it until it is set. The gummy bears are now ready to eat. If you don't have a mold, you can make gummy drops on some parchment paper instead. You can leave the gummies in the freezer longer, if you like. Frozen gummy bears are chewier and taste juicier than refrigerated or room-temperature gummies. If you put them in an airtight container, they'll keep for up to a year in the freezer before their quality starts to decline. Pre-measure your ingredients to make classic “Gold Bears. ” To get perfect, store-bought texture and taste in your gummies, you'll need a few harder-to-find ingredients as well as high-end gelatin (known as 250 bloom). Measure your ingredients by weight instead of by volume for more accurate results. Weigh them out in advance and have them on hand to be quickly mixed in—timing in candy making is key. To make this classic gummy bear recipe, you'll need: 70 grams (2.5 oz) of gelatin, 250 bloom 140 millilitres (0.59 c) of water 225 grams (7.9 oz) of sugar 22.5 grams (0.79 oz) of sorbitol powder 245 grams (8.6 oz) of glucose syrup, or 179 millilitres (0.76 c) 15 grams (0.53 oz) of tartaric or citric acid 12 grams (0.42 oz) of food grade essential oil, any flavor Mix your gelatin and water. You can mix them together with a whisk or, like classic candy makers, in a water bath. If you're mixing with a whisk, combine the water and gelatin directly in the saucepan over low heat until the gelatin dissolves. To do a water bath, warm a large bowl of water up so that it is hot, but not boiling. Mix the 70 ounces (2,000 g) of gelatin and 140 millilitres (0.59 c) of water in a Ziplock bag and let it rest in the water bath for 30 minutes. The bag should be free of lumps or streaks when it is fully mixed. Blend your sugar, sorbitol, and glucose syrup on the stove at medium heat. Stir the ingredients well so that they're properly mixed up, but not boiling or bubbling. If you have a candy thermometer, get them to 150 °F (66 °C). Mix in your gelatin mixture slowly. With the heat still on, mix in the gelatin and water mixture from earlier. Stir until it is all completely mixed, then turn the heat off and move quickly to the next step. Add in your desired flavorings. You can flavor your gelatin with juice, flavoring acids (such as citric or tartaric acid), or flavored oils or extracts. You can also add 1/3 cup (about 77 g) of well-pureed fruit, like strawberries. For instance, lime, lemon, or orange juice are all good choices if you want to add a burst of citrus flavor. For a more unusual flavor, try a flavoring oil or extract, such as vanilla extract, orange rind oil, or cherry extract. If you use an essential oil, make sure it's labeled as “edible” or “food grade,” since some essential oils are harmful to eat. This is also the time to add any food coloring. Pour the mixture into your mold. You can use a light coating of cornstarch to prevent the final gummies from sticking, but many gummy-making pans are already non-stick. Simply pour the mixture into the mold then freeze it for 4-5 hours, or until the gummies are firm and completely set. Sprinkle your gummies lightly with citric acid to get a sour coating. Citric acid is a preservative, and it is not great for your teeth, so go lightly. A small amount is enough for a nice sour kick. Use lemon and honey for citrus gummy bears. To make citrus gummy bears, you simply need to use some orange and lemon juice instead of a processed Jell-O packet. Honey also makes a healthier alternative to the corn syrup used in many store-bought gummies. To do this, mix the following ingredients in the saucepan, turn on the heat, then add 3 tablespoons (28 g) of gelatin. Continue like normal after the gelatin is added: 1 cup (240 mL) of orange juice 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of lemon juice 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of honey Try pureed strawberries or berries in your gummies. This incredible, fruity gummy is a big hit. Make sure the berries are thawed before adding them. Simply mix the following ingredients, then add 3 tbsp (28 g) of gelatin slowly as you heat up the mixture like normal. ⅔ cup (174 g) of pureed strawberries/blueberries/raspberries ⁄ 3 cup (79 mL) of water 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of honey Replace the water with milk for a creamier texture. If you don't eat dairy, even almond, soy, rice, coconut, or oat milk works well and imparts a distinct, creamy texture and feel to the common gummy. To make creamy gummies, whisk half the milk in with the gelatin. Then heat it up like normal, whisking in the other half right at the end before it comes off the heat. Adding a touch of vanilla or almond extract, or even some cinnamon, to the mixture can take it to new heights. This substitute works with basic gummies as well as the pureed fruit versions. | Place 1⁄2 cup (120 mL) of cold water in a small saucepan on the stove. Add 2 tbsp (20 g) of unflavored gelatin to the water. Add 1 packet (85 g) of flavored gelatin and mix well. Heat up the mixture on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes. Turn the heat off and pour the mixture into a mixing cup. Pour the mixture into your molds and put them in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Pre-measure your ingredients to make classic “Gold Bears. Mix your gelatin and water. Blend your sugar, sorbitol, and glucose syrup on the stove at medium heat. Mix in your gelatin mixture slowly. Add in your desired flavorings. Pour the mixture into your mold. Sprinkle your gummies lightly with citric acid to get a sour coating. Use lemon and honey for citrus gummy bears. Try pureed strawberries or berries in your gummies. Replace the water with milk for a creamier texture. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Sunspots | How to Get Rid of Sunspots | To get rid of sunspots, apply aloe vera gel to them twice daily. Aloe has natural healing properties that can help sunspots fade away! Alternatively, you can hold a lemon wedge against your sunspots for 10-15 minutes every day. Since lemons are mildly acidic, they can help remove dead skin cells and lighten dark spots. If you're interested in faster, more dramatic results, purchase an over-the-counter retinoid cream and apply it to your sunspots after you wash your face in the evening. Retinoid cream is derived from vitamin A, which has natural lightening properties. You can also get a prescription-strength retinoid by visiting a dermatologist. | Spread a topical retinoid over sunspots to lighten them. Wash your face before applying topical retinoids. Wait 20 minutes, and squeeze out a pea-sized dollop of topical retinoid cream onto 1 finger. Rub the cream into the sunspots on your face, neck, arms, and hands. Retinoids are derived from vitamin A and are a great way to lighten your sunspots. Apply the cream once daily until the spots have lightened. Retinoids that have vitamin A as an active ingredient will be more effective. Apply hydroquinone to bleach away unwanted sunspots. Hydroquinone is another common OTC cream used to treat dark or large sunspots. Put on a pair of latex gloves before handling the cream. Apply a small dollop of the bleaching cream directly to each sunspot and rub it in with 1 gloved finger. Use the cream daily, or as often as directed on the packaging, until the spots have substantially lightened. Hydroquinone works relatively slowly. You'll need to apply the cream for 8–12 weeks to start seeing effects. If you experience pain or feel a burning sensation when using a hydroquinone cream, wash your face and stop using the cream. Lighten spots with products that contain kojic acid at night before bed. Several common OTC creams contain kojic acid. This acid—made from fermented rice—has been shown to reduce the appearance of sunspots. 30 minutes before you go to bed, apply a small dollop of the topical cream to sunspots on your face, hands, and arms and rub the cream into your skin. The product works slowly, so you'll need to apply for several weeks or even a couple of months before you see results. Look for kojic acid in cosmetic beauty products like lotions and skin creams. These contain relatively weak concentrations of the acid, typically between 1% and 4%. If you're looking for skin products with kojic acid in your local drugstore or pharmacy, check the beauty and skincare aisle. If you have sensitive skin, products containing kojic acid can cause irritation, redness, and inflammation. If you notice these symptoms, stop using the cream. Visit a dermatologist if your sunspots don’t respond to OTC treatment. Some sunspots are tough to remove and don't respond well to OTC creams and other products. If you'd like to remove or lighten the sunspots for cosmetic reasons, visit a local dermatologist and ask them to inspect your sunspots. Describe to them how long you've had the sunspots and mention what other treatments you've tried. In some cases, you may need to visit your general practitioner first and get a referral to a dermatologist. Ask your doctor to treat your sunspots with laser resurfacing. Laser resurfacing can be done at a doctor's office or hospital. The procedure entails removing upper layers of your skin (which include the unwanted sunspots) with beams of light. Laser resurfacing is expensive—since it's typically not covered by insurance—but effective in removing sunspots by taking off thin layers of skin. Recovery time can take up to 3 weeks. You'll be mildly sedated during the procedure itself. It's an outpatient procedure, though, so you'll be dismissed from the doctor's office or the hospital after it's done. Before going ahead with the procedure, the doctor will ask you about your medical history and any prescription medications you're taking. This will help the doctor confirm that the patches are, in fact, sunspots and aren't caused by another skin condition. Get a chemical peel to remove layers of sun-spotted skin. If your doctor agrees that a chemical peel will help remove your sunspots, they'll apply a mild acid to your face. This treated layer of skin—which typically contains the unwanted sunspots—will peel off, allowing fresh new skin to grow in its place. Peels can be performed at some dermatologist offices or at hospitals. The procedure can leave the affected area red for several days. The procedure can cause some lingering pain, so your doctor may suggest you take OTC pain medication or use a cold compress for a week. Freeze your sunspots with cryotherapy for a spot-focused treatment. If you'd rather not treat your entire face but would prefer to focus only on removing sunspots, cryotherapy may be the way to go. When performing this procedure, doctors typically use nitrous oxide to freeze the sunspots. The spots will then scab and fall off in approximately 1 week, leaving un-darkened skin behind. Try microdermabrasion if other medical treatments haven’t worked. Microdermabrasion is a fairly aggressive way to treat sunspots, so make sure to check with your doctor before having the treatment performed. In the procedure, a doctor will use a special applicator to remove the outermost layer of your skin. This will remove sunspots and leave fresh skin behind. Some doctors will perform the procedure at their office, while others will refer you to a local hospital. Fortunately, the procedure isn't painful and can be done in 60 minutes. Your skin may feel tight or slightly stretched after the microdermabrasion. If this bothers you, take a dose of OTC pain medication. Apply aloe vera gel twice a day to heal sun-damaged areas. Aloe has remarkable natural healing properties and is a great natural remedy to use on unwanted sunspots. If you're using a cream, apply a generous amount to the skin of your face, arms, and other sunspot-afflicted areas once in the morning and once in the evening. If you're using the leaves of an aloe plant, squeeze the pith out from a 1 inch (2.5 cm) section and smear it directly onto your sunspots. Look for aloe vera gels at health-food stores or in homeopathic medicine sections. Large pharmacies may also carry aloe vera gel. Look near the sunscreen and other skincare products. If you'd prefer just to purchase an aloe plant, look at a large plant nursery. Take vitamin E capsules by mouth twice daily to reduce sunspots. Vitamin E has been proven to help lighten dark spots on the skin, including unwanted sunspots. Swallow 1 vitamin E tablet in the morning and 1 more at night to help lighten sunspots. Or, add vitamin E to your diet by upping your consumption of foods rich in vitamin E. These include foods like citrus fruits, papaya, spinach, broccoli, and tomatoes You can purchase both vitamin E oral tablets and liquid gel at a large pharmacy or drugstore. Slice a fresh lemon and apply it directly to your sunspots. Cut 1 large lemon into quarters and hold a lemon section against your sunspots for 10–15 minutes per day. Lemons are mildly acidic, and the acid in the fruit aids in lightening dark sunspots. You'll begin to notice that your sunspots are visibly lighter after about 2 months of daily use. Rather than throwing away the sections of lemon that you don't use each day, store them in a plastic bag in your refrigerator and use them the next day. Daily lemon application can also help to remove any dead skin cells from your face, arms, and shoulders. Cut up a red onion and rub it over the sunspots. Take a sharp kitchen knife and chop 1 large red onion up into 6-8 large chunks. Pick up 1 of the onion chunks and rub it across a dark sunspot for about 30 seconds. The acid in the onion helps to lighten up the dark color of sunspots. Because the onion's acid is relatively weak, you'll need to continue the home treatment for months before you see much of a result. Stay out of direct sunlight between 10 am and 3 pm. Between 10 and 3, the sun's rays are at their most powerful and most direct. You'll receive large amounts of UV light if you're outdoors during this time, which will darken existing sunspots and can create new ones. So, postpone running errands and jogging outdoors until after 3:00, or do your outdoor activities early in the morning. If you have sunspots, never use a tanning booth. Tanning booths pose health risks to your skin in general, and using them will darken your sunspots. Apply sunblock with an SPF of at least 15 if you must go out. Exposure to the sun causes the majority of sunspots. To protect your skin from further sun damage, slather a high-SPF sunscreen onto any exposed areas of skin (e.g., hands, neck, face, and arms) if you're going to be outside for longer than 15 minutes. Using sunblock will also keep any existing sunspots from darkening. If your skin has already been damaged by the sun, using sunblock to protect yourself from the sun can also allow the skin to heal itself naturally. Wear a hat and protective clothing when you go outdoors. Even if you're wearing sunscreen, it's smart to further protect your skin by covering it with loose clothing that will block the sun. Wear light-colored clothing with a tight weave to deflect the sun's damaging UV rays. Keeping direct sunlight off of your skin will help existing sunspots fade over time and prevent new ones from emerging. You could also carry a light umbrella with you to protect yourself from sunlight. | Spread a topical retinoid over sunspots to lighten them. Apply hydroquinone to bleach away unwanted sunspots. Lighten spots with products that contain kojic acid at night before bed. Visit a dermatologist if your sunspots don’t respond to OTC treatment. Ask your doctor to treat your sunspots with laser resurfacing. Get a chemical peel to remove layers of sun-spotted skin. Freeze your sunspots with cryotherapy for a spot-focused treatment. Try microdermabrasion if other medical treatments haven’t worked. Apply aloe vera gel twice a day to heal sun-damaged areas. Take vitamin E capsules by mouth twice daily to reduce sunspots. Slice a fresh lemon and apply it directly to your sunspots. Cut up a red onion and rub it over the sunspots. Stay out of direct sunlight between 10 am and 3 pm. Apply sunblock with an SPF of at least 15 if you must go out. Wear a hat and protective clothing when you go outdoors. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Faux-Wood-Blinds | How to Clean Faux Wood Blinds | To easily keep faux wood blinds clean, dust them by using a feather duster, a microfiber cloth, or a vacuum with a brush attachment. When you're dusting, make sure to adjust the blinds to clean both sides of the slats. To clean dirt, stains, and grime, make a mixture of mild detergent and warm water, and dip a cloth into the soapy water. Wipe the blinds horizontally on both sides of the slats, and continue dipping the cloth in the water to soak it as necessary. Then, dry both sides of the blinds with a clean, dry microfiber cloth. | Dust once a week with a feather duster or microfiber cloth. For routine dusting, start by closing the blinds completely. Run a feather duster or dry microfiber cloth over each slat, starting at the top corner and working your way down to the bottom slat. Open the blinds again and then close them in the opposite direction. Use the cloth to dust the slats on the other side. Run a dryer sheet over the slats every couple of days to prevent dust from sticking to them. Avoid pushing dust into the cords running through the slats. Use a vacuum with a brush attachment. Attach the brush attachment to the hose of your vacuum cleaner. Close the blinds face down. Use one hand to hold the edge of the blinds steady, and use the other to vacuum. Start at the top corner and run the brush attachment from one side of the slat to the other. One pass is usually enough but, for extra dirty blinds, run the brush attachment back and forth across the slat. Move down to the next slat and repeat the same actions. Use the vacuum's lowest setting. Too much suction can twist or damage the slats. Flip the blinds the opposite direction. After working your way down to the bottom of the first side with the brush attachment, flip the blinds so they're facing the opposite direction. Start at the top again with the brush attachment and work your way down to the last slat. After you've cleaned all the slats, lift the blinds up and vacuum along the windowsill underneath them. Remove stubborn dust with a mild detergent and microfiber cloth. Sometimes dust is too thick to whisk it away with a feather duster. If you live in a very humid climate, dust may settle on your blinds and stick to them. In these situations, mix a small amount of warm water with a mild detergent. Slightly dampen a microfiber cloth with the cleaning solution (don't soak the cloth, you only need a small amount) and run it over each slat. Close the blinds in the opposite direction and repeat the same actions. Gently blot the slats with a dry microfiber cloth. Mix up a cleaning solution of warm water and mild detergent. Fill a bucket with warm water and add a mild detergent to it. Take a clean microfiber cloth and dip it into the soapy water. Wring the excess water out of the cloth. Close the blinds face down. Starting at the top corner, run the wet cloth from one side of the slat to the other. Avoid using abrasive cleaners on faux wood blinds, since these can damage the finish or paint. Work your way down the blinds. When the cloth gets dirty, rinse it out in the bucket of cleaning solution Wring out the water and continue wiping until you reach the bottom slat. Then flip the blinds to face the opposite direction and repeat the exact same process again. Go green and disinfect your blinds with white vinegar. If you'd prefer to use an all-natural cleaner, white vinegar is an excellent choice and will efficiently disinfect your blinds. Pour a small amount of white vinegar into a bowl or shallow bucket. Put on a pair of clean cotton gloves or substitute with a clean pair of socks. Dip one gloved hand into the vinegar. Use your other hand to hold the edge of the blinds firmly. Start at the top corner and wipe from one side of the slat to the other. Skip down to the next blind and do the same. Continue in this manner – across and then down – until you get down to the bottom slat. Flip the blinds to the opposite side and repeat the process. Work with one sock or glove until it becomes dirty. Remove it and let it soak in the vinegar while you work with the other glove/sock. Alternate in this manner. Be sure to wring the glove/sock out after letting it soak in the vinegar. Dry the blinds with a clean microfiber cloth. After wiping the blinds down with the detergent solution or the vinegar, use a clean microfiber cloth to gently blot the slats until they are completely dry. Make sure to dry both sides of the slats. After you dry both sides, close the blinds. You can also put a portable fan in front of the faux wood blinds to dry them quickly, or open a window on a breezy day and allow them to be dried naturally. Spot clean stubborn stains with warm soapy water and a cloth. If a stain persists after the initial wipe down, blot at the stain with a washcloth dipped in a soap and warm water solution. Continue dipping the cloth in soapy water and blotting at the stain until it disappears. Use a dry cloth to blot the spot-cleaned areas dry. Don't use household cleaners or bleach on faux wood blinds. These chemicals may damage the finish on them. Remove extremely dirty blinds from the window for cleaning. If the blinds are caked with layers of dirt and dust, open the slats and then unhook the blinds. Carefully remove them from the window frame. Lay the blinds down on a large white sheet. When you place the blinds down on the sheet, the slats will be open and horizontal (since you opened them before you took them down). Wipe down every slat. Fill a bucket of warm, soapy water. Dip a clean cloth into the solution and wipe each slat down thoroughly on both sides. Rinse the rag in the soapy water when it becomes dirty. Wring out the excess water and continue. Blot the slats dry. After you've cleaned each slat, blot them dry with a microfiber cloth. Spot clean the pull cords with the same solution. Before you re-hang your blinds, run a dryer sheet across each slat. This will help prevent dust from settling on them. If your blinds are heavy or hung very high, have someone assist you with re-hanging them. | Dust once a week with a feather duster or microfiber cloth. Use a vacuum with a brush attachment. Flip the blinds the opposite direction. Remove stubborn dust with a mild detergent and microfiber cloth. Mix up a cleaning solution of warm water and mild detergent. Work your way down the blinds. Go green and disinfect your blinds with white vinegar. Start at the top corner and wipe from one side of the slat to the other. Dry the blinds with a clean microfiber cloth. Spot clean stubborn stains with warm soapy water and a cloth. Remove extremely dirty blinds from the window for cleaning. Wipe down every slat. Blot the slats dry. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Water-Plants-While-You%27re-Away | How to Water Plants While You're Away | To water a plant while you're away, start by watering it thoroughly so the soil it's in is fully saturated. Then, fill up a glass bottle, like an empty wine bottle, with water. With your thumb pressed over the mouth of the bottle, flip it upside down and press the neck into the soil. As you press it in, move your thumb off of the mouth. Once the neck is a few inches deep in the soil, you're all finished! While you're away, the water will slowly drain out of the bottle and water your plant. | Make sure that the soil is completely saturated. If the soil is too dry, it will soak up all of the water that is in the bottle. If the soil is dry, water it now. Get a glass bottle with a narrow neck. A wine bottle will be ideal, because it will be large enough to water 4 to 6 square feet (0.38 to 0.56 square meters) for up to 3 days. If you don't need to water such a large area, you can use a smaller bottle, such as a soda or beer bottle. Alternatively, you can also use a store-bought watering globe or aqua globe. Fill the bottle with water, place your thumb it, and turn it upside down. Don't fill it all the way; just up to where the neck starts will be plenty. At this time, you can also add additional items, such as liquid fertilizers. Use your thumb to plug the hole in the mouth of the bottle when you flip it over. Position the bottle right next to the plant you need to be watered. Push the bottle neck into the soil. As you're pushing the neck into the soil, move your thumb out of the way. Make sure that the bottle's neck is several inches in the soil. It's okay if the bottle leans to the side, but it should be sturdy and secure. Make sure that the water is draining properly. If the water is not draining at all, the soil might be clogging the bottle. If this happens, take the bottle out of the soil, clean it, and glue a piece of screening over the mouth. Refill the bottle, and insert it into the soil again. Draw a line on the bottle with a permanent marker, right at the water level. Check back after a few hours (or even a whole day). If the water level is below the line you drew, the water is draining properly. If the water level has not changed, something might be blocking it. Saturate the soil before you begin. If the soil is too dry, it will soak up all of the water from the jug before you leave on your trip. By the time you get back, there may not even be any water left in the jug. Water the soil before making the string drip system to avoid this issue. Place 1 gallon (3.8 L) jug next to your plant. Position the jug so that it is out of direct sunlight; this will reduce the amount of evaporation. If you are only going for a few days and have a small plant, a mason jar will be enough. Don't fill the jug with water yet. This method will keep your plants watered for up to a week. Cut a long piece of cotton or nylon twine. The twine needs to be long enough to extend from the bottom of the jug to the base of the plant. If you can't find cotton or nylon twine, or if it is too thin, braid 3 strips of cotton fabric together, and use that instead. The string must be able to hold water. If it can't hold water, this method won't work. Place 1 end of the string into the jug. The string must reach the bottom of the jug. If you wish to water more than 1 plant, it might be a good idea to set up more jugs, 1 for each plant. This way, you won't run into the risk of the jug running out of water while you are away. If you have a few plants that don't require a lot of water, such as succulents, you might be able to get away with a single jug for 2 or 3 plants. Even if the jug does run out of water, your plants may still survive because of their water-retaining properties. Poke the other end of the string into the soil at the base of the plant. The string needs to be about 3 inches (7.6 cm) deep. Also, make sure that the string is out of direct sunlight. Partial sun is fine, but if there is too much sunlight, the string will dry out before it can get the water to the plant. Fill the jug with water. If your plants need fertilizer, you can also add some liquid fertilizer into the water at this time. If your plant is in a sunny spot, consider putting a piece of duct tape over the mouth of the jug; be careful not to cover the string, however. This will help slow down the rate of evaporation. Make sure that the mouth of the jug is above the base of the plant. If the jug is too low, put it on top of a book, a block, or an upturned pot to raise it up a little. This way, the water will be able to drip down the string. Make sure that the soil is completely damp. If the soil is too dry, it will soak up all the water from your bottle before you even leave for your trip. Having the soil already damp before you begin will ensure that the plant doesn't soak up the water too fast. Get a plastic 2 litres (2.1 US qt) bottle. If you have a smaller plant to take care of, a smaller bottle will do just fine. Since you will be burying this bottle in the soil, this method will work best for garden plants or plants in large containers. Use a hammer and nail to poke 2 holes into the bottom of the bottle. This is very important. If you don't have any drain holes at the bottom of the bottle, the water will sit instead of draining out. This can lead to algae growth. Poke 3-5 holes in the sides of the bottle. You don't need a lot; 3 to 5 holes will be plenty. If you put in too many holes, the water will leak out too fast, which you don't want. Place the holes on 1 side of the bottle. When you put the bottle into the soil, turn it so that the holes face the plant you are watering. It's better to start with too few holes than too many. You can always add more holes later if there aren't enough, but it will be difficult to cover up holes that are already there. Dig a hole in the dirt next to your plant. The hole needs to be deep enough to cover the bottle up to the neck. Fill the bottle with water, then insert it into the hole. At this point, you can also add some liquid fertilizer as well. Gently pat the soil around the bottle and be careful not to get any inside it. Put the lid onto the bottle, if desired. The lid will help slow down the rate of water flow; this is great for plants that don't need a lot of water, or if you will be gone for a long time. The tighter you screw on the lid, the slower the water will flow out. Make a mark on the bottle with a marker, right at the water level. Check back after a few hours. If the water level has not changed, loosen the cap a little. If the water level has dropped significantly, tighten the cap. Find a friend or neighbor who you trust. This person will have access to your lawn, and in some cases, your house (if you need indoor plants watered). Make sure that you trust this person. If this person is watering indoor plants, remember to leave behind a spare key so that they will have access to your plants. Be reasonable. Do not ask someone who lives far away, or for whom getting to your place would be a big deal or hassle. Try to keep the visits to a minimum. Someone might be willing to visit your place once or twice a week, but they might not be willing to visit it every single day, especially if your home is out of the way for them. Consider using some homemade watering systems as well. This way, your plants will rely on the homemade watering systems, and all your neighbor will have to do is refill the bottles when they get empty. Group potted plants together based on watering needs. This will be easier for your neighbor to keep track of. For example, you can keep all of the succulents in 1 area, and the ivies in another. To keep your house clean, consider storing the plants on a tray. Write down specific care and watering instructions. Be detailed, but not complex, and do not make assumptions. Your friend or neighbor may not have the same gardening skills as you do. What might seem like basic information to you might not even cross your friend or neighbor's mind. An example of specific watering instructions would include: Give this plant 0.5 c (120 mL)of water every Saturday evening. An example of specific care instructions would include: Tip the excess water out of the basil dish daily. Water check your plants for pests and disease before you leave. Watering your plants will reduce the amount of work or visits your plant sitter has to do. Checking your plants for pests or disease will ensure that they are healthy during your trip. If your plants succumb to pests or disease while you are away, your friend or neighbor might be at a loss of what to do. If your plants die while under their care, they may feel guilty! Offer to return the favor. Even if you know that your friend or neighbor will say "no," it would still be polite to offer. This will reassure your friend or neighbor that you aren't just using them. They will also be more likely to help plant sit for you the next time you go on a trip. If they do accept your offer, remember to hold up to it! Choose a clear, plastic bag big enough to fit your potted plant. The bag will trap moisture released by the plants. This moisture will then drip back down onto the plants, watering them. The bag must be clear in order to allow sunlight to pass through. Place a damp towel in the bottom of the bag and put the plants on top. The towel will help the plants retain moisture and prevent the soil from getting too dry. Only put as many plants on top of the towel as you can fit. The leaves should just barely be touching each other. If the leaves are getting cramped, get another bag. Tie the bag shut while trapping as much air as possible inside. You can tie the bag shut with a rubber band or twist tie. For extra security, fold the tied part of the bag down, and wrap another rubber band around it. Move the plants away from direct sunlight. You can keep them indoors or outdoors, but make sure that they are out of direct sunlight—partial sunlight is fine, however. If you keep your plants in direct sunlight, they will get cooked due to the trapped heat. Keep bigger plants in the bathtub. If the plants are too big to fit inside of a plastic bag, simply line your bathtub with a plastic sheet and several newspapers. Place the plants on top, water them until the newspapers get soaked, and close the shower curtains. Leave the light on, if you can. | Make sure that the soil is completely saturated. Get a glass bottle with a narrow neck. Fill the bottle with water, place your thumb it, and turn it upside down. Push the bottle neck into the soil. Make sure that the water is draining properly. Saturate the soil before you begin. Place 1 gallon (3.8 L) jug next to your plant. Cut a long piece of cotton or nylon twine. Place 1 end of the string into the jug. Poke the other end of the string into the soil at the base of the plant. Fill the jug with water. Make sure that the mouth of the jug is above the base of the plant. Make sure that the soil is completely damp. Get a plastic 2 litres (2.1 US qt) bottle. Use a hammer and nail to poke 2 holes into the bottom of the bottle. Poke 3-5 holes in the sides of the bottle. Dig a hole in the dirt next to your plant. Fill the bottle with water, then insert it into the hole. Put the lid onto the bottle, if desired. Find a friend or neighbor who you trust. Be reasonable. Group potted plants together based on watering needs. Write down specific care and watering instructions. Water check your plants for pests and disease before you leave. Offer to return the favor. Choose a clear, plastic bag big enough to fit your potted plant. Place a damp towel in the bottom of the bag and put the plants on top. Tie the bag shut while trapping as much air as possible inside. Move the plants away from direct sunlight. Keep bigger plants in the bathtub. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Manage-a-Restaurant | How to Manage a Restaurant | To manage a restaurant, first read up on all of the food safety regulations in your area and double-check that they are being followed by your staff. For example, gloves may be required to prepare certain dishes. Next, take a weekly inventory of all the food. If you are low on any ingredients, order them as quickly as possible. Beyond this, do your best to motivate your staff by praising them when they do something well and asking them for suggestions about things that could be done better. This will help them feel invested in the restaurant team. | Train your staff. An essential part of successfully managing your restaurant is managing your staff and facilitating their personal and professional development. Having well-trained and committed staff who see the possibility to progress in the business and develop their skills with only help you and your restaurant. Make sure there are regular training sessions and encourage your employees to seek out external training opportunities. If everyone is trained-up you will feel less need to monitor daily activities so closely. For example, be sure all kitchen staff are fully competent and clued up on plating and portion sizes. Training also helps demonstrate your expectations of your employees. If someone is struggling, offer retraining before using any disciplinary measures. Trust your staff. Having a healthy mutual respect and trust is key to managing a restaurant that can run smoothly without you monitoring every little thing. If you invest some trust in your staff, they will usually rise to the challenge and feel more invested in the business. For example, you can empower your front of house or waiting staff to deal with small customer complaints themselves, after the appropriate training. Ensure that your staff know at which point they should involve you to deal with a complaint. Keep staff motivated. To get the best out of your employees it's important to keep them motivated and engaged. There are a number ways to go about this, but the first is to get them involved in the business beyond just doing their jobs. For example, ask them to contribute to team meetings and brainstorm ideas about where the restaurant could improve. Keep open lines of communication and make sure everybody in the restaurant has a voice and a stake in it's success. Be sure to share responsibility for both the successes and failures of restaurant. Ultimately it is the product of everybody's work. Be supportive. Being aware of the personal circumstances of your staff and sympathetic to their needs can go a a long way towards building up mutual respect and a happy, committed workforce. For example, your staff may have childcare issues or varying college timetables to deal with alongside their work commitments. Keep this in mind and be flexible when possible. This will help a "we're in this together" feeling to germinate. If you set an example for others to follow, you can find that employees will be more willing to cover shifts for each other and create a positive and supportive environment. Implement your procedures. The first part of managing your restaurant day-to-day is to make sure that you actually implement all the policies and procedures you have. These plans should be incorporated into the practice of running your restaurant and be a constant reference point for you to turn to. They are useless if you don't implement them. Although you need to implement the policies, you will need to be flexible at certain points. If in practice you discover that a particular policy is not working or needs revision, don't hesitate to think it through again. Just because it is the rule doesn't mean it can't be improved. Manage your inventory. An essential element of maintaining a productive restaurant is making sure you have a well-stocked and maintained inventory. Because food is only good for so long, your inventory needs to be checked and monitored very frequently with regular adjustments made. The first step to successful inventory management is keeping all your stock organised and clearly arranged so you can get a basic picture at a glance. Do a full inventory every week, ideally at the end of the week so you know precisely how much of what was used during the week. Use two people to do the inventory, one to count and the other to record. Having two pairs of eyes will reduce the chances of any mistakes. You may want to use the same people for this each week. Monitor the food and service, but not too closely. When the restaurant is busy with customers it can become a very stressful and intense place to be. As a manager it's important that you keep calm and cool. Keep a loose eye on the food that is being produced, the level of service from the waiting staff, and the reactions of the customers. It can be tempting to get closely involved, but it's important that you can take a step back and see the broader picture. Having well-trained staff that you trust is crucial in order to enable the manager to steer clear of the minutiae of operations. Delegate to team managers or supervisors whenever possible and appropriate. If you become bogged down in the daily operations you can lose sight of the strategic view and neglect crucial areas such as marketing and business development. Abide by all regulations. This should go without saying, but you need to ensure that you abide by all the relevant health and safety and food safety regulations in your area. Compliance should be built into the heart of your everyday operations, but it's a good idea to have regular checks and monitor this. The costs will be serious if you fall below the standards required by the law. Consider using restaurant management tools. Many restaurant managers and owners do not use easily available restaurant management tools. There are restaurant management tools available available to download and purchase on the internet that can help make your life easier. Not only have these tools already been developed and tested before, they will save you time should you need to develop a new restaurant management tool like a spreadsheet, form or template. The cost may outweigh the benefit so take time to consider whether you really need this software. Look for testimony and reviews and remember to think of the different scale of different businesses. What may be economic for a big franchise, may not be for a small independent restaurant. Think of a complaint as an opportunity. No matter how great your food and service is, you will likely find yourself receiving occasional complaints from your customers. Before dealing with them, try to get into the mindset where you approach each complaint as an opportunity to learn and improve your service. Being positive in your response from the start can make handling complaints a little easier. Think of it as a second chance to do it right. Often people don't complain about poor service or problems with the food, so it's a real opportunity for you to understand and address what could be an ongoing problem. Listen and apologize. When you receive a complaint the first thing to do is be sure you listen carefully to what your customer is saying and acknowledge her complaint. As the manager you should show you take her concerns seriously by personally speaking to the customer at her table. Take time to really understand what has gone wrong and thank the customer for bringing it to your attention. If they hadn't spoken up you may not have learned of the problem so it would not have been addressed. Act quickly. Once you have fully understood the problem, act quickly to resolve it and give the customer exactly what she is asking for. If, for example, she wants her meat cooked in a different way, make sure you accommodate her. Or, offer her anything else on the menu if she would prefer something else entirely. After dealing with the complaint, try to get her back on side by offering something extra, such as a free dessert or drink. Or even a discount on her next visit. Even if you think her complaint was not totally legitimate you should go out of your way to ensure she leaves with a good impression. Monitor online complaints and feedback. As well as complaints in person in the restaurant you may find that people leave reviews of your restaurant online. These can have a significant impact on your business so it's important that you give these complaints your full attention. Check the main sites where your restaurant is listed twice a day and respond to complaint swiftly and professionally. You may delegate a staff member to keep an eye on these and inform you of any negative reviews. There are apps available that will alert you when someone posts a review of your restaurant on a listings and review website. Create a management plan. The first step to successfully managing a restaurant is drawing up a comprehensive management plan. The management and organization of your business should be a part of your larger business plan. The management section should clearly indicate the responsibilities of the respective parts of the management team and the procedures you use to maintain clear communication and co-operation across different part of the business. For example, if you have a separate finance manager, or marketing manager, you should detail the structures that ensure that everybody is working to the same goals and with the same strategies. It should be completely clear who is responsible for what, and the oversight procedures in place. It can be a good idea to consult with your staff as you write and revise this, and be sure that everybody knows their own responsibilities and understands each other's roles. You can access examples from other restaurants online. Draw up policies and procedures for daily operations. An important element in a well-managed restaurant is the existence of a clearly defined, well-understood, and consistently applied architecture of policies and procedures. These are the basic backbones of you restaurant that will help with the daily decision-making and enable all your staff to better understand their roles. Think of this as an operations manual that records and shapes how the business works. You will need to include: Clear Human Resources and Personnel procedures for dealing with staff. Ordering procedures for stock so that you do not run out of anything, or get an excess of anything. Procedures and codes of conduct for staff behaviour in the kitchen and front of house. Financial reporting procedures so that the financial health of the restaurant is always well-known. These should clearly record all in-comings and out-goings. Procedures for handling money, emptying tills, and opening and closing the restaurant Procedures for ensuring food safety and compliance with all relevant legislation. You can find food safety plan templates to use online. Develop a clear strategic vision. Part of reason to develop clear business and management plans, as well as determined policies and procedures for daily operations, is to create a clear identity for your restaurant. How you manage your business will go a long way towards shaping its development and that of you and your staff. Consider writing out a statement of your vision and values for the business. This could be a guiding group of statements that you refer back to. For example, if you want to be a vegetarian restaurant, or only use organic local ingredients, write this up into a mission statement. Having statements like this can help you keep sight of why you started the business in the first place. Especially during tough periods. You could have a mission statement that delineates your founding purpose and a vision that describes where you want to reach. | Train your staff. Trust your staff. Keep staff motivated. Be supportive. Implement your procedures. Manage your inventory. Monitor the food and service, but not too closely. Abide by all regulations. Consider using restaurant management tools. Think of a complaint as an opportunity. Listen and apologize. Act quickly. Monitor online complaints and feedback. Create a management plan. Draw up policies and procedures for daily operations. Develop a clear strategic vision. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Splat-Hair-Color | How to Remove Splat Hair Color | Splat hair color is an easy way to dye your hair a bright, bold color! If you want to remove the dye, you can try washing it out with a gentle vitamin C solution. Simply combine vitamin C tablets with an anti-dandruff shampoo and massage it through your hair so it can break down the dye. Another way to remove Splat hair color is to bleach your hair. All you need is a bleach kit and you can immediately get rid of the dye. It's also possible to use a color remover to take the dye out of your hair. This will fade your color by a few shades, so it's ideal if you want to dye your hair again. | Crush 6 vitamin C tablets into a fine powder. Put the tablets into a plastic bag, then seal the bag and place it on a cutting board. Use a rolling pin or hammer to crush the tablets into a powder consistency. Keep crushing until all of the large granules have been broken down. Mix the vitamin C with 1/4-1/2 cup (60-120 mL) of anti-dandruff shampoo. In a small bowl, combine the 2 ingredients with enough shampoo to cover your whole head. Generally, you'll only need 1/4-1/2 cup (60-120 mL) of shampoo, but you should adjust this amount based on your hair length and thickness. Mix the powder and shampoo until it reaches a thick, creamy consistency. Anti-dandruff shampoo works best with the vitamin C powder because its active ingredient naturally removes color from hair. However, you can also use clarifying shampoo as an alternative. Massage the mixture into your hair and let it soak for 1 hour. Apply the mixture liberally, saturating each strand. Once you've covered your whole head, pin your hair up and put on a plastic cap, then set a timer for 1 hour. During this time, the acid in the vitamin C and shampoo will break down the hair dye and remove it from the hair shaft. Rinse the mixture out with hot water for at least 5 minutes. Take time to rinse carefully, making sure to wash all of the shampoo mixture and stripped hair color off your strands. If you leave any of the leached hair dye molecules on your hair, they could cause the dye to darken. Hot water cleanses the hair shaft more deeply and effectively than cool water, so make sure to use the hottest water you can stand. Condition your hair to restore some of the moisture, then rinse it out. The shampoo and vitamin mixture can dry out your hair, so make sure to condition your hair as you normally would. Work the conditioner through your strands, then rinse it out well with warm water. Since the vitamin C solution can be quite drying, skip the hot blow-dryer and let your hair air-dry when you're done. Repeat this process once a day until your color has faded. This method is much gentler and may take several washes to completely remove the hair color. However, it will definitely accelerate the fading process without damaging your hair like bleach or a color remover product will. Be patient when using this method. Because vitamin C is a gentle product, it may take several sessions to remove the hair color. Purchase a bleaching kit from a drugstore or beauty supply store. The bleach will strip your hair of its bright shade. If you like the bleached blonde look, you can leave it at that or use your new blonde hair as a canvas for a new color. Although this method can be harsh on your hair, it's the fastest way to get rid of your old color completely and give your hair a fresh start. Protect your skin and clothes with gloves and an old towel. Make sure to put on a pair of latex gloves before mixing or applying any of the bleach or dye products. You should also wear old clothes and place an old towel around your shoulders in case of any spills or stains. Or, use a hairdresser's cape if you have one. Mix the bleach according to the box instructions. Generally, bleach kits will come with pre-measured packets of bleach powder and creme developer. Mix these ingredients together, following the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Clip your hair up in 4 sections. Use the pointed end of the applicator brush to part your hair down the middle, then from ear to ear in order to create 4 sections. Use plastic clips to hold 3 sections up while you apply the bleach to the first section. Once you complete the first section, unclip the next section and repeat the process until all 4 sections of your hair is bleached. Apply the bleach to 0.25 to 1 in (0.64 to 2.54 cm) sections. Unclip 1 section at a time and use the applicator brush apply the bleach to your hair in 0.25 to 1 in (0.64 to 2.54 cm) sections, depending on the thickness of your hair. Saturate your hair fully, starting with the middle of the sections and applying the bleach to your roots and ends last, since they process more quickly. As you apply the bleach, get as close to the roots as possible with touching your scalp. If you plan on dyeing your hair back to your natural color, avoid applying bleach to any natural regrowth. Let the bleach process for 30-60 minutes. Most people leave bleach on for about 40-45 minutes, but the time can vary depending on the product or your hair type. Generally, you should leave the bleach on for at least 30 minutes and no longer than 60 minutes. When in doubt, follow the instructions that came with your kit and set a timer for the directed amount of time. Keep in mind that a higher developer requires less processing time. Rinse the bleach out of your hair completely. Once the bleach is done processing, rinse your hair out in the shower with warm water. Let the water wash away the bulk of the product before working the rest out with your fingers. Now your hair should be blonde and free of the vivid Splat color! Purchase a color remover kit from the drugstore or beauty supply store. You'll probably get the best results if you use Splat's color remover kit. If you use a remover from a different brand, just make sure the product can handle direct dyes. Unlike bleach, the Splat hair color remover kit fades your color by a few shades, making it ready to be re-dyed. This is a great option for those who want to dye their hair with a new, eye-catching color. For example, you shouldn't use Color Oops. Splat uses direct dyes, and Color Oops cannot remove direct dyes. Use old clothes that you don't mind getting dirty and an old towel. Protect your clothes and workspace from any spills and stains by wearing an old T-shirt and laying out an old towel where you'll be working. To protect your hands, you should also wear gloves! Divide your hair into 4 main sections and clip them up. Use a comb to part your hair straight down the middle and then from ear to ear to create 4 equal sections. Clip these sections up with plastic clips and only work on 1 section at a time when applying the color remover. Apply the color remover to 0.25 to 1 in (0.64 to 2.54 cm) sections. Cut the tip off of the bottle with a pair of scissors, then unclip 1 section of hair. Pour the color remover onto 0.25 to 1 in (0.64 to 2.54 cm) sections of hair, depending on how thick your hair is. Start with any areas that look especially dark and work your way through the hair. Work and spread the solution with your gloved hands to saturate your hair evenly. If only your tips are dyed with Splat color, only apply the remover to those tips. If your whole head is dyed, work through all of your hair to saturate it evenly. Always keep the color remover 0.25 inches (0.64 cm) from the scalp and avoid touching any regrowth with the remover. Clip your hair up and cover it in plastic. Pin your hair up with a clip, avoiding touching any roots. Remember to only use plastic pins and clips, not metal. Use the plastic cap that comes with your color removal kit to cover your hair while it processes. You can also use a sheet of plastic wrap to cover your saturated hair. If your whole head is covered, pin the hair on top of the head, avoiding touching the scalp. Place the plastic over your entire head. If only your ends are dyed, pin into a low bun in the back and wrap the bun in plastic to avoid getting color on the other sections of your hair as it processes for an hour. Let the color remover process for 1 hour. Set a timer and feel free to relax or get some work done around the house, as long as you don't disturb the clipped and wrapped hair. When the 1 hour is up, take the plastic off and unclip your hair. Rinse out the remover, then shampoo and condition as usual. In the shower, completely rinse the remover from your hair. Apply your regular shampoo and conditioner to give your hair a good wash as well as some rehydration. Now your hair should be stripped of the old color and ready for a new one. | Crush 6 vitamin C tablets into a fine powder. Mix the vitamin C with 1/4-1/2 cup (60-120 mL) of anti-dandruff shampoo. Massage the mixture into your hair and let it soak for 1 hour. Rinse the mixture out with hot water for at least 5 minutes. Condition your hair to restore some of the moisture, then rinse it out. Repeat this process once a day until your color has faded. Purchase a bleaching kit from a drugstore or beauty supply store. Protect your skin and clothes with gloves and an old towel. Mix the bleach according to the box instructions. Clip your hair up in 4 sections. Apply the bleach to 0.25 to 1 in (0.64 to 2.54 cm) sections. Let the bleach process for 30-60 minutes. Rinse the bleach out of your hair completely. Purchase a color remover kit from the drugstore or beauty supply store. Use old clothes that you don't mind getting dirty and an old towel. Divide your hair into 4 main sections and clip them up. Apply the color remover to 0.25 to 1 in (0.64 to 2.54 cm) sections. Clip your hair up and cover it in plastic. Let the color remover process for 1 hour. Rinse out the remover, then shampoo and condition as usual. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Sign-a-Cool-Signature | How to Sign a Cool Signature | If you want to sign your name with a cool signature, try making certain letters larger so that they stick out or underlining your name for a classic style. You can also use elements of calligraphy, like loops and flourishes. If you're an athlete, you could even add your number to your signature. Finally, combine your favorite elements into one signature, then practice signing it until it feels natural. | Read over your current signature. Ask yourself what you like about your current style, and what needs work. Look at the letters that make up your name, and think about how you can best emphasize them: note the interesting letters (with a lot of loops, dots, and crosses, like G, X, or B) and the plain letters (especially those that look similar between uppercase and lowercase, like S or O). Look for any areas that could become focal points of your signature. Consider what you want your signature to say about you. A simple and clear signature will be easier for people to read, but a more complex signature might show more flair. The more flourish you put into your signature, the more flamboyant you may seem. Consider how your signature might speak to the luxury of time. Busy doctors often scrawl hasty, illegible signatures, whereas famous writers often take the time to orchestrate intricate designs. Signatures that include just your initials (with or without the middle initial) are usually considered more formal and businesslike than full-name signatures. If you're worried about forgery, consider making your signature longer and more legible. Include your entire first and last name. Be sure to write clearly. It is easier to forge scribbled signatures than it is to copy the nuances of a practiced, legible signature. Think about which parts of your name you want to include. Some people sign their full name, and some sign only their first or last name. Some just use their initials. If you are known only by your first or last name—like Beyonce or Ronaldo— then you might consider using just the first name. If you are a professor who typically goes by their last name, you may just sign your surname. Draw inspiration from other signatures. Look at the signatures of famous people, and consider whether you want to emulate anybody. Kurt Vonnegut, Walt Disney, Salvador Dalí, Picasso, and John Hancock (among many others) are all known for their unique signature styles. Don't be afraid to borrow eye-catching elements and add them to your own signature. Experiment. Rewrite your signature over and over to explore the possibilities. Have fun with it. Play with a variety of styles and flourishes. See what feels comfortable to write, looks good with your name, and isn't too hard to copy repeatedly. Use a writing tool that feels right in your hand. Consider using pencil if you want to erase and rework your signature. Emphasize certain letters. Make a letter larger so that it stands out, or make it very small so that it blends in. This can give your signature a bold look without slowing your signing time down to a crawl. Try exaggerating the first letter of your name, or the first letters of your first and last name. If your signature is messy or curly, you can emphasize one letter by making it sharp and clear. Likewise, make a single letter sloppy or fancy if you want it to stand out from an otherwise clean-cut signature. Underline your signature for emphasis. This is a classic way to make your name look more ornate. Underlining can also take more time to write out than a simpler style – so consider whether it's worth it. Turn one of your letters into an underline. This is commonly done with the last letter, but feel free to add a flourish to any letter that lends itself to the style. Letters with a long tail (y, g, j) are perfect. Drag the tail out beneath the signature. Underline your signature with loops. This is a very fluid, ornate way to spice up a signature. Underline your signature with zig-zags. These are similar to loops, but spikier and more angular. Use "old-timey" lettering. Double up on your horizontal crosses, and end your looped letters in hooks and flourishes. Use a fountain pen, if possible. Draw inspiration from calligraphy, from old signatures, and from Gothic lettering. This adds flair to even a simple signature. Add flourishes to spice up your signature. This can be a great way to make your style more unique. Look for letters that lend themselves to an exciting twist, and experiment with ways to make them look fancier. Try the following ideas: Use repeating elements. The three large ovals in this signature create an echo effect and help tie the whole design together. Allow your capital letters to encircle the lowercase letters. This is a useful way to spice up a name that doesn't have any lower loops (g, j, etc.) to play with. Encircle the signature with loops. This creates a very regal, official-looking signature. Enlarge the bottoms of your letters. This is one of the simplest and most common ways to spruce up a signature. Add numbers or symbols to your signature. The symbols might include a team jersey number, a simple sketch, or a graduation year. If you associate a specific number or symbol with your identity (for instance, if you are well-known for your role on a sports team), this may be a good way to publicly distinguish yourself from people with similar names. If you want to go this route, it's best to keep the rest of your signature straightforward to save time. Too many symbols can overwhelm the design and make for a long signing process. Combine your favorite elements into one signature. Find pieces of signatures that you like. Consider what works, what doesn't, and what suits your personality. As you practice your signature, tweak small details and flourishes until you've come up with something that feels right. Know when it feels right. Don't pick a signature only because it looks cool. Choose a signature that is stylistic, but also practical. Your signature should be easy to write and reproduce. It should feel good coming off of your hand, and it should be simple enough that you can dash it off in a matter of seconds. Your signature should suit your purpose and personality. If you want to show your dramatic side, use a signature with flair. If you want to tell people that you are neat and ordered, your signature should reflect that. Your signature should be identifiable. It shouldn't just look like a scribble on the page – unless it's a recognizable scribble, and it comes out like that every time. Make your signature unique so that people know it's yours. Practice your new signature until writing it feels natural. Remember that you can always change it, up to a point. If you use a certain signature on all of your legal documents (driver's license, passport, credit card, bank records) then it may be inconvenient to change it. In some cases, your signature actually serves to identify you, and you may arouse suspicion if you sign in a way that doesn't match the records. Make sure that you can easily replicate the new signature. The coolest, most complicated signature in the world is useless if you can't quickly sign it onto new documents. As you practice your signature, think about practicality: consider how fast you can sign it, whether you need any special writing tools, and whether you can make it look the same each time. If you can't easily reproduce your signature, you might want to simplify your design. Bear in mind that this does not apply to digital signatures. Most digital document-signing applications will save your personalized signature for later use. Sign it right once, and you can copy it to any future document. However. it may be wise to keep your digital signature consistent with your analog signature. | Read over your current signature. Consider what you want your signature to say about you. Think about which parts of your name you want to include. Draw inspiration from other signatures. Experiment. Emphasize certain letters. Underline your signature for emphasis. Use "old-timey" lettering. Add flourishes to spice up your signature. Add numbers or symbols to your signature. Combine your favorite elements into one signature. Know when it feels right. Practice your new signature until writing it feels natural. Make sure that you can easily replicate the new signature. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Brine-Meat | How to Brine Meat | To brine meat, start by mixing 3 parts salt and 1 part sugar. Then, dissolve the salt and sugar mixture in some water and add your seasonings, like vinegar, oil, and dried herbs. Next, pour the mixture into a container and submerge the meat in it. Once the meat is completely submerged in the mixture, just put it in the fridge for a few hours and you're done! | Prepare a mixture of three parts salt and one part sugar. The salt may be kosher or sea salt. The sugar can be any white crystal sugar, but not 10X or confectioner's sugar. Dissolve the sugar/salt mixture in water. The salt to water ratio should be 1:16—for every gallon of water you should have a cup of salt (50-60 grams of salt per litre water). Make enough of the mixture to comfortable cover the meat you wish to brine. Add any flavorings you wish. Sharp liquids (vinegars and citrus juices), whole seeds, and dried herbs and spices work especially well. Thicker liquids such as honey, oil and some sauces will impart fewer flavors unless boiled (see step 4, substep 1). This is also the case with fresh herbs. Submerge the meat in brine. Store it in a refrigerator or other cooler space. Cuts of pork, wild game, and larger poultry, such as turkey, can be brined anywhere from 4-12 hours; smaller cuts and birds should be brined for 30 minutes to 2 hours. If your brine is extensively flavored, or if you do not plan to brine the meat for long, consider bringing the mixture to a fast boil and cooling before starting the brine. This is especially effective for chicken and smaller poultry because brining them for too long will cause the meat to break down. | Prepare a mixture of three parts salt and one part sugar. Dissolve the sugar/salt mixture in water. Add any flavorings you wish. Submerge the meat in brine. Store it in a refrigerator or other cooler space. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Compost-in-a-Tumbler | How to Compost in a Tumbler | To compost in a tumbler, start by filling your tumbler with small pieces of organic material, such as egg shells, fruit peels, grass clippings, and dried leaves. Next, add microbes such as garden soil or a commercial composting mix to speed up the composting process. Then, aerate the compost by turning the tumbler back and forth every 2 to 3 days to further encourage the composting process. Additionally, add more microbes to the compost pile if the temperature inside the tumbler falls below 140 degrees F. | Choose a tumbler. You can buy tumblers on the internet or at a garden supply store. You can also build your own. Pick a tumbler based on your needs. Remember that larger tumblers will take more strength to turn, but you will be able to compost more material at one time. One advantage to tumblers is that they are more aesthetically pleasing (and less smelly) than compost piles. You can put your tumbler anywhere in your yard that is convenient. Put appropriate organic materials into the tumbler. Composting takes advantage of organic scraps to make a nutrient rich soil. These scraps can be anything from egg shells and left over salad to grass clippings or dried leaves. Just open up the lid on your tumbler and throw in any scraps that you have from the yard or kitchen. Smaller sized pieces are better. Try grinding or shredding any large materials before adding them to the tumbler. There are many organic things that should not be put into the compost pile, including citrus peels, onions, meat, and fish scraps. Balance your carbon and nitrogen. You want your end product to be a nutrient rich soil that can be used around your garden or home to grow things. Plants need a balance of carbon based and nitrogen based nutrients. You want your finished compost to have a carbon-nitrogen ratio of roughly 10-1. Adding a mixture of about 75% grass clippings and 25% kitchen scraps will typically put you in the right ball park. The best way to gauge your carbon to nitrogen ratio is to keep track of the things you put in your tumbler. You can find guides that give you the relative carbon and nitrogen content of different compost materials online. Be aware of pesticides and contaminants. The microbes in the compost will break down some contaminants, but not all of them. If you want to avoid having pesticides and other contaminants in the plants you are growing, make sure that you don't add them to your tumbler. You can use all organic ingredients to avoid getting pesticides in your compost. Load the tumbler in batches. From start to finish, the compost can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months. The important thing to remember is that this time frame is from the last scrap you put in, not the first. As the the compost forms, it will become more compact and make more room in the tumbler. This might tempt you to add more scraps, but be aware that doing so will restart the amount of time your compost will be in the tumbler. Instead of continuing to add to the tumbler, you could have a compost bucket (or a second tumbler) that holds scraps until the current batch is finished. Then, you can move the second batch into the tumbler. Start the reaction. If you just put your materials in the tumbler, they will probably turn to compost on their own ― eventually. To make your composting process faster, you need to add some microbes to start breaking down the organic materials in the tumbler. There are several ways that you can do this: Add horse or cow manure to the tumbler. Add garden soil to the tumbler. Add a commercial composting mix to the tumbler. These can be found online or in a garden store. Turn the tumbler. The composting process requires air. In a tumbler, aerating is done quite easily. You simply turn the tumbler back and forth several times. Do this every two to three days for optimum aeration. The turning allows air to get mixed in with all levels of the compost. Turning the composter too often will slow down composting. Place a pan underneath the tumbler. Most tumblers have a drain that allows liquid (known as compost tea) to drain out the bottom. You can collect this liquid in a pan or bowl underneath the tumbler. Pour the compost tea into your garden or use it to water your potted plants. This liquid is full of nutrients that will help your plants grow. Watch the temperature inside the tumbler. Maintaining the correct temperature is crucial on two fronts for composting. First, a higher temperature will help break down the compost materials faster. Second, the compost needs to get hot enough to kill any unwanted pathogens and weed seeds. Measure the temperature with a thermometer. Ideally, it will be no lower than 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius). If your compost is not getting hot enough, you can add manure or commercial products to increase the nitrogen levels and provide more heat. Keep the compost moist. Proper hydration will keep the compost from clumping into a hardened mess, or turning into a slush. The compost should stay about as moist as a wet sponge that has been rung out. If your compost is too dry, you can add water directly to the mix. Observe the color and consistency. Many composters will refer to green and brown composting materials. Keep in mind that this actually has nothing to do with the color of the materials or the compost. It actually refers to the carbon (brown) and nitrogen (green) content of the material. Your compost should be a dark brown. Use the compost. Your compost is ready once it has a dark brown color and all of the materials have broken down. It will have a similar consistency to soil. Empty the tumbler and use the compost in your garden or potted plants. It will provide nutrients that the plants need to grow. Some tumblers unload from the side. Others unload from the top or bottom. | Choose a tumbler. Put appropriate organic materials into the tumbler. Balance your carbon and nitrogen. Be aware of pesticides and contaminants. Load the tumbler in batches. Start the reaction. Turn the tumbler. Place a pan underneath the tumbler. Watch the temperature inside the tumbler. Keep the compost moist. Observe the color and consistency. Use the compost. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Dress-with-Swag | How to Dress with Swag | Dressing with swag is all about wearing clothes that make you feel confident and stylish. To keep your wardrobe up to date, start with a few name brand shirts and a good quality pair of jeans. Then, invest in some nice button down shirts, a hoodie, or a black dress. If you like wearing hats, get yourself a nice beanie, baseball cap, or snapback. A large part of dressing with swag is your shoes. Look for a name brand pair that show off your style. Make sure you keep them clean so they look fresh every day. Once you've got your wardrobe down, personalize your look with a nice watch, chain, or earrings. | Clean out your closet of all old and outdated items. Get rid of items that don't add to your style: Clothes with old stains, holes, tears, or otherwise falling apart should be discarded Items that are no longer trendy but still in good shape can be donated to thrift stores. Name brand items that don't add to your swag can be sold at consignment stores to increase your budget for new clothes. Pick a store to buy your clothes from. For name brand clothes you can go to the actual store and buy something, but there are other ways to get the clothes if you want to save some money. You can find new or gently used name brand clothes online from sites like eBay, craigslist, or online garage sales. Check out local thrift stores to find name brands at a fraction of the price. You can even participate in a clothing swap to give away your old clothes and get some new ones in return. Buy some name brand items. Name brand items can signify money and power, so having a few items to wear will portray you as being successful. Mix and match with store brand items to create more outfits with swag. Get a few name brand shirts. Buy one pair of name brand pants Invest in a high quality name brand pair of jeans. Get several classic clothing items. Having classic items in your closet to use as staples will help you easily put together outfits that have swag. There are a few staple items that help create multiple outfits: A button down shirt A utility jacket A black dress, for girls Graphic Tees Jeans A hoodie A hat or beanie Buy a stylish hat. Get a hat that makes you feel confident and comfortable. Experiment with wearing your hat different ways like to the side or the back to see how it makes you look and feel. It doesn't matter what type of hat it is so long as you feel cool in it: A baseball cap A sun hat A beanie A cowboy hat Invest in a trendy pair of shoes. Shoes are a big part of an outfit and having popular shoes can be viewed as symbol of status. A name brand pair of sneakers are a definite must for dressing with swag. White sneakers are a great option because they will go with many different outfits. Wash or shine your shoes regularly. Choose a high quality pair of shoes that will last. Pick out a few pieces of jewelry or a watch. Having jewelry or a watch will add a flashy element to compliment your outfit. Gold or silver chains can help make your look complete. Name brand watches are a nice touch to convey high class for both genders. Kick up the swag with more jewelry: Large rings and earrings can add to your swag look. Heavy bracelets or multiple bracelets can be great for girls' swag. Read fashion blogs to learn the latest trends in style. Use news articles to learn about urban street fashion. Find articles about the history of urban fashion as well as news from current designers. This will help you find a base to build your style from. Follow Hip Hop Artists on Social Media. Use social media sites like facebook, twitter, tumblr, and instagram to follow the big players in the industry. You will see what they're wearing and be able to emulate their current style. Pay attention to artists that have made a name for themselves in fashion industry: Sean Combs Kanye West Jay-Z Rihanna Attend street festivals and concerts. See what fresh trends are on the streets today by visiting local festivals and concert venues. Check local calendars to see when popular artists will be in town to see in person what swag the stars are rocking. | Clean out your closet of all old and outdated items. Pick a store to buy your clothes from. Buy some name brand items. Get several classic clothing items. Buy a stylish hat. Invest in a trendy pair of shoes. Pick out a few pieces of jewelry or a watch. Read fashion blogs to learn the latest trends in style. Follow Hip Hop Artists on Social Media. Attend street festivals and concerts. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Care-for-a-Beard | How to Care for a Beard | Caring for your beard will keep it looking clean and fresh. Wash your beard twice a day with a gentle cleanser when you wash your face. When you wash your hair a few times a week, shampoo and condition your beard to keep it clean. You should also rub some beard oil or wax into your skin a few times a week. This will help reduce dandruff and keep your face from overproducing oil. Trim your beard at least every few months, even if you're growing it out, to get rid of split ends. Don't worry if your beard starts to itch while you're growing it out, since this is natural and it will go away soon. | Maintain a healthy diet. Hair grows when you're receiving enough essential vitamins. You don't need to eat anything special if you aren't in a rush to grow your beard, just make sure it is a balanced, healthy diet. Fish is great for your hair. If you want to take a supplement some recommend Biotin, a b complex vitamin. Decide what kind of style you are going for. Try to pick a style that matches the hair you grow on your face. Some people find that their moustache doesn't connect to their beard. Others grow hair more heavily on the side of the face than on their neck. Address what type of facial hair you can grow and choose your beard style accordingly. Get some sleep. Studies show that a lack of sleep can actually slow down your beard growth. If you want a good beard make sure you're getting the appropriate amount of rest. Ignore the itch. When you're first growing a beard, it will itch pretty heavily at times. Your skin has to get used to having all this hair on there, but it will get better after a few weeks. Don't give up and shave just because it starts to get itchy. It can feel relieving to do so, but you won't be any closer to achieving your goal of growing a beard. Don’t try to groom it while it’s growing. Wait a few months until it has developed a shape before you try to make it look different. You need to have at least an inch and a half of hair before you start shaping it. Once your beard has grown in, consider visiting a barber so they can help you figure out what shape will look best. Then, you can use scissors to maintain that shape. Trim your beard to the length that you desire. It is helpful to trim in multiple different directions to make sure you've gotten all of those stray hairs. Even if you want your beard to be very long, it's still a good idea to trim it every few months and get rid of split ends. Decide which parts of your face you want hair on. Completely unshaven, untrimmed, and unwashed is one look. Being nicely shaved, trimmed, and washed is another completely different look. If you fall somewhere in between, you might end up looking a little sloppy, so try to decide on a style. Shave the places you don't want hair to grow accordingly. For example, some people don't like growing a bear that reaches to their neck. Make sure you comb your beard down so that the hairline you shave is consistent no matter which way the wind may blow. Keep it clean. Washing your beard is critical. Wash your face thoroughly with regular face wash and water every morning and night. You don't need anything too strong, but just something to cut through the oils that have built up. Make sure you also dry your face thoroughly. Have a clean towel and get as much of the water rung out of that mane as possible. Use shampoo and conditioner on your beard. Just like the hair on top of your head, beards need to be maintained and kept healthy. You can use the same shampoo that you use for your hair. If your beard is pretty short, you probably can just stick to washing your face with soap and water. If your beard is a few inches long you should shampoo it, but only use conditioner if it's very long. Apply aftershave to freshly shaven areas. Get something nice, but don't go for overpowering scents. Stick with smells such as cedar, juniper, orange, sandalwood, tobacco, and birch. Odds are, the fewer the ingredients the better. Stay away from weird chemicals. If you can't pronounce it, you probably don't want it. You want something that will sterilize, something that is astringent (which means it will tighten your pores), and something that will moisturize. Razor burn lining a nice beard is a turn off, so aftershave is a good idea. Apply a few drops of beard oil to the skin. Work it slowly into the rest of your beard with your fingers. A good beard oil will keep your whisker ends from becoming tiny razor wires and will condition them to continue growing strong. A good beard oil will also keep you from getting a blizzard of beard dandruff. There's nothing that will kill your vibe more than looking down and seeing your chest covered in a million white flakes. Good beard oil will also keep your beard and face from getting as oily. Use wax. This doesn't mean use wax as a means of hair removal. Wax is especially helpful for men who want longer mustache hair, but don't want it to curl under their lip. A small bit of wax will keep that hair going in the right direction and add shape to longer, wilder beards. Buy beard wax at a local pharmacy and take a very small amount with your finger. Use it on your beard to get it to run in one direction more smoothly. Establish a healthy routine. Applying beard oil, using wax, using aftershave, and cleaning your face are activities that you should be doing multiple times a week, along with maintaining a healthy diet. If you want your beard to feel healthy and smell good you should make a habit of following these steps. | Maintain a healthy diet. Decide what kind of style you are going for. Get some sleep. Ignore the itch. Don’t try to groom it while it’s growing. Trim your beard to the length that you desire. Decide which parts of your face you want hair on. Keep it clean. Use shampoo and conditioner on your beard. Apply aftershave to freshly shaven areas. Apply a few drops of beard oil to the skin. Use wax. Establish a healthy routine. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Dress-Appropriately-for-Volleyball-Practice | How to Dress Appropriately for Volleyball Practice | When choosing women's volleyball apparel, look for a form-fitting nylon or spandex shirt you can put on over a sports bra. Try to find a pair of spandex shorts that fit comfortably and don't restrict your movement. Pick a pair of running shoes that lace up and provide plenty of arch support, as well as a pair of crew or knee socks. If you're concerned about injuring your knees while diving, grab some knee pads for protection. Before practice, tie back loose hair and remove any jewelry. | Select a close-fitting shirt. Baggy shirts will hinder your ability to move quickly around the court, so choose something form-fitting. It should be long enough to cover your stomach, but not so long that it hangs down over your thighs. Many women wear tank tops or t-shirts, but you can also wear a long-sleeved workout shirt to protect your forearms from the impact of the ball during passing. Cotton is a popular material for t-shirts, but it absorbs a lot of moisture and doesn't dry quickly. Try choosing a shirt containing nylon or spandex, both of which help to wick moisture away from your skin. Choose a sports bra. Regular bras with underwire will not offer adequate support for the amount of movement you'll be doing while playing. Sports bras come in a variety of styles, like racerback and front-fastening, and offer varying levels of compression. Visit a department store to get fitted for a sports bra to be sure you're wearing the right size. Select a pair of spandex shorts. Spandex will fit snugly to your body and give you the most freedom of movement. Regular gym shorts may be alright, but check with your coach to be sure. Move around in your shorts ahead of time: jog, squat, and lunge. Make sure the shorts do not easily ride up or slide down. Pick a pair of running shoes. These should lace up, provide good arch support, and not be able to leave any black marks on the gym floor. If you're serious about playing volleyball long-term, invest in a specialty pair of volleyball shoes. These will weigh less and provide even more support and traction than regular workout shoes. Volleyball shoes can be purchased online or at sporting goods stores, where a sales associate can help you figure out the proper size. Select crew or knee socks. What type of socks you wear is a personal preference, so choose what feels best to you. Knee socks may offer added protection of the skin on your legs if that's a concern. Avoid ankle socks, since those can easily slip down into your shoe and distract you as well as cause blisters. Consider socks that offer special features, like moisture control, built-in arch support, cushioning for the ball of your foot, or blister control. Buy knee pads. You should invest in a pair of knee pads if you're at all concerned about hurting your knees as you dive for a ball. Visit a sporting goods store to get your knees measured and fitted for the right pair of knee pads. Tie your hair back. Put your hair into a ponytail or braid if it's long. Try to keep short hair off your face using a headband or hair clips. This applies to bangs as well – pin them back or use hairspray to keep them away from your forehead. Remove any jewelry. Wearing earrings, necklaces, bracelets, or rings can injure you or someone else on the court. Be sure to take all of those items off beforehand and store them somewhere safe during practice. Select a close-fitting shirt. Find a short-sleeved or sleeveless shirt that fits snugly and is comfortable to move in. Choose something made of breathable, synthetic fibers that will wick sweat away from your body. Select close-fitting shorts. Men don't typically wear spandex shorts as tight or as short as the women do. But your shorts should still be more snug than a normal pair of baggy workout shorts. Choose a pair that will allow you to move around without sagging down. Choose comfortable socks. These can be crew, calf-height, or knee-height, depending on your preference. Avoid socks that are mostly cotton since these will absorb moisture and be slow to dry. Look instead for socks that have acrylic or synthetic fibers and keep your feet dryer to help prevent blisters. Pick a pair of workout shoes. Unless you're serious about playing volleyball, you can just start with a good pair of running or gym shoes. Be sure that they fit well, offer good arch support, and won't leave black marks on the gym floor. If you decide to play volleyball long-term, visit a sporting goods store to get fitted for volleyball shoes, which provide more traction and support than ordinary gym shoes. Consider buying knee pads. Many men opt not to wear knee pads, but some do, so decide if knee pads are right for you. They protect your knees from injury and pain when you have to dive for a ball, but some players think they're uncomfortable and bulky. | Select a close-fitting shirt. Choose a sports bra. Select a pair of spandex shorts. Pick a pair of running shoes. Select crew or knee socks. Buy knee pads. Tie your hair back. Remove any jewelry. Select a close-fitting shirt. Select close-fitting shorts. Choose comfortable socks. Pick a pair of workout shoes. Consider buying knee pads. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Hunch-Punch | How to Make Hunch Punch | To make hunch punch, all you need is Everclear and fruit punch. First, empty a bottle of Everclear or another clear grain alcohol with a neutral flavor into a large container. Then, add a gallon of fruit punch and mix it with the alcohol. This will serve up to 10 people, but if you need more, adjust the measurements accordingly. For a more flavorful hunch punch, mix in a few cups of lemon lime soda, ginger ale, and your favorite fruit juices. When you've mixed your hunch punch, add plenty of ice to chill the drink and serve it to your thirsty guests. | Empty the bottle of Everclear into a large container. In a large container, empty an entire 750 ml bottle of Everclear or another type of clear grain alcohol with a neutral flavor. A single bottle is sufficient for a small party of 10 or less, but if you're expecting a larger crowd, you'll want to use two or three bottles. Traditionally, hunch punch is mixed in a 5 gallon (19 l) cooler. If using one, make sure that it's clean before pouring in the Everclear. Mix in the fruit punch and stir. Once the Everclear is in the container, add 1 gallon (3.8 l) of fruit punch. Use a long-handled spoon to mix the punch together to ensure that the fruit punch is fully blended with the alcohol. You can use a bottle of ready-made fruit punch or mix up your own using powdered drink packets. Just make sure that it adds up to 1 gallon of fruit punch. If you're using additional bottles of Everclear in the punch, you'll need to add more fruit punch as well. For every 750 ml bottle of alcohol, mix in 1 gallon (3.8 l) of the fruit punch. Add ice and serve. When the Everclear and fruit punch are completely mixed, add as much ice as desired to chill the punch. Use a ladle to pour the punch into cups and serve. If you don't want to use ice, you can refrigerate the fruit punch overnight to chill it before adding it to the alcohol. Empty the fruit punch and juices in a large container. In a 5 gallon (19 l) cooler or other large container, combine 3 gallons (11 l) of fruit punch, 16 ounces (473 ml) of frozen orange juice that's been thawed, and 16 ounces (473 ml) of pineapple juice. Mix well with a long-handled spoon to ensure that the ingredients are well blended. You can combine the fruit punch with any two types of juice that you like. Other options to consider include grapefruit juice, cranberry juice, or pomegranate juice. Add the soda and ginger ale. When the fruit punch and juices are fully combined, stir in 8 cups (1.9 l) of lemon lime soda and 8 cups (1.9 l) of ginger ale. Use the spoon to mix all of the liquids together. You can use any types of soda that you like in the punch, but fruity or light flavors tend to work best. Flavored seltzer is also a good option. Mix in the alcohol. Once the base of the punch is completely mixed, it's time to add the alcohol. Pour an entire 750 ml bottle of Everclear and an entire 750 ml bottle of vodka into the punch, and stir well to ensure that the punch ingredients are fully combined. You can substitute another clear, neutral flavored grain alcohol for the Everclear if you prefer. Ladle the punch into a cup to serve. After the punch is mixed well, use a ladle to pour it into cups. Add ice to the punch, and serve. Don't add ice to the punch. As it melts, it will water down the taste. Instead, add ice to the punch once it's poured or pour it over ice to chill. Pour all of the alcohol into a large container. Empty an entire 750 ml bottle of Everclear, an entire 750 ml bottle of coconut rum, and half of a 750 ml bottle of vodka into a large container, such as a 5 gallon ((19 l) cooler. Mix the alcohols together with a long-handled spoon. Stir in the juice, fruit punch, and fruit slices. Once the alcohols are combined, add 16 ounces (473 ml) of pineapple juice and 1 gallon (3.8 l) of fruit punch. Next, mix some orange and pineapple slices, and give the entire mixture a good stir to ensure that all of the ingredients are fully blended. You can substitute any juice that you like for the pineapple juice. Orange, grapefruit, and cranberry all work well. You can mix whatever type of sliced fruit you like into the punch. For the best flavor, match the slices to the juice, though. Serve the punch over ice. When all of the ingredients are combined, fill your glasses with ice. Use a ladle to pour the punch over the ice, and serve to your guests. If you find that the punch is too strong, you can mix in a fruity soda, such as lemon lime, to dilute it. | Empty the bottle of Everclear into a large container. Mix in the fruit punch and stir. Add ice and serve. Empty the fruit punch and juices in a large container. Add the soda and ginger ale. Mix in the alcohol. Ladle the punch into a cup to serve. Pour all of the alcohol into a large container. Stir in the juice, fruit punch, and fruit slices. Serve the punch over ice. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Kill-Ants-in-Your-House | How to Kill Ants in Your House | To kill ants in your house, start by making a solution that's 2 tablespoons of dish soap to 1 pint of water. Then, put the solution in a spray bottle and spray it directly on the ants in your house. You can also spray an indoor insecticide on doorways and windowsills, or spread diatomaceous earth around cabinets or walls to block ants in your home. Alternatively, buy ant traps, put them around your house, and give them 1-2 weeks to take care of the problem. | Smash individual ants with your shoe or a paper towel. This is the most low-tech solution, but it will definitely kill an ant! However, even if you only see a single ant, you should always assume that there are many more in your home. Scout ants leave scent trails for other ants to follow, so even squashing every ant you see won't stop an infestation. To do that, you need to either track down the nest and eradicate it with insecticide, or place poison bait stations in your home so the scout ants carry the poison back to their nest. Spray ants with soapy water if you’d prefer not to squash them. Add a single squirt of liquid dish soap to a spray bottle of tap water, then shake up the mixture before using it. When you spray an ant with the mixture, the soapy water interferes with the ant's respiratory system and suffocates it, usually within a minute or so. You can also use white vinegar in the same way. Keep the spray bottle handy, since you'll almost certainly see more ants until you eradicate the nest. Shake up the bottle each time before using it. Use a bug killer marketed for ants if you don’t mind using chemicals. Bug sprays that kill on contact typically interfere with an ant's respiratory system, meaning they kill in much the same way as soapy water or white vinegar. They'll probably kill even more quickly, but they also contain chemicals that you may be wary of spraying in your home. Especially if you have pets or kids at home, or if the ants are in your kitchen, you may want to use soapy water or your shoe to kill individual ants. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth to kill ants in high-traffic areas. If you notice several ants moving along a baseboard or near a crack, sprinkle some food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE) in that area. DE may kill any ant that walks over it, and will almost certainly kill any ant that eats it. DE is made up of the crushed, fossilized exoskeletons of tiny aquatic organisms. Its jagged texture can cause fatal injuries to ants that walk over it, and will essentially tear apart the insides of an ant that eats it. DE is considered safe for use around humans and pets. However, don't inhale the fine granules, as they can cause irritation to your breathing passages. Lay out an “ant buffet” to see which bait food the ants prefer. Many types of ants, including common house ants, prefer different types of foods at different times. To determine the preference of the colony that's invading your house, add a squeeze of honey, a dollop of peanut butter, and 1-2 potato chips to a piece of cardboard. Place the cardboard in an area where you've noticed ant traffic, and wait 1-2 days to see which food the ants are eating. If the ants prefer the honey, for example, then you know they are currently interested in sweet foods. Use this knowledge when you shop for ant bait stations. Buy ant bait stations that match up with the ants’ current food preference. Some ant bait stations use a generic bait that will probably work for you, but others list specific baits, such as “for sweet-eating ants” or “for grease-eating ants.” If you can find these specific baits at your local hardware store, buy the type that corresponds to the results of your “ant buffet” test. Designs vary by brand, but each individual bait station often looks like a tiny plastic igloo with 4 openings, stuck on top of a roughly 2 in (5.1 cm) square of plastic or cardboard. Alternatively, you can make your own bait stations by mixing up a paste from 12 fl oz (350 ml) of water, 0.5 c (120 g) of sugar, and 2 tbsp (30 g) of Borax, then spreading it on small pieces of cardboard. Borax is toxic if ingested, however, so this isn't safe if you have pets or kids. Set out the bait stations in areas where you see ant activity. Scout ants lay a scent trail for their companions to follow, so ants tend to use the same pathways over and over again. Identify several areas with high ant traffic and place the bait stations there. The ants will take over the job from there! Worker ants will collect the solid, liquid, or gelatinous poison inside the bait stations—which they think is tasty food—and bring it back to their nest to share. From there, the poison will quickly spread through and decimate the colony. Bait stations are generally safe to use around kids and pets, so long as they don't break into the “igloo.” Follow the instructions on the package if a child or pet ingests any of the poison, or contact a poison control center or emergency services. Keep the bait stations in place until all ant activity has ceased. Leave the bait stations out until you haven't noticed any ant activity for 2-3 days. Depending on the type of bait station, you may be advised to replace it after a set period of time, such as 1 or 2 weeks. If so, keep putting out new bait stations until you don't see any more ants. Err on the side of leaving the bait stations out longer than necessary. You want to make sure that every single ant in the colony has consumed and been killed by the poison. If only some of the ants have been killed, the colony may rebound. Take simple measures to prevent future ant invasions of your home. If you keep your house clean, put food away, and block easy access points, you can go a long way toward eliminating ant infestations. Try the following: Sweep up crumbs and clear away food scraps after every meal. Take out the trash daily, and don't leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight. Seal food containers tightly. Seal any gaps or cracks in walls, window trim, door jambs, etc. with caulk. You can also go over any existing caulk with fresh caulk to cover up any tunnels that ants may have made. Sprinkle coffee grounds, cinnamon, or chili powder at potential ant entry points. Check for wet or rotted wood near where you see ant activity. Carpenter ants prefer to build nests in wood that is softened by moisture and rotting. Look around areas near where you've spotted the ants and check for a dripping pipe, a broken seal around a window, or other areas where the wooden structure of your home is getting wet. Focus your search around windows, doors, and water pipes, as these can create the damp wood that carpenter ants love. Carpenter ants usually nest outdoors in areas like wood piles, damp logs, and wooden deck posts. But if they are in your house, take immediate action before they cause significant damage. Open up the area where you suspect a nest location. If you see carpenter ants entering and exiting the wall at a rotted section of baseboard, for instance, pull away that section of baseboard. Then, if necessary, remove some of the plaster or drywall in that area to investigate deeper into the wall. If you see a huge mass of ants in an area of heavily-damaged wood, you'll know you've found the nest. You're going to need to repair this area after destroying the nest anyway, so don't be shy about digging in to find the nest. Alternatively, hire a pest control professional at this point to do the job for you. Spray the nest with a carpenter ant insecticide until it's saturated. Choose an insecticide spray that's marketed for carpenter ants and contains bifenthrin, permethrin, or deltamethrin. Don't be shy when spraying it on the nest--douse it until it's saturated with insecticide. If you follow the application instructions on the package, the insecticide should make short work of the colony. Keep kids and pets out of the area while you work, and take any other safety measures described on the package. While laying out poison bait traps will kill off a carpenter ant nest over time, you'll still need to address the rotten, damaged wood in your home anyway. So it's best to attack the nest directly when dealing with carpenter ants. Repair the area after the colony is confirmed dead to prevent a repeat problem. Reapply the spray if needed (and as per the product instructions) until you don't see any more ant activity at the nest for 2-3 days. Then, fix any leaky pipes, seal up any gaps letting water in, replace any rotted wood, and close the area back up. Hire a home repair pro if you cannot do the repairs yourself. If you don't fix the damage now, it may get worse over time and cause even greater problems. It may also draw in another carpenter ant colony. | Smash individual ants with your shoe or a paper towel. Spray ants with soapy water if you’d prefer not to squash them. Use a bug killer marketed for ants if you don’t mind using chemicals. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth to kill ants in high-traffic areas. Lay out an “ant buffet” to see which bait food the ants prefer. Buy ant bait stations that match up with the ants’ current food preference. Set out the bait stations in areas where you see ant activity. Keep the bait stations in place until all ant activity has ceased. Take simple measures to prevent future ant invasions of your home. Check for wet or rotted wood near where you see ant activity. Open up the area where you suspect a nest location. Spray the nest with a carpenter ant insecticide until it's saturated. Repair the area after the colony is confirmed dead to prevent a repeat problem. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Attract-Dragonflies | How to Attract Dragonflies | To attract dragonflies, install a pond in your yard, since dragonflies are attracted to water and breed in shallow areas. Once you've put in a pond, add water plants to it, such as pondweed or water lilies, to give the dragonflies a place to lay their eggs. If you don't have room for a pond, you can add a fountain to your garden to draw dragonflies to your yard, instead. Then, plant flowers around it, such as black-eyed Susans and coneflower, that specifically attract dragonflies. | Place a pond in your yard. Ponds are beautiful additions to your backyard, and they attract dragonflies! Dragonflies are attracted to water because they breed in water. Their young hide among water plants. If you want dragonflies in your yard, put a water source somewhere in your yard. Create a pond at least 2 feet (0.6 m) deep. However, a pool of just about any size will appeal to dragonflies. The pond should have a depth of at least 2 feet (.60 m) to allow the dragonfly nymphs to take cover from predators such as raccoons. The water source needs shallow, low edges. The shallow sloping sides allow for plants to grow. Find the right water source. You can choose creative ways to put water sources into your yard. If you are into landscaping, you can start a big, fun project where you place a premolded pond in your yard, or dig and build one yourself. You can also set up a plastic wading pool, which dragonflies will breed in. Another idea is a wood half barrel. You can find premolded ponds at home improvement stores, and plastic wading pools at most toy stores or supercenters. You can find both online. Determine if you live near a source of dragonflies. You will have better luck attracting dragonflies if you live near a water source with dragonflies. Some dragonflies will fly miles away from the water source, but the closer you are to a stream, lake, or other source of water, the better your chances are that you will attract them. Most people who do not live in extremely arid areas should be reasonably close to a water source with dragonflies. Add water plants to your pond. You can't just have a pond and attract dragonflies. You need water plants in the pond to help attract them. Dragonflies love tall plants! The dragonflies will lay their eggs in the plants, and the larvae will live in them until they are grown. Then, they will use the tall plants to perch on. Stock the pond with both submerged and floating plants. They will use the underwater plants when they are larvae, and perch on the tall plants when they are adults. Try getting eelgrass, fanwort, hornwort, anacharis, wild celery, corkscrew rush, blue flag iris, parrot's feather, pondweed, water lilies, and lotus flowers. You can find water plants at garden centers and online. Surround the pond with shrubs. Place shrubs around the edge of the pond to give the dragonflies more places to land. This also makes your pond even more beautiful and appealing. The dragonflies will have more places to perch and live. You can plant border plants and shrubs. For example, you can try lobelia, seedbox, or button bush. You can also let the natural grass and brush around the pond grow to give the dragonflies more vegetation. Spread rocks around your pond. Rocks in and around your pond will make it even more beautiful. Dragonflies also love to perch on warm rocks, especially flat rocks. Place rocks in your pond and around the edges to give the dragonflies plenty of places to land. You can try a mixture of light and dark rocks. The dragonflies may be attracted to one over the other. Make sure the pond gets plenty of sun. Dragonflies like sunshine, so they will be more attracted to a pond that is out in the open with full sunshine in the middle of the day than one covered by the shade of tree branches. Place sticks in the middle of your pond. While you are waiting for your plants to grow tall enough for dragonflies to perch on, place sticks in your pond. This gives the dragonflies somewhere to land. You can try sticks that you get from nearby trees or bamboo stakes for plants and vegetables. Avoid placing fish in your pond. You may want to put fish in your pond so you can have fish and dragonflies. This is not a good idea. Fish eat dragonfly larvae, so the dragonflies will not be attracted to the pond and start breeding there. Add a fountain to your garden. If you don't want to add a pond, you can just add a fountain instead. These are much more low maintenance. You can buy pond pumps at garden or home improvement stores, and place them in a tub or trough. Often, you need additional filter boxes for your fountain when it is used outside. Plant dragonfly attracting flowers in around your home. Certain flowers will help attract dragonflies to your home. You can plant them around the water source, in your flower bed, or around your home to tempt the dragonflies to visit. Plant black-eyed Susans, blanket flower, cardinal flower, goldenrod, bee balm, catmint, coneflower, golden Alexander, Phlox, Russian sage, Salvia, or yarrow. | Place a pond in your yard. Find the right water source. Determine if you live near a source of dragonflies. Add water plants to your pond. Surround the pond with shrubs. Spread rocks around your pond. Make sure the pond gets plenty of sun. Place sticks in the middle of your pond. Avoid placing fish in your pond. Add a fountain to your garden. Plant dragonfly attracting flowers in around your home. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Eliminate-Worry | How to Eliminate Worry | If you catch yourself worrying, you'll feel better if you vent your troubles to someone you trust. Reach out to a loved one and tell them about your worries so you can get it out of your head. Consider finding someone you know who has the same worries as you, like a friend who is also unemployed or experiencing an illness, that way you'll feel less alone. The two of you can calm your fears by focusing on what you know is true at the moment and that you'll be okay. If you can't find someone to talk to, it's alright, just try writing down your fears and worries in a journal and keep writing until you can't anymore. | Know what worry is. You can't solve a problem if you don't know what it is, so the first thing to do is learn what worry feels like to you. Write down when you think you are worrying. It may help to start with writing down how you feel and then what is happening around you and the thoughts you are having. Notice how your body is feeling - are your muscles tense or maybe your stomach aches. You can then go back and analyze what led you to feeling the way you did. Ask people around you to help you identify when you're worrying. Sometimes when people worry, they ask a multitude of questions attempting to feel as though they know what is to come. Usually, people who worry will talk about it and their friends and family will know they are worrying. Having them point it out will help you learn about how you worry. Separate what is and is not reality. Worrying lies in the unknown. It makes sense because the unknown can be frightening. There are a lot of what ifs wrapped up in the future. The problem with what ifs is that they may never become problems and you'll end up worrying for nothing. This is why worrying is unproductive. It's important when identifying worry to know if you are concerned about something that is actually happening or something that COULD happen. Write down what you're worrying about. Circle what is actually happening and cross out what is not happening but could happen. Focus on only what is happening because that's all you can deal with right now. It is ok to plan and prepare for the future, but once you have done so, accept that you have done all you can do for now. Ask yourself if your thoughts are productive. When thinking about situations, it can be easy to get off course and start thinking about what could happen. When you're in a stressful situation, it can be difficult to know if you are on the right path of dealing with it because of your worrying. Asking yourself if what you're thinking can help you get out of the situation. If it doesn't, you know you are worrying. An example of this is dealing with a car that has broken down. You need to get to work, but have no idea how you're going to get there with no car. You immediately start to think about how if you don't get to work, you're going to lose your job. You then think about how you won't have money to pay your rent, and you may lose your apartment. As you can see, you can quickly unravel. However, if you focus on the situation at hand, you won't have to deal with losing your job or apartment. That can be quite a relief since you really don't know if those things are going to happen. You love your children so much. You don't ever want anything to happen to them, so you take every precaution necessary to ensure they do not get sick. You stay up at night thinking about all of the ways they could have gotten hurt that day. Focusing on them being healthy, safe, and happy will allow you to spend quality time with them that they will benefit from, so bringing yourself back to the present will help you do that and end the downward spiral of worrying. Write down the things you worry about from the past, present and future. Some people worry about the past and how it has affected them. Other people worry about what they do now and how it will affect their future. There are even people who worry about all of them, so their past, present and future. Write down your worries to give you a sense of catharsis and relief in the moment. Use a journal to write down what you worry about each day. You may choose to do this at the end of the day or just jot a worry down every time you have one. Use your smartphone to type in each one of your worries. You can use the memo app or an app for journaling. Talk to someone you trust. It can help to talk about what worries you. Choose a friend or family member that will understand how you're feeling. Let your loved one know that you understand that you are worrying, but you need to get it out of your head, so you can move on. Most of the time, loved ones will understand and be more than happy to be your soundboard. If possible, find someone who has the same worries as you, so you can feel less alone in your worrying. You can then both work on calming fears by focusing on what you both know is true at the moment. Sometimes worry is brought on by feeling like you are going through something hard all alone. Talking with someone can help offer you support and comfort. Journal about the situations you worry about. Continue to write until you can't write about it anymore. This free form of writing can unlock some of the things your subconscious is dealing with at the moment. It can be surprising to see what you write down afterward because many times, your worries are wrapped up in things that you really don't understand consciously. Speak to a therapist about your worries. A professional can help you vent the worries, process them and then let them go. Therapists understand that worrying is a state of mind that can be changed. You just need to work on it and follow the guidance of your therapist. Find a therapist that has experience helping people who worry or have anxiety disorders. Let the therapist know that you are working on eliminating worry, so you can be happier. Don't be afraid to discuss your worries in depth. Sometimes, that's the only way to get them out and gone. Ask yourself if the worry does any good for you. Since you want to care for yourself, you don't want to hurt yourself in any way. Worrying can hurt you, so remind yourself of that. Usually, when people are able to be honest with themselves, they have an easier time letting go of the worry. Count your breaths. Breathe in through your nose and then breathe out through your mouth. Count your breaths since worry can be exasperated with high-stress levels, this will reduce those levels. If you continue to worry as you are breathing, allow yourself to consider it for a moment and then breathe it away. Use your breath to blow the worries away from you. Do as many you need to feel relaxed. Some people will do 10 breaths, while others will do breathe in and out 20 times. You don't even have to decide before you start this technique. Allow yourself to gauge if you need to continue when you hit 10. Give yourself 30 minutes [7]
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to worry. Learn to control your worry by allowing yourself only 30 minutes. Once your 30 minutes is up, tell yourself that you need to focus on other things. It may help to set a timer so that you are not tempted to worry after your time is up. Use the thought-stopping technique. As soon as you start to worry, tell yourself to stop. The action of telling yourself to stop replaces the negative thought. You can do it aloud or you can use self-talk to tell yourself. Many therapists use this technique to help people avoid negative thoughts. As soon as a worry enters your mind, telling yourself to stop can help you let go of it quickly. Just keep in mind this is a learned behavior. It may not be effective at first, but after some practice, you may just be able to stop any worrisome thought in its tracks. This techniques works better for some people more than others. If you find this technique doesn't work for you, try mindfulness instead. Condition yourself to not worry. Place a rubber band on your wrist and snap it every time you worry. This is a type of thought stopping and it can help you to stop worrisome thoughts, then focus back on the present. Put something in your hands. Studies show that people who use their hands are less likely to worry. When you're focused on whatever is in your hands, you won't be focusing on what you're thinking about for too long. You may want to put a string of beads in your hands or use a stress ball. Try counting the beads, or squeezing the ball in a rhythm. Get enough sleep. Most people need seven to ten hours of sleep a night. Since sleep deprivation can contribute to elevated stress levels, which leads to worry, it's important to get enough sleep. If you have trouble sleeping at night because of your worrying, speak to your doctor. Sleep aids may be needed to get your sleep back under control, and that may be enough to eliminate worry. For those who want a natural sleep aid, consider taking melatonin. Speak to your doctor before taking it to make sure it's safe for you. Eat a healthy diet. The vitamins and nutrients you get from healthy foods can help reduce your blood pressure and improve brain functioning, which can help with stress. This can then lead you to worry less. Exercise. Exercise reduces stress, so you don't worry as much. When you are worrying, it can help to go for a run since it's difficult to be physically active and worry. Vigorous activity can also release endorphins, which can calm you while giving you energy to get through the day. Go for a bike ride with beautiful scenery around you. Run through a park. Play tennis with a friend. Walk through gardens Go hiking through the woods with friends. Start meditating daily. Studies report that meditation can relieve anxiety in the brain. This is because meditation has a calming effect on the brain. Since worry is rooted in anxiety, getting your nerves under control can help you worry less or not at all. Sit with your legs crossed and place your arms down beside you. This relaxes your body. When you are able to relax your body, your mind takes that as a sign that you are not in danger and it can start the process of relaxation. If you can't cross your legs, sit in any way that is comfortable for you. You can lie down, but be sure not to get too comfortable or you may fall asleep. If you sit in a chair, be sure there is a soft area around you in case you do fall asleep during meditation. This can happen to some people because of the intense relaxation they experience. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. You have an inner calming mechanism - your breath. When you focus on breathing, you will notice if you are breathing too quickly. If you are, just slow it down by breathing in deeper and exhaling completely. Try counting down your breaths. Breathe in for three seconds and then breathe out for another three seconds. Hold your breath for just a second or two before you exhale. Keep it all slow and steady to relax. Focus on how you feel right at that moment and allow yourself to feel peace. Pay attention to what is going on inside of you while you are meditating. If you feel anxious, repeat the word “calm.” You may pick a different word or even a sound, as long as it is something that calms you. If you think of something that worries you, don't fight it off or you'll just get anxious. Consider it for a moment and then let it go. You may even want to say, "Let it go..." Stand up slowly. To bring yourself back to your day, open your eyes slowly, sit quietly for a moment, and then get on your feet. Stretch if you need to and walk away feeling relaxed and totally at peace. Easing yourself into your day will keep you from getting anxious, which can lead you to start worrying again. | Know what worry is. Separate what is and is not reality. Ask yourself if your thoughts are productive. Write down the things you worry about from the past, present and future. Talk to someone you trust. Journal about the situations you worry about. Speak to a therapist about your worries. Ask yourself if the worry does any good for you. Count your breaths. Give yourself 30 minutes [7]
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to worry. Use the thought-stopping technique. Condition yourself to not worry. Put something in your hands. Get enough sleep. Eat a healthy diet. Exercise. Start meditating daily. Sit with your legs crossed and place your arms down beside you. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Focus on how you feel right at that moment and allow yourself to feel peace. Stand up slowly. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Credit-Card-when-You-Have-a-Low-Income | How to Get a Credit Card when You Have a Low Income | When applying for a credit card, you can maximize your chances of approval by expanding your definition of what qualifies as income. In addition to your primary source of income, you can also include such things as side jobs, alimony, government benefits, investments, and even child support. | Make sure you're including the right people. Credit card companies want to make sure that a debtor will be able to pay off any debts that accrue while they have an account. For this reason, they will ask about your income. Be sure that you're including all of the right people when you count your income. Although applicants can no longer count their "household income" when applying for a credit card, if you are married, you are allowed to count you and your spouse's joint incomes (as long as their income is available to help you make payments). Just remember, more people usually means more income, and the more income you have, the more easily you will qualify for a card. Don't forget about your side jobs. If you make more money, you seem like less of a credit risk, because you have more of it to repay your debts. A lot of people work gigs and side jobs throughout the year to make a little extra money. You are entitled to include all of your income, and not just your primary source of income, when you are applying for a credit card. Whether that is a musical gig at the local bar or mowing your neighbors' grass, if it brings in money, it counts. Also remember to include alimony, government benefits, investments, and child support. Reduce your expenses. The fewer standing expenses you have, the more money you have to pay for your credit card. If you have a car payment, consider trading in for a less expensive model. If you rent furniture and appliances, purchase them instead, even if you have to buy your furnishings one by one rather than in sets. Consider refinancing your home to reduce your mortgage payment, or relocating to a less expensive property if you rent. Consolidate the debts you do have. If you already have credit cards, consider transferring some of the balance of higher interest cards to lower interest ones, saving you money on interest. The less you spend on interest, the more money you have, which makes you seem like less of a credit risk. While it's best to split your balances among different credit cards, you can still minimize the interest you're paying. Make sure your debt to limit ratio is low on every card. If you have $500 of debt on your American Express card with a $1,000 limit, your AmEx card has a debt to limit ratio of 1:2. If you have $300 of debt on a Visa card with a $4,000 limit, your Visa card has a debt to limit ratio of about 1:13. You don't want to appear to be maxed out on any one card, so if you find yourself in a situation like this, you should move $400 of debt on your AmEX card over to your Visa card so that your new ratios are 1:10 and about 1:5. Open a checking and savings account. Your potential creditor wants to know that you have a viable way of paying the bill, and without a checking account, that's very difficult to do. The credit card application will ask you if you have one or both, and having both is really good; it makes them think that you must have money leftover, tucked away in case of emergency. Learn about your credit status. Before applying for any type of credit card, you need to know what your prospective creditors will know. The most important factors for obtaining credit cards, are your credit score , debt-to-income ratio, along with certain information in your credit report. Find out your credit score. Your credit score is a numerical value derived from the information contained in your credit report. A credit score can fall anywhere from 850-300, with 850 being the best credit risk and 300 being the worst. Any score over 700 is considered very good, but nearly 20% of US consumers have scores above 800. Since different cards are targeted towards consumers in different credit ranges, it is important to know your score before you apply for a credit card. The different factors determining your credit score are weighted as follows: Payment history: 35%. Whether or not you paid credit bills on time is the single most important factor in determining your score. Credit cards, retail accounts, installment loans (like car payments), finance company accounts, and mortgage loans are the type of credit account that factor into payment history. Late payments, wage garnishments, foreclosures, and liens all negatively affect this component of your credit score. Amounts owed: 30%. This includes total amount owed, and the amount owed on different accounts. Generally, it's better to have a small balance than none at all. Length of credit history: 15%. The longer the better. Types of credit: 10%. Number of new accounts: 10%. Opening up many new credit accounts at once can be a red flag, so its best to avoid it if you can. Obtain a credit report from one of the credit bureaus. You can use either Experian (888-397-3742), Trans Union (800-916-8800), or Equifax (1-800-685-1111). You can also take advantage of http://www.annualcreditreport.com to obtain your free yearly report. Check the report for inaccuracies. A 2013 study by the Federal Trade Commission found that one out of four consumers have errors on their credit reports that affect their scores, and one in twenty had a serious error on their report. Therefore, taking this step is crucial. If you have a low credit score, there are things you can do (or avoid) to improve your score. Dispute any inaccuracies. If you do find an inaccurate item on your credit report, you do have some recourse. First, write a letter disputing the item with the credit reporting agency, forwarding any supporting documents along with your dispute letter. The credit reporting agency will investigate, contacting whatever agency is listing the negative item. Many times, this will resolve any issues. If it does not, then follow the same procedure directly with the agency listing the negative item. To ensure that your dispute letter arrives where it should, it is best to send your dispute letters by certified mail. If, after filing dispute letters with both the credit reporter and the company or agency listing the negative item, you still cannot have the item removed, you may pay the credit agency to add the dispute plus the supporting documents to your credit report. Calculate your debt-to-income ratio. Your debt-to-income ratio is calculated by adding up all of your monthly debt payments, and then dividing them by your gross monthly income. It's what tells a potential creditor how much money you have to pay any debt you incur with them. The lower your debt-to-income ratio, the more willing a creditor will be to extend credit. So, if your mortgage was $1000, your student loan payment $500, and your car payment $500, you would have $2000 in monthly debt payments. If you made $4000 a month, then your debt-to-income ratio is 50%. Apply for a credit card. Now that you know your credit score, your debt-to-income-ratio, and have an accurate credit report, you have the information you need to apply for the right type of card. There are many creditors who service the low income market. Consumers in the US can find a sample listing here , and Australian consumers can find a comprehensive list here. Consider a partially secured credit card. A partially secured credit card can sometimes be the best option for low income earners. With a partially secured card, the applicant pays a deposit (less than the credit limit) to the card company, thereby securing the debt. Then, the cardholder uses the card like normal, and pays the card off like normal. When you close the account, you get back the deposit. Consider a fully secured credit card. If you don't qualify for a partially secured card, consider a fully secured one. The credit limit will be equal to the deposit, but the fees and interest rates are usually better on a fully secured card than a partially secured card. As long as you make sure to get a secured card that reports to the credit reporting agencies, then you will be building credit at little to no risk for the lender. Ask a friend or family member with strong credit to cosign. A cosigner agrees to pay any outstanding debt you cannot pay, which can make you more appealing to the card company and help you build up better credit. Be aware that you are risking your friend or family member's credit score when they cosign, so make sure you are responsible with your spending and your payments. Talk to the person you want to cosign on your credit card and discuss ground rules for their participation. Set up email and text alerts to remind you to pay on time, or agree that you will not spend more than 30% of the monthly limit. | Make sure you're including the right people. Don't forget about your side jobs. Reduce your expenses. Consolidate the debts you do have. Open a checking and savings account. Learn about your credit status. Find out your credit score. Obtain a credit report from one of the credit bureaus. Dispute any inaccuracies. Calculate your debt-to-income ratio. Apply for a credit card. Consider a partially secured credit card. Consider a fully secured credit card. Ask a friend or family member with strong credit to cosign. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Glue-Plastic | How to Glue Plastic | To glue plastic together, start by selecting the right glue. Find the recycling symbol on the plastic, which will have a number in the middle. If it's a 6, use a poly cement or epoxy. For 2, 4, or 5, use plastic glue, such as Loctite Plastics Bonding System or Scotch Weld DP 1080. If the number is a 7 or 9, use an epoxy or cyanoacrylate. Clean the plastic with soap and water before you apply the glue, and use sandpaper to make the surfaces rough. Once you apply the glue to both surfaces and secure them with tape or a clamp, let it dry for 24 hours. | Look for a recycling symbol. Different varieties of plastic require different glues. The easiest way to identify the type is to search for a recycling symbol on the plastic itself, the label, or the packaging the object came in. This symbol is a triangle formed by three arrows, and contains a number, letter or both inside or below the triangle. Learn how to glue plastics marked 6. A recycling symbol containing a 6 or PS signifies the plastic type "polystyrene". This is best glued with a poly cement (also called plastic cement), or a specialized plastic glue such as Loctite Epoxy Plastic Binder or Super Glue Plastic Fusion. Other adhesives that will work include a cyanoacrylate (also called "instant glue" or "cyano"), or an epoxy. Select a specialized glue for plastic marked 2, 4, or 5. If your material is labeled 2 , 4 , 5 , HDPE , LDPE , PP , or UMHW , you have a type of "polyethylene" or "polypropylene". These plastics are much more difficult to glue, and you'll need to look for a specific product that names these types on its label, such as Loctite Plastics Bonding System or Scotch Weld DP 8010. Make the right choice for plastics marked 7 or 9. The miscellany category marked 7 or the ABS type marked 9 can indicate a variety of plastic resins, with many possible letters indicating subtypes. Your best bet for gluing it is an epoxy or cyanoacrylate. Try to identify the plastic type in other ways. If there is no recyclable system, you may have to guess at which type of plastic it is before you can select a glue. Here's a guide to help you accomplish this task: Lego bricks are made from a type of plastic called "ABS", and are best glued using epoxy cement. ABS solvent cement will also work, but may alter the shape of the material's surface. Imitation glass, cheap toys, CD cases, and similar brittle, often clear plastic is usually "polystyrene" and can be glued using a number of adhesives. For best results, use a poly cement or a glue advertised for plastic bonding. Glue tough, hard plastic found in bottles, buckets, crates, and food containers using a product that specifically advertises the ability to bond "polyethylene" and "polypropylene". These are impossible to glue by most normal methods, so don't assume a product labeled "for plastic" will work unless it specifically mentions "polyethylene" or "polypropylene". Do further research if gluing plastic to another substance. If you are gluing plastic to wood, metal, glass, or even a different type of plastic, you'll need to commit to further research. If you can't find an answer online or by asking an experienced handyman, go to the hardware store and look at each brand of adhesive you've determined you could use following the above steps. The packaging should tell you what substances it can glue onto plastic. Visit This to That for extensive advice on which glue to use for each combination of materials. This advice will be most helpful for common types of plastic, especially polystyrene. If you are unsure which to use, try testing an adhesive with scrap material of the same types, or in an unobtrusive corner of your object in need of gluing. Remove grease from the plastic. Wash with soap, use a specialized plastic cleaner, or soak the plastic in isopropyl alcohol to clean. Dry thoroughly. Avoid touching the piece with your bare hands afterward, to minimize oil residue. Sand the surface to be glued. Briefly sand the plastic with 120-200 grit sandpaper to create a rough surface for the glue to bond to. Steel wool or emery cloth will also work, but remember it only needs to be rubbed briefly. Mix the two glue components together if required. Two-part "epoxies" require two ingredients to be mixed together to activate the adhesive. Read the instructions on the container carefully, as there are many types of epoxy and each requires a certain ratio of the two ingredients. Some of them can be used for several hours after mixing, while others require application within a few minutes. See Selecting a Glue to learn which type of glue to use. You can skip this step if you are not using a two-part adhesive. Apply glue to both surfaces. Use a small brush to apply an even layer of adhesive to both surfaces where they will be attached. For tiny pieces, such as a broken piece on a plastic model, you can use the tip of a needle instead. If you are using a solvent cement ( not a poly cement or plastic cement), you should clamp the pieces together first, then use an applicator bottle to put a thin line of solvent cement along the edge between the pieces, where it will be drawn between them. If you are using it on plastic pipes, see Gluing Plastic Pipes instead. Press the pieces lightly together. Press them together to get them in place and remove air bubbles. Don't push so hard that the adhesive oozes out of the joint. If it does, wipe away the excess unless you are using an acrylic cement, which should be left to evaporate. Keep the pieces firmly in place. Use a clamp, vise, masking tape, or rubber bands to hold them firmly together. Read the instructions on your adhesive container to know how long to leave them in place. Depending on the type and brand of adhesive, the bond could take anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours to develop. Many plastic adhesives continue to "cure", or develop a stronger bond, for days or even weeks after application. Avoid applying stress and heat to the glued piece for at least 24 hours after application, even if the bond seems strong. Identify your pipe. There are three types of plastic pipe, and each will only work with certain glues. The easiest way to identify them is to look for the worldwide recycling symbol, a triangle formed from three arrows with a number or letters to identify the type of plastic. Learn how to use this and other identification methods before selecting a glue. PVC pipe is common in residential plumbing, although it should not be used for distribution lines or other high-temperature applications. It is usually white, or grey if used for electrical or industrial purposes. Its recycling symbol is 6 or PVC. CPVC pipe is PVC pipe treated to withstand higher temperatures. It has an identical recycling symbol (6 or PVC) but is usually tan or cream colored. ABS is an older and more flexible type of plastic piping, usually black in color. It is not suitable for drinking water purposes and in some regions may not be legal for any plumbing uses. Its recycling symbol is 9 , ABS , or 7 (other). PEX pipe is the newest type of plastic piping, available in many colors. It is not recyclable. It cannot be glued, and must be attached using mechanical fitting tools. Select an adhesive. The material that bonds plastic piping together is called solvent cement. Find the specific solvent cement you need after you've identified the type of plastic. ABS solvent cement will join two ABS pipes together. PVC solvent cement and CPVC solvent cement similarly join two pipes of that type. Transition solvent cement is used to join an ABS pipe to a PVC pipe. Its distinctive green color makes it easy to identify. If you can't find a more specialized product, universal solvent cement will do an okay job for any combination of PVC, CPVC, and ABS. You should still identify your pipe beforehand to rule out PEX pipe, which must be fitted instead of glued. Read the label of the solvent cement to make sure it will work on the size of pipe you're using. To attach a plastic pipe to a metal one, you may need a specific adhesive for that specific plastic and specific metal combination, or a mechanical fitting method. Contact a plumber or hardware store employee for advice. Follow safe ventilation practices. Primer and solvent cement release dangerous vapors when used. Either work in an area with excellent ventilation (large open windows, outdoors, etc.) or wear a respirator that blocks organic vapor. File the inside smooth if the pipe was sawed. Roll 80-grit sandpaper into a tube and sand the inside and outside of the pipe where it will be attached. The goal is to remove uneven pieces and "burrs" created from sawing, which can otherwise catch debris and cause clogs. Flatten the sandpaper roll against the tube to match its shape before rubbing. If you don't have sandpaper, use a file or remove the obvious burrs with a pocketknife. Mark the alignment of the joints if attaching a curved piece. You won't have much time to arrange the pipes once you've applied the solvent cement, so first fit the pieces together dry. Turn them to the alignment you need and use a permanent marker to draw a line across them. Prime pipe before gluing. Of the three types of plastic pipe, PVC is the only material that requires priming, but CPVC may attach better after priming as well. Wipe PVC primer or CPVC primer as appropriate onto the outside of the pipe segment and the inside of the pipe fitting, where they will be attached. Let dry 10 seconds before continuing. Work quickly and methodically to apply the solvent cement. Wearing gloves, use a brush or cotton ball to wipe an even layer of solvent cement on the outside of the pipe segment and the inside of the pipe fitting. Only apply a thin, even layer to the fitting socket or excess may be pushed into the water piping and create blockage. Connect the pipes immediately and quarter turn from the desired alignment, then twist and hold. Directly following the application of solvent cement, attach the pipes a quarter turn from the alignment marks you made, then twist them until the marks line up. If you didn't have to make any alignment marks, simply attach and give a quarter turn twist. Hold in place for about fifteen seconds to give the cement time to grab. Correct length mistakes by sawing room for a new joint. The attachment may shrink slightly when the solvent cement dries. If your final piece is too short, saw it apart and lengthen it by gluing a new fitting onto it. If it is too long, remove a section of the pipe entirely by sawing and join the two remaining ends together with a new fitting. | Look for a recycling symbol. Learn how to glue plastics marked 6. Select a specialized glue for plastic marked 2, 4, or 5. Make the right choice for plastics marked 7 or 9. Try to identify the plastic type in other ways. Do further research if gluing plastic to another substance. Remove grease from the plastic. Sand the surface to be glued. Mix the two glue components together if required. Apply glue to both surfaces. Press the pieces lightly together. Keep the pieces firmly in place. Identify your pipe. Select an adhesive. Follow safe ventilation practices. File the inside smooth if the pipe was sawed. Mark the alignment of the joints if attaching a curved piece. Prime pipe before gluing. Work quickly and methodically to apply the solvent cement. Connect the pipes immediately and quarter turn from the desired alignment, then twist and hold. Correct length mistakes by sawing room for a new joint. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Dandruff-(Natural-Methods) | How to Get Rid of Dandruff (Natural Methods) | To get rid of dandruff naturally, mix together 3/4 cup of water and 4 tablespoons of baking soda, then work the paste into your hair for a few minutes before rinsing it out. The paste can help scrub away dandruff flakes and fight dandruff-causing fungus, but don't use it more than once a week since it can dry your scalp out. For an everyday solution, add 5 to 10 drops of tea tree oil to your bottle of shampoo, then wash your hair as usual. The tea tree oil can help combat fungus and bacteria on your scalp that may be causing your dandruff. Alternatively, if your scalp is feeling irritated, try rubbing some aloe vera gel into it to reduce inflammation. Leave it in for 1 hour before rinsing it out, and repeat 2 to 3 times per week. | Mix tea tree oil into your shampoo to moisturize your scalp and fight fungus. Dandruff can be caused by an overgrowth of fungus or bacteria on your scalp. The natural antimicrobial and antifungal properties of tea tree oil may help combat this problem. Purchase a shampoo with a 5% concentration of tea tree oil, or put 5-10 drops of tea tree oil into the bottle with your regular shampoo and shake it up thoroughly, then wash your hair as usual. Continue using this treatment until your dandruff improves. Tea tree oil is toxic when swallowed. Never use it in or near your mouth. If you accidentally get tea tree oil in your eyes, rinse them immediately with warm water and call your doctor if you experience redness or irritation. Don't apply undiluted tea tree oil directly to your scalp, since it can cause itching and irritation. Stop using any products containing tea tree oil if you experience an allergic reaction, such as a rash, itching, stinging, or burning. Use lemongrass oil mixed into shampoo to soothe inflammation. Like tea tree oil, lemongrass oil has antimicrobial properties that may be helpful for treating some types of dandruff. It can also reduce inflammation of the scalp. Get a 10% lemongrass oil shampoo, or add a few drops of lemongrass oil to your regular shampoo or conditioner. You may need to use the lemongrass oil treatment for 2-3 weeks for the best results. Don't apply undiluted lemongrass oil directly to your scalp, since it may cause irritation. Massage some aloe vera gel into your scalp for a soothing treatment. To treat dandruff, rub a generous amount of pure aloe vera gel directly into your scalp and let it sit for up to 1 hour. When you're done, wash your hair with a mild shampoo and rinse your hair and scalp thoroughly. Use this treatment 2-3 times a week until your symptoms improve. Aloe vera gel is rich in antioxidants and amino acids, and its moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties may promote faster healing of damaged or irritated skin. It also has antifungal and antimicrobial properties. All these factors make aloe an excellent natural dandruff treatment. You can either purchase aloe vera gel or collect some directly from the cut leaf of a live aloe plant. Some people find aloe gel irritating, so dab a small amount on your wrist and watch for a reaction before applying it to your scalp. Ideally, you should wait a full 24 hours to see if there's a reaction, but you'll likely notice something sooner. Stop using aloe if you experience symptoms such as a rash, itching or irritation, or increased sensitivity to sunlight (i.e., your skin burns more easily than usual). Try a coconut oil treatment to reduce inflammation and add moisture. While there's not a lot of research on the effectiveness of coconut oil for treating dandruff, there's some evidence that it can help with related skin conditions, such as atopic dermatitis. To use coconut oil, rub 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of the oil directly into your scalp and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before rinsing it out. You can also put a shower cap over your hair and leave the coconut oil on your scalp overnight if you wish. Rinse the oil out with warm water when you get up in the morning. You may need to warm up the coconut oil by rubbing it between your hands for a few minutes or mixing it with a small amount of warm water before you can spread it over your scalp. Another option is to purchase shampoo that contains coconut oil. Look for pure coconut oil in your local grocery store or health food store. Wash your scalp with baking soda for a deep, exfoliating clean. Baking soda can scrub away dandruff flakes and may also help fight the fungus that sometimes causes dandruff. To clean your scalp and hair with baking soda, make a paste using ⁄ 4 cup (180 mL) of water and 4 tablespoons (58 g) of baking soda. Work the mixture into your scalp and hair and let it sit for 1-3 minutes before rinsing it out. If you like, you can also add a few drops of tea tree oil for extra dandruff-fighting benefits. Using baking soda on your hair too frequently can dry out your hair and irritate your scalp. Try using this approach no more than once a week, and stop if you experience irritation or notice that your hair is becoming dull and dry. You can offset some of the harsh effects of baking soda by following up with a moisturizing conditioner containing coconut or argan oil. Add crushed aspirin to your shampoo for a homemade salicylic acid wash. Aspirin contains salicylic acid, a compound that occurs naturally in the bark of willow trees. Because it can help clear oily skin and reduce inflammation, salicylic acid is a common ingredient in dandruff treatments. Try crushing up 1-2 uncoated aspirin tablets and mixing them with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of your shampoo next time you wash your hair. Shampoo your hair as usual, but leave the shampoo on your hair for 2-3 minutes before rinsing it out. You can also purchase a salicylic acid dandruff shampoo. Stop using this treatment if you experience irritation, redness, burning, or signs of an allergic reaction, such as itching, hives, or swelling. Try using this treatment twice a week for up to 4 weeks, or until your symptoms improve. Incorporate more omega 3 fatty acids into your diet. Omega 3s are a type of healthy fat that may improve your skin and hair's health, among other benefits. If you struggle with dandruff, try eating more foods that are rich in omega 3s, such as fatty fish (like salmon, mackerel, and tuna), nuts, seeds, and seed oils. You can also get omega 3 fatty acids from supplements, such as fish oil tablets. Aim to eat 1.1 to 1.6 grams of omega 3 fatty acids each day. Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables to reduce your risk of skin disorders. Studies show that people who eat plenty of fruits and vegetables are less likely to develop skin conditions related to dandruff, such as seborrheic dermatitis. Try eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables each day so that you get a variety of essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Good vegetable options include leafy greens, beans and peas, cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli and cauliflower), and colorful veggies like carrots, radishes, peppers, and purple sweet potatoes. You can also get a range of vitamins and minerals by eating a wide variety of fruits, including berries, apples, citrus fruits, bananas, grapes, and melons. Aim to eat 5 servings of vegetables and 4 servings of fruit each day. Check a chart like the one here to determine how large a single serving is for various kinds of veggies and fruits: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/add-color/fruits-and-vegetables-serving-sizes. Consume more biotin-rich foods to support healthy skin and hair. Biotin is an essential B vitamin that can help improve the health of your hair, skin, and nails. Talk to your doctor about taking biotin supplements, or get it from food sources, such as: Egg yolks Nuts Salmon Liver Nutritional yeast , which you can use as a topping in place of butter or cheese, or stir into creamy soups or egg dishes Talk to your doctor about taking zinc to boost healthy cell growth. Zinc is an important dietary mineral that plays a role in keeping your immune system healthy. It may also promote faster healing and help prevent conditions that affect your skin, hair, and scalp. Talk to your doctor about whether zinc supplements might be helpful to you. You can also get zinc from dietary sources, such as red meat, shellfish, legumes (such as chickpeas and lentils), nuts and seeds, eggs, dairy products, whole grains, and potatoes. Do stress-relieving activities to improve your overall health. The relationship between stress and dandruff isn't clear, but some studies show that people with high levels of stress and anxiety are more likely to have skin conditions like atopic dermatitis. If you already have dandruff, it's possible that stress can make it worse. If you're stressed, try to minimize it by: Doing relaxing activities, such as yoga or meditation Spending time with friends and family Engaging in hobbies and creative activities that you enjoy Listening to peaceful music Getting plenty of good-quality sleep See your doctor if you notice signs of infection in your scalp. Dandruff doesn't usually require medical treatment, but sometimes it can be associated with more serious conditions. There's no need to see your doctor if you have some flakes with no other symptoms. However, you should make an appointment if you have dandruff accompanied by symptoms such as redness, tenderness, or swelling in your scalp. Symptoms like these could also indicate that you have another skin condition, such as seborrheic dermatitis. Get medical treatment if your dandruff is severe or doesn’t respond to home care. If you have very heavy dandruff or if home treatments aren't helping, it may be time to see a doctor. You should also call your doctor if you have severe itching and discomfort along with dandruff. They can identify the cause of your dandruff and prescribe an appropriate treatment. For example, if your dandruff is caused by an inflammatory disease, a corticosteroid treatment or immune response inhibitor might help. For persistent fungal infections of the scalp, your doctor might prescribe a strong antifungal shampoo or medication. Seek medical attention if you have dandruff with a weakened immune system. If you have a condition that weakens your immune system, such as an inherited immune deficiency disorder, HIV/AIDS, cancer, or diabetes, call your doctor if you develop dandruff. Your doctor can check if the dandruff is caused by an infection in your scalp, and treat it if it is. Some medications, such as steroids and chemotherapy drugs, can also weaken your immune system. See your doctor if you develop dandruff while taking one of these medications. Untreated skin infections can lead to serious complications if you have a weakened immune system, so don't hesitate to get it checked out. | Mix tea tree oil into your shampoo to moisturize your scalp and fight fungus. Use lemongrass oil mixed into shampoo to soothe inflammation. Massage some aloe vera gel into your scalp for a soothing treatment. Try a coconut oil treatment to reduce inflammation and add moisture. Wash your scalp with baking soda for a deep, exfoliating clean. Add crushed aspirin to your shampoo for a homemade salicylic acid wash. Incorporate more omega 3 fatty acids into your diet. Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables to reduce your risk of skin disorders. Consume more biotin-rich foods to support healthy skin and hair. Talk to your doctor about taking zinc to boost healthy cell growth. Do stress-relieving activities to improve your overall health. See your doctor if you notice signs of infection in your scalp. Get medical treatment if your dandruff is severe or doesn’t respond to home care. Seek medical attention if you have dandruff with a weakened immune system. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Shift-a-Manual-Transmission | How to Shift a Manual Transmission | Driving a manual transmission car can seem a little daunting at first, but once you get used to it, shifting gears will be second nature. Before you practice shifting, make sure you memorize the shifting pattern on the stick. To upshift, you'll need to accelerate until your engine reaches between 1,500 and 2,000 RPMs. At this point, you'll hear the engine pitch change and you'll know it's time to shift. All you need to do is release the gas pedal and push the clutch fully down to disengage the wheels from the engine. While holding the clutch down, shift your stick into the next gear. Then, slowly release the clutch while easing on with the gas. Downshifting involves the same process as upshifting. The only difference is that you can skip gears when braking heavily. For example, if you slow down for an intersection, you can downshift from 4th to 2nd gear. However, you should never skip gears when upshifting. | Memorize the shifting pattern for your car. If you cannot see the pattern physically, check the knob on top of the shifter to see where the gears are located. Many manual transmission cars will be in an H-shaped pattern with the odd-numbered gears on top and the even-numbered gears on bottom. For instance, in many cars, first gear is directly above second gear, third gear is to the right of first gear and directly above fourth gear, and fifth gear is to the right of third gear and directly above reverse. Neutral position may be indicated with the letter N. Otherwise, your car is in neutral as long as your shifter isn't in any other gear. Use your right hand to change gears. Manual transmission cars require you to actively switch between the gears. Keep your right hand on the shifter so you're prepared to change gears. Avoid using your phone or adjusting the radio when you drive a manual transmission. Focus on shifting gears and on the road in front of you. Locate the clutch pedal to the left of the brakes. Use your left foot to locate the pedal on the far left side. Press the clutch down completely whenever you need to shift gears. Avoid holding your foot on the clutch, or else you could wear it down and make it more difficult to shift as your car ages. Start in neutral with the parking brake engaged. Since manual transmission cars don't have a parking gear, the vehicle should already be in neutral with the parking brake on. Check to make sure the shifter is set to neutral and your parking brake is on. If the parking brake isn't engaged, your vehicle will roll. Most cars have a light on the dashboard signifying if the parking brake is activated. Use your left foot to depress the clutch. When you're ready to start your car, place your left foot on the clutch pedal and press it all the way down. Only use your left foot on the clutch pedal so you can control the brakes and gas with your right foot. Turn the key in the ignition and shift to first gear. Start your car and wait for the engine to roll over. Make sure you keep the clutch depressed with your left foot. Use the shifter on your right side to transition into first gear. On a standard 5-speed car, the first gear is located to the left and up on the gear shift. Otherwise, check the top of your shifter to see if it has a guide to where the gears are located. Release the parking brake and press on the brake pedal. Check your dashboard to make sure the parking brake is fully disengaged. As soon as you release the parking brake, your car will start to roll slightly. Rev the engine between 1,500-2,000 RPM. Watch the tachometer, the dial that measures your engine rotation speed, so you know when to take your foot off the clutch. You'll feel a rocking movement on the pedal when the clutch disc tries to catch once your engine hits the right speed. If you run at lower RPM, your vehicle will stall and you will have to start your car again. When you feel the clutch disc trying to catch, this is known as the “friction point.” Lift your left foot off of the clutch. Slowly take your foot off the clutch to release the pressure. Your car will start rolling forward. Press the gas pedal down slightly to start accelerating. Shift gears when you’re between 2,500-3,000 RPM. Watch the tachometer on your dashboard to see when you reach the right RPM. No matter what gear you're driving in, plan to shift at the 2,500-3,000 RPM range. Avoid shifting gears at a higher or lower RPM since it may cause your car to jerk or stall. Lift off of the gas with your right foot and push the clutch in with your left foot. When you're ready to shift ease off the accelerator completely. Use your left foot to press the clutch in all the way. This allows you to change gears using the shifter. Move your shifter into the next gear. Adjust the shifter so it's in the next gear up. For example, if you were in first gear, shift to second gear. Do not skip gears or else your car could jerk or stall. Check the layout of the gears on top of the shifter. Let out the clutch slowly until you feel the friction point. Ease your left foot off of the clutch a little at a time until you feel the clutch disc rocking through the pedal. This point is when your car starts to shift gears. You can also look for your RPM to drop on your car's tachometer to determine when you reach the friction point. Press down on the accelerator as you ease off the clutch. Imagine each of your feet on the sides of a seesaw. Ease onto the accelerator as you lift off the rest of the clutch. Depress the gas pedal and lift off the clutch at the same speed. If you push the gas pedal too fast, the car may jerk and it won't be a smooth transition between gears. Take your foot off the accelerator. Lift your foot from the gas pedal so you aren't accelerating anymore. This will make your RPM slowly decrease so it's easier to downshift. Press down on the clutch completely. Use your left foot to fully depress the clutch. Make sure it's all the way in, or else the shifter won't work. Move the gearshift down to the next lowest gear. Only move to the next gear down if you're driving. For example, if you're in third gear, use the shifter to move into second gear. If you're coming to a full stop, put the shifter into neutral. You don't need to feel for the friction point when you're going into neutral. Lift your left foot off the clutch slowly while pressing on the gas. Once you've shifted gears, you can start taking your foot off the clutch. When you feel the pedal rocking and the clutch disc start to catch, ease back onto the gas pedal to make a smooth transition between gears. Watch for when your RPM drop on your car's tachometer to determine when you reach the friction point. Engage the parking brake when you park your car. Make sure your car is in neutral when you plan to park it. Lift the parking brake so it's activated, or else your car will roll when you try to stop it. If you leave your car in gear when you turn it off, it will jump forward the next time you try and start it. Press the brake pedal with your right foot and take off the parking brake. Once you have your foot firmly on the brake, disengage the parking brake with your car in neutral. This will keep your car from moving. Engage the clutch with your left foot and shift into reverse. Press the clutch down completely, or else you won't be able to shift gears. Once you have the clutch down, use your gearshift to change from neutral to reverse. Keep your other foot on the brake pedal. Check your shifting pattern to find the reverse gear. Common places for reverse are in the bottom right or top left of the pattern. Rev the engine up to 1,500-2,000 RPM. With your left foot still engaging the clutch, switch your right foot over to the gas pedal and press down slightly. Watch the tachometer on your dashboard to see your engine's RPM. Let off the clutch until your car starts moving backward. Ease pressure off of the clutch pedal until you feel the car start to move backward. Once you're finished driving in reverse, press back down on the clutch and use the brake pedal to stop. | Memorize the shifting pattern for your car. Use your right hand to change gears. Locate the clutch pedal to the left of the brakes. Start in neutral with the parking brake engaged. Use your left foot to depress the clutch. Turn the key in the ignition and shift to first gear. Release the parking brake and press on the brake pedal. Rev the engine between 1,500-2,000 RPM. Lift your left foot off of the clutch. Shift gears when you’re between 2,500-3,000 RPM. Lift off of the gas with your right foot and push the clutch in with your left foot. Move your shifter into the next gear. Let out the clutch slowly until you feel the friction point. Press down on the accelerator as you ease off the clutch. Take your foot off the accelerator. Press down on the clutch completely. Move the gearshift down to the next lowest gear. Lift your left foot off the clutch slowly while pressing on the gas. Engage the parking brake when you park your car. Press the brake pedal with your right foot and take off the parking brake. Engage the clutch with your left foot and shift into reverse. Rev the engine up to 1,500-2,000 RPM. Let off the clutch until your car starts moving backward. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Crack-Your-Ankle | How to Crack Your Ankle | To crack your ankle, stand up straight and hold your foot out in front of you. Make sure it's at least 2 to 3 centimeters off the ground, so you have enough room to flex your foot in different directions until your ankle pops. If that doesn't work, try sitting still with your knees straight and your toes pointed forward as much as possible. After 15 seconds, return your foot to its neutral position, at which point your ankle should pop. You could also try a stretch where you sit with your toes pulled back and turn your ankle from side to side, holding your foot in place for 15 seconds after each turn. If your ankle still hasn't popped, rotate your foot in small, medium, and large rotations, first counterclockwise, then clockwise. | Stand up straight with your foot held out in front of you. Your foot should be slightly off the floor with enough room to flex it in different directions. About 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) should be enough. If you feel unsteady, place your hand on a wall or a piece of sturdy furniture to help hold your balance. If you need to, you can also do this exercise sitting down. Point your toes forward as much as you can for about 15 seconds. Keep your knee straight, and stretch your toes forward either as much as you can or until you feel discomfort. After about 15 seconds, relax your foot back to the neutral position. If your ankle doesn't pop, you can try again or stretch your ankle another direction. Repeat by pulling your toes back and turning your ankle from side to side. After each move, hold your foot in place for 15 seconds, then relax. Once your ankle pops, you can stop, or you can continue the stretches if you want to loosen your ankle even more. Your ankle will only pop about once every 20 minutes, so there's no need to continue stretching unless you want to. Try rotating your ankle in circles if it didn’t pop already. Try 5 circles each of small, medium, and large rotations, first in one direction, then the other. If the stretches didn't crack your ankle, the rotations may help it to pop. If your ankle doesn't pop after the rotations, let it rest before trying another method. Keep in mind that even if your ankles don't pop, these stretches are still good for improving the range of motion in your ankles. Switch legs and repeat if you want to crack both ankles. Sometimes, only one of your ankles might need to be cracked, in which case, you don't have to switch to the other side. However, if you've loosened up the muscles in one ankle, it might be best to stretch the other one as well, even if it doesn't crack. Sit in a chair so your feet don't touch the floor. Make sure you're well-balanced and comfortable. You'll be moving your feet for several minutes, and you don't want to strain your back. If you need to, shift so your weight is resting on the foot that's still on the ground. You may be more comfortable in a chair with arms, so you can use your hands to help support your weight. Lift one leg into the air about 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) off the ground. For this exercise, you'll be rotating your ankle in different directions until it cracks. Leave yourself plenty of room to move your foot around without running into the floor. Trace the alphabet with your foot, leading with your big toe. By tracing the alphabet, you'll be forcing your ankle into a variety of different angles and movements that you might not normally perform. One of these motions may be just the thing to crack your ankle. Repeat the alphabet 1-3 times as necessary. This works a lot of the external and intrinsic muscles that control your ankle and foot. Switch and repeat with the other foot. If you want to crack both of your ankles, shift your weight in your chair, return the first foot to the floor, and lift the other foot. Even if your ankle doesn't crack, it's always a good idea to limber up both sides of your body evenly. Sit with your legs crossed and put one foot on the opposite knee. For this exercise, you'll be most comfortable—and stable—if you sit on the floor. If sitting directly on the floor is uncomfortable, you can sit on a cushion or a pile of blankets. You may also be able to perform this exercise sitting on a bed or a couch. Pick one foot up and place it on top of the opposite knee. This will be a sort of modified lotus pose. The outside of your foot should rest on the top of the opposite knee. This position should feel comfortable and not strained. If you feel any discomfort in your ankle, knee, or lower back, stop right away. Place one hand on top of your ankle and grasp your foot with the other. You'll be using your hands to manipulate your ankle, so be sure you have a good grip on your foot. Hold it firmly, but do not squeeze so tightly that it's uncomfortable. Guide your foot in circular rotations, first one way, then the other. Make sure you stretch your ankle gently, in slow circles, keeping your ankle extended as far as you comfortably can. However, don't force your ankle to the point of discomfort. If you need to, you can repeat on the other foot. | Stand up straight with your foot held out in front of you. Point your toes forward as much as you can for about 15 seconds. Repeat by pulling your toes back and turning your ankle from side to side. Try rotating your ankle in circles if it didn’t pop already. Switch legs and repeat if you want to crack both ankles. Sit in a chair so your feet don't touch the floor. Lift one leg into the air about 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) off the ground. Trace the alphabet with your foot, leading with your big toe. Switch and repeat with the other foot. Sit with your legs crossed and put one foot on the opposite knee. Pick one foot up and place it on top of the opposite knee. Place one hand on top of your ankle and grasp your foot with the other. Guide your foot in circular rotations, first one way, then the other. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Fill-Out-a-Car-Title-Transfer | How to Fill Out a Car Title Transfer | To fill out a car title transfer when selling your vehicle, make sure you have the title or apply for a duplicate from the DMV. Once you secure the title, fill out the transfer form, including the names of the buyers and sellers, date of sale, price, vehicle identification number, and odometer reading. After you finish the paperwork, get all of the necessary signatures. Depending on the specific rules in your state, you might need to have your paperwork notarized and include a Bill of Sale. When you've completed your state's requirements, which you can verify on the DMV website, submit the Notice of Transfer or Release of Liability to the DMV to protect you in case the new owner gets into an accident before the paperwork is processed. | Check if you have the title. If you're selling a car that doesn't have a title, you'll need to apply for a duplicate before you can sell the car. Visit the DMV in your state and apply for a new title for the vehicle, or visit your DMV's website to see if you can apply online. Your DMV should have an application you can complete for requesting a duplicate title. The application or form might be available online. You might not have the title because you haven't paid off your car loan. In that situation, you need to work with your lender to pay off your loan before you will receive the title. Once paid, you can submit a lien clearance letter or other release form to the DMV to get the lien removed. If the car has a lien, then the duplicate will probably be sent to the lienholder, so it is best to take care of the lien before making the sale. Find your state’s requirements for transferring title. Every state is different, and you need to follow your state's requirements. Your state's Department of Motor Vehicles can explain the process. You can find your DMV online. Type “your state” and then “DMV.” Look for a link that explains transferring title. You can also find the specific rules and regulations in your state regarding title transfer here: http://www.dmv.org/title-transfers.php. Click on your state. This website isn't affiliated with any state government. However, they provide links and contact information to state offices. Complete the transfer form. Fill out the basic information about the sale of the car. Depending on your state, you will provide the information on the front or the back. Once completed, give the form to the buyer. You generally must provide the following information: names of the buyer and the seller signatures notary's signature (in some states) date of sale price Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) odometer reading (though in some states this is a separate form) Give the buyer a Bill of Sale. In many states, the buyer will need a Bill of Sale that shows the purchase price. You should check with your state's DMV, which may have a state-specific Bill of Sale form for you to complete. If your state doesn't have a form, you can create your own. It should contain a description of the vehicle, VIN, final sale price, place of sale, and the names of both buyer and seller. If the seller made any warranties, those should be included in the Bill of Sale as well. There will also be implied warranties if a written warranty was provided by the dealer when the car was sold. Submit the Notice of Transfer or Release of Liability. You need to notify the DMV that you no longer own the vehicle. This can protect you in the event the new owner gets into an accident while the car is still registered to you. Your DMV may have a Release of Liability or Notice of Transfer form you can use. Fill it out and submit it to the DMV as soon as possible. Typically, you will asked for the following information: VIN description of the vehicle, such as its make, model, year, and color date of the sale or title transfer license plate number odometer reading new owner's name and contact information your name and contact information Verify the information on the title. Make sure the title has been filled out correctly before completing the purchase. Verify the mileage, as filled out on the title. The form needs to include: names of buyer and seller date of sale odometer number VIN number any other information necessary to the sale of the car Confirm the vehicle does not have liens. A lien is a legal interest in a piece of property. Typically, you grant a lien to another party to secure a debt. However, sometimes people can get a court to grant them a lien in a car. Most liens are held by the bank that gave the seller their car loan. The car is used as collateral for the loan. In that situation, the bank probably has held onto the title and the only way the seller can get the title is to pay off the lien. However, a seller could have other liens on the car. Accordingly, don't assume that there are no liens on the car simply because the seller has title. For example, a child support lien might have been placed on the car. Alternately, a mechanic could get a lien on the car for unpaid repairs. If you buy the vehicle with the lien on it, you now become responsible for the lien. If you have the VIN, you can check for liens by visiting your local DMV or checking their website to see if it has a title check feature. If your DMV's website does have a title check feature, you can enter the VIN to see the title and lien information for the car. This is a critical step, so don't neglect it. Sign the title. Your state probably also requires that you sign the back of the title along with the seller. You should sign only after you have verified the information on the title and checked for liens. Ideally, you should go with the seller to the DMV office and fill out the transfer form together there. Even if not required by the state, going together can protect you because you can check for liens while you are there. The DMV should also have a notary public in the office, in case your state requires that your signatures be notarized. Gather required documents. You'll need certain information to have the vehicle transferred into your name. Contact the DMV and ask what you will need. Generally, you'll need the Bill of Sale showing the purchase price and the signed title. You'll also need the VIN and current odometer reading, which should be on the title form. In some states, the odometer reading will be written on a different form. Apply for a new title at the DMV. Take the completed title and visit your local DMV office. You will need to complete paperwork at the office to transfer the title to you. You can call ahead of time to ask what information you need. You typically must pay a fee for the title transfer, which will vary by state. You must turn over the title. Your state should send you a new title in the mail. Register your car. You can typically register your car when you transfer the title, usually at the DMV. To register, you'll need the following documents: proof of insurance proof that you've paid sales tax certificates showing the car has passed safety and emissions inspections | Check if you have the title. Find your state’s requirements for transferring title. Complete the transfer form. Give the buyer a Bill of Sale. Submit the Notice of Transfer or Release of Liability. Verify the information on the title. Confirm the vehicle does not have liens. Sign the title. Gather required documents. Apply for a new title at the DMV. Register your car. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Age-Metal | How to Age Metal | To age galvanized metal, start by sanding it with 80-grit sandpaper until it no longer looks shiny and slick. Then, put the metal on a plastic sheet in an open or well-ventilated area, and put on safety glasses, gloves, and a long-sleeved shirt to protect yourself from the chemicals. Next, pour an acid toilet bowl cleaner over the metal surface, and rub it with a steel wool pad. Let the cleaner sit on the metal for about 30 minutes, or until it looks as old as you want it to. Finally, rinse away the cleaner and dry off the metal to see your newly aged piece. | Find a piece of new shiny metal. Most often you will find galvanized metal, which has a steel coating over it to protect it from rust. This process is ideal for props or furniture, where you want to create an artistic antique finish. Sand the metal object with 80-grit sandpaper. Use a sanding pad or sander for larger pieces of metal. Sanding will remove the shine on a finish. Rub the metal object until the surface loses the shine and slickness. Wipe away any dust left behind from the sanding. Wipe down the metal with mineral spirits or vinegar to clean the surface. Having a clean surface will assure the paint can stick to the surface and last longer. Pour some matte, black acrylic paint onto a palette. Dip your sponge brush in water to soften the bristles. Be sure to paint only in a well-ventilated area. Start dabbing or brushing in very small strokes on your metal object. Begin with the cracks and crevices of the object, and then continue all around it. Black should cover the piece, but have some variation to mimic the aging process. Let the coat of black acrylic dry overnight. You will need to allow the paint to dry completely before applying the next layer. Find an out of the way area to store your metal overnight. Wash your brush while the paint is still wet to remove it more easily. Choose your accent colors. If you want a galvanized look, buy a matte gunmetal grey and burnt umber paint color. If you want a bronzed look, buy matte acrylic burnt and raw umber paints. Don't feel like you have to layer your paints. You can try sponging some gunmetal grey to create and aged galvanized metal look. Then decide how much, if any, umber to add. If you want a bronzed look, you will mix your raw and burnt umbers to create a warm bronze color. Wet your brush. Pour your selected paint color onto your palette. Your paint color will vary depending upon the finish you want to achieve. Dab the paint unevenly around the metal object. You want to create the look of an uneven patina. For instance, you could make it grayer or bronze around the edges or divots. If you are aiming for a galvanized look, you can an additional light layer of umber paint. Wait for the coat of paint to dry. Leave the metal in a well-ventilated, out of the way location for the next 24 hours. Sand the edges. Take a look at your aged metal and decide if it needs a few finishing touches. If you want to create further aging or variations, go over the desire areas with the sandpaper one last time. Wipe the dust away and your aged metal piece is ready to display. Find a galvanized or grey metal object. This is an ideal process if you want to create a white, aged or mineralized look. You may even be able to create a little bit of rust in some areas. Sand the surface of the metal with a sander or sanding block. Choose 80-grit sandpaper. Rub away at the surface until the shininess and slickness of the finish is gone. Wipe down the piece to clear away any debris. Place the metal object in an open or well-ventilated area. You may also want to spread a plastic sheet on the ground to protect it from exposure to the chemicals. Wear safety glasses, gloves, and a long-sleeved shirt. Toilet bowl cleaner can be pretty strong stuff. It can ruin your clothes and irritate your skin and eyes if you come in direct contact. Pour an acid toilet bowl cleaner on the metal. Hold the bottle with one hand and move the metal so the liquid pours over the surface of the metal until it is completely coated. Dip a steel wool pad in the cleaner and rub it all over the metal object. Be sure to get any handles or similar areas as well. Apply cleaner as needed until the entire surface is covered. Allow the cleaner to sit on the object in a fairly even layer for 30 minutes. You will be able to actually see the metal aging before your eyes. If you aren't happy with the results, let the metal soak a bit longer. Rinse off the metal object. You can use your rubber gloves to help wipe away the cleaner as you rinse. Be sure all of the chemicals are removed and disposed of safely. Dry the metal off before using. Find a metal object. Brass or copper metals work best. This process creates the green verdigris patina. You can find recipes that use different ingredients to create a wide range of other colors by using the same methods. Mix a solution of three parts apple cider vinegar with one part salt. Make sure the salt is non-iodized, such as sea salt. Pour the mixed solution into a bowl if your object is small. Place the solution in a spray bottle if you plan on using this process on a large item. You can find many other recipes to make patinas. Chlorides will create green shades, while sulfides will create brown shades. Place the object in the solution for 30 minutes. Completely submerge the metal object. Let it sit. You can also spray the object and set it out. Reapply the solution to the surface several times over the next 30 minutes. Take the metal object out. Place it on a paper towel. Allow it to sit for several hours to develop. Once it has completely developed, you can decide if you want to repeat the process to change the object further. Spray the object with lacquer or wax. This will seal the altered color onto the metal. Once you are satisfied with the coloring of your metal object, coat the entire surface with varnish. Be sure the metal is completely dry. If there is still moisture on the metal when you seal it, the metal will tarnish. | Find a piece of new shiny metal. Sand the metal object with 80-grit sandpaper. Pour some matte, black acrylic paint onto a palette. Start dabbing or brushing in very small strokes on your metal object. Let the coat of black acrylic dry overnight. Choose your accent colors. Wet your brush. Dab the paint unevenly around the metal object. Wait for the coat of paint to dry. Sand the edges. Find a galvanized or grey metal object. Sand the surface of the metal with a sander or sanding block. Place the metal object in an open or well-ventilated area. Pour an acid toilet bowl cleaner on the metal. Allow the cleaner to sit on the object in a fairly even layer for 30 minutes. Rinse off the metal object. Find a metal object. Mix a solution of three parts apple cider vinegar with one part salt. Place the object in the solution for 30 minutes. Take the metal object out. Spray the object with lacquer or wax. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Syncing-iPhone-News-Data-to-iCloud | How to Stop Syncing iPhone News Data to iCloud | Disable the News slider in the iCloud section of the iPhone's Settings. | Open the iPhone’s Settings. This is the grey icon with cogs located on one of the home screens. It may also be located in the “Utilities” folder on a home screen. Scroll down and tap iCloud. This is in the fourth set of options. Sign in to your iCloud account (if necessary). Enter your Apple ID and password. Tap Sign in. Scroll down and slide the News button to the Off position. You will not longer sync your News app browsing data and preferences with other devices logged into your iCloud account. You will retain your old data when restoring from an iCloud backup. | Open the iPhone’s Settings. Scroll down and tap iCloud. Sign in to your iCloud account (if necessary). Scroll down and slide the News button to the Off position. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Wiki | How to Start a Wiki | To start a wiki, determine your wiki's focus and assemble a team to help you build it. Next, install wiki software, come up with a policy guide to establish content consistency, and start creating content with your team. As your wiki grows, give active community members admin status, set up forums and talk pages to allow for group discussion, and let admins vote on policy and style changes for a fully collaborative experience! | Open the FANDOM Wikia site. Go to http://fandom.com/ in your computer's web browser. This is a service which allows you to create a Wikia-supported wiki for free. Sign up for an account or login if you already have an account. Select the profile of a person in the upper-right side of the page, click REGISTER in the drop-down menu, and enter the following information: Email — Enter your current e-mail address. Username — Create a site username, such as BluDoggy. Password — Enter the password you want to use to log in. Make sure it's memorable, but not easy to hack into, such as Yahoo. Birthdate — Enter your date of birth. Click REGISTER. It's a blue button at the bottom of the window. Doing so will create your account. Confirm your email address. Before you can create a wiki, you'll have to prove that your email address is valid. To do so, open your email inbox, click the "Confirm your email" email from "FANDOM", and click the blue CONFIRM NOW button in the email. This will take you back to your profile page. Click START A WIKI. It's a blue button on the upper-right side of the page. Enter a name. In the text box near the top of the page, type in the title of your wiki. Create an address. Adding a title will usually generate an automatic web address for your wiki in the "Give your wiki an address" text box, but you can edit this address if need be. Your address must be unique; attempting to create a wiki with an address which is already taken will result in an error message. Since Wikia offers free hosting, your wiki's address will be in the "www.[name].wikia.com" format. Select a language. Click the "Language of your wiki" drop-down box, then click your preferred language in the drop-down box. Click NEXT. It's in the bottom-right corner of the page. Enter a wiki description. Type your wiki's purpose into the top text box on this page. Select a category. Click the "Choose a Hub" drop-down box, then click a category for your wiki. You can check additional, more specific categories after selecting your main category. Scroll down and click CREATE MY WIKI. You'll find this blue button in the bottom-right corner of the page. Select a theme. While Wikia is creating your wiki, click the theme you want to use. Click SHOW ME MY WIKI. Doing so will take you to your wiki's page. At this point, your wiki has been created and published! Choose a software package. There are two main Wiki Farm software packages you might want to use: MediaWiki — This is the most popular wiki software on the net, and runs wikiHow, Wikipedia, and many other wiki sites. Many of the most popular wiki farms use the MediaWiki software as well. TikiWiki — This is the second most popular wiki software available, and runs a large number of wikis and wiki farms. TikiWiki has strong plugin support, allowing you to add features such as forums, image galleries, calendars, and more. Upload wiki software to your own server. If you decide you want to host your own wiki, you will most likely need to transfer the wiki software onto the server. Some hosts come with wiki software ready to be installed, but it may not match the software that you want to use (for example, they may offer a quick TikiWiki installation, but you want to use MediaWiki). The following steps are a basic guide to installing MediaWiki. Follow this guide for detailed information on MediaWiki, or follow this guide for TikiWiki information. The wiki software will come in a compressed file. You can either extract this file on your computer , or extract it on the server. Place the extracted wiki software folder into the "web" directory on your server. Rename the uploaded folder to what you want the URL to look like. For example, if your website is www.example.com, renaming the folder to "w" will make your wiki homepage www.example.com/w/index.php. Create a database. MediaWiki supports MySQL and SQLite. If you are using SQLite, you only need to choose a name for the database and it will be installed automatically. If you are running MySQL, you will need to download it for your server if it is not already installed, and then create a new database using the following commands: create database wikidb; grant index, create, select, insert, update, delete, alter, lock tables on wikidb.* to ' username '@' localhost ' identified by ' password '; Replace username and password with the username and password you want to use as the wiki's owner. localhost Can be left as "localhost" unless your database is located on a different server than the web server you're installing your wiki on. In that case, replace localhost with the address of the database's server. See this guide for more details on creating a MySQL database. Run the installer script from your browser. Once you have the MediaWiki files uploaded and the database has been created, you can visit the index.php page on your server through your browser to run the automated install script. After Mediawiki finishes the configuration tests, you will be asked to fill out a form with your wiki information: Wiki name — This is the name for your wiki. It will show up in the metadata for your wiki, and will be integrated throughout the site. Contact e-mail — This is the main administrative email address. It will be displayed on all email notifications and on some of the error pages. Language — Use the drop-down menu to choose the language of the wiki interface. Copyright and Licenses — Choose your license information. GNU Free Documentation License is the license compatible with Wikipedia. Admin username and password — This will be the first admin account that can block users from editing and perform other administrative duties. You can create more later. Database host — This is where the database is located. If it is on the same server as your wiki software, set it to localhost. Database name — The name of your database. Database username/password — The username and password used to access the database. Customize your wiki. Once you've got the base wiki up and running, you can change the visual appearance using user-made skins or by playing around with the CSS code. You should also change the logo on the wiki to match the function of the wiki. Determine what your wiki is for before creating it. Knowing the purpose of your wiki will help decide the software and hosting options to choose from. Wikis can be personal pages, sprawling communities, or anything in between. You can use a wiki to track your life goals, create a product manual for your business, collaborate with coworkers on a project, create a neighborhood newsletter, create a discussion place for a hobby, and much more. Wikis work best when they have a broad focus that allows as many knowledgeable writers and editors to contribute as possible. If you are trying to build a popular wiki with lots of community involvement, then the focus should be open-ended enough to allow for lots of expanding. For example, it would be better to start a wiki about a game company and all their games than just one of their games. Check for duplicate wikis. It would be useless to create a wiki which is a double of another one. The target of a wiki is to write together, not isolate each other. Be sure to check wiki services other than the one you've chosen. For example, if you're creating a Wikia wiki, check both Wikia and Wikidot for duplicates. Make a team before creating your wiki. Your wiki will need advice and motivation, so talk about your project and make other people follow you. They are more likely to contribute to the project if they are called before the creation of the wiki as they will feel like co-creators. Adjust your permissions. Your wiki will come installed with a set of default permissions that may work for your needs, but many people will want to change who can access and edit what. This is especially important in business settings where you want multiple collaborators to work on a product page, but don't want it vandalized by anonymous users. You can generally use your wiki's settings page to determine who can post or edit, both on a wiki-wide scale and on a per-post scale. Start creating content. As soon as your wiki is up and running, it's time to get to work writing articles! When your wiki is born, it will have no pages and no other contributors. To change this, you'll need to start adding some content. Good content will drive other people to your wiki. As more people come, other visitors will begin contributing their own articles and edits to your wiki. It will take some time, but you'll have a community before you know it! Remember, when you're starting out, it's up to YOU to create the content that will bring people to your wiki. Be sure that you are well-versed in the topic you are covering so that you can have comprehensive articles available from day one. Create the categories. Category pages contain lists of related pages. In addition to categories containing the main content, you may want to create a category page called "Organization" for pages of your site like the front page, and maybe create a category page called "Help" for the help articles of the site. Remember that categories themselves can have sub-categories by categorizing a category page. Create a policy guide for your wiki. A policy guide is the general rules for the writing on your wiki. This policy guide will allow other contributors to see how the information on your wiki should be represented to the readers. You don't have to be rigid while creating the policies; try to make them flexible, as people won't be able to easily work or contribute well to a wiki with overly strict rules. You may want to write standards on how weaving the web of links should be done, and on article noteworthiness standards. Not all of your contributors will follow the style guide you create, but it will aid in patrolling and editing articles. A guide is more friendly than verbally reprimanding. It's more social to be corrected by a text than by a person. Brush up on some wiki syntax. You will find creating articles much more efficient if you learn some basic wiki syntax. This will let you edit pages directly without having to use any guided editors, which can let you adjust the layout and style to your liking. Copy from the other wikis. Although copying content from other wikis is plagiarism, reusing the styles and the templates of other wikis is encouraged. Templates are pages that can easily be appended to other pages. Some uses for templates include nominating articles for deletion, marking an article as a stub, or making simple notes. Patrol your site. The main draw of a wiki is that anyone can edit it, but this is also its biggest challenge. The more people that come to your wiki, the higher your chances of being vandalized. Luckily, almost all wiki software allows for quick rollbacks of articles to their previous versions. Be as much tolerant as possible. If your version and the new version are both correct, keep the contributor version. It will enlarge the wiki point of view and welcome the contributors. Promote active community members. If your wiki is interesting, you will find that certain people come back often to create and curate content. If you find that people are enthusiastic about your wiki, then give the dedicated ones more control over the site. Be supportive and nice to your editors. It is important that they have a helping hand to guide them and to motivate them to work on the wiki. By creating admins from your community, you relieve a lot of the pressure that you face when it comes to patrolling and maintaining your content. Set up forums and talk pages to allow your community members to discuss the wiki's rules and style. Allow your admins to vote on policy and style changes. Run community events such as editing competitions to get all your loyal editors excited. Get the word out. Do everything you can to spread word about the existence of your wiki: Describe your wiki on WikiIndex (wikiindex.org). Search smaller wikis and suggest collaboration. Do not hesitate to ask questions on the other wikis. Advertise your wiki through social media. Expand as you grow. As your wiki becomes more and more popular, continue adding features that benefit your site. Things such as forums, chat rooms, polls, calendars, and more can all add good functionality to your wiki. Be creative with your content! You should also ensure that you are updating to the newest version of your wiki software package whenever possible to get the latest features and security fixes. Have fun! A wiki is a collaborative, community effort. Enjoy the community that you create with your wiki, and always strive to make it better. The Internet was built in order to facilitate communication and the wiki is currently one of the most effective environments for collecting and sharing information in a positive manner. Congratulations on starting your own! | Open the FANDOM Wikia site. Sign up for an account or login if you already have an account. Click REGISTER. Confirm your email address. Click START A WIKI. Enter a name. Create an address. Select a language. Click NEXT. Enter a wiki description. Select a category. Scroll down and click CREATE MY WIKI. Select a theme. Click SHOW ME MY WIKI. Choose a software package. Upload wiki software to your own server. Create a database. Run the installer script from your browser. Customize your wiki. Determine what your wiki is for before creating it. Check for duplicate wikis. Make a team before creating your wiki. Adjust your permissions. Start creating content. Create the categories. Create a policy guide for your wiki. Brush up on some wiki syntax. Copy from the other wikis. Patrol your site. Promote active community members. Get the word out. Expand as you grow. Have fun! |
https://www.wikihow.com/Pay-off-Someone-Else%27s-Mortgage | How to Pay off Someone Else's Mortgage | If you want to make a payment towards someone else's mortgage, you can make a direct contribution. All you'll need is the person's mortgage account number and the name and contact information of their lender. You can make a payment online, by phone, or you can mail a check to their bank. To make an anonymous payment, first visit the County Recorder's office to find the name of the property's lender on its property title. Then, get a USPS money order and address it to the lender. You should be able to find their address by searching online. | Familiarize yourself with gift tax law. Any method of paying for someone else's mortgage would qualify as a gift. In the United States, if you give someone a certain amount of money without receiving a service in return, you become liable for the gift tax. The gift tax is the U.S. government's way of preventing people from avoiding income taxes by giving away all of their money. The gift tax kicks in once your annual monetary gifts exceed a certain value. The gift tax rate mirrors your individual income tax rate, so it can be as high as 40 percent. As of 2014, an individual can give up to $14,000 in gifts each year to any number of individuals without being liable for a gift tax. That means if you have three children and you want to give them money, you can give them each $14,000 per year without having to pay any gift tax. A couple can give up to $28,000 per year to any number of individuals without paying federal gift taxes. That means a couple can give $28,000 per year to each of their children without having to pay any gift tax. For example, a father and mother could give a child and their spouse $56,000 every year ($28,000 to two individuals). As of 2014, the lifetime cap on gift tax exemptions is set at $5.34 million. If, for example, you give $14,000 annually in gifts to multiple individuals, you will not be liable for an annual gift tax, but you will eventually surpass this lifetime limit for gift exemptions and become liable for any additional gifted income over $5.34 million. Taxed gifts do not count toward this lifetime cap. As of 2014, Connecticut is the only state to levy a state gift tax. Other states have enacted gift taxes, but most have been repealed in recent years. These gift tax exemptions are subject to yearly change. Consult your tax preparer to see how to report your gifts on your tax returns. Choose the best method for you. Making a direct contribution to someone else's mortgage is the easiest way to pay the mortgage of a third party. However, if you need to pay the mortgage off over a long period of time and don't want it to be in the original owner's name anymore, assuming the mortgage is the only way to do it. Creditors do not particularly care who pays the bill. The process of making a direct payment as a third party is no different than that of paying your own mortgage. However, some additional steps will be necessary if you want to remain anonymous. Whoever pays the mortgage receives the tax deduction for mortgage interest. The homeowner will no longer be able to claim deductions for payments that you made, but you will. Think about anonymity. If you want remain anonymous, you will not be able to assume the mortgage, which is a complicated process that requires the consent of the person whose mortgage you are taking over. The only way to remain anonymous is to make a direct payment. Ask to see the terms of the mortgage. Although there are ways to quietly find out the terms of the mortgage, if the homeowner knows that you are paying the mortgage, it is easiest to simply ask. You will want to see a current mortgage statement to determine how much money is still owed on the mortgage. Creditors are legally required to send a monthly statement that includes a complete breakdown of money owned, payment history, and the breakdown of principal and interest. Find the contact information of the lender and the mortgage account number. Returning to the account statement, find the name and contact information of the lender, so you know where to send payment. Look for the account number as well, so that you can identify what mortgage you are paying off. Send payment. There are now a variety of convenient ways to pay a mortgage once you have the creditor's information and the account number of the mortgage. Most banks now prefer online payments. Simply go to the bank's website and input your account information to pay the balance of the mortgage. Similarly, you can find the bank's phone number and pay the bill by phone. Find the bank's address to mail a check. Send a check or cashier's check. Mail the check via certified mail to confirm receipt. Make sure that you write down the name and address of the debtor and their account number in the memo section of the check so that the bank knows which mortgage you are paying. With the account number in hand, you can also pay a mortgage in person at the bank. This might be the most comfortable method for those making large payments. Ask for confirmation. Ask the mortgage for receipt of the transaction. Request a copy of the account balance to confirm that the whole mortgage was paid off. Keep track of all correspondence. Retain all documents associated with this gift, including a copy of the check and receipt of payment. You will want to give this documentation to your tax preparer. Visit the County Recorder's office. All of the necessary account information is publicly available, but you will need to do a bit of research to find it. Visit the County Recorder's office, in the county where the home is, to find the property title. Once you have the property title find the name of lender. Alternatively you can hire a title examiner to do the research for you. It will cost you more but save you time and energy. Find the lender’s payment address. Search the Internet or call the lender to find their payment address. Get a United States Post Office money order. Visit a USPS office to purchase a money order. This is an anonymous form of payment. Send money order with account information. Mail the money order to the lender's payment address. Write the homeowner name and address on the money order. Also, include the account number if you know it. However, this may be hard to find without contacting the homeowner. Research your credit. To assume someone's mortgage, the bank will need to find your credit score acceptable. Order a credit report for yourself and your spouse online. To assume someone else's mortgage you will ideally want to have approximately credit score as the current debtor or perhaps a bit higher. A credit score in the mid 600's is generally sufficient to be approved for a mortgage. Speak to the lender about assuming the mortgage. Many mortgage contracts include a “due on sale” clause that requires the entire sum of the mortgage to be paid shortly after it is transferred. However, some lenders will be willing to make exceptions for qualified applicants with good credit. Also, some types of loans can always be assumed. Even when there is a due on sale clause, you can still assume a mortgage if: you are assuming your parents' mortgage, transferring the property to a relative after the death of the borrower, transferring the property between spouses, or transferring it according to the terms of a divorce. FHA and VA loans are always assumable. If there is a due on sale clause in the mortgage, but the lender is fine with you assuming it, they might still change the terms of the mortgage, possibly increasing the interest rate. Find other lending options. In some cases, you might not be able to assume an existing mortgage, but can still get a new one to cover the cost of the house. Discuss this with the original lender, but also research alternative lenders in the area. Compare your mortgage options. Examine the terms of the assumed mortgage, if that proved to be an option, versus the terms of a new mortgage. Assuming a mortgage may allow you to get lower interest rates than are currently available and to avoid large closing costs. There is no general rule as to which option will be better, however, because interest rates are currently higher than they were in recent years, it is quite likely that assumable mortgage will have rates much lower that you could currently find. The drawback to assumable mortgages is that often the original borrower will still be liable for the mortgage. If the mortgage is not paid it can affect their credit score. Try to get a written release of liability from the lender and keep it for your records. Apply for the mortgage. Pick the best option and complete the requisite paperwork. This should be done through the lender at the same time you are closing the sale of the home with the homeowner. Sign a contract that transfers ownership of the house from the current homeowner to you. You should have a lawyer look at this contract and negotiate changes before finalizing it. Begin making mortgage payments for the assumed mortgage. Send on-time payments to the lender's payment address. Consider signing up for online banking to make the process easier. | Familiarize yourself with gift tax law. Choose the best method for you. Think about anonymity. Ask to see the terms of the mortgage. Find the contact information of the lender and the mortgage account number. Send payment. Ask for confirmation. Keep track of all correspondence. Visit the County Recorder's office. Find the lender’s payment address. Get a United States Post Office money order. Send money order with account information. Research your credit. Speak to the lender about assuming the mortgage. Find other lending options. Compare your mortgage options. Apply for the mortgage. Sign a contract that transfers ownership of the house from the current homeowner to you. Begin making mortgage payments for the assumed mortgage. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Understand | How to Understand | If you need to better understand something, think about the problem and pinpoint exactly what it is you don't understand. If you know someone who is knowledgeable about the subject, ask them questions that will help you get clarity. You can also read books or look online to learn more about the subject. Once you think you have a grasp on the topic, try teaching it to someone else. This will show you if there are any gaps in your knowledge. | Ask yourself what it is that you don’t understand. You'll want to pinpoint what it is that you don't understand so that it will be easier for you to address the root of your confusion. Ask yourself what specifically confuses you about the issue and try to narrow down where in your thought process the misunderstanding is occurring. For example, if you're confused about how a compass works, ask yourself what aspect of the compass confuses you: the needle's spinning, the earth's magnetic field, or how that magnetic field causes the needle to move in a certain direction. You might ask questions that align with the 5 W's: who, what, when, where, and why (e.g., when in this multi-step process does something happen that confuses me?). Be willing to ask for help. It's important to recognize that there are some things you may not be able to understand on your own. In that case, be willing to ask for help from someone with more expertise or simply with a different perspective. If you're embarrassed about asking for help, remind yourself that it's probably more important that you fully understand something than it is to be entirely independent. Remember, everybody asks for help at some point in their lives! Being humble about what you know and don't know will also help motivate you to learn new things and will keep you motivated when you run into difficulties. Admitting that you might be wrong may be difficult at first. If you have trouble with this, start by asking someone you trust (e.g., a close friend) to help you identify areas where you might be mistaken. Write down the things you do understand about the topic at hand. You may find it helpful to write out the things you DO understand about the problem and use this to better identify where the gaps are in your understanding. Writing these things down will also take them off your mind and allow you to concentrate on the things you DON'T understand. Noting the things you understand is also a good way to remind yourself that you don't completely misunderstand the subject. Use this method to motivate you when you doubt your own capabilities! Take time to think about what you don’t understand. If you think about what is happening and what has happened, you should be able to work most issues out quickly and easily. When you find yourself confused, stop and give yourself 30-50 minutes to think through and ponder the question until you come up with an answer. In most cases, when given all the necessary information, your natural human intellect should be able to understand even the most complex of ideas, given enough time. If you can't come to understand something after an hour of thinking, you should probably consider reaching out to someone for help. Write down your thoughts as you think through your question. As you think about what you don't understand, your brain will be processing a number of different ideas and making lots of new connections. Write these ideas and connections down as you go to force yourself to articulate them in ways that are easier to understand. Write down your thoughts by hand instead of with a laptop. You're generally better able to identify important concepts this way. Approach the question from multiple perspectives to get a fresh look at it. If you're stumped by a problem, an issue, or a tricky concept, it may be helpful to change your focus or how you're looking at it and see if you're better able to understand it from a different perspective. For example, if you're having trouble understanding a scientific process by reading about it, consider adopting a kinesthetic learning method and studying the process through a physical experiment. You can also change the environment that you're in to try and change how you think about a problem. Consider going for a walk, relocating to a different learning area, or simply turning on more lights around you to refresh your brain. Break down what you don’t understand into smaller components. It's always easier to learn or understand simple ideas and concepts than it is to understand grand theories and schemes. Break down whatever you're having trouble understanding into its smaller components and work on understanding one component at a time. For example, if you're having trouble understanding how a certain machine (e.g., a car) works, try breaking it down into smaller components and learning how each of those works (e.g., the carburetor, the transmission, etc.). This will also help you to not feel overwhelmed by whatever you're misunderstanding. Try teaching the issue to someone else. If you're misunderstanding something because you don't have a solid grasp of the finer details, consider trying to teach the subject to another person. This will force you to explain every aspect of the subject and may help you to get a clearer picture of how it works. If you approach a problem for the purpose of explaining it to someone else, your brain will engage in more effective learning strategies and focus on organizing the most important elements into a coherent structure. If you find you're unable to teach something due to your own misunderstanding, this method may also help you to zero in on what exactly you don't understand and help you think through it more effectively. Learn something new every day. No matter how much you know or understand about the world, there's always something more to be learned. Be open to continuing your education each day to increase your knowledge and maintain a willingness to develop new understandings. Consistently learning new things will not only lead to you knowing more and more things, but will also continually remind you of how much you don't yet know. This will keep you motivated to continue your daily education. Meditate daily to develop inner awareness. Meditation allows you to examine the inner workings of your mind without reacting to it. It's thus a great way to learn more about how your mind reacts to new information and how you can be more open to novel ideas and experiences. For example, through meditation, you may be better able to identify your “inner critic” and how self-doubt keeps you from reaching your full intellectual potential. Get enough sleep and exercise daily. Studies have shown that getting regular physical exercise and staying well-rested have significant impacts on people's ability to take in new information. Keep your body in good physical condition to keep your mind in similarly good condition. You should aim to get 8 to 9 hours of sleep each night and to exercise at a moderate intensity for 30 minutes 5 times a week. Keep an open, imaginative mind. You won't be able to understand new ideas or complex concepts if you're not willing to expand your horizons. Keep your mind open to new problem-solving techniques, new brainstorming skills, and new ways of looking at the world. If you're unsure how to make your mind “more open,” consider changing up an established part of your normal work routine or reading a book that challenges one of the ways you think about a certain subject. | Ask yourself what it is that you don’t understand. Be willing to ask for help. Write down the things you do understand about the topic at hand. Take time to think about what you don’t understand. Write down your thoughts as you think through your question. Approach the question from multiple perspectives to get a fresh look at it. Break down what you don’t understand into smaller components. Try teaching the issue to someone else. Learn something new every day. Meditate daily to develop inner awareness. Get enough sleep and exercise daily. Keep an open, imaginative mind. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Buy-a-Car-Battery | How to Buy a Car Battery | Before you buy a car battery, compare prices online and at local auto stores. You'll also want to check your vehicle manual, or take your car to a mechanic if you don't have the manual, to ensure you know what type of battery to buy. Additionally, check out reviews of batteries on consumer sites or auto blogs to compare their longevity and power. When you're ready to buy, try to purchase the battery from a local store, since it often comes with free installation and will save you paying high postage fees. | Buy the right battery for your car. Different cars require different amounts of power and differently sized batteries. Check your vehicle's maintenance guide for information regarding what sort of batter your vehicle requires. If you no longer have the maintenance guide, take your car to a mechanic for assistance in identifying the type of battery your vehicle needs. Additionally, buy a battery appropriate for your local climate. Hot-weather batteries are often labeled “S” or “South.” Cold-weather batteries might be labeled “N” or “North.” If you drive off-road, you might want to invest in an battery that is better able to endure constant vibrations. Buy a maintenance-free battery. Maintenance-free batteries are sealed and require no special attention. Most car batteries are maintenance-free, but some require periodic filling with water. Whenever possible, save yourself future hassle by purchasing a maintenance-free battery. Buy a battery that has good reviews. Car batteries are tested by consumer organizations and auto enthusiasts. Check a consumer reporting site or auto blog based in your nation for information about the types of car batteries sold there. Batteries should be rated based on their longevity and power. Don’t purchase old batteries. Even when stored, batteries can lose strength. Always buy a new battery that was produced within the last six months. Some car batteries have dates labeled on them in an easy-to-understand way. Others, however, will have a date in a kind of code, in which A stands for January, B stands for February, and so on. (The letter “I” is excluded in such a system.) Decide how to buy. You could buy online, or you could shop at a physical auto parts store. Since shipping a battery can be prohibitively expensive, your best bet is to buy a battery at a physical store. Doing so will also make it easier to make a return, if necessary. Plus, buying a battery at an store often includes free installation. Shop around. Compare the price of car batteries sold at different shops. If possible, browse prices online or call the shop to find out how much they charge for the type of batteries you need. Doing so will save you time and effort. Confirm you’ve got the right part. Before leaving the auto store, be sure that the battery you've purchased is the right one for your car. Auto shop employees should be able to look up the make and model of your car to determine if you're buying the right battery. Buy a car battery proactively. Don't wait until your car battery is dead and needs to be replaced to buy a new one. Consult your automobile's maintenance guide or check online to find out how often you should replace your battery. Adhere to the maintenance guide's recommendations and change your battery as needed. Test your battery annually. At least once each year, visit your local mechanic. Have them check the battery to ensure it is still operating properly. If it is not, replace it with a new battery. These annual visits should begin after your vehicle is two years old if you live in a warm climate, or after your vehicle is four years old if you live in a colder climate. Recycle your old battery. After buying a new car battery, you'll need to discard your old one. Don't just throw it in the bin, though. Contact your local auto garage and find out if they accept old batteries. If they don't ask, for information regarding how to dispose of your battery responsibly. | Buy the right battery for your car. Buy a maintenance-free battery. Buy a battery that has good reviews. Don’t purchase old batteries. Decide how to buy. Shop around. Confirm you’ve got the right part. Buy a car battery proactively. Test your battery annually. Recycle your old battery. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Cite-a-Poem | How to Cite a Poem | To cite a poem in MLA, start with the poet's last name, followed by a comma and their first name. Then, include the title of the poem in quotation marks with a period at the end. Next, list the place where you found the poem in italics, followed by the edition number, the publisher, and the year the poem was published, all separated by commas. Finally, list the page number you found the poem on, or list the date you accessed the poem if you found it online. | Start with the poet's name. Type the last name of the poet, followed by a comma. After the comma, type the first name of the poet. If the poet stylizes their name or uses initials, reference them by the name they prefer. Place a period after the poet's name. Example: Elliot, T. S. Include the title of the poem in quotation marks. Type the title of the poem in title-case, capitalizing all nouns, pronouns, verbs, and adverbs in the title. Place a period at the end of the title, inside the closing quotation marks. Example: Elliot, T. S. "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." List the place where you found the poem in italics. If the poem was published in a book or anthology, use the title of the book. If it was published online, use the title of the webpage that published the poem. Include the name of the editor if it appeared in an edited anthology –otherwise, cite it the same as a book. Place a comma after the title or editor's name. Print example: Stevens, Wallace. "Sunday Morning." The Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens , Edited anthology example: Elliot, T. S. "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama , edited by Robert DiYanni, Online example: Ginsberg, Allen. "Howl." Poetry Foundation , Some longer poems are published as a single volume. In this case, put the title of the poem in italics, the same way you would write a citation to a book. Follow the title with a period. For example: Milton, John. Paradise Lost. Provide publication information. For print publications, type the edition number (if applicable), followed by a comma. Then type the name of the publisher, followed by a comma. Add the year that edition was published, followed by a comma. For online publications, provide a direct URL to the poem, followed by a period. Print example: Elliot, T. S. "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama , edited by Robert DiYanni, 6th ed, McGraw-Hill, 2007, Online example: Ginsberg, Allen. "Howl." Poetry Foundation , www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/49303. Add the date accessed or page numbers, as appropriate. For poems published in collections or anthologies, direct your readers to the page where the specific poem you are citing appears. Use the abbreviations "p." or "pp." Place a period after the page number. For online poems, type the word "accessed" followed by the date you last accessed the poem in day-month-year format. Print example: Elliot, T. S. "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama , edited by Robert DiYanni, 6th ed, McGraw-Hill, 2007, pp. 1102-1105. Online example: Ginsberg, Allen. "Howl." Poetry Foundation , www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/49303. Accessed 3 Oct. 2016. Use the poet's name in parenthetical citations in-text. MLA style uses the author's name and page number for in-text citations. If the poem appears online, omit the page number and simply use the poet's name. Do not include any punctuation inside the parenthetical. Place a period after the closing parentheses mark. Example: (Elliot 24). List the poet's name first in your full reference entry. For an APA reference entry, list the poet's last name first, followed by a comma. Then type the first initial of the poet's first name. Even if the poem is included in an edited anthology, use the poet's name rather than the editor's name. Example: Pope, A. Provide the year of publication in parentheses. After the poet's name, include the year the poem was published. Use the year the poem you read was published, not the year the poem was originally published. Place a period after the closing parentheses mark. Example: Pope, A. (1963). If there is no date of publication (such as with poems published online), use the abbreviation "n.d." For example: Herrick, R. (n.d.). Italicize the title of a single-author collection. If the poem appears in a book of collected poems by the same poet, your full reference entry cites the work as a whole, rather than the individual poem. Write the title in sentence-case, capitalizing only the first word and any proper nouns in the title. Include the first initial and last name of any editor in parentheses. Place a period at the end. Example: Pope, A. (1963). The poems of Alexander Pope (J. Butt, Ed.). Type the title of the poem if it appears in an anthology. If a poem appears in an anthology of poems by different poets, type the title of the poem, using sentence-case. Place a period at the end of the poem's title. Then type the word "In," followed by the first initial and last name of the editor of the anthology. Place a comma, then provide the title of the anthology in italics, followed by the pages where the poem appears in parentheses. Place a period after the closing parentheses mark. Example: Cleveland, J. (1972). To the state of love, or the senses festival. In H. Gardner (Ed.), The metaphysical poets (pp. 218-220). Type the title of the poem in italics if you found it online. For poems online, the title of the poem itself follows immediately after the date of publication. Type the title in sentence-case, capitalizing only the first word and any proper nouns. Place a period at the end of the title. Example: Herrick, R. (n.d.) To daffodils. Include publication information for the source. For print sources, include the location and name of the publisher, separated by a colon. Place a period at the end. For poems published online, type "Retrieved from" followed by the direct URL for the poem. Do not place a poem at the end of the URL. Collection example: Pope, A. (1963). The poems of Alexander Pope (J. Butt, Ed.). London: Methuen. Anthology example: Cleveland, J. (1972) To the state of love, or the senses festival. In H. Gardner (Ed.), The metaphysical poets (pp. 218-220). Harmonsworth: Penguin. Online example: Herrick, R. (n.d.) To daffodils. Retrieved from http://quotations.about.com/cs/poemlyrics/a/To_Daffodils.htm Use the poet's name and date of publication for parenthetical citations in-text. APA style uses author-date parenthetical citations in-text. In most cases, the citation follows immediately after any title or quotation from the poem. There is no need to include the poet's name in the citation if it is included in your text. Example: In Ode for Music, on St. Cecilia's Day (Pope, 1963), the poet writes a holiday poem that could be set to music. If there was no publication date, use the abbreviation "n.d." as you did in the reference list entry. For example: To daffodils (Herrick, n.d.) shows the poet's treatment of life's fleetingness. List the poet's last name first in your bibliography. In your bibliography entry, type the poet's last name, followed by a comma. Then type the poet's full first name, followed by a period. If the poet is known by their initials (such as T. S. Elliot), use their initials in your entry as well. Example: Frost, Robert. Provide the title of the poem in quotation marks. Type the title of the poem in title case, capitalizing most words. Small articles, such as "a" or "the," should be in lower-case unless they are the first word in the title. Place a period at the end of the title of the poem, inside the closing quotation marks. Example: Frost, Robert. "The Road Not Taken." Include information about the volume where the poem appears. Type the word "In," then provide the title of the anthology or collection in which the poem was published. Italicize the title of the anthology or collection. Place a comma after the title, then the page number where the specific poem appears. Place a period after the page numbers. Example: Frost, Robert. "The Road Not Taken." In Complete Poems of Robert Frost , 131. If the volume has editors, include their names after the title of the volume. For example: Frost, Robert. "The Road Not Taken." In Complete Poems of Robert Frost , edited by Richard Ellmann and Robert O'Clair, 247-248. The Chicago Manual does not have specific guidance for poems published online. Ask your instructor their preference, or use the format for citing online articles. Close with publication information for the source. List the location of the publisher, followed by a colon and the name of the publishing company. Follow the publisher's name with a comma, then provide the year the volume was published. Place a period after the page number. Example: Frost, Robert. "The Road Not Taken." In Complete Poems of Robert Frost , 131. New York: Holt, Reinhart, and Winston, 1964. Example with editors: Frost, Robert. "The Road Not Taken." In Complete Poems of Robert Frost , edited by Richard Ellmann and Robert O'Clair, 247-248. New York: W. W. Norton, 1988. Alter your format for in-text footnotes. For footnotes, start with the poet's first and last name. Periods are replaced with commas and the page number is included at the end of the citation. All publication information appears in parentheses. The footnote ends with a period. Example: Robert Frost, "The Road Not Taken," in Complete Poems of Robert Frost (New York: Holt, Reinhart, and Winston, 1964), 131. Example with editors: Robert Frost, "The Road Not Taken," in Complete Poems of Robert Frost , ed. Richard Ellmann and Robert O'Clair (New York: W. W. Norton, 1988), 247. | Start with the poet's name. Include the title of the poem in quotation marks. List the place where you found the poem in italics. Provide publication information. Add the date accessed or page numbers, as appropriate. Use the poet's name in parenthetical citations in-text. List the poet's name first in your full reference entry. Provide the year of publication in parentheses. Italicize the title of a single-author collection. Type the title of the poem if it appears in an anthology. Type the title of the poem in italics if you found it online. Include publication information for the source. Use the poet's name and date of publication for parenthetical citations in-text. List the poet's last name first in your bibliography. Provide the title of the poem in quotation marks. Include information about the volume where the poem appears. Close with publication information for the source. Alter your format for in-text footnotes. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Speak-Professionally-on-the-Phone | How to Speak Professionally on the Phone | To speak professionally on the phone, immediately identify yourself and the company you work for when you pick up. For example, you could say "Thanks for calling ABC Painters. This is Brooke speaking." If you're calling someone else, identify yourself when they answer by saying something like "This is Mary Hunter calling for Jack Smith." Then, throughout the conversation, try to maintain a calm, friendly tone. Also, avoid using slang or incorrect grammar since it can come across as unprofessional. | Keep a pen and paper next to you. Keep track of calls by writing down the person's name, the time he or she called, and the reason. It's best to write the information on a phone memo pad with carbon. This keeps the calls organized in one place, and when it isn't for you, you can give a copy to the intended recipient. Answer the phone in as few rings as possible. No one likes to be forced to wait. Answering quickly shows the caller, who is more than likely to be a customer, that your company is efficient. It also lets the caller know that his or her call is important. Identify yourself and the company. For example, say, "Thank you for calling West Coast Drywall and Paint. This is Brooke speaking." Likewise, ask the caller who they are and where they are calling from if they don't offer those details to you, especially if your company has a strict policy against unsolicited calls. Ask the right questions. Gather as much information as possible. This helps identify unsolicited calls. Though when questioning others, it could come across as accusatory, especially if you have to ask several questions. You don't want to be like a jackhammer, so pace yourself using a calm and moderate tone. Caller: "Can I speak to Bill?" Respondent: “Can I ask who is speaking?" Caller: "Tom.” Respondent: "Where are you calling from?" Caller: "England.” Respondent: "The company name, please?" Caller: "It's a personal call.” Respondent: "Is Bill expecting your call?” Caller: "No.” Respondent: "OK let me try his line for you." Assume that someone from your organization is listening in on the conversation. Companies that monitor incoming calls usually say so in an initial voice recording. Even if they're not, thinking that they are can help you use your most professional voice. If they are, you may have the opportunity to hear what you sound like on the phone and make improvements, if necessary. Ask before putting someone on hold and wait for his or her response. A big problem with many companies is that they leave callers on hold for too long. Except for Zen masters, most people do not like to be on hold. There is also the tendency to think they've been on hold twice as long as they have. Taking them off as soon as possible can greatly minimize having an irate caller on the other end when you do come back! Make sure the intended recipient wants to take the call. When the caller asks for a particular person, tell him or her you will "try the person's line" before putting them on hold. Then check that the recipient is a) available and b) ready to speak to them. If not, then be sure to take a detailed message. Use correct grammar. Always use "Jane and I" for your subject and "Jane and me" when it's a direct object (i.e. "Jane and I went to the store" not "He talked to Jane and me"). Don't leave the word "at" dangling at the end of a sentence. For example, "I do not know where it is at” is incorrect. Usually, you can just remove “at” from the sentence entirely. “I don't know where it is” is the correct way. Pay attention to your voice. It's through your tone that the caller hears your true intentions. Whether in phone or person, this conveys more than the words that come out of your mouth. The key to professionally talking on the phone is to smile inwardly! This point of smiling hit home with the senior management of a call center, and he placed little mirrors at each of the agents' stations that said: "What you see is what they hear!" Use the caller's name, whenever possible. It adds a personal touch and shows that you're listening. "I'm sorry John, but Mark isn't available at the moment. Can I help you with anything or take a message?" Identify yourself first when calling another person. For example, say, "This is Mary Hunter calling for Louis Meyer." However, don't be long-winded. In other words, get right to the point without going into unnecessary details. End the conversation professionally. With sincerity in your voice say, “Thanks for calling. Have a great day!” Practice active listening skills. Don't argue or interrupt the customer. Even if the person is mistaken or you know what he or she is going to say next. Allow the person to get what's off his or her chest. Listening well builds rapport and can help greatly in diffusing a heated caller. Lower your voice and speak slowly in an even tone. If the client gets louder, begin speaking more slowly with a steady voice. A calm demeanor (versus agitated or excited) can go far in settling a person down. Remaining unaffected by the client's volume or tone can help an angry or upset person to get a hold of him or herself. Establish rapport through empathy. Place yourself in the client's shoes. Let the caller know that you hear his or her frustration and grievance. Doing this alone can help greatly in calming a person down. It's called “verbal nodding” and it helps the caller feel understood. Avoid getting upset or angry. If the client is verbally abusive or swearing, breathe deeply and continue as if you didn't hear it. Responding in the same manner will not solve anything, and it could escalate the situation. Instead, remind the client that you want to help and that you are his or her best chance of resolving the matter – often, this statement will defuse the situation. Avoid taking it personally. Stick with the issue at hand and do not get personal, even if the customer does. Remember that the customer doesn't know you, and he or she is just venting frustration at you as a representative. Gently guide the conversation back to the issue and how you intend to resolve it, and try to ignore personal comments. Remember you're interacting with a human. All of us have bad days. Maybe the person had a fight with his or her spouse, just got a traffic ticket or has had a run of bad luck. To one degree or another, we've all been there. Try to make their day better by staying calm and unruffled -- it'll make you feel good, too! | Keep a pen and paper next to you. Answer the phone in as few rings as possible. Identify yourself and the company. Ask the right questions. Assume that someone from your organization is listening in on the conversation. Ask before putting someone on hold and wait for his or her response. Make sure the intended recipient wants to take the call. Use correct grammar. Pay attention to your voice. Use the caller's name, whenever possible. Identify yourself first when calling another person. End the conversation professionally. Practice active listening skills. Lower your voice and speak slowly in an even tone. Establish rapport through empathy. Avoid getting upset or angry. Avoid taking it personally. Remember you're interacting with a human. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Catch-a-Hawk | How to Catch a Hawk | To catch a hawk, start by contacting your local wildlife service about getting a permit, since you could get fined heavily or even go to jail without one. Next, purchase a Swedish goshawk trap, which you will probably have to buy online. Then, assemble the trap according to the manufacturer's instructions and put it in an easily accessible area that the hawk frequents. Finally, set the bait and check the trap at least twice a day. | Don’t catch hawks as pets. Hawks are wild predatory birds and do not make good pets. It costs thousands of dollars a year to properly care for and house a hawk. Additionally, in some countries you need a permit to catch hawks. When you obtain this permit, you will be asked to provide your reasons for catching a hawk. If you catch a hawk without a permit, you may face severe legal consequences. For example, in the U.S. you can get six months in jail and a $15,000 fine for catching a hawk without a permit. Avoid catching hawks for falconry. There are strict rules surrounding the capture and release of hawks for falconry. Only experienced, licensed falconers can catch hawks for this purpose. These falconers have completed a year-long apprenticeship and obtained several permits in order to catch falcons. If you're interested in becoming a falconer, look for local falconry groups in your area. These groups will help you find an apprenticeship with an experienced falconer. Once you have an apprenticeship, the falconer will help you catch, house, and train hawks. Consider other options for pest control. Many free-range chicken and rabbit farms have trouble with hawks. However, instead of catching these hawks, use alternative methods of pest control to protect your animals. For example, bring your animals into a barn at night to protect them while they sleep. Other pest control options include: Installing speakers that play loud noises to scare away hawks Removing any perching areas, such as poles and isolated trees Setting up a scarecrow and moving it frequently Catch the hawk if necessary. If you've exhausted all of your pest control options, consider relocating the hawk. You can either call your local wildlife service or try to relocate the hawk yourself. Keep in mind that relocating a hawk is expensive, time intensive, and potentially dangerous. Always relocate problem hawks instead of killing them. Hawks are an important part of the ecosystem that prevent overpopulation of rabbits, mice, and smaller birds. Obtain a permit to trap hawks. Many countries require permits to trap and relocate hawks. These permits can be expensive and often take a lot of time to obtain. However, if you don't get a permit before catching a hawk, you may face severe fines or jail time. To obtain a permit, contact your local wildlife service. For example, if you catch a hawk without a permit in the US, you can face six months of jail time and a $15,000 fine. Purchase a Swedish goshawk trap. There are many kinds of hawk traps available for use. However, the Swedish goshawk trap is the best option for inexperienced hawk trappers. This trap allows you to humanely capture a hawk without injuring it or tangling its legs up in a noose. Additionally, you only need to check these traps a few times a day. Other kinds of traps need to be constantly monitored. A bird that is left in any other kind of trap is easy prey for another predator. These traps can be purchased online or built under the supervision of an experienced falconer. Set out the trap. Assemble the trap according to the manufacturer instructions. Next, place the trap in an area that the hawk frequents. Make sure the trap can be viewed by a bird in flight. If you place it under a tree or shrub, the hawk may not see it. Make sure the trap is easily accessible. You will need to check the trap often. Plan to relocate the bird as soon as it's caught. If you won't have time, don't set out the trap. Set the bait. Use pigeons, starlings, sparrows, zebra finches, or mice to attract hawks. If necessary, you can use grasshoppers. However, grasshoppers are not very tempting to larger birds. Refer to the manufacturer instructions to find out how to place the bait in your trap. Most goshawk traps have “bait boxes” that protect the bait from the hawk. After catching the hawk, you can release the bait if you'd like. Check the trap often. The trap needs to be checked at least twice a day. The Swedish goshawk trap will protect the hawk from other predators. However, the bird can still become dehydrated or overheated if it's left alone for too long. Consider calling a licensed rehabilitation facility. There are many raptor rehabilitation facilities that will happily pick up and release any hawks you catch. Do an internet search to find one in your area. Even if they're too far away to come get the bird, they will be able to give you valuable tips on where to release it. Place the bird in your car. First, cover the trap with a blanket to block out any light. This will help keep the bird calm as you move it. Next, carefully lift the trap and place it securely in the trunk of your car. Turn on the air-conditioning as hawks can overheat easily in small spaces. If your trunk isn't big enough for the trap, place it on a seat. Use a seatbelt to secure it. Lay a thick towel down under the trap to protect your car from bird droppings. Relocate the bird. When you relocate a hawk, you give it a new place to hunt and build nests. However, you need to drive at least 20 miles (32 kilometers) away from your home before releasing the bird. Otherwise, it will return to its old hunting grounds. If the hawk is injured, immediately take it to a raptor rehabilitation center. Release the raptor. Set the trap in a secluded area. Remove the cloth from the top of the trap and carefully open one of the doors. Stand away from the trap to allow the bird to leave at its own pace. Don't leave until the bird has left the trap. Wear thick gloves to protect your hands while you open the trap. If the hawk refuses to leave the trap, it may be dehydrated or sick. Call your local raptor rehabilitation center for advice. | Don’t catch hawks as pets. Avoid catching hawks for falconry. Consider other options for pest control. Catch the hawk if necessary. Obtain a permit to trap hawks. Purchase a Swedish goshawk trap. Set out the trap. Set the bait. Check the trap often. Consider calling a licensed rehabilitation facility. Place the bird in your car. Relocate the bird. Release the raptor. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Meditate-Deeply | How to Meditate Deeply | To meditate deeply, start by finding a quiet space in your home, and a chair or cushion you can sit on comfortably for 20 to 30 minutes. Then, sit on your chair or cushion and close your eyes, or focus them on a blank wall if closing your eyes makes you feel sleepy. As you breathe, focus on the breath by inhaling for 8 seconds, holding the breath for 2 to 4 seconds, then exhaling for 8 seconds. Additionally, visualize the breath coming into all the parts of your body and going out as you inhale and exhale. | Choose a space in your house that is quiet. Picking a room with a door, away from areas with children or traffic would be best. Find a straight-backed chair or floor cushion. The ideal seat is not so comfortable that you can fall asleep, but adequately comfortable to sit in for at least 20 or 30 minutes. Light the space with soft natural light. Low lighting can help to relax the mind, so consider candles or lamps, instead of fluorescent lights. Determine a time to meditate that allows you to be unconnected to other activities. Consider a time early in the morning or in the evening, when children are asleep and the phone is unlikely to ring. Sit on your cushion or chair. Find a comfortable position where you can stay without moving for 20 or more minutes. Stretch your back before you begin, if you have been sitting all day. Twisting from the waist to the left and right in a seated position or doing yoga cat/cow and child's poses can release tension so that it is easier to focus on the meditation. Relax your shoulders. Lift them up to your ears as you breathe in, then drop them back down. Keep your back very straight. Place your hands in your lap. Zazen meditation suggests that you place your left hand in your right hand, palms up and place your left thumb on top of your right thumb, as if you were cradling an egg. This should make a circle, suggesting infinity and also the unconscious--your non-dominant side being allowed to take over. Close your eyes or focus them on a blank wall. Some meditators find it difficult to mediate with their eyes open, while some struggle to meditate with their eyes closed because drowsiness becomes too much of a problem. Consider actively focusing on "nothing." Look not at the blank wall, but through the wall. Blink when you need to blink. Focus on your breath. Most meditation is not more complicated than sitting quietly and breathing, when you get right down to it. Within that simplicity, however, is endless complexity. Begin counting down from 10. You can focus on the counting to get your mind to start calming. If you have more time and this practice is helpful, consider counting down from 50 or 100. Breathe in deeply for a count of 8 seconds, hold the breath for 2 to 4 seconds, and breathe out over a count of 8 seconds. Repeat this breathing pattern for 2 minutes. Feel the breath coming into your body and going out of your body. Imagine the oxygen filling your body and coursing through your blood. Feel the oxygen come into all the parts of your body, and continue focusing on your breath. Watch your thoughts. One of the most difficult things about meditation when you're just getting started is the issue of what to do. You're sitting there, breathing in and out...then what? Eventually, as you practice meditation, you'll notice the thoughts that come and go from your mind. You might be focused on picking your kids up, what you're going to have for dinner, or some lingering stresses from your workday. Rather than identifying with these thoughts and allowing them to inhabit you, imagine them as fish swimming in a pond. Watch them move through your mind and out of your mind. Doing this distances you from your ego, allowing you to become more distanced from the "I" that thinks. Allow your thoughts to flow through your mind, continuing to focus on your breath, observe them, and let them go. Don't struggle. Awareness may feel more like an energy than a thought, and it's very difficult to describe or to experience. This is why meditation is referred to as a practice, and why zazen essentially translates to "just sitting." What do meditation masters and zen monks do? Just sitting. Recognize as you drift into thoughts about your surroundings or your life, but don't try to pull your mind along back to a pre-conceived version of "awareness" you might have. As you begin meditating, this will happen frequently and may be quite frustrating. Be aware of the camera pulling backward. In an old Monty Python sketch, two men are lost in the desert. They start crawling as the buzzards start circling in. Desperate for water, one of them looks straight into the camera and says, "Wait a bit!" At this point, the camera pans back to reveal an entire camera crew with a catered lunch laid out for everyone. The men eat and before too long, all the crew is wandering through the desert, desperate for water, until one of them says, "Wait a bit!" and the whole process is repeated. Our mind can work like this. As you're watching your thoughts, you may think: "But wait. Who is watching the thoughts?" This can get into a frustrating struggle with your mind, common to "just sitting." Focus on your breath. This too, watch happen, and let it pass. Embrace yourself. By detaching from the thoughts as you watch them, by allowing your mind to happen, by allowing your body to happen, and your breath to simply happen, you're allowing your true nature to exist without controlling it yourself. You're detaching yourself from your ego and learning to embrace your true nature and love yourself. Pull yourself back to your physical body. Return to awareness of the parts of your body that are touching the ground or chair. Try to spend 2 minutes being appreciative of the time, silence and peace. A positive thought process can boost your mood for the day. Schedule a daily meditation time. Stick to it. The process will get easier the more often you perform it. Try to find time in the mornings and afternoons for your sessions. | Choose a space in your house that is quiet. Find a straight-backed chair or floor cushion. Light the space with soft natural light. Determine a time to meditate that allows you to be unconnected to other activities. Sit on your cushion or chair. Close your eyes or focus them on a blank wall. Focus on your breath. Watch your thoughts. Don't struggle. Be aware of the camera pulling backward. Embrace yourself. Pull yourself back to your physical body. Try to spend 2 minutes being appreciative of the time, silence and peace. Schedule a daily meditation time. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Disassemble-a-Glock | How to Disassemble a Glock | To disassemble a Glock pistol, you'll need to safely unload it then remove the slide and barrel. First, you'll need to point the gun in a safe direction and release the magazine. Pull open and lock the slide so you can check the chamber for any remaining ammunition. Next, you should close the slide and fire once in a safe direction to release the firing pin. Afterwards, open the slide slightly and pull down on both sides of the slide lock. Once the lock is in place, you can push the slide forward to separate it from the gun. You'll also need to push the spring forwards out of the gun and pull out the barrel. When these parts of the gun are removed, you can clean your Glock before reassembling it. Remember to wear safety goggles when working with your gun in case of any accidents. | Point the pistol in a safe direction. Make sure that the pistol is pointed in a direction where any accidental discharge cannot cause physical harm to you or anyone else. Keep your finger away from the trigger, and outside of the guard. This will help prevent accidental firing. Release the magazine. Press the magazine release with your thumb and remove the magazine with your other hand. Open the slide. While continuing to point the gun in a safe direction, pull the slide back and lock it open with the slide stop lever. You can push the lever up with your thumb while holding the slide back with your other hand. This will hold the slide open. Check for remaining ammunition. Once the slide is open, look into the chamber and ensure that no ammunition remains in the gun. Use your pinky finger to sweep for ammunition in the chamber as well. Check three times for remaining ammunition before proceeding to disassemble the gun. Put on safety glasses. There are several components that are spring-loaded and can cause serious eye damage. The glasses will also help protect from solvents and lubricants getting in your eyes. Close the slide. Pull the slide back to release the stop lever. The slide will close. Point the gun in a safe direction and pull the trigger to release the firing pin. Grip the gun. Hold the gun in one hand, with four fingers around the top of the slide, and the thumb holding the grip. Pull back the slide. Using the four fingers on the top of the slide, pull it back about 1/10th of an inch. If you pull it back too far, you will need to pull the slide all the way back and restart the process. Pull down the slide lock. Using your other hand, pull down both sides of the slide lock lever. Push the slide forward with your four fingers until it has separated from the receiver of the gun. Remove the spring. Push the spring forward slightly and lift it away from the barrel. The spring is under pressure, so be careful when removing it. Pull the barrel out of the slide. Hold the barrel by the extruding lugs. Lift the barrel while pushing forward slightly. Raise and pull the barrel out of the slide. Clean the gun. Once the Glock has been disassembled, you can proceed to clean the gun. You do not need to disassemble the Glock any further than this to properly clean and maintain it. Reassemble the gun. Once you are finished cleaning, you can reassemble the gun by reversing the above steps. You will not need to hold the slide lock down when putting the slide back on the receiver. | Point the pistol in a safe direction. Release the magazine. Open the slide. Check for remaining ammunition. Put on safety glasses. Close the slide. Grip the gun. Pull back the slide. Pull down the slide lock. Remove the spring. Pull the barrel out of the slide. Clean the gun. Reassemble the gun. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Being-Emotional | How to Stop Being Emotional | To stop being emotional, try to give yourself breaks throughout the day to take a walk or read something that makes you happy to clear your head. If you find your emotions getting the better of you in the moment, try breathing deeply in through your nose and out of your mouth to relax. You can also ask yourself rational questions, like, "Why am I feeling this way?" and "Am I stressed about something else that's making me emotional?" If you still find yourself overwhelmed, walk away from the situation if you can and come back with a fresh perspective. | Figure out what you are feeling. Sometimes, the emotion we express isn't reflective of what we actually feel. We end up accusing people of making us feel something, like stupid, worthless, unattractive, or unwanted. Figure out what you are really feeling. Why did you respond this way? What is this response connected to? Look inward to find the real issue you are responding to. Reflect on why you are being emotional. When you feel tears welling up or a flare of anger or jealousy, pause. Ask yourself, "Why am I feeling this way?" Acknowledging your emotions instead of ignoring them is a first step towards learning to control them. Figuring out why you feel a certain way helps you not to rationalize. When we rationalize, we end up lying to ourselves and making things worse. Be honest with yourself. You are not doing yourself any favors by lying. Redirect yourself with questions. When you feel a wave of emotions hitting, ask yourself key questions before reacting. Mentally asking yourself these questions can help you avoid reacting immediately, and also calm down as you evaluate the situation. Ask yourself: Is this emotion going to help me solve anything? Do I gain more by holding on to this emotion or letting it go? Am I capable of letting this emotion go? Can I walk away for a moment so I can gather myself? Can I control this emotion so I am fully aware of my decisions and the consequences? Look for triggers. Evaluate your life and your habits. Look for things you do that prompt you to feel overly emotional. Remember, you are in control of your emotions and yourself. Though you may react negatively to outside stimuli, you are the one who is ultimately in control of what you think and feel. Are you more emotional when you are stressed? If so, try managing your stress to avoid emotional reactions. Do you react more emotionally when you haven't slept or eaten well or enough? Does exercise help you manage your emotions? Do you get more sensitive in large crowds full of strangers? Does your work environment make you emotional? Being able to pinpoint what some of your triggers are can help you avoid situations where you might be emotional, or be better prepared for them. Allow yourself quiet time. Take calming breaks throughout the day. Get up, take a brisk walk, stretch, read something that makes you feel good, call or text a friend, write an e-mail. Do things that make you happy and reduce stress. This will help you stay calm and centered so that you are prepared when you are faced with a difficult, emotional situation. Step away from a situation. When you feel your emotions rising, step a few feet away. Moving yourself physically away just a few feet helps remove you from the immediate source of the emotional drama. The physical act helps you focus on something else, which can quell your anger or stop your tears. As you step away, you can think logically and decide the best way to deal with the situation. If you find yourself in tears, shaking from anger, or yelling, walk away. Go to the bathroom or another room to collect yourself. Relax your facial expression. Frowning with your brows drawn together might influence the way you react. Scrunching your face like you are going to cry could also help trigger tears. Instead, try keeping a neutral face, or even a slight smile. It might not help calm all of your emotions, but it might stop the onset of tears or a raging yelling spurt. Breathe before responding. Breathing allows you to calm your nervous system and your fight or flight response, which helps you make a clearer decision. Deep breathing helps calm your emotions and lessens anxiety. Try breathing in through your nose slowly for four seconds. Hold for two seconds. Exhale through your mouth for six seconds. Repeat. Start meditation and relaxation exercises to help control your emotions. Regular yoga exercises can help reduce your stress and aid you in reflecting on why you feel the way you feel. Breathing can help you if you find yourself being emotional in an inopportune moment. If you are crying or yelling, take a moment to breathe and recenter yourself. Refrain from making decisions. When your emotions are high, don't make important decisions. During these times, you are not thinking clearly and are not in the state to make a reasoned, rational decision. Don't answer loaded questions when you are feeling overly emotional. You may say something you regret. Instead, remove yourself from the situation. Allow yourself time to process your feelings before you make decisions. Analyze your reaction. When you end up in a situation where you are being overly emotional, be cognizant of the fact that you are overly emotional. Then, ask yourself why you are being this way. Are you reacting to things in yourself you have already discovered are sensitive spots? Are you stressed? Are you reacting to this person at all? H.A.L.T. Ask yourself if you are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. Go eat something, take a walk if you're angry, talk to a friend, or get some rest. Develop a thick skin. Everyday we are put in situations that we don't like, that are uncomfortable, or where we are criticized. Sometimes the way a person treats us is not even related to us, but something in the other person's life. Having a thick skin can help you navigate difficult situations without letting your emotions get the better of you. Be silent and unresponsive. Don't react to everything. Let some things go and just roll off your back. Stop exaggerated thinking. Being overly emotional sometimes makes us blow things out of proportion. We take something small and insignificant and turn it into something large. Learn not to indulge in thinking like this to avoid inaccurate versions of the truth. Figure out why things upset you. Is there a way to fix someone's treatment of you? Can you calmly and respectfully address the person who offended or upset you? Take criticism with a grain of salt. When someone criticizes you, use it as a moment to better yourself. If you disagree with the criticism, trust and believe in yourself enough to ignore the criticism. People will always criticize you; it's a part of life. Learn to take it in stride. Decide if the person deliberately hurt you. Look at what happened from the other person's perspective. Did they mean to hurt you? Were they trying to be helpful? Were they actually being cruel or bullying you? If the person isn't trying to hurt you, focus on your feelings instead of the other person. Look ahead. Ask yourself, "Am I going to feel this way in an hour, day, or month?" Many times, emotions are heat-of-the-moment reactions. Yes, in that moment things feel worst-case scenario and like they will never be better. How often do you look back and think, "Why was I so nervous/upset/angry/sad?" Remember to look forward. This strategy will also help you think twice about your reactions. What will your boss/co-worker/friend think tomorrow if you overreact today? Talk to someone. If you are struggling to deal with your emotions, talk to someone. Your friends and family care about you and will help you. Sometimes, talking helps dissipate some of the pent up emotions. If that doesn't help, consider going to talk to a therapist. They might be able to help you work through your emotions in healthy, constructive ways. | Figure out what you are feeling. Reflect on why you are being emotional. Redirect yourself with questions. Look for triggers. Allow yourself quiet time. Step away from a situation. Relax your facial expression. Breathe before responding. Refrain from making decisions. Analyze your reaction. Develop a thick skin. Decide if the person deliberately hurt you. Look ahead. Talk to someone. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Chicken-Soup | How to Make Chicken Soup | The easiest way to make hearty chicken soup is to place your cut and washed chicken breast in a pot with salt, bay leaves, and water. Let simmer for 2 ¼ hours, then add vegetables and cook for 45 more minutes. Strain the broth into a separate bowl so you can remove the chicken meat from the bone, then pour the broth, chicken, and vegetables back into the pot to serve. | Soak the chicken in cold water only if necessary. Rinsing chicken is not recommended; doing so won't remove all bacteria and can actually increase the risk of spreading bacteria if the water splashes onto other surfaces. If the chicken has been sitting in blood or a commercial brine for several days, though, you can wash it by carefully soaking it in cold water. Cover the chicken in cold water and leave it in the refrigerator for no more than two hours. After two or fewer hours, remove the chicken from the water, carefully pat it dry with clean paper towels, and cook it immediately. Be sure to clean the soaking basin and all surrounding surfaces with hot, soapy water. Check the internal cavity. Some chickens have their gizzards, neck, and/or other organs stuffed into their chest cavity. If this is the case with your chicken, be sure to remove these before proceeding, though it's unlikely that you would accidentally add them to the soup. Trim excess fat. Use a sharp knife, a pair of kitchen shears, or your bare hands to remove the loose, excess fat at the base of the chicken's torso. If put in the soup, this loose fat becomes a gross surprise for whoever is unlucky enough to eat it. Remove the legs. Pull each leg out from the body and remove it with a sharp knife. Once removed, you may want to divide the thigh from the drumstick by cutting along the "fat line" that marks the joint between the leg and thigh. Remove the wings. Similar to how you removed the legs, pull each wing out from the body and cut it away from the torso with a sharp knife. Cut the wing in half at the joint and discard the smaller "tip" portion. Cut up the breast. Use a sawing motion to remove the breast from the ribs (for safety purposes, cut back to front). Spread the breast out on a cutting board and separate it from the bone by making lengthwise cuts along either side of its center. Double check each breast after cutting to ensure there are no remaining bones or fragments. At this point, you may chop the breasts into halves, quarters, or as many pieces as you'd like. Place chicken pieces in a large stock pot. When you've cut as much chicken meat as you'd like, simply add it to a large pot and you're done. If you'd prefer, you can also remove the skin, though this isn't essential. Add water to cover, salt, and bay leaf. Add enough water to cover all of your chicken, but don't feel the need to over-do it - if your soup is too thick, you can always add more water later, while waiting for a watery soup to reduce is time-consuming. For added flavor, you may optionally add the chicken bouillon at this point as well. Cover the pot and bring to boil. Over medium-high heat, this should take about 8-10 minutes, but may take more or less time depending on how much water you use. Uncover and skim off the top froth. When your water starts boiling, remove the lid and remove the froth at the top with a wooden spoon. This prevents the water from boiling over. Allow to simmer about 2 1/4 hours. Your goal is to make the chicken meat so soft that it falls off the bone. As your soup simmers, periodically check on it to ensure that the chicken is cooking nicely and to skim any froth off the top of the pot. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and a pinch or two of parsley. After your chicken has cooked for a few hours, you may add your vegetables, which take less time to cook. Allow to simmer about 45 minutes. Stir periodically to ensure even mixing and to eliminate top froth. Strain soup, saving the broth. Strain your soup into another pot or similar container so that you retain the broth. Remove chicken meat from the bone, discarding any unappetizing pieces. When finished, return broth, chicken, and vegetables to the pot and serve. Optionally, place cooked noodles or rice in bowl and add soup. To recreate a bowl of classic childhood chicken noodle soup , simply add cooked noodles (or rice) to your soup. Pasta and rice take less time to cook than your soup takes to make, so you can prepare them while your soup is simmering with ample time to spare. | Soak the chicken in cold water only if necessary. Check the internal cavity. Trim excess fat. Remove the legs. Remove the wings. Cut up the breast. Place chicken pieces in a large stock pot. Add water to cover, salt, and bay leaf. Cover the pot and bring to boil. Uncover and skim off the top froth. Allow to simmer about 2 1/4 hours. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and a pinch or two of parsley. Allow to simmer about 45 minutes. Strain soup, saving the broth. Optionally, place cooked noodles or rice in bowl and add soup. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Shave-Your-Bikini-Line | How to Shave Your Bikini Line | To shave your bikini line, start by picking a sharp, multi-blade razor since the hair in this area tends to be coarser. In addition to having a good razor, you'll want to decide how much hair to remove. Typically, you'd want to remove any hair that would be exposed if you were wearing bikini bottoms, so focus on your upper thighs, groin, and the area just below your belly button. If you want a template, wear your bikini bottoms in the shower. If this is your first time shaving, or you haven't shaved in a while, trim the hair to ¼ of an inch so it doesn't get tangled in the razor, then take a hot shower and apply plenty of shaving cream or soap to avoid razor burn. While shaving, move with the hair grain to avoid skin irritation. When you're done shaving, use a washcloth or gentle body scrub to exfoliate the area to avoid ingrown hairs. | Use a sharp razor. Bikini-area hair tends to be a little coarser than other body hair, so it might be difficult to take it off with the type of razor that comes 10 to a pack. Instead, pick out a high-quality razor designed for use on sensitive skin. Use a razor with new, sharp blades, since using a dull razor can cause chafing and ingrown hairs. A men's razor is better to shave your bikini area. They are usually sturdier and have more than one blade, unlike women's razors. They remove hair easily while taking good care of sensitive skin. (You can usually distinguish the two types by color. Men's razors are usually white. Women's razors are usually pink or pastel-colored.) Avoid using a razor that has just one blade, unless it is a very sharp safety razor. Razors with just one blade have a tough time removing hair in the bikini area. Look for one with three or four blades so you will get a closer cut. A brand-new razor that has never been used before will be sharper than a used one. If you have to use a lower quality disposable razor, using a brand new one every time you shave the bikini line will yield best results. You can always use the used razor for armpits and legs. Choose soap or shaving cream. The type of cream or soap you use does not really matter, as long as you use something. Pick your preference: body wash, shaving cream, or even hair conditioner all work equally well. Soaps and creams that contain fragrances can sometimes be irritating to sensitive skin. Test the product on another, less sensitive part of your body before you use it in your bikini area. Decide how much hair to remove. Take a look at yourself in the mirror and determine where you want the cutoff to be. The bikini line is a little different on every woman, but in most cases you will remove any hair that would be exposed if you were wearing bikini bottoms. That includes hair on your upper thighs, around the groin and below the belly button. For a simple shaving guideline, bring a pair of your underwear into the shower. Wear them while shaving. Anything peeking up below the seams should be removed. (Note: this will work best if your underwear has similar lines to your swimsuit bottom.) If you want to take off even more hair, see How to Shave Your Pubic Hair. You might also consider How to Give Yourself a Brazilian Wax if you want to go totally bare. Trim the hair to 1⁄4 inch (0.6 cm). If your hair is too long when you shave it, it will get tangled in the razor and could become a big mess. Prep your hair by using a pair of hair scissors to trim it back to about ⁄ 4 inch (0.6 cm) or shorter. This will make it so much easier to get a close shave. Gently pull the hair up and away from your body with one hand, then use the scissors to carefully trim it off with the other. Be very careful not to poke or cut yourself. Trim your hair in a well-lit area before you get in the shower. Take a nice hot shower or bath. This will soften your skin and hair, making it easier to shave it all away. Save shaving for the end of your shower or bath, after you've already shampooed your hair and done everything else you need to do. If you are not shaving in the shower, you should still prep the area by moistening it with a hot washcloth. Skipping this step could result in razor burn and a lot of discomfort. If you have time, exfoliate the skin in the area as well. This prevents the occurrence of ingrown hairs after shaving. Lather up the area with shaving cream or body wash. It is essential to make sure the hair and the skin underneath it are well-lubricated before you start shaving. Otherwise, razor burn will definitely be an issue. There's really no such thing as using too much lubricant, so go ahead and lather up the entire area. Keep the bottle nearby in case you need more. As you shave, keep applying more cream or body wash to make the process go more smoothly. You may want to rinse it away every once in a while to see how much progress you have made, then reapply to keep shaving. Shave with the grain, not against it. Experts say that shaving in the same direction of hair growth results in less skin irritation. Use one hand to hold the skin in the area completely tight, since this helps the razor do its job effectively. With the other hand, start shaving away the hair, applying just a little pressure for a nice close shave. Keep going until you've shaved the entire area you planned to clear. Some people start shaving under the belly button, others start with the groin area. It is completely up to you; do whatever makes the job easier for you. Some people find it more difficult to get a close shave when they shave in the direction as hair growth instead of going against the grain. If you're finding it hard to take the hair off, try going at the hair sideways. As a last resort go against the grain. There are other measures you can take to prevent skin irritation. Do not over-shave. There is no need to go over the same spot after you have taken off the hair. If the area is hair-free, let it be so you do not risk irritating the skin. Try on your bikini bottoms to see if you missed a spot. (If you're satisfied you got everything, don't worry about this step, but if this is your first time shaving your bikini area you might want to double check to see if you like the results). Put on your bikini bottoms and check yourself out, then get back in the shower and shave any parts you might have missed. Exfoliate the area. Use a washcloth or a gentle body scrub to get rid of the dead skin that is now exposed. This simple step will go a long way toward preventing ingrown hairs and other irritating side effects of shaving, so don't skip it! Prevent razor burn. For people with sensitive skin, a few extra precautions may be in order. Many people find using some witch hazel or other skin toner helps reduce or eliminate any razor burn. Use a cotton ball or clean washcloth to dab some witch hazel or another gentle toner over the area you shaved. It will reduce inflammation and keep the area feeling fresh and cool.(Note that this will sting or burn if you have cut yourself--be careful!) Blow-dry. Drying your bikini area thoroughly can avoid or reduce follicle irritation. Dry the area thoroughly with a hairdryer set on medium or low. If there is only a hot setting be sure to be careful to keep it a distance away from your crotch--you do not need or want to blast yourself with hot air there! If you do not have a hair dryer, (or perhaps, explain to others why you are blow-drying your crotch!) a concentration on towel-drying the bikini-bottom area will help. Keep the area moisturized. If the skin gets dry or flaky, it will feel uncomfortable and irritated. You will also increase the risk of getting unsightly bumps or ingrown hairs. Apply a moisturizer all over the area you shaved, and keep the area moisturized for at least a few days after shaving. The following soothing, natural moisturizers are great for this purpose: Aloe vera gel Coconut oil Argan oil Jojoba oil Avoid tight clothing for a few hours. This can cause the skin to get irritated and inflamed, so it is best to wear your loosest underwear and a loose skirt or baggy shorts until the area feels less sensitive. | Use a sharp razor. Choose soap or shaving cream. Decide how much hair to remove. Trim the hair to 1⁄4 inch (0.6 cm). Take a nice hot shower or bath. Lather up the area with shaving cream or body wash. Shave with the grain, not against it. Try on your bikini bottoms to see if you missed a spot. Exfoliate the area. Prevent razor burn. Keep the area moisturized. Avoid tight clothing for a few hours. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-Capital-Gains | How to Calculate Capital Gains | The first step to calculate your capital gains is to work out your cost basis, which is what you paid for the asset plus any brokerage fees. To find out your asset's selling price, check the order of execution confirmation from when you sold the stocks. If your asset is jewelry or furniture, be sure to keep receipts of sale so you know the sales price. Then, work out your capital gain by deducting the cost basis from the sales price. If you have made a capital loss on an asset, use the loss to offset your capital gains when you're filing your taxes. | Define capital gains. Capital gains refer to the increased value of an asset over time. When the asset is sold, you compare the selling price with the original purchase price. The difference is your capital gain. If the asset decreases in value, it is considered a capital loss. Short-term capital gains are from assets that are held for less than one year. Long-term capital gains are from assets that are held for a year or longer. Recognize what counts as a capital asset. Many things that you might not think of qualify as capital assets. The IRS defines capital assets as everything you own and use for personal use, pleasure and investment. You must calculate capital gains whenever you sell one of these capital assets. Examples of capital assets include investments such as stocks and bonds, your personal home or investment properties, household furnishings and your car. Other capital assets include timber grown on your property, coin or stamp collections, jewelry and precious metals. Your personal home may be exempt from taxes on capital gains if you owned it and used it as your primary residence for at least two years in the five years before you sold it and you haven't excluded the gain on the sale of another property in the two-year period before the sale. Understand why you need to calculate capital gains. The IRS requires you to calculate capital gains because you must pay income tax on them. All capital gains must be reported. The tax rate on capital gains is less than the tax rate on wages per bracket. The amount of tax you pay on capital gains depends on your tax bracket in 2015 (this rate will change as tax bracket rates change). Those in the 10 to 15 percent tax bracket pay 0 percent on capital gains. Those in the 25 percent, 28 percent, 33 percent, or 35 percent tax brackets pay 15 percent on capital gains. Those in the 39.6 percent tax bracket pay 20 percent on capital gains. Learn how capital losses offset capital gains. If you sell something for less than what you paid for it, this is a capital loss. You can use your capital losses from investments to reduce your capital gains. This reduces how much you have to pay in taxes. Also, if your total capital losses exceed your total capital gains, you can offset your ordinary income up to $3,000 in a single tax year. Amounts above this can be carried forward into the next tax year. You cannot use capital losses from the sale of personal property to offset capital gains. Verify the cost basis of your asset. The cost basis is essentially what you originally paid for the asset. For stocks and bonds, the purchase price can be adjusted up or down for stock splits, dividends, return of capital distributions and brokerage fees. For example, if you purchased stock for $3,000 and you paid a $9 commission to a broker, your cost basis is $3,009. The cost basis is also referred to as “tax basis” or simply “basis.” Ascertain the selling price. For stocks that you sold, you can find the selling price on the order of execution confirmation or your brokerage account statement. For other assets you sell, keep records of the selling price. Make a copy of any receipts for sale of furniture, jewelry, coins or precious metals. If you sold property, keep a copy of the closing statement from the settlement. Calculate the difference. The difference between the buying price and the selling price is your capital gain or loss. The formula is Sale Price - Cost Basis = Capital Gain. For example, suppose you purchased 100 shares of stock for $1 each for a total value of $100. After three months, the stock price rises to $5 per share, making your investment worth $500. If you sell the stock at this point, you will have made a profit of $400. You would pay capital gains tax on the $400 profit. Since you held the stock for a period of less than a year, it would be considered short-term capital gains and be taxed at your regular income tax rate. Understand how taxes on capital gains affect investment results. Income taxes reduce the overall profit you earn on the sale of your assets. You can use different tactics to manage the tax impact on your capital gains. You can strategically plan the timing of the sale of your assets. Also, you can use your capital losses to offset you capital gains. Divide capital gains on equities into short-term and long-term. Short-term capital gains are taxed at your regular tax income rate, and long-term capital gains are taxed at a lower rate. Therefore, sometimes it makes sense to hold off on selling equities in the short-term, even if the price spikes. The difference between your income tax rate and the reduced long-term capital gains tax rate can be significant. For example, in the scenario described above, you might be thrilled that you made $400 on the sale of that stock after only three months. However, if you are in the 35 percent tax bracket, then you would need to pay $140 in capital gains tax ( $ 400 ∗.35 = $ 140 {\displaystyle \$400*.35=\$140} ). Your total profit would then only be $260 ( $ 400 − $ 140 = $ 260 {\displaystyle \$400-\$140=\$260} ). Suppose in the same example, after 13 months, each share of stock was worth $4.50. Your total investment would be worth $450. If you sell, you would earn a $350 profit. However, since you've held the stock for longer than a year, that profit is a long-term capital gain and is only taxed at a 15 percent tax rate. Your capital gains tax would be $52.50 ( $ 350 ∗.15 = $ 52.50 {\displaystyle \$350*.15=\$52.50} ). This means your total profit after taxes would be $297.50 ( $ 350 − $ 52.50 = $ 297.50 {\displaystyle \$350-\$52.50=\$297.50} ). Even though you sold the stock for a lower price, timing the sell of your stock allowed you to minimize the tax impact and make a bigger profit. Offset capital gains with capital losses. Some investors purposely sell investments at a loss in order to reduce their taxable capital gains. These tax-loss strategies may save investors enough in taxes to improve the overall performance of their portfolios. However, this approach can be perilous. If not executed correctly, you could end up losing more in capital losses than you save in taxes. Analyze the market carefully to select the right shares to sell at a loss. Don't give up shares in a healthy company just because prices may have dipped temporarily. You could be missing an opportunity for large profits by not holding that investment for the long-term. | Define capital gains. Recognize what counts as a capital asset. Understand why you need to calculate capital gains. Learn how capital losses offset capital gains. Verify the cost basis of your asset. Ascertain the selling price. Calculate the difference. Understand how taxes on capital gains affect investment results. Divide capital gains on equities into short-term and long-term. Offset capital gains with capital losses. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Knife | How to Clean a Knife | To clean a standard kitchen knife, all you need is some soap and water. Turn the warm water on in your sink and squirt some dish soap onto a washcloth or sponge. Then, turn the knife in your hand so that the blade is pointing away from you. Wrap the sponge or cloth around the exterior side of the blade and wipe it vertically. Take special care when you get close to the edge of the blade to avoid cutting yourself. To clean a rusty or particularly dirty knife, first, fill a glass with enough white vinegar to completely submerge the blade. Then, carefully submerge the blade into the vinegar, and let it sit for 15 minutes. Remove the knife and scrub the blade with a sponge until the rust or caked-on grime comes off. You can also use baking soda to remove rust and grime. Fill a bowl with equal parts baking soda and water. Mix the baking soda and water until it becomes a thick paste, then apply it to your knife with a spoon. Scrub the blade with a clean toothbrush until the rust or dirt comes off. Finally, rinse your knife off with water. | Wipe the knife clean right after each use. Kitchen knives will be harder to clean if you allow debris to get stuck on. After using a knife, quickly run the knife under water. Allow any food or debris to brush off and drain down the sink. If there's anything stuck on the knife, quickly wipe it down with a sponge or dish towel. Set the knife aside until you're ready to do dishes. Clean with the blade pointed away from you. Once you're ready to clean the knife, use a mild dish soap. Be careful to clean the knife with the blade pointing away from you to avoid injury. Lather a sponge in warm, soapy water. With the blade pointing away from you, gently clean the knife until you remove all food and stains. Be careful not to scrub too fast. If you scrub vigorously or quickly, the knife could slip and you could end up getting cut. Some people feel more comfortable lying the knife on a flat counter top and scrubbing the sides one at a time. This can make injury less likely. Soak the knife for a minute or two if food is stuck on. Sometimes, food will end up stuck on a kitchen knife despite your best efforts. In this case, soak the blade in shallow water for a minute or two. After this, you should be able to scrub away the food. Do not soak a knife longer than one or two minutes as this can cause rust. Dry the knife. Always dry your knife with a dry, clean towel immediately after cleaning. Knives should not air dry as this can cause rust. Dry the knife with the blade facing away from you, just as you did when washing the knife. Wear rubber gloves. When cleaning a pocket knife, you should always wear rubber gloves. They protect your hands from getting cut by the blade. You'll also be using certain oils or cleaners that can cause skin irritation. You can buy rubber gloves at most supermarkets. Gather necessary materials. You'll need certain supplies to clean a pocket knife. Get the materials ready before you begin the cleaning process. For the initial washing, use mild dish detergent. The soap you use for day-to-day dish washing is probably fine. Just do not use dish soap intended to be used in a dishwasher as it's too harsh for knives and can cause rust and other damage. You'll need some kind of household lubricant to remove rust. WD-40 tends to work well on pocket knives. You'll also need household oil to lubricate the knife after washing. You should be able to find household lubricant and oil at a hardware store. You will need a soft sponge or a toothbrush for the initial washing. To deal with rust, a nylon pad is necessary. You'll also need a soft, clean cloth to dry the knife when you finish cleaning. Open the knife completely. When you're ready to clean a pocket knife, open the knife completely. Some pocket knives, like Swiss Army knives, might have multiple utensils attached. Make sure the knife is completely open so all portions are cleaned. Scrub the knife with dish detergent. First, spot clean the knife with regular dish detergent and a sponge. Lather the sponge in warm, soapy water and clean off the blades of the knife. If you notice anything stuck on the knife, squirt dish detergent directly on the spot, let it sit for a few minutes, and then resume scrubbing. Remove rust. If you have rust that needs removing, use the household lubricant. Spray all rusty areas and let the lubricant sit on for one minute. Then, take your nylon pad and scrub the blade until the rust disappears. You may need to add additional household lubricant on stubborn spots. Once you are done, rinse the knife off with clean running water. Dry the knife and apply lubricant. Dry your knife off with a clean cloth. Then, add a few drops of the household lubricant to the knife. Rub in with another dry cloth until the knife is shiny and clean in appearance. Do not leave knives in the kitchen sink. You should never leave a knife in the kitchen sink. It's a safety issue as you could get cut reaching into the dish water. Knives are also susceptible to damage and rust if immersed in water for too long. Place dirty knives beside the kitchen sink. Dry knives immediately after washing. As stated, leaving knives wet can increase their likelihood of rusting. Always dry your knives immediately after cleaning them. Avoid the dishwasher, especially on expensive knives. Knives do not do well in the dishwasher. The blade can get dinged and damaged during the washing cycle. Dishwasher detergent is also highly acidic and can cause premature rusting. Store quality knives in their own space separate from the utensil drawer. Quality kitchen knives should not be stored in the utensil drawer. They can bump against other silverware, causing scratches and other damage. Invest in a kitchen board to store your knives or keep them in a separate drawer. If you do store your knives in the utensil drawer, cover them in leather sheaths. | Wipe the knife clean right after each use. Clean with the blade pointed away from you. Soak the knife for a minute or two if food is stuck on. Dry the knife. Wear rubber gloves. Gather necessary materials. Open the knife completely. Scrub the knife with dish detergent. Remove rust. Dry the knife and apply lubricant. Do not leave knives in the kitchen sink. Dry knives immediately after washing. Avoid the dishwasher, especially on expensive knives. Store quality knives in their own space separate from the utensil drawer. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Lock-a-Door | How to Lock a Door | To lock a door without a key, start by finding a sturdy chair that isn't a folding chair. Then, close the door you want to lock so you're standing on the side that it opens into. When you're ready, wedge the top of the chair underneath the doorknob. Try to get the chair as close to the door as possible, which will apply pressure to the door so it can't be opened from the outside. | Find the keyhole. If your doorknob is accompanied by a lock, you should see a jagged slit on the outward-facing knob of the door. There should be a locking button on the inside part of the knob. The jagged slit is the keyhole. If you have a key for this door, it should fit perfectly into the keyhole and will allow anyone with that specific key to enter the premises. The inside lock button will usually appear in two forms: a twist-lock or a push-lock. Both buttons are typically made from the same metallic material as the doorknob. The twist-lock button is often circular, with a pointed ridge down the center. The pointed ridge is for your finger to twist the lock. Normally, if you twist it right it will lock the door, and if you twist it right, it will unlock it. The push-lock button is a small cylinder. It isn't the most common type of lock these days, but you will see many of them in public restrooms. If the doorknob does not have a keyhole or a lock button, then it does not lock. Try replacing the doorknob with a lockable handle. Make sure that your key fits. Slide the key into the keyhole of the outer doorknob. If the key will not fit, flip it upside down and try again. The key may have one jagged edge and one smooth edge, or it may have multiple jagged edges. These jagged ridges along the length of the key are what match it to this particular lock. The more jagged the key, the tighter the security. Lock the door from the outside. Close the door while you are standing outside. Slide the key into the keyhole and turn it clockwise as far as it will go. If you turn the key far enough, the door should lock. If this does not work, flip the key upside down and try again. To remove the key, turn it counter-clockwise back to the position at which you slid it in – but no further. Pull the key out of the keyhole. To unlock the door from the outside, simply slide the key into the keyhole and turn it counter-clockwise as far as it will go. Once again, if it does not work just flip the key upside down and try again. You should feel the doorknob release. It should turn, now. Remove the key from the lock. Lock the door from the inside. You don't need a key to lock most doors from the inside. Find the push-lock or twist-lock button on the inner doorknob. If your knob has a push-lock: You should see a small, cylindrical button protruding from the center of the knob. Push the button. This should lock the door. Turn the knob to make sure that the door is locked. To unlock the door, simply turn the knob from the inside; it will not unlock if you turn it from the outside. If your knob has a twist-lock: You should see a circular button with a ridge down the center. Pinch the ridge and twist the button clockwise as far as it will go--likely a 90-degree quarter-turn. This should lock the door, but turn the knob to make sure. To unlock the door, simply twist the button counter-clockwise as far as it will go. Make sure that the door is locked. Try to turn the doorknob and push the door open. If the knob turns and the door opens, then you didn't lock the door. If the knob rattles, but does not turn, then you have locked the door. Check your door for a deadbolt. The deadbolt should be a circular piece of metal, anywhere from a few inches to a few feet directly above the doorknob. The deadbolt functions just like the doorknob, but it uses a different key and its bolt is much heavier. On the outside of the door, the deadbolt should look like another keyhole. On the inside of the door, the deadbolt should feature a heavy, rotatable switch. A locked deadbolt will keep the door from opening even if the doorknob turns. If your door doesn't have a deadbolt, do not worry. A deadbolt is not an essential security feature, although it will make your door even harder to break through. Lock a deadbolt from the outside. If you have a key for the deadbolt, use it. This key should be different from the key that fits the doorknob. Close the door and stand outside. Slide the key into the deadbolt keyhole and turn it clockwise as far as it will go. If you turn the key far enough, the door should lock. To remove the key, turn it counter-clockwise back to the position at which you slid it in – but no further! Pull the key out of the keyhole. Try to turn the doorknob and push the door open. If the door will not budge, then you have successfully locked the deadbolt. To unlock the deadbolt, simply turn the key counter-clockwise as far as it will go – just like the doorknob. Lock a deadbolt from the inside. You don't need a key to lock a deadbolt from the inside. Locate the twistable switch on the inner side of the door. Turn the switch clockwise as far as it will go. This should slide the deadbolt into place. To unlock the deadbolt, simply turn the switch counter-clockwise as far as it will go. This will retract the heavy deadbolt back into the door. Consider installing a deadbolt. This can be a great way to lock down your house if you are especially concerned about security. Assess your need for privacy. A deadbolt will make your door harder to break through, but it also means another key to keep track of. Consider hiring a locksmith to install a deadbolt. The process can be tricky if you are not experienced with locks or woodworking, You don't want to damage your door! Jam a chair under the doorknob. You may have seen this in the movies – and it really works! Bear in mind that this method only works if the door opens inward. Warning: If someone tries to force the door open from the outside, there is a chance that the chair will break. This is a trick, not a fail-proof security system. Find a sturdy chair. Do not use a folding chair. Close the door and stand inside, so that the door opens toward you. Wedge the top of the back of the chair underneath the doorknob, between the knob and the door. The two front legs of the chair should not be touching the ground. Wedge the chair as close to the door as you can. The chair should apply pressure to the door, at an angle, focused just beneath the doorknob. This will make it much more difficult for a casual intruder to open the door. PVCu and Composite doors are locked with multipoint locking systems that lock the door into the frame at multiple points. Close the door into the frame. Pull the handle up to engage the multipoint lock. Turn the key or thumb turn in the cylinder to prevent the lock from being disengaged. There are two main types of lock on a wooden door - night latches and mortice deadlocks. Close the door into the frame. The night latch will spring into its catch and hold the door in place. Push the snib down on the night latch to prevent the lever or latch from operating, even from outside. If locking from the outside with a compatible night latch, turn the key in the cylinder towards the latch frame to deadlock the lock. Insert the correct key into the mortice deadlock and turn towards the latch frame in order to deadlock the door. | Find the keyhole. Make sure that your key fits. Lock the door from the outside. Lock the door from the inside. Make sure that the door is locked. Check your door for a deadbolt. Lock a deadbolt from the outside. Lock a deadbolt from the inside. Consider installing a deadbolt. Jam a chair under the doorknob. Find a sturdy chair. Wedge the chair as close to the door as you can. PVCu and Composite doors are locked with multipoint locking systems that lock the door into the frame at multiple points. Close the door into the frame. Pull the handle up to engage the multipoint lock. Turn the key or thumb turn in the cylinder to prevent the lock from being disengaged. There are two main types of lock on a wooden door - night latches and mortice deadlocks. Close the door into the frame. Push the snib down on the night latch to prevent the lever or latch from operating, even from outside. If locking from the outside with a compatible night latch, turn the key in the cylinder towards the latch frame to deadlock the lock. Insert the correct key into the mortice deadlock and turn towards the latch frame in order to deadlock the door. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Form-a-Union | How to Form a Union | To form a union, talk to your coworkers in private about how unionizing can benefit them. Once you're confident that a majority would vote in favor, seek out a union organizer who can direct you in the first steps to unionizing. Then, form an organizing committee with your coworkers that will represent all union employees. The committee will need to formulate an issues program stating what you are fighting for, like higher wages or increased benefits. | Talk to your co-workers about unionizing. Ultimately, a majority of your co-workers will need to vote to establish a union. By talking to your co-workers, you can gauge whether your fellow employees are likely to support a union election. Talking is also the best way to find out what changes your co-workers would like to see, and for you to share your ideas about how unionization can effectuate those changes. Keep your discussions quiet and private. Although the National Labor Relations Act guarantees the right to discuss union membership during non- work time in non work areas (like an employee lounge) , keeping these discussions discreet helps avoid conflict between the management and pro-union employees. Your co-workers must find you to be trustworthy and competent, so study up on union issues, like federal and state labor law, the benefits of unions, and common employer tactics used to discourage organization. When a co-worker has a question or challenges your position, you should ready to answer quickly and confidently. To successfully organize, you must inspire and persuade you peers to follow your leadership. Find out if you can join a pre-existing union. There may already be a union you can join that represents your industry. These organizations can guide you through the process of organizing a union at your workplace. Most U.S. labor organizations are organized under the American Federation of Labor - Congress of Industrial Organizations or the Change to Win Federation. There are also independent unions that are not affiliated with either umbrella organization, such as the International Longshore & Warehouse Union, United Electrical Workers, and Industrial Workers of the World. You can also locate local unions by searching online or in the phone book under "Labor Organizations." Keep in mind that the name of the union doesn't matter; meat packers commonly belong to the United Steel Workers. Contact your local unions to find out what industries they represent. Contact a union organizer. If you and your co-workers decide that you would like to organize under an existing union, contact a union organizer at a pre-existing union to help organize a union at your workplace. Alternatively, if you can form a new independent union that is recognized by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) without working with an existing union. Be aware that the cost of running a union and the complexities of labor law may make forming a new union impractical. Form an organizing committee. Whether you are working with the assistance of a union organizer from a pre-existing union or trying to start an independent union, start by assembling an organizing committee. Committee members should be prepared to do research the benefits of unionization and to educate and persuade their co-workers to support the union. Find like-minded co-workers who are interested in helping organizing your unionization campaign. Try to find a selection of members who represent a good cross-section of the company, including people who represent different: Departments within the company; Shifts; Racial and ethnic backgrounds; and Genders. Gather information about the employees and workplace. You will need to gather information about the workplace, which may be useful to the union or the NLRB in the future. In gathering information, research your company online and speak to co-workers who may have the information you are missing. Describe the workplace structure, including the different departments, work areas, jobs, and shifts. Collect information from each employee on a spreadsheet with each person's name, address, phone number, shift, job title, and department. Assemble information about your employer, including other locations, parent companies and subsidiaries, products, major customers, and union history. Formulate an issues program. An issues program is like the organizing committee's mission statement, and should include the improvements that the committee hopes to achieve through unionization, such as higher wages, better benefits, and/or improved working conditions. Be sure to highlight your desired improvements when discussing your campaign to unionize with your co-workers. Research the wages and benefits that people in your industry receive in your state and elsewhere in the country when they are unionized versus when they are not represented by a union. Have these statistic handy during discussions. Prepare for anti-union tactics from your employer. Because unions give more power to workers to negotiate for better pay and working conditions, they take some power away from employers. For this reason, employers often try to discourage union organization. Common discouragement tactics include: 'Scare tactics'. Employers might announce that they will refuse to negotiate with the union. However, under federal law, employers are required to negotiate with the union. Employers might threaten the jobs or benefits of pro-union employees, or pressure supervisors to manipulate or harass others. These tactics are abusive and illegal under federal law. Employers might also try to discourage participation by making a big deal about how much unions cost. You can share the counterargument that union dues are a minor expense compared to the positive impact a union can have. If your employer engages in illegal tactics, contact a union representative or the NLRB and ask what actions you should take. 'Love tactics'. Some employers try to convince their employees that a union isn't necessary. Common love tactics include apologizing for past wrongs and promising better treatment in the future; and making sudden changes in working conditions, employee benefits, and relationships between employees and managers. Employers hope that by making some small changes, their employees will become complacent and lose their motivation to unionize. Collect signatures. If you are working with an established union, you will want to distribute and collect authorization cards, also called "A cards." The union should provide you with pre-printed A cards. If you are working without independently, you will need to circulate a petition. Get signatures from your co-workers who are not supervisors or managers, since supervisors and managers are not eligible for union representation. If you collect signatures or cards from at least 30% of the employees, the NLRB will organize a union election. If you collect signatures or cards from more than 50% of the employees, you can ask your employer to waive an election and begin acknowledging the union leadership immediately. If at least 50% of the employees sign, and the employer will not waive the election, the NLRB can step in and mandate the creation of a union if it investigates and determines that the employer is engaging in actions to prevent a fair election. File an election petition. You will need to fill out and file this Petition with the NLRB. You must also fill out and file this Certificate of Service stating that you gave notice of the petition to your employer. The NLRB will also need to your authorization cards or petition signatures from at least 30% of your co-workers. The NLRB will ask your employer for a list of its employees, and compare the names on the list to the signatures you have submitted. Vote in the election. It will take the NLRB at least several weeks to determine who is eligible to vote and to schedule an election. The NLRB will then set up a polling area, usually on the employer's property, and supervise the election. Employees vote by casting paper ballots, which are counted on the spot at the end of the voting period. Voting is done by "secret" ballot, so your employer will not know which employees voted to unionize. If at least 50% of the employees vote to form a union, a union is formed. In some cases, the NLRB may elect to have employees vote by mail. Negotiate your first contract. Your first goal after the election is to negotiate a union contract between the employer and the union, which covers everything from wages to how disputes will be handled in the future. If a bargain does not come easily, the union will need to put pressure on the employer to meet the union's demands by mobilizing the employees. Mobilization techniques might include writing letters or filing grievances, filing an unfair business practices lawsuit, organizing attendance at public meetings, holding a publicity campaign to get support from the community, and even going on strike. | Talk to your co-workers about unionizing. Find out if you can join a pre-existing union. Contact a union organizer. Form an organizing committee. Gather information about the employees and workplace. Formulate an issues program. Prepare for anti-union tactics from your employer. Collect signatures. File an election petition. Vote in the election. Negotiate your first contract. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Self-Reliant | How to Be Self Reliant | To be self-reliant, start by making decisions that reflect your goals, rather than the goals of others. Then, accept responsibility for those decisions, no matter how they turn out. Additionally, learn to process thoughts and feelings on your own, instead of relying on others to validate your emotions. You can do this by keeping a journal of how you feel and what it means when you feel that way. As time passes, go back to your journal entries, and try to figure out how you can minimize any influence other people have on your life. | Assume responsibility for your life. Part of being self-reliant is undertaking certain responsibilities that enable people to experience independence. Doing simple things such as paying your bills on time, cleaning up after yourself if you make a mess, and going to work or school on time can help you feel more responsible and self-reliant. If you do not have a job, you have the responsibility of looking for a job, seeking education that will lead to employment, or starting your own business. Be informed. Information is power, so having information will give you the power to make your own decisions and assert your independence. Try to be well-rounded and keep up with information about what is going on in your place of business or school, your town, your state, your country, and the world. For example, knowing that a local ordinance determining whether backyard chickens can be kept in your area is coming up for a vote can give you the opportunity to lobby and vote for the ability to keep chickens for fresh eggs. Know where you are going. You should have a sense of direction. Something has to drive you. For example, if you are attending college, you should at least have an idea of what you want to do after college and what you are passionate about studying. You should also try to set goals for yourself. Try setting short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals, then be realistic about what you need to do to meet those goals. Seek out a career counselor if you are not sure what you'd like to do with your life. Career self-assessments can be found online. Many websites like this one can offer helpful guidance. Most schools have career centers or guidance counselors available to all enrolled students. These resources can help you shape a vision for your future. Make your own decisions. Allowing people to make your decisions for you is essentially giving up your independence and self-reliance. Assert yourself and make decisions for yourself based on your goals and dreams. While it is important to be considerate towards other people, it is not necessary to give up your ability to make your own decisions. For example, if you are looking for a place to live with a roommate, be sure you are making decisions based on what is best for you. If you prefer to rent a house and have a bit more independence than an apartment building, stick to your preference and do not allow your roommate to talk you into something that you don't want to do. It can also be common for some people to allow their spouses or significant others to make all the decisions in their relationship, from where to go out to eat to where to live and what kind of car to buy. Changing the dynamic of such a relationship may strain the relationship, but having a part in the decision making at both daily and long-term levels can give you greater control of your life. Learn how to manage money. Allowing someone else to manage your money can lead to unwanted debt, little freedom to use the money as you see fit, or a loss of financial acumen about how to handle finances. These outcomes could make you more dependent on the person managing your money, which not only makes it difficult to leave an unhealthy relationship, if needed, but also has the potential to create difficult position should that other person no longer handle the finances (e.g., due to severe illness or death). Get out of debt. Experts say your total monthly long-term debt payments should not exceed 36% of your gross monthly income (i.e., your income before taxes, health insurance premiums, etc. are taken out). Long-term debt includes your mortgage, auto payments, student loans, and of course, credit cards. If you exceed 36% of your gross monthly income, create a plan on how you will pay down the debt, starting with the credit lines with the highest interest rates. Possibilities include transferring balances to a lower interest rate credit line, re-designing your monthly budget to allocate more funds to debt servicing, or consolidating debt into one payment with a low interest rate. For example, if you own your own home and can re-finance, it may be possible to use the equity in your home to pay down your debt without opening another line of credit. Pay cash instead of using your credit card. While you pay down your credit cards, resist the urge to add more to your running total. The only way you will get out of debt is to squash the debt you've generated in the past. While you are paying down debt, if you don't have the cash to cover the costs, skip the purchase.You could also use a debit card, which is equivalent to paying cash. Try not to borrow a friend or family member's money either. Keep cash on hand at all times. Make it easier to pay with cash by keeping a stash on hand at all times. However, make sure you keep your cash in a safe place. Also, make sure to build up plenty of savings so that if unexpected expenses arise (as they most likely will), you can pay out of savings rather than taking on more debt. Think about savings as a way to make a 0% interest loan to yourself. For this reason, sometimes it makes more financial sense to save rather than pay down your debt. Own a home. Building credit and equity by owning a piece of property is still one of the best ways to become self-reliant and build wealth. Leases can lock you into a living situation you do not like and landlords can change the terms of the lease when you renew, which may force you out of a living situation before you want to change. When buying property, search for homes or condos within your budget (meaning you don't want to take on a mortgage payment that exceeds 28% of your monthly income). Live within your means. Create a monthly budget and stick to it. This is possible if you are honest about your expenses and build in allowances for unforeseen expenses. If you don't know where your money goes each month, go through your living expenses (rent/mortgage, utilities, insurance, taxes) along with how often you eat out, what you buy, gas purchases and entertainment expenses. A sample monthly budget may look something like this: Mortgage/Rent: $1,000 Car payment: $400 Gas/Electric: $200 Water: $30 Cell Phone: $100 Television/Internet: $100 Food: $800 Entertainment: $150 Homeowner's/Renter's Insurance: $300 Health Insurance: $300 Car Insurance: $100 Gas for vehicle: $200 Child Care: $600 Credit card payments: $200 Other Expenses (may include child support, alimony, activities or classes, property taxes, or additional utility services such as trash/recycling pick-up or a “land line” telephone bill.) Seeing the expenses as compared to your monthly income on paper may create more of awareness about what you can and cannot afford. This gives you a chance to talk to people with whom you share money and set expectations about how money should be managed, which keeps you involved and more self-reliant. Identify and have knowledge of which things you must be responsible for. Some things are your responsibility whether you are aware of them or not. Being aware of them therefore allows you to actually take responsibility and look after yourself very well. Cook your own meals. Allowing others to cook for you or buying ready-to-eat meals leads to a dependence on others that compromises your self-reliance. Cooking your own meals allows you to save money and eat more healthfully, as well as a sense of accomplishment. Take a class or learn to cook online or from television. If you are very uncomfortable in the kitchen, consider taking a class for beginners at a local community college or follow a chef on one of the food network channels. Several celebrity chefs host shows demonstrating easy recipes that can be replicated by even the most apprehensive chef. Ask a relative to teach you to cook. This is a great way to learn cooking basics. Additionally, you can bond with the relative or even learn to cook special family recipes handed down from generation to generation. Plant a garden. A fun way to harbor independence is to grow your own food. A garden provides an inexpensive and interactive way to produce fruits and vegetables on a seasonal basis, which may also provide higher satisfaction when it comes to eating. If you live in an urban area, you may not be able to grow a full-sized garden, but you might be able to keep a tomato plant on a balcony or grow a box of herbs to flavor your food. Some urban areas even have community garden spaces or rooftop gardens that you may be able to use or contribute to. Some communities offer gardening tools for rent or host beginner gardening classes at the library. These types of resources can help you if you are a beginner. Master emergency health basics. Knowing what to do in an emergency health situation can help you possibly save a life and lend you the confidence of feeling independent, even in the face of an emergency. Take a CPR class. In addition to the Red Cross, community colleges and hospitals offer courses in CPR and first aid, which can help you know what to do in the event of an emergency that involves choking or unconsciousness. Learn what is necessary during an emergency situation. Would you know what to do if you were camping in the wilderness and a snake bit a friend? Knowing how to tackle the “what if” scenario will help you be the go-to person in an emergency. The Red Cross has a free application for portable devices that offers instructions on what to do in a wide range of situations. Practice using medical equipment. If you or your partner require ongoing medical treatment, depending on a health care professional to give an injection or an IV on an ongoing basis may not be very convenient. Ask a nurse to teach you how to use certain at-home devices in order to be in control of the situation and provide you (or your loved one) with greater independence. Understand basic auto mechanic repair. Don't be that damsel in distress on the side of the road if your tire blows. Waiting for automotive assistance can put you in a vulnerable position, leaving you open to danger. For the following basic repairs, YouTube is a valuable resource for seeing how these repairs are done. For basic repairs, it may be possible to find a video for your exact make and model car, which can be helpful in case your car requires a non-standard method of repair. Learn how to change a tire. Basic tire changes can be performed by anyone with the knowledge and skill. The basic formula is to loosen the lug nuts, raise the vehicle with a jack, remove the lug nuts, remove the tire, place the spare tire on the bolts, replace the lug nuts, lower the car, and tighten the lug nuts. Consult your vehicle manual and ask a trained professional for a demonstration. Discover how an engine and belts work. Being able to examine and know when a belt is about to blow or if you could be experiencing engine trouble can save you not only time but money. Furthermore, changing belts are simple tasks where the labor charge for the mechanic will generally far exceed the cost of the belt itself. Taking the time to do it yourself can offer real financial savings. Practice performing a basic oil and fluid change. Vehicle oil and fluids must be changed and topped off on a rotating basis. A simple oil change can be performed at home with the right materials and knowledge. Each system has different recommendations and your owner's manual can tell you at what mileages you should perform certain maintenance tasks. Maintain your health. Declare your independence from prescription medication and seeing the doctor for every ache and pain by staying as healthy as possible on your own. Exercise regularly. The American Heart Association recommends exercising 3 to 4 times a week to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure. Keep the blood flowing and tissues healthy by indulging in a little cardio or anaerobic exercise on a regular basis. Eat a clean, healthy diet. Respecting your body means that you fill it with wholesome food that is grown from the earth and in its original state. Ditch processed, greasy fast food, packaged chips and sugary foods and drinks in order to nourish and preserve your body. Know when to visit your doctor. It can be tempting to decide to take control of your health by simply never going to the doctor again. However, this is not always the best approach, as there are cases in which medical assistance may be necessary. If you are a “regular” at your physician's office due to a chronic condition, you may see those visits wane if you stick to a healthy diet and exercise routine. However, you should continue to maintain a regular schedule of healthy check-ups and routine tests based on your age and risk factors for early detection. Know whether you are at risk for specific diseases due to your health, family history, and lifestyle. Learn the warning signs for life-threatening conditions such as heart disease, stroke, COPD, chronic lower respiratory disease, cancer (specifically, lung cancer), HIV/AIDs, diarrheal disease, and diabetes. Consider learning additional conditions that are common causes of death in the US: Alzheimer's disease, influenza and pneumonia, kidney disease, and suicide or those that can cause significant disability, such as arthritis, depressive disorders, and substance use disorder. Live off the grid. If you really want to assert your independence, try living off the grid. Save money on energy expenses by living off the land and demonstrate you really can live without assistance. Consider growing all your food. From a garden to foraging for berries and mushrooms, learn about the different types of food you can grow and eat in the wild. Be extremely cautious about eating anything growing in the wild as some plants are poisonous. You may also be able to hunt for your own meat, but be sure to follow local hunting regulations. Explore alternative energy. Join the “green” initiative and investigate various alternative energy resources available today. You'll save money and reduce your carbon footprint by taking a few simple steps. Just make sure that you do not end up taking on debt or agreeing to a lease that eliminates the financial benefits. Try before you buy. If you are not sure if you can live off the grid, considering looking for a vacation rental home that is off the grid (e.g., in a secluded area such as an island or an isolated forest) and turn your next vacation into a fact-finding mission. Learn to take care of your own feelings and emotions. Emotional self-reliance means that you can process your own emotions and do not require others to validate your experience and feelings for you. Learning to process feelings and emotions on your own means learning how to be introspective and look for less obvious reasons for feelings rather than taking things at face value. This process can lead to insight about the root of your feelings and ways to you can begin to avoid negative feelings. Ways to learn how to be more introspective and thoughtful include professional therapy, self-help books, and certain religious teachings (e.g., buddhist teaching on identity and the ways that it can contribute to suffering). Maintain feelings of self-reliance. If you already feel emotionally self-reliant in your relationship, you should seek to keep that feeling, even in the face of a major change, such as expecting a new child. Avoid emotional “triangles” whenever possible. Often people respond to hurt feelings by engaging others to help them process the experience and to avoid talking with the person that hurt them directly. The psychologist Murray Bowen calls these situations “triangles.” Express your anxieties appropriately. If there is something weighing on your relationship, express your anxieties and share experiences without allowing other people to heighten your anxiety, make your anxiety chronic, or trying to solve the problem for you. Put another way, people should act as resources to one another, but should not make the situation worse, and should not replace an individual's own thinking. Share responsibilities equitably. When two or more people have a shared responsibility, individuals must be self-reliant by meeting their individual responsibilities in a fair way. People must also be able to meet individual responsibilities without neglecting shared responsibilities. Each person in a relationship must remain confident of the loyalty and commitment of the other people, as well as their ability to meet their responsibilities. For example, if a couple has a baby, they will have shared responsibilities as parents and individual responsibilities as a worker or primary caregiver. If one person stays at home to care for the child, the person who goes back to work will have unique responsibilities and concerns. The person who stays at home will also have unique responsibilities and concerns. Ask for help when you need to. You should try to differentiate between anxieties/problems that you can process/solve on your own and those that you need help with. If your threshold for going to someone else is too low, other people may feel burdened and become less receptive and willing to help. You may also become dependent on others. If your threshold is too high, you may become resentful and begin to see other people as selfish, uncaring, and unsupportive. You may also not get the support you need. Using others for help is healthy so long as the person does not develop a dependency on any one person for processing emotions, and the partner does not feel like loyalty and commitment have been lost. Assess whether new challenges are shared or individual responsibilities. As relationships grow, there will continue to be issues and responsibilities that are specific to one person, as well as issues and responsibilities that are shared. As these issues arise, one must recognize whether the issue/responsibility is their own or shared, and one must engage the other partner or other resources as needed. Like a President or other head of state discussing an issue with key advisors, the individual must be able to trust himself or herself, as well as the people being consulted to be self-reliant. He or she must also know when the decision should be shared and make sure that the other person feels trusted and involved. For example, as a couple's child grows, both parents must develop their own relationship with the child and their own parenting style while also co-parenting, especially on larger issues that require both parents to work through (e.g., going to college). People must take care of their own responsibilities and feelings while also recognizing the right of the other parent to do things differently at times. Process emotions through journaling. To help you keep track of the emotional development within a relationship, consider keeping a journal. A journal is basically a day-to-day record of your activities, but it is different from a diary in that the focus of the writing is inward and the tone is reflective and musing. For example, instead of simply saying that you and your partner went to look at baby furniture, you focus on how you felt throughout the experience, using the events of the day to help organize your thoughts. Journal writing is self-directed and has no fixed rules or procedures, but here are some tips that may make it easier to get started: Find a special spot that is clean, comfortable, and quiet. You should also be able to return to this spot often and, if privacy is important to you, this spot should be relatively private. Before you write, allow yourself time to relax and reflect. Use music to stimulate your emotions. When you are ready to go, just write. Do not worry about perfect grammar, spelling, or word choice. Do not worry about how others might read what you are writing or how it would affect their opinion of you. Think of your journal as a confidential and judgment-free space. Be persistent with your journal. If you have trouble writing, use one of these prompts using emotion. To decide which emotion either take the first emotion word that pops into your head or grab a dictionary, thesaurus, or any book and flip through until you find an emotion word. Don't spend time selecting a word, just take the first one you find. Insert that emotion word wherever you see <emotion> below. If the emotion was particularly important to you, take a week to write with all six prompts and use the seventh day to read over what you have written: Write <emotion> at the top of the page and free associate down/across the page until you feel at peace and no thoughts are coming to mind. What does it mean for you to feel <emotion>? When have you felt most <emotion>? Are you more or less connected to others when you feel <emotion>? When have you felt least <emotion>? Are you more or less connected to others when you do not feel <emotion>? How do you react to <emotion> in others? What is the source of this reaction? Reflect on a quote that includes <emotion> in it. (Use an online quote search engine, such as http://www.faganfinder.com/quotes/ , to find a quote with your emotion word in it). Review your journal entries. As your journal grows, periodically review what you have written, focusing on the ways that your relationships have changed, and you have become more/less self-reliant. Where you see room for more self-reliance, think about ways to (1) assume responsibility, (2) be informed, (3) know where you are going, and (4) make your own decisions. Seek counseling if necessary. While it may seem counter-intuitive, getting helped from a good therapist can make you feel more self-reliant. Journaling can bring up emotions that can be difficult to deal with on your own, so be ready to ask for help if you begin to feel overly anxious or depressed. | Assume responsibility for your life. Be informed. Know where you are going. Make your own decisions. Learn how to manage money. Get out of debt. Pay cash instead of using your credit card. Keep cash on hand at all times. Own a home. Live within your means. Identify and have knowledge of which things you must be responsible for. Cook your own meals. Plant a garden. Master emergency health basics. Understand basic auto mechanic repair. Maintain your health. Know when to visit your doctor. Live off the grid. Learn to take care of your own feelings and emotions. Maintain feelings of self-reliance. Avoid emotional “triangles” whenever possible. Express your anxieties appropriately. Share responsibilities equitably. Ask for help when you need to. Assess whether new challenges are shared or individual responsibilities. Process emotions through journaling. Be persistent with your journal. Review your journal entries. Seek counseling if necessary. |
https://www.wikihow.life/Grow-Your-Fingernails | How to Grow Your Fingernails | To grow your fingernails, keep in mind that you can't actually make your nails grow faster, but you can help them grow stronger so they're less likely to break as you're growing them out. To grow stronger nails, try taking biotin supplements, which can make your nails less brittle. Also, apply lotion to your hands every time you wash them to keep them moisturized so they're less likely to break. You should also try to limit how often you paint your nails since using nail polish remover can damage them. | with a gentle soap. Wash your hands Using a harsh soap may make your nails brittle. Pat your hands using a towel. Fill a plastic bowl with enough white vinegar to cover your nails. Soak your nails (one hand at a time) in the vinegar for 4-5 minutes, while your other hand holds the bowl steady. Remove your hands from the vinegar and dry them off with a paper towel or dishcloth. Wash your hands with soap and water to remove the smell of the vinegar and dirt. Gently push back your cuticles and file your nails if necessary. Don't cut your cuticles. Doctors do not recommend cutting your cuticles for several reasons. For one, cut cuticles could lead to infection, which could hamper growth of the nail. Also, cut cuticles have a tendency of growing back, while pushing your cuticles back might make them permanently appear smaller. Also you can use hand sanitizer after you're finished. Let it stay on for four minutes and then wash off and you're done. Apply two coats of hard-nail fingernail polish. Leave for two hours then add another coat of hard-nail fingernail polish. Make sure that your fingernail polish is not lumpy or thick. This can make your nails look unattractive. Not only that, but if the polish comes off suddenly or forcefully it can damage your nails, which is not a good thing. If you bite your nails, try this method. If you're going to bite them think about what they will look like once you have bitten them, disgusting. When you feel the need to bite your nails, chew a piece of gum . You can't bite your nails if you're already chewing something else! Put lemon juice on your nails. This is another way to keep yourself from biting your nails. Use a small bowl and put some lemon juice in it. Dip the tips of your fingers into the bowl. Let them air dry. When you go to bite your nails, you'll taste the sour flavor of the lemon. Wear gloves while watching TV. If you bite your nails often without thinking, getting a mouthful of fluff will often help deter it! If you're a fidgety person, find something else to use your hands for to keep them busy. Stress balls, knitting or even cleaning can help keep your busy hands occupied. Get your friends in on it! If you often bite your nails without thinking, make others aware that you want to quit. Having a partner or a friend slapping your hand away from your mouth will keep your hands in your lap. Chew something else. This can help keep your mind off of nibbling those nails. Whether it's gum or something else, having something in your mouth already is a good way to keep those fingers out of there. Think about biotin supplements as a way to make your nails long and strong. Biotin is a supplement used for a wide range of cases, from diabetes to hair growth. Biotin is also effective in treating brittle nails, making them stronger and less likely to split or break. Biotin can be found in natural foods, although it is commonly taken as a supplement. Biotin won't necessarily make your nails grow faster or longer. Again, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that nails can be spurred to grow faster or longer by diet or lifestyle. What Biotin will do is make sure that your nails crack less often and that they are fuller. Nails that crack less often have a better chance to grow longer the natural way. Naturally occurring Biotin absorbs into the body relatively poorly. It can, however, be found naturally in many foods: Wheat germ Whole-grain cereals Whole wheat bread Eggs, dairy products Nuts Swiss chard Salmon Chicken Moisturize your nails, especially during the winter months. When your fingernails leave the cuticle, they are already dead cells, meaning that they won't repair themselves. This means that you have to take care of them yourself. Every time you wash your hands, finish your sanitation regime by applying hand cream to your hands and nails. This will keep your fingernails from becoming too brittle, from cracking, or from splitting. Wear gloves during the winter months if you go outside. Use rubber gloves if you're cleaning indoors or doing dishes, for example. Don't expose your nails to nail polish remover repetitively. Every time you wipe off nail polish, you weaken your nails. Take a break from applying nail polish (and hence nail polish remover) to your hands every other week or every third week. You'll emerge with stronger nails. Try looking for a polish that doesn't need to be refreshed every week. If you can't find one, try looking for a polish that can be colored over when your fancy strikes you a different way or you are tired of that color. Constant activity will stimulate growth because of increased blood flow. The myth out there is that piano players have strong, long nails. Doctors say that while possibly increased blood flow stimulates growth (it hasn't been proven yet), increased impact on the tips of nails means more breaking and splitting, which means nails that need to be trimmed. Increased protein intake will stimulate growth. The myth here is that because nails are made of protein (keratin), giving them more protein in a diet will help them grow. There is no evidence to support this, however. The truth is that a protein deficiency will cause nails to be weak and underdeveloped. However, the difference between a normal protein diet and a high protein diet cannot be seen or felt in the nails. Rubbing garlic on your nails will help them grow faster. The myth here is that because garlic contains selenium, a deficiency of which can lead to weaker nails, rubbing it on your nails will have the opposite effect. As you can probably tell, this is the same thinking as the previous myth: if not having enough of something is bad, having too much of it is good. The only problem is, the world doesn't always work that way. Sadly, the garlic rub myth has no evidence behind it. | with a gentle soap. Pat your hands using a towel. Fill a plastic bowl with enough white vinegar to cover your nails. Soak your nails (one hand at a time) in the vinegar for 4-5 minutes, while your other hand holds the bowl steady. Remove your hands from the vinegar and dry them off with a paper towel or dishcloth. Wash your hands with soap and water to remove the smell of the vinegar and dirt. Gently push back your cuticles and file your nails if necessary. Also you can use hand sanitizer after you're finished. Apply two coats of hard-nail fingernail polish. Leave for two hours then add another coat of hard-nail fingernail polish. Make sure that your fingernail polish is not lumpy or thick. When you feel the need to bite your nails, chew a piece of gum . Put lemon juice on your nails. Wear gloves while watching TV. If you're a fidgety person, find something else to use your hands for to keep them busy. Get your friends in on it! Chew something else. Think about biotin supplements as a way to make your nails long and strong. Moisturize your nails, especially during the winter months. Don't expose your nails to nail polish remover repetitively. Constant activity will stimulate growth because of increased blood flow. Increased protein intake will stimulate growth. Rubbing garlic on your nails will help them grow faster. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Pack-Shoes-in-a-Suitcase | How to Pack Shoes in a Suitcase | Packing your shoes the right way will help protect them and save space in your suitcase. For sneakers, tennis shoes, or formal shoes, place them flat at the bottom of your suitcase. If your shoes are bulky or they have heels, place them at opposite ends of your case to maximize space. Place flat shoes or flip-flops in side pockets or on top of your clothes. To keep your shoes clean, cover them with a grocery bag, dust bag, or t-shirt. You should also place balled-up socks inside them to save space and hold their shape if they got squashed. If you're bringing multiple pairs of shoes, wear the bulkiest ones to travel so you'll save space in your suitcase. | Place your shoes at the bottom of your suitcase. If you are using a roller suitcase, place the soles of your heaviest shoes flat against the walls of the suitcase near the wheels. Line the walls of your roller suitcase with any additional shoes. Make sure to place the soles of the shoes flat against the walls of the suitcase as well. Pack bulky shoes separately. Instead of placing bulky shoes next to each other, pack them separately to utilize the space in your suitcase. If you have to place them side by side, then arrange them heel to toe. For example, place boots and wedges heel to toe if you cannot pack them separately. Pack flats and flip-flops last. Tuck flats and flip flops inside pockets or extra space when you are finished packing. You could also place them on top of your clothes once you are finished packing. Cover your shoes to protect your clothes. You can use a plastic grocery bag, a resealable gallon bag, or a shower cap to cover your shoes. Or, place your shoes inside the drawstring dust bag that they came in when you bought them. This way, you can protect your clothes from dirt and smells. If you do not have a bag, use tissue paper or saran wrap instead. Place bulky shoes, like sneakers and boots, in different bags, so you can pack them separately in your suitcase. Place socks in your shoes to help them keep their form. Shoes can become squished into overly stuffed suitcases, warping their shape. Place rolled socks in your shoes, platforms, and stilettos. If your shoes get squished, the socks will help them retain their shape. Wrap delicate shoes in a scarf or a t-shirt. Keep your formal shoes clean and safe from damage and dirt by wrapping them in something soft. Place your shoes inside a bag. Then wrap pajamas, a sweatshirt, or a scarf around your shoes to protect them. Pack versatile shoes. Pack shoes that can double as formal and informal shoes, like ballet flats or dress sneakers. Additionally, pack solid-colored shoes, like black, brown, or white shoes, since they can be paired with a variety of outfits. Pack a maximum of 3 pairs of shoes if you are traveling for a week. Pack a pair of casual, formal, and athletic shoes. If you are taking a weekend trip, just pack the necessary shoes. For example, don't pack formal shoes for a weekend camping trip. Wear the bulkiest shoes when traveling. Wear your sneakers or boots on the plane or in the car. This way, you can save space in your suitcase for other items. Fit small items inside of your shoes. To save space, place your socks and underwear inside of your shoes. You can also place fragile items like jewelry, watches, and sunglasses in your shoes to protect them. You can also place some of your toiletries inside of your shoes. Just make sure to place your toiletries in a plastic bag to protect your shoes from leaks and spills. | Place your shoes at the bottom of your suitcase. Pack bulky shoes separately. Pack flats and flip-flops last. Cover your shoes to protect your clothes. Place socks in your shoes to help them keep their form. Wrap delicate shoes in a scarf or a t-shirt. Pack versatile shoes. Pack a maximum of 3 pairs of shoes if you are traveling for a week. Wear the bulkiest shoes when traveling. Fit small items inside of your shoes. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Freeze-Potatoes | How to Freeze Potatoes | To freeze potatoes, start by scrubbing off the dirt with a stiff-bristled brush and using a vegetable peeler to remove the skins. Next, bring a large pot of water to a boil and put the potatoes in it for 5 minutes if they're small or 10 minutes if they're large. Then, remove them with a slotted spoon and put them in a bowl of ice water for 5 to 10 minutes. Finally, place them in airtight storage bags, and store them in your freezer for up to a year! | Scrub the potatoes to remove any dirt. Wet the potato with warm water, then use your hand or a vegetable scrub brush to clean the potato. Be sure to get into any dips or rough spots to remove any stuck-on dirt. If you're peeling the potatoes, you might skip this step. However, it's helpful to start with a clean skin so that you don't accidentally transfer dirt from the skin onto the edible part of the potato. Peel or cut russet potatoes, for best results. Blanching works best if the skin isn't protecting the potato. However, you can freeze potatoes in the skin if you prefer. If you want to save the skin, it's best to cut the potatoes before you freeze them. Depending on how you plan to use your potatoes, it's okay to freeze them whole, chop them in half, chop them into cubes, or slice them for french fries. Leave red and gold potatoes whole, or chop them up if you prefer. Red and gold potatoes are easier to freeze than russet potatoes because they will blanch well whole, even with their skin. If you'd prefer to chop them up so they'll be ready to cook later, use a sharp knife to cut them into cubes or slices. If you prefer, it's okay to peel your red and gold potatoes before you freeze them. Bring a pot of water to boiling over high heat. Place the pot of water on the stove, then turn the heat to high. Watch for bubbles rising from the bottom to the top, which means the water is boiling. You should see consistent bubbling on top of the water when it's boiling. Place your potatoes in a blanching basket. Put a single layer of potatoes on the bottom of the blanching basket. This will ensure that they're able to cook in the time allotted. Blanching too many potatoes at once can prevent them from cooking well. It's okay to do several batches of blanching. It's better to do extra batches than to ruin a batch of potatoes by not blanching them right. Submerge the potatoes in the boiling water and put on the blanching lid. Slowly lower the basket into the water, being careful not to burn yourself. Then, secure the lid on top. You may notice that the water stops boiling for a moment after you add the potatoes. Watch for it to return to a boil. The water should start boiling again in 1 minute. If it doesn't, you may have added too many potatoes. If you're not using a blanching basket, use a slotted spoon or tongs to gently lower the potatoes into the water 1 by 1. Be careful not to splash, as the water can scald your skin. Blanch small potatoes for 3-5 minutes or large potatoes for 8-10 minutes. Potatoes that are about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) or smaller are considered small, and potatoes that are larger than this are considered large. However, potatoes that have been cut should be treated as small potatoes. Set a timer so you can keep track of the cooking time. Remove the potatoes from the heat and plunge them into ice water. This stops the cooking process and preserves the potatoes as they are. Lift the blanching basket out of the boiling water, then place it directly into an ice bath. Cool them for the same amount of time that you blanched them. If you're not using a blanching basket, use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer your potatoes from the water to the ice bath. Small potatoes will cool for 3-5 minutes, while large potatoes will cool for 8-10 minutes. Put the potatoes in an airtight container and freeze them. Use a plastic bag with a zipper or a plastic food storage container. Leave about.5 inches (1.3 cm) of space inside the container. Label the container with the contents and date they were frozen. Then, put the container in your freezer. It's a good idea to pre-portion your potatoes so that you'll have enough for 1 meal in each bag. You can store your potatoes in the freezer for about 12 months. Be sure to write the date on the container so you can keep track of how long they've been in the freezer. Cool french fries in the refrigerator, then pack in an airtight container. Bake the french fries as you normally would. Before freezing them, place them in your refrigerator to cool for about half an hour. Then, put them into an airtight container and freeze. Your french fries will keep better if you chill them before your freeze them. This also helps keep them safe to eat because the fries will cool evenly. Enjoy your cooked fries within 4 weeks for best taste. Freeze mashed potatoes in .5 in (1.3 cm) thick patties on a baking sheet. Use your hands to mold your leftover mashed potatoes into.5 in (1.3 cm) thick patties. Place the patties on a baking sheet, then cover it with plastic cling wrap. Put the mashed potatoes into the freezer for about 24 hours. Then, combine the mashed potato patties into a single airtight container. It's best to eat them within a few weeks, as mashed potatoes don't freeze well. Wrap baked potatoes in plastic cling wrap, then freeze for up to 4 weeks. Take the baked potato and scoop out the inside. Then, mash up the inside of the potato and put it back inside the skin. Pull off a sheet of plastic wrap and layer it tightly around the potato. Place the potato in the freezer until you're ready to serve it. Eat your baked potato within 4 weeks for best taste. Scooping out the inside of the potato and mashing it will improve the texture once you reheat it. Keep scalloped potatoes or potato casserole in the baking dish when freezing. Cool the dish evenly by putting it in your refrigerator for about 1-2 hours. Cover the food with moisture-resistant parchment paper, then cover it again with a lid or aluminum foil. When you're ready to reheat the dish, you can thaw it or put it directly into the oven while it's still frozen. These types of potato dishes can be reheated in an oven at 400 °F (204 °C) for 25-30 minutes. If you have one, use a food thermometer to make sure the dish's internal temperature is at least 165 °F (74 °C). If you're making the recipe with the intention of freezing it, stop cooking the dish when it has a light brown color and the potatoes feel almost tender. Thaw raw or prepared potatoes for 1-2 days in your refrigerator, if you have time. Remove your potatoes from the freezer. Place them in their airtight container directly into your refrigerator. Let them sit for 1-2 days before cooking them. This gives them time to defrost. If you only want to defrost a small amount of potatoes, remove them from the airtight container and place them in a separate airtight container for defrosting. Cook the potatoes without thawing them if you’re short on time. Although your cook time may take an extra 1-2 minutes, your potatoes will cook just fine directly from the freezer. Simply take them from the freezer and place them onto your baking sheet or into your pot. Then, cook as you normally would. The potatoes will defrost quickly once they start cooking. This works for both raw and cooked potatoes. Heat prepared mashed potatoes over medium-high heat until warm. Put the potatoes into a pot over medium-high heat. Stir the potatoes occasionally as they cook. Then, add additional ingredients or garnishes, as desired. You can also heat the potatoes in a covered dish in the oven at 350 °F (177 °C) for about 30 minutes. To cook them in a microwave, heat them at half power for about 5 minutes. Check them, then heat on high in 30 second intervals until they're warm. Bake frozen french fries at 450 °F (232 °C) for 20-25 minutes. Spread the frozen fries out on your greased baking sheet. Then, put them into the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Flip them about halfway through baking. Eat the fries while they're warm. Cooked fries only need to heat for about 5-15 minutes. Check them often to make sure they don't burn. Roast potatoes at 425 °F (218 °C) for 35 minutes. Use a sharp knife to chop the potatoes into bite-sized chunks. Put the potatoes in a bowl and toss them with seasonings, such as olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the potatoes out on a baking sheet that's covered in aluminum foil or a non-stick cooking spray. Put the potatoes in the oven, then cook them for 35 minutes, tossing partway through. Garlic, thyme, rosemary, and chili pepper are also great seasoning choices. If you don't have aluminum foil or cooking spray, wipe your pan down with a thin coating of olive oil to keep your potatoes from sticking. Make mashed potatoes by boiling potato chunks, then mashing them. Use a sharp knife to chop the potatoes, then put them in a large pot and cover them with water. Put a lid on the pot, then heat the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil the potatoes for about 16-18 minutes, then remove them from the heat and drain them. Add a stick of butter,.5 cups (120 mL) of milk, and a dash of salt and pepper. Use a potato masher to mix the ingredients together until they're smooth, then serve. To check if your potatoes are ready to mash, see if they feel tender when you push a fork through them. If you have an electric mixer, you can use it instead of a potato masher. Spice up your mashed potatoes by adding additional seasonings, sour cream, cheese, chives, or green onions. Make potato salad by boiling the potatoes and mixing in garnishes. Chop up the potatoes, put them in a pot, and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then cook for about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes over a colander, then let them cool for about 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine.5 cups (120 mL) of mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of vinegar, 2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) of dijon mustard, 2 sliced scallions, 2 tbsp (5 g) parsley, 1 diced celery rib, and a dash of salt and pepper. Stir in the potatoes and serve. You can cut your potatoes before or after you boil them. If you're cooking your potatoes from frozen, this is the best option. If you like, you can add chopped hard boiled egg to your potato salad. | Scrub the potatoes to remove any dirt. Peel or cut russet potatoes, for best results. Leave red and gold potatoes whole, or chop them up if you prefer. Bring a pot of water to boiling over high heat. Place your potatoes in a blanching basket. Submerge the potatoes in the boiling water and put on the blanching lid. Blanch small potatoes for 3-5 minutes or large potatoes for 8-10 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the heat and plunge them into ice water. Put the potatoes in an airtight container and freeze them. Cool french fries in the refrigerator, then pack in an airtight container. Freeze mashed potatoes in .5 in (1.3 cm) thick patties on a baking sheet. Wrap baked potatoes in plastic cling wrap, then freeze for up to 4 weeks. Keep scalloped potatoes or potato casserole in the baking dish when freezing. Thaw raw or prepared potatoes for 1-2 days in your refrigerator, if you have time. Cook the potatoes without thawing them if you’re short on time. Heat prepared mashed potatoes over medium-high heat until warm. Bake frozen french fries at 450 °F (232 °C) for 20-25 minutes. Roast potatoes at 425 °F (218 °C) for 35 minutes. Make mashed potatoes by boiling potato chunks, then mashing them. Make potato salad by boiling the potatoes and mixing in garnishes. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Defrost-Pork-Chops | How to Defrost Pork Chops | The best way to defrost your frozen pork chops is to leave them in the fridge overnight. However, if you're pressed for time, you can defrost them in water. Just put the pork chops in a sealable bag and submerge them in a bowl of cold water. If your pork chops are stacked, separate them as soon as you can so they defrost quicker. It should take individual pork chops about 30 minutes to defrost, but if it takes longer, replace the water with cold water to keep it at the right temperature. Alternatively, place your pork chops unwrapped on a plate and microwave them on a low or defrost setting for 2 minutes at a time. Flip them each time so they thaw evenly. This should take between 5 and 10 minutes. | Prepare a bowl with cold tap water. Temperature is key when it comes to safely defrosting frozen food; the water should always be in the cold range. Fill the bowl to a water level that will allow you to fully submerge the pork chops. Bacteria multiplies more rapidly starting at 40°F so using cold water only keeps the pork chops below this temperature. Wrap the pork chops in leak-proof packaging. You can wrap the pork chops individually or if the cuts are stacked, place them together as one in a resealable plastic bag. Such protective packaging will prevent any water from reaching the meat and potentially introducing bacteria from the air. Submerge the pork chops into the cold bath. You will want to keep the water from reaching room temperature, so switch it out every 20 to 30 minutes with more cold water. You could also place the bowl under a running tap, though this way will waste water. Remove pork chops from the cold bath as they thaw out. Expect the individually wrapped chops to thaw in about 30 minutes. For stacked chops, the top and bottom pieces will defrost first. Once thawed, break away these pieces and transfer them to the refrigerator. Reseal the remaining chops and submerge them in the cold bath again. Once thawed in cold water, pork chops must be cooked before you can freeze them again. Place unwrapped pork chops evenly on a microwave-safe plate. If you have one pork chop, make sure it's in the center. If you have three, divide the plate into three equal parts. To help a microwave thaw more evenly, remove any packaging. If the pork chops are different sizes, place the smaller or thinner ones in the center of the plate as the edges of a carousel are the hottest. Use the 30% (low) or 50% (medium) power setting for 2 minutes. Microwaves vary when it comes to power and efficiency. The "high" or regular setting for any microwave though would be too powerful for thawing. The "defrost" setting on a microwave is equal to 30-50% power. Turn the pork chops; thaw for another 2 minutes. Because microwaves cook unevenly, you should flip and also rotate the pork chops to help with heat distribution. Use a fork or a pair of chopsticks to handle the chops and continue the process until the chops are thawed, which could take 5-10 minutes depending on how many pieces you have. If the chops are stacked, start with 30-second bursts and separate the pieces into a single layer as soon as you can. The edges of the pork chops may begin to cook during this process. Remove the thawed pork chops from the microwave and prepare to cook. Because food thawed in the microwave should be cooked immediately, you'll want to defrost your pork chops 10 or so minutes before you're ready to cook, grill, or roast them. As with cold-bath thawing, you can safely refreeze the pork chops after cooking. | Prepare a bowl with cold tap water. Wrap the pork chops in leak-proof packaging. Submerge the pork chops into the cold bath. Remove pork chops from the cold bath as they thaw out. Place unwrapped pork chops evenly on a microwave-safe plate. Use the 30% (low) or 50% (medium) power setting for 2 minutes. Turn the pork chops; thaw for another 2 minutes. Remove the thawed pork chops from the microwave and prepare to cook. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Things-Done | How to Get Things Done | If you want to get things done, make a list of everything you need to do. From here, you should prioritize the tasks and highlight any specific deadlines that you'll need to keep in mind. To find the motivation to begin, make sure to optimize your work environment by letting in light and fresh air. You may also want to let other people know when you'll be finished, so the accountability puts a little more pressure on you to get started and keep going. Then, remove any final distractions, such as your phone or social media, and begin working on one task at a time. Every hour, take an 8 to 10-minute break where you stretch a little bit, which will help you return to your work with more focus. | Keep possessions organized. It'll be easier to get a task done if you have all the supplies on hand to do it. Avoid wasting time looking for tools or documents by having them all accessible and organized from the beginning. Make a list of all things that need to be done for the day, week, and month. Even though you may just want to do this in your head, actually writing it down has a huge impact. Try to be specific and reasonable. For example, don't write 'continue novel' or 'clean house.' Instead, write things such as 'write 500 words' or 'tidy the living room floor.' Small, achievable tasks are best. If you have a big goal in mind, try breaking it down into smaller steps on your list. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/8e\/Get-Things-Done-Step-2Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Get-Things-Done-Step-2Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/8e\/Get-Things-Done-Step-2Bullet1.jpg\/aid1594823-v4-728px-Get-Things-Done-Step-2Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Don't get too distracted by the list. If list-making is taking more time than just getting down to work, put it aside and start being productive. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/78\/Get-Things-Done-Step-2Bullet2.jpg\/v4-460px-Get-Things-Done-Step-2Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/78\/Get-Things-Done-Step-2Bullet2.jpg\/aid1594823-v4-728px-Get-Things-Done-Step-2Bullet2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} If tasks have a deadline, mark them on. This will help you in prioritizing. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/2f\/Get-Things-Done-Step-2Bullet3.jpg\/v4-460px-Get-Things-Done-Step-2Bullet3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/2f\/Get-Things-Done-Step-2Bullet3.jpg\/aid1594823-v4-728px-Get-Things-Done-Step-2Bullet3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Prioritize the tasks. A simple numbering system works well - you can decide to either prioritize the tasks that need to get done first, or get particularly hard/long tasks out of the way first. Alternative, you might even opt to start with a few shorter/easier tasks so that you can knock a few off the list quickly. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/63\/Get-Things-Done-Step-2Bullet4.jpg\/v4-460px-Get-Things-Done-Step-2Bullet4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/63\/Get-Things-Done-Step-2Bullet4.jpg\/aid1594823-v4-728px-Get-Things-Done-Step-2Bullet4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Find motivation. Shed light on the situation. If it is daytime, open the curtains. If it is night, turn on the brightest lights. This will have a psychological impact on you. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/e8\/Get-Things-Done-Step-3Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Get-Things-Done-Step-3Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e8\/Get-Things-Done-Step-3Bullet1.jpg\/aid1594823-v4-728px-Get-Things-Done-Step-3Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} List all the advantages of completing the goal you have. Come up with as many things as you can. For example, if your goal is to make friends with a colleague, don't just say 'I will have a new friend.' Instead, advantages can include: I can meet people from their social circles; Our work can be more enjoyable; We can learn from each other; They may encourage me on days when I feel unmotivated, etc. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f6\/Get-Things-Done-Step-3Bullet2.jpg\/v4-460px-Get-Things-Done-Step-3Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f6\/Get-Things-Done-Step-3Bullet2.jpg\/aid1594823-v4-728px-Get-Things-Done-Step-3Bullet2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Tell people when you will be finished by. This is a very powerful tool for getting things done as it increases the pressure on you. Tell as many people as you can and emphasize how good your finished thing shall be. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/76\/Get-Things-Done-Step-3Bullet3.jpg\/v4-460px-Get-Things-Done-Step-3Bullet3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/76\/Get-Things-Done-Step-3Bullet3.jpg\/aid1594823-v4-728px-Get-Things-Done-Step-3Bullet3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Set rewards for yourself. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/30\/Get-Things-Done-Step-3Bullet4.jpg\/v4-460px-Get-Things-Done-Step-3Bullet4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/30\/Get-Things-Done-Step-3Bullet4.jpg\/aid1594823-v4-728px-Get-Things-Done-Step-3Bullet4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Open the windows if you can to let in the fresh air. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a4\/Get-Things-Done-Step-3Bullet5.jpg\/v4-460px-Get-Things-Done-Step-3Bullet5.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a4\/Get-Things-Done-Step-3Bullet5.jpg\/aid1594823-v4-728px-Get-Things-Done-Step-3Bullet5.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Find out if music works for you. Some people prefer to work in silence; others like to have music on. Also, find what type of music is best. While most find relaxing, gentle music best for homework, college assignments, etc; others don't. Most people find that the type of music varies from task to task (e.g. fast music for cleaning or relaxing music for paperwork). Remember that you may not be able to play music for the task. For example, you may not be allowed to play music at work/school. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/0c\/Get-Things-Done-Step-4Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Get-Things-Done-Step-4Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/0c\/Get-Things-Done-Step-4Bullet1.jpg\/aid1594823-v4-728px-Get-Things-Done-Step-4Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Try not to play music that you will be tempted to sing along with. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/93\/Get-Things-Done-Step-4Bullet2.jpg\/v4-460px-Get-Things-Done-Step-4Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/93\/Get-Things-Done-Step-4Bullet2.jpg\/aid1594823-v4-728px-Get-Things-Done-Step-4Bullet2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Remove distractions. Distractions can include phones, emails, social media, family etc. Whatever is deterring you from working needs to be removed. If you are being distracted every 15 minutes, you will get little work done because it is impossible to get immediately back to work after a distraction. For most people this takes 5 - 10 minutes. Consider letting your family members, coworkers/classmates, or housemates know that you're buckling down to work on something important, so that they won't distract you. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/4e\/Get-Things-Done-Step-5Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Get-Things-Done-Step-5Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/4e\/Get-Things-Done-Step-5Bullet1.jpg\/aid1594823-v4-728px-Get-Things-Done-Step-5Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Do things one at a time. Many people believe that multitasking increases productivity, but the truth is tackling things one at a time will allow you to complete more in less time. Break tasks into smaller chunks if needed. One huge job can seem overwhelming, but if you break it down into sections, it becomes more manageable. For example, "write an essay" seems big, but if you start with "brainstorm ideas" and "write a topic sentence," each part becomes a much smaller and more achievable goal. As you do each task, check it off your to-do list. This feels great, and can motivate you to keep going down the list. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/81\/Get-Things-Done-Step-6Bullet2.jpg\/v4-460px-Get-Things-Done-Step-6Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/81\/Get-Things-Done-Step-6Bullet2.jpg\/aid1594823-v4-728px-Get-Things-Done-Step-6Bullet2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Take short breaks every hour. The breaks should be no longer than 8-10 minutes. During this time you should stretch and exercise a bit. This will help you come back to the task with more focus, and keep at it for a longer period of time overall. Eat and drink as needed. In particular, drink lots of water. Your brain and body can only work properly if you are hydrated. While drinks and snacks can be distracting, they also help keep your energy up. If you're thirsty or hungry, don't ignore these feelings - take care of them, and get back to work. Keep your workspace tidy. This may seem tedious, but a tidy space means a tidy mind. Resist distractions. This shouldn't be a problem if you've already removed the main distractions before beginning work, but if you hear your phone ring, or get a Facebook alert, ask yourself: is it worth breaking my workflow? If there's something urgent you need to take care of, do, but if it's something you can take care of later, wait for your break. Remind yourself of the goals and rewards. If you lose site of why you're working so hard, look back at your to-do list and try to refocus on your motivation. If needed, taking a few moments to re-adjust your mindset like this will help you stay on task. Reward yourself for a job well done. Give yourself the rewards you had promised yourself. Be honest with yourself - if you do not complete the task, do not reward yourself. | Keep possessions organized. Make a list of all things that need to be done for the day, week, and month. Find motivation. Find out if music works for you. Remove distractions. Do things one at a time. Take short breaks every hour. Eat and drink as needed. Keep your workspace tidy. Resist distractions. Remind yourself of the goals and rewards. Reward yourself for a job well done. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Messy-Bun-(for-Curly-Hair) | How to Do a Messy Bun (for Curly Hair) | To do a messy bun with curly hair, start by leaning forward and flipping your hair upside down. Then, grab your hair with both hands like you're going to make a ponytail, and slide a hair tie onto your hair. Next, pull your hair halfway through the hair tie so a loop of your hair is sticking out. Once you've done that, wrap the hair tie around your hair a couple more times at the base of the loop. Finally, tug on each side of the bun to make it fluffier and messier. | Start with dry hair, and have everything you need on hand. Once you start making your bun, it will be difficult to open boxes and drawers. Keep a bunch of bobby pins handy, and your hair tie around your wrist. Try to use a hair tie that matches your hair color. You can find them in black, dark brown, and light brown/beige. If you have red hair, use either a dark brown or purple hair tie, depending on how colored/dark your hair is. Flip your hair forward. Lean forward, like you are about to pick something up off the floor, so that your hair hangs straight down. This will make grabbing your hair easier, and ensure that all of those curly locks lay smooth. Start gathering your hair as though you are going to make a ponytail. The hand that has the hair tie around it should by holding the hair; your other hand should be free. Slide the hair tie onto your hair. Grip the hair tie with your free hand, slide it over your wrist, and onto your hair. Pull your hair half-way through the hair tie. The ends should still caught under the hair tie, and the rest of your hair should be sticking out of it in a loop. Wrap the hair tie around your hair one or two more times. Keep wrapping it until it is snug around your hair, and holding it securely. You'll end up with a fluffy fan on top of your head, and a bunch of loose ends sticking out from under the hair tie. If you find that your hair is getting snagged, pull your hair all the way through the hair tie, and wrap the hair tie around it once (like making a pony tail). Then, pull your hair half-way through the hair tie, and let go. Touch the bun up, if necessary. You can leave your bun as is, or you make it messier. To do this, gently pull on each side of the bun until you get the fluffiness you want. You can also move the loose ends around so that they face different directions. Tuck any loose ends in, and pin them in place. You can even leave a few sticking out for a messier look. Consider using the loose ends to hide the hair tie. Take a loose strand, and wrap it around the base of your bun a few times, then pin it in place with a bobby pin. If you can still see the hair tie, repeat this step with another loose strand. Start with dry hair. Don't brush your curls because that will create frizz. If your hair is tangled, you can go through it gently with a wide toothed comb. It might also be a good idea to have both of your hair ties on your wrist, ready to go. Gather your hair up into a high ponytail. If you want a smoother look, lean forward first, so that your hair hangs straight down, then gather it into the ponytail. This will ensure that your curly locks lay smooth. Wrap the hair tie around the base of the ponytail. The easiest way to do is this to grab your hair with the hand that has the hair ties around it, then use your free hand to slide the ties off your wrist and onto your hair. Wrap the hair tie enough times so that it holds your hair securely. Wrap your hair around the base of the ponytail. If you have a lot of layers, you might want to twist your hair into a loose rope first. Your bun will still look messy, but it will be easier to work with. Wrap a hair tie around the base of your bun. Start by sliding the hair tie onto your bun, then wrapping it enough times so that it fits snugly. Try to get all of the loose ends of your hair under the hair tie. Secure your bun, if necessary, with bobby pins. Curly hair is great for creating the messy bun look, but it can get heavy. After a while, it will work with gravy and begin to sag. To keep this from happening, use bobby pins to clip the top, bottom, and sides of your bun to your head. Touch your bun up, if needed. With a wide tooth comb pull little strands of hair out of the bun. You can also just play with it until some hair falls out. Grab your hairspray and spray a generous amount of hairspray into your hair. This will keep it together for the day. Finished. | Start with dry hair, and have everything you need on hand. Flip your hair forward. Start gathering your hair as though you are going to make a ponytail. Slide the hair tie onto your hair. Pull your hair half-way through the hair tie. Wrap the hair tie around your hair one or two more times. Touch the bun up, if necessary. Tuck any loose ends in, and pin them in place. Consider using the loose ends to hide the hair tie. Start with dry hair. Gather your hair up into a high ponytail. Wrap the hair tie around the base of the ponytail. Wrap your hair around the base of the ponytail. Wrap a hair tie around the base of your bun. Secure your bun, if necessary, with bobby pins. Touch your bun up, if needed. Grab your hairspray and spray a generous amount of hairspray into your hair. Finished. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading | How to Do a Modern Palm Reading | To perform a modern palm reading, start by looking at the heart line on the dominant hand, which runs from between the index and middle finger to the edge of the palm. This line relates to matters of the heart, so think of how its physical characteristics can represent someone's relationships. For example, if it's straight and long, it means they are emotionally happy and giving. You can also interpret the life line, which curves around the thumb pad, and the health line at the base of the pinky, the same way. In addition to reading lines, look at the mounts on their hand, like the Venus mount which is the rounded area right below the base of your thumb. If this mount is low, then the person may be lonely or going through hard times. | Ask for the dominant hand. In palm reading, the dominant hand is seen as the "active" hand. The other hand is seen as the "passive" hand. Use the dominant hand for the reading. In palm reading, the passive hand is said to display what you are born with, what your parents pass down. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/fd\/Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading-Step-1Bullet1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading-Step-1Bullet1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/fd\/Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading-Step-1Bullet1-Version-2.jpg\/aid831655-v4-728px-Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading-Step-1Bullet1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":334,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"529","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Alternatively, the active hand is supposed to show what you have done so far in your life. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/ab\/Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading-Step-1Bullet2-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading-Step-1Bullet2-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/ab\/Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading-Step-1Bullet2-Version-2.jpg\/aid831655-v4-728px-Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading-Step-1Bullet2-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":334,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"529","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Find the major lines. The main lines are the heart line, the head line, and the life line. Some people also have the fate line. The heart line runs from between the index and middle finger to the edge of the palm. It mostly runs horizontal if you are looking at your own palm with fingers up, though it can curve. The head line is the horizontal line that runs underneath the heart line. The life line curves around the thumb pad, while if you have a fate line, it will jut out from the bottom of your palm up towards the middle finger. To see the lines better, try cupping your hand slightly so you can see where it creases. Look for the minor lines. Some people have other lines as well. These are more minor lines. For instance, some people have an intuition line that curves in from the middle outside of the palm and then back out at the bottom of the palm. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/59\/Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading-Step-3Bullet1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading-Step-3Bullet1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/59\/Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading-Step-3Bullet1-Version-2.jpg\/aid831655-v4-728px-Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading-Step-3Bullet1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":334,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"529","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Many people also have a bracelet line, where the hand meets the wrist. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/00\/Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading-Step-3Bullet2-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading-Step-3Bullet2-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/00\/Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading-Step-3Bullet2-Version-2.jpg\/aid831655-v4-728px-Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading-Step-3Bullet2-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":334,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"529","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Others have the Girdle of Venus, which scoops down from the top of the palm and back up, all above the heart line. A health line can run from the base of the pinky down towards the bottom middle of the base of the palm, while the children and relationship lines are small horizontal lines under the base of the pinky. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/e9\/Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading-Step-3Bullet4-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading-Step-3Bullet4-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e9\/Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading-Step-3Bullet4-Version-2.jpg\/aid831655-v4-728px-Do-a-Modern-Palm-Reading-Step-3Bullet4-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":334,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"529","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Find the finger lines. Each of the fingers has its own name, as well, which can also give name to creases. The index finger is Jupiter. The middle finger is Saturn. The ring finger is Apollo, and the the pinkie is Mercury. If a person has a ring underneath the creases at the bottom of each finger, they take the name of the finger, such as the ring of Saturn. These names can also be lent to lines that originate at the base of the finger, such as the Apollo line. It runs from the base of the ring finger down through the palm. Consider the heart line. Like its name implies, this line is related to matters of the heart. It tells about your emotional life and relationships. Examine its length, how it curves, and whether it is broken or crossed. For instance, crosses in the line or places where it breaks can mean you've had episodes where you were very sad. If it's straight and long, that means you're happy with your love life. It also means you're giving emotionally. "Long" means it starts underneath the index finger. If it's long and curved, that means you are emotionally open, and that you're especially affectionate when that curve points towards the index finger. If the line is straight and short, that means you're not as tied down by romantic notions. "Short" means it starts near your middle finger or even further down your palm. If it's short and curves, that means you keep your emotions closer to the chest, preferring the company of a close group of friends to that of a large party. Check up on your life line. Your life line isn't about how long you're going to live. Rather, it points to how you've been taking care of yourself, or more pointedly, if you haven't been taking care of yourself. If you see a number or breaks a long this line, that could be an indication you need to take better care of yourself. In other words, you need to get more rest and look after your emotional and physical needs. A short line (one that doesn't go all the way to the bottom of your palm), means you like to distract yourself when tough times hit, while a longer line means you're the person everyone else looks to for support. Take a look at the head line. The head line displays things to do with your brain, such as your intelligence or the way you communicate. It also can show the ways you learn best. Pay attention to how the head and heart line interact. If they are pinched together, it can mean you are a bit more reserved and cautious. The more spread apart these two lines are at the beginning, the more adventurous you are. If the line is straight, it says you're more levelheaded, while if it curves, you're more spontaneous. If the line splits, that could mean you are more able to step into another person's shoes than most people. Decide if there's a fate line. Because not everyone has a fate line, it can be exciting to find one. It can tell you what your life is going to look like. For instance, if it is often broken in places, that means you have or could have many career and life changes in your lifetime. Examine the minor lines. Not everyone has the minor lines. If they do, it can indicate any number of things. For instance, if a person has a Girdle of Venus, it likely means that person is highly nervous and excitable, while the intuition line, as it implies, indicates a person who is highly in-tune with other's emotions. You can actually have more than one relationship line, and those indicate any person you're close to, not just a lover. If you are able to see them easily or they are especially long (past the pinky to the ring finger), that indicates someone who is able to commit. The rings of the fingers each have a different meaning. For instance, the ring of Saturn (middle finger) indicates people who keep themselves away from others, while the ring of Jupiter (index finger) is a highly intelligent person and the ring of Apollo (ring finger) can mean you're feeling blocked in a creative endeavor. Look at the Venus mount. The Venus mount is basically your thumb pad. If you found your life line, that generally encircles your Venus mount. However, it's the part close to the base of your thumb. If it rises about average, that means you are enjoying life, including the arts and other good things in life. If it's a little below average or nonexistent, that means you may be lonely or fall on hard times often. If it's above average, it can mean you're a bit gluttonous in how you approach life. Check the mount of Jupiter. This mount is the pad just below the index finger, and it is meant to show how confident you are, how well you manage your life, and how society views you. Check how prominent it is in relation to other mounts on the hand. If it is especially developed, you're more likely to have a charmed life, as well as you're likely to be very gregarious. However, it can also go bad, as it can mean you're aggressive and domineering. If it's average, it means you are meant to be a helper and do good in the world. It can also mean you're smart and are able to guide others. If it's less than average, that means you don't have the best self-esteem. Look for the mount of Saturn. This mount is located below your middle finger. It indicates how how responsible you are, as well as how much duty you feel and whether you seek solitude or not. If it is particularly prominent, it can indicate that you put your foot down a bit too much and you tend to not trust others. If it's average, it shows your likable and capable of surviving on your own. If it's low, it can mean you don't have a lot of depth and don't spend enough time reflecting. Check the mount of Apollo. This mount is below your ring finger. It's connected to happiness, genius, and creativity. If it's high, you have a lot of pride, maybe too much, which can lead to you snapping at people. You enjoy charming other people, and you may enjoy spending money on yourself and others. If it's average, it can mean your less excitable, that you're independent and have high self-esteem. You also like people. If it's low, it shows you are less creative than other people, which can lead to indecision. Find the Mercury mount. This mount is located below your pinky finger. It can be indicative of riches and whether a person will go abroad. If it's below average, you're probably shy and not able to connect to many people, which can mean you won't make as much money over your lifetime. An average mount can mean that you are a versatile person who is empathetic to others. You find many things interesting. A high mount shows someone who's full of avarice and who is a bit too talkative. Find the moon mount. This mount is at the bottom of your hand, on the opposite side to the thumb. It can also represent creativity, as well as intuition. If it's below average, you may still have a decent imagination, but you just don't share it with others. If it's average, it shows it means you're very imaginative without getting too crazy. If it's highly developed, it means you can let your creativity get a bit too crazy, and you can go off the deep end. Read the hand as a whole. That is, it's important to look at all the parts together, not just individual pieces. Modern hand readers like to use the whole hand to figure out where a person is in life, and use that to complete the reading. For instance a straight head line and a long life line can indicate that you are levelheaded, which is what makes you so good in times of crisis. Combine palm reading with other types of readings. Many modern readers don't just read hands. They might also read faces or tarot cards, for instance. Learning other types of readings can help you get a sense of the person as a whole, which in turn, gives you a better chance of helping the person with what they're facing. Don't be afraid to bring in psychology. Many modern hand readers use psychology to assist them in their readings. Because so much of modern palm reading is about what makes up a person and how they can use that in the future, having a working knowledge of psychology can help you understand how a person might move forward with a problem. For instance, if someone is feeling frustrated about a project and showing a ring of Apollo, you might suggest ways that person can open up to creativity. Since the ring of Apollo indicates a creative block, learning new ways to be creative can help the person move forward, a solution that can rely on psychology. Think about holistic healing. Just like psychology, holistic healing techniques can also help you offer better solutions to the people you're reading for. Modern readers often bring in these techniques. Holistic healing means looking at the whole person and offering solutions that work for them. For instance, you may look at how the health can affect a person's mental state. As an example, if the person's mount of Jupiter is low, suggesting that he or she doesn't have great self-esteem, you could suggest a two-part approach that includes mind and body to boost self-esteem. For example, you could suggest an exercise program to help the person get in better shape and build confidence, along with a daily regimen of learning to talk positively to themselves so they build better self-esteem. | Ask for the dominant hand. Find the major lines. Look for the minor lines. Find the finger lines. Consider the heart line. Check up on your life line. Take a look at the head line. Decide if there's a fate line. Examine the minor lines. Look at the Venus mount. Check the mount of Jupiter. Look for the mount of Saturn. Check the mount of Apollo. Find the Mercury mount. Find the moon mount. Read the hand as a whole. Combine palm reading with other types of readings. Don't be afraid to bring in psychology. Think about holistic healing. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Freeze-Quiche | How to Freeze Quiche | You can freeze a baked quiche for 2 to 3 months, and an unbaked, assembled quiche for up to 1 month. Simply place the quiche into the freezer on a baking sheet. Once the quiche is completely frozen, wrap it up in a layer of aluminum foil and then into a plastic freezer bag to avoid any excessive exposure to air. To freeze an unbaked, pre-assembled quiche, place the fillings into a sealed freezer bag. Roll the pastry crust into a pie tin and place the whole tin into a freezer bag to store in the freezer. | Keep the filling separate from the crust. You can freeze unbaked quiche filling separately from the crust or you can freeze the entire unbaked quiche together, but if you want to maintain a crisper, flakier crust, it is strongly recommended that you freeze the filling separately. You may also want to consider making the filling before the crust if you intend to keep it for long-term storage. The filling can last for several months in the freezer, but the quality of the crust will deteriorate after a few days. Place the filling in a freezer bag. Prepare the quiche filling as directed in the recipe's instructions. Pour the filling into a large plastic freezer bag and seal the bag, getting out as much excess air as possible beforehand. Only use a freezer-safe bag or container. Do not use a glass container, and do not use a thin plastic bag that is too flimsy to hold up in the freezer. Label the bag or container with the current date and the contents of the bag. This will make it easier to remember how long the filling has been in the freezer. Roll the pastry out into a pie tin. As a general rule, it is better to prepare the crust shortly before baking it rather than making it ahead of time and trying to freeze it, but if you do decide to make the crust ahead of time, you should roll it out into its intended pie dish and place both the dish and crust into a large plastic freezer bag. Label the bag with the current date. Doing so will make it easier to keep track of how long the crust has been in the freezer. Freeze until ready to use. Place both the crust and the filling in the freezer, keeping them at a temperature of 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 degrees Celsius) until you intend to assemble and bake the dish. An unbaked quiche filling can be frozen for up to one to three months, but the unbaked crust should not be frozen for much longer than 24 or 48 hours. Thaw the filling and crust when ready to use. Place the bag of filling and the crust in the refrigerator. Let them thaw in there slowly, until the filling warms up enough to turn back into a liquid. The filling will need to thaw for a longer period of time than the pie crust. The crust only needs to be thawed for about 15 minutes. The filling will need to defrost in the refrigerator for one or two hours. Plan ahead of time, and make sure that the filling has ample time to thaw back into a liquid state before you need to bake it. Assemble and bake as directed. Pour the filling into the crust and bake the quiche as directed in the recipe's instructions. Since both parts should be thawed by this point, the cooking time should not be affected. Note, however, that if the quiche filling still contains ice crystals, you may need to bake it for an additional five minutes or so since the filling will need to warm up in addition to baking. Place the assembled quiche on a baking sheet. If you decide to freeze an unbaked quiche after pouring the filling into the crust, do so by tray freezing it. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set the quiche on top. The parchment paper is not strictly necessary, but lining the baking sheet with parchment paper first can make it easier to clean things up in case any of the filling spills out and onto the tray as you transfer it into the freezer. Freeze until firm. Transfer the quiche and the baking sheet into the freezer, letting it rest in as flat a position as possible. Freeze the quiche for several hours, or until the filling becomes solid. The quiche should be as solid as possible. If the surface is soft, sticky, or tacky, it might stick to the plastic wrap or become indented after you place it in the freezer for storage. Cover the quiche with plastic wrap. Get a large piece of plastic wrap and wrap it around the entire quiche, pressing the edges of the wrap together to create an airtight seal. It is important that you place the plastic wrap over the quiche before you place the aluminum foil over it. The plastic wrap will prevent the foil from sticking to the quiche after it freezes. Wrap a layer of aluminum foil over the dish. Cover the plastic wrap covered quiche with a layer of aluminum foil. Once again, you should seal the edges firmly to minimize the amount of air getting inside. It is important that you do not let air come into contact with the quiche as it freezes. If the quiche gets exposed to air, ice crystals could form on the surface. These ice crystals could cause the crust to become soggy once they melt. Consider placing the quiche into a large plastic freezer bag. If you do not have plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil, or if you are not confident that you created tight seals with either, place the quiche into a large plastic freezer bag and seal, squeezing out the excess air before zipping it closed. Whether you do this step or not, you should label the outer layer of wrapping with the current date and the contents of the dish. Doing so will make it easier for you to keep track of how long the quiche has been in the freezer. Freeze until ready to use. Transfer the wrapped quiche to the freezer and let it remain there at a temperature of 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 degrees Celsius) until you are ready to use it. Unbaked quiche can be frozen for about one month without the quality being reduced. Bake from frozen when ready. Do not thaw the quiche prior to baking it. Unwrap it and bake as directed according to the recipe's instructions, allowing 10 to 20 minutes of extra baking time. Baking the quiche from frozen is recommended since thawing it out first can increase the likelihood of the crust becoming soggy. Tray freeze the baked quiche. Bake the quiche as directed, but place it on a baking sheet before doing so. When you finish baking it, transfer the tray to the freezer, and let the quiche freeze until the soft center is frozen as hard as ice. Even though the quiche is technically solid after it bakes, the filling is still quite soft. Letting it tray freeze before going into long-term freezer storage can prevent the soft filling from getting damaged in the freezer. Wrap the quiche in two protective layers. Use a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil to wrap up the pre-frozen quiche, making sure that all the edges are thoroughly sealed to prevent excess exposure to the air. If necessary, you can also place the quiche in a large plastic freezer bag for an even more airtight seal. Label the quiche with the current date and the contents of the dish. This will allow you to keep track of how long the quiche has been in the freezer. Freeze until ready to use. Keep the quiche in its pie dish and place it in the freezer, keeping it at a temperature of 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 degrees Celsius) until you are ready to serve it. Baked quiche can be frozen for two to three months, if necessary, without the quality being negatively affected. Bake from frozen until heated through. Do not thaw the quiche before you warm it up. Pull it out of the freezer and transfer it to an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Let it bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until it has completely warmed through. It is recommended that you do not thaw the quiche before warming it. Thawing it first can make the crust get moist and soggy. | Keep the filling separate from the crust. Place the filling in a freezer bag. Roll the pastry out into a pie tin. Freeze until ready to use. Thaw the filling and crust when ready to use. Assemble and bake as directed. Place the assembled quiche on a baking sheet. Freeze until firm. Cover the quiche with plastic wrap. Wrap a layer of aluminum foil over the dish. Consider placing the quiche into a large plastic freezer bag. Freeze until ready to use. Bake from frozen when ready. Tray freeze the baked quiche. Wrap the quiche in two protective layers. Freeze until ready to use. Bake from frozen until heated through. |
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