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https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Basil | How to Grow Basil | To plant basil, fill a seed container with perlite, vermiculite, and peat, dampen it with water, and drop in 1-2 seeds. Cover them with a bit of soil, wrap the container in plastic wrap, and place it in a sunny window. Sprinkle it with water twice a day. Remove the plastic wrap when a sprout emerges and move the plant to a garden or permanent container, watering every morning. Pinch off flower heads when they bloom and pick off any Japanese beetles you see. To harvest, cut off the top 2 pairs of leaves at a time, rinse, and enjoy. | Choose the kind of basil you wish to grow. Basil comes in many different varieties, each of which has a unique flavor and smell. Read up on different types of basil and pick out one - or several - that appeal to you, then order the seeds or buy them at a garden store. Here are a few ideas: Cinnamon basil really does smell like the sweet spice, and it also has unusually beautiful and fragrant flowers. Lemon basil actually contains citral, an aromatic compound found in citrus fruit, and smells very lemony. Purple basil is often grown for decoration, as well as its scent and flowers. There are perennial basils which come back year after year, like African Blue Basil (which has pretty blue veins on its leaves) and Thai Basil , while most other varieties are annuals, which you'll have to plant year after year. Globe and Greek basil are much more difficult to grow, but form pretty little bushes which stay well-contained. Start seed indoors four to six weeks before the last frost. Basil needs warm air and sun to do well, so it's often easiest to start the seeds indoors instead of risking that they'll get damaged by frost. If you live in a hot climate, you can start the seeds outside instead. To figure out when the last frost will be, consult an almanac or talk with other gardeners in your area. Prepare seed containers. Fill flats or individual seed containers with a mixture of equal parts perlite, vermiculite, and peat. Press the mixture slightly to eliminate air pockets. Dampen the mixture with water so it's ready to provide the right environment for the basil seeds to germinate. Plant the seeds. Drop one to two seeds into each container. Cover them lightly with soil. Cover containers with clear plastic kitchen wrap, so they stay moist. Leave the containers in a sunny window. Twice daily, remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the containers with more water. It is important to keep your basil seeds warm after you plant them. You might consider using a heat mat or an overhead lamp to keep them warm. Remove the plastic wrap when the sprouts emerge. When you see the first green tendrils push up through the soil, it's time to remove the plastic wrap. Keep watering the sprouts twice daily, never letting the soil dry out. When the plants become a few inches tall and their leaves mature, it's time to transplant them to a larger container. Transplant the basil plants. Once two sets of leaves have formed, basil can be planted into the garden or permanent containers. Basil does not tolerate frost so don't plant too early. It's best to put basil somewhere where it will get a good deal of sunshine and have well-drained soil. To plant the basil in the garden, dig holes spaced at least 1 foot (0.3 m) apart. Place the roots in the holes and place soil around the stems. Pat down soil around the plants to eliminate air pockets. If you want to plant the basil in a container, make sure it's large enough to accommodate the number of plants you're growing; they need to be planted 1 foot (0.3 m) apart, since they grow quite large. Keep the soil damp, but not soaked. Basil does best in well-drained soil, and should not be subjected to standing water. Water the mature basil plants once a day, in the morning, so the water has time to soak in and evaporate rather than sitting on the plants overnight. Pinch off flower heads. When you see flower buds, pinch them and two pairs of leaves under them off. Flowers blooming create a hormone change which dramatically reduces the flavor of the leaves, as well as reducing the amount of foliage that grows. This is called "bolting" and is more likely to happen when there's extra sunshine. You'll notice that if you leave the flowers, the plant will become lanky and the leaves won't be as full or tasty. Watch for pests and mold. Basil plants are attractive to Japanese beetles; the best way to control these pests is to pick them off the plants by hand. If your plants show signs of mold growth, they may not be getting adequate sunlight, or they may be too close together. Weed out the smaller plants to give the larger ones more space. Harvest and prune. As the plant matures, pinch off the top two pairs of leaves once a stalk reaches a reasonable height. If you look closely, at the base of every leaf are two tiny little leaves that will grow outwards if the stem growing between them is cut off. Cut close to those tiny leaves, but be sure not to damage them. Pinching encourages the plant's energy to be directed into its stronger stems and leaves. This helps the plants grow bushy. Don't pinch on the lower part of the stem, or the basil plants will grow tall and reedy. You want them to get bushy, so pinch from the top. Enjoy the basil fresh. Rinse off the leaves and use the basil to make pesto or a Caprese salad with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese. Store the basil in the refrigerator. You'll probably have more basil than you could possibly eat fresh, so plan on storing some in the fridge. Wash the leaves, dry them well, and wrap them in paper towels. Place them in a food storage container with an airtight lid. Freeze the basil. Freezing the leaves whole doesn't work very well, but if you puree it first or turn it into pesto before freezing, then you can store your basil in the freezer for months. Place the basil in a blender with a little water, lemon juice, and/or olive oil. Puree it until smooth, then put it in a food storage bag and freeze until you need it. | Choose the kind of basil you wish to grow. Start seed indoors four to six weeks before the last frost. Prepare seed containers. Plant the seeds. Remove the plastic wrap when the sprouts emerge. Transplant the basil plants. Keep the soil damp, but not soaked. Pinch off flower heads. Watch for pests and mold. Harvest and prune. Enjoy the basil fresh. Store the basil in the refrigerator. Freeze the basil. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Flirt-with-a-Guy | How to Flirt with a Guy | If you want to flirt with a guy, start by making eye contact and smiling at him whenever you see him around. Then, find subtle ways to put yourself in his path until you get an opportunity to chat him up. Be sure to ask him interesting, open-ended questions to keep the conversation flowing and, if possible, work a compliment or two in there! When he makes a funny joke, reach your hand out and casually touch his arm while you're laughing to break the touch barrier and show him that you feel comfortable around him. | Make eye contact. Eye contact is a key flirting technique which can be implemented anywhere, at any time, as long as your crush is in sight. While you don't want it to look like you're staring deep into his soul, lingering eye contact will show him you're interested. It will also be a good indicator of his interest—if he holds the eye contact, he's probably into you. If he looks away he might just be shy. One good trick is to look directly at him until he catches you looking. When he does, hold eye contact for a moment or two before smiling and looking away. If you're feeling particularly cheeky, you could throw in a wink! Smile. Studies have shown that smiling actually makes you more attractive to other people, so work that to your advantage by flashing those pearly whites! Smiling makes you seem friendlier and more approachable, which might be just the push your crush needs to come over and talk to you! Smiling will also make you feel happier and more confident two essential ingredients of successful flirting. Use body language. Even if you haven't opened your mouth, you can say a great deal using just your body language. Smiling and eye contact are part of this, but there are a few other things you should be aware of: Don't cross your arms. Crossing your arms is like the opposite of smiling - it makes you seem closed off and unapproachable, thus scaring your man away. Some people do this unconsciously when they're nervous, so make sure to keep an eye on it. Flip your hair. Flipping your hair is a very feminine action, as it draws attention to your lustrous locks. It is also a well-recognized flirty action - so if you flip or play with your hair in front of a guy, he'll probably know you're flirting with him. Play with your jewelry. Playing with jewelry, such as a necklace, draws attention to your neckline, which many guys find attractive in a girl. Find subtle ways to put yourself in his path. In order to flirt, you need to be around the object of your affection as often as possible. Make a conscious effort to put yourself in his path, without seeming too obvious. Walk past his desk on your way out the door, or take your dog to the same park he plays soccer at. Be careful not to overdo this, though, or you'll end up looking like a stalker. Look your best. Give yourself an added boost of confidence by looking your very best whenever your crush is around. This doesn't mean tiny skirts, high heels and lashings of mascara - it just means that you should take some pride in your appearance by being well-groomed and neatly dressed. If you look your best, you'll feel your best - which is essential for successful flirting! Keep your hair clean and fresh-smelling, brush your teeth, shave where necessary, paint your nails - anything that makes you feel pretty and puts an extra pep in your step. Wear clean, non-wrinkled clothes that you feel comfortable in - you can't go wrong with a nice fitting pair of jeans! Try out different hairstyles - curly , straight , in a bun , in a fishtail braid - to create a fresh new look each day. The same goes for make-up - experiment with different colors and trends til you find a look that makes you feel good. Consider making the first move. Sure, you could wait for him to come to you. But there's a lot of expectation on guys to start the pursuit, and it can get tiring. If you approach him, you'll instantly stand out among all the other girls he might consider dating — and you get to pick the perfect moment for you. Start talking. One of the best ways to move the situation along and flirt more openly is to get involved in a conversation with your crush. Find an opportunity to chat him up about something you have in common, whether it's school, work , or a recent event. Open with a question. This will show you're interested in getting to know him, not just interested in talking about yourself. Ask him what he thought of the latest Fast and Furious installment or whether he did anything fun over the weekend. Try to avoid asking questions that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no" - this is a surefire way to end the conversation before it's even begun. Transition to talking about him. People love to talk about themselves, so try to get him started on something he's passionate about - whether it's music, sport or plans for the future. Use his name a lot. It's a fact that people love to hear their own name in conversation - especially when it's used by a member of the opposite sex! Calling your crush by his name will send a tingle up his spine and create a sense of intimacy between you. Smile and laugh. Smiling and laughing throughout your conversation shows that you're comfortable around your crush and, more than that, that you enjoy listening to him talk. It will also make you look more attractive and you will come across as a happy, fun-loving person - which is exactly how you want him to view you. Laughing at his jokes will make him feel funny, which guys always like. Be careful not to overdo it though - you don't want to sound like a cackling hyena and scare him away! Break the touch barrier. Finding small ways to touch your crush is an obvious signal that you're flirting, and shows him that you're willing to make a small level of physical contact. Try doing it in these ways: Touch his forearm lightly while you're talking. When he makes a funny joke, reach your hand out and touch his arm while you're laughing. Alternatively, you can do this as a form of playful or genuine consolation. Casually put a hand or elbow on his shoulder. This creates a sense of camaraderie between you and shows him that you feel completely comfortable around him. "Accidentally" lean into him if you're walking together. If you're already flirty and you want to move things to the next level, brush your hand against his and see how he reacts. Straighten his collar. Another sneaky tactic you can use to touch your crush is to tell him that his shirt collar (or tie) is crooked, so you can lean in to fix it. Stand squarely in front of him so you're face to face, then casually brush your fingers against his neck as you adjust his collar. When you're done, look him in the eyes and say "that's better!" before taking a step back. Draw attention to your body. Guys are visual creatures, so nothing gets them going like a sneaky flash of flesh here and there. Subtly drawing attention to your body every now and then will get his heart racing and help him to realize how much he likes you. Rub your shoulder. Pretend you have an ache in your shoulder and pull down the neckline of your top, exposing your skin as you massage it. If you're lucky, he'll offer to rub it better for you. Ask if you should get your belly button pierced. For tummy-confident girls, one good technique is to pull up your top slightly and tell him you were thinking of getting your belly button pierced, then ask for his opinion on the matter. If he stammers out an answer, you'll know your cheeky trick caught his attention. Lick your lips. Make him think about kissing you by drawing attention to your lips in front of him. Lick your lips, bite them, apply some lip gloss - anything as long as you do it with an air of nonchalance. Be careful not to overdo things here - drawing attention to your body can work very well, but only if it's used in moderation. Otherwise you can seem desperate and attention-seeking, so avoid prancing around in front of him in a bikini (unless you're at the beach - in which case; go for it!) Dance with him. Dancing with a guy is a fun way to show him that you're into him, without being too serious. It could be at a school dance or a nightclub, it doesn't matter as long as you get some one-on-one time together. Make it very obvious that you're choosing to dance with him. Grab his hands and pull him away from the group. If he goes with you willingly, you'll know that he's into it. You can try to dance sexily if you like, but avoid grinding on him or being too overtly sexual - it's inappropriate in front of other people and you might just make him feel uncomfortable. If he's an awkward dancer, you can try to make him feel more at ease by breaking out some wacky dance moves of your own - just be silly and have fun with it - if you can make him laugh, then it's worth it. Try to work in a slow dance if you can. Put your arms on his shoulders and let him hold you tightly around the waist. Gaze up into his eyes as you gently sway - he'll melt inside. Pay him a compliment. Don't expect the compliments to go one-way — guys love to be complimented too! Making your crush feel noticed and appreciated shows him that you're interested in him as a person, and that you're paying attention to what's important. Here's how to make your compliment even more amazing: Be specific. The more specific you are, the more personal the compliment will be. If you say something generic such as "I think you're hot," chances will be that he's heard it before. If you focus on a specific trait or quality that you love, the compliment will be fresh and you'll stick out in his mind. If he's on a sports team and you saw him play, praise his performance. If you heard him playing his guitar or drums, compliment his playing. If you're feeling more intimate, tell him that you love the color of his eyes - and use it as an excuse to gaze into them. When giving the compliment, lean in close and lower your voice slightly. This makes the compliment seem intimate and secret. Make eye contact while you give the compliment and keep smiling slightly. This will highlight your sincerity and show him that you're genuinely impressed. Just make sure not to overdo it on the compliments or make them too fake. This will significantly lessen their impact and he might stop taking you seriously. One simple, sincere compliment is better than 100 fake ones. Playfully tease him. Some playful teasing can be a great flirting technique - if used correctly. Teasing can create a sense of intimacy and show the guy that you have a sense of humor. Just be warned - if you give it, you need to be able to take it! Tease him about small, unimportant things - pretend you think he has a crush on his Math teacher, or joke that he loves his dog more than any human being. If he's particularly good looking, ask him how his Abercrombie interview went; if he's just been to the gym, make an exaggerated comment about his huge muscles - rather than being offensive, you want your teasing to be more of a veiled compliment! Never get too personal with your teasing, or he might take it the wrong way - insulting his family, his performance at work or school, or criticizing his appearance should be off-limits - at least until you know him better. Leave him wanting more. Don't let the conversation drag on so long that he has time to get bored or distracted. Instead, walk away while he's still interested so that he can't wait to see you again. Leave an opening for next time. If you say, "I have to run, but maybe I'll see you around tomorrow?", you've already planted the idea that you'll see him again. Lean in like you want a kiss, but at the last minute turn your head and whisper "I had a great time" in his ear. Text him "accidentally". If you're not sure how to get a text conversation going, one good tactic is to text him pretending you think he's someone else, like you're best friend. Say something like "Haha, yeah right! So what are you doing this weekend?:)" Give it a minute or two, then send a second message saying something like "Oops, wrong person, sorry! But what are you doing this weekend? ;)" This will make it seem like you didn't intentionally start a conversation, but you're happy to have one anyway. Don't be boring. Boring text messages are pointless - texting things like "what's up?" or "what's the weather forecast for tomorrow?" is deeply uninteresting and won't get you very far with your crush. Try to be unique and interesting - only send a message if you think it's going to bring a smile to your crush's face. For example, text something like "Just saw a giant teddy bear in the window of a toy shop - made me think of you." or "Quickly - help me choose: doughnut or chocolate muffin?" Leave some questions hanging. Once you're in a text conversation, try not to be overly enthusiastic, responding to every single thing in his last message. These kinds of text messages can be confusing and make you seem too eager. Respond to one or two items per message, but try to leave some of his questions hanging. This will give you an air of mystery and make him want to know the answer even more. On the same note, don't bombard him with questions in every message - this will also make you seem over-eager and he might find responding more hassle than it's worth. Keep your messages short and sweet. Be suggestive. Once things really get going and you feel more comfortable with your texting, you can start to heat things up a little - dropping not-so-subtle hints that you're interested in being more than friends. Play it safe at first - there's no need to be too racy, you just need to give him the idea that you want to be with him. Something cute like "I'm just about to watch a scary movie - wish you were here to stop me from being too scared!" If he responds in the same flirty tone, you can feel safe to continue. Try paying him a flirty compliment by saying something like "I can't stop thinking about how great your arms looked in that shirt today." If you want to get a little racier, you could try being even more suggestive. For instance, if he texts you but you don't reply for at least half an hour you could say something like "Sorry, I was in the shower..." His mind will do the rest. Don't send more than two texts in a row without a reply. The rules of texting dictate that you should receive approximately the same number of texts as you send. This means that if you're sending your crush 20 messages a day and he's only responding to about 5 of them, you're seriously overdoing it. Try to exercise a little self-control and refrain from texting every time your crush pops into your head. Wait until you have something truly interesting and important to say. And if you send more than two texts without receiving a reply, cut yourself off. You should also avoid always being the first one to text. Be a little mysterious and aloof and wait for him to text you. If he does, you'll know he's interested. Never send messages that only contain answers like "k" or "lol". This can be extremely frustrating and will give your crush nothing to respond to. Picture text. Picture texting can be a fun alternative way to communicate - and also ensures that your crush has a picture of you on his phone. Text him a picture of you and a group of friends at the back or mall and add "wanna join?" Text him a picture of yourself lying on the couch and write "Bored. Entertain me?" Text him a picture of a movie poster or concert flyer and just write "Interested?" Make a date. Texting can be a great way to ask a guy out, particularly if you're nervous about doing it face to face. Try to keep it casual by saying something like: "Hey! I just watched the trailer for the new Batman movie, I'm dying to see it. Wanna go this weekend?" or "Craving a caramel frappuccino! Meet me after school? Coffee's on me. :)" Even if he says no, you don't need to panic. Over text, it's easy to play it cool. Just say something like "No problem. Some other time." Then leave it up to him whether to continue the conversation or not. | Make eye contact. Smile. Use body language. Find subtle ways to put yourself in his path. Look your best. Consider making the first move. Start talking. Smile and laugh. Break the touch barrier. Draw attention to your body. Dance with him. Pay him a compliment. Playfully tease him. Leave him wanting more. Text him "accidentally". Don't be boring. Leave some questions hanging. Be suggestive. Don't send more than two texts in a row without a reply. Picture text. Make a date. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Phyllo-Dough | How to Make Phyllo Dough | To make phyllo dough, start by combining 2 ⅔ cups of water and ¼ teaspoon of salt using your mixer's paddle attachment at a slow speed. Then, combine 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons of water, 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon of cider vinegar, and add it to the flour mixture. Continue mixing until the dough gets soft, and add more water if it seems too dry. Next, swap out the paddle for the dough hook and mix for another 10 minutes. After that, knead the dough for 2 minutes by hand, coat it with vegetable oil, and let it set for 2 hours. | In a mixer, combine flour and salt and combine thoroughly on a slow setting. Use a paddle attachment if possible. Combine water, oil, and vinegar together separately. Don't worry if they don't mix just quite yet. Add the water, oil, and vinegar mixture to the flour,. Keeping the paddle attachment mixing on low speed. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/27\/Make-Phyllo-Dough-Step-2Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Make-Phyllo-Dough-Step-2Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/27\/Make-Phyllo-Dough-Step-2Bullet1.jpg\/aid1147504-v4-728px-Make-Phyllo-Dough-Step-2Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Continue mixing with the paddle attachment until the dough gets soft, about 1 minute. Mix just long enough for all the ingredients to come together. Add more water if dough is too dry. Switch out the paddle attachment with a hook attachment and continue mixing for about 10 minutes. The hook attachment of the mixer will simulate kneading, which is essential for phyllo dough to develop good elasticity. If you don't have a stand mixer and wish to knead the dough by hand — God bless you — get ready to knead for approximately 20 minutes. Remove the dough from the mixer and continue to knead for 2 more minutes by hand. While kneading, pick the dough ball up and throw it down on the counter several times to help push out any trapped air. Use about 1 teaspoon of olive or vegetable oil to coat the entire dough. Once coated, set aside in a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Wait for at least 30 minutes and as much as 2 hours for the dough to set. You'll get better results (i.e. the dough will be easier to work with) the longer you let is rest. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/e3\/Make-Phyllo-Dough-Step-6Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Make-Phyllo-Dough-Step-6Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e3\/Make-Phyllo-Dough-Step-6Bullet1.jpg\/aid1147504-v4-728px-Make-Phyllo-Dough-Step-6Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"} Cut the phyllo dough into roughly equal portions. Starting with nearly 3 cups of should give you 6 - 10 separate balls of dough. The bigger the ball to begin with, the larger the rolled sheets of phyllo will end up being. While you are rolling one piece of dough, remember to keep the other pieces of dough covered so that they do not dry out while you are rolling. Start rolling circular pieces of dough on a rolling pin or dowel. Dowels work great for making phyllo; their thin profiles make rolling very easy, and their length means that you can work on a large sheet of dough all at once. For the first couple of inches, roll the dough much like you would a pizza dough, trying to maintain a circular shape. While rolling, be sure to use ample flour or cornstarch. You pretty much can't over-flour the dough during the rolling phase. Continue rolling the dough on the pin or dowel by wrapping the dough around the dowel and rolling back and forth. Place the dowel slightly above the bottom of the dough. Wrap the dough around the top of the dowel so that part of the dowel is completely covered in dough. With both hands on either side of the dough, roll the dowel back and forth to thin out the dough. Unwrap the dough by rolling the dowel back towards you. Rotate the dough 90°, flour it lightly, and repeat the rolling process. Roll, rotating after each big back and forth, until the dough becomes translucent. Take the translucent dough into your hands and stretch apart very carefully to get an even thinner dough. Almost like working with a pizza, use both hands to very carefully stretch apart the sides of the dough, making sure to rotate the dough in your hands. This will create the thinnest possible dough for the amateur baker. It's very difficult, if not impossible, to get the dough as thin as you might in the store. Your dough will occasionally rip as you handle it and stretch it even farther apart. Don't worry about these small rips. As long as the piece of phyllo you put on top is without blemish, you'll never notice them in the final product. Place each finished sheet of phyllo on top of each other on a well-floured baking sheet. If you want your dough to be extra-crispy, consider brushing on either oil or melted butter between each layer. If you prefer your phyllo a little chewy, leave as is. Repeat until your 7 - 10 layers are fully stacked. You can increase the bulk of your phyllo by cutting the dough in half and stacking it on top. Dough can be kept frozen and saved for later use. Enjoy. Use your phyllo to make spanakopita , baklava , or even an apple pie with phyllo subbed in for pastry dough. | In a mixer, combine flour and salt and combine thoroughly on a slow setting. Combine water, oil, and vinegar together separately. Continue mixing with the paddle attachment until the dough gets soft, about 1 minute. Switch out the paddle attachment with a hook attachment and continue mixing for about 10 minutes. Remove the dough from the mixer and continue to knead for 2 more minutes by hand. Use about 1 teaspoon of olive or vegetable oil to coat the entire dough. Cut the phyllo dough into roughly equal portions. Start rolling circular pieces of dough on a rolling pin or dowel. Continue rolling the dough on the pin or dowel by wrapping the dough around the dowel and rolling back and forth. Unwrap the dough by rolling the dowel back towards you. Roll, rotating after each big back and forth, until the dough becomes translucent. Take the translucent dough into your hands and stretch apart very carefully to get an even thinner dough. Place each finished sheet of phyllo on top of each other on a well-floured baking sheet. Repeat until your 7 - 10 layers are fully stacked. Enjoy. |
https://www.wikihow.pet/Check-Cats-for-Worms | How to Check Cats for Worms | If you have a cat and you want to check it for worms, check to see if its gums are pale or white, which could be a sign of a parasitic infection. If your cat uses a litter box, look for dark, tarry stools, diarrhea, or the presence of eggs in the feces, all of which can indicate the presence of worms. You can sometimes spot tapeworm eggs near your cat's anus as well. Other signs that your cats may have worms might be a loss of appetite or a swollen abdomen. If you think your cat has worms, take it to the vet right away. | Look for changes to the cat's coat. A cat's fur is usually lustrous, but if your cat has worms, its coat might become dull or flat looking. This can occur because of dehydration or poor absorption of nutrients resulting from the parasite infection. Check your cat's gums. A healthy cat has pink gums, much like our own. If your cat's gums are pale or white, this could be a sign that it is anemic. A common explanation for this can be a parasite infection. To check your cat's gums, sit him or her in your lap or next to you, gently grasp the cat's head in your hands, under the jaw and behind the ears. Use your fingertips to lift the flap of the cat's upper lip so that the gums above the teeth are exposed. If the gums are pale, you should contact your vet as soon as possible. Examine your cat's feces. If your cat uses a litter box, it is easy to keep an eye on its feces. Watch for the following symptoms: Dark, tarry stools may indicate blood loss from where hookworms attached themselves to the wall of the intestine. Diarrhea can occur because worms also take up space within the gut and interfere with digestion. If your cat has diarrhea for more than 24 hours, or if you see fresh blood or dark tarry stools, seek veterinary help. Watch for vomiting. Vomiting is common among cats. If it occurs frequently, however, your cat should see the vet, as this may be a sign of worms or some other health problem. Worms can cause vomiting either by blocking the outflow to the stomach or by irritating the stomach lining. Pay attention to how much your cat eats. A high worm burden is usually associated with a loss of appetite. This is due to a number of factors such as inflammation of the bowel lining, stomach ache, and the physical space the worms take up within the bowel. Look for changes in the shape of your cat's body. Cats with a lot of worms may develop a potbelly, causing the abdominal area to look swollen. Like vomiting, this is a general symptom and can happen for a variety of reasons, but this sign is sufficient to warrant a trip to the vet, whatever the underlying cause. Notice signs of lethargy. If the worms are stealing nutrition direct from the bowel, the cat or kitten will feel lethargic, appear listless, and lack energy. Pay attention to any dramatic changes in your cat's energy level. Again, this can be a symptom of many different ailments, and is one that warrants a vet check up. You know your cat's normal energy level best, so keep your eye out for any sudden reduction in energy or playfulness. Check for eggs in the cat's feces. Put on some disposable plastic gloves and use a disposable tool such as a popsicle stick to examine feces in the litter box for signs of parasites. Tapeworms may leave egg packets stuck to the surface of the stool. These look like sesame or cucumber seeds, and sometimes wriggle and move. It is unusual to see a whole tapeworm in cat feces, but they look like flat, cream-colored worms made up of many segments. An adult tapeworm can reach about two feet (60 centimeters) in length. Roundworm eggs are too small to see with the naked eye, but sometimes whole worms do pass out in the feces, or may even be vomited up. Roundworms look like spaghetti: long and smooth and about the same diameter as a strand of pasta. An adult roundworm is usually just three to six inches long. Hookworm eggs are also too small to see. An adult hookworm is likewise tiny, measuring a mere two to three millimeters long, and therefore also difficult to detect. Check your cat's anus. Tapeworm eggs packets migrate out of the cat's anus and stick to the fur. Thus, you can safely conclude your cat has tapeworms if you see creamy-white egg packets, which look like sesame seeds, clinging to the cat's fur. Examine your cat's bedding and other favorite spots. Egg packets sometimes get stuck on places where the cat has sat, such as bedding or soft furniture, so check these areas if you suspect your cat may have worms. Call your veterinarian to schedule an exam. If you are concerned your cat may have worms, one of the most reliable ways to find out is to submit a fecal sample for analysis to your local veterinary clinic. The sample will be looked at under a microscope to detect worm eggs. Each worm type has different shaped eggs and so this is the most effective way to determine what type (or types) of worms your cat may have. When you call the vet, describe any symptoms your cat may be displaying. Collect a stool sample. If you are asked to collect a sample, you'll need to gather up some of your cat's feces and store the collection container until your appointment. Worm eggs are hearty, but for best results, keep the container in a cool, dark place such as a garage or shady shed. Do not keep the container in a room where food is prepared, and always wash your hands after collecting a fecal sample. To decrease the chances of a false negative on the fecal test, some vets will ask for a pooled sample, which means collecting three bowel movements from three separate days in the same container. Bring your cat in for an exam. The veterinarian will examine your cat and perform fecal tests if they think it necessary. If your cat does have worms, the veterinarian will prescribe medication. Administer as directed and the problem should clear up quickly. | Look for changes to the cat's coat. Check your cat's gums. Examine your cat's feces. Watch for vomiting. Pay attention to how much your cat eats. Look for changes in the shape of your cat's body. Notice signs of lethargy. Check for eggs in the cat's feces. Check your cat's anus. Examine your cat's bedding and other favorite spots. Call your veterinarian to schedule an exam. Collect a stool sample. Bring your cat in for an exam. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Milk-Frother | How to Use a Milk Frother | To use a manual milk frother, start by filling the frother a third of the way with milk. Then, place the lid on the frother, and plunge the handle up and down for 30 seconds. When you're finished, take the lid off the frother, and check the consistency of the foam. If it's not frothy enough, place the lid back on and plunge the milk for 30 more seconds. Finally, once you're satisfied with the foam, tap the bottom of the frother on a flat surface to remove any large air bubbles. | Buy fresh milk. Check the expiration date of milk when you buy it at the store. Choose milk that is farther from its expiration date. Older milk has more glycerol, a natural compound that makes it harder for frothed milk to hold its bubbles. Use skim milk if you’re new to frothing. Swap in skim for higher-fat milks as you learn how to froth milk. The chemical structure of skim milk is better at holding foam at room temperature. As a shortcut, you can use whatever type of milk you prefer for your drink and then spoon skim foam on top. Pour your milk into the carafe of your manual frother. Fill your carafe or another container (if your frother is electric rather than manual) so the milk only fills 1/3 of the volume. This will leave plenty of room for your milk to grow in size when you froth it. Chill your carafe of milk. Place the carafe in the refrigerator to make the milk cold. This is especially important if you buy UHT milk, which is normally unrefrigerated. Dip a spoon into the milk after 30 minutes to test the temperature on your wrist. Remove the milk from the fridge when it is cold to the touch. You can froth steamed milk, but it will make less froth. It's best to froth the milk then heat it if you'd like your foam to be hot. There is not a particular temperature your milk needs to be chilled to. Replace the lid of the frother. Check the edge of the carafe to make sure the top has fit into place and that there is no gap between the lid and the carafe. Placing the top on improperly can cause a big mess when you froth! Plunge the handle up and down for 30 seconds. Hold the carafe firmly with your nondominant hand as you pump the plunger into the milk with your dominant hand. It may require more strength to pump the milk as the foam builds, which is normal. Check the foam’s consistency. Lift the top off the carafe, and look at the milk. Some people prefer their milk only slightly foamy, while others prefer lots of foam. If your milk hasn't reached your desired consistency, plunge it for up to 30 seconds more. Don't plunge your milk for longer than 1 minute total by hand. Over frothing your milk can cause the air bubbles you've developed to break down. Remove the lid of the carafe. Tap the whisk at the bottom of the plunger on the edge of the carafe. This will shake any excess froth into the container. Swirl the carafe in a circular motion once. Tap the bottom of the carafe on the counter once to remove excessively large air bubbles. Your foam will settle a little bit, which is okay. Your milk is now ready to heat and serve. Hold your frothing wand vertically with the head inserted in the milk. Check that the head of the wand is fully submerged in the milk, and turn the wand to on. If the wand has multiple speeds, turn it on high. Swirl the wand in a circular motion for 30 seconds. Keep the head of the wand near the bottom of the carafe as you begin whipping the foam. You will see bubbles forming. Change to an up-and-down motion for another 30 seconds. Keep the head of the wand beneath the surface of the milk at all times to avoid creating a mess. The milk will become foamier during this last 30 seconds. Switch the wand to off. Tap the wand on the side of the container to remove any excess foam. The foam created by an electric wand is finer, so avoid swirling or tapping your carafe. Your milk is now ready to heat and serve. Microwave your frothed milk for 30-40 seconds. If your carafe is made of metal, gently pour your milk into a microwave-safe container. If your carafe is microwave safe, you can pop it directly in the microwave. Check the milk every 30 seconds until you reach your desired temperature. Overheating your milk can cause it to scald, affecting the flavor. Avoid heating your milk to the point of boiling. Remove the milk from the microwave. Wear an oven mitt or use a tea towel to remove your hot container from the microwave. Handle the milk as if it is very hot—it probably is!—to prevent accidental burns. Use a spoon to lift the foam onto your favorite coffee drinks. If you'd like some hot milk in your coffee in addition to just the foam, pour your frothed milk slowly into your cup so the foam doesn't collapse. Treating your frothed milk gently will prevent it from losing air. | Buy fresh milk. Use skim milk if you’re new to frothing. Pour your milk into the carafe of your manual frother. Chill your carafe of milk. Replace the lid of the frother. Plunge the handle up and down for 30 seconds. Check the foam’s consistency. Remove the lid of the carafe. Swirl the carafe in a circular motion once. Hold your frothing wand vertically with the head inserted in the milk. Swirl the wand in a circular motion for 30 seconds. Change to an up-and-down motion for another 30 seconds. Tap the wand on the side of the container to remove any excess foam. Microwave your frothed milk for 30-40 seconds. Remove the milk from the microwave. Use a spoon to lift the foam onto your favorite coffee drinks. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Secret-Santa | How to Do a Secret Santa | To do a secret Santa, write down the names of everyone participating on a piece of paper, and cut out each name so it's on its own strip of paper. If the participants don't know each other well, have them include their age and one of their interests before putting the names into a hat. Before you pick names, discuss a price limit for the gifts that works for everyone. Then, have each person pull 1 name out of the hat, and set a date for giving gifts. Purchase a gift within the price limit and exchange them on the pre-determined date. Remember not to tell anyone who you're buying a gift for! | Write the names of everyone participating on a piece of paper. If the group is larger and people don't know each other that well, it is a good idea to get people to write their names and some distinguishing features/interests such as "male astronomy buff, 65" or "female triathlete devotee, 34". In more intimate group environments, only the name of the person is necessary. Cut out and toss the names into a hat. The next step is to prepare the names for a drawing. Cut each name out, and then fold it in half once or twice to prevent people from reading it without unfolding it. Then, place all the folded names into a bowl or hat and mix them around a bit so that the names are shuffled. Set a price limit. This can be done in discussion with the whole group or just by those who are organizing the event. The price limit is set so that some people don't try to be cheap and get away with purchasing a gift for only a few dollars, while others try to overachieve and purchase very expensive gifts. Select a price limit in the 'happy medium' range that you know everyone in the group can afford. It's better to be safe than sorry and choose a lower price range than to choose something too high that some people don't have enough money for. Draw names. Work around the group, giving everyone the opportunity to draw a single name randomly out of the hat. Keep the names folded and hidden until everyone has drawn. At this point each person can look at their name, as long as they are careful not to say who they have or to show anyone else their slip of paper. If someone draws their own name, have them redraw. Set a gift-giving date. The next step is for everyone to go out and purchase a gift (within the price range) for the person whose name they drew from the hat. Typically, there is a second meeting time at which all the secret santa players exchange gifts and reveal whose name they had the whole time. Check with the members of the group and select a date and time several days in advance at which everyone can meet to exchange their gifts. Purchase a gift. With your person in mind, go out and choose the perfect gift for them. Try to make it personal, and avoid choosing a generic gift like a coffee mug or a bag of candy. Be intentional about matching the price limit though, otherwise you may make your gift recipient or others uncomfortable with how cheap or how expensive you were. Exchange gifts. When everyone in the group has purchased their gifts and met up together, you can begin the gift exchange. Wait until everyone is present, and continue keeping your gift recipient a secret until everyone is given a 'go' to start exchanging gifts. At that point, find the person to match the name you drew, and reveal your gift! Don't forget you'll be receiving a gift as well, so remain gracious and polite as you accept your present (even if you really don't like what you got). Keep it appropriate. Gag gifts are fun sometimes, but in general you should always choose gifts that would not be perceived as inappropriate for a group setting. Avoid alcohol. Unless your secret santa is happening at a wine tasting party, you shouldn't assume that your gift recipient will appreciate a bottle of alcohol as much as you or someone else might. Especially at office parties, giving alcohol could create an awkward exchange if your recipient doesn't like drinking or is recently sober. If your recipient is an alcohol enthusiast, try choosing a related gift rather than alcohol itself (like wine charms or a beer koozie). Buy something practical. If you're not quite sure what to get your person, play it safe and choose something that is practical and useful. That way, even if it isn't something that they might have wanted, they will still have a use for it. Consider holiday ornaments, kitchen necessities, or a good book in a genre they're interested in. Get something specific. If you can, do a bit of research on your gift recipient in order to choose a gift that is truly tailored to them. Ask around, look at their work or social media profiles, or discreetly do a bit of questioning with them. They'll appreciate the time and effort you put into choosing a gift that is special and geared towards them. Consider making a gift. If you're the creative type, a homemade gift done in good taste will seem personal and meaningful. Consider your recipient's interests when making a gift for them, rather than just throwing together a bunch of scraps and appearing cheap. There is a big difference between making something creative and worthwhile, and making something cheap and lazy because you forgot to/didn't buy something. | Write the names of everyone participating on a piece of paper. Cut out and toss the names into a hat. Set a price limit. Draw names. Set a gift-giving date. Purchase a gift. Exchange gifts. Keep it appropriate. Avoid alcohol. Buy something practical. Get something specific. Consider making a gift. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Smoothie | How to Make a Smoothie | To make a fruit smoothie, first pour 1 cup (240 mL) of fruit juice, milk, or non-dairy milk into a blender. You can even use water if that's all you have. Then add 1/2 cup (120 mL) of yogurt. Finally, add 2 cups (300 g) of frozen fruit and blend on high until smooth. Pour your smoothie into a glass and enjoy. If you don't have frozen fruit, use fresh fruit instead and add 1 cup (150 g) of ice. To make a delicious mango, pineapple, and kiwi smoothie, start by adding 1 cubed mango, 1 diced kiwi, and 1 cup (200 g) of cubed pineapple to a blender. Then, add 1 cup (240 mL) of milk and 2 cups (475 mL) of plain Greek yogurt. Blend on high speed for a few minutes and enjoy. | Pour 1⁄2 to 1 cup (120 to 240 ml) of liquid into a blender. If you put the liquid into the blender first, the machine will have an easier time combining the ingredients. Although milk and juice are common smoothie liquids, you could use water, coconut milk, yogurt, or non-dairy milk, such as soy, hemp, or almond milk. Put 2 to 3 cups (350 to 525 g) of fruit into the blender. Most smoothies include fruit and you can choose a single type or a combination. You can also decide if you'd like to use fresh or frozen fruit. Frozen fruit will make your smoothie slightly thicker, so you may want to leave the ice out when you blend it. Keep in mind that some fruits, such as bananas or mangoes, are so sweet that you might not need to use additional sweeteners. Try making a smoothie with any of these fruits: Berries: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries Citrus: oranges, grapefruits Pears Stone fruit: peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries Mangos Bananas Papayas Scoop in additional dairy if you'd like to thicken the smoothie. Instead of pouring in more milk, which will make the smoothie thinner, add a scoop of Greek yogurt or frozen yogurt. The Greek yogurt will add protein and firm up the smoothie while the frozen yogurt will make the entire smoothie taste creamier and thick. Experiment by using different flavors of yogurt. You could match the flavors of the fruits or use complementary flavors. For example, make a peach smoothie with peach Greek yogurt or try a peanut butter smoothie with chocolate frozen yogurt. Include spices, herbs, or flavorings to make a unique smoothie. You'll get a lot of delicious flavor from the produce you use, so you don't have to add spices unless you want a very specific flavor. For example, if you want warming flavors, add a few pinches of cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, or cardamom. For a strong herbal flavor, put 1 to 2 sprigs of fresh herbs, such as basil or lavender. Add nut butter, oats, or nuts to give the smoothie a filling texture. If you'd like more protein in your smoothie, add 1 to 2 spoonfuls of your favorite nut butter, rolled oats, or tofu. You might want to include interesting textures by mixing in a handful of nuts or seeds, such as chia seeds, flaxseeds, or sunflower seeds. Once you've blended the smoothie, you may want to include even more unique textures. You could stir in a handful of dried fruit, a few spoonfuls of toasted coconut, a small scoop of mini-chocolate chips, or a handful of crushed graham crackers. Include a scoop of protein powder or your favorite supplement. If you'd like to add protein, but don't want your smoothie to taste like peanut butter, add about 2 tablespoons (28 g) of protein powder. The powder will quickly dissolve in the smoothie. This is also a great chance to use any powdered nutritional supplement you're taking. Try blending your collagen supplement into your morning breakfast smoothie, for instance. Mix in your choice of sweetener according to your taste. You can use your favorite type of sweetener to enhance the flavor of your smoothie. If you don't want to use standard sugar, try adding a few soft dates or dried figs, prunes, or apricots. You can also drizzle honey, maple syrup, or agave syrup into the smoothie. If you're unsure how much sweetener to add, you may want to blend the smoothie and then taste it. This will give you a better idea of how much sweetener to use. Add about 1 cup (220 g) of ice. If you'd like a thick smoothie, start with at least 1 cup (220 g) of ice and add more as needed. If you're using frozen fruit, you could leave the ice out since the frozen fruit will act like ice. Keep in mind that if you leave the ice out with fresh fruit, your smoothie will be more like juice. You can freeze any of the smoothie ingredients to help the drink firm up. For example, instead of using fresh berries, open a bag of frozen berries and pour them directly into the blender. Cover the blender and blend the smoothie for about 1 minute. Keep blending until the ingredients are combined and as smooth as you like. Then, pour the smoothie into 1 or 2 serving glasses and enjoy! If you need to store extra smoothie, pour it into an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 8 months. Keep in mind that the smoothie will begin to melt in the fridge and you may want to blend it with more ice before you serve it. To serve the frozen smoothie, transfer it directly to the blender and mix it until it's smooth. Add vegetables if you'd like a fresh-tasting smoothie that isn't very sweet. Cut back the amount of fruit you use so you use a total of 2 to 3 cups (350 to 525 g) of fresh produce. You might use 1 cup of fruit (175 g) and 1 cup (175 g) of vegetables, for instance. Leafy greens, such as spinach and kale, blend easily. You could also try celery, cucumber, or bell peppers. Create a creamy smoothie with mangoes and peaches. Make a refreshing fruit smoothie by blending 3 cups (495 g) of chopped mangos with 2 cups (450 g) of chopped peaches, 1 cup (285 g) of plain Greek yogurt, ⁄ 2 cup (120 ml) of milk, and 1 teaspoon (2 g) of grated ginger. Then, taste the smoothie and add honey until it's as sweet as you like. If you'd like a slightly minty taste, add 4 fresh mint leaves before you blend the smoothie. Substitute any type of yogurt you like. For example, use peach yogurt for an extra fruity flavor. Make a classic strawberry banana smoothie. This naturally sweetened smoothie is a popular smoothie for good reason. You'll need to blend 2 cups (300 g) of frozen strawberries with 1 fresh banana, 1 cup (240 ml) of milk, 1 cup (220 g) of ice, and 1 tablespoon (21 g) of honey. You can taste the smoothie and add more honey if it's not sweet enough for your taste. For a really strong strawberry flavor, try using strawberry milk! If you're a big fan of berries, you can make other berry smoothies as well, including mixed berry and raspberry varieties. Blend spinach with berries to make a vegan green smoothie. Smoothies are a great way to sneak in your daily veggies. Put 2 cups (450 g) of fresh spinach into a blender along with 1 frozen banana and 1/2 cup (50 g) of mixed frozen berries. Then, add 1 tablespoon (7 g) of flaxseed meal, 1 tablespoon (16 g) of natural peanut butter, and ⁄ 2 to ⁄ 4 cup (120 to 180 ml) of plant-based milk, such as soy or hemp milk, before you blend the smoothie. If you don't like flaxseed meal or peanut butter, you can leave them out or use your favorite nut butter or spread. To make this smoothie thicker, add 1 tablespoon (16 g) of extra peanut butter at a time. To thin it, blend in 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 44 ml) of liquid at a time. Mix frozen blueberries with coconut milk for a refreshing smoothie. For a smoothie that doesn't contain dairy, milk, or bananas, blend 1½ cups (232 g) of blueberries with ⁄ 2 cup (120 ml) of unsweetened coconut milk, 1 tablespoon (1 g) of fresh mint leaves, 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of lime juice, 1 teaspoon (7 g) of honey, and 1 cup (220 g) of ice. Use any type of berries in this smoothie. For example, try blackberries or raspberries. Combine cold coffee with milk for a coffee protein smoothie. Instead of reaching for a cup of hot coffee in the morning, make a filling coffee smoothie. Blend 1 cup (240 ml) of cold coffee with 1 cup (240 ml) of almond milk, 1/2 of a frozen banana, 1 tablespoon (14 g) of light chocolate or vanilla protein powder, and 2 ice cubes. If you don't like almond milk, use any type of milk, such as cow's milk, soy milk, oat milk, or hemp milk. For an even heartier smoothie, add 1/4 cup (22 g) of rolled oats. Blend citrus fruits with mango and pineapple for a sunny-looking smoothie. Peel and quarter 1 orange and 1/4 of a lemon. Put the citrus into a blender along with ½ cup of (75 g) pineapple chunks, ¼ cup (60 g) of frozen mango chunks, and 1 cup (220 ml) of ice cubes. Then, blend the ingredients until the citrus fruits release their juice and the mixture is smooth. If you'd like an even creamier smoothie, add 1/2 cup (140 g) of plain or flavored yogurt. Whip up a rich chocolate peanut butter smoothie. Peel 2 bananas and put them into a blender along with 1/4 cup (62 g) of creamy peanut butter, ⁄ 2 cup (120 ml) of milk, 1/2 cup (120 g) of plain or vanilla yogurt, 2 tablespoons (14 g) of cocoa powder, and 3/4 cup (165 g) of ice. Blend the ingredients until the banana is smooth and combined. Try making this smoothie with your favorite nut butter. You could use almond, hazelnut, or cashew butter for a change. | Pour 1⁄2 to 1 cup (120 to 240 ml) of liquid into a blender. Put 2 to 3 cups (350 to 525 g) of fruit into the blender. Scoop in additional dairy if you'd like to thicken the smoothie. Include spices, herbs, or flavorings to make a unique smoothie. Add nut butter, oats, or nuts to give the smoothie a filling texture. Include a scoop of protein powder or your favorite supplement. Mix in your choice of sweetener according to your taste. Add about 1 cup (220 g) of ice. Cover the blender and blend the smoothie for about 1 minute. Add vegetables if you'd like a fresh-tasting smoothie that isn't very sweet. Create a creamy smoothie with mangoes and peaches. Make a classic strawberry banana smoothie. Blend spinach with berries to make a vegan green smoothie. Mix frozen blueberries with coconut milk for a refreshing smoothie. Combine cold coffee with milk for a coffee protein smoothie. Blend citrus fruits with mango and pineapple for a sunny-looking smoothie. Whip up a rich chocolate peanut butter smoothie. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Keep-a-Dress-Shirt-from-Riding-Up | How to Keep a Dress Shirt from Riding Up | To keep a dress shirt from riding up, start by tucking in your shirt like you normally would. Then, pull the excess fabric on the sides of your shirt back toward your back pockets and tuck it in. Finally, tighten your belt around your waist so the shirt doesn't ride up. You can also use shirt stays, which are mini suspenders that attach to your socks and the bottom of your dress shirt, which will keep it from riding up. | Tuck your shirt in like normal. Starting with your pants unbuttoned, push the tail of the shirt down into your waistband. Make sure it's straight and fully extended so there are no wrinkles. You want to start with as crisp and clean a foundation as possible. The military tuck will work best with a shirt that reaches at least 3–4 inches (7.6–10.2 cm) below your waistband. Zipping your pants halfway up (but not buttoning them just yet) may help hold the shirt in place while you carry out the next few steps. Grip the excess fabric on the sides of the shirt. Pinch the material between your thumb and forefinger just above your waistline. This will create a small dimple on either side of the fold. The place where you fingers meet will determine how much extra room you have in the shirt. Hold the fabric so that it sits close to your body, but not so snug that it pulls. Fold the excess fabric back on itself. Pull the material towards your back pockets so that it neatly overlaps the rest of the shirt. Try not to let the shirt tail crinkle or bunch up—the fold should lay perfectly flat in one piece. It may be easier (and tidier) to pinch and fold the sides of your shirt one at a time so you can use both hands. The crease created by the fold will just barely be visible above your belt, and will be hidden altogether when you have your arms down at your sides. Tighten your belt around the shirt. Finish zipping and buttoning your pants like normal. Then, cinch the belt down nice and snug to hold your carefully-arranged shirt tail in place. Use the palm of your hand to gently work out any wrinkles in the fabric around your waistline. Avoid tugging at the shirt once it's tucked. This is likely to just make imperfections worse. The military tuck is typically tight enough to keep a wayward shirt tail in place throughout the day. Put on your dress shirt and socks. Pull your socks up all the way up so that they sit just below your knees, and button the shirt from the bottom so that it's ready to tuck in. These two garments will provide the base for the shirt stays—the rest of your ensemble can stay in the drawer for now. Shirt stays resemble miniature suspenders. The two-armed end is designed to hold the bottom edge of a dress shirt, while the longer end runs down to your socks. Attach one end of the shirt stays to the bottom of the shirt. Fasten the two small clips on the “Y” end of the stay to the shirt's hem about 5 inches (13 cm) apart. Do the same on the opposite side. The shorter straps should rest on either side of your hip bones, with the longer strap reaching down the length of your leg. If your shirt stays have sliding clips, make sure the button side is inserted all the way into the metal frame. Give the clip a light tug to test whether it's secure. Be careful not to let the fabric of the shirt bunch up between the straps. Secure the other clip to the top of your sock. Pull the longer straps down and fasten them on the outsides of your legs. The stays will cause your shirt tail and socks to pull towards each other, creating a little tension in both directions. Not only will this keep your shirt from riding up, it will also keep your socks from falling down! If you find that the clips keep slipping off your socks, try folding the tops of the socks down about an inch to create a sturdier anchor point. Shirt stays tend to be a one-size-fits-all accessory, so anyone can wear them with confidence. However, you may need to shop around for stays with adjustable straps if you're well above average height or have particularly long legs. Finish getting dressed. Pull your pants on over your shirt, then button and belt them. Make any last-minute adjustments to the fabric around your waistline as needed. Your shirt should stay tucked in while you get the rest of your outfit together, and throughout your busy afternoon. Move around a little to test your range of motion. Every time you bend or lift your arms, the stays will draw your shirt tail right back into place. When worn correctly, shirt stays should be comfortable, unobtrusive, and invisible. Keep in mind that it may be necessary to unclip your shirt stays when it comes time to use the restroom. Buy your shirts a little long. When you're trying on dress shirts, make sure the hem comes down at least 4–5 inches (10–13 cm) past your natural waistline. For the cleanest appearance, the endpoint should be right around your wrists when your arms are at your sides. Longer shirts may still bunch up a bit as you move around, but they won't come totally untucked the way shorter ones will. Dress shirts with size guides like “fitted” and “modern cut” tend to wear longer than traditional style. If you usually have your shirts custom-tailored, specify the exact length that works best for you by stretching a tape measure from the base of your neck to the point you want the shirt tails to reach. Have your shirts tailored. Take your baggy, oversized dress shirts to an alterations specialist and have them take in the measurements a few inches. With less material around the truck and waistline, it won't be as noticeable when the shirt comes untucked over time. Getting your shirts tailored is a cheap fix. In most shops, it shouldn't cost you more than $10-20 per shirt. The most common cause of ruffling, bunching, and wrinkling is simply wearing a shirt that's too big. Tuck your undershirt into your underwear. Sometimes, it's a rebellious undershirt that causes a dress shirt to ride up, rather than the cut or material. You can correct this issue by slipping the hem of your t-shirt or tank top into the waistband of your underwear. The outer shirt will be less prone to drifting if the inner one isn't going anywhere. Stuffing your undershirt into your underwear may feel a little odd at first, but after a few wears you won't be able to tell the difference. Be mindful of the way you’re moving. Not all movement can be avoided, but if you can be more conscious of the way you're twisting, turning, and reaching, your carefully-coordinated look has a shot at making it past lunchtime. Resist the urge to stretch too tall or rest your hands behind your head when you're thinking. Remember that the higher your arms go, the higher your hem goes as a result. Avoid bending at the waist as much as possible. Leaning too far in any direction will yank your shirt tails right out your pants. Switch to a style you can wear untucked. If you're still not having any luck keeping your shirt tails from escaping, it may be time to go shopping. In particular, look for modern cuts with streamlined hems that are designed to be worn in or outside the waistband. One of these styles might make a fashionable substitute to the kind of shirts you're used to wearing, particularly when sported in a business-casual setting. The hem of your shirt should ideally hit right around the middle of your back pocket, or just below your zipper. When wearing a dress shirt untucked, it's usually acceptable to leave the top 1 or 2 buttons undone. | Tuck your shirt in like normal. Grip the excess fabric on the sides of the shirt. Fold the excess fabric back on itself. Tighten your belt around the shirt. Put on your dress shirt and socks. Attach one end of the shirt stays to the bottom of the shirt. Secure the other clip to the top of your sock. Finish getting dressed. Buy your shirts a little long. Have your shirts tailored. Tuck your undershirt into your underwear. Be mindful of the way you’re moving. Switch to a style you can wear untucked. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Sea-Bass | How to Cook Sea Bass | To cook sea bass, start by tearing off a sheet of aluminum foil and brush some olive oil down the center. Then, place the sea bass filets on the foil and season them with salt and pepper. You can also brush them with melted butter and lemon juice for more flavor. Finally, loosely fold the foil around the filets and bake them for 15 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. | Preheat the broiler. Position oven rack 4 inches (.10 m) beneath the heating coils. Coat a baking pan with non-stick spray before placing sea bass fillets in the pan. Combine 1 teaspoon (4.54 g) minced garlic, 1 tablespoon (.01 L) lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon (1.14 g) herb seasoning blend in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the fillets. Dust pepper onto the sea bass fillets to taste. Broil the bass for approximately 9 minutes or until the entire fillet is opaque. Use a knife to open the center of each fillet to check whether the sea bass is ready to eat. Prepare charcoal about 25 to 30 minutes before you plan to grill. White coals spread over an even layer are the best for grilling fish. Rinse fish with cool, running water and pat it dry. Empty 1 to 2 tablespoons (.01 - .03 L) olive oil into a small bowl. Brush the oil over each side of the bass fillets. Dust the sea bass with salt, pepper and other preferred herbs and spices to taste. Grill fish for 3 minutes on each side or until the fillets are opaque. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93.33 C). Blend 1 cup (.45 kg) flour with salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl for dredging. Coat each fillet evenly with flour mixture and shake gently to remove any excess. Heat 2 tablespoons (56.7 g) butter and 2 tablespoons (.03 L) olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the sea bass fillets and increase the heat to high. Sauté fish by swirling and shaking the pan for about 3 minutes until the fish is golden brown. Flip the fillets and repeat on the other side. Move the fillets from the pan and place them in an oven-safe dish. Turn the oven to warm and place the dish in the oven to keep the sea bass fillets warm until you are ready to eat. Place 1 cup (.24 L) dry white wine into your sauté pan. Make sure the heat is still on high heat. Cook wine in a non-stick pan until the wine reduces by 1/3 of its original volume. Drizzle wine sauce over the fillets and serve. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 C). Tear fillet-sized sections of foil and brush the center of each foil piece with olive oil. Combine juice from 1 lemon and 1 tablespoon (30g) of melted butter in a small bowl. Place each fillet on its aluminum foil section and dust the sea bass with salt and pepper to taste. Rub the melted butter and lemon juice mixture on fillets. Fold the sides of the foil around the fillets to make loose packages and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for approximately 15 minutes. | Preheat the broiler. Position oven rack 4 inches (.10 m) beneath the heating coils. Coat a baking pan with non-stick spray before placing sea bass fillets in the pan. Combine 1 teaspoon (4.54 g) minced garlic, 1 tablespoon (.01 L) lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon (1.14 g) herb seasoning blend in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the fillets. Dust pepper onto the sea bass fillets to taste. Broil the bass for approximately 9 minutes or until the entire fillet is opaque. Prepare charcoal about 25 to 30 minutes before you plan to grill. Rinse fish with cool, running water and pat it dry. Empty 1 to 2 tablespoons (.01 - .03 L) olive oil into a small bowl. Dust the sea bass with salt, pepper and other preferred herbs and spices to taste. Grill fish for 3 minutes on each side or until the fillets are opaque. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93.33 C). Blend 1 cup (.45 kg) flour with salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl for dredging. Coat each fillet evenly with flour mixture and shake gently to remove any excess. Heat 2 tablespoons (56.7 g) butter and 2 tablespoons (.03 L) olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the sea bass fillets and increase the heat to high. Sauté fish by swirling and shaking the pan for about 3 minutes until the fish is golden brown. Flip the fillets and repeat on the other side. Move the fillets from the pan and place them in an oven-safe dish. Place 1 cup (.24 L) dry white wine into your sauté pan. Cook wine in a non-stick pan until the wine reduces by 1/3 of its original volume. Drizzle wine sauce over the fillets and serve. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 C). Tear fillet-sized sections of foil and brush the center of each foil piece with olive oil. Combine juice from 1 lemon and 1 tablespoon (30g) of melted butter in a small bowl. Place each fillet on its aluminum foil section and dust the sea bass with salt and pepper to taste. Rub the melted butter and lemon juice mixture on fillets. Fold the sides of the foil around the fillets to make loose packages and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for approximately 15 minutes. |
https://www.wikihow.mom/Sterilize-Baby-Bottles | How to Sterilize Baby Bottles | Before sterilizing your baby bottles, check to make sure if it is safe to boil them. If the bottles are boil-safe, place them in a pot full of water, filling up the bottles as you do so. Put a lid on the pot and let it come to a boil. After you've allowed the bottles to boil for 15 minutes, remove them from the pot with tongs so you don't contaminate them with your hands, dry the bottles with a towel, and put the nipples on so they're ready to use. Alternatively, you can find baby bottle sterilizers for bottles you can't boil at most stores selling baby goods. | Place the bottles in a pot. Fill a large pot with water. Put the bottles in the water, filling them up with water as you do. Cover the bottles with water. You can also add the nipples to the water. Make sure your bottles can be boiled before you try this method. This method is best for glass bottles, but you can also use it on plastic if they can safely be boiled. Keep the pot just for boiling bottles. Bring the pot to a boil. Cover the pot with a clean lid. Set the pot on a stove burner. Turn the burner on high, and wait for the water to come to a boil. Pay attention to when it starts boiling, so you can start timing it. Keep the water boiling for 15 minutes. After the water comes to a boil, let the water keep boiling to fully sterilize the bottles. Try waiting at least 15 minutes before turning the burner off. Pull them out with sterilized tongs. You don't want to use your hands to pull out the bottles because they aren't sterile. Instead, plunge the end of the tongs in the boiling water while it's boiling, leaving them in there to sterilize, and then use those to pull the bottles out once they've cooled off a bit. Dry the bottles. You can simply dry them on a clean towel to get the excess water out. Turn them upside-down so they dry well. Once dry, place the nipples on the bottles so they're ready for use. You can also shake out the water. Place the nipples on the bottles, and then keep them in a fridge in a clean container to help keep bacteria off of them. Check the nipples for damage. Over time, this method can cause damage to the nipples. Inspect the nipples often to make sure they aren't cracking or breaking. Cracks can harbor germs. Place the clean bottles in the sterilizer. A steaming machine is used to steam bottles clean. The bottles and nipples go upside down in the sterilizer so the steam can reach all the nooks and crannies. You can find baby bottle sterilizers at most stores that sell baby goods. Many plug into the wall, though you can find a few that you can use in the microwave. Make sure your bottles can go in a steamer before using this method. Add water to the machine. Once you've got the bottles inside, water will create the steam. Each machine is a little different, so check the instructions for where you should pour in the water in your machine. Run the cycle. Once you've figured out where the water goes, you'll close the machine. Start the cycle based on your machine's instructions. You'll likely just need to hit a start button to get the cycle going. Remove the bottles as needed. Make sure the machine has cooled down, as you don't want to burn yourself with the steam. It's a good idea just to leave the bottles in the machine until you need them. Your machine should also have information on how long it's okay to keep bottles in the machine before running a new cycle. Mix the cleaning solution into water. A sterilizing solution uses (safe) chemicals to sterilize the bottles. Most of the time, they'll come with a special bucket to use for sterilizing. You'll need to mix a certain amount of cleaner into water in the bucket to create your cleaning solution, based on what the instructions say. You can find special cleaning solutions for baby bottles online or in most big box stores. Make sure you only use these cleaning solutions to sterilize bottles. Put the bottles in the solution. Submerge the bottles and nipples in the solution, checking to make sure each bottle fills up with solution. Most buckets will have a device at the top to help keep everything underwater. Let the bottle soak for half an hour. Most of the time, the bottles will need to soak for a certain amount of time before they are considered sterilized. Thirty minutes is usually the time it will take to completely sterilize the bottles using the chemical solution. Create a new solution each day. While you can leave the bottles in the solution, you need to renew the solution every 24 hours. Remove the bottles, and pour out the solution. Clean out the bucket with soap and water, and then start again from the beginning. While you don't need to sterilize bottles everyday, it's often easiest just to leave the bottles in the solution, which keeps them clean. | Place the bottles in a pot. Bring the pot to a boil. Keep the water boiling for 15 minutes. Pull them out with sterilized tongs. Dry the bottles. Check the nipples for damage. Place the clean bottles in the sterilizer. Add water to the machine. Run the cycle. Remove the bottles as needed. Mix the cleaning solution into water. Put the bottles in the solution. Let the bottle soak for half an hour. Create a new solution each day. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Pulled-Pork | How to Cook Pulled Pork | To cook pulled pork, heat a smoker or grill to 225 degrees Fahrenheit, place the roast on the grate, and close the lid. Cook the pork for 1 ½ hours per pound of meat or until you can easily insert a fork in the roast and rotate it 90 degrees. Once done, use 2 forks to separate the meat from the bone, shredding it into bite sized pieces as you go. | Purchase a pork shoulder roast. Choose a bone-in or boneless option. Either is acceptable for pulled pork. The benefit to a boneless roast is that you don't have to work around and remove the bone, but bone-in roasts are very flavorful and often less expensive. The meat shouldn't be too lean; some fat is required for flavoring and tenderness. Pick a roast that is 4 to 5 lbs. (1.8 to 2.3 kg). Roasts this size offer adequate surface areas to create crusty textures and add to the pulled pork. If you have a large crowd, select several similar sized roasts, rather than one 8 pound roast, for example. This ensures that all of the meat will have the right ratio of fat to meat. Trim the roast. Trim the fat from the outside of the roast. Remove large fat pieces, leaving a little less than 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) of fat on the surface area. The inside of the roast will still have plenty of fat, so don't worry about trimming away the flavor. When you're finished, rinse the roast and pat it dry. Use a sharp knife to trim the fat. It can be slippery, so using a dull knife is dangerous. A kitchen scissors is also handy to use for trimming the meat. Tie the roast with twine. Bind it with twine twice around each side (top to bottom and side to side). This helps the meat roast evenly. Apply rub to the roast. Baste the roast with oil, so the rub will stick to it. Rub a pork spice rub (available at most grocery stores) onto the roast's surface. Make sure the layer is thick and covers the entire roast evenly. You can make your own pork rub with salt, pepper, garlic and other herbs. Don't skimp with the rub - this is where a lot of the pork's great flavor will come from. Refrigerate the roast overnight. Place it in a baking dish, cover it with plastic wrap, and set it in the refrigerator so the salt and spices can meld with the pork overnight. Heat the smoker or grill to 225 degrees F (107 degrees C). Start cooking the meat. Put the roast directly on the grate, and close the lid. The rest of the process is relatively low-maintenance. Maintain the heat level between 225 and 250 degrees F (107 and 121 degrees C). Keep the lid closed. Refrain from opening the lid and checking the meat multiple times through the cooking process. Opening the lid allows heat to escape from the grill or smoker, which increases cooking time. Add wood or charcoal to the smoker or grill, if necessary, to maintain the heat level. Cook the pork until it is done. Keep it on the grill or smoker for at least 1 and 1/2 hours per pound (1/2 kg) of meat. Keep the meat on the grill or smoker until the outside of the roast is dark brown. Wiggle the bone for bone-in roasts to determine if it's thoroughly cooked. If the bone wiggles, the meat is done. Insert a fork into the roast to determine if it done cooking. The roast is done when the fork easily rotates 90 degrees. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Brown the roast. Place 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy dutch oven. Put the dutch oven on a burner over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, put the pork shoulder in the dutch oven and cook it on one side until it gets brown, about 5 minutes. When the first side is brown, flip the pork over and brown it on the other side. Don't cook the roast for too long at this stage; the point is just to brown the roast to bring out the flavor. Use a large pair of tongs to flip the roast carefully, so it doesn't splatter. Cook the roast. Put a lid on the dutch oven and place the roast in the oven. Cook the roast for about 3 1/2 hours, until the meat falls apart easily when it's poked with a fork. Remove the lid from the dutch oven and put the roast back in the oven to cook for another 1/2 hour. Place the roast in a large pan. It's easiest to use a big, wide, shallow pan for this job. Shred the pork. Use two forks to shred the pork meat into bite-sized pieces. Continue shredding the pork until the entire pork shoulder has been reduced to a pile of shredded pork. Mix the crust and the inside of the roast together as you go. Serve the pulled pork. Pulled pork is classically served with barbecue sauce either as a main dish or as a sandwich on a bun. Serve with a side of coleslaw and baked beans. | Purchase a pork shoulder roast. Trim the roast. Tie the roast with twine. Apply rub to the roast. Refrigerate the roast overnight. Heat the smoker or grill to 225 degrees F (107 degrees C). Start cooking the meat. Cook the pork until it is done. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Brown the roast. Cook the roast. Place the roast in a large pan. Shred the pork. Serve the pulled pork. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Paint-Galvanized-Steel | How to Paint Galvanized Steel | To paint galvanized steel, start by applying a latex-based primer evenly across the surface to stop the paint from soaking into it. Let the primer dry completely, which should take anywhere from 2-6 hours, so your paint will stick properly. Once the primer has dried, apply your first coat of paint with a brush or roller. Let your paint dry for 3-4 hours. When the paint is dry, apply your second coat on top. If possible, avoid subjecting your steel to pressure, heavy rain, or significant changes in temperature for the first month after painting it to allow it to fully harden. | Clean the steel with a chemical degreaser. Spray the surface with the solution, then scrub it with a clean, lint-free cloth. A powerful degreaser will cut through dirt, grime, mold, and other problematic residue without affecting the temperamental zinc coating. Proceed in small sections until you've cleaned the entire surface. Common household products like Comet, mineral spirits, and chlorine bleach can all be used to prepare galvanized steel for painting. If you're attempting to paint siding panels, roof flashing, or other materials that have seen exposure to the elements, a thorough cleaning is necessary to eliminate any organic contaminants from the outer surface. Allow the surface to dry. Once you've finished cleaning the steel, let it rest until all traces of the degreaser have evaporated. That way, you won't have to worry about the solution interfering with the action of the vinegar, which you'll be using to rough up the smooth steel. If possible, do your prepping and painting indoors, or on a clear day when there's little moisture in the environment. Scour older galvanized steel lightly to remove white rust, dust, and oil. When working with an item that's seen some wear, you may noticed a chalky or powdery film on parts of the surface. This can easily be buffed out with a high-grit sandpaper (120-grit or finer is preferable) and a little patience. Sand the steel using gentle circular motions until the exterior takes on a uniform appearance. Afterwards, wipe the surface with a cloth dampened with warm water to remove any lingering dust.< This chalky substance is commonly known as “white rust.” It forms when the thin layer of zinc coating the steel begins to break down as a result of age or exposure to the elements. Wipe down the steel with mineral spirits. Go over the galvanized steel thoroughly, applying more mineral spirits as needed. To ensure an even paint job, it's important that it come into contact with every part of the exterior. The acid in the vinegar will gently etch the slick zinc-coated finish, giving it a rougher texture that will allow paint to stick better. If you happen to miss a spot, you may end up with splotchy, peeling paint. Leave the vinegar to act for 1-2 hours. This will give it plenty of time to eat away at the galvanized surface. The longer it sits, the more pronounced the etching effect will be, and the better your paint will adhere. You might even let it work overnight if the timeframe for your project allows. If you're short on time, wait until the surface is dry to the touch before moving on to priming and painting. Apply a latex-based primer. Brush or spray the primer onto the prepped steel surface. Work in small sections, aiming for even coverage. Make sure there are no gaps or thin spots that might cause an issue later on when it comes time to paint. For maximum hold and durability, choose a multipurpose latex primer that's designed for exterior use. If the steel is destined for rough industrial or outdoor conditions, consider upgrading to a high-performance epoxy primer. Epoxy primers offer a semi-permanent hold, and are resistant to scratching, chipping, and peeling. Let the primer dry completely. This may take anywhere from 2-6 hours, depending on the product used. To test whether the primer is ready to accept paint, run the pad of your finger over the surface. If it feels tacky, it needs to dry a little longer. Applying paint to wet primer will hinder its ability to stick. Choose the right paint. In most cases, a standard latex paint formulated for exterior use will get the job done. These are readily available at most home improvement centers and hardware stores. Avoid using alkyd-based paints (such as spray paint) on galvanized steel. For the most dependable results, look for paints that are formulated specifically to bond to galvanized steel. The enamels in alkyd paints can react with the slick zinc finish on a galvanized steel surface, leading to poor adhesion and peeling. Brush on the first coat of paint. Spread the paint across the surface with long, linear strokes. Use the tip of your brush to dab the paint into grooves, creases, and textured areas. Check to make sure there are no gaps or missed spots before moving on. A roller may come in handy for applying paint to broad surfaces like siding and roof panels. Allow the base coat to dry to the touch. It will typically take 3-4 hours before the surface is ready to accept another coat. In the meantime, avoid handling the fresh paint. Doing so may leave behind smudges or creases in the completed finish. Expect drying times to be longer in warm, humid conditions. Follow up with a second and final coat. Two coats will usually be enough for the majority of projects. Apply the topcoat the same way you did the first. Take your time to ensure that there are no inconsistencies in the topcoat—any imperfections may be visible once the paint has dried. Indirect airflow from a box fan or air conditioning unit may help the topcoat set up faster. Once the topcoat is dry, you can go ahead and install the piece or put it to its intended use. Limit the paint’s exposure as it cures. Though most latex-based paints dry in a matter of hours, it can take them a few weeks (or as long as a month, in some cases) to fully harden. If possible, avoid subjecting the steel to stress and wear like pressure, heavy precipitation, or drastic fluctuations in temperature until then. At that point, it will be ready to take whatever you can throw at it. When properly applied, the paint job on your galvanized steel will enjoy a long lifespan and be more resilient to extreme conditions. | Clean the steel with a chemical degreaser. Allow the surface to dry. Scour older galvanized steel lightly to remove white rust, dust, and oil. Wipe down the steel with mineral spirits. Leave the vinegar to act for 1-2 hours. Apply a latex-based primer. Let the primer dry completely. Choose the right paint. Brush on the first coat of paint. Allow the base coat to dry to the touch. Follow up with a second and final coat. Limit the paint’s exposure as it cures. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Prune-Burning-Bush | How to Prune Burning Bush | To prune your burning bush, it's best to do it in late winter or early spring before any new growth. Use pruning shears to cut any dead or dying branches. If you spot any diseased branches, cut them back to the main stem. You should also cut any intertwining branches down to the main stem to stop them growing around each other again. Once you've pruned any problem branches, trim your bush down to the shape you want. Aim to cut branches and twigs about a ¼ inch above any buds or side branches. | Prune in late winter or early spring. Pruning done only for the health of the plant should be scheduled for the late winter or early spring, before new growth has had much chance for development. Since burning bushes are primarily grown for their foliage, you don't need to worry too much about accidentally removing flower buds. The most vibrant foliage will grow on new branches, though, so it is still best to trim the bush before new growth has developed. When you decide to prune a burning bush for the health of the plant alone, you only need to worry about removing branches that could encourage disease to spread through the plant and destroy it. Even if you opt to prune the plant for shape, you should still prune it for health before worrying shape maintenance. Remove dead or dying branches. Use pruning shears to cut away any dead branches or branches that have been severely injured. Branches are most often injured by disease, insect infestation, animals, or bad weather. Cut diseased branched down to their point of origin on the main stem. Doing so is the only way to make sure that the disease does not spread. Injured branches can be cut back to their point of origin on the main stem, or you may wish to only cut away the injured portion of the branch. In the latter case, cut the injured branch down to a side branch and make the cut 1/4 inch (6 mm) above the bud. Cut away branches that rub together. Look for any branches or branch stubs that are intertwined or rubbing against each other. Use pruning shears to remove these branches, as well. Cut these branches down to their point of origin on the main stem. Problem branches like these will typically grow back again in the same direction, so it is best to remove them completely instead of trimming them down. Schedule the initial pruning in late winter or early spring. When pruning a burning bush for shape, you will likely need to schedule two pruning sessions each year. The first one should be before new growth has developed, which means pruning the bush in late winter or early spring. Burning bushes tend to get large and unruly as they mature, but you can usually keep them in check by pruning them down into a desired shape. This type of pruning will keep the bush looking nice for the season while preventing it from completely taking over the space it occupies. When pruning a burning bush for shape, you must also do some pruning for health maintenance. Decide on a shape. You can choose to trim the burning bush down while maintaining its natural shape or you could trim it down into an ornamental hedge shape. Consider pruning the bush into a standard cube, box, or globe hedge shape. Another option would be to trim out the lower branches, leaving only a rounded top behind. Doing so would make the burning bush look like a small tree. If you have difficulty visualizing your ideal shape, find a photograph or sketch to work from. You could also make your own sketch to help guide you through the process. Trim the branches down to that shape. Once you have visualized the shape your burning bush should be, use hedge clippers to remove any branches that extend beyond that shape. When shortening a branch or twig, cut it back to point that is 1/4 inch (6 mm) above a bud or side branch. Unless you choose to completely remove the bottom half of the bush, you should make the top of the bush slightly thinner than the bottom. Doing so will permit sunlight to reach all the leaves of the shrub. A wide top can prevent sunlight from reaching the bottom in adequate amounts, though, causing the plant to become unhealthy. Thin out some interior branches. When you prune burning bushes into hedge shapes, you should also thin out some of the dense interior branches to improve the spread of air and sunlight through the plant. Remove the oldest, tallest branches completely by cutting them back to their point of origin on the main stem. If you want to redirect inward growing branches so that they grow outward and make the bush less dense, use pruning shears to cut those inward growing branches down to an outward facing bud or branch. Prune new growth back later in the season. To maintain the right shape, you should prune the burning bush again in the middle of summer. Burning bushes are usually grown for their autumn foliage, so you don't need to worry about accidentally removing flower buds when you do a summer pruning. To determine a more exact time for your summer pruning, wait until new growth reaches a length of 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm). You should prune down new growth within 2 inches (5 cm) of your spring pruning. Plan on pruning around early spring. Rejuvenation pruning is the most severe form of pruning. It is best to do this type of pruning in the late winter or early spring, too, since new growth will be forming shortly thereafter, making it easier for the plant to recover. This type of pruning should only be done if the burning bush has become severely overgrown or sickly. A healthy burning bush should be able to grow back vigorously after a severe pruning. You may need to repeat this practice every year or every other year until all of the thick, overgrown trunks are gone. Once you are only left with thinner stems, you can let the bush grow to its desired height and maintain it with regular health or shape pruning. Cut the bush down to ground level. Use hedge shears to cut all of the branches down until they rise no more than 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) above the ground. When cutting the entire bush down, make sure that you leave at least 1 to 3 inches (2.5 to 7.6 cm) above the ground. Make sure that the cuts are clean and sharp to improve the likelihood of the bush making a full recovery. Feed and water the bush thoroughly throughout the season. Since this pruning method is so severe, you will need to pay extra attention to the bush during the first growing season after you prune. Water the plant regularly and apply an appropriate fertilizer. Water the burning bush once a week during the first spring and summer. Give it water in the morning (before the full sun of afternoon hits) and make sure that the soil beneath it is thoroughly saturated. Apply fertilizer once in the early spring, shortly after you prune the bush, and a second time in the late summer or early fall, roughly two months before you expect a first frost to strike. Select a fertilizer that is high in nitrogen and follow the label instructions to determine the proper application method. | Prune in late winter or early spring. Remove dead or dying branches. Cut away branches that rub together. Schedule the initial pruning in late winter or early spring. Decide on a shape. Trim the branches down to that shape. Thin out some interior branches. Prune new growth back later in the season. Plan on pruning around early spring. Cut the bush down to ground level. Feed and water the bush thoroughly throughout the season. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Scratches-from-a-Phone-Screen | How to Remove Scratches from a Phone Screen | To remove scratches from a plastic phone screen, start by rubbing the screen with toothpaste dabbed onto a soft cloth, using gentle, circular motions. Then, use a slightly damp cloth to wipe away any excess toothpaste. Alternatively, for a glass screen, use tape to frame the area that you'll be working on. Then, gently rub cerium oxide polish over the affected part of the screen until the scratch is no longer visible. | Have toothpaste at the ready. Toothpaste should already be a standard part of your medicine cabinet and morning routine. Designed to be abrasive, toothpaste can fix a plastic scratch the same way it cleans teeth. Because it is home-based and shouldn't require additional purchases, toothpaste is the recommended remedy for fixing plastic scratches. It's important to make sure the toothpaste is an actual paste, as opposed to a gel-based toothpaste. In order for the scratch to work, the toothpaste needs to be abrasive. Check your toothpaste box if you're unsure about the kind of toothpaste you are using. A baking soda mixture has the same abrasive qualities as toothpaste. If you'd rather use baking soda, you can stir up a paste and use it in the same manner. Dab the toothpaste with an applicator. Because this is a home-based remedy, there aren't any set rules of applicator you need to use. A soft cloth, paper towel, cotton swab or toothbrush can all suit your purposes in this instance. When you dab the toothpaste, you should only use a pea-sized amount. Any more will create an unwieldy mess on your phone. Apply toothpaste to the scratch. Once you've got your dab of toothpaste, rub it around in a gentle, circular motion. Continue doing this until the scratch is barely noticeable. Due to the fact that the toothpaste is abrasive on its own, you won't need to apply too much pressure. Keep at the scrubbing until you start to see progress. Even if the scratch is too significant to be done away with entirely, the abrasion should reduce the scratch. If your scratch is significant enough, toothpaste won't be enough to fix it. Even so, it should at least reduce the look of most scratches. Clean your phone. Once the scratch is reduced to your liking, it's a simple process of cleaning off the toothpaste. Taking a soft, slightly damp cloth and wiping away the excess toothpaste is a good start. From there, you should take a polishing cloth and wipe away any dirt or oils that have otherwise built up on your screen. By doing this, you'll renew the look of your phone, and hopefully make your phone look better than even before the scratch. Purchase a cerium oxide polish. If your phone has a glass screen (instead of a plastic one) you'll have to use a more heavy-duty solution than toothpaste or baking soda to get scratches off your phone. In this case, a cerium oxide polish is recommended. This type of polish can be bought as a soluble powder, or in a pre-mixed form. While the pre-mixed polish is obviously the more convenient option, you'll get much better value if you buy it in its powdered form. 100g of cerium oxide powder should be more than enough when it comes to polishing your phone screen. You may want to buy a larger amount in the event of future scratching however. Mix your powder into a slurry. If you bought powdered cerium oxide, you'll first need to prep the mix yourself. Luckily, this is very easy, and likely worth the money you'll be saving. Pour some powder (approx. 50-100g) into a small container. Slowly add water until the solution has the consistency of dairy cream. Mix regularly as you add the water in order to make sure your measurements are correct. Measurements don't have to be perfect in the case of this polish, so long as you make sure there's enough water for the polish to soak into an applicator. This step can be disregarded completely if you buy a pre-mixed polish. Block off all vulnerable spots with tape. A cerium oxide polish will do a number on your device if it seeps into any of the phone's holes, including the speaker, headphone jack or charger input. It can also potentially endanger your phone's cam lens. With that in mind, you should first cordon off the area you'd like to have polished with tape. Cover up whatever parts of your phone that might have problems if they're touched by the polish. Taping up your phone before cleaning may seem overzealous, but it's highly recommended you follow through with this step before proceeding forward. In the case of a foul-up, your phone can be quickly wrecked otherwise. Apply the polish to the scratched area. Dab a smooth polishing cloth in your cerium oxide mix, and rub the scratched area in a vigorous, circular motion. Regularly check to see how the scratch is looking as you tend the area. Every 30 seconds or so, it's a good idea to wipe away the mix with the opposite end of your cloth, dab the cloth in new polish, and repeat the process for maximum effectiveness. When applying an abrasive polish, you'll want to go harder with the application than if you were simply cleaning it. Make sure not to go too hard, however. There would be nothing worse than causing new cracks in the screen while you're trying to fix old ones. Give your phone a follow-up clean. Once you've applied and cleaned off the polish, it won't hurt to give your phone a quick once-over with a polishing cloth. This will wipe away any excess debris caused by the polish process. Remove the tape you added before polishing and wipe your phone. It doesn't need to take more than a minute or two to do thoroughly, but you may be impressed how much nicer your phone looks once you've wiped away the excess muck. You should wipe your screen regularly. Twice a day may sound like a lot, but it only takes a second, and will ensure your screen stays healthy. Purchase a screen protector. Cellphones have never been so fragile and prone to scratching as they are today. Screen protectors are commonplace, and you should invest in one if you're the slightest bit worried about damaging your phone. Common phone protectors aren't generally too expensive, and they'll be much more affordable than replacing your screen or phone if the damage is bad enough. Higher-end protectors are virtually unbreakable, while affordable brands will at least take damage so your phone proper won't have to. Between a plastic screen protector and tempered glass protector, you are better off investing in the latter. Tempered glass protectors offer better durability, visibility, and comfortable feel. Wipe your screen regularly. Small scratches can occur on your screen if you leave excess debris on your screen. Wiping your screen clean with a microfiber or silk cloth a couple times per day will keep your phone screen looking its best. Wiping your screen is especially useful if your phone is a touchscreen, as built-up oils and fingerprints can smudge the screen and blur it up. Using clothes fabric like a shirt sleeve or even a dishcloth can also work as screen wipers, although ideally you'll want the smoothness of silk or microfiber when it comes to maintaining your screen. Stow your phone somewhere safe. Most of the time your phone is scratched or damaged, you'll be on the go somewhere. It's important to consider where scratches come from and how they're most likely to be made. Put your phone in a separate pocket than your keys or coins. If possible, place your phone in a zip-up pocket to prevent it falling out accidentally. Don't put your phone in your back pocket. On top of risking cracking if you sit down on it, there have been reports of it causing nerve problems due to the pressure it creates on your backside. | Have toothpaste at the ready. Dab the toothpaste with an applicator. Apply toothpaste to the scratch. Clean your phone. Purchase a cerium oxide polish. Mix your powder into a slurry. Block off all vulnerable spots with tape. Apply the polish to the scratched area. Give your phone a follow-up clean. Purchase a screen protector. Wipe your screen regularly. Stow your phone somewhere safe. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Sugar-Rockets | How to Make Sugar Rockets | To start building a sugar rocket, cut out a section of 13 mm PVC pipe and place smaller, shorter pipes in each end. Grind up clay cat litter and pack it into your rocket, filling it about ⅓ of the way up. To make the propellant, grind potassium nitrate into a fine powder using a new coffee grinder or mortar. Wearing safety equipment, place your potassium nitrate and sugar into a saucepan you won't use for anything else. Heat the pan to 380 °F for 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently. | Put on your protective equipment and choose a safe area. This project is dangerous, so wear your personal protective gear at all times. At a minimum, wear work gloves and protective eyewear. Additionally, it's best to wear long sleeves, long pants, and close-toed shoes. Go outside and choose a spot far away from heat sources. Keep your protective gear on at all times to stay safe. It's best to work on a rubber mat, which will prevent static build up and won't conduct electricity, which can trigger your propellant. Cut a 4 by 10 in (10 by 25 cm) piece of 60-pound craft paper. Use a pencil to mark your paper where you need to cut. Then, use a pair of scissors to cut out the rectangle. It's okay if your measurements are approximate, so don't worry about cutting straight lines. Don't use plastic tubes to make your rocket, as this is very dangerous. The material could explode or catch fire. Lay a 3⁄8 in (0.95 cm) wooden dowel across the short end of the paper. The dowel will help you make a hollow rocket body. Position your rod so that it's in line with the short 4 in (10 cm) side of your paper. This will create a tube that's 4 in (10 cm) long. Roll the end of the paper around the dowel. Fold the edge of the paper up over the dowel, then roll the dowel across the paper until it's covered. Just cover the dowel in 1 layer of paper at this point because you need to add glue. You don't want to create several layers of paper because it may tunnel out of your rocket body, since it's not glued down. Apply white school glue to the side of the paper that’s facing up. Squirt a thin layer of glue onto the exposed paper. Go around the edges to make sure that they stick down firmly. Then, add glue to the body of the paper, as well. This will help you create a sturdy rocket body out of your paper. Once the glue dries, your paper will be a thick cylinder. Continue rolling the rest of the paper around the wooden dowel. Slowly roll the dowel across the paper, being careful to match up the edges of the paper. Smooth out the glue as you roll so that the final product is even and well-constructed. If there is excess glue at the edge of the paper when you finish rolling, wipe it off with a paper towel or a piece of scrap paper. Cut your tube in half once it’s dry to create 2 rocket bodies. Use your scissors to cut through the tube at the halfway point. This will create 2 rocket bodies that are each 2 in (5.1 cm) long. Don't let their size fool you! These rockets will still be powerful. Put about .25 cup (32 g) of unscented cat litter into a grinder. Use a coffee grinder, mortar and pestle, or blender. However, keep in mind that you may damage the blade on your grinder or blender. Pick the cheapest cat litter you can find. It's actually bentonite clay, which is why it works for this project. Grind the cat litter until you have a powder. Turn on your coffee grinder or blender, if you're using one. If you're using a mortar and pestle, apply firm pressure as you manually grind the cat litter. Keep grinding until you have a powder. If you're using a blender, hold it at an angle to speed up the process while also reducing the stress on the blender motor. Add enough water to your cat litter to create a paste. Sprinkle a few drops of water onto your cat litter, then knead the water and litter to create a paste. Add more water as needed to make a paste consistency. This will make it easier to pack your tube. It's okay to have a thick, lumpy paste, so add as little water as you can. Insert the dowel into your rocket body, leaving a 5⁄16 in (0.79 cm) gap. The gap at the end is where you'll insert your cat litter paste. Hold the dowel in place while you pack the paste into the end of the tube. You may want to use a marker to draw a line on your dowel at the ⁄ 16 in (0.79 cm) point so it's easier to measure this out. Pack the cat litter paste into the end of the tube. Use your gloved fingers to insert cat litter paste into the open end of your tube. Then, pack the paste down until feels solid. This will keep your rocket fuel inside the rocket body. Add 14 grams of potassium nitrate to a plastic container. Potassium nitrate is also called KNO 3. It helps supply a steady stream of oxygen to your sugar fuel so that it keeps burning. Measure out your potassium nitrate using a standard kitchen scale. You can buy pure potassium nitrate online. Alternatively, look for potassium nitrate at your local home improvement or gardening store. It's often sold as stump remover. You may need to refine your potassium nitrate if you bought it as stump remover. If it's not 100% KNO 3 , dissolve it in boiling water and strain it through a paper filter. Discard the filter and solids, then boil off remaining water to get mostly pure KNO 3. Leave in a hot area or minimum-temperature oven until completely dry. Measure out 7 grams of powdered sugar and add it to the container. Zero out your kitchen scale, then add 7 grams of powdered sugar to the container of potassium nitrate. Handle the container carefully because the materials are combustible. While it's optional, adding 1% dextrin to your mix may help make your propellant more stable. If you decide to add it, reduce your potassium nitrate and powdered sugar measurements by.5% each. For the mix above, you can just add 1 gram of dextrin to the mix since the measurements are so small. Add 5 lead fishing baits or .50-caliber lead balls to the container. The lead baits or balls will help you mix your ingredients thoroughly but safely. Put the lead pieces on top of your powdered mixture. Then, put the lid on the container. Mix your propellant in a rock tumbler for 6-10 hours for best results. A rock tumbler will mix your ingredients more thoroughly so your rocket has better thrust. Put the potassium nitrate and powdered sugar into a rock tumbler. Then, bring your rock tumbler outside while you mix the propellant. Turn the rock tumbler on and set a timer for at least 6 hours. It's best to place your mixer in a hole in the ground so that accidental blasts are controlled. Leave the top of the hole open to direct the blast upward. Make sure the rock tumbler is far away from other heat sources. Work in small batches until you're very experienced in working with propellant. This will reduce the risk of a fire or explosion. Shake the container to mix the ingredients as an alternative. Shaking won't mix your ingredients as well, and you'll need to do it for at least an hour total. With the lid on the container, manually shake it back and forth to mix up your rocket fuel. Be sure to stand away from heat sources and open flames. Remember, this mixture is highly flammable. This is an easy way to mimic the action of “ball milling,” which is how pyrotechnicians mix combustibles. Pack the fuel into the container, leaving a 3⁄8 in (0.95 cm) gap at the top. Add a small amount of rocket fuel to the rocket body, then use your dowel to pack it down. Continue adding and packing your rocket fuel until you reach the point where there's ⁄ 8 in (0.95 cm) of empty tube left at the top. The extra space at the top is for another layer of cat litter paste. This will help you safely launch your rocket. Twist a 6D nail through the center of the fuel and litter to make a core. Put the point of the nail at the center of the rocket fuel. Then, slowly work the nail through the center of the tube. Go through the rocket fuel and the cat litter paste. Then, rotate the nail slowly as you pull it out so that the hole will remain. This provides more surface area for your fuel to burn. You can find a 6D nail at your local hardware store. Any thin nail will work. Make a cat litter paste and use it to cap off the rocket. Add a few drops of water to your cat litter and knead it into a paste. Then, use your gloved fingers to pack the paste into the end of the tube. This will cap off your rocket body. Remember, clumpy cat litter paste is okay, so don't add a lot of water. Use your 6D nail to poke a hole in the cat litter paste. Gently poke your nail through the cat litter paste so that your core goes through the entire rocket body. Rotate the nail as you remove it so that the hole remains. This will help your rocket burn evenly as it ignites. Tape a stick or skewer to your rocket so you can put it in the ground. Choose a thin stick or skewer that will be easy to poke into the ground. However, make sure it's thick enough to support your rocket. Place the stick or skewer against the rocket body, then apply several layers of masking tape or electrical tape. You might prefer to glue the stick or skewer onto the rocket base first to make it more stable. However, this isn't necessary. Insert a fuse into your core, leaving the end sticking out. Use your 6D nail to gently push the fuse up into the core, leaving a long end sticking out. If the fuse is smaller than the core, you may want to fold it over first so that it sticks up inside the rocket. Pack a wad of paper behind the fuse to keep it in place. If you're not using the rocket right away, fit a small piece of plastic wrap over the base of your rocket, then use a tiny amount of hot glue or white school glue to seal around the edges. This will keep it airtight. The fuse should go up into the core of the rocket so that it lights the fuel. Additionally, you want a long tail on your fuse to allow you time to move to safety. Put your rocket into the ground in an open space before lighting it. Choose an area that's far away from buildings, people, pets, trees, and flammable objects. Additionally, check with the person who owns the land to make sure you have permission. Stand far away from your rocket when you light it. It's best to use an electric ignition to light your rocket so you can stand at a safe distance. | Put on your protective equipment and choose a safe area. Cut a 4 by 10 in (10 by 25 cm) piece of 60-pound craft paper. Lay a 3⁄8 in (0.95 cm) wooden dowel across the short end of the paper. Roll the end of the paper around the dowel. Apply white school glue to the side of the paper that’s facing up. Continue rolling the rest of the paper around the wooden dowel. Cut your tube in half once it’s dry to create 2 rocket bodies. Put about .25 cup (32 g) of unscented cat litter into a grinder. Grind the cat litter until you have a powder. Add enough water to your cat litter to create a paste. Insert the dowel into your rocket body, leaving a 5⁄16 in (0.79 cm) gap. Pack the cat litter paste into the end of the tube. Add 14 grams of potassium nitrate to a plastic container. Measure out 7 grams of powdered sugar and add it to the container. Add 5 lead fishing baits or .50-caliber lead balls to the container. Mix your propellant in a rock tumbler for 6-10 hours for best results. Shake the container to mix the ingredients as an alternative. Pack the fuel into the container, leaving a 3⁄8 in (0.95 cm) gap at the top. Twist a 6D nail through the center of the fuel and litter to make a core. Make a cat litter paste and use it to cap off the rocket. Use your 6D nail to poke a hole in the cat litter paste. Tape a stick or skewer to your rocket so you can put it in the ground. Insert a fuse into your core, leaving the end sticking out. Put your rocket into the ground in an open space before lighting it. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Deal-With-the-Desire-to-Cheat-on-Your-Partner | How to Deal With the Desire to Cheat on Your Partner | If you're dealing with the desire to cheat, avoid situations where you may have the opportunity like going to bars without your partner or being alone with your crush. If you find yourself in a tough spot, casually bring up your partner in the conversation to remind both you and your crush that you are taken, and then imagine your partner walking in and how they would feel if they saw your flirtations. Next, reconnect with your partner by going on dates, planning a mini-vacation, or surprising them with a gift. | Avoid sticky situations. Avoid situations or places where you tend to become a bit flirty. If you know that after a few drinks you don't make the best decisions, then avoid going to bars without your partner or invite them to tag along. Avoid similar locations where you have been tempted in the past, like clubs. Stay in groups. Be especially careful to avoid being alone with people who you have been romantic or sexual with in the past. If you have a coworker who you're flirty with, don't go with them alone to lunch. Never spend time with them outside of professional settings. If they invite you out to lunch, you can say something like “Actually, I have too much work to do, I'm sorry.” You can also see if other coworkers would like to tag along. If you must be alone with them, leave the door open and meet in an open space. Keep your interactions professional. Talk about your partner. If you find yourself in a tough spot, bring up your partner casually in conversation. This will serve as a reminder to both you and others that you are not available. You don't need to be showy about your relationship, but do continue to make them aware of it. For instance, if they bring up a particular show they like you can say “My boyfriend really likes that show, too! I don't care for it that much.” Wear your wedding ring. This is a great way to show the world and to remind yourself of your commitment. If you have a moment when you're eyeing someone else, you might look at that ring and reconsider these thoughts. If you cannot wear it while working, consider getting a tattoo. If you are not married, consider wearing some other symbol as a reminder to yourself. You might consider a bracelet or even a piece of yarn. Spend time with faithful friends. Spend a little less time with your single friends while you are struggling with these desires. Your single friends' unattached lifestyle might influence you to do something you'll regret. Opt for more time with your married friends, instead. Do not disconnect completely from these friends. Simply avoid going out with them to bars; opt for activities like lunches and movies instead. Call a friend. In the heat of the moment when you feel tempted, call a friend. You can tell them about the situation so they can talk you out of it, or you can use them as a distraction to your desire. Once you get off the phone, you will likely have built up the courage to resist. You can say something like “Hey, remember when I was telling you about my coworker Alyssa? Well, she just invited me back to her place for drinks. I need you to talk me out of it.” You might even call your partner to talk to them, too. Get to know their family. If you cheat, you will hurt your family and the family of the other person, too. If this person is a coworker or friend, take opportunities to get to know their family. Use occasions like office Christmas parties to introduce yourself to their spouse and kids. If you won't have the chance to meet them, check out their social media so you know what their family looks like. Confide in your friends, not those who you're attracted to. If you are having issues in your relationship, avoid confiding in people you have feelings for. Rely on your partner or your platonic friends to discuss these things. You can talk to family, as well. You might call up your brother or sister and ask for advice or just vent about the situation. Set a time limit. When tempted, step away from heated moments and agree to give yourself an hour to think. Oftentimes, once this time limit is up, the moment will have passed and you will decide against making a bad choice. Get in touch with your spiritual side. Spirituality or religion can be a great source of strength during this tempting time. Turn to your local center of worship for help with remaining faithful and find accountability partners there. Spend time in prayer or meditation at night. A pastor or other leader who has a steady, thriving marriage can also counsel you and your wife to strengthen your marriage. You can also try becoming more spiritual with your partner. Invite them to places of worship and ask them to pray or meditate with you. Imagine your partner walking in. You might have a regular flirtation with someone already going at this point. Imagine your partner's face and feelings if they could see and hear what you are doing. Imagine also if the situation were reversed and they had an inappropriate relationship. Think on how that would feel for you. Get to the root cause of your desire. Reflect on your desire to cheat. You might want to cheat because you're not being pleased sexually at home. You and your partner might be fighting a lot lately, as well. Think about what is truly motivating your desires and then work to address them. For instance, if you are not happy with your sex life, suggest something new to your partner to spice things up. This can be a chance to identify and fix what's wrong in your relationship! Date your partner. Instead of thinking of the sexual or romantic things you could be doing with someone else, do those things with your partner. Surprise them with a gift or a picnic. Take them back to the spot where you first met them. Plan a mini vacation for just the two of you. If you invest in your own relationship, you will be less likely to wander. Communicate effectively. When there is a problem, talk to your partner about it. Listen to their opinions, without interruption. Try to have as few unresolved issues between the two of you as possible. Avoid yelling or cursing at your partner. Write a list of what you love about your partner. Take a moment to reflect on why you fell in love with them in the first place. Write down everything you like about them, from the freckle below their left eye to their kind heart. Celebrate them for the things you love about them rather than finding these attributes in others. You might even consider sharing this list with your spouse. Evaluate your relationship. Oftentimes, your partner probably makes you very happy; however, the idea that grass might be greener on the other side can poison even the best of relationships. Begin keeping a journal documenting your days, and the status of your relationship with your partner. Write down any arguments you had or times when they were kind to you. Think about what you would be missing if your relationship ended due to cheating. Make your decision about your current relationship first before getting involved with anyone else. Consider an alternative relationship. At the end of the day, some people are just not meant for monogamy. This does not mean that you should cheat, but that you should instead be honest with your partner. They might be feeling the same way and perhaps you two could have an open relationship, instead. Or perhaps, it is time to move on so your partner can find someone whose views on relationships are more in line with their own. Get help if necessary. If you have always had a problem with cheating on your partners in the past and you desire to turn over a new leaf, seek professional help. It is unfair to continue entering into romantic relationships with people if you have these unresolved issues. Many counselors can help reshape the way people think about things and create new habits. Find a therapist in your area and make an appointment for a session. Being faithful can sometimes be tough, but with the right supports, you can keep your commitment! | Avoid sticky situations. Stay in groups. Talk about your partner. Wear your wedding ring. Spend time with faithful friends. Call a friend. Get to know their family. Confide in your friends, not those who you're attracted to. Set a time limit. Get in touch with your spiritual side. Imagine your partner walking in. Get to the root cause of your desire. Date your partner. Communicate effectively. Write a list of what you love about your partner. Evaluate your relationship. Consider an alternative relationship. Get help if necessary. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Enjoy-Watching-Baseball-Games | How to Enjoy Watching Baseball Games | If watching baseball, especially when your team is on the field, leaves you feeling bored, focus on how your team can get the other team out. Your team needs three outs to get back to scoring position. They can achieve these outs by the pitcher throwing three strikes, a defensive player catching a fly ball, or a defensive player using the ball to tag a runner on the opposing team. | Learn the basics of the rules of the game. Boredom will certainly set in if you have no idea what you are looking at. Knowing a few of the ins and outs of the baseball game will help keep you interested in what is going on. Baseball games last for nine innings, consisting of 2 halves, so that both teams get to bat in each inning. Each half is ended when the defensive team on the field gets three outs. A batter can be walked to first base if the pitcher throws four balls before he throws three strikes. The batting line-up remains the same throughout the game, so you can always know when your favorite player is coming up. He will also be in the batter's circle warming up when the player before him is at bat. Runs are scored when a player rounds all the based and touches home plate without being tagged out. Look for ways your team can get outs. It can seem like there is less to be excited about when your team is on the field in the defensive position instead of batting and scoring. When the team you are rooting for has taken the field, you're still rooting for them. You want them to get their three outs as quickly as possible. Outs can be achieved by the pitcher throwing three strikes and the batter striking out, a defensive player catching a fly ball, or a player being tagged by a defensive player holding the ball. The defensive player with the ball in hand can also force an out by tagging the bag before the runner gets there if there are runners on every base behind the bag they are tagging. Force outs also apply to tagging first base before the batter reaches it. Ask questions. You are likely watching the game with some baseball fans. A true fan loves nothing more than sharing their infinite knowledge of the game. They probably have some nifty stories, they can explain what is happening on the field and they can point out some little idiosyncrasies certain players have, which you may have never noticed on your own. Choose sides. It can feel pretty senseless to watch a game if you have no investment in the outcome. Choose a team to root for. Either one will do. You can join your friends and root for their favorite team, or engage in a little playful banter by rooting against them. Learn the lingo. It could seem like people are speaking a different language when they use baseball terminology and slang. Get in on the game and learn some of the lingo to talk shop with your friends. There is a lot of lingo out there, but here are a few common terms to get you started. A “long out” is a fly ball which threatens to be hit out of the park, but is caught at the last second. A “one-two-three” or “three up, three down” refers to getting all three outs on the first three batters. ERA stands for earned run average, referring to how many earned runs a pitcher allows in the game. This is a common stat that fans will track. RBI stands for run batted in and is another common tracking stat. This is the credit given to the batter for hitting the ball which allows another runner to make it to home plate to score a run. The “clean up hitter” is often fourth in the lineup and is considered the strongest batter who can hopefully hit a “grand slam” when the “bases are loaded” with a player on every base and he hits a “home run” bringing all the players home to score, himself included. Play your own game. There are several games you can play for money, bragging rights or sips of beer. Playing a game based on what is happening on the field will have you that much more invested in the baseball game, while enjoying your own friendly competition. Pass the Hat is played by everyone putting a dollar or quarter into a hat. One person holds it for each at bat. When the batter changes, the hat gets passed to another person. The person holding the hat on the third out wins the pot, and everyone antes up again. Ground Ball vs. Fly Ball is pretty self-explanatory. You guess whether the batter is going to hit a ground or fly ball. If you guess wrong, you have to drink. If the batter strikes out everyone drinks. If he walks, no one drinks. Take a snack break. No good baseball gathering is complete without a spread of good all-American snack food. Take a break from the game, sneak some chips and dip, fire up a hot dog and crack open a soda. Have a good chat with a friend around the snack table, and you'll be refreshed and ready to return to the game. Read the line score. If you have lost track of the game, the line score can get you back up to speed. It will be displayed in a box on the screen and keep you posted on the runs, hits, score and innings. The teams are listed on the far left of the score line. Reading from left to right, the hits and runs scored are listed below the inning numbers running along the top of the grid. They are designated by the letters “H” and “R.” The boxes following the ninth inning column are the sum of the hits and runs for the game, letting you know who is in the lead. Give the game a chance. Even if baseball isn't your passion, continuing to watch games and track a team will draw you in. You will start to learn the lingo and the players, have a better understanding of the strategies, and become more invested in your team. Gather some buddies and try watching the games for a full season. You just may learn to love baseball. Dress for the occasion. You're going to enjoy the game much more if you are comfortable. Start by wearing comfortable shoes. Don't worry about dressing up, games are casual affairs. Check the weather. Decide to layer if it is going to get cold and wear sunscreen if your going to be exposed to the sun all day. Sport a team shirt if you really want to get into the game, but avoid the visiting team's jersey if you don't want to be picked on by drunk strangers. Explore the stadium. Baseball stadiums are unique and offer many different forms of entertainment from historic landmarks to wild clubs. Find out what is special about the stadium you are visiting. Take a walk to take a break from the game and see what you can find. The Cleveland at Marlins Park in Miami is not just a club, it's a party, complete with a bar and a swimming pool. Bring your trunks. In Chicago, you can have a view of the stadium and the game when you buy tickets to one of the rooftops of the surrounding apartment buildings. Soak up the sun, or soak in the breeze and appreciate the great outdoors. One of the great things about being at a baseball game is being outside with a group of friends. You could be sitting at home on your own, but instead you are out in what is hopefully a beautiful afternoon or a nice evening. Indulge in junk food. Games generally take about three hours. Throw in the time it took you to get there and the time it will take to get out and you're looking at a good chunk of your day. Have fun and get some snacks to keep you going. Be a kid again and grab some cotton candy from the nearest vendor. Eat out of a baseball hat. You can order plastic baseball hats filled with nachos or ice cream. As a bonus, it's a fun souvenir to take home. Try the stadium special you won't find anywhere else. The D-Bat Dog is an 18 inch corndog served at Chase Field. Target field serves up the Brat Dog, which is a brat stuffed with a hot dog and wrapped in bacon. Miller Park Inside the Park Nachos are actually beef and beans rolled in crushed Doritos and deep-fried. Feel free to throw your peanut shells on the floor. This is one place where you are allowed to make a huge mess, so go for it. Keep an eye out for different players’ little idiosyncrasies. There is a lot of superstition in baseball. Some you may not see, like a player wearing their underwear inside out, or, in Jason Giambi's case, a magic golden thong with a flaming waistband. On the other hand, if you are watching closely, some players have rituals and little quirks that can be entertaining and fun once you catch on to them. Wade Boggs of the Boston red Sox would write “chai” in the batters box every time he approached the plate. Kevin Rhomberg of the Cleveland Indians always tagged the player back who tagged him out. Luis Valbuena of the Chicago Cubs flips his bat instead of throwing it when he gets a hit. Koji Uehara is a fan favorite spreading unabashed joy through hard-hitting high fives every time he returns to the dugout. Get out of the way or put your hand in the air! Pick a favorite player. It doesn't matter who or why. Maybe you think he has a funny name. Maybe all the fans do a weird chant when it's his turn to bat. If you choose player to follow, it will help draw you back into the game when he bats or makes a play. Join the crowd. A large part of going to the game is being a part of the crowd. Fans all work together to create the sport wave, sing the National Anthem, and stretch during the seventh inning. Get in the game with the rest of the fans. Cheer, wave, sing and stretch it out! | Learn the basics of the rules of the game. Look for ways your team can get outs. Ask questions. Choose sides. Learn the lingo. Play your own game. Take a snack break. Read the line score. Give the game a chance. Dress for the occasion. Explore the stadium. Soak up the sun, or soak in the breeze and appreciate the great outdoors. Indulge in junk food. Keep an eye out for different players’ little idiosyncrasies. Pick a favorite player. Join the crowd. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Ship-a-Pet-to-the-UK | How to Ship a Pet to the UK | To ship a pet to the UK, make sure that it's fitted with a microchip by your vet to ensure that it will be properly identified once it reaches the UK. Additionally, have your pet vaccinated for rabies and treated for tapeworms 21 days before making arrangements for it to enter the UK. Then, obtain a health certificate from your vet within 10 days of your travel date. You'll also need to ask your vet to issue a passport for your pet, or refer you to a veterinarian who's able to do so. | Make sure your pet is fitted with a microchip. If you are shipping a dog, a cat, or a ferret to the UK, your pet should be fitted with a microchip by your vet. This microchip will ensure your pet is properly identified when he reaches the UK. Keep in mind microchips do not act as GPS devices or tracking devices for your pet. Instead, they contain a radio-frequency identification that acts as a permanent ID for your pet. The microchip procedure is painless for your pet and can be done at your vet's office. Not all microchips use the same reader. To ensure the chip can be read, you can purchase one that is compatible with the chip, or you can ask your vet what type of chip has been implanted and then contact the UK DEFRA organization to see if the readers are compatible. If the chip cannot be read, you pet will likely be put into quarantine. Get your pet vaccinated for rabies. This is a required step in the process of bringing your pet to the UK. You will need to have your pet vaccinated for rabies even if he has a current rabies vaccination. Make sure this information is recorded in your pet's passport on on their health certificate. Once your vet gives your pet the rabies vaccine, you will need to wait 21 days from the day after your pet received the vaccine to make arrangements for your pet to enter the UK. Have your dog tested and treated for tapeworm. If your pet is a dog and you are planning to have him shipped to the UK, you will need to have him treated with an approved product containing praziquantel, which is effective at killing the tapeworms ( Echinococcus multilocularis ). The treatment must be be approved for use in the country in which it's being given. If your dog has tapeworm, your veterinarian should apply the treatment for tapeworm no more than five days before your pet is scheduled to be shipped to the UK, and the treatment should be recorded on your pet's health certificate to show he has been treated for tapeworm. Get a health certificate for your pet. Your vet can provide you with a copy of your pet's health certificate stating the pet is free from infectious disease and healthy enough to travel. The certificate should confirm that your pet has received his rabies vaccine and has been treated for tapeworm, if applicable. Your pet should travel within 10 days of the certificate being issued. The certificate is valid for four months if your pet does any more travelling within the UK. The certificate will be reviewed and stamped by an official when your pet first enters the UK. Obtain a pet passport for your pet. Many vets can provide a pet passport for your pet. If your vet does not have access to a pet passport, ask her to refer you to a vet nearby that does give out pet passports or contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency of the UK here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/animal-and-plant-health-agency/about/access-and-opening. You should check that your vet has filled out the following information in the passport: The details of ownership, including the full owner name(s). A full description of the animal. Any identifications of the animal, such as the microchip information. Confirmation of vaccination against rabies, as well as rabies blood tests. Confirmation of tapeworm treatment, if applicable. Fill out a declaration form for your pet. Before your pet can enter the UK, you will need to confirm that your pet is not coming into the UK for commercial purposes. You can fill out the declaration form at home and bring it with you when you are arranging for the shipment of your pet to the UK. A blank UK declaration form for pets can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/393123/declaration-non-commercial-movement.pdf. Confirm the transport company is approved for pet travel to the UK. Your pet can only travel to the UK with an approved transport company on an approved route via air travel, sea travel, or rail travel. You are not allowed to bring your pet on a private boat or plane from outside the UK unless you are travelling from Ireland. A list of approved routes under the Pet Travel Scheme can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pet-travel-approved-air-sea-rail-and-charter-routes-for-the-movement-of-pets. Keep in mind if you are travelling with more than five pets or planning to ship more than five pets at once, you will need to comply with additional rules and guidelines. Ask the transport company about the guidelines around shipping multiple pets at once. Ask the transport company if they need a statement of travel from your vet. Some transport companies will require a written and signed statement from your vet confirming your pet is fit to travel to the UK. You may need to provide the transport company this statement in addition to the required documentation for your pet. Keep in mind your pet must travel within five days of you if you are not travelling together. If you are shipping your pet to the UK, you will need to be enter the UK within five days of your pet's arrival date. You can give written authorization for someone else to travel to the UK and pick up your pet, but they will need to travel within five days of your pet as well. Once your pet arrives in the UK, airport staff will scan your pet's microchip and examine your pet's travel documentation. If your pet does not have the required travel documentation or has not received the required vaccines for travel to the UK, he may be held in quarantine or sent back to his country of origin. As the pet owner, you are responsible for the quarantine fee (usually £300/month for dogs and £200/month for cats) for your pet. The UK has a mandatory six month quarantine period for pets who do not fall under the UK Pet Travel Scheme. | Make sure your pet is fitted with a microchip. Get your pet vaccinated for rabies. Have your dog tested and treated for tapeworm. Get a health certificate for your pet. Obtain a pet passport for your pet. Fill out a declaration form for your pet. Confirm the transport company is approved for pet travel to the UK. Ask the transport company if they need a statement of travel from your vet. Keep in mind your pet must travel within five days of you if you are not travelling together. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Build-Business-Credit | How to Build Business Credit | To build business credit, start by applying for a loan in the name of your business so it will be reported to the credit bureaus. Then, apply for a business credit card with a company that reports to the national credit bureaus. Alternatively, apply for a loan with reputable online lenders, like Kabbage or OnDeck. You can also try setting up supplier accounts and buying from them on credit if your supplier reports credit information. | Organize your business. You'll need to establish your business before you can seek credit. Accordingly, finish the following tasks as soon as possible: Form your corporation or your limited liability company (LLC). Get your Employer Identification Number from the IRS. Open bank accounts in your business name. Obtain a dedicated business phone line in your business name and have it listed. Obtain a bank loan. Start building credit early by seeking a loan from a bank. Because you have no business credit history, the loan might be small, but you need to start somewhere. Make sure the loan is in your business' name so that it will be reported to the credit bureaus. You might need to personally guarantee a loan. This means that you agree to be personally responsible for the loan if your business cannot pay it back. Because you are a new business, some lenders will require a personal guarantee. Seek a loan from an online lender. If you have bad credit, a bank might turn you down for a loan. However, you can still seek a business loan from an online lender. Always research online lenders before signing up for a loan. Read online reviews and check whether complaints have been filed against the lender with your state's consumer protection office. Also make sure the lender reports to the national credit bureaus, because not all do. For example, Kabbage, OnDeck, Funding Circle, Lending Club, and BlueVine report to credit bureaus. By contrast, FundBox, SmartBiz, and Lighter Capital don't. Get a business credit card. You can find plenty of offers online, or you may want to stop into your bank and check. Ask if they report to the credit bureaus and go with a card that does. You can also check to see if the card offers rewards or points. Only make business purchases on the business credit card. If you use a business card for personal purchases, then it looks like your business is a sham. You can lose some of the legal protections of having a corporation or LLC if you mix business and personal finances. Use your credit. To build credit, you need to use it. For example, don't get a credit card and not use it. Instead, use it as soon as possible. After you've established a history of responsible use, ask for an increase in your credit limit. However, don't go overboard. Avoid maxing out your credit lines. Instead, focus on using only 20-30% of all available credit. Set up supplier accounts. You might buy supplies on credit. For example, you'll order a bunch of widgets and your supplier will give you 60 days to pay for them. You'll need at least three supplier accounts (also called trade lines) in order to get a Dun & Bradstreet Paydex score. Make sure the supplier reports credit information to the national credit bureaus. You can also get accounts with big retailers, such as Staples, FedEx, UPS, and Home Depot. Gather the required information. Dun & Bradstreet is a business credit bureau whose Paydex score is used in most trade applications. Accordingly, you should gather required information before registering with them. Collect the following: your name your home address your title at the business your business contact information (email and telephone number) company name and address company's legal structure (corporation, LLC, etc.) company phone number year your business started your CEO's name number of employees SIC/NAICS codes Register. You can get your number for free. Visit this website and provide the requested information: https://dashboard.dnb.com/register. It generally takes 30 days to receive your number. If you encounter problems, call 1-800-234-3867. If you need an expedited number, you can get one by paying a fee. As of April 2017, the fee is $229. If you are located outside the U.S., then visit the Dun & Bradstreet website, which has links for each country: http://www.dnb.com/government/duns-request/duns-request-guide.html. Add trade references, if necessary. Some suppliers won't report your payment history to the national credit bureaus. If not, you can list them as trade references on your Dun & Bradstreet profile. The company will follow up and collect data. Boost your personal credit score. Many banks will look at the credit history of each significant owner. You'll improve your chances of getting credit if you improve your personal credit score. Do the following: Review your credit report for errors. For example, an account might be listed as in default when you are current, or the wrong credit limit might be listed. Dispute any errors with the credit bureaus. Pay your bills on time. If you're late, you'll accrue penalties and late fees. Also, your credit score will suffer. Lower the overall credit that you use. Ideally, your balance should be less than 30% of the credit limit. Clean up your public records. Business credit reports contain all kinds of information. For example, they also list court judgments, liens, and bankruptcies. You'll want to keep this type of information off your credit history. A court judgment is entered against you when you lose a lawsuit. You can avoid this situation by settling lawsuits (unless you have a solid defense). A lien can be added to property when someone has a legal right to payment which you haven't satisfied. Avoid liens by paying all suppliers on time. Pay early. Business credit reports contain more detailed information on payment history than do personal credit reports. It's best to pay at least 30 days early, if possible. Dun & Bradstreet reserves perfect credit scores for those who pay early. Monitor your business credit history. About a quarter of all small businesses have a major error on their business credit report. Accordingly, you should monitor your business credit history and raise any errors with the credit bureau. Gather any documents that support your claim. For example, if an account is listed as late, then you'll want proof that you have made timely payments. Look for email confirmations or cancelled checks. | Organize your business. Obtain a bank loan. Seek a loan from an online lender. Get a business credit card. Use your credit. Set up supplier accounts. Gather the required information. Register. Add trade references, if necessary. Boost your personal credit score. Clean up your public records. Pay early. Monitor your business credit history. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Flavor-Cake | How to Flavor Cake | There are countless ways you can flavor a cake, depending on what mood you're in. When you've mixed your cake batter, you can add an extract like vanilla, almond, maple, or butterscotch. You can also mix in fresh ingredients like nuts, dried fruit, orange zest, and chocolate pieces. For a lighter cake, mix in cocoa powder instead of chocolate. Or, add your favorite spice, like cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg. Another way to flavor your cake is to exchange all or part of the water in the recipe for brewed coffee, milk, or juice. | Use extracts and flavorings. Liquid extracts and flavorings are one of the easiest ways to alter the taste of cake batter since they generally have little effect on the other ingredients, moisture level, or density of the cake. Extracts are more concentrated than flavorings, so you should generally use less extract than flavoring. Since extracts are more concentrated, however, they typically create richer, more natural tastes. To experiment with different extracts, consider starting with a cake recipe that already contains vanilla extract. Replace half of the vanilla with the extract of your choice to introduce a subtle hint of the new flavor. Mix fresh ingredients into the cake. Adding fresh ingredients to the batter can produce an even stronger taste than using the equivalent extract. Some ingredients will blend into the batter, but others will retain their form even after the cake bakes. Melted chocolate is a popular choice, but it can be a difficult ingredient to work with. Since the ingredient is so heavy, you will likely need to balance the extra weight with additional beaten eggs or other raising agents. Consider scraping out the inside of a vanilla bean instead of using vanilla extract. As a general rule, 2 inches (5 cm) of vanilla bean equals 1 tsp (5 ml) of vanilla extract. Chopped ingredients, like nuts, fruits, or large pieces of chocolate can be used and typically retain their form instead of mixing into the batter. Note that fruit can make cakes more moist, however, since the juices tend to seep into the batter as it bakes. Sift cocoa powder into the batter. Cocoa powder is essentially the dehydrated form of cocoa solids. You can add it to white or yellow cakes to create a strong chocolate flavor or mix it into chocolate cakes to further intensify the taste. There are two types of unsweetened cocoa powder: Dutch-processed and natural. The former has a lighter flavor and should be used in cake recipes calling for baking powder or other acidic ingredients. The latter can have an intense, bitter taste and should be used in recipes calling for baking soda. Try flavored liquids instead of water. For cake mixes and recipes including water, switch out part or all of the water for another liquid that can introduce more flavor to the cake. You can generally swap out half to all of the water when using dairy-based or water-based liquids, including brewed coffee, milk, and juice. For alcohol-based liquids, however, you should replace no more than half of the water with your liquor or liqueur of choice. Spice up the batter. Certain spices can add new flavors to the cake or enhance flavors currently used. Some spices are more potent than others, though, so you'll need to vary the amount depending on which one you choose. Popular choices include cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Of these additions, only cinnamon should be used in relatively large quantities (up to 2 or 3 tsp [10 to 15 ml]). The others tend to be more potent when used in excess. Add dry pudding mix. Dry instant pudding can add both moisture and flavor to a cake, and it's an especially good option to use when you want to flavor a boxed cake mix. Typically, you should use one small box of instant pudding in the flavor of your choice for one standard box of dry cake mix. You may also wish to add an extra egg to help balance out the extra weight since eggs can serve as raising agents. Enhance the overall flavor with richer ingredients. If you want to produce a richer taste instead of completing altering the flavor profile, switch blander ingredients for more flavorful options or increase the amount you use. Instead of using vegetable oil, use equal amounts of melted butter since butter has a richer taste. Depending on the recipe, you might be able to add as much as twice the amount originally called for, but doing so will also introduce more moisture into the cake. Consider cracking an extra egg into the batter. Eggs are another ingredient capable of enhancing the tastes already in your batter, and adding an extra egg can also make cakes fluffier. Pour syrup over the cake. As soon as you pull the cake out of your oven, use a toothpick to poke small holes into the surface and pour or spread hot fruit syrup over the entire top. The resulting cake will retain the flavor of the syrup while also becoming more moist. For a simple fruit syrup, consider mixing 2 to 3 Tbsp (30 to 45 ml) of any fruit jam or preserve with enough hot water to dissolve it into liquid form. Spread filling in between layers. If you baked a layer cake, you can add more flavor to each bite by spreading an interesting filling between each separate layer. Choose a filling that can hold its form beneath the weight of the cake's upper layers. Buttercream icing is popular, but jams, canned pie fillings, and canned cake fillings also work well. For most fillings, you should spread an even 1/4 inch (6 mm) over the top surface of the bottom layer before placing the next layer over it. Change the frosting. A change in frosting is another easy way to change the overall flavor profile of your cake. You can use prepackaged jars of frosting or mix your own frosting. Like cake batter, you can also alter the taste of the frosting using extracts or liquid flavorings. Add the ingredient in small amounts, however, to prevent the frosting from becoming too runny. Moreover, you should also opt for artificial extracts or naturally clear flavorings if you do not wish to tint the final color of the frosting. Experiment with different combinations. Be bold, and don't be afraid to try flavors and flavor combinations you haven't run across before. Departing from the recipe as it's written requires a little culinary courage, but the end result can be well worth it. Look for inspiration everywhere and jot down the ideas as they come. Inspiration often strikes when you eat other foods, learn about unique ingredients, or hear about intriguing cakes. Additionally, your sense of smell is connected to your sense of taste, so don't dismiss ideas derived from candles or other pleasant scents, either. Experimenting when the pressure is low can also embolden you. Avoid testing new ideas when baking cakes for special occasions and consider halving the recipe to create less waste if your test fails. Research your idea. If you have an idea but are too scared to take the plunge, do some research before you step into the kitchen. Search on Pinterest or popular recipe websites to determine if anyone else may have combined similar flavors, then read about the methods others have used when doing so. Instead of looking for an exact recipe to duplicate, focus on the proportions and ingredients used to produce certain flavors. Doing so can give you an idea of how much to add of which ingredients when you start experimenting with your own cake recipe. Learn about each ingredient. Baking involves chemistry, and many ingredients you might use to add flavor will also affect the cake in other ways. Before using any particular ingredient, find out if it might impact the cake's density, texture, or ability to rise. Counteract unwanted effects by adding other ingredients to balance them out. For instance, cocoa powder adds weight and dryness to a cake, so you would need to add more of your raising agent and more moisture to neutralize these effects. Note that you may also need to learn about some of basic ingredients; otherwise, you won't know which ingredients to use when balancing out the negative effects of your flavor additions. Build the flavor gradually. Since you'll likely end up working with some unfamiliar ingredients and flavor combinations, it's best to start adding new flavors in small amounts. This is especially important when you add flavors directly to the batter. You can easily build up weak flavors, but if you accidentally add too much of any one taste, you won't be able to cut that flavor back down. After adding each new flavoring ingredient, taste the batter and determine if it needs more. When adding multiple flavors, ask yourself if the flavors balance each other or if you need to alter the proportions further. Evaluate the finished cake. The baking process can tone down some flavors while drawing out other tastes, so the finished cake may not taste exactly like the batter. For that reason, you'll need to continue evaluating the taste and balance of flavors while biting into the finished cake. Be your own critic. Ask yourself if the cake tastes the way you hope it would, and if it doesn't, try to figure out the cause. The flavor combination may not work at all, but oftentimes, the taste can improve with some alterations. It's possible that you added too much or too little of one ingredient. Alternatively, you might decide to swap out one ingredient for another—for instance, melted chocolate for cocoa powder. Ask others to critique your cake, as well. Since they didn't bake it, they may not be able to help you alter the recipe for future reference, but they can at least give you an honest opinion about the way it tastes. | Use extracts and flavorings. Mix fresh ingredients into the cake. Sift cocoa powder into the batter. Try flavored liquids instead of water. Spice up the batter. Add dry pudding mix. Enhance the overall flavor with richer ingredients. Pour syrup over the cake. Spread filling in between layers. Change the frosting. Experiment with different combinations. Research your idea. Learn about each ingredient. Build the flavor gradually. Evaluate the finished cake. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Deter-Coyotes | How to Deter Coyotes | To deter coyotes, try wrapping rags around sticks, soaking them in ammonia, and staking them around your property. You can also install motion-activated sprinklers or lights to scare off coyotes that wander onto your property. If you see a coyote, make loud noises or spray it with a hose so it runs away. If the problem persists, you may want to build a fence around your property so coyotes can't get in. | Keep food sources out of reach. Coyotes are attracted to easy food sources that might be found outdoors, including garbage and pet food. If you want to keep coyotes away, make sure you don't give the access to these easy targets. For instance: Keep garbage outside in containers with locking lids. If you feed pets outdoors, clean up any leftover food as soon as they are done. Do not let containers of water sit out, since coyotes may try to drink from them. Keep birdfeeders clean and securely closed. If you have fruit trees, pick up fallen fruit instead of leaving it on the ground. Trim bushes and trees to remove coyote cover. If there are trees with low limbs, shrubs, or thick brush on your land, clear it to several feet off of the ground. That way, coyotes won't have thick cover to hide behind. Use clippers, hedge trimmers, or a similar tool to remove any branches, limbs or growth from the lower portion of vegetation. Get a guard animal. Coyotes are relatively small animals, and normally only prey on small animals like mice and rabbits. Large or aggressive animals will frighten them. Get a guard animal that you can leave outside. Dogs, donkeys, and llamas all make good guard animals. Use scent deterrents. Take clean rags, wrap them around a stick, and soak them in ammonia. You can also spray the rag with cologne. Stick them in the ground, on the borders of your land. Strong smells that seem unnatural to coyotes will scare them away. Replace the rags after each rainfall. Build a deterrent fence. Coyotes are skilled jumpers, but a fence that is 5 feet (1.5 m) to 6 feet (1.8 m) high can deter them. To keep them from digging under the fence, make sure that it goes at least 6 inches (15 cm) down into the soil. An electric fence can also work to keep coyotes away. Use motion-activated sprinklers. Set them up on the edges of your land. If coyotes creep in, the sensors will be activated and the animals will be struck with a blast of water. Coyotes hate being disturbed, so this will drive them away. You can find these sprinklers at most hardware and home supply stores. Install outdoor lights. Usually, coyotes like to lay low and are actually very skittish. Bright lights make the area seem too visible for their liking, so they will stay away. Set bright outdoor lights up outside your home, in your yard, or wherever you suspect coyotes lurk. Strobe lights will be especially annoying to coyotes, so go for those if you can find them. Make loud noise. If you actually see coyotes on your land, immediately start making noise. Shouting, screaming, and clapping will all frighten a coyote. You can also create a shaker by filling a can or bottle with coins, beans, and other loud objects. Spray the coyotes. Attach high-powered, far-shooting nozzles on your garden hoses. If you see coyotes in the distance, turn the hose on and blast them with water. It won't hurt the animals, but it will make the look for somewhere else to hang out. Use lethal deterrents, if necessary. In some cases, you may be able to shoot or otherwise kill coyotes. However, the use of lethal deterrents may or may not be legally permitted in your area. Check with your local game management office or county extension agency for details. You can use paintball guns as an alternative to lethal weapons. High-powered water guns filled with vinegar can also be used to deter coyotes. Do not run. If you encounter a coyote at close range, the most important thing to do is to stand your ground. Running away may cause the coyote to see you as prey. Try to make yourself appear taller. Stand up, and try to get on top of something like a stump, rock, or chair. If there are small children nearby, pick them up for safekeeping. Do not approach the animal. Coyotes mostly prefer to keep to themselves. If you keep your distance from the animal, they will probably slink away all by themselves. If you go up to the animal, however, they might feel frightened and become aggressive to protect themselves. Make noise. Shouting, clapping, and yelling also work to deter coyotes at close range. As soon as you see one, make some noise. Teach young children to shout “Go away, coyote!” if they see one. That way, if you're not with them, but hear “coyote,” you'll know what is happening and can come help them. Act aggressively. Keep your distance, but show the coyote you are something they don't want to mess with. Wave your arms around and stamp your feet. Throw things like rocks or sticks. Hold something like a broom, walking stick, or shovel. If coyotes are common in your area, you might also want to carry pepper spray as a deterrent. | Keep food sources out of reach. Trim bushes and trees to remove coyote cover. Get a guard animal. Use scent deterrents. Build a deterrent fence. Use motion-activated sprinklers. Install outdoor lights. Make loud noise. Spray the coyotes. Use lethal deterrents, if necessary. Do not run. Do not approach the animal. Make noise. Act aggressively. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Teach-Your-Dog-to-Jump | How to Teach Your Dog to Jump | To teach your dog to jump, start by holding a treat in front of your dog and instructing it to “sit” as you trace the treat towards the back of its head, guiding it to a sitting position. Once your dog has learned "sit," have it sit, then hold a treat 1-2 feet above its head and say “Jump.” When the dog jumps for the treat, give it verbal praise and offer it the treat. Once your dog consistently responds to this command, increase the height at which you hold the treat until your dog jumps off all 4 legs to get it. | Teach your dog to sit. Teaching your dog to jump will be easier if it already knows how to follow other commands. If it can stay in a seated position, it'll be more likely to stay focused when you teach it a jump command. Hold a treat in front of your dog's nose and say “Sit!” Trace the treat towards the back of your dog's head to guide your dog into sitting down. If necessary, physically move your dog into the right position. Give your dog the treat as soon as it's in the right position, and repeat for about 20 minutes to reinforce the command. Break up high value treats into pea-sized pieces. Use high value treats that your dog really likes when teaching it new tricks. Break treats into small, pea-sized pieces so you can give your dog plenty of rewards during a training session. Try popular high value treats like chunks of string cheese, hot dog pieces, or licks of peanut butter off a spoon. Only use small pieces of high value treats so that your dog won't gain weight. Hold a treat above your dog’s head and say “Jump! ” Have your dog sit and show it a treat. Hold the treat about one to two feet (about half a meter) above its head. Introduce the command by saying “Jump!” If your dog seems confused or hesitant at first, you can try jumping yourself to demonstrate what you want it to do. Try putting the treat closer to your dog's face. As it reaches up for it, move the treat up and away while simultaneously saying “Jump!” Reward your dog when it goes for the treat. Allow your dog to get the treat when it jumps up off of its front legs. Give it plenty of verbal praise to let it know how happy you are that it reached for the treat. Offer the treat and praise as soon as it gets up so it associates the action with the reward. Increase the height at which you hold the treat gradually. Repeat the process until your dog consistently follows the jump command and gets onto its hind legs for a treat. Gradually increase the height at which you hold the treat until your dog has to jump off of all four legs to get the treat. Keep training your dog for 20 minute sessions at least once a day until it consistently jumps when you command. If your dog loses interest before the 20 minutes are up, give it a break and try again later. Start with a low, sturdy object. Use a stool, ottoman, or other sturdy object that your dog can step up onto without jumping. When you're starting out, it's best to just have your dog step up instead of going for a full jump. That way, it'll be become more comfortable with the concept of getting onto an object. Hold the treat above the object and give a jump command. Show your dog the treat and hold it above the stool or ottoman. Say “Jump!” and, if necessary, physically guide your dog onto the object. Give it the treat and offer lots of verbal praise as soon as all four paws are on the object. Repeat the stepping up process in 20 minute sessions until your dog is comfortable getting onto the object and consistently follows the command. Move on to taller objects gradually. Once your dog confidently steps onto the first object, switch to a slightly taller object. Keep increasing the objects' heights until your dog has to complete an actual jump to get the treat. Once you've trained your dog to jump onto objects at home, you can use the same method to teach it to jump onto benches, walls, and other obstacles you come across during walks. Use an adjustable jump. You can find adjustable dog jumps used in agility courses online or at your local pet store. When you're just starting out, set the bar at ground level or at the lowest available setting. You'll start training by just having your dog walk over the jump bar. Create your jump with cinder blocks and plywood. If you don't want to purchase an adjustable jump, you can easily make your own. Place a plywood board over two cinder blocks, or other sturdy, flat objects. Add more blocks to increase the jump's height when you're ready to increase difficulty. Use natural outdoor obstacles as jumps. Look for fallen logs, low walls, or even small creeks nearby that you can use as free obstacles. Make sure the area is safe and stable before bringing your dog there so that they don't get hurt. Set down a treat on the far side of the jump. Have your dog sit on one side of the jump bar, and place a treat on the floor on the opposite side. Tell your dog “Go get it!” or any other command (like “Okay!” or “Go!”) you've taught it that lets it know it should get the treat. If necessary, guide your dog over the bar to get the treat. The treat should be on the floor instead of held high in the air so your dog will get used to looking down and forward as it goes over the bar. This will help it learn to round its back when it actually jumps over the bar, which is better for its spine. If your dog walks around the jump instead of over it to get the treat, set it up with one side against a wall. Place an obstacle, such as furniture, on the other side. Practice at the lowest level until your dog is comfortable. Keep having your dog step over the jump bar so it gets comfortable with the object. If you start by having it jump right away, it might accidentally knock over the bar. If that happens and it gets hurt or startled, you'll have a hard time getting your dog to go near the obstacle. Keep practicing for about 20 minutes at least once a day. Remember to give your dog lots of verbal praise to show it how proud it's made you. Raise the bar gradually. Once your dog is comfortable stepping over the bar, raise it to the next setting or add another set of cinder blocks. Ideally, at this next phase, your dog should just have to put a little more spring into its step to get over the bar and get the treat. When it's mastered this stage, increase the height so it has to complete a full jump to get the treat. Use the same method to teach your dog to jump through hoops. Like bar jumping, the key to teaching your dog to jump through a hoop is to raise the obstacle gradually. Start by having your dog walk through the hoop to get a treat so it gets comfortable with the object. Raise the hoop so it has to step a little more energetically, then gradually work your way up to a full jump. | Teach your dog to sit. Break up high value treats into pea-sized pieces. Hold a treat above your dog’s head and say “Jump! Reward your dog when it goes for the treat. Increase the height at which you hold the treat gradually. Start with a low, sturdy object. Hold the treat above the object and give a jump command. Move on to taller objects gradually. Use an adjustable jump. Create your jump with cinder blocks and plywood. Use natural outdoor obstacles as jumps. Set down a treat on the far side of the jump. Practice at the lowest level until your dog is comfortable. Raise the bar gradually. Use the same method to teach your dog to jump through hoops. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Hamster-Maze | How to Build a Hamster Maze | To build a maze for your hamster, gather some cardboard or wood to build the walls and a 2 feet by 2 feet wooden board for the base. Additionally, get some hot glue or wood glue to keep your maze together. To design the layout of your maze, either come up with your own design on a sheet of paper or look for ideas on cereal boxes or from a puzzle book. Draw the maze design on the base, and make sure the pathways are wide enough to fit your hamster. To make the walls, cut a length of cardboard or wood to match each straight line in your design. Then, glue the walls to the base one wall at a time, allowing each one to dry before adding the next. | Make sure that the room is hamster safe before building the maze. There should be no other animals inside the room, as they could stress the hamster. Cover any possible hiding spots in the room in case the hamster gets out of the maze. Hamster hiding spots include boxes and under furniture. Choose your materials. Because hamsters like to chew through everything, it is important that you make your maze out of materials that are safe for hamsters. Because of this, it is best to avoid plastic. Here are two popular options: Cardboard can be sourced from boxes, presentation boards, and even toilet paper rolls. It may not be very durable, but it will be the cheapest option. Make sure that it is thick and strong, or the hamster will chew holes into the walls and run away. Wood is sturdier than cardboard, but also more expensive. When buying wood, make sure that it is a hardwood, such as birch, oak, or walnut. Avoid resinous woods such as pine or cedar, which are toxic for hamsters. Also, make sure that the wood is smooth and free of any cracks or coarse grains that could seriously injure your hamster. You can use wooden boards or blocks. Use the right glue. Hot glue would be the most suitable for cardboard while wood glue would be the best for wood. Whatever glue you buy, make sure that it is non toxic, in case the hamster chews on it. You do not want to use nails or screws, even if you are making your maze out of wood; the sharp metal can hurt your pet. Choose your base. Look for a wooden board or a sheet of wood that is about 2 feet by 2 feet. This will be the base for your maze. Consider covering the maze with a sheet of plastic. This will make it easier to clean things up if the hamster makes a mess. Be sure to glue or tape the edges of the plastic sheet down so it doesn't slide off. Consider getting a large tub to put the maze in once it's built. This will keep the hamster from running away in case it escapes the maze. You can also put the maze into a bathtub or a hamster playpen. If you are using a bathtub, however, make sure that the drain is plugged up and that the bottom of the tub is covered with a cloth or towel. Design the layout of your maze. You can either come up with your own on a sheet of paper, or you can use an existing one. Two great places to find ideas for mazes are on the backs of cereal boxes and coloring mats from chain restaurants; many restaurants offer paper placemats with puzzles and mazes for children to solve. Do not worry about the height of the walls yet. Make sure that your maze has straight lines instead of curves; this will make it easier to build. Make your maze bigger so that it fits your hamster. You can either enlarge it simply by drawing it bigger, or you can use a photocopier. Aim for something that is 2 feet by 2 feet (centimeters). You can either draw directly onto the base, or you can draw it on a sheet of paper and then glue the paper to the base. Start drawing a wall on a sheet of cardboard or wood. It will be shaped like a rectangle. The length needs to be the same as one of the straight lines in your maze. The height should be twice the height of your hamster; this will prevent the hamster from climbing out of the maze. Repeat this process for the other walls. If you do not have enough material to make the walls so high, you can make them the same height as the hamster, but then you will need to cover the entire maze with a sheet of wire mesh so that the hamster doesn't climb out. Consider numbering the walls. Draw a small number on the rectangle you drew, and the same number next to the matching wall in the maze. This will help you remember which wall goes where. Start cutting the walls out. If you are using cardboard, you can use a box cutter or an Xacto blade. If you are using a wooden board, then you will have to use a saw. Try cutting a few arches into the walls to make smaller doorways for the hamster. This could make it more interesting. Glue the walls down onto the maze, one at a time. Draw a line of glue along one of the lines of your maze, and place the matching wall down. Wait until the glue hardens, or until the wall can stand up on its own, before moving onto the next. Be sure to add glue into the corners, where the walls join. Be sure to leave a path through the maze. Leave the entrance and exit open. You can always block the entrance with a piece of wood or cardboard once the hamster is inside. Place the maze down on the floor or into a tub. Do not keep it on a table. If the hamster somehow manages to escape, it may fall off the table and get hurt. Leave treats in the maze. You can leave a treat for your hamster at the end of the maze, or you can leave a treat at various points in the maze to help guide your hamster along. Not only can the treats be very rewarding for your hamster, but they can also help motivate the hamster to go through the maze. Try any of the following treats: Barley, oats, and quinoa Flaxseed Pumpkin seed, sesame seed, and sunflower seed Vegetables, such as broccoli, carrot, celery, corn, and green beans Try building some of the paths out of toilet paper rolls instead. This will create a tunnel for the hamster to crawl through, and make it more like an obstacle course. Make sure that you poke a few small holes into the tube so that the hamster can breathe. To attach a tube to a wall, cut a hole in the wall first, then stick the tube into the hole. Secure the tube with some hot glue. Consider covering the bottom of your maze with a thin layer of its bedding. This will make the maze easier to clean up in case the hamster soils it. The familiar flooring may also help the hamster feel more relaxed and at home. Avoid bedding that is made out of cedar or pine, as this is not safe for hamsters. Try building your maze out of wooden blocks. You can also try using plastic bricks, but only if you know that your hamster will not chew on them. Simply arrange the bricks on your base in a maze pattern. If you want the design to be permanent, glue the blocks down using wood glue. If you do not want the maze to be permanent, do not glue them down; the hamster will not be strong enough to move the blocks aside. Make sure that the blocks are twice as tall as your hamster. If you cannot find any blocks are that large enough, try stacking them or covering the entire maze with a wire mesh. Try timing your hamster each time you let it run through the maze. The hamster will start to remember the maze, and finished it faster each time. Know when it is a good time to run your hamster through the maze. Because hamsters are nocturnal, you may not get very good or exciting results by putting the hamster into the maze during the daytime. Instead, try putting it in when its eyes appear bright and awake. This would most likely be in the evening, although you may be able to catch a few moments of playtime in the afternoon as well. | Make sure that the room is hamster safe before building the maze. Choose your materials. Use the right glue. Choose your base. Consider getting a large tub to put the maze in once it's built. Design the layout of your maze. Make your maze bigger so that it fits your hamster. Start drawing a wall on a sheet of cardboard or wood. Start cutting the walls out. Glue the walls down onto the maze, one at a time. Be sure to leave a path through the maze. Place the maze down on the floor or into a tub. Leave treats in the maze. Try building some of the paths out of toilet paper rolls instead. Consider covering the bottom of your maze with a thin layer of its bedding. Try building your maze out of wooden blocks. Try timing your hamster each time you let it run through the maze. Know when it is a good time to run your hamster through the maze. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Pickles | How to Make Pickles | To make pickles, start by slicing a few cucumbers and onions. Then, stack the cucumber and onion slices in a jar, adding a pinch of salt after you lay down each layer. Once the jar is full, seal it and place it in the fridge overnight. Then, prepare a pickling liquid by heating sugar, vinegar, and parsley in a pan. When the sugar is completely dissolved, pour the pickling liquid into the jar of cucumbers and onions and place them back in the refrigerator. Your pickles will be done and ready to eat the following day. | Use the freshest cucumbers possible. The fresher the cucumbers, the crunchier your pickles will be. If the cucumbers are already a bit soft, then your pickles will be soft too. Plan a trip to the market or produce aisle right before you begin your pickling adventure. Always slice off the blossom end of the cucumber. The blossom end is the end with the small brown circle on it. The end has an enzyme that can make your pickles softer, and therefore a bit more soggy. Consider your cuts. The more you cut or slice the cucumbers, the thinner the pieces will be, and the less crunchy they'll be as a result. If you want truly crunchy pickles, you can just slice a cucumber a few times, so that they'll retain their original shape more. If you use whole pickles, they'll have even more of a kick than the spears. Don't skimp on the salt. You need the salt to draw the water out of the cucumbers and to preserve the pickles for longer. If you're trying to manage your diet, you can skimp on the sugars or other ingredients a bit, but stick to the necessary amount of salt or you'll be disappointed in your pickles. Gather your ingredients. Here's what you'll need to make simple pickles: 4 medium cucumbers 4 onions Salt 2 cups sugar 1 cup vinegar 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley Slice four medium cucumbers and 4 onions. Peel the skin off the cucumbers and slice them into thin medallions. Dice the onions into small pieces. Layer the cucumbers and onions in a container. Lay down a layer of cucumbers followed by a layer of onions. You can use a fork to evenly distribute the onions over the pickles. Lightly salt the layer and then add another layer of cucumbers and onions and salt it again. Continue to layer the cucumbers and onions until you've used up all of the vegetables. The container should be at least 1 foot (0.3 m) x 9 inches (30.5 x 22.8 cm) and should be at least half a foot (15.2 cm) tall. These dimensions will help the cucumbers absorb the juices. Refrigerate overnight. Seal the container and refrigerate overnight, letting the cucumbers release their moisture. Make pickling liquid. To make pickling liquid, simply mix together two cups of sugar, one cup of white vinegar, and 2 tablespoon (29.6 ml). chopped fresh parsley in a saucepan. Cook this mixture on a stovetop until the sugar dissolves into the mixture. Pickle the cucumbers. Remove the cucumbers from the refrigerator and drain off the excess liquid. Then pour the hot sugar syrup over top of the cucumbers and return them the refrigerator. The pickles will be ready to eat the following day. They will store in the refrigerator for several weeks. Serve. Remove the pickles from the refrigerator the next day and eat them as a salad, put them on a sandwich, or eat them as a side dish to a main course. Gather your ingredients. Here's what you'll need to make spicy pickles: 1 lb. medium cucumbers 3 cloves garlic ½ tsp. black peppercorns ½ tsp. whole mustard seed 1 tsp. fresh dill weed 1 dried bay leaf 2/3 cup organic light brown sugar 6½ tbsp. white distilled vinegar 6½ tbsp. white-wine vinegar ¾ cup water Peel 1 lb. medium cucumbers. Slice the cucumbers. Slice them into thin medallions that can be easily spread out in a container or jar. Place the cucumbers in a 2-quart container or jar. This size will be perfect for pickling the cucumbers. Add 3 cloves chopped garlic, ½ tsp. black peppercorns, ½ tsp. whole mustard seed, 1 tsp. fresh dill weed, and 1 dried bay leaf to the container. Stir the container to distribute all of these ingredients over the cucumber. Make the pickling mixture. To to this, simply combine 2/3 cup organic light brown sugar, 6½ tablespoons white distilled vinegar, 6½ tablespoons white-wine vinegar, and ¾ cup water. Stir this mixture well until the sugar and vinegars combine and until all of the sugar dissolves. Pour the pickling mixture over the cucumbers. To evenly distribute the mixture over the pickles, close the jar or container and shake it well. Cover and refrigerate. Let the cucumbers stay in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours for the fullest flavor. Serve. Serve the pickles as a side dish or place them into a sandwich. These pickles will last in the refrigerator for up to three months. Gather your ingredients. Here's what you'll need to make garlic dill pickles: 3 lbs. kirby cucumbers 1½ cups apple cider vinegar 1½ cups filtered water 2 tbsp. pickling salt 8 peeled garlic cloves 4 tsp. dill seed 2 tsp. black peppercorns 1 tsp. red chili flakes Wash and dry 3 lbs. kirby cucumbers. Cut them into spears. Remove the blossom end. Make the brine. Combine 1½ cups apple cider vinegar, 1½ cups filtered water, and 2 tablespoon (29.6 ml). pickling salt in a saucepan. Bring this mixture to a boil. Divide 8 garlic cloves, 4 tsp. dill seed, 2 tsp. black peppercorns, and 1 tsp. red chili flakes between two quart jars. If you don't have two quart jars, you can use four pint jars instead. Place the cut cucumbers into the jars. You should pack them in as tightly as you can without crushing them. Pour the brine into the jar. Leave just 1/4 inch of space above the surface of the brine and the rim of the jar. You can gently tap the jars to remove any air bubbles. Air bubbles can damage the pickling process. Cover the jars. Place the lids on the jars, but don't screw them on too tightly -- the mixture needs to breathe a bit. Let the jars cool. Wait at least 10-15 minutes for the jars to cool down. Refrigerate. You should let the pickles sit in the refrigerator for at least a week for best results. Serve. Serve the pickles as a side to any meal, or enjoy them as a snack at any time. Gather your ingredients. Here's what you'll need to make sweet pickles: 2 lbs. cucumbers 1 cup apple cider vinegar 1/8 cup salt 1 cup white sugar 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric 1/2 tsp. mustard seed 2 sweet onions Make the brine. Combine 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/8 cup salt, 1 cup white sugar, 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric, and 1/2 tsp. mustard seed together in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring this mixture to a boil and let it cook for at least 5 minutes. Slice 2 lbs. cucumbers and 2 sweet onions. Slice each cucumber into at least 3-4 spears, depending on the thickness of the cucumber. Dice the sweet onions into small pieces. Pack the veggies into a 1-quart canning jar. Place them in tightly without crushing them. If you don't have a 1-quart jar, you can use two pint jars instead. Pour the brine over the veggies in the container. Place the lid on the container and shake it well to stir around all of the ingredients. Refrigerate. Keep this mixture in the fridge for at least 24 hours for best results. Serve. Enjoy these sweet pickle spears as a snack or as a side with your next sandwich or meal. | Use the freshest cucumbers possible. Always slice off the blossom end of the cucumber. Consider your cuts. Don't skimp on the salt. Gather your ingredients. Slice four medium cucumbers and 4 onions. Layer the cucumbers and onions in a container. Refrigerate overnight. Make pickling liquid. Pickle the cucumbers. Serve. Gather your ingredients. Peel 1 lb. Slice the cucumbers. Place the cucumbers in a 2-quart container or jar. Add 3 cloves chopped garlic, ½ tsp. Make the pickling mixture. Pour the pickling mixture over the cucumbers. Cover and refrigerate. Serve. Gather your ingredients. Wash and dry 3 lbs. Make the brine. Divide 8 garlic cloves, 4 tsp. Place the cut cucumbers into the jars. Pour the brine into the jar. Cover the jars. Let the jars cool. Refrigerate. Serve. Gather your ingredients. Make the brine. Bring this mixture to a boil and let it cook for at least 5 minutes. Slice 2 lbs. Pack the veggies into a 1-quart canning jar. Pour the brine over the veggies in the container. Refrigerate. Serve. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Cope-if-You-Want-to-Become-Anorexic | How to Cope if You Want to Become Anorexic | While seeing a mental health professional is the best way to cope with the onset of anorexia, you can cope with your feelings by replacing your negative thoughts with positive ones. For example, if you don't like the way you look, think about how you have friends and family who love you. That way, you can focus on things about yourself that you enjoy and admire. To make this easier, write down a list of all the qualities you like about yourself. Jot down as many as you can, including talents, achievements, and interests. That way, you'll have a list of positives you can read when you're thinking negative thoughts. Another way to change your thinking is to find constructive ways to gain control in your life. Instead of strictly controlling your diet, control your time by cutting back on responsibilities or stressful activities. | Recognize that anorexia is often the result of other negative emotions. The desire to be thin may be a result of anxiety and destructive thinking. It sometimes is hereditary, but it's important to recognize that these thoughts will damage your body image and your body. Negative emotions that you might experience may include sadness, anger, nervousness, insecurity, and others. You might have noticed that you have an intense fear of gaining weight and an intense desire to lose weight. These feelings are symptoms of anorexia. Try to remind yourself that these thoughts are from the disease. Stop yourself from comparing your body to other people’s bodies. When you find yourself admiring other people's bodies and comparing their bodies to yours, try to stop and think about what you're doing. By doing this, you are acting on an impulse driven by insecurity and anxiety, an impulse that's produced by anorexia. Recognize it for what it is--disrupted thoughts and feelings fueled by an anorexic thought process. When you catch yourself judging other people's bodies or comparing your body to theirs, force yourself to stop. Instead remind yourself you should accept others, no matter what their body type, and to accept yourself as you are. Think about your friends and family. They come in all shapes and sizes and you love and care about them all. Your love for them does not have anything to do with their size and neither does their love for you. Steer clear of pro-anorexia websites and other unhealthy internet content. The internet can be an excellent source of accurate information, resources, and support for those with eating disorders. But it also contains unhealthy, damaging, and triggering content that can reinforce poor body image and drive unrealistic expectations. Avoid these unhealthy sources to help yourself cope with your feelings. Even your social media outlets may contribute to your feelings. You may want to reduce your exposure or avoid social media altogether for a while. You may also want to avoid visiting fitness websites and applications because these can also be triggers for some people. Identify the things that are making you want to become anorexic. You may be tempted to become anorexic or engage in behaviors that lead to anorexia because of unhealthy images of body types, eating habits, and situations that promote extreme thinness. Learning what makes you want to become anorexic is essential to learning which situations you need to avoid. Some questions that may help you figure out what is causing you to want to become anorexic include: Do you have a group of friends who obsess over how many calories they consume? If so, these friends may be influencing you. Try to spend less time with them or ask them not to talk about calories so much. Does a family member often make comments about your body or your weight? Or did they make comments to you while you were growing up? Comments like these and any bullying you experienced is important to identify and discuss with a counselor. You may also want to talk to them about it and explain how it makes/made you feel. You should also let another family member know about this so you have someone on your side. Are you constantly reading fashion magazines or watching shows that focus on thinness? If so, take a break from these images for a while. Keep in mind that these images have been Photoshopped and these girls do not look like that in real life. Seek out friends with a healthy body image and diet. Your friends' attitudes toward food and their bodies can impact your eating habits and body image. Try to find people who have positive self-images and healthy attitudes toward food and weight and spend more time with them. Loved ones can also help reframe your attitudes about food and your body. If a loved one voices a concern that you are too thin or unhealthy-looking, then you should listen and take it seriously. Try to avoid situations that trigger your urges. Try to limit your exposure to unhealthy situations, and think about how you can spend your newfound time. If you are involved in a hobby or exposed to an environment that is making your anorexic behaviors worse, then it might be time for a change. Choose to do something that is positive for you instead. Consider stopping gymnastics, modeling or any hobby that focuses on your size. Avoid weighing yourself or checking the mirror too much. Frequent weight checks and constant attention to your physical appearance can reinforce negative behavior patterns that many anorexic individuals share. Avoid friends who always talk about how much they weigh and compare themselves to others. Avoid websites, TV shows, and other outlets that portray unrealistic body types. Relax. If you have anorexic tendencies, then you probably have a high level of cortisol, which is a stress hormone. When you are anorexic, you may be obsessed with being perfect, having control, or hiding insecurities. Being obsessed with these things causes significant amounts of stress. To help counteract stress, take some time to relax every day. Pamper yourself. Get a manicure and pedicure, go for a massage, or spend a spa night at home. Try yoga or meditation. Both of these activities have shown to reduce stress. Realize that "fat" is not a feeling. When you feel “fat,” you may be dealing with another emotion that you have associated with feeling fat. It's that emotion that you need to tune into. The next time you get that “fat feeling” for no good reason, take a step back. What emotions are you feeling? What situation made you feel this negative way? Who were you with? Try writing out your answers to these questions as often as possible to look for patterns. For example, you might notice this feeling whenever you spend time with a certain person or when you are having a bad day. Use this information to change your environment and see if that helps you feel better about yourself. Remember that no diet can control your emotions. Anorexia isn't just a severely restricted diet. It's an attempt to combat a larger problem. Following a strict diet may make you feel like you are more in control and this may give you a sense of accomplishment. But any happiness you feel by limiting your food intake is masking a deeper problem. Look for more constructive ways to gain control of your life. For example, you can cut back on stressful activities or responsibilities, work on managing your time more efficiently, and get help for things you don't understand. Try to find other ways to feel happy. Do things that make you happy such as engaging in your hobbies and spending time with friends. Try to look in the mirror and compliment yourself every day. For example, you could look at yourself in the mirror and say something like, “Your hair looks really pretty today.” Challenge your negative thoughts. Get into the habit of replacing negative thoughts with positive ones. Every time you notice that you are thinking something negative about yourself, try to turn it into something positive. For example, if you notice that you are having negative thoughts about the way that you look, think about something you are grateful for. This can be as simple as being grateful to be alive, having a place to call home, or being loved by your family and friends. You can also make a list of your good qualities. Include as many items as you can think of, such as your talents, skills, achievements, and your unique interests. Be realistic about what anorexia will do to your body. Another way to get your mind off of wanting to become anorexic is to take a look at what happens to people who become anorexic. Between 5% and 20% of people with anorexia die. If you become significantly underweight, you may: develop osteoporosis (brittle bones that break easily) be at risk of heart failure due to the damage caused to your heart by anorexia be at risk of kidney failure due to dehydration experience spells of fainting, fatigue, and weakness lose the hair on your head have dry skin and hair grow an extra layer of hair on your body (to keep warm) develop bruises all over your body Seek help no matter what. Anorexia looks different for different people. You may restrict your calories, purge, or do both. No matter what your anorexia looks like, you will need to get help. Even if you just find the idea of anorexia somewhat attractive, seek help now. A physician, psychologist or even a mentor can talk you through this. Anorexia isn't healthy or at all desirable. If you are suffering from anorexia, seek hospitalization or therapy. You'll get professional help to get over this and make it through. Talk to a role model. Although you might be tempted to keep your attraction to anorexia or anorexic behavior secret, you must tell a trusted friend or family member, preferably someone older. Turn to someone in your circle who does not criticize his or her body and does not follow a strict diet. Sometimes an outside perspective can make all the difference. Discussing your concerns about your body weight and self-image with a loved one can help you work toward improving your expectations for a healthy body and weight. This makes your battle less isolating and keeps you committed to making progress against anorexic tendencies. Discuss your concerns with a health professional. Request a physical or ask to discuss your weight and body image with a doctor or nurse practitioner. Inform him or her of your intense thoughts about restricting food intake and losing weight and ask for advice and help. Select a practitioner who is committed to helping you avoid or beat anorexia. If your first attempt at finding a helpful practitioner fails, search for someone who will remain involved and help you develop a treatment plan. In some cases, dietitians may be excellent resources and may have more time to discuss your progress than regular physicians. Stick to your treatment plan and track your progress and discuss any deviations you may make from the treatment with your healthcare provider. Ask about therapeutic methods to avoid behavior that leads to anorexia. If you have already begun eating habits that lead to anorexia, you may require vitamin and mineral supplementation or intravenous nutrition. Discuss counseling, support groups, exercise and anti-anxiety strategies, and proper meal planning with your healthcare provider. A mental health professional can be good for this, too. Not only will they be able to talk you through what you're going through now, but they can help you fight the reasons for the urges in the first place. They may also be able to prescribe medication. Discuss an appropriate weight range for your age, sex, and height. Everyone is unique, but your healthcare provider can offer advice for a healthy and realistic weight range for someone with your characteristics. Create a structured plan to avoid anorexia and build a better body image. Your doctor or psychologist can help with this, too. Consider taking up art , journaling , yoga, meditation, nature photography, volunteering, or another daily activity to regularly commit to focusing less on food or losing weight and more on well-rounded health. Try choosing a mantra that reinforces a healthy body image and realistic expectations based on your size and body type. Write this mantra in your journal and recite it to yourself every morning. For example, you may want to choose something like “Food nourishes my body and makes me strong.” Commit to an eating plan, too. Promise yourself (and your doctor) that you'll eat three healthy meals a day. If you don't do this, you'll be letting yourself and your doctor down. Have a reward set up for yourself when you eat right. You may also want to always plan to eat with someone and have a conversation with them during your meal to distract you and help to reduce your anxiety. Track your progress and get regular support or feedback. Take note of the success you achieve in learning new things, trying new activities, overcoming your negative self-image and learning to appreciate and recognize healthy body types. Call an eating disorder hotline. If you do not have access to a health professional or if you prefer to first discuss your concerns over the phone, contact a national helpline. Here are a few useful numbers that can put you into contact with someone who can help: KidsHealth for Parents, Children, and Teens : www.kidshealth.org or (+1) (904) 697-4100 Mental Health America : www.mentalhealthamerica.net or 1-800-969-6642 National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders : www.anad.org or (+1) (630) 577-1330 National Eating Disorders Association : www.nationaleatingdisorders.org or 1-800-931-2237 Beat - Beating Eating Disorders : www.b-eat.co.uk or 0845 634 1414 | Recognize that anorexia is often the result of other negative emotions. Stop yourself from comparing your body to other people’s bodies. Steer clear of pro-anorexia websites and other unhealthy internet content. Identify the things that are making you want to become anorexic. Seek out friends with a healthy body image and diet. Try to avoid situations that trigger your urges. Relax. Realize that "fat" is not a feeling. Remember that no diet can control your emotions. Challenge your negative thoughts. Be realistic about what anorexia will do to your body. Seek help no matter what. Talk to a role model. Discuss your concerns with a health professional. Ask about therapeutic methods to avoid behavior that leads to anorexia. Create a structured plan to avoid anorexia and build a better body image. Call an eating disorder hotline. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Arm-Knit-a-Blanket | How to Arm Knit a Blanket | To arm knit a blanket, make sure to choose a bulky yarn that's meant for arm knitting. Then, pull out 5 feet of yarn from the skein and loop some of the yarn into a slipknot on your right arm. Continue looping the yarn and pulling the loops through to create at least 18 stitches. Next, loop the free end of the yarn around your left hand and pull it through the first loop on your right arm to slide the loop off your right arm and onto your left arm. Repeat this process to complete each row of your blanket. | Choose your yarn. Arm knitting requires no needles or other equipment, just some yarn and your own two arms. However, it is important to choose yarn that will be bulky enough to complete your project. One option is to purchase yarn that is super bulky and meant for arm knitting. You can find this type of yarn in a craft store. If you can't find super bulky yarn, then you can also use three strands of bulky yarn held together to arm knit your blanket. The amount of yarn you will need will depend on how large you want your blanket to be. Plan on needing at least a three skeins of super bulky yarn to complete this project. If you are going to hold together three strands from three bulky skeins to knit your blanket, then you will need at least nine skeins of bulky yarn. Pull five feet of yarn out of the skein. To begin casting on, pull about five feet of yarn out of the skein. This is the tail of your yarn, which you will use to cast on your first row of stitches. Allow the yarn to drop onto your lap or onto the floor beside you. Five feet is enough to cast on about 18 stitches for a small blanket. If you want to make a large blanket, then pull out a bit more, like six or seven feet of yarn. Cast on your first stitch. Start by making a slipknot with some of the yarn from the five foot length of yarn you pulled out. Start near the skein and work downwards. To make a slipknot, make a loop in the yarn and then pull a second loop of yarn through this loop. Then, slip this loop onto your right arm. This will be your first cast on stitch. Continue to loop the yarn and pull loops through to create more cast on stitches. Slip these stitches onto your arm as you go. Continue casting on until you have at least 18 stitches on your arm. This will make a small blanket or throw. If you want a larger blanket, then try casting on 24 to 30 stitches. Knit your first row. Knitting on your arms uses the same basic technique as knitting with needles. However, it can be more challenging at first since you will be using your fingers to create the new stitches. To knit the first row, take the free end of the yarn (set the tail aside) and loop that yarn around your hand. Then, insert this loop into the first loop on your right arm. As you pull the loop through, slide the old loop off your right arm and slide the new loop onto your left arm. Continue to knit the stitches in this way until you reach the end of the first row. Transfer the stitches back to the right arm for your second row. As you knit using your arms, you will be transferring the stitches from one arm to the other. That means that if you started on your right arm, then you will be transferring the stitches over to your left arm by the end of the first row, and then back to your right arm by the end of the second row. Continue knitting until you have achieved the desired length. Bind off the stitches. You will need to bind off the stitches to finish the blanket. As with knitting using needles, you will be casting off by knitting the first two loops and then pulling each loop through the one that is behind it. For example, start by knitting the first two loops in your row. Then, stop knitting and grasp the first loop in your row with your fingers. Pull this loop up and over the second loop on your hand so that it is secured and you only have one loop on your hand. To continue casting off, follow the pattern of knitting one and looping the first loop over the second loop until you reach the end of the row. As you cast off, you should never have more than two loops on your casting off arm. Weave in the ends. After you have cast off the final loop, pull the free end of the yarn through the loop. Then, weave the tail end of the yarn through the loops on the edge of the blanket to hide it. You can also tie the end of the yarn in a knot going through one of the stitches to secure it. Trim off any excess yarn from the tail and your blanket is complete! | Choose your yarn. Pull five feet of yarn out of the skein. Cast on your first stitch. Knit your first row. Transfer the stitches back to the right arm for your second row. Bind off the stitches. Weave in the ends. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Teach-Recognition-of-Numbers-11-to-20 | How to Teach Recognition of Numbers 11 to 20 | To teach children to count from 11-20, start by introducing the fact that after 10, the next numbers are “10 plus something.” 10 plus 1 is 11, 10 plus 2 is 12, all the way through 19. Then, explain that 20 comes next, and ends with a 0 because it's “2 10's.” To reinforce this concept, play counting games, like counting steps while going up the stairs or playing hopscotch. Since rote memorization can help a lot, have them repeat the numbers often throughout the day, making up songs if it helps them remember. | Present the numbers one at a time. Beginning with the number 11, teach children these numbers one at a time. Write the number on the board, and include a visual image: if you are teaching the number 11, draw 11 flowers, 11 cars, or 11 happy faces. It may also help to incorporate the concept of a ten frame at this point, including a ten frame with the appropriate number of units. For more on ten frames, see Part 2. Teach children to count to 20. Children can usually learn to count to 20 fairly easily by rote memorization. Make it even easier by tackling the numbers just two at a time – first count to 12, then 14, and so on. Note, however, that teaching children to count to 20 is not the same as teaching children to understand the number values. Counting needs to be accompanied by other lessons aimed at number awareness and comprehension. Practice writing the numbers. Once children know the individual numbers and can count to 20 in the correct order, have them practice writing the numbers themselves. For best results, have them pronounce the numbers out loud as they write them. Create a number line. Showing children a number line, marked at even intervals with the numbers from 0 to 20, may help them visualize the progression of numbers. Incorporate objects. Some children have more success learning these numbers when they use objects they can touch. Have children count out sticks, pencils, cubes, marbles, or other small items. Reinforce the fact that if they count objects one by one, the number they reach when they stop counting is equivalent to the number of objects they have accumulated. Make it physical. Have children count their steps (stairs are great for this, but it's also fine just to walk from one side of a room to the other), or have them jump up and down 20 times, counting as they go. Hopscotch games work well for this purpose. Draw 10 squares on the ground, and fill them with the numbers from 1 to 10. Have children count from 1 to 10 when they hop forward and from 11 to 20 when they hop backward. Reinforce these numbers as often as possible. Take every opportunity to count to twenty and demonstrate number awareness. The more children practice, the better their results will be. Explain the basic concept of tens and units. Tell children that all the numbers from 11 to 19 are made up of one ten and a number of additional units. The number 20 is made of two whole tens. Help children visualize this concept by writing the number 11 and, next to it, showing a ten and a single unit, separated by a circle. Introduce ten frames. A ten frame has 10 empty fields, which are filled as you count. You can use coins or other small objects to demonstrate this, and you can also draw it on the board. For a good activity, give each child two ten frames and 20 objects of some kind. Have them create the number 11: one full ten frame, and a second ten frame with just one unit in it. Have them create the other numbers. You can also reverse the process, starting with full ten frames and taking objects away. Try using dashes and dots. Show children that you can represent these numbers with dashes and dots: dashes for tens and dots for ones. Demonstrate that the number 15, for example, is made of one dash and five dots. Draw a T table. Draw a T on a large piece of paper. The left column represents tens; the right represents ones. Fill the right column with the numbers 1 to 10, in sequence; leave the left column blank. Then: Add representative numbers of objects, such as small cubes, to the ones column: a single cube next to number 1, two cubes next to number 2, and so on. Explain that you could represent a ten with either ten of the small cubes or one larger stick. Fill the tens column with sticks, one by one, and explain how these numbers would work together to create larger numbers. Make memory games with numbered cards. Use sets of cards labeled with numbers from 1 to 20 to play a memory matching game. Children turn the cards face down, then look for pairs. Fill containers with small objects. Have children fill containers with small items: 11 buttons, 12 grains of rice, 13 coins, and so on. Let them count the items and label containers with the appropriate numbers. Read picture books. There are many picture books available that deal with numbers 1 through 20. Read them together. Sing songs. Counting songs help reinforce children's understanding of number sequence in a fun way. Play “Who Has the Number? ” Give children cards labeled with numbers from 11 to 20. Ask a question – “who has number 15?” – and wait for the child with the appropriate card to rise. You can make this game more challenging by asking harder questions – “who has the number that is two more than 13?” – or by having students break down their numbers into tens and units when they rise. Let children correct your counting mistakes. Count out loud from 1 to 20, making random errors; let the children point out your mistakes. You can also do this with card sequences or number lines. Have children use their hands. Choose two children. Assign one the role of the “ten” – he or she should raise both full hands in the air to show ten fingers. The second child is the “units” – he or she should raise the appropriate number of fingers to create whichever number you ask for. Create classroom number stations. Set up a station for each number from 11 to 20. For number 11, for example, label a desk with the written word “eleven,” the number “11,” and a picture of 11 items. In addition, set out 11 objects of some kind. Do this for every number, and have children circulate to identify the various stations. | Present the numbers one at a time. Teach children to count to 20. Practice writing the numbers. Create a number line. Incorporate objects. Make it physical. Reinforce these numbers as often as possible. Explain the basic concept of tens and units. Introduce ten frames. Try using dashes and dots. Draw a T table. Make memory games with numbered cards. Fill containers with small objects. Read picture books. Sing songs. Play “Who Has the Number? Let children correct your counting mistakes. Have children use their hands. Create classroom number stations. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Her-in-the-Mood | How to Get Her in the Mood | To get your woman in the mood, surprise her with some affection by walking up behind her and kissing her neck. You can also run your hands over her body and push your body into hers to show her that you want her. To make the foreplay more intimate, slowly undress her and talk into her ear in a low, seductive voice. You may feel a little awkward trying to talk sexy, but just focus on giving her compliments and letting her know how much you want her. Since a romantic setting can help her get in the mood, dim the lights and make sure your phones are turned off so you're focused on each other. | Compliment her. Make her feel wanted, and let her know how much you appreciate her. It might be hard for her to let her guard down if she doesn't feel your desire. Self-esteem can be a tricky Tell her she's beautiful regularly and when she least expects it. Compliment her beauty. Pick your favorite body part and tell her what you like about it. Don't just say, "You're so hot." Tell her, "You have the most gorgeous eyes," or "The muscles in your back are so strong – all of that yoga is paying off!" Compliment her mind or her personality. Tell her how much you appreciate her storytelling ability, or the way that she passionately explains her ideas. Mention how impressed you are by her kindness, her compassion, or her organizational skills. Don't just fixate on her body. Compliment her on a specific action or event. Bring up something that happened recently: "I was really impressed by the way that you handled the situation with your sister today. I know that it's frustrating – but you were so patient, and you truly held everything together." Go out of your way to help her out. Don't offer to do the dishes or unload the car – just do it without her needing to ask. Surprise her by cooking dinner or cleaning the garage. Take the kids out for the evening so that she can get some peace and quiet. Giving selflessly to the relationship may improve your connection in and out of bed. Many women who work full-time jobs are still doing more than half of the chores and childcare. If she says that she's too tired for sex, then it may be time to take some of the burden off her shoulders indefinitely. Figure out what turns her on. The next time you are snuggling, ask her about her fantasies. When you are intimate with each other, pay close attention to notice what drives her absolutely crazy in bed. If it works, then keep doing it! Don't assume that you can turn a woman on with a one-size-fits-all plan! Every person has his or her own particular desires and preferences. Listen to her. Be humble and compassionate in your relationship, and go out of your way to hear to what she has to say. If you aren't listening to her, then she may not feel that you value her perspective. If she doesn't feel respected, then she might have a hard time opening up to you. The next time you have an argument, don't just focus on trying to win. Apologize, and consider her feelings. Make her feel heard. Groom well and often. Brush your teeth, shave, and make a commitment to general fitness. Take a shower and make an effort to look nice. Try to stay as well-kept as you were when you first got together. Going the extra mile regularly is more likely to remind her what an attractive partner she has. Exercise together. Many women report feeling higher levels of arousal after exercise that increases blood circulation in their pelvis and whole body. Try spinning, climbing, yoga, or acro-yoga. Go for a run, a bike ride, or a long hike together. This can be a great way to fire up the physical side of your relationship. When you exercise, you are engaging with your body in a conscious way – and when you exercise with your partner, you are engaging with her body as well. Compliment her on her physique, and impress her with your own athleticism. Do something that she’s passionate about. If she likes to read: take her on a date to an independent bookstore, or write her a romantic note, or spend an intimate day reading together. If she likes dessert: surprise her with chocolate, or set up a weekly Wednesday night dessert date. Show her that you are listening when she tells you what she likes. Pick something that you like to do, too! Find the intersections between your passions and hers. Rent a sexy movie. Your lady might not be into erotica – but even a steamy scene in a drama or rom-com can aid the process of getting her in the mood. A Northwestern University study suggests that women are often more aroused by erotica than men are. Find an excuse to get dressed up. Wear a suit and tie; shave; and groom yourself well. Suggest that she wear your favorite tight shirt or dress. Then, take her out for a romantic evening together. Looking good can translate to feeling confident about yourself in bed. Surprise her. Walk up behind her and kiss her neck. Touch her stomach and breasts. Run your hands over her body and make her feel your desire. Press yourself against her back and grind, slowly. Take your time with the foreplay. Dim the lights, turn off your phone, and try to be absolutely present in this intimate space. Run your hands over her body. Kiss her: gently, at first, then more passionately as the mood heats up. Slowly, carefully undress her, and let her clothes fall to the floor. Look deep into her eyes, and smile. Give her a massage. Practice your foot or back massage so that you can truly help her relax. Warm up her muscles while giving her some loving attention. Run your fingers or lips across her joints. The neck, inside elbows, and the back of the knee are more sensitive than other parts of the body. Touch her thighs. Work your way slowly up and down her legs. Grab her rear and dig your fingers into her hip. Talk in a low, sultry tone. Whisper your compliments or come-ons slowly and seductively into her ear. Tell her how much you want her. The gentle brush of your lips combined with a low voice can help turn her on. Try incorporating toys and other elements of kink. Invest in bedroom toys that are geared toward women. Give her the toy as a gift, and suggest that the two of you try it out later. Take control, unless she prefers to. Some people like to be more dominant in the bedroom, while others prefer a more submissive role. Pick up on cues regarding whether or not she likes to be in control. Bear in mind that she may like to take charge sometimes, but also quite enjoy it when you make the moves. If she always waits for you to start the move to the bedroom, then she might like it when you are slightly dominant. Don't be afraid to ask her. If you're comfortable doing so, you can simply say, "Do you find that you're more dominant or more submissive in bed?" You might also phrase it as a statement: "I love the feeling of taking charge in the bedroom. How do you like it when I do that?" | Compliment her. Go out of your way to help her out. Figure out what turns her on. Listen to her. Groom well and often. Exercise together. Do something that she’s passionate about. Rent a sexy movie. Find an excuse to get dressed up. Surprise her. Take your time with the foreplay. Talk in a low, sultry tone. Try incorporating toys and other elements of kink. Take control, unless she prefers to. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Determine-Glove-Size | How to Determine Glove Size | The best way to determine glove size is to measure your hand. Wrap a fabric tape measurer around the widest part of your hand, excluding your thumb, and record the distance in either inches or millimeters. Then, measure from the base of your hand to the tip of your middle finger and write down the distance. Take the higher of the 2 measurements and round up to the nearest whole number. Find this number on a sizing chart to determine your size. | Measure the widest part of your hand. Hold the end of a fabric tape measurer at the center of your palm with your thumb. Then, use your other hand to wrap the tape measurer around the outside of your hand. Once you've wrapped it around, hold it taut in line with the end of the tape measurer. Write down the measurement in inches as precisely as you can. Record numbers in millimeters instead of inches if you live in an area that uses metric measurements. Measure the longest part of your hand. Hold the end of the fabric tape measurer over the tip of you middle finger. Pull the tape measurer down until you've reached the base of your hand. As you hold it taut, look at the tape measurer to see how many inches or millimeters it reads at the base of your hand. Write that measurement down. Take the higher of the 2 and round up to the nearest whole number. Take a look at the 2 measurements you've written down. They will likely be close, but 1 is probably a bit higher than the other. Round up that higher number to the nearest whole number and that's your glove size. For example, if you're using the English measuring system, the width of your hand is 5 ⅞ inches (149 mm), and the length of your hand is 6 ½ inches (165 mm), you'd be a US size 7. In EU sizes, you'd likely be a 6 if you had these measurements. Find your measurement in a sizing chart. Most regular gloves aren't sized by number, but by small (S), medium (M), and large (L), so you'll need to find out which one your number size falls under. To do this, look up a chart online. Make sure that the chart applies to you specifically. For example, if you measured in inches and want a general chart, look up “US sizes for unisex gloves and mittens.” Men's sizes, women's sizes, and kids' sizes are all a little different, so keep that in mind when you're looking at charts. Sizes and sizing charts also vary based on the measuring system used. For example, if you're a woman who measured your hand and discovered that you're a US size 7, you'd likely wear a US medium glove. If you're looking to buy gloves from a specific company, they may provide their own sizing chart. Look this up online. Use a ruler to measure the length of your hand. Hold your hand flat with your palm facing up and your fingers together. Lay a ruler onto your palm vertically with the zero mark at the base of your hand. Record the number in inches or millimeters that you see on the ruler at the top of your middle finger. Round up and add 1 inch (25 mm) to determine adult size. Goalie gloves are supposed to fit somewhat loosely. Because of this, you'll need to add 1 inch (25 mm) in order to get the right size. This is only the case for adult sizes, not youth sizes. For example, if the length of your hand is 7 ¾ inches (197 mm), you're a size 9 because you'd round up to 8 inches (200 mm) and then add 1 inch (25 mm). Round up to the nearest whole number to determine youth size. Unlike adult sizes, youth sizes match the hand length measurement. If you're a kid, all you need to do is measure the length of your hand and round up to the nearest whole number. For example, if your hand length is 4 ¾ inches (121 mm), then you're a youth size 5. Verify your size by measuring the width of your palm. If the length of your hand measures just over a whole number, then you might be in between sizes. If this happens, you can verify your size by measuring your hand a different way. Use a ruler or measuring tape to measure across the widest part of your palm. Double that number and then add 1 inch (25 mm) to find your size. For example, if the width of your palm measures 3 ¼ inches (83 mm), you'd double that to get 6 ½ inches (165 mm) and round up to 7 inches (180 mm). This means that you're a size 7. Try different sizes on until the glove fits snug. When looking for golf gloves, the trick is to find a pair that feel like a second skin. Try a few different sizes on to see whether or not they're easy to put on and if there is extra fabric. You'll want to go with a size that you have to work onto your hand and that contains no extra fabric on your palm area and above your fingertips. Go with a glove that’s too small to velcro on completely. If you can stretch the velcro strap on your gloves to cover the velcro completely, then the gloves are too big. Try on smaller sizes until you find one with a strap that can almost cover the velcro, but not completely. The glove will stretch over time, and you'll eventually be able to pull the strap all the way over. At this point, it'll be time to buy some new gloves. Wear regular sizes if your palm and fingers are proportional. Golf gloves come in 2 different types of sizes: regular and cadet. There are women's regular sizes that range from small (S) to large (L) and men's regular sizes that range from small (S) to double extra large (XXL). Try on these sizes if the width of you palm and the length of your fingers are proportional. Wear cadet sizes if your palm is wide and your fingers are short. Golf gloves also come in cadet sizes, which are for people who have wider palms than the average person and shorter fingers than the average person. If this sounds like your hands, the cadet sizes should fit you better. | Measure the widest part of your hand. Measure the longest part of your hand. Take the higher of the 2 and round up to the nearest whole number. Find your measurement in a sizing chart. Use a ruler to measure the length of your hand. Round up and add 1 inch (25 mm) to determine adult size. Round up to the nearest whole number to determine youth size. Verify your size by measuring the width of your palm. Try different sizes on until the glove fits snug. Go with a glove that’s too small to velcro on completely. Wear regular sizes if your palm and fingers are proportional. Wear cadet sizes if your palm is wide and your fingers are short. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Rock-Garden-with-Weed-Prevention | How to Build a Rock Garden with Weed Prevention | To build a rock garden with weed prevention, start by preparing your chosen site by clearing it of grass and tree roots and planning the area's drainage route. Additionally, lay weed-resistant fabric or several layers of old newspaper above the top layer of soil to allow water in but to prevent weeds from growing. Next, place an assortment of large and small rocks in your garden, and put topsoil between them to prepare the area for some vegetation. Let your rocks settle into place for a few days, then select lower growing, clump-forming plants such as Alpines or Sedums. | Decide what kind of rock garden you want to plant. Think about the specifics of your yard. Do you want your rock garden to be a small or large one, in sun or in shade? Most rock garden plants (such as Alpines) favor sun but you can adjust your planting scheme if you have a shady site. You may want to try sketching or drawing what you want your garden to look like. Rock gardens are fairly permanent structures, so avoid placing them in spots where there are manhole covers or underground pipes that may need to be accessed. Clear the site where you plan to put your rock garden. Clear your site of plants, grass and anything else that might be there, like furniture or tree roots. It might help you to plan the area if you define the edges of your rock garden by digging a 'map' with your spade. Plan the area’s drainage route. You'll need to have a think about drainage and how to improve it, if your soil does not drain well. A good way to increase soil drainage is to: Remove a few inches of the topsoil. Mix in about six inches of gravel, rubble, broken bricks, pea shingle or coarse sand down. These materials will help your soil drain water more efficiently. Lay weed-resistant fabric on the ground to prevent weed growth. If weeds are persistent in the area where you plan to have your rock garden, you can lay some horticultural weed-resistant fabric on the site. The fabric will allow water to penetrate but won't allow weeds to grow through the fabric. Consider laying down newspaper to prevent weeds. If you don't want to use weed-resistant fabric, lay down several layers of old newspaper above the top layer of soil. The newspaper will eventually break down but will continue to keep the weeds at bay. If you are worried about appearance, don't worry—you will be laying a layer of topsoil and rocks down on top of the newspaper. Select your rocks to create your garden. A random scattering of large and smaller rocks works well. Try to select at least two or three very large rocks to highlight your rock garden. Depending on your tastes, you may want to try to pick rocks that are all the same color and variety, as this can look more natural. Support larger rocks with bricks or smaller stones. Use rocks for both visual effect and to shape your plant bed. As mentioned earlier, you can create a natural look by trying to replicate how the rocks you select would be spaced in nature. If you want something less natural and more formal looking, consider creating a frame of rocks around your plant bed. This will help to define the area you will be working in and can look quite striking. Place topsoil between your rocks. Once you have your rocks in place, put a layer of topsoil in between the rocks. For an even more natural look, try to submerge the rocks in the soil so that they don't look like they are just floating in your yard. Use weed-free topsoil. You may also want to use a topsoil that is 30% grit so that your soil drains well. If you are using topsoil repurposed from another area of the garden, it may not be weed-free. Tread down on your soil. Press the soil into the earth and water it with a garden hose to make sure air bulbs are removed. Wait a few days before planting your garden, as your rocks may shift and settle a bit. Select your plants based on the characteristics of your site. Keep soil type in mind, as well as whether or not the garden gets full sun, partial sun, or shade. You should also keep in mind that if you choose plants that die back during the winter, your rock garden may look rather desolate during that season. Because of this, you may want to select year-round evergreens to form the backbone of your garden. Lower growing, clump-forming, smaller plants work well in rock gardens, so consider Alpines and Sedums, as these plants display well against rocks. There are many evergreen Alpines to choose from. Examples include Celmisia ramulosa, Dianthus, some perennial Penstemons, and Picea. It's also common to incorporate small conifers; however an Acer (Japanese Maple) is a more attractive and elegant choice for providing some height and year-round visual interest. Keep in mind that some plants also work well as weed suppressors. Some plants suitable for rock gardens, such as Leptinella potentillina or Creeping Sedums, tend to cover the ground so thoroughly that they also suppress weed growth. Know that rock gardens may be too dry for some plants. Large rocks have a habit of retaining heat well, so heat-loving plants will do well growing next to these rocks. Plants that need a lot of water or that don't do well in high heat, however, may not fare as well in your rock garden. Don’t feel like you have to cover your rock garden completely with plants. Many gardeners aim to conceal visible ground or soil when planting a bed. Rock gardens are different because the aim is to display the background rocks as well as the plants themselves. For this reason, you don't need to cover the rock garden completely with plants. Ideally your rock garden plants should spread slowly, so give your plants space to grow. Care for your rock garden. While many rock garden plants tend to be very independent (which means they don't require that much water) you may want to spend some time weeding your garden every few days. Weeds will be less of a problem if you chose to put down newspaper or organic fabric as described in Method 1. You may also find that ants can be a bit of a pest as they may set up their home in between your rocks. If you are alright with this, leave them be. If you'd rather not have them around, ant killer can be purchased at your local garden store. | Decide what kind of rock garden you want to plant. Clear the site where you plan to put your rock garden. Plan the area’s drainage route. Lay weed-resistant fabric on the ground to prevent weed growth. Consider laying down newspaper to prevent weeds. Select your rocks to create your garden. Use rocks for both visual effect and to shape your plant bed. Place topsoil between your rocks. Tread down on your soil. Select your plants based on the characteristics of your site. Keep in mind that some plants also work well as weed suppressors. Know that rock gardens may be too dry for some plants. Don’t feel like you have to cover your rock garden completely with plants. Care for your rock garden. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Look-Sick-with-Makeup | How to Look Sick with Makeup | To make yourself look sick using makeup, apply foundation 2-3 shades lighter than your natural skin tone, which will give you a pale, sickly complexion. You can also add a little blush to your cheeks to make it look like you have a fever. Use a reddish-brown cream blush or lipstick under your eyes so you look tired and sick. Put a little red lipstick on your nose to make it look like you have a cold. Whichever products you use, make sure you don't put too much on, since this will look obvious and give you away. | Start with a naked face. Skip the usual enhancements, like eyeliner, eye shadow, lipstick, and mascara. Leaving them off will give you a blank canvas to work with. From there, you'll be able to stage each part of your face individually. Wash and exfoliate your face before you begin so it will take the cosmetics better. A makeup-free base is also more believable, since most people don't bother with makeup when they're feeling unwell. Apply a foundation 2-3 shades lighter than your natural skin tone. Dab the foundation onto your cheeks, chin, and forehead. Then, blend it thoroughly so it isn't too obvious. When you're done, you'll look like all the color has drained out of your face. If you're unsure which foundation will look best, start with a shade closer to your skin tone and lighten up from there. Going too light at once may not be convincing. Contour your cheeks for a gaunt appearance. Dust a contouring brush with purple or maroon eye shadow and sweep the bristles along the length of your cheekbones from your earlobes to the corners of your mouth. Blend with a separate brush until only there's only a faint trace of the color remaining. This drawn, sickly effect will be enough to suggest that you've dropped weight. If the shadow on your cheeks isn't quite gloomy enough on its own, try hitting other areas where color will show up well, like your temples and laugh lines. Switch to a darker shade of eye shadow to broadcast that you're on your deathbed. Use blush to feign a fever. For best results, pick out a subtle pink or magenta shade. Pat it onto the points of your cheeks and the center of your forehead and blend in every direction. Apply the blush lightly at first and add more little by little to hint at a temperature. Go easy on the blush. You want to look like a sick person, not a china doll. Draw dark circles under your eyes. Scoop up a small amount of reddish-brown or reddish-purple cream blush on your fingertip and underline each eye from one corner to the other. Blend the color downward until it fades into the skin just above your cheekbones. Instant tired eyes! Keep the blush confined to your lower eyelid. If you blend it any lower, it may start to look fishy. You could also use a brow or eyeliner pencil, though this might be tougher to smudge properly. Rim your eyes with red cream blush or lipstick. Place a small dot at the outer corners of both eyes. Use the tip of your finger or a cotton swab to smudge the makeup around the edges and up under the lids. Red, swollen eyes are a clear sign that you've been crying, sneezing uncontrollably, or suffering from a lack of sleep. Avoid blending the blush or lipstick into the product you used to draw on your eye circles. Too much color in the same area may come off looking raccoon-like and unnatural. Leave your bottom eyelid exposed to create the effect of eye bags. Rather than filling in your entire lid, leave about half an inch exposed just beneath your lower lashes. The uncovered skin will look puffy and swollen as a result. Make sure you've contoured your eyes carefully with the cream blush or brow pencil. Otherwise, your eye bags won't look very real. Use eye drops for a bloodshot stare. Squeeze 1-2 drops of regular saline into each eye and blink a few times. This is a harmless way to temporarily puff up your eyes like you've been dealing with wicked allergies. Be careful not to use so much that you get teary. All that hard work will have been for nothing if your eye makeup runs. Show off a raw, runny nose with red lipstick. Paint the lipstick onto the tip of your nose and around both nostrils and spread it outward with the pad of your finger. Work a little into the creases around the edges, as well. Blend thoroughly and wipe off the excess where it begins to creep higher up on your nose or onto your cheeks. Stay away from shades that are too dark or too red. These scream “circus clown” more than they do “patient zero.” Carry a box of tissues around with you to complete the illusion. Apply streaks of glycerin to simulate snot. Use a cotton swab to brush the glycerin under the openings of your nostrils. The clear liquid can pull double duty when dabbed around your brow and hairline like beads of sweat. Don't forget areas like your neck and temples if you're attempting to play off a big illness like the flu. Glycerin is safe, non-toxic, and can actually moisturize your skin, which means it's okay to use as much as you need to really sell your symptoms. Use foundation to make your lips look pale and dry. Spread a thin coat of liquid foundation over both lips, then press and pucker them like you just put on chapstick to create little cracks and creases. Be sure to hit the inside of each lip as well as the front so the foundation will be visible when you open your mouth. When your lips are the same color as the surrounding skin, they'll seem to recede right into your face. Tracing around your lips with a light-colored eyeliner pencil will help accentuate their dry, cracked, crusty condition and make people think you've come down with something serious. If you accidentally apply too much foundation, blot (don't wipe) your lips with a damp cloth to remove the caked-on bits. Finish with a dewy setting spray. A generous spritz with a setting spray will help preserve your makeup and safeguard it against smudging and fading. The dewy kind can also lend a faint sheen, complementing the glycerin sweat you already applied and making it look like you're not wearing makeup at all. Win-win! Hold the bottle a foot or so away from your face while you spray to keep from accidentally blasting off your foundation. Avoid touching your face. Once you've got your frail features looking just right, resist the urge to mess with them. Don't scratch, pick, or run your fingers over any part of your makeup. A single smudge is all it will take for you to get busted. Lay face-up so your makeup doesn't rub off on your pillow. If you absolutely have to fiddle with your face, do it delicately and be sure to fix any mistakes you make in the process. Reapply your makeup as needed. Should you happen to experience any technical difficulties, simply touch up the problem area with a fresh coat of blush, pencil, or foundation. The shiny glycerin will also wear off over time, so you may need to paint on a little more of that periodically as well. Blend the fresh makeup until it's indistinguishable from the old. Try not to overdo it. Stop to inspect your handiwork every so often and use your best judgment to decide whether it looks authentic. The key to a face that screams “I can't get out of bed today” is subtlety. Too much of any one product will come off looking phony and potentially blow your cover. Start small and add more where you think it's needed. It may not take as much makeup as you think to bring the common cold to life. Use makeup remover wipes to gently blot areas where you've caked a product on too heavily. | Start with a naked face. Apply a foundation 2-3 shades lighter than your natural skin tone. Contour your cheeks for a gaunt appearance. Use blush to feign a fever. Draw dark circles under your eyes. Rim your eyes with red cream blush or lipstick. Leave your bottom eyelid exposed to create the effect of eye bags. Use eye drops for a bloodshot stare. Show off a raw, runny nose with red lipstick. Apply streaks of glycerin to simulate snot. Use foundation to make your lips look pale and dry. Finish with a dewy setting spray. Avoid touching your face. Reapply your makeup as needed. Try not to overdo it. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Recognize-Molluscum-(Molluscum-Contagiosum) | How to Recognize Molluscum (Molluscum Contagiosum) | To recognize molluscum contagiosum, look for round, raised lesions above the surface of the skin that are white, pink, or flesh-colored. The bumps can appear anywhere on the body, but they usually form on the face, neck, armpit, arms, and hands. They range in size from about 2–5 mm in diameter, although they can get bigger, especially around the genitalia of adults. Each bump will have a small indentation in the center filled with a thick, white substance that is cheesy or waxy looking. | Know who's at risk. Molluscum contagiosum is common enough that you probably know someone who's had it. It's not limited to kids, but it's most common in children between the ages of 1 to 10 years who have weakened immunity due to poor nutrition or other illnesses. Other people at increased risk for the skin infection include chemotherapy patients, the elderly and people infected with HIV. Having atopic dermatitis (allergic skin reactions) may also put you at higher risk of developing molluscum contagiosum. Participation in contact sports is a risk factor for molluscum contagiosum. In general, molluscum contagiosum infections are more common in warm, humid climates where people live crowded together, such as India and parts of Asia. Watch for round, raised lesions. The lesions or bumps characteristic of molluscum contagiosum are typically small, round and raised above the surface of the skin. Most people get between 10 – 20 bumps on their skin, but people with AIDS can develop 100 or more bumps. In terms of color, they are usually whitish, pink or flesh-colored. The raised bumps range in size from about 2 – 5 mm millimeters in diameter (about the size of a tip of a crayon to the size of a pencil eraser), although they can get bigger around the genitalia of adults. These bumps can appear anywhere on the body, but are usually seen on the face, neck, armpit, arms and hands. The only places they will not appear are the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. They appear about seven weeks after being exposed to the virus. The fleshy lesions are known as mollusca and can sometimes mimic warts, heat blisters and other benign growths such as skin tags. Take notice if the bumps get red and inflamed. Normally the lesions or bumps (mollusca) are not particularly itchy, although that can change if you scratch them. By scratching, itching or rubbing the lesions, you can make them red, inflamed and itchy, which increases the likelihood that they'll spread to surrounding skin and make the condition worse. Mollusca can easily be removed by scratching, rubbing, or even just casual contact, unlike pimples, warts and other skin lesions. Mollusca that have turned red and inflamed without any scratching is usually a sign that your immune system has regained enough strength to fight the infection. Once red and inflamed, mollusca can look a lot like regular pimples, ingrown hairs or even chicken pox. Inflamed lesions should not be confused for infection and do not need antibiotics. Look for a small indentation. Mollusca can often be identified from other skin lesions and blemishes because they have a characteristic indentation, dimple, or pit in their center that's called an umbilication. This central umbilication may be filled with a thick, white substance that is cheesy or waxy looking. The material can be squeezed out, but it makes the infection much more contagious, so don't pick at them. The umbilication can sometimes make mollusca look like blackhead pimples or pustules (whiteheads). The waxy or cheesy material inside of the mollusca contain millions of viruses mixed with your skin's oily secretions and often some pus, which is dead white blood cells. Practice good hygiene. Practicing good hygiene is an effective way of avoiding or preventing many different kinds of infections, including molluscum contagiosum; therefore, wash your hands frequently with warm water and soap, especially if you shake hands or touch someone with visible lesions on their body. Hand washing also removes viruses (and other germs) that you pick up from contaminated surfaces, toys, clothing or towels. After bathing your body, don't be too aggressive while drying it. Pat yourself with the towel gently instead of rubbing because you don't want to remove the mollusca and make the skin infection more contagious. In addition to washing your hands, try to stop the habit of putting your hands into your mouth or rubbing your eyes — it'll help prevent infection also. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer is also effective against molluscum contagiosum and can be used as a good alternative to soap and water. Infection can spread via bath sponges, towels, pumice stones, or razors. Avoid sharing these items. Avoid sexual contact. The viral infection also spreads by sexual contact among teens and adults because the lesions can develop on and around the genitals of both genders (upper thighs and lower abdomen are common locations also). Practicing safe sex (with a condom) is not enough to prevent molluscum contagiosum because it's spread by skin-to-skin contact, not in body fluids. The best practice is to completely avoid sexual contact if you or your partner have mollusca near the genitalia until the condition completely goes away. Oral sex also needs to be avoided if you or your partner have mollusca near the mouth or on the face. Mollusca on the genitalia are often mistaken for genital herpes, but they don't cause the burning pain of herpes. Don't scratch the bumps. As difficult as it may be, particularly if they've become inflamed and itchy, you should avoid scratching, rubbing or even touching the mollusca lesions. Picking or scratching your skin can spread the virus to other parts of your body and make it easier to spread the infection to others. Be particularly careful about not scratching around your eyes because you increase the risk of an eye infection (conjunctivitis). Shaving over the infected areas can also disrupt or remove the mollusca and spread the virus. As such, avoid shaving your face, underarms or legs if you have lesions in those locations. Keep molluscum lesions covered. If you are already infected with molluscum contagiosum, then the best way to prevent spreading it to other parts of your body or to other people is to keep the infected area covered with loose breathable clothing or light bandaging. The physical barrier will prevent you from scratching and keep others from touching the mollusca. Remember to always keep the infected skin clean and dry beneath the clothes or bandages. Use watertight bandages to cover your bumps and change them regularly (daily if you get them wet). Wearing loose cotton clothing is a much better choice than thicker wool or synthetic fibers that aren't breathable. Wait and see. Molluscum contagiosum is self-limiting and eventually fades away in healthy individuals, so treatment is often unnecessary. It usually takes between six to 12 months for the infection to resolve and the mollusca to disappear. In some immune-weakened people, it may take up to five years for all the bumps to disappear on their own. Treatment is sometimes recommended by doctors if the bumps are in the genital area. Get the bumps/lesions removed. Sometimes doctors may recommend the lesions be surgically removed before they disappear on their own (often in adults) because they tend to be so contagious and people are often self-conscious or embarrassed by them. This is particularly true if the mollusca are on or near the penis, vulva, vagina or anus. Ask your doctor if your situation is appropriate for removal. Surgical removal can include cryotherapy (freezing with liquid nitrogen), curettage (scraping away the lesion) and laser therapy. These removal methods are usually painful and require local anesthesia. Scarring is not uncommon with these procedures. Your doctor might attempt to remove your mollusca, but often they will refer you to a skin specialist (dermatologist). Try medications. In some cases, prescription creams or ointments applied directly to the mollusca may be helpful and get rid of them quicker. Common examples include tretinoin (Atralin, Retin-A), adapalene (Differin), tazarotene (Avage, Tazorac) and imiquimod. Be aware that these topical drugs cannot be used during pregnancy due to risk of side effects to the unborn baby. Sometimes preparations containing salicylic acid or potassium hydroxide are used for molluscum contagiosum — they help dissolve lesions by causing blisters to form over them. Podophyllotoxin cream or podofilox may be helpful as an over-the-counter therapy to use at home. In one study patients applied 0.5% cream twice a day for three consecutive days a week, versus a group applying a placebo. Treatment was continued for four weeks. After four weeks, 92% of the 0.5% podofilox group was cured. Remember to apply this cream liberally to the affected area. | Know who's at risk. Watch for round, raised lesions. Take notice if the bumps get red and inflamed. Look for a small indentation. Practice good hygiene. Avoid sexual contact. Don't scratch the bumps. Keep molluscum lesions covered. Wait and see. Get the bumps/lesions removed. Try medications. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Cure-a-Skin-Rash-Under-a-Ring | How to Cure a Skin Rash Under a Ring | To cure a skin rash under your ring, first move the ring to another finger to let your skin breathe. If your other finger gets a rash, stop wearing the ring. Visit your doctor, who can give you a simple skin patch test to see what caused your rash, and recommend treatment. They might suggest you apply an over-the-counter cortisone cream or take an antihistamine, which will help reduce inflammation. If your rash is peeling and getting larger, it may be caused by a fungal infection, in which case your doctor will prescribe anti-fungal medication. | Visit your doctor. In most cases, the rash is caused by contact dermatitis. This means that your skin is reacting to something in the ring. Your doctor can diagnose if this is caused by a nickel allergy, dirt and sweat, or another underlying cause. Your doctor may do a skin patch test to see if you have a nickel allergy. They will apply patches of nickel, platinum, and other allergens to your skin for 48 hours to see if you react or not. If your skin does not react to the nickel, there may be a build-up of dirt or sweat under the ring. In this case, you may just need to clean your ring. One way to determine if it might be an allergic reaction is to consider how long you've been wearing the ring. If you've worn the ring for a long time but are just now having a rash, then it is likely not something in the ring. In that case, it is more likely to be an irritant that has gotten trapped under the ring. Apply a cortisone cream to reduce inflammation. Your doctor may recommend a mild over-the-counter cortisone cream to reduce redness and irritation. In more severe cases, you might get a prescription. Apply this once or twice a day for two to four weeks. Prescription hydrocortisone is usually stronger than over the counter creams. Always follow the instructions on the label. Use the cortisone cream for up to seven days. If your condition does not improve, return to the doctor. Take an antihistamine pill to reduce itching. Your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter antihistamine, such as Benadryl (diphenhydramine) or Claritin (loratadine), to give you temporary relief. Follow the label's instructions for dosage information. Try an anti-fungal for a fungal rash. If your rash is peeling and getting larger, then it may be caused by a fungal infection caused by wetness and heat. This may occur if you've been sweating a lot under the ring. Talk to your doctor about this possibility and what they recommend for treatment. Your doctor may prescribe an anti-fungal cream, or you can find one over-the-counter. Place the ring on a different finger. This will allow the rash to heal. If the ring causes a rash on that finger, too, stop wearing the ring. Remove all rings before getting your hands wet. Rashes can sometimes be caused by soap or water getting trapped under the ring. Take off your rings whenever you swim, shower, bathe, or wash your hands. Dry your hands completely before you put the rings back on. Use a mild soap when you wash your hands. Dove, Olay, and Cetaphil are all good choices. Apply hand lotion daily. Lotion may reduce the friction under your ring. Moisturize your hands after you wash your hands to help avoid irritation. A hypoallergenic cream is the best choice. Clean your ring. In some cases, dirt and sweat on the ring can irritate your skin, causing a rash. You can take your ring to a jeweler for a professional cleaning, or you can buy a jewelry cleaning solution. Dilute the solution with water according to the package's instructions, and soak your ring for up to 40 minutes. Use a toothbrush to gently scrub the stone. Switch to a different band. If the ring is valuable, you may not want to get rid of it. Instead, you can take it to a jeweler and ask them to change the band. Ask your jeweler what metals are used in your ring. Titanium, stainless steel, and 18-karat gold are usually safe for nickel allergies. It is not uncommon for nickel to be added to gold jewelry. The higher the karat, the less likely the ring contains nickel. White gold is more likely than yellow gold to contain nickel. Plate your band in rhodium. A jeweler can apply a rhodium plate around your ring to protect your fingers. This plate is cheaper than buying a new band, but it will wear off after a few years. Apply nail polish to the ring. Choose a clear nail polish, and apply it to the inside of the ring. Let it dry completely before you wear the ring. Reapply the nail polish every two to three days. This is a good temporary solution for rings until you are able to either replace them or plate them. Nickel Guard is a varnish that is designed to protect your skin from jewelry. You can apply it to your ring in the same way as nail polish. Test all of your rings for nickel. If you are allergic to nickel, buy a nickel testing kit online or from your dermatologist. The kit will come with two chemicals. Apply a drop of each to your ring, and mix it with a cotton swab. If the swab turns pink, there is nickel in the ring. If it is does not, your ring is safe to wear. This test will not damage your jewelry. | Visit your doctor. Apply a cortisone cream to reduce inflammation. Take an antihistamine pill to reduce itching. Try an anti-fungal for a fungal rash. Place the ring on a different finger. Remove all rings before getting your hands wet. Apply hand lotion daily. Clean your ring. Switch to a different band. Plate your band in rhodium. Apply nail polish to the ring. Test all of your rings for nickel. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Rust-from-Metal | How to Remove Rust from Metal | To remove rust from small metal items, first fill a container with undiluted white vinegar. Then, drop the item into the vinegar and let it soak anywhere from 10 minutes to 6 hours depending on how rusty it is. After it soaks, put on a pair of rubber gloves and scrub the metal with steel wool or a stiff-bristled brush. The rust should come off easily after soaking in the vinegar. Finally, rinse the metal under a stream of warm water to neutralize the acid in the vinegar. If there's still some discoloration, put the metal in a resealable plastic bag with 1 to 2 cups (180-360 g) of baking soda and some water. Let it soak for 10 minutes before rinsing it again. To remove rust from large metal items, you can use an acidic rust-removal chemical treatment. First, put on a pair of rubber gloves, a dust mask, and some protective eyewear. Working with rust-removal chemicals can be dangerous, so make sure you take the proper safety precautions. Fill a plastic container with a little bit of your rust remover. Then, dip a natural brush in the chemical and carefully apply it to the rust. Wait 10 to 15 minutes, then scrape the rust off with a putty knife. Finally, rinse the metal off with water and wipe it dry before painting or waterproofing it. | Use white vinegar. The vinegar reacts with the rust to dissolve it off of the metal. To use, soak the metal in white vinegar for a few hours and then scrub the rusty paste off. If the object is too big to soak directly in the white vinegar, pour a layer over the top and allow it time to set. You can also wipe it down with a rag soaked in vinegar. Try dipping aluminium foil in the vinegar and using it as a brush to scrub off the rust. It is less abrasive than steel wool, but will still do the trick in removing the rust. You can use regular vinegar and simply allow your rusty metal objects to soak in it for up to 24 hours before rinsing. This method should not require as much scrubbing. Try a lime and salt. Sprinkle salt over the rusted area so that it is thoroughly coated and then juice a lime over the top. Use as much juice as you can get, and allow the mixture to set for 2-3 hours before scrubbing off. Use the rind from the lime to scrub the mixture off. It is strong enough to remove the rust without further damaging the metal. A lemon can also be used instead of a lime. Make a paste using baking soda. Mix baking soda with water until it is thick enough to spread on the metal. Allow time for it to set and then scrub off. Try using a toothbrush to scrub the baking soda off, and rinse with water. The baking soda mixture can be watered down as much as you would like, there is no exact recipe. Try using a potato and dish soap. Cut the potato in half and cover the cut end in dish soap. This will make a chemical reaction with the rust, making it easier to remove. Place the potato on the metal and leave it for a few hours. To reapply, simply cut off the used end of the potato and add more soap, letting it soak into the metal for more time. If you don't have dish soap, you can use baking soda and water instead with the potato. Use oxalic acid. Take protective precautions with this method––use rubber gloves, goggles and protective clothing. Do not smoke or directly inhale the fumes of the acid. Wash the rusted item with washing-up liquid rinse and carefully dry. Mix about 25ml (a teaspoon is 5ml) of oxalic acid with 250ml of warm water. Soak the item for approx 20 minutes or clean down the item with a cloth or brass brush. Wash fully and dry the item when rust removal is finished. Use a chemical remover. Many different types of chemicals can be purchased to help dissolve rust. They are typically made from phosphoric or oxalic acid and can be harmful to bare skin. Always take precautions when using a chemical to dissolve the rust. Follow the directions for your rust-removal product, as application may vary between products. These chemicals often need to set for a long time and require scrubbing afterwards, so be ready for a little extra work. These products can be expensive and only work for small-scale projects, not larger rusted items. Convert the rust. Purchase a rust converter which works to stop rust from eating away any more of the metal. It is similar to a spray paint, and acts as a primer for a coat of paint over the top as well. Although this stops rust from expanding, it may not be as effective as completely removing the rust from the metal. This is only an option if you plan on painting over the metal. It will also leave a rough texture under the paint, as you are essentially just adding a covering to the rust. Use abrasive tools to scrape the rust off. This method requires a lot more elbow grease, but you can effectively remove rust by simply scraping it off. Use tools from your garage like a screwdriver, or rent tools from a local hardware store. Steel wool is easy to use and something you may already have in your home. Use an electric sander to remove rust on large pieces. Always start with the roughest grain and slowly move to finer grains to minimize the roughness of the metal. Any metal tool can be used to scrape metal, but use a fine grain sandpaper afterwards to try to remove any marks the scraping may have made. Use citric acid. Buy a small box of citric acid in the powder form from your favorite supermarket in the baking/cooking goods area. Put some citric acid in a plastic container and pour in hot water, enough to cover the item being cleaned. For fun you can watch the bubbles reacting! Leave overnight then rinse and dry. Remove rust stains from clothing. If you happen to come into contact with rust, you can remove the residue from your clothing using lemon juice and water. Apply lemon juice to the affected area, but don't let it dry. Use water to rinse the juice and rust away. Wash the article of clothing after using the lemon juice to aid in removing the rust. For heavier fabric with a worse rust stain, you can also apply salt to the area in addition to lemon juice. Remove rust stains from brick or concrete. Create a paste of 7 parts lime-free glycerine, 1 part sodium citrate (available from drug stores), 6 parts lukewarm water, and enough powdered calcium carbonate (chalk) to create a thick paste. Spread the paste over the rust-stained area and leave it to harden. When it does, use a metal tool to scrape it off. If the stain has not been fully removed, use the same method and apply the paste again. Go over it as much as you can to get it off. Clean porcelain and ceramics of rust stains. Use a paste of borax and lemon juice and spread over the area. Scrub it off using a pumice stone, and reapply if necessary. Don't use this method on ceramic cookware, as it will damage the material with scrapes. Dry off the ceramic or porcelain afterwards to prevent new rust from forming. Remove rust from stainless steel. Use a very fine grain sandpaper and rub down the stainless steel with it in a circular motion. Follow this by rubbing it down with a slice of onion, and rinse with hot water. Remove rust stains from tools with diesel. Get a liter of diesel (actual diesel, not the fuel additive pictured). Pour it into a can and place the rusty tool (such as stuck pliers, screwed items, etc.) in it for a day. Remove the soaking tool from the can. Brush if needed, using a brass brush (from Dollar stores, size of a toothbrush). Clean it with an old rag before using, and behold, the tool will work again. Put the lid back on the diesel can and use again for future rusty tools. Keep metal dry. Rust is a chemical process in which iron oxidizes and begins to flake away the metal. This is caused by water that soaks into the metal or comes in contact with the metal frequently over time. Try to keep the metal in a cool, dry place to prevent moisture buildup. Always thoroughly dry metal after it comes in contact with water. Apply a primer. If you plan on painting your metal, use a paint primer to help the paint to stick and keep the metal away from moisture. If the surface of the metal is smooth, you can use any spray-on primer. A rough metal surface needs to be primed with a “filler” primer which will work to fill in any divots or pocks in the metal. Apply solid coats of paint. Paint, in addition to a good primer, will keep metal away from moisture. Make sure you use a high quality paint for the best results. Spray paint works well for metal, but applying paint with a brush will help it to stick better. Seal the paint with a clear top coat to reduce the rate of oxidation. | Use white vinegar. Try a lime and salt. Make a paste using baking soda. Try using a potato and dish soap. Use oxalic acid. Use a chemical remover. Convert the rust. Use abrasive tools to scrape the rust off. Use citric acid. Remove rust stains from clothing. Remove rust stains from brick or concrete. Clean porcelain and ceramics of rust stains. Remove rust from stainless steel. Remove rust stains from tools with diesel. Keep metal dry. Apply a primer. Apply solid coats of paint. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Deal-with-Bullies-at-School | How to Deal with Bullies at School | To deal with a school bully, tell an adult you trust about the bullying, like a parent or teacher, since they can intervene and help resolve the problem. You should also talk to a close friend about what you're experiencing, because it will make you feel less alone. During the school day, aim to avoid confrontations with the bully. For example, you might take a different route to school or different routes between classes. If you know you'll run into the bully, try to walk with a friend or group of friends, since this may discourage them from targeting you. When the bully threatens or teases you, do your best to ignore it and not show any reaction, which will show them they can't provoke you. Instead, stand up for yourself by saying “no” or “stop it” in a loud voice, which will show the bully you're not scared of them. However, avoid trying to show your strength by bullying back, including hitting or kicking, since this kind of reaction shows them that they're getting to you. | Tell your parent(s) or someone you trust about the bullying. If you are being bullied, it's very important to tell an adult first and foremost. Tell your parents the entire story. Parents are here to help and want to know what is going on with you. Your parents, moreover, may then be able to get in touch with staff at the school in order to try to stop the bullying. This is important particularly if you don't feel comfortable telling your teacher or fear retribution from the bully. It's useful if you keep a diary of everything that happens. That way you can let your parents and other adults know about specific incidents. Report bullying and victimization incidents to the school. Inform teachers, principals, and other school helpers. These individuals have the power to intervene and help stop bullying. Sometimes bullies stop as soon as a teacher finds out because they're afraid they'll get in trouble. Teachers are especially important resources if you're being bullied. They can provide protection from bullying by letting you stay in the classroom during recess or by setting up a buddy system on your behalf. It's important to let your school know about any bullying incidents because there may be other kids being bullied by the same person. Talk openly about bullying. Just talking to someone about your experience can bring you a bit of relief. Good people to talk to include a guidance counselor, sibling, or friend. They may offer some helpful solutions, but should not be approached in lieu of telling your parents or school personnel. Just talking about what you're experiencing and feeling can help you feel less alone. Some children have reported real success from peer counseling programs at their schools. Don't be afraid to speak up. Telling an adult is not tattling. Bullying is not a small or trivial matter; it is wrong and it helps if everyone who gets bullied or witnesses someone else being bullied speaks up. Remember that you cannot tackle bullying by yourself. No one can, not even adults. Getting help is the right thing to do when dealing with abuse, bullying, harassment, or assault. Avoid the bully wherever possible. Don't give him or her a chance to bully you by preventing run-ins between the two of you. Think ahead about where you usually run into the bully. Avoid those places. Try taking a different route from your home to school and also different routes within the school itself. Don't skip classes or go into hiding. You have a right to be at school and benefit from education. Feel good about who you are. Ask yourself what makes you feel and look your best. Emphasize your strengths, talents, and goals. For example, do you want to be more fit? If so, maybe you decide to spend less time on the couch watching TV and more time exercising. Feeling good about yourself will make you feel more confident and help build your self-esteem. It will also help you be more self-assured at school and perhaps less fearful of running into the person bullying you. Spend time with friends who have a positive influence. Playing sports or participating in clubs are good activities to help build positive friendships and confidence. Stand tall and keep your composure. Sometimes just acting brave is enough to stop a bully from approaching and intimidating you. By standing tall and holding your head high, you send the message that you are not to be messed with. Acting and even feeling brave is easier when you feel confident and good about yourself. It is also something you can practice. Practice walking with your head up, looking at people, and greeting anyone you know who looks back at you. Practice using a strong and assertive tone of voice (and not shouting). Remember, practice makes perfect. Use the buddy-system. If you're trying to avoid being bullied, two people are stronger than one. For example, walk with a friend or a group of friends to school, or hang out with them at recess. In other words, make sure to have friends surrounding you wherever and whenever you think you might run in to the bully. If you have a buddy, remember to be a buddy. Offer to be there for a friend if you know he or she has bully trouble. Act if you see a friend being bullied; after all, you know how hard it is to be bullied. Tell an adult, stand with your friend being bullied, and tell the bully to stop. Support those you see being being hurt with words of kindness. Ignore the bully if they say or do something to you. As much as you can, try to ignore the bully's threats. Pretend you can't hear them and try to leave the situation immediately and go to a safe place. Bullies are always looking for a reaction to their teasing. Pretending that you don't notice or care (even if you do care on the inside) may stop a bully's behavior because they are not getting the reaction they expect and want. Recognize that you have a right not to be bullied. It is not your fault that you are being harassed. You, like everyone else, deserve to feel safe. Say "no. " Tell the bully "No! Stop it!" in a loud, assertive voice and then walk or run away if you feel you need to. Standing up to the bully, simply by saying "no," sends a message that you are not afraid and will not accept his or her behavior. Bullies tend to go after kids who don't stick up for themselves and who they think will take their abuse and do whatever they say. There's always strength in numbers. Kids can stand up for each other by telling a bully to stop teasing or scaring someone else, and then walk away together. Shield your feelings. Plan ahead. How can you stop yourself from getting angry or showing you're upset? Try to distract yourself. Count backwards from 100, sing your favorite song inside your head, spell words backwards, etc. Keep your mind occupied until you are out of the situation so that you can moderate your feelings and not give the bully his or her desired reaction. Don't bully back. Don't hit, kick, or push as a way to deal with someone bullying you or your friends. Fighting back satisfies bullies because it shows them that they can get to you. Fighting back can also be dangerous. If you fight with the bully and win, you might think that you are more powerful than everyone then end up becoming a bully yourself.Someone could get hurt and you could get in trouble. It's best to stay with others, stay safe, and find the nearest adult. Get everyone on board. This means getting the entire school -- teachers, administrators, and the students -- to agree to make your school a bully-free zone. Even those indirectly involved in the school, such as bus drivers, need to support and receive training on anti-bullying measures. Put words into action. It takes more than an assembly or a bunch of signs pronouncing a bully-free zone to truly create a bully-free environment for students. Change how kids think about other kids. For example, creating an anti-bullying program may involve creating lesson plans whereby children learn more about other kids, especially those who come from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultures, or different learning styles or abilities. Or, teachers might teach cooperation by assigning group projects, which help students learn how to compromise and assert themselves without being too demanding. Rules about bullying and its consequences should be discussed and posted publicly in the school, sent home to parents, and put in community newspapers to create a universal awareness of the issue. This will begin the process of large-scale transformation. Create greater surveillance. Most bullying in schools occurs in areas that have less supervision by adults, like school buses, cafeterias, restrooms, hallways, and locker rooms. Schools need to address these areas by enhancing the monitoring of these spaces by additional adults or using enhanced security techniques including closed circuit cameras. Schools can also establish anonymous reporting tools like suggestion boxes or hotlines where students can send text messages or leave voicemails. | Tell your parent(s) or someone you trust about the bullying. Report bullying and victimization incidents to the school. Talk openly about bullying. Don't be afraid to speak up. Avoid the bully wherever possible. Feel good about who you are. Stand tall and keep your composure. Use the buddy-system. Ignore the bully if they say or do something to you. Recognize that you have a right not to be bullied. Say "no. Shield your feelings. Don't bully back. Get everyone on board. Put words into action. Create greater surveillance. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Play-Field-Hockey | How to Play Field Hockey | To play field hockey, try to score more goals than the other team before the game is over. To score a goal, your team has to hit the ball with a field hockey stick into the other team's net. To get started, split up into 2 teams of 11 players. Then, divide your team up so you have forwards, midfielders, defenders, and 1 goalie. If you're a forward, try to get the ball into the other team's net. If you're a defender, try to prevent the other team from scoring. As a midfielder, your job is to help both the forwards and the defenders. | Get a field hockey stick and ball. There are plenty of brands, so shop around and find a stick that feels comfortable in your hands. A good stick will come up about to your hip when you hold its blade flat against the ground. Play around with the stick, taking some time to push around the small, hard ball used in field hockey games. The average weight of a field hockey stick is about 21 oz (600 g). Many forwards choose lighter sticks that are easier to maneuver. Many players also carry at least 2 sticks in case they play different positions. Every stick has a flat side and a rounded side. The flat side is the part you use to strike the ball. The ball is plastic and about the size of a golf ball. Purchase shin guards and a mouth guard, and goggles. These are the basic protective tools every field hockey player needs. The shin guards are similar to soccer shin guards but offer a little more ankle protection. You can wear socks underneath them to make them more comfortable. Mouth guards always tend to feel uncomfortable, but they are the most important protective gear available. Goggles help protect you from flying balls and high sticks. They protect the sides and front of your face. You can get gear online or at most sporting good stores. If you have soccer shin guards, they can be a good starting point as you learn the game. Goalies also need a lightweight arm and leg padding as well as a cage helmet. Most players don't start off in goal, so consider learning the game as an outfield player before you decide on becoming a goalie. Gloves are optional pieces of equipment. Many players like wearing them for additional protection. Wear field hockey cleats while playing. Field hockey matches are played on grass or turf like football, soccer, and other outdoor sports. Field hockey shoes have small, rubber cleats on the bottom that keep you from slipping while you run. Choose a pair of shoes that fit you but don't feel restrictive. If you have soccer cleats, start with those. The cleat studs are longer but still provide plenty of traction on the field. When you get more involved with field hockey, you can then choose specialty field hockey cleats. Hold the field hockey stick with your right hand at the bottom of the grip. Turn the stick so that the flat end faces away from you. Place your left hand over the top end of the stick, pointing your thumb down towards the curled end at the bottom. Position your right hand around the bottom of the grip, which is the black or white rubber or leather material ending about halfway down the stick. This basic grip is great for dribbling and controlling the ball. Roughly align your thumb with the curl at the end of the stick. Wrap your fingers around the grip, but be prepared to move them on occasion as you play. There is no such thing as a “lefty” stick. You can switch your hand positioning, but most left-handed players hold their sticks the same way as right-handed players. Crouch down with your knees bent and your back straight. Crouching is the normal position you hold while playing field hockey. Bend your body at the waist, pushing your stick out in front of you. Keep the curled end of the stick firmly on the ground with the flat end facing outwards. Make sure you keep your chest up so you are able to see the field ahead of you. Avoid leaning forward. Bend at the waist and keep your knees bent a little so you don't injure your back. You keep this crouched position most of the time on the field. The only time you stand up straight is if you're sprinting after a ball or standing in place. Stand with your left foot forward, pointing towards the ball. Aim for the ball, aligning your left foot with it. Place your right foot behind you for support. Keep the ball about a stick's length away from your body. Try to keep the ball in the same position relative to your body at all times. Avoid letting the ball get too close or too far from your body, or else it will be hard to control. If it gets away from you, move towards it instead of bending your back. Press your stick against the ground to trap a moving ball. While facing the ball, lower your stick to the ground. Rest the stick's rounded edge on the ground and use it to stop the ball. You may need to step backwards a little to slow the ball before stopping it. Lean the stick forward to bring the ball to a stop. If you don't lean the stick forward slightly, the ball may roll over it and get past you. Trapping the ball allows you to control it so your passes and shots are more accurate. Be gentle when receiving the ball. Pretend it's an egg. Instead of breaking if you bump it too hard, the ball will roll away and the other team will get it. To practice, have someone else pass the ball to you until you feel comfortable stopping it. Perfect the Indian dribble or reverse stick to move the ball upfield. Position the ball in front of you and place your stick next to it. When the ball is on your left, flick the ball to your right. Then, twist the stick with your left hand until the flat side is to the right of the ball. Flick the ball back to your left and continue doing this for as long as you can. Dribbling this way is excellent for keeping the ball in your possession as you move. Remember to always tap the ball with the flat side of the stick. Even experienced players can have a hard time mastering this technique. Try dribbling in place first. Once you have mastered that, walk up the field while dribbling. Step towards the ball as you hit it to perform a sweep pass. Face the ball and position it slightly ahead of you. Bring the head of your stick down towards the ball. As you make contact with the ball, bring your weight down on your front foot. Your front foot is the one closest to the spot where you want the ball to go. A sweep pass or push is a basic pass that provides plenty of control and accuracy when you need to get the ball to a teammate. Keep 1 foot close to the ball and 1 foot behind you. When you move to hit the ball, bring your back foot forward to generate power. A sweep pass is similar to how you would hit a ball in mini golf. Follow through with your swing, but don't try to slap the ball. Remember that you are pushing the ball towards the target. A variation is to dig your stick underneath the ball, then lift it up and push it towards your target. Squat to perform a hook pass for balls further away from you. Place your stick parallel to the ground, similarly to what you do when stopping a ball. Wrap the hooked part of your stick around the ball. Transfer your weight from your back foot to your front foot as you swing the stick forward in a single, smooth motion. Use your legs to maintain your balance and generate force. Avoid leaning forward more than you need to to reach the ball. The hook pass allows you to get to balls out of your reach. It probably won't feel as accurate as sweep passes at first, so keep practicing! Bring your hands together to perform a slap shot. Stand with the ball ahead of you and keep your left hand around the top of the stick. Slide your right hand up, maintaining a strong grip on your stick. Bring your stick back behind you to start your swing. As you bring your stick forward, shift your weight onto your front foot. Swinging your club this way is similar to driving a ball far in golf or cricket. For more accuracy, push the ball on the ground instead of trying to hit it with power. Remember that you can only shoot the ball by hitting it with the flat part of your stick while inside the scoring circle. Choose a position to play on the field. A field hockey team consists of 11 players. The number of forwards, midfielders, and defenders on the field depends on the formation the coach chooses. The final player on the field is the goalie, who stays near the goal to block shots. Forwards score goals, defenders block goals, and midfielders do a little of both. Try to pick a position that fits you best. You may even get to play multiple positions sometimes. Shoot the ball only when you're standing in the shooting zone. When you look at a field hockey field, you will see a semi-circle around the goals. These are the shooting zones, and you have to be standing in them in order to score. If you shoot the ball while standing outside of the zone, the goal doesn't count and the other team gets the ball. Make sure you only shoot with the flat side of the stick as well. The rounded side cannot be used at all. Take a short corner when a foul is committed inside the shooting zone. The short corner is perhaps the hardest part of the game to understand. When it happens, 5 defenders stand in front of the shooting zone. The rest of the defending team has to wait behind the centerline of the field until the team on offense touches the ball. A short corner is basically a power play in sports like hockey, indoor soccer, or lacrosse. For very bad fouls, such as trying to harm another player, the referee may award a penalty stroke. A player for the offense takes a 1-on-1 shot against the goalie. Spend a lot of time running during practice. Keep in shape, especially if you are a midfielder. All players need to be able to run without tiring. A regular field hockey game consists of 2 35-minute halves, so it involves a lot of endurance. Build your stamina as much as you can. Remember that, during a game, you run while holding and using your stick. Run with it in practice so you can get used to carrying it in a match. Practice wearing and using your gear. Bounce the ball along the flat length of your stick. Dribble it wherever you go. Work on turning with the ball, pulling it towards you, and passing it to a teammate. Every action helps you become a better field hockey player. Make sure you get comfortable wearing shinguards, a mouth guard, and gloves, if you use them. Try asking a coach for help or sign up with a recreational team. Many colleges also have field hockey programs. Remember that even the best players start somewhere. Practice often, but have fun playing. Speak to a player or coach to join a field hockey team. The best way to get more information about teams is to find out where they play. Many communities have recreational leagues for all ages. Universities also tend to field teams. Search online for clubs in your area and ask players and coaches how they got started with the sport. If you can't find a team, you can always try organizing your own in your community. | Get a field hockey stick and ball. Purchase shin guards and a mouth guard, and goggles. Wear field hockey cleats while playing. Hold the field hockey stick with your right hand at the bottom of the grip. Crouch down with your knees bent and your back straight. Stand with your left foot forward, pointing towards the ball. Press your stick against the ground to trap a moving ball. Perfect the Indian dribble or reverse stick to move the ball upfield. Step towards the ball as you hit it to perform a sweep pass. Squat to perform a hook pass for balls further away from you. Bring your hands together to perform a slap shot. Choose a position to play on the field. Shoot the ball only when you're standing in the shooting zone. Take a short corner when a foul is committed inside the shooting zone. Spend a lot of time running during practice. Practice wearing and using your gear. Speak to a player or coach to join a field hockey team. |
https://www.wikihow.health/Protect-Your-Children-from-Child-Abuse | How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse | To protect your child from abuse, teach them about their private parts and respecting personal space early on so they can understand if someone is crossing any boundaries. Since this topic can be a little scary for kids, try to use a gentle, matter-of-fact tone. Once they understand their boundaries, explain what to do if someone is being inappropriate with them. For example, you can instruct them to say no, to try to get away from the person, and to tell a trusted adult as soon as possible. During this discussion, remember to tell your kid how important it is that they don't keep secrets from you so they can let you know if they've been touched or hurt. | Tell your children that personal space should be respected. Explain that sometimes people don't want to be touched, even it's just a tap on the shoulder. Tell your child that if they don't want to be touched, they have the right to say no. Mention that if someone else doesn't want to be touched, your child should respect their wishes, too. Start the conversation with your toddler, and reinforce the need to respect personal space as they mature. A poke on the shoulder hardly qualifies as abuse, but knowing how to set personal boundaries can help your kids avoid potentially abusive situations in the future. Make it clear that this applies to all parts of their body, not just their private parts. All forms of touching require consent, including poking, hugging, roughhousing, or hand-holding. Try using dolls to demonstrate your point. For example, one doll might poke the other repeatedly, and the one being poked could say, “Please leave me alone,” or “Please stop. I don't want to be touched.” Teach your child about private body parts early. Explain what private parts are to your toddler or preschooler. Tell them that no one should see or touch their private parts other than you, another caregiver, or a doctor. Make sure they understand that a doctor can check their body while you're there, but no one else should touch them, even if they say they're a doctor. Tell them that it's okay for you or their babysitter to change their diaper, bathe them, or help them change their clothes, but that's the only time anyone should see their privates. Using proper terminology, such as penis and vagina, can help make discussing private parts less embarrassing. Feeling comfortable using these words might help your child talk clearly if something does happen. Make it clear that it is never okay to hurt others. Explain that hitting, pulling hair, kicking, biting, and pushing are not okay because they hurt others. Be firm, and correct your child if they physically harm someone else. Tell them that if someone tries to hurt them, or if they see someone hurting another person, they need to tell an adult about it. While kids might wrestle or roughhouse, you should supervise them, remind them to be gentle, and intervene if they start hitting, biting, scratching, or otherwise get too rowdy. Make it clear that they need to stop playing if the other person wants them to stop. Explain that there's a difference between consensual roughhousing, like contact sports, and non-consensual abuse, such as hitting someone who wants to be left alone. Intervene if your child doesn’t enforce their boundaries. From around the age that they can talk, let your child choose whether they want to be hugged, kissed, or held by others. Give them a chance to speak up if they're uncomfortable, but step in if they struggle with it or if the other person ignores them. For example, say, “Stella, stop playing with Mariana's hair. She asked you twice to stop it, and you need to respect that,” or “Nana, I'm teaching George about setting boundaries. If he says he doesn't like kisses on the cheek, then please don't kiss him on the cheek.” Likewise, offer your child specific praise when you see them setting their own boundaries. Let them know, "I really liked the way told Nana that you're not comfortable with kisses on the cheek. That was very brave of you!" Encourage your child to be assertive. When your child enforces their boundaries, say, “Good job telling your brother what you wanted,” or “Thanks for telling me that you don't like to be hugged while you're eating.” This lets your child know that it's a good thing to speak up when they're uncomfortable. Additionally, try having your preschooler or early grade school-age child order their own food at restaurants, or count the change you receive from cashiers at stores. Giving your child a sense of agency can help empower them to enforce their boundaries. Tell your child that they shouldn’t keep secrets from you. Explain that a grown-up or another child shouldn't ask them to keep secrets from you. Mention that it's especially important to tell you if someone asks them to keep a secret about touching, hurting, or bullying. Say, “If a grown-up or another kid touches you, hurts you, or makes you uncomfortable, and tells you to keep it a secret, get help. Tell me, a teacher, or another nearby grown-up.” Additionally, let your child know that they should tell you if someone else has been touched, hurt, or bullied. Establish and respect privacy rules in your home. Make it a house rule to knock before entering bedrooms and bathrooms. If your child is old enough to dress themselves, allow them to dress and undress in privacy. Setting privacy rules at home can help reinforce the need to respect boundaries. Help your children better understand privacy by using it in context to demonstrate times when privacy is socially acceptable. For example, you may say you need some privacy when going to the bathroom. Describe potentially unsafe situations in a non-threatening way. Teach them to recognize signs of danger, and instruct them to get help if someone makes them uncomfortable. While you want to empower them with information, try to keep your tone gentle and matter-of-fact to avoid scaring them. Have the conversation early, such as when your child is 3 or 4. It might help to simplify terms; remind them that private parts are private, instruct them not to talk to strangers, and tell them to find a trusted adult if they need help. Revisit the topic and add more detail as they mature. Say, “There are some people who might talk a lot about private areas, want to touch your private parts, or show you theirs. A stranger might act friendly, offer candy and toys, and ask you to get in their car. They might want to hurt you even if they act nice, so it's important to say no and get help.” Warn them to stay away from strangers. Instruct your younger child to stay close when you're out in public together (or when they're out with another adult). If your child walks to school or friends' houses by themselves, tell them to stay in groups whenever possible, not to wander into unknown areas by themselves, and not to talk to strangers. If a stranger approaches them or seems to be following them, tell them to get to a well-lit area with foot or car traffic. If they have a cell phone, they should call you or other trusted adult, give their location, and describe the person who's making them uncomfortable. If they feel truly threatened, instruct them to call emergency services. Teach your child about online safety. If they play internet-connected video games, have a cell phone, or use social media, stress the importance of talking only to people who they know personally. Keep computers, video game consoles, and other connected devices in highly visible, public areas of your home. Tell them, “When you play your video game, it's only okay to talk to your friends or classmates. Sometimes, bad grown-ups pretend to be kids, so you need to make sure you've already made friends in person before talking to anyone over the internet.” Make sure your child knows to never give out their last name, their address, or where they go to school online. Encourage them to use online communication primarily to communicate with friends they already know in real life. Discuss consent as your child matures. As your child grows up, continue to stress the importance of consensual touching. Talk to your preteen or teen about how they might want to touch someone else in sexual ways. Emphasize that these urges are part of growing up, and stress that any form of touching is only okay if both partners give their consent. Mention if someone says yes at first, but gets uncomfortable and changes their mind, they have no longer given their consent. Let them know that, while these feelings are normal, being sexually active is risky, and that they should wait until they're older and in a loving, committed relationship. Explain that adults can be bullies, too. Just as it's wrong when kids hit or call each other names, it's wrong for grown-ups to do this to kids or other adults. Make it clear that this is the fault of the perpetrator, not the victim, and that no one should have to put up with an adult bully. Say, “If a grown-up hits you or calls you mean names, that's not okay. Tell me or someone you trust if that happens.” Teach them how to get out of an uncomfortable situation. Explain that if another person touches or talks about their private parts, pressures them, or makes them uncomfortable, they should say no and try to get to a safe place. Tell them to do their best to get away from the person and to tell an adult they trust as soon as possible. Ask your child to identify several trusted adults whom you know, such as teachers, close family friends, or relatives. That way, they'll know who they can turn to in various settings. Take time to actively listen to your child. It's important to communicate and understand how they feel and what they want. Ask open-ended questions, such as “What happened at school today?” and “What did that make you feel?” Put away distractions, give them your full attention, and show you're listening by making eye contact, nodding, and responding. Open-ended questions, as opposed to yes or no questions, are more effective ways to spark a quality conversation. If your child feels safe coming to you with smaller problems, they will probably feel safe coming to you with bigger ones. Participate in activities at their daycare or school. Staying involved in your child's life is one of the best ways to prevent abuse outside the home. Meet their teachers, coaches, and any other adults who interact with your child. Sometimes, suspicious behaviors are obvious, such as excessive touching (if even platonic), giving special individual attention to a child, and regularly texting or calling a child. However, keep in mind many abusers don't show any outward signs. Additionally, it's good to keep your guard up, but remember that the vast majority of people who care for children are not abusive. Be aware of any adults who give your child special attention. Any teachers or coaches who want to give your child 1-on-1 time should do so in a highly visible environment after getting your consent. Take note of anyone who offers your child special toys or touches them frequently in friendly, seemingly innocent ways (such as shoulder rubs or pats on the back). Suspicious signs aren't guarantees that your child is being abused. However, if you're concerned, you might want to ask your child about it or limit contact with the adult. Monitor your child’s use of technology. Avoid letting your child keep a computer in their bedroom, and keep computers in public, highly visible areas. Make it a rule that they must leave their cell phone in a common area overnight instead of bringing it to bed with them. If you have a teen, they have a right to keep their emails, texts, and password private, unless there's evidence they're in danger or breaking the law. However, if they use social media, you should make them add you as a friend and keep an eye on their activity. Look for signs that a child has been abused. Signs may include sudden changes in mood, sadness or anger, problems at school, withdrawal from activities and relationships, or engaging in risky behavior. Other evidence may include more knowledge about sex than is normal for their age and physical marks, such as unusual cuts or bruises. It can be difficult to tell the difference between signs of child abuse and normal scrapes or moodiness. If you're concerned, talk to your child or schedule an appointment with their pediatrician. Ask your child directly and gently if you notice something is wrong. If you're concerned about your child, take them aside in a private place. Gently ask if anything happened; be sensitive, but be direct and ask specific questions. Asking about specific forms of abuse can help them feel more comfortable talking about it. If their mood has changed, you could ask, “You seem very sad and withdrawn lately. Would you like to talk to me about what's going on?” If you suspect sexual abuse, you could ask, “Did someone touch your privates (or use specific words, such as penis or vagina)? You know it's not your fault if someone touched you inappropriately.” You might ask, “I see a big bruise on your arm. Did someone hit you?” Try to gauge your child's reaction. If they confirm your suspicions, or if they respond secretively or get emotional, it's time to call emergency services, contact their pediatrician, or get in touch with a licensed child psychologist. Keep your cool, and don’t threaten a suspected abuser. It's normal to feel a wave of difficult emotions, including anger, shock, and fear. Take a deep breath, and try to keep your temper under control. Do not contact the suspected abuser, threaten them, or take the law into your own hands. Remember that there is a proper legal process to follow. Taking matters into your own hands may do more harm than good. Emphasize that your child did nothing wrong. Tell your child that you're glad they were honest with you, and they did the right thing. Remind them how brave they are to handle this, and stress that none of it is their fault. Offer continuous love and reassurance. Remind your child how much you love them, be patient with them, and let them come to you when they are upset. Take your child to the hospital, or call an emergency hotline. Explain to your child that this is important and it needs to be reported to the authorities. Call the police, and take your child to the hospital or to their pediatrician to examine signs of abuse and, if necessary, record physical evidence. Try calling a child abuse hotline to figure out the steps you need to take to care for your child and report the abuser. In the U.S. and Canada, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse hotline at 1-800-422-4453. | Tell your children that personal space should be respected. Teach your child about private body parts early. Make it clear that it is never okay to hurt others. Intervene if your child doesn’t enforce their boundaries. Encourage your child to be assertive. Tell your child that they shouldn’t keep secrets from you. Establish and respect privacy rules in your home. Describe potentially unsafe situations in a non-threatening way. Warn them to stay away from strangers. Teach your child about online safety. Discuss consent as your child matures. Explain that adults can be bullies, too. Teach them how to get out of an uncomfortable situation. Take time to actively listen to your child. Participate in activities at their daycare or school. Be aware of any adults who give your child special attention. Monitor your child’s use of technology. Look for signs that a child has been abused. Ask your child directly and gently if you notice something is wrong. Keep your cool, and don’t threaten a suspected abuser. Emphasize that your child did nothing wrong. Take your child to the hospital, or call an emergency hotline. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Social-Butterfly | How to Be a Social Butterfly | To become a social butterfly, start by setting small, attainable goals, like talking to 5 people at the next party you go to. When you're interacting with others, pay attention to their body language and other social cues so that you know if they're interested in talking to you. In turn, show a genuine interest in what they have to say, as well. If talking to people makes you nervous, just keep practicing! Remember, becoming a social butterfly means making a commitment to change—it takes time and practice to build new social skills. | Commit to it. When it comes to changing our personalities, it has to be more than just something we want. We have to need it. We have to reach a point where we can no longer function the current way we are. Think of why you want to be a social butterfly and concentrate on it. Digest it. Turn it over in your brain. Now get set on changing it. This will be a 'light bulb' moment. You won't see a change in your behavior overnight, but you will see a change in your mindset. You can't run before you walk! You won't realize you're a social butterfly until you're in the middle of a party one day, sitting back and thinking "Huh? When did this happen?" Set small goals. Once you're set on the idea of becoming the life of the party, don't think, "Okay. Scott's party this Friday? I'm gonna wow everyone there." That's not how it works. That just sets you up for failure and will ultimately end up in you going home, wrapping yourself up in your covers, and not coming out until you get hungry. Set small goals. 5 minutes of wowing the crowd, not the entire night. It totally depends on where you are on the social butterfly spectrum. Some people can't even go to parties without being miserable while others will mingle, but only with the people they're comfortable with. Wherever you are, aim for a little more. When you get that little bit more, aim higher. Remove fear. You know what you want to do and you know to take it slow. Now how do you do it? Well, you start by removing fear and anxiety when it comes to social situations. Here's a few things to keep in mind: Everyone's worried about getting embarrassed or rejected. If they say they're not, they're probably lying. At the very least they used to be not so carefree! Find a social butterfly you know and ask them about this. They'll tell you of their social anxieties, too! You won't die. Unless you start a conversation with the next unabomber and inadvertently insult his cat, you'll be fine. In fact, the odds of something legitimately bad happening are slim to none. At the end of the day, we all go home worried about how we came off; we're not thinking about anyone else. So if you're preoccupied with what others think of you, know that they're too absorbed in their own image to be thinking about yours! Be genuine. Sometimes when people get into social situations that they don't know how to handle, their personalities change. They compensate for how they feel inside by coming off full of themselves, brash, and sometimes just plain mean. If you find yourself thinking, "I have to impress these people to get them to like me," kick it down a notch. Really, being yourself is the best thing you can do. Everyone (and you're aiming for everyone) wants to be around people that are natural, at ease, and not trying too hard. If your presence says, "Here I am, world! This is me," people can't argue with that. Be confident, but humble. Sometimes people get caught up in the "anything you can do, I can do better" phrase. Straight facts: that does not make for good conversation! You should be confident, most definitely. Confidence is very attractive. But you can't go asking for attention or patting your own back. It's gotta be given to you! Accept compliments gracefully. When someone gives you one, the best thing you can say? "Thank you." Imagine that. So simple. Give them gracefully, too. Go slower. Generally, confident people move a bit slower and talk a bit slower. The idea here is that unconfident people think they'll be cut off at any moment and try not to take up so much of other people's time. So slow down! You'll project confidence. Think positively. To change your personality is nothing to shake a stick at. To get over this giant hill, you'll need some serious positive thinking. Luckily, you have complete control! You can become a social butterfly and you will. The only thing stopping you is you. A big old part of thinking positively is liking yourself. When you like yourself, the rest of life gets a lot cheerier. Your social worth is the same as everyone else's -- it's just a matter of realizing it. Learn to read people. Now that we're past the abstract, master-your-own-mind stuff, onto the meat and potatoes of it all. If you want to be a social ninja, reading people is imperative. There a dozen cues you can find at anytime to know how to act around a person. When you can spot 'em, the whole process of socializing gets a lot easier. Don't only read their body language, tone, and visual cues, but take in how they interact with others. Do they have a large personal bubble? Do they value humor and joking around or are they more quiet and intellectual? If you can emulate it, do so. Fitting into every social circle is just a matter of interacting how the group expects. Master body language and eye contact. For different groups, there may be different expectations for body language and eye contact. But for most humans, there are good rules of thumb: be open and make eye contact most of the time. You want to appear confident and relaxed, not stressed out and menacing. In some circles, though not all, flirting is an integral part of being a social butterfly. Everyone likes being flirted with and it's a simple way to establish a bond. When someone touches us, we automatically feel closer to them. If you want to work your way in, start flirting! Pick up a new hobby. You probably have your friends and odds are they're all a little similar. To be that butterfly, you'll need to branch out! You'll gain new skills, meet new people, and learn to interact with others that aren't as like you. So instead of being in a play, work backstage. Instead of swimming, take a scuba course. Instead of playing chess, join the cricket team. Just a little out of your comfort zone for starters! If it intrigues you, consider taking an acting class. Being forced to play a role and getting used to that feeling makes it a lot easier to fake being a social butterfly. There will be times when you don't feel like being social, but you can find a character within you who does. And if you fake it for long enough, it eventually becomes habit! Start noticing. Most people are totally tuned out to the world. It's how "stop and smell the roses" gained its meaning. Instead, get in the moment. Observe. Do it right now: think about what you're feeling (in the touch sense), hearing, smelling, tasting, and seeing. What did you notice that you didn't 10 seconds ago? This will help when interacting with people. You'll have more to say and you'll pick up on people's more subtle reactions. You'll be able to ask more interesting questions and since no one else is noticing, you'll be particularly impressive. Don't judge people. When you do get out there, the only way you can truly be a butterfly is to flit around every circle. You can't sit with the jocks and look down on the band kids. You can't associate with the hipsters and turn your nose up at the preps. You gotta be open to everyone. Otherwise you're a butterfly without wings. You're a social caterpillar. Being a social butterfly is sort of different than being popular. That's because being popular does not mean you are well-liked by everyone! The Plastics in Mean Girls were popular, but they weren't liked. So while you should definitely make friends with the popular kids (even if you're out of school!), make friends with everyone else, too. Get in the spotlight. You'll need to get used to being where the people are and having everyone know your name, so might as well start now. Run for class president. Organize a new club. Seek out some public recognition. The more people who know you, the easier it'll be to socialize at all those parties you're going to! Seek out a position of leadership anywhere. It could be at school, at your job, or at one of your extracurricular activities. When you hold the reigns, people will be coming to you. Imagine being a butterfly that the flowers come to themselves! Approach people. You remember how we talked about how accepting compliments is best done with a simple "Thank you?" Well, turns out that's right for most social interactions! Walking up to someone and saying, "Hi. I don't believe we've met," is an incredibly direct, confident, effective way of starting a conversation. Humans just want to make it harder for some reason! Sometimes you've gotta do the approaching because other people just aren't gutsy enough. Like you used to be! They're all nervous to initiate social interaction. Just walking up to someone, looking them in the eye, smiling, and saying, "Hi, my name is...," can get the ball rolling. A handshake doesn't hurt. When you have three minutes with a person, seize it. At the bus stop? Talk to the guy next to you about his bag. In line at the checkout? Ask the lady how her day is going. The little things count just as much! Master small talk. Surprisingly enough, it doesn't have to be painful if you don't want it to be. And it doesn't just have to be about the weather! Small talk can be fun and fulfilling when the right topic and the right person rolls around. If you have even five minutes with a person, start chatting. Totally not threatening too! While Brits are okay with talking about the weather, you may want to avoid it across the pond. Since that may or may not be out of the question, talk about whatever is in front of you. Long line at the store? A holiday coming up? The bus is late? Or maybe you don't know what to order at the coffee shop! Don't think of it as making meaningless chatter—think of it as brightening someone else's otherwise boring day. This skill will help you fill awkward silences. So the next time you're sitting by that girl in class that you've spoken to a few times, that project you're working on together next quarter won't be so awkward. Practice talking to everyone. You're naturally going to find it easier to talk to some people over others. Those you have the most in common with will be the ones you gravitate to. While it's fine to spend a lot of time with these people, go out of your way to talk to everyone else. You can only get better with practice! This is easiest if you can find common ground. Do you share a class? A hobby? A boss? Everyone likes being paid attention to. When you have 5 minutes to kill, fight the urge to go poke your best friend and walk up to that girl you've been meaning to chat with. Seem interested. The best face to put on when you're talking to someone is your interested face. Ever talked to someone who just doesn't seem to give a damn about a word you say? It's the worst. Now have you ever talked to someone who made you seem like the only person in the room? Bingo. Along with smiling and devoting them your entire attention both verbally and non-verbally, ask them questions. When something comes up, get the details. It's the fastest way to gravitate the conversation to a point where you both feel it was meaningful. Pretend you've known them your entire life. Those people you don't know so well will be a bit hard to talk to in the beginning. If the idea of making small talk with virtual strangers or meager acquaintances sounds painful, you're gonna need to get over that! It's what social butterflies do. The easiest way to get over that hump is to think of them as people you've known your entire life. What's keeping you from going, "Hey! How you doing?" Nothing, that's what. When we've known people our entire lives, we drop the façade. We are ourselves. When that pretty girl or guy you like walks in the room, you think, " How's my hair?" and when your childhood neighbor walks in, you find a Cheetos on your pants, give it a quick once-over for dust and hair, shove it in your mouth and say, "Yo." While you might not want to go that far, you can see where being around someone who's relaxed and themselves is super calming. Some people might be freaked out by this. The introverts, those with massive trust issues, they might not take to your super comfortable approach. So before you go about asking them how the family is, gauge your relationship and their demeanor. Better safe than sorry. Be seen anywhere and everywhere. You're a people machine. Now that you're ready to get your feet wet in every social situation, do so. Go to parties where you only know a few people. Hit up an art museum and follow it up with a tractor pull. Go to a wine tasting with your bowling team and then meet up with coworkers for pool and karaoke. Get out there! Keep as many social circles going at once as you can. If you stop making the effort, you may stop being invited. So Tuesday night you'll spend with your chess buddies, Thursday is reserved for your Italian cooking classmates, and Saturday is for your college gang. Throw parties. Want to flit around talking to everyone you've ever met? Throw a party! When it's on your turf, you have complete control. You can spend 8 minutes talking with one group, go grab a plate of finger foods, get sidetracked by another, eventually make it to the dining room, get roped into a toast, and end up on the patio with another. And when your friends meet your other friends, they can make connections, too! One of the hardest parts about being a social butterfly is spreading yourself too thin. You'll have so many friends it'll be hard to pay them all enough attention. A party is a good way to get everyone you like involved simultaneously. Just be prepared for clean up duty! Have good hygiene. This is good advice for everyone. Even hermits. If you want to feel your best and look your best, it's important to shower, brush your teeth, wear deodorant, etc. People tend to judge a book by its cover, so don't start off on the wrong foot by stinking up the room. Don't adhere to a label. We humans want the simplest way to size up everything we see. Unfortunately, because of that, a lot of judging happens. If you walk into a high school wearing all black, too much eyeliner, and carrying around a backpack that says "I Pray to Hell", you might not make it onto the cheer squad. So to fit in with every group, wherever you are, don't subscribe to a label. It's the only way to fit in with everyone. The most obvious way to do this is with your clothes. Have your own style. Don't avoid trends, but don't actively seek them out. And when it comes to your actions, do a little of everything! Be the person whose president of the environmental club, plays volleyball, and still makes time to practice the French horn. Put effort into your appearance. In case no one has told you, life is generally easier for pretty people. It's another of the same: humans want a quick way to judge things, and being pretty is equivalent to being good. It's not right, but it's kind of how it is. Since it probably won't change anytime soon, to be accepted more easily, putting effort into your appearance will take you a long way. This doesn't mean dolling yourself up to the 9s. It means wearing clothes that are ironed, sort of match, doing your hair, and maybe throwing on some chapstick. The nines are appropriate once in a while, but 5s and 6s will get you through the day to day. Give the right impression. Try as Oscar the Grouch might, he probably won't make a ton of friends and be accepted in the majority of circles. He's just so negative. Be the person you want people to see! Be open, communicative, and fun to be around. When you're received well, it's a lot easier to keep going. The simplest thing you can do is make yourself approachable. Put your phone down, for goodness sake! Look up and around your world. Uncross your arms and look engaged in the moment. How else will people come in and out? | Commit to it. Set small goals. Remove fear. Be genuine. Be confident, but humble. Think positively. Learn to read people. Master body language and eye contact. Pick up a new hobby. Start noticing. Don't judge people. Get in the spotlight. Approach people. Master small talk. Practice talking to everyone. Seem interested. Pretend you've known them your entire life. Be seen anywhere and everywhere. Throw parties. Have good hygiene. Don't adhere to a label. Put effort into your appearance. Give the right impression. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Travel-Pillow | How to Use a Travel Pillow | To use a neck travel pillow, blow it up if it's inflatable, and place it around your neck. Or, hook it on one shoulder to give you a higher pillow. If you have a spare t-shirt, sweater, or scarf, cover your pillow with it to make it softer. Recline in your seat and lean your head on the pillow to support your neck. Alternatively, if you normally sleep on your front, place the pillow on the fold-out table in front of you and sleep leaning forward. | Try your neck pillow before buying it. Neck pillows don't typically come in different sizes, so the only way to know if it will fit comfortably is to try it on. If possible, put your neck pillow on before you buy it, or keep the receipt and try it on before your trip. You should be able to rest your head on it without bending your neck uncomfortably, and the material shouldn't pinch or chafe on your neck. Inflate your pillow if necessary. Inflatable travel pillows can be a convenient way to save space when traveling. If yours is inflatable, blow into the air tube until the pillow is round and firm. Seal the air tube once you're done by replacing the cap. Some inflatable pillows self-inflate. Typically, this involves turning a valve which will then cause the pillow to slowly inflate, but check your pillow's instructions to see how yours inflates. Non-inflatable travel pillows are typically filled with foam or microbeads. While they are less convenient for packing, you may find that they are more comfortable. Cover your pillow in a T-shirt or scarf to make it softer. Some neck pillows, particularly the less expensive inflatable ones, are made of plastic and may not have a very comfortable surface. Use a thin, soft piece of clothing like a T-shirt or light scarf to cover your pillow and make it more comfortable. You can also buy a removable cover for your pillow. Just make sure it fits your pillow before buying it. Place the pillow around your neck. Most neck pillows are U-shaped and will fit around the back of your neck with the opening over your throat. Some have straps that cross the opening to keep it in place. If your pillow is not U-shaped, it may be designed to fit between your shoulder and head. This type limits which direction you can rest your head in, so it's best for sleepers who don't change position much. Recline your seat. Most neck pillows are designed to support your head as it falls back or to the side. This position can be more comfortable if your back is slightly reclined. Gently recline your seat, being careful not to move the seat too quickly or too far towards the passengers behind you, until you can lean back comfortably. Cover your eyes. Even on nighttime flights, the plane is likely to be full of small electronic lights that can make it difficult to sleep. Eye masks are relatively inexpensive and often sold at drugstores and beauty shops. Some travel pillows, such as the GoSleep, come with an eye-mask. You can also improvise one by putting a T-shirt or hoodie over your head for more comfortable sleeping. Rotate the pillow for different sleeping positions. If you have a U-shaped pillow, try turning it around so that it supports your chin as your head falls forward. If you have a pillow that fits on your shoulder, try switching shoulders to find the most comfortable position. Place the pillow on the tray table if you want to lean forward to sleep. If you tend to sleep on your stomach, you may find it more natural to lean forward instead of reclining. Try putting your travel pillow on your tray table and resting your head on top of it. U-shaped pillows are ideal for this, since they provide a space to put your face while resting your forehead directly on the pillow. Otherwise, you will have to turn your face to the side, which may become uncomfortable after long periods. Travel light to save more space for your pillow. Body pillows tend to take up more space than neck pillows, even when they deflate. The more room you have in your suitcase and your seat, the more comfortable you will be with a body pillow. Body pillows range in size, but some may be as long and wide as your torso. Wear loose clothing for comfort. Body pillows often work best when they are propped against your legs or shoulders. Wear loose, comfortable clothing to avoid too much pressure or compression on your body when using the pillow. If you tend to run hot, dress light so the body pillow won't cause you to overheat. Inflate your pillow if necessary. Some body pillows inflate and deflate for easy storage. You may have to inflate the pillow by blowing into it, or it may self-inflate with the push of a button. Look on your pillow's packaging or label for instructions on inflating it. If you find that the pillow is too firm for comfort once inflated, you can deflate it slightly to create a softer surface. If you are not worried about space, you may prefer a body pillow that is not inflatable, such as one filled with foam or microbeads. Attach the pillow to your seat or seatbelt if possible. Some body pillows, like the Travelrest, attach to your seatbelt, while others, like the FaceCradle, may connect to the seat behind or in front of you. Keep your most comfortable sleeping position in mind when you choose a style. If your pillow attaches to the seatbelt, move it up to where you can comfortably lean your head against it. If the pillow attaches to the back of your seat, position it so that you can lead forward at a comfortable angle and rest your head against the pillow. Lean forward or sideways onto your pillow. Most body pillows are designed for leaning forward or to the side to let the pillow support your weight. Find a position that is comfortable for you and leaves your neck as straight as possible. Your body pillow may have a J-shaped curve on each end. The larger curve will fit over your shoulder, and the smaller curve can be tucked under your opposite arm to help keep it in place. Some body pillows are designed to rest on your lap or tray table and support your upper body while you lean forward. | Try your neck pillow before buying it. Inflate your pillow if necessary. Cover your pillow in a T-shirt or scarf to make it softer. Place the pillow around your neck. Recline your seat. Cover your eyes. Rotate the pillow for different sleeping positions. Place the pillow on the tray table if you want to lean forward to sleep. Travel light to save more space for your pillow. Wear loose clothing for comfort. Inflate your pillow if necessary. Attach the pillow to your seat or seatbelt if possible. Lean forward or sideways onto your pillow. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Popcorn-Machine | How to Clean a Popcorn Machine | To clean a hot-air popcorn machine, unplug the unit and make sure all of the components are completely cooled. Wash the cover, butter melter cup, and any other removable parts in warm, soapy water, and allow them to air dry. If the chute is not removable, wipe it down with a damp cloth, but avoid rinsing out the popping chamber, as this could interfere with the electrical equipment. Once everything is clean and dry, re-assemble the machine. | Cool the unit. Before cleaning, allow the unit to cool entirely with all components in place. The unit should be allowed to cool on its own. Do not introduce water or other agents to help cool the machine. Unplug the machine while allowing it to cool. While many machines can cool in as little as an hour, it may be advisable to let the machine sit for a few hours or overnight to allow it to cool completely. Wash the cover and melter. Wash the cover, the butter melter cup, and any other removable components with dish soap or a mild detergent and warm water. Unless the manufacturer's manual specifically states the components are dishwasher safe, wash all components by hand. Do not wash any electrical or non-removable components with water, as this could cause damage to the maker. Use a sponge or washcloth to wash the removable components. Do not use steel wool or other scouring instruments. Allow the components to dry completely on a drying rack or on the counter before replacing them. Rinse the chute with a damp cloth. If the chute is not removable, use a damp cloth to wipe it down. Avoid rinsing inside the popping chamber, as this could cause problems with the electrical equipment. Clean out debris from the popping chamber by using a dry cleaning cloth such as a microfiber cloth or fleece cleaner. Replace all components and store. Once all components are clean and dry, place them back in their appropriate spots on the popcorn maker. Store the maker in a dry place such as a cabinet or shelf in the kitchen. Make sure that the cord is wrapped properly and not hanging down when the maker is stored to help prevent damage to the plug. Allow the maker to cool. Before cleaning your stovetop popcorn unit, allow it to cool completely. The unit should be cool to the touch before handling it. It is also advisable to remove all unused or unconsumed pieces of popcorn and kernels before beginning to clean the unit. Wipe away oil and butter. Use a dry rag or a paper towel to wipe away any excess oil or butter on the interior of the popcorn maker. Do not use any cleaning agents, just use the towel to remove any excess fats. Some prefer to only wash their maker every four to five uses. Even if you decide to not fully wash your maker, oil and butter should be wiped away after every use. Wash the unit in warm, soapy water. Hand wash your stovetop unit in warm water with either dish soap or a mild detergent. Since most stovetop popcorn makers don't have electrical components, they can be fully submerged. Be sure to rinse away any soap or detergent with clean, fresh water before allowing to dry. Dry on a rack or counter. Allow the unit to air-dry on a dish rack or on a countertop before storing. Store the unit together in a dry place such as a kitchen cabinet in between uses. Store the lid with the pot of the maker for easier use. Turn off and unplug the machine. Before starting, make sure all of the lights and heating components are turned off, and that the machine is completely unplugged. Allow the kettle to cool for at least an hour before beginning cleaning. All popcorn and kernels should be removed from the kettle before beginning the cleaning process. The kettle should be cool to the touch. Hover your hand near the kettle without making contact with the metal. If you can feel heat radiating off the kettle, it is too warm to start cleaning. Remove the kettle from the unit. Unplug the kettle and remove it from the larger unit so that it can be easily wiped down. Use a damp sponge or towel to wipe down the kettle on the inside and the outside. Do not submerge the kettle, as this could cause damage. Once the kettle has been wiped down, reinstall it back in the machine. Boil out the kettle. Once a week to once a month depending upon use, boil out the kettle using a specially-formulated kettle cleaner, available from most kitchen supply stores. Mix the cleaner concentrate with the necessary amount of water as specified by the packaging, and bring it to a boil in the plugged-in kettle. Once the cleaning solution is at a boil, unplug the whole unit and allow the solution to sit for the amount of time specified on the packaging of the cleaning solution concentrate. Drain and rinse the kettle. Drain the liquid out of the kettle over the sink. Once the kettle has been drained, rinse it out fully using a wet cloth or sponge. It may take several passes with the sponge to fully rinse the kettle. Once the kettle has been rinsed, place it back in the unit. Use a non-ammonia based cleaner to wipe the glass. Look for a food-safe, non-ammonia based cleaner to wipe down the glass and the interior metallic surfaces. Use a towel to wipe away the cleaner, and allow the surface to fully dry before turning the machine back on. Read the instructions on the cleaner carefully before use. It should be safe for both metal and glass surfaces. The label should also tell you whether you need to rinse the surface with water after use. Food-safe cleaners are typically available from kitchen supplies retailers, as well as online. Clean the outer surface. Wipe down the outer surfaces with a damp towel. If there are spots such as fingerprints or oil slicks, use a food-safe glass cleaner to remove the marks and debris. Exterior metal surfaces can generally be cleaned with warm water and typically don't require a specialized cleaner. Dish soap and warm water can help remove any spots on metallic surfaces. | Cool the unit. Wash the cover and melter. Rinse the chute with a damp cloth. Replace all components and store. Allow the maker to cool. Wipe away oil and butter. Wash the unit in warm, soapy water. Dry on a rack or counter. Turn off and unplug the machine. Remove the kettle from the unit. Boil out the kettle. Drain and rinse the kettle. Use a non-ammonia based cleaner to wipe the glass. Clean the outer surface. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Flirt-With-a-Shy-Guy | How to Flirt With a Shy Guy | If you want to flirt with a shy guy, start by figuring out what he likes, so you have something to talk about with him. To learn more about him and get him to open up, ask him casual open-ended questions about himself. For example, you could ask him what music he likes, then listen to his favorite bands and chat with him about them. You could also communicate your interest non-verbally by flirting over text and liking his photos on Facebook. Since a shy guy might be insecure, don't be afraid to signal that you're interested in him more than once. While it may be frustrating at times, try to be patient and not give up too soon since it may take him a while to open up to you. | Figure out what he likes. Start by figuring out what his interests are and then talk to him about them. Most people are comfortable talking about things they like to do. Maybe he likes a certain band or loves videogames or movies. Or maybe it's a sport he's interested in. Act genuinely interested in his interests (but if his interests truly bore you and you're completely faking it, consider that he's not the right guy for you.) Even better yet, figure out areas of common interest that you both like and start there so that your interest is genuine. Just be yourself. Ask him questions. One of the best communication techniques to get a shy person to open up is to ask them questions rather than uttering statements. Make the questions casual, not nosy. Ask him about something he likes to do or is interested in, such as whether he saw the latest movie with his favorite actor. Asking questions draws shy people out of their shells by helping stimulate their side of the conversation. Use your intellect. Ask open-ended questions. These are questions that are phrased to elicit an explanatory, detailed response. Start the question with words like what, how, in what way, and why. Asking questions that start with words like “do” will provoke terse, single-word yes or no responses. Ask for his help. Maybe it's just conversation that unnerves the shy guy and stands outside his comfort zone. He's probably an observer who's deep but has trouble expressing that to strangers or people he doesn't know very well. Flirt with him by asking for his help with something. A lot of guys do feel comfortable with being the person who helps out. Consider it their inner knight coming to the surface. Whether it's help with your car, a math equation, or a stuck locker room door, ask if he can help you out. Don't ask him for help with emotional problems, though, at this point. Compliment him. Everyone likes to be complimented. It's human nature. A shy guy is going to be no different. So point out you like the color of his shirt. Or that you like his new jeans or his haircut or the way he thinks. Don't just point out his physical appearance, point out an attribute about him that you like. Perhaps it's his loyalty or how smart he is at a certain subject. Say his name a lot when talking to him, and give him a lighthearted but complimentary nickname. This will probably get him to laugh and open up. Use positive body language. Some shy guys are observant and likely to pick up on the smallest signals of flirtation that others might miss. Play to this strength of his by using body language to flirt with him and communicate that you like him. People's body language can convey interest or disinterest in another person. Lean forward and make eye contact with him. To communicate interest, keep your body language open. Smile when you see him. Smile a lot and big. Look him directly in the eyes when you first smile, and then quickly glance away, looking down while still smiling. When talking to him, keep your feet pointed toward him not away from him. Don't crowd his space too much, but square your body toward his. Laugh at his jokes. Don't cross your arms or your legs as this can be a sign of closing off and can signal a lack of interest to someone who's paying close attention. Touch him lightly on his shoulder. Repeat the clues. The shy guy might be insecure and he might not be sure you were really flirting with him the first or even the second time you do it. If you smiled at him in the hall, he might think you were just being nice until you do it the third time or more. The key here is to send him the signals more than once so he grows confidence in the fact that, yes, he's actually getting them. If you pursue him too aggressively, he might back away, so do this subtly. The art of flirtatiousness is to remain a little mysterious while still accessible. Flirt in writing first. It's a sign a shy guy likes you if he communicates with you by text or email a lot, but doesn't talk to you. His friends might tease him when you're around because they know he likes you. That might just mean that he's less comfortable with verbal communication. Reach him through pathways that are in his zone of comfort. Some shy guys are deep thinkers who may respect wordplay. In addition to texting and writing him, click like on his pictures on Facebook or add a breezy and positive comment to a post he's made. Use emojis to flirt. Don't be afraid to text him something first, just keep it light. Can you believe how hard that assignment was? Could be a good opening. Send him a friend request. Hang around him. In order to , make sure you're around him more often, just do it in a subtle manner. Sit a little closer to his table in the lunchroom, for example. If you know he walks his dog in the park every morning at a certain time, go jogging there. Put yourself in situations where you can easily strike up a conversation. Sit just beneath him at an athletic event or school dance, for example. If he's older, show up at the coffee shop where he works on his computer in the mornings and sit at the table next to him. Approach him individually. If he's a shy guy, then he's probably uncomfortable in large groups of people, especially those he doesn't know. That's especially true of the girlfriends of the girl he might secretly like (you). You'll have to get him to open up to you by flirting with him one-on-one. Shy guys are going to withdraw more if you always come around hanging with a pack of girlfriends. Separate from the herd! Approach him in a setting where your flirting won't be on display: by his locker room, as he's walking to his car, and so forth, not in the lunchroom where he's also sitting with others. If he's an older shy guy out of high school, the same applies. Stay in his comfort zone. To , don't make it too obvious. There's no magic equation you need to know or master. Just be yourself. That means being friendly with him in a casual way, by approaching him and saying hi or striking up a conversation about an area of mutual interest. You could mention a particularly tough homework assignment or, if he's older, a sports team's loss or victory (if he's interested in that). The goal here is to not act too obvious with your flirting. Flirting is really about showing interest in another person, and with a shy guy, you should start low key and friendly. Recognize whether he’s into you. All of this is well and good, but one of the most difficult parts of flirting with a shy guy is trying to figure out whether he's interested in you. If he gets nervous around you, by stammering or blushing or the like, he's probably interested in you. If he asks your friends about you, that's a sign of interest. Pay attention to his body language back. Does he use open body language to indicate he's receptive to the flirting? A shy guy might feel intimidated around you. If he teases you, jokes, or acts silly around you, he probably likes you. This is a way that shy guys cover their unease and embarrassment. He might be shy but that doesn't necessarily mean he's an introvert. Introverts are personality types who gain energy through being alone. If he goes silent around you, it's not necessarily a sign of disinterest from a shy guy. The more he actually likes you, the more uneasy he will feel around you. Be patient. Don't give up on a shy guy too soon. It's going to take a bit longer for him to pick up on and then acknowledge your cues. It may very well be worth it in the end though because the shy guy doesn't flirt with everyone. Thus, when you get him to flirt with you back, you'll know it means something. Don't hesitate to be the person who initiates at first. You might even be the one who has to initiate the first date. Ask him somewhere casual at first, for coffee or to a movie. You might wait forever with a shy guy if you wait for him to make the first move. Guys are shy for different reasons. Maybe he's been rejected before or it stems from a childhood experience. More likely it's just genetics. He's a quiet type. That's who he is. Accept his shyness. Dating a shy guy is not a bad thing. Many shy people are thoughtful, introspective people who are often deep thinkers. It's a mistake to try to change anyone. Don't expect that, by flirting with him or dating him, you can turn him into something he is not. Accept that this is his personality type and work from there. That doesn't mean, though, that he won't come out of his shell a bit as you get to know him better. It's human nature to want things you have to chase a bit. The shy guy is appealing sometimes because he's a bit mysterious and doesn't give away everything to everyone. Thus, if you become his eventual confidante, you'll feel very special. | Figure out what he likes. Ask him questions. Ask for his help. Compliment him. Use positive body language. Repeat the clues. Flirt in writing first. Hang around him. Approach him individually. Stay in his comfort zone. Recognize whether he’s into you. Be patient. Accept his shyness. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Sell-Antiques | How to Sell Antiques | To sell high-quality antiques like paintings and historic artifacts, put them up at local auction houses. If your items are in good quality and easy to search for, like video games and coins, list them on online auction sites. For a quick turnaround, sell your items to antique dealers or pawn shops. If you don't want to sell an item yourself, see if a local consignment shop will take it. | Look for prices at local antique shops. To see how much antiques are being sold for, check with the professionals. Search online for local antique shops and visit them to see how various items are priced. Remember that antique shops can often charge more for items because they have a sense of credibility, so your items should be priced at least 20 percent lower. For some antiques, like stamps and vintage cards, visit specialty shops instead of general antique dealers. Search for sold listings on auction websites. Before selling an antique, check how much similar items are going for on sites like eBay. Search the item by completed listings or, if possible, sold listings to see how much people actually paid for it, not just how much people listed it for. This is particularly good for standardized antiques likes vinyl records and movie memorabilia. Consult a specialty price guide for recent value estimates. For some kinds of antiques, an easy way to find the current market value is through a printed or online price guide. Though not completely accurate, they break items down by type, rarity, and quality, giving a good ballpark estimate for how much your antique is worth. Search for guides that specialize in a specific kind of item as they will give you more detailed, updated information. Try using price guides for collectible items like coins, stamps, trading cards, toys, and video games. Remember that price guides typically rank items by value, not how much they actually sell for. Take potentially valuable items to a professional appraiser. If you have an antique that may be incredibly valuable but is hard to judge accurately, pay for a professional appraiser to look at it. Look for appraisers that specialize in your type of antique and are accredited by a respected organization like the American Society of Appraisers. Professionals often charge between $200 and $400 per hour, but that is a small amount to spend on items that sell for thousands of dollars. Your appraisal should include a written report breaking down what an item is, how much the appraiser believes it's worth, and how they estimated the worth. Appraisals are particularly good for high-value items like paintings and artwork, coins, jewelry, and ancient artifacts. Price your item to sell. Unless you're willing to keep an item for years or even decades, choose a competitive price point that will make people more interested in buying it. With the exception of truly unique or particularly valuable items, expect most antiques to sell for less than current market value and, in some cases, less than the price it was sold for when new. Sell high quality, valuable antiques at a live auction. To sell off rare or valuable items that are in mint or near-mint condition, put them up at a local auction house. Most houses take between 20 and 50 percent of the sale price as commission, the exact total determined by how much the item sells for. Though pricey, this gives you access to high spenders, which is especially important for items like paintings, arcade machines, and historic artifacts. To find a local auctioneer, consult the National Auctioneers Association's online database. Use online auction sites to sell good quality items. When dealing with valuable items that are not quite mint condition, your best option is typically an online auction site. Places like eBay are great for attracting a wide group of potential buyers, but the items typically sell at lower prices. Though less trafficked, websites like Ruby Lane narrow your potential buyers to collectors willing to pay more for good quality antiques. Auction sites are particularly good for selling coins, video games, and other items that can be easily searched for. Sell antiques to a specialty dealer or pawn shop for quick money. If you have a valuable, good-quality item that you want to sell quickly, your best option is a specialty dealer or pawn shop. Though they typically offer less than 50 percent of the current market value, you'll get paid immediately and won't have to deal with the auction process. Pawn shops are best for general, high-demand antiques like jewelry, coins, and other valuable metals. Specialty dealers are best for high-value items like paintings or vases and specific items like movies, video games, and branded merchandise. Some dealers may ask you how much you'll take for an item. Give them a number less than the current market value but more than your minimum sale price. Expect the dealer to haggle. Give your items to a consignment shop if you don’t want to sell them yourself. Consignment shops are businesses that house and sell your goods in exchange for a percentage of the revenue. Though most well-known for clothing, consignment shops are often perfect solutions for antique jewelry and accessories, especially those that are not highly valued. Contact your local shop for info on how to give items. For help finding local shops, consult the Association of Resale Professionals' online member database at http://www.narts.org/i4a/member_directory/feSearchForm.cfm?directory_id=8&pageid=3300. Consignment shops take between 20 and 50 of the final sale price, depending on how much the item goes for. After around 90 days, most shops will either return your unsold items or donate them to a charity and give you a receipt. Save poor quality items for a garage sale. Even if an item is incredibly rare, few collectors will be interested if it is broken, damaged, or beaten up. However, it may fetch a few dollars at a garage sale, especially if it's only considered poor by specialist standards, not general use standards. If you think an item is still somewhat valuable, ask buyers for an offer instead of listing the price yourself, since they'll often go higher than you expected. If an item is in good condition but missing parts, like a toy without the manual or a record without the sleeve, it may still sell on an online auction site. | Look for prices at local antique shops. Search for sold listings on auction websites. Consult a specialty price guide for recent value estimates. Take potentially valuable items to a professional appraiser. Price your item to sell. Sell high quality, valuable antiques at a live auction. Use online auction sites to sell good quality items. Sell antiques to a specialty dealer or pawn shop for quick money. Give your items to a consignment shop if you don’t want to sell them yourself. Save poor quality items for a garage sale. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Drive-Your-Boyfriend-Crazy | How to Drive Your Boyfriend Crazy | Driving your boyfriend crazy is a great way to keep your relationship sexy, and you can do it by being bold and adventurous. If you want to be bold, surprise your boyfriend with dirty texts during the day. Pick a time when you know you'll both be alone and tell him what you're wearing, especially if it's something you know he thinks is attractive. When you're together, act sexy by teasing him. You can drive him wild by touching him provocatively on his thigh before moving away. In the bedroom, keep things adventurous by trying out new moves and positions. For example, if you're always on top and he's on the bottom, switch roles once in a while. | Surprise him in the shower. If you really want to be bold, then you should surprise your man in the shower. This will be a delightful, spontaneous, and unexpected treat for him. Before he goes into the shower, give him a kiss, tell him how sexy he is, and say something provocative to make him want you. Say, "Have fun getting undressed in there," and say it while you're wearing something provocative. When he steps into the shower, wait a few seconds and then knock on the door -- you don't want to scare him completely. Tell him that you're taking off your clothes and that you'd like to get clean, too -- but not before you both get a little dirty. Step into the shower and begin kissing his mouth and neck and caressing his body, and see how excited he gets. Be the boss. Another way to be bold is to be the boss once in a while. Pick a night to take complete control of him, to drag him up the stairs and into your bedroom, and to tell him exactly what you want him to do. Don't smile or break character. Be firm about what you want and desire and see how turned on he gets. Take him into the bedroom, tell him to lie down, and take control of him. If you want something, ask for it. Have fun with it. Hold him down and don't give in if he begs for mercy -- unless he really means it, of course. Send dirty texts. Though you may think that sending dirty texts is silly, it's a great way to remind your man of how sexy you are when you're not around, and to check in with him in a sexy way. If you have to be apart for a night, a few days, or even a month, sending a few well-timed dirty texts is the perfect way to make your man want you even more. Pick a time when you know you'll both be alone and unoccupied, preferably at night. Send your man a text a few hours before you know you'll see him. Just saying, "I want you," or "I can't stop thinking about last night," will keep you fresh on his mind. Ask your man what he's wearing or tell him what you're wearing. Tell him, "It's so hot in here." Then, let him know when you remove any clothing. Talk dirty. Talking dirty in person is another great way to be bold and to drive your boyfriend crazy. When you're hooking up, throwing in a dirty phrase or two can mix things up and drive your man wild. You don't have to overthink it -- just tell him how much you love what he's doing to you, tell him how much you love his body, and let him know what you want him to do. Here are some things you can say: "I love it when you kiss my neck." "I've been thinking about your arms all day." "You look so hot with your shirt off." "I want you to take off my bra." Do a striptease. A striptease doesn't have to be reserved for the strippers. Have fun with it. Dim the lights, get your man in bed, and walk into the room like you own the place, with your head high. Wear some sexy lingerie and high heels, and cover up with a long button down shirt, or a sexy dress that you can easily remove. Then, strip down to your underwear while you use a chair as a prop so your man can see you move your body while you remove your garments. As you remove each article of clothing, throw it at your boyfriend. Put one foot up on the chair so your boyfriend can admire your legs. Turn around, gyrate your hips, and bend down to let your man see your body from behind. Have fun with it. Have a sexy smile on your face and don't take yourself too seriously. Give a lap dance. A lap dance is another bold way to drive your man crazy. You can sit your man down on a chair, play some upbeat and sexy music, and have fun getting on his lap, teasing him, dancing around the chair, and even bending over with your back to your man so he can see your body. You can tease your man by kissing him a little bit, but it'll drive him wild if you play a bit hard to get. Don't let your man put his hands all over you. You'll drive him wild if you make it clear that you're in control. Look sexy. If you want to drive your boyfriend wild, then you'll have to make an effort to look sexy. This doesn't mean that you should look sexy or dress provocatively all the time, or that you should change your looks just to turn on your man. It does mean that you should try to up the ante a bit with your clothes and make up, and dress and look in a way that makes your boyfriend notice you -- and want to get you alone. You don't have to wear a ton of makeup. Try creating smoky eyes with dark eyeshadow and mascara, and wear just a bit of lip gloss or lip balm to draw attention to your lips. You can look provocative without looking trashy. Wear flattering clothes that fit you well and show off your best assets. If you want to be really sexy, dress really provocatively from time to time -- or when you know you and your man will be alone. This will be a fun change and will drive your man wild. Get some sexy undergarments. The right thong, lacy bra, or pair of panties can make your man even more turned on. Tease him. If you want to drive your boyfriend crazy, then you can't just give him what he wants all the time. Instead, you should kiss him for a minute or two, and then pull back, leaving him wanting more. If you're out, touch him provocatively by putting your hand on his thigh or caressing his neck before moving away. If you're alone in the bedroom, drive him wild with your kisses and caresses before removing your clothes. You can also tease him by saying the right things. Tell him that you know he wants you, but that you're not sure if you're in the mood -- this will drive him wild. Compliment his body and let him know how sexy he is. Then, look down at the floor or distance yourself from him. You can also tease him by caressing your own body. You can say, "This shirt is so tight," or "I can't believe how big my chest looks in this bra," to make him want your body. If you're wearing a thong, lean down so he gets a peek at it. If you're wearing a lacy bra, lean toward him a bit so he gets a look at your cleavage in the bra. Be sexy in public. You can't just drive your boyfriend wild when you're alone and keep him at arm's length when you're out in public. Being sexy in public doesn't mean trying to initiate a make-out session in the checkout aisle at your local grocery store or touching your man every chance you get. It does mean touching your boyfriend in a knowing way from time to time, giving him seductive smiles, and mentioning something that makes him want to get private. Don't be afraid to kiss him in public. Kiss him, linger a bit, and then pull away with a smile. You don't have to touch him all the time in public, either. Just put your hand on his thigh, squeeze his knee, or rub his shoulder occasionally. Get close when you can. Stand close to him, whether you're both looking at a menu or watching a movie. Let him remember how good it feels to be next to you. Kiss his neck. Kissing your man's neck will drive him wild and will want him to take things to the next level with you. Though there's nothing wrong with good old kissing, kissing his neck is a great way to drive him wild and make him crave you. Have fun gently kissing the side of his neck or even kissing or nibbling on his ears. You can also kick things up a notch by lightly licking his neck and then blowing on it. If you're comfortable with your boyfriend, try giving his neck the tiniest nibble. This is guaranteed to drive him wild -- as long as you don't do it too much. You can alternate between kissing him on the lips and kissing his neck. This will drive him wild too. Give a sexy massage. Nothing is sexier than giving your man an unexpected and sensual massage. You don't have to plan it. Just wait for him to sit down and be relaxed and get behind him and start caressing his shoulders, kneading his muscles harder and harder until he moans with pleasure. You can also run your fingers in circles on his head and at his temples, and work your way down to his back and sides. A sexy massage is great in almost any private circumstance, but it'll be even better if you dim the lights, turn off the TV, and indulge in the moment. You can transition from a sexy massage to sexy time. Just work your hands down your man's body and start kissing his neck as you explore him. If you want to be frisky, you can turn things around and say, "Now it's my turn," and enjoy letting him touch your body. Indulge in sexy foods. Another way to get sexy is to introduce some foods into the equation. There are some great foods that can help make your relationship feel more romantic and sensual at the same time. Here are a few things to try: Take turns feeding grapes to each other. Take turns feeding strawberries to each other while dipping them in chocolate or whipped cream. Share a bar of chocolate while you and your boyfriend are having a sensual conversation. Red wine always makes things sexier. If you're deciding between beer and red wine, go for the wine. Sharing a chocolate and caramel dessert after dinner can make you get more in the mood. Hook up in new places. If you want to drive your boyfriend crazy, then you have to be adventurous and be excited about making love or just hooking up in new places. If you're always getting it on on the couch or the bed, your moves may begin to feel stale, so you should mix things up from time to time so your boyfriend is still crazy about you and so that your relationship and love life feel fresh. Here are some places to try: Try "christening" a new room in your house or apartment by making love there. Pull the car over to a private and scenic location and have fun kissing each other. Take it back to high school and have fun kissing your man at the movies. Go on a sexy vacation and have fun having hooking up in a completely new environment. There's nothing wrong with sneaking off to your friend's balcony in the middle of a party and stealing a few kisses. Try out new moves in the bedroom. You can be adventurous in the safety of your own bed or home. If you're always making love or hooking up in the same position, mix things up next time. If you're always on top and your man is on the bottom, switch roles from time to time. You can make a game of hooking up only in new positions for a while, and cycling through a variety of positions before making it back to same old, same old. Trying out new moves is a great way to keep things fresh -- just make sure you're not doing anything that doesn't make you comfortable. Do new things together. If you want to drive your boyfriend crazy, then you can't keep doing the same old stuff together, or your relationship can begin to lose its luster. Instead, you have to find new ways to keep things fresh -- and to continue to turn your man on. Here are some things that you can try: Go hiking together. You'll have fun enjoying nature, feeling romantic, and enjoying each other's company. Go camping. You'll feel romantic -- and frisky -- if you and your man are alone under the stars. Play pool. Have fun leaning over and letting him see your body as you aim your cue. Do power yoga. Get sweaty on adjacent mats and enjoy looking at each other's bodies. Visit new places. Another way to get adventurous and to drive your boyfriend crazy is to explore new places together. You'll get a new appreciation of your relationship, and your sexual chemistry, if you're out exploring completely new locations. Take a trip to the beach or the woods, or even have fun taking a long walk down a previously unexplored path. If you have the time or money, go on a romantic vacation. Being in a completely new environment while hooking up will drive your boyfriend crazy and will make him see you in a new light. Role play. If you're not too shy, then a little bit of healthy role playing is guaranteed to drive your boyfriend crazy and to make him want you even more. You can have fun in a variety of role-playing situations, whether you're pretending that you're late to a party but really can't get enough of each other, or if your boyfriend pretends to be a stranger knocking on the door. If you really want to drive your boyfriend crazy, have fun taking a trip to a sex store. Find some outfits that really drive him wild and don't get embarrassed or feel shy about it. Go dancing. Take a dance class or just take your man out to a nice bar or club with some mood-inducing music. Have fun leaning close to your man, whispering in his ear, and letting him explore your body. You can make a weekly or monthly date to go dancing together, knowing that this will lead you straight to the bedroom. Look into your man's eyes when you're dancing. Let him know how much you want him. If you take a dance class together, you'll be getting your adrenaline pumping while you enjoy each other's company. | Surprise him in the shower. Be the boss. Send dirty texts. Talk dirty. Do a striptease. Give a lap dance. Look sexy. Tease him. Be sexy in public. Kiss his neck. Give a sexy massage. Indulge in sexy foods. Hook up in new places. Try out new moves in the bedroom. Do new things together. Visit new places. Role play. Go dancing. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Do-Card-Tricks | How to Do Card Tricks | To do a card trick, start by sorting a deck of cards so all of the black cards are on the top and all of the red cards are on the bottom. Then, fan out the cards and ask someone to pick a card and look at it without showing you. Observe which half of the deck they draw from so you know what color their card is. Next, split the deck and have them place their card back in the half of the deck that's the opposite color. Finally, look through the deck and choose their card, which will be the 1 opposite-colored card. | Sort a deck of cards by color and put the black half on top of the red half. It doesn't matter what order the suits or numbers are in. Stack the cards neatly in 1 pile, so that all of the black cards are at the top of the deck and all of the red cards are at the bottom. You can also put the red half on top of the black half. Whichever way you choose, make sure you remember which color is on top. Set this up before your audience is there. Otherwise, they'll know how the trick is done! Fan out the cards face down and ask your audience to pick a card. When you hold the cards out, remember which side of the deck is your red cards and which is black. Tell your audience that they can choose any card in the deck. If you fan the cards to the right, then the black cards will be the right half of the deck if they were originally the cards you put on top. Observe which half of the deck your audience pulls a card from. This is key to making the trick work. You want to know what color the audience's card is so you can find it later. For example, if the red cards are on the left half of your fanned-out deck, then you know your audience chose a red card if they pull from the left side. If you notice that your audience member is reaching for the middle, subtly shift your hand so they take 1 from the left or right instead. If they pick a card from the center, you might not be able to tell what color it is. Ask the audience to look at the card while keeping it hidden from you. Showing you the card defeats the purpose of the whole trick. You can even close your eyes or look away to ensure you don't see it. If they accidentally do reveal the card, start the trick over. Split the deck and have them set the card in the half that's the other color. If your audience member chose a red card, pull the deck apart in the black section and ask them to place the card there. This ensures you'll be able to locate the card in the deck. Don't put the card back in the deck yourself. Otherwise, your audience might accuse you of rigging the trick. Keep all of the cards face down the entire time. Look at the cards to find theirs, which will be the 1 opposite-colored card. For example, if they picked a red card, their card should now be the only red card in the black half. If they selected a black card, it will be the black card among all the red cards. If you don't see an opposite-colored card in the deck, you've messed up the trick somewhere along the line. Ask your audience if you can try again. You can say something like, "Hmm it looks like you have your own magical powers, and the card has completely disappeared! Try picking another one, but only touch it with 2 fingers so your magic doesn't rub off on it again." Hold the cards so only you can see them while you look for the card. You don't want the audience to see that you've split the deck by color. Reveal the card to your audience. To finish the trick, hold up the audience's chosen card or lay it down on the table so they can see it. Ask them to confirm that the trick worked, by saying something like, “Is this your card?” You can even add a “ta-da!” for extra flourish. To repeat the trick, reorganize the cards so they're separated by color again. Put an ace, 2, 4, and 8 card on the top of the deck. Keep them in that order. The ace will represent 1 for this trick and will be the very top card on your pile. The cards can be any suit or color. Do this before your audience arrives. The rest of the deck can be in any order. Avoid shuffling after you put the cards on top, though, so you don't mess them up. Slide the deck of cards into your pocket. Be careful not to jumble the cards as you put them in your pocket. You want the ace, 2, 4, and 8 to stay on top. Remember which side of the deck is the top when you hide the cards. If you don't have a pocket, hold the cards under a table or anywhere hidden where the audience can't see them. Ask your audience to pick a number between 1 and 15. They can choose 15, but it can't be any number larger than that. Have them tell you their number out loud. You can have them write down the number on a piece of paper, too, if you need a visual. Calculate in your head how to get their number using 1, 2, 4, and 8. Every number between 1 and 15 can be formed by adding up some or all of the 4 top cards in your pocket. The collection of numbers that sum up to the number your audience gave you is known as its binary decomposition. Instead of trying to add different numbers using trial and error, start by subtracting the largest of your 4 cards from the audience's number. Then subtract the next largest number and so on, until you reach 0. Don't use a calculator or paper to do your calculation. You have to do it mentally for the trick to be impressive. Pull out the cards that add up to that number without looking. You should know where each card is because you set them on the deck in the order of 1 (ace), 2, 4, and 8. Carefully remove the correct cards. For example, if the number is 10, you'll need the 8 and 2. The 2 is the 2nd card in your deck and the 8 is the 4th. If you accidentally pull out the wrong cards, you'll ruin the trick. Show the cards to your audience. Once you pull out the cards, arrange them in your hand so that the numbers are visible. Then flip them around so your audience can see them. Explain that the numbers add up to their chosen number. You can also lay the cards out on a table or simply hand the cards to your audience. If you want to repeat the trick, make sure you put the cards back into your pocket in the correct order. Hold 1 in the palm of your hand. Make sure you can't see any edges or corners of the card when you flip your hand over. Place 1 corner of the card against the top of your pinky finger and the opposite corner on your thumb pad. You may need to slightly curve the card into your hand to rest in your palm. The card can be either face down or face up in your hand. Don't grip too tightly or curl your hand inward too much. Keep it as outstretched as possible. Bow the card out by pressing down with your pinky finger. This will cause the card to arch out away from your hand. Flex your palm slightly outward while you push down with your little finger so the card curves out instead of in. Press gently with your pinky. If you use too much pressure, the card will snap out of your hand. Place your thumb behind the card and rest your index finger on 1 corner. This sets you up to be able to catch the card. Move your thumb so it's sitting just behind the arch of the card. Curve the top of your index finger down slightly until it touches the top corner of the card. The more you practice this position, the faster your muscles will commit it to memory. Only your pinky finger, thumb pad, index finger, and thumb should be touching the card in this position. Flick the card upward, catching it between your thumb and forefinger. Push up against the back of the card with your thumb. As the card flips upwards, pinch your thumb and index finger together quickly to snatch the corner. Open up the rest of your fingers after you flick up the card to enhance the illusion that you pulled it out of thin air. This will take a lot of practice, so be patient! As you get more comfortable with the movements, work on speeding it up so it looks more realistic. | Sort a deck of cards by color and put the black half on top of the red half. Fan out the cards face down and ask your audience to pick a card. Observe which half of the deck your audience pulls a card from. Ask the audience to look at the card while keeping it hidden from you. Split the deck and have them set the card in the half that's the other color. Look at the cards to find theirs, which will be the 1 opposite-colored card. Reveal the card to your audience. Put an ace, 2, 4, and 8 card on the top of the deck. Slide the deck of cards into your pocket. Ask your audience to pick a number between 1 and 15. Calculate in your head how to get their number using 1, 2, 4, and 8. Pull out the cards that add up to that number without looking. Show the cards to your audience. Hold 1 in the palm of your hand. Bow the card out by pressing down with your pinky finger. Place your thumb behind the card and rest your index finger on 1 corner. Flick the card upward, catching it between your thumb and forefinger. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Cook-with-Tofu | How to Cook with Tofu | To cook with silken tofu, try blending it into a dip or dressing to add creaminess to the dish. For example, put 1 pound of silken tofu into your blender or food processor and blend it until it's smooth. Then, add herbs and spices for your dip or dressing. You can also add silken tofu to your smoothies to make them creamier or substitute ¼ cup pureed silken tofu for every 1 egg in baking recipes. Alternatively, use traditional tofu to replace meat in pasta or vegetable dishes. For instance, add cubes of firm tofu to a pan and cook them until they're golden brown, then add vegetables and soy sauce for a classic Asian dish. | Set the block of tofu on a plate lined with paper towels. Line a plate with 3-4 layers of paper towel. Remove the full block of tofu from its packaging and shake off any liquid left from the packaging. Put the tofu in the center of the plate so it lies flat. You don't need to press silken tofu before using it in recipes. Put a flat plate on top of the tofu block. Set another plate right-side up on top of the tofu block. Make sure the plate sits flat on top of the block, or else the tofu may crumble or break apart. You may put an additional layer of paper towels between the second plate and the tofu if you want to make clean-up easier. Place 2 lb (0.91 kg) of weight on the plate for at least 1 hour. Use cans from around your kitchen or even a thick cookbook. Balance the weight on top of the plate, keeping the top of the tofu flat and level. Leave the weight in place for at least 1 hour so the excess liquid from the packaging drains out of the tofu block. If you're using a soft or medium tofu, keep the weight on top for about 2-3 hours. Blend the tofu into a dip or dressing to add creaminess to the dish. Look for recipes where you can use tofu as the base for your dip or dressing. Put 1 pound (450 g) of tofu in your blender or food processor and blend it until it has a smooth consistency. Add herbs and spices to the tofu base and blend them until they're completely mixed. Good dips or dressings to make with tofu include ranch dressing , mayonnaise, and spinach artichoke dip. Use silken tofu as a substitute for sour cream whenever you need to make dips or dressings if you want them to be vegan. Include tofu in your smoothies or shakes for additional protein. Put 3 oz (85 g) of silken tofu into your blender. Add 2 cups (300 g) of your favorite frozen fruits or vegetables, such as strawberries, bananas, spinach, or kale. Pour in 1 c (240 ml) of milk or almond milk and blend the mixture until it's smooth. To make your smoothie creamier, add half of an avocado before you blend it. Make a tofu scramble for a high-protein breakfast. Saute an onion and 1 clove of minced garlic over medium heat on your stove. Crumble 10 ounces (280 g) of medium-firm silken tofu into your pan and mix it with the onions and garlic. Cook the tofu for 1-2 minutes and season the scramble with salt and pepper. Add vegetables, such as green peppers or tomatoes, to give your scramble freshness. Add silken tofu to a mousse as an alternative to dairy. Chop 3 ⁄ 2 ounces (99 g) of dark chocolate into large chunks. Melt the chocolate in your microwave in 30-second increments until it's smooth. Blend the melted chocolate, 12 ounces (340 g) of silken tofu, and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of maple syrup in a food processor until it's smooth. Split the mousse between 3 ramekins or bowls and refrigerate them for 30 minutes. Garnish the chocolate mousse with chocolate shavings or fresh raspberries for extra flavor. Substitute silken tofu for eggs when you’re baking. If you plan on baking bread, cakes, or brownies, puree ¼ cup (65 g) of soft silken tofu for every 1 egg the recipe calls for. Put the tofu into your baking mix when the recipe tells you to add eggs. Don't use firm tofu since it will not blend as smoothly. Replace meat with firm tofu to make a vegetarian meal. Firm tofu is high in protein and has a similar texture to chicken. Cut a portion of firm tofu from the block and cook it until it's golden brown. Add the tofu to a sandwich, pasta, or vegetable dish. Tofu can be fried, baked, or grilled like meat. Add the tofu into a stir-fry for a classic Asian dish. Mix 3 cups (450 g) of your favorite vegetables, like broccoli, peas, or carrots, in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 14 ounces (400 g) of firm tofu cut into ⁄ 4 – ⁄ 2 in (0.64–1.27 cm) cubes to the pan and cook them until they're golden brown. Add soy sauce and spices to adjust the flavor of your stir fry before serving it over rice, noodles, or bok choy. Change the ingredients you use in your stir fry to try different flavor combinations. For example, you may add onions and garlic or use fresh proteins like shrimp. Cut cubes of soft or medium tofu to put into miso soup. Cut 4 oz (110 g) of tofu into ⁄ 4 in (0.64 cm) cubes before adding it to the dashi, or broth. Let the tofu simmer in the soup over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes so the broth's flavor can soak into the cubes. Look for ingredients to make miso soup in the international aisle of your local supermarket. Crumble cooked tofu to make a feta cheese substitute. Cut the tofu with a knife or break it apart with your hands into small pieces. Mix your pieces of tofu with ⁄ 4 cup (59 ml) of lemon juice, 1 tbsp (5.4 g) of oregano, and a pinch salt to add more flavor, and let it marinate for 2 hours in the fridge. Take the crumbles out and sprinkle them on salads in place of feta cheese. Don't marinate the tofu if you just want a natural, creamy flavor. | Set the block of tofu on a plate lined with paper towels. Put a flat plate on top of the tofu block. Place 2 lb (0.91 kg) of weight on the plate for at least 1 hour. Blend the tofu into a dip or dressing to add creaminess to the dish. Include tofu in your smoothies or shakes for additional protein. Make a tofu scramble for a high-protein breakfast. Add silken tofu to a mousse as an alternative to dairy. Substitute silken tofu for eggs when you’re baking. Replace meat with firm tofu to make a vegetarian meal. Add the tofu into a stir-fry for a classic Asian dish. Cut cubes of soft or medium tofu to put into miso soup. Crumble cooked tofu to make a feta cheese substitute. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Draw-a-Girl | How to Draw a Girl | To draw a girl, start by drawing a circle with a point at the bottom for the head and chin. Then, draw 2 small circles with a thin curved line above each one to make the eyes and eyebrows. Next, draw the nose, lips, and ears. Once you're done with the face, draw the girl's hair any way you'd like, whether it's short or long and wavy or straight. Finally, add the finishing touches, like eyelashes, pupils, and a ribbon in her hair. | Sketch a circle for the head and a small oblong for the body. Sketch the guidelines for the face as well as the chin and the jaw line. Add the extremities (arms and the legs). Sketch 2 circles for the eyes. Sketch the draft of the hair. It depends on you. Sketch the basic draft for the girl’s clothes. Sketch the other details of the uniform. Draw the basic outline of the girl. Erase the draft and put in more details. Color the girl. Sketch the head. Draw a circle and a curved line under that for the chin. Add guidelines like those shown to help you with the facial features. The proportions for the face are up to you, and will vary depending on whether you want it to be realistic or cartoony. The illustrations show a cute, cartoon girl (so the proportions are not very realistic). Add two circles for the eyes and two thin curved lines above that for the eyebrows. Draw two half-circles for the ears, on the same guideline as the eyes. Add a small nose and tiny pair of lips. They can be larger or look different, however, if you want a less cartoonish or cute-looking girl. Sketch in the hair. Draw bangs for her and make her hair short, or keep it long and wavy. Use your imagination. Now sketch in the body. Draw a small neck for her, a circle for the upper body and an oval for the lower body. For the arms and legs, draw 2 connected ovals each. Draw small circles for the hands and feet. Put in cute little ovals for her fingers. You don't have to include the detail of fingernails, but if you do, make them fairly short and emphasize them later by coloring them in (to serve as nail polish). Sketch in her dress. Add a pattern if you want, or just draw a simple dress. Draw some shoes and add a floppy hat or a ribbon for her hair. Add final lines and any additional details, like eyelashes, ribbons, etc. The specifics are up to you--again, be creative! Outline the little girl and erase the guidelines. You can also add some sort of background or another outside element to your drawing at this point, such as shadowing. Color her and her clothes in. You're done! | Sketch a circle for the head and a small oblong for the body. Sketch the guidelines for the face as well as the chin and the jaw line. Add the extremities (arms and the legs). Sketch 2 circles for the eyes. Sketch the draft of the hair. Sketch the basic draft for the girl’s clothes. Sketch the other details of the uniform. Draw the basic outline of the girl. Erase the draft and put in more details. Color the girl. Sketch the head. Add two circles for the eyes and two thin curved lines above that for the eyebrows. Add a small nose and tiny pair of lips. Sketch in the hair. Now sketch in the body. For the arms and legs, draw 2 connected ovals each. Sketch in her dress. Add final lines and any additional details, like eyelashes, ribbons, etc. Outline the little girl and erase the guidelines. Color her and her clothes in. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Help-Save-Whales | How to Help Save Whales | If you want to help save whales, look for opportunities to fight against practices and policies that have contributed to the decline of their population. For instance, you can write a letter to your country's representative on the IWC, or International Whaling Commission, to tell them you want the commission to close the loopholes that allow Japan, Iceland, and Norway to kill whales. You can also sign petitions against these practices on websites like change.org. | Contact the International Whaling Commission. Write a letter to your country's representative on the International Whaling Commission (IWC). Visit the Humane Society International website. Then click the link to tell your IWC representative that you care about the fate of the world's whales. Tell your IWC representative that you want the commission to close loopholes that allow Japan, Iceland, and Norway to continue killing whales. Speak out against seismic and sonar testing. Sonar and seismic testing threaten whale populations in coastal areas. Much of this testing is done by oil and gas companies or by federal agencies, like the United States Navy. Urge your government to stop sonar and seismic testing. Try writing a letter to the National Marine Fisheries Service and urge them to protect whales from seismic and sonar testing. Sign a petition to stop whaling. One way to take direct action is by signing a petition to stop whaling in countries like Japan, Iceland, or Norway. You can add your name to a growing list of global citizens who oppose the continuation of whaling practices. You can find global and local petitions on websites like change.org. Organize a letter writing campaign. One letter is powerful, but ten, twenty, or even a hundred letters can have a larger impact. Get together a group of friends, family, colleagues, or classmates and ask them to all write letters to governments representatives on a particular issue concerning whales. Try having a group of people work with the organization Save the Whales to send a flurry of letters to the Norwegian Embassy asking the Norwegian government to stop supporting the whaling industry. Host a community event. It is important to inform others in your community about the threats faced by whale populations around the globe. Consider organizing a community event where attendees can learn about threats to whales like Japan's black-market whale meat trade, the effects of climate change on whales, and government loopholes that allow whaling to continue. Try screening a movie, hosting a dance party, or facilitating a round table community conversation about whales. Consider taking donations at the event and giving them to an organization with an active anti-whaling campaign, like Greenpeace. Support efforts to curb climate change. Warming oceans and diminishing sea ice are affecting whale habitats around the globe. Contact your government representatives and tell them to support international, national, and local efforts to curb carbon emissions and fight global warming. Avoid products that contain whale meat. Japan is free to ignore the statutes of the International Whaling Commission, and thereby sets its own quotas and standards for whaling. Meat from Japan's so-called “research whaling” is then packaged and sold on international markets. Avoid consuming whale meat or buying products made from whales. Join a conservation organization. One of the most effective ways you can help save whales is by joining an organization that is actively working to stop practices that harm whales. You can become a member of a conservation organization with a small donation. Students can usually join for a reduced fee. Support an organization like the World Wildlife Fund or Greenpeace, which are both working to help save whales. Consider an ongoing monthly gift. One of the most important ways you can help whale populations is with a continuing donation to a conservation organization. Instead of making a one-time gift, consider setting up a monthly donation in a smaller amount. Try making a monthly donation to a conservation organization like the Natural Resources Defense Council. Adopt a whale. Some organizations allow individuals to make a symbolic whale adoption. For a donation to the organization, you can symbolically adopt a whale while donating cash to the cause. Many organizations will give you a personalized adoption certificate commemorating your adoption. Try adopting a whale through an organization like Defenders of Wildlife. | Contact the International Whaling Commission. Speak out against seismic and sonar testing. Sign a petition to stop whaling. Organize a letter writing campaign. Host a community event. Support efforts to curb climate change. Avoid products that contain whale meat. Join a conservation organization. Consider an ongoing monthly gift. Adopt a whale. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Springform-Pan | How to Use a Springform Pan | Springform pans are great for baking cheesecakes, cakes, and tarts since they don't require you to flip the pan over to remove it. Before you use a springform pan, lock the bottom and band together so they don't separate during baking. To do this, simply fit the 2 pieces together and pull the spring closed until it clicks. Once they're secure, cut out a circle of parchment paper and place it in the bottom of the pan. This will make removing your cake or tart much easier. After it's done baking, let the item cool. Then, place the pan on a raised surface, like a cake stand. Release the spring on the pan and lift the band away from the bottom of the pan. | Get a light-colored pan. Look for a springform pan that is light gray or white. Avoid pans that are dark gray or black, as the dark color can cause your baked goods to overcook in the oven. If you do decide to use a dark-colored springform pan, you will need to get in the habit of knocking a few minutes off the recommended baking time to avoid burning or browning your baked goods. You can find springform pans at your local baking supply store or online. Find a pan with a non-stick finish. Check the label on the pan to confirm it has a non-stick finish, as this will make removing your baked goods from the pan easier. Most springform pans will have a non-stick coating. Choose a pan based on size. You can buy a springform pan in a variety of sizes, from 8 inches (20 cm) to 9 inches (23 cm) to 12 inches (30 cm). Most recipes for cakes and pies call for a 9 inch (22.9 cm) pan, but you can pick a size based on your needs. Some stores sell springform pans in sets of three, ranging from 8 inches (20 cm) to 12 inches (30 cm) pans. Check that the spring locks properly. Before you buy the springform pan, try opening and closing the spring lock a few times. Pull the spring on the round part of the pan open and then close it to confirm it works properly. You should hear a snapping sound when the spring locks. Only buy a springform pan that has a working lock. Lock the bottom and the band together. Put the band with the spring on a table or countertop. Make sure the spring is open on the band. Then, place the bottom in the band. Pull the spring closed to lock the two pieces together. Hold up the pan to make sure the two pieces are locked together, as you do not want them to come apart during baking. Test the pan for leaks with water. Confirm the pan has no leaks by filling the springform pan with water. Hold the pan over the sink and notice if any water leaks out of the pan. If any water leaks, wrap the pan with two layers of tin foil. This will ensure your cake or tart does not leak out during baking. If no water leaks, you have a leak-free springform pan. You can use it without wrapping it in tinfoil first. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Use scissors to cut the parchment paper to fit the round bottom of the pan. This will make removing your cake or tart off the pan easier when you cut it for serving. Bake a cheesecake, a cake, or a tart in the pan. Springform pans are great for baking cheesecakes, cakes, and tarts, as they do not require you to flip over the baked good to remove the pan. Prepare the crust for the cake or tart in the springform pan and then pour in the batter. Bake the item based on the recipe instructions. You can also prepare savory items like stuffed pizza, quiche, or dips in the springform pan. Let the item cool. Once you have finished baking an item like a cake or tart in the pan, take it out of the oven and place it on a cooling rack. Let it cool for at least 10-20 minutes. This will give the baked item a chance to set. It will also make handling the pan easier. Place the pan on a raised surface. You can use a cake stand on a low table or countertop. In a pinch, you can also use a metal can or a mason jar with a lid to raise the pan off the table or counter. Release the spring on the pan. Grip the round band with one hand. With the other hand, carefully release the spring on the band so it opens. The band should then separate from the bottom of the pan. Lift the band off the bottom of the pan. Once the band has been released, use both hands to lift it off the bottom of the pan in an upward motion. It should come off cleanly and easily, leaving you with a beautiful baked good, ready to serve. You can also lift the band off the pan in a downward motion, placing it on the table or countertop. Finished. | Get a light-colored pan. Find a pan with a non-stick finish. Choose a pan based on size. Check that the spring locks properly. Lock the bottom and the band together. Test the pan for leaks with water. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Bake a cheesecake, a cake, or a tart in the pan. Let the item cool. Place the pan on a raised surface. Release the spring on the pan. Lift the band off the bottom of the pan. Finished. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Handle-Insecurity-After-Your-Spouse-Cheats | How to Handle Insecurity After Your Spouse Cheats | When your spouse has an affair, it can leave you wondering why you weren't enough or if they'll cheat again. While these feelings are natural, insecurity can take a toll on your happiness. To handle insecurity after your spouse cheats, remind yourself of your positive qualities and achievements. You'll also want to prioritize self-care, which can help you better handle emotional stress. Focus on eating healthy foods, getting enough sleep, and getting some exercise on most days. In addition to this basic care, try to cultivate a new hobby to help you feel more emotionally self-sufficient. If you want to try to repair your relationship with your spouse, you'll need to commit to forgiving them, no matter how difficult this may be, so you can move forward together. You'll also want to focus on open and honest communication to make sure you both get your needs met as you move through this trying time. | Work on your self-esteem. Realize that your spouse's infidelity does not mean you deserve to be cheated on or disrespected. You deserve dignity and fairness in your relationships, and it's not your fault that your spouse decided to stray behind your back. Build yourself back up by reminding yourself of your positive qualities and achievements. Try making a list of all of your positive qualities. These can be anything from being a loyal friend to knowing how to play the guitar to graduating from college. Write down all of your positive qualities and review this list often. If you are having trouble thinking of things to add, then ask a trusted friend or family member to help you. Deal with intrusive thoughts. You may sometimes find yourself dwelling on worries about whether or not your spouse is going to cheat again. These thoughts can be disruptive, so it is important to learn how to recognize them and redirect your attention when they occur. Try to replace an intrusive thought about your spouse cheating with a positive one. For example, if you find yourself thinking, “I know my spouse is going to cheat on me again and there's nothing I can do to stop it!” then you might replace this thought with something like, “I am doing everything I can to recover from my spouse's infidelity and I am proud of all of my hard work and progress.” Take care of your health. Focus on the basics of good nutrition, sleep, and exercise. Dealing with a difficult issue like infidelity is more manageable when your physical needs are taken care of. Self-care activities like meditation and writing in a journal can be good for your emotional health. Avoid turning to alcohol, drugs, or other unhealthy coping mechanisms for comfort. You might feel better temporarily, but these substances will make your long-term problems worse. Cultivate hobbies that are unrelated to your relationship. Carve out a few hours a week to devote to an activity you enjoy, or pick up a new hobby you've always wanted to try. Spending time developing a skill or exercising your creativity can help you feel more emotionally self-sufficient. Try starting a reading habit, learning a craft like knitting, or taking a class on something that interests you. Avoid letting your happiness depend entirely on others. When you share your life with someone, it can be easy to let them dictate your emotions. Remember that you're a whole person on your own, and you're capable of finding happiness outside of your relationships. Try using visual imagery to put this into perspective. For example, when your spouse becomes depressed or angry, imagine that they have just gotten on a roller coaster and you are standing on the side watching them ride. The roller coaster represents the emotions they are feeling, but you do not have to ride this ride with them. Seek individual counseling. Self-esteem and trust issues may arise after learning that your spouse was unfaithful. Just as it can be helpful to seek help as a couple, you may also benefit from talking to a professional on your own. You might choose individual counseling as a tool to help you restore your confidence and heal after being cheated on if you do not want to work on the marriage. Your therapist can serve as a source of support and guidance as you navigate the decision to divorce. It may also help to join a support group for spouses who have experienced infidelity. Sharing your story and hearing that of others can ultimately help you heal. Move on, if you choose. It is entirely up to you how you choose to move forward after suffering from infidelity in your marriage. Perhaps if your spouse appears to be a serial cheater, or your trust cannot be mended, you might choose to divorce. Divorce is never an easy choice; yet, it is one that you should make only after discussing the ordeal with your spouse and various supportive loved ones. A therapist can help you decide what is best for your future (and your children's, if you have any). This professional may also assist you in having the discussion with your spouse, family members, and children. Take plenty of time to think through your options and make your decision. Even if other people advise you to act quickly, take as much time as you need to make this decision. Commit to forgiving your spouse. If you are planning to stay together, forgiveness is a must. Holding on to resentment and bitterness will only poison your relationship in the future. Make a conscious decision to forgive your spouse and move forward. It may be difficult to forgive your spouse all at once, especially if the betrayal happened recently. Instead, work towards a goal of forgiveness as you rebuild your relationship. Try saying something like "I forgive you," or "I am working on forgiveness" out loud to yourself, your spouse, and to other people. Even if you don't feel ready to forgive just yet, saying your intentions out loud may help you to move towards feeling ready to forgive. Seek marital counseling. Counseling can be an invaluable tool in rebuilding your relationship with your spouse. A counselor will help you figure out why the infidelity happened. They can also help you find ways to work through your emotions and teach you to communicate better with each other. Counseling can also help you and your spouse decide whether continuing the relationship is the right choice for you. Take your share of the responsibility for problems in the relationship. Many people who have affairs do so because their needs are not being met at home. If this contributed to your spouse cheating, it's important to address that issue and take steps to fix it, if possible. Lack of emotional intimacy and sexual fulfillment are among the most common reasons people stray. Taking responsibility for relationship problems doesn't mean excusing your spouse's infidelity. Communicate often and openly. Designate regular times to check in with your spouse. Don't just talk about their affair – discuss your current feelings, what each of you needs from the other, and your goals for the relationship as you move forward. Talk about things that are not related to your relationships as well, such as your passions, goals, and dreams. This can help to restore some of the excitement in your relationship. Re-opening channels of communication with your spouse helps to restore your relationship after living with the secrecy and lies of infidelity. If you find that you spend too much time discussing the affair itself, try setting aside 15 minutes a day to talk about it. Stick to other topics the rest of the time. Tell your partner whenever you're feeling angry, anxious, or sad, and encourage them to do the same. Being vulnerable will make it easier to process and heal after infidelity. It will also give your partner the chance to support you and prove they can do better in the future. Rebuild physical intimacy. After your trust has been compromised with an affair, it can be difficult to reconnect with your spouse on a physical level. However, if you choose to rebuild your marriage, this is a step you must take to fully recover and move on. You can restore intimacy in your marriage by making an effort to communicate your deepest desires with your spouse—your inner thoughts and feelings. In addition, dating each other again may also help. Go on a romantic trip with your spouse. Return to your earlier days when you lovingly traded massages, cuddled on the couch most evenings, and discussed your days during dinner rather than eating in silence. Marriage counseling can also be helpful in allowing you and your spouse to cross the bridge back to sexual intimacy. This may take time as you may have built up walls after the infidelity, and it may be the last thing that you work on. Try to focus one rebuilding your relationship and this should follow in time. It's important for you to both be honest with yourselves and fully grieve the betrayal to become physical partners again. You can also make an effort to be physically affectionate with each other until you are ready to have an intimate relationship again. Simple things like holding hands, kissing each other goodbye, and giving each other hugs may help to improve your emotional and physical intimacy. Avoid clingy behavior. Don't call your spouse constantly to check up on where they are or insist that they spend all their free time with you. While this behavior is understandable, it's likely to make your spouse feel smothered, which could drive a wedge between you. It is reasonable to ask for some accountability from your spouse after a betrayal. Just be careful not to cross the line into unhealthily jealous or controlling behavior. Seek out positive experiences with your spouse. Doing new things can help you move past the affair together. Find things to do that will bring you closer and help you make new memories. Consider taking a weekend trip together, picking up a new hobby as a couple, or just making an effort to spend more time running errands and doing chores together. Accept that you cannot control your spouse. Whether your spouse stays faithful in the future is entirely up to them. No matter how carefully you check up on them, if your spouse wants to cheat again, they will find a way. Likewise, if they are committed to fixing their mistake, you won't have to try to control them. Remind yourself that you have proven through this process that you can take care of yourself and survive no matter what happens. Set goals for your relationship together. Sit down with your spouse and think about what you want your relationship to look like in the future. Make some step-by-step plans for turning your goals into reality. Working towards a common target puts you and your spouse on the same team, helping you to rebuild camaraderie and trust. Discuss issues of privacy. It's valid for you to request access to your spouse's phone and online activity after they cheat on you. However, they still have a right to privacy. Talk with your spouse about how you will balance privacy and accountability in the future. When you become suspicious of your partner's behavior, try to ask clarifying questions instead of attacking them with accusations. This will prevent them from becoming defensive. If your spouse remains secretive about their online or phone activity, consider whether they are really committed to helping you trust them again. Don't assume you know what your spouse is thinking. No one is a mind reader, and it's easy to imagine problems where there are none. Focus on the facts. Don't let yourself get caught up in fears that your spouse is planning to cheat on you again unless there's a concrete reason. Do a reality check with yourself when your imagination runs away with you. Stop and ask yourself, “Why am I thinking this? Is there a more likely explanation?” Also, remind yourself that if they are cheating, then they will likely mess up and get caught again. You don't have to constantly be on the lookout, so allow yourself to let go of this responsibility. | Work on your self-esteem. Deal with intrusive thoughts. Take care of your health. Cultivate hobbies that are unrelated to your relationship. Avoid letting your happiness depend entirely on others. Seek individual counseling. Move on, if you choose. Commit to forgiving your spouse. Seek marital counseling. Take your share of the responsibility for problems in the relationship. Communicate often and openly. Tell your partner whenever you're feeling angry, anxious, or sad, and encourage them to do the same. Rebuild physical intimacy. Avoid clingy behavior. Seek out positive experiences with your spouse. Accept that you cannot control your spouse. Set goals for your relationship together. Discuss issues of privacy. Don't assume you know what your spouse is thinking. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Give-Your-Budgie-a-Bath | How to Give Your Budgie a Bath | If you want to give your budgie a bath, fill a bowl with an inch or 2 of lukewarm water. Next, set the bowl in the bottom of the cage so your budgie can jump in, and put a towel under the cage to catch any splashes. You should also cover the cage with a towel to keep your bird warm while it dries off. Then, let your budgie splash around in the water to bathe itself. Once your bird has finished bathing, remove the bowl from the cage and wash it thoroughly. | Fill a shallow bowl with lukewarm water. Water should only be an inch or two deep. It shouldn't be too cold, as budgies are susceptible to cold. You can also find baths that attach to the side of your bird's cage. If you find your bird doesn't like the bowl of water, you can also try wet grass or greens at the bottom of a (clean) cage. Your bird will enjoy rolling in them as a way of bathing. You don't need to use soap. Regular soap can harm and irritate the budgie's skin. Bird soap is only used to clean the cage, and not the budgie itself. Put a towel under the cage. If you're worried about water splashing out, set a towel under the cage. It is recommended to put another one around the cage if the cage is on the ground to prevent the floor from being wet. It will help catch the splashing. Place the bowl in the bottom of the cage. Set the bath in the bottom of the cage where your budgie can jump in. Make sure it's on a level surface. Keep in mind to supervise them in case accidents happen so you can assist them. If you prefer, you can also fill up your sink with a small amount of water. Take the budgie in there, and close the door so it can't fly away. However, make sure your sink is clean first. Let the budgie play. Budgies will splash and flutter in the water. The splashing is the budgie giving themself a bath. Most budgies enjoy the process immensely. If you're budgie doesn't jump in immediately, give it a chance to get used to it. If he or she still doesn't hop in after a while, you may want to move on to the next method or feed some treats so they are encouraged. Let your bird dry off. Your bird will shake itself to get the water off. However, make sure that the area they are drying off in isn't breezy or cool so they don't feel cold. You might want to cover his or her cage with a towel to help. Clean out the bath. After you bath your bird, take the bowl or bath out of the cage. Make sure to wash it out thoroughly and wash your hands when you're done. A clean bath can be used later immediately. Find or buy a spray bottle. You can often find these in the hair care section of a drug store or superstore. You can also often find them in the gardening section of a home improvement store. An alternative to a spray bottle is a perch you can place in your own shower, which you can usually find at pet stores. Just place your shower head on a gentle spray, and turn the water on lukewarm. Make sure it is not too hot or too cold. Fill the spray with lukewarm to warm water. Once again, you don't want the water to be too cold. Budgies and other small birds are susceptible to cold. Turn the spray head to "mist. " Most spray bottles have several settings for the bottle. You don't want a thin stream of water; you need a fine mist for your bird's bath. Spray the water over your bird. You want to create a gentle mist that showers down over your bird. Don't spray them right in the face, as most birds will not like that. If they move or fly away from the mist, stop it as they might not want to shower or just hate showering in general. You can offer this kind of bath everyday if you wish to keep your bird clean. Let your bird dry off. Your bird will dry itself off naturally. Just make sure the area where they are drying off is warm and free of cool breezes. | Fill a shallow bowl with lukewarm water. Put a towel under the cage. Place the bowl in the bottom of the cage. Let the budgie play. Let your bird dry off. Clean out the bath. Find or buy a spray bottle. Fill the spray with lukewarm to warm water. Turn the spray head to "mist. Spray the water over your bird. Let your bird dry off. |
https://www.wikihow.pet/Feed-Wild-Birds | How to Feed Wild Birds | To feed wild birds, choose a bird seed based on the kind of birds you'll be feeding, since different birds prefer different kinds of seed. Keep in mind that some wild birds prefer to eat nectar, lard, suet, or fruits rather than seed. Next, select the best feeder for your chosen food type and fill it with the bird feed. Then, mount the feeder near trees or bushes in a location that provides protection from the wind. Be sure the feeder can't be reached by predators like cats and dogs! | Keep in mind that not all seeds are created equal. Seed is the most common bird food used for feeding wild birds, but choose your seed wisely. Different birds prefer different kinds of seed. Cardinals, small or large finches, and grosbeaks prefer to stay at the feeder while eating. These birds enjoy black-oil sunflower, while small finches prefer sunflower hearts and thistle. Other birds tend to grab food and eat it away from the feeder. These birds include chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, and woodpeckers. They prefer black-oil sunflower and shelled peanuts split in half (whole peanuts). Choose white proso millet for ground-feeding birds, such as juncos and sparrows, towhees, and doves. Some birds prefer nectar over seeds, such as the rainbow lorikeets in Australia and hummingbirds in North America. Above all, watch neighborhood bird species' behavior to learn which seeds they will prefer. Buy nectar, or make it yourself. Nectar, used to attract hummingbirds and orioles, should have a ratio of four parts warm water to one part sugar. Bring the water and sugar to a rapid boil, stir the mixture, take it off the heat, and then allow it to cool completely before using. Do not leave the pan to boil for very long, since this will cause water to evaporate off and will change the ratio of water to sugar. Do not use artificial sweeteners since these do not contain the calories the birds need to survive, and effectively starve the birds. In addition, the chemicals in artificial products or manufactured items such as jelly can cause digestive disturbances in birds. You do not need to add food coloring to your solution to attract birds. Most commercial hummingbird feeders are bright enough to attract the birds without the need for additives. Once you've made your stock solution, store it in a clean airtight bottle in the fridge, but make sure the "nectar" is at room temperature before offering it to the birds. You can also purchase nectar commercially, in liquid or powder form. This might be more appropriate where the balance of nutrients in the nectar is important for maintaining the birds' health (such as with rainbow lorikeets). Look for brands that explain how they have nutritionally balanced the nectar for the species specific to your backyard. In New Zealand, putting out nectar when native nectar is in short supply will attract tui, waxeyes, and bellbirds. In the meantime, plant some nectar-flowering trees to improve the local natural supply. Consider providing other kinds of bird food. Suet is the food of choice for many species, including woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, Carolina Wren, and Tufted Titmouse. Dripping or lard can also be used. Birds like orioles and mockingbirds enjoy eating fruits such as apples, bananas, oranges and raisins. In New Zealand birds such as tui and waxeyes enjoy oranges, apples, grapefruit and pears. Insectivorous birds (meat-insect eaters), like blue birds, kookaburras, crows, magpies and willy wagtails will appreciate insects, particularly mealworms. However, this sort of food must be prepared fresh every time you give it, and should usually be restricted to a once-daily feed only. Water should be provided for wild birds as well. It can be provided from a bird bath or other container. Many birds enjoy the opportunity to visit an open body of water, such as a bird bath, since this allows them to clean their feathers as well as drink. Search for specific bird food recipes. There are quite a few great ideas for making your own bird food targeted to specific bird species. Ask for advice from such places and people as your local conservation centers, national parks resource providers, your vet, local bird rescuers and bird experts. Making balanced food can help to ensure that certain species are getting much needed nutrients and it's also a lot of fun for the family to get involved in. Here are just a few recipe ideas: How to make homemade suet cakes How to make mealworm suet cakes for bluebirds How to make homemade bird food How to make peanut butter bird feed How to make oat bird cake How to make hummingbird food. Take note of how much you're feeding to wild birds. If there is food left over after the day's feeding, then you're probably overfeeding the birds. Reduce the amount you're leaving out each day, making sure that all of the seed is consumed. To avoid the chances of leftover food or food sitting about too long, note the times that the birds prefer feeding and target the placement of new food at these times (also note the increased needs during the breeding season). The birds will soon grow used to your routine matching theirs. which is easy to fill, does not have sharp edges, and is easy to clean. Look for a bird feeder In addition, you want to make sure that it keeps seeds protected from rain and has correct drainage. Keep in mind while you are shopping for a bird feeder what kind of seed you want to put out. Make sure the feeder you choose can dispense the bird seed you intend on feeding. Make sure that the feeder you choose is sturdy and will not be damaged if it falls. Bird feeders can really take a beating, especially from squirrels, so buy one that is strong and made of quality materials, so that you don't have to replace it quickly. Provide large or ground feeding birds with "platform feeders. " A platform, or tray, feeder is a tray with a roof above it, and holes in the sides or bottom for drainage. Hang platform feeders on trees or poles, at least twelve inches above the ground. Birds attracted by platform feeders include sparrows, doves, jays, and cardinals. Platform feeders are best suited to fruit eating birds. Cutting up grapes, apples, or pomegranates and putting them on a platform helps to attract fruit eating birds. However, be sure to put the fruit out fresh. Also remove it once it is no longer moist as it will attract vermin. Choose a tube feeder if you want to feed small birds. Tube feeders are designed with short perches and large holes; the former is so small birds can feed without being intimidated by larger birds and the latter is so they can feed on large seeds such as sunflower seeds. Hang tube feeders from trees or porch leaves, or set them on high, flat surfaces. Let hummingbirds feed from nectar feeders. With a tubular shape and small holes, nectar feeders are designed for hummingbirds. Clean nectar feeders frequently to ensure scrupulous hygiene. Since you'll need to clean frequently, choose a container that is easy to take apart and clean. Sugar solution does not just feed birds, it also encourages bacterial growth. In order for the birds not to ingest infected nectar, it's important to change it regularly and clean the feeder. In cool temperatures (below 70 F) once a week is sufficient, but if the temperature is above 90 F, you need to clean the feeder and change the solution daily. Keep suet in suet feeders. Suet feeders, which are square wire cages, are designed for feeding suet. Birds can hold onto the cages as they eat the suet. Having more than one in your yard is recommended to avoid conflict between larger and smaller birds. If you have dripping or lard leftover from cooking, small pieces of it can be stuck onto clean upright nails or similar items along fence tops for the birds to alight near and peck at. Do not use rusty nails or objects and don't have any sharp ends poking out. For birds such as Woodpeckers, consider rubbing suet on the bark of a tree, which will help attract them to your garden. Many suet eating birds don't like to feel exposed, so positioning the feeder near the cover of trees is a great way of helping them to feel at home. Woodpeckers like to store their food in tree crevices and enjoy eating on high branches, but will move to lower ground if necessary. If the suet starts to smell strongly or gets moldy, the chances are it has gone rancid. Birds can get sick from moldy suet, so throw it away! Choose a hopper feeder for a decorative look. With an appearance similar to a tiny house, hopper feeders can hold a variety of seeds and can have perches to suit small and large birds. However, hopper feeders are favorites of squirrels, and extra protection is necessary to keep them out. Choose the right location for viewing. Since you'll want to watch birds as they feed, setting up the bird feeder next to a window in a room you're frequently in is recommended. Keeping the feeder within three feet of a nearby window will also prevent birds from accidentally colliding into the window. Choose the right location for the birds. Pick a location that provides protection from the wind. Though some feeders do not need this, pole-mounted feeders will sway if exposed to high winds. Also keep the feeder near trees and bushes. These provide a place for the bird to hide if predators come too close, something birds are constantly mindful of. Ensure that predators such as your beloved cat or dog cannot get to the feeder. Place your feeder in a location that your pets cannot get to. When feeding nectar eating birds such as hummingbirds, mount the feeder in the shade and the sugar solution will stay fresher for longer. Whilst you can put the feeder in the full sun, be aware you need to change the nectar more often to avoid it becoming contaminated with bacteria. Mount the bird feeder. There are different ways to mount bird feeders and this largely depends of the type of feeder you are using. The feeder can be hung from a shepherd's hook, mounted to a post, hung from a tree, set on a stable, or flat surface. Certain feeders even attach to windows, giving you a close-up look at the birds. Remember to follow the mounting instructions accompanying the design you've purchased. If you made your own bird feeder, be sure to mount your feeder securely. Keep away unwanted birds. Your feed and feeders will influence what birds come to your yard; for example, if you want to keep away Brown-headed Cowbirds and House Sparrows, avoid white proso millet. If you prefer smaller birds, choose feeders (such as tube feeders), which larger birds cannot use. Keep away insects. The sugar rich nectar offered to nectar-eaters is highly attractive to insects, such as ants or bees. Using a hanging hummingbird feeder (rather than a window mounted device) can help, or chose a feeder with a built in ant guard, which stops the ants travelling down to the nectar. Be wary of using other methods such as applying vaseline or sticky agents, because there is a risk of injuring the birds you are feeding by soiling the birds' feathers and reducing their ability to fly. Bees are more of a problem to deter because they fly. The best remedy is to take care when filling the feeder so there are not splashes of sugary solution to attract the bees in the first place. Never use insecticides to kill ants or other insects. Different types of birds eat different things, and what might be good for a Hummingbird could be very bad news for a different type of bird, such as a Woodpecker, which eats ants. Keep away predators. Choose a tube feeder or other small feeder which birds of prey cannot access. Keep the feeder near a native shrub with dense foliage that can offer protection from attacking predators. Think carefully about putting out food for birds, if you own outdoor cats or there are a lot of cats in the neighborhood. By attracting the birds to feeder, you may inadvertently set up a buffet for the cats. . Keep away mice and rats Mice and rats are often attracted by discarded seed, and minimizing the amount of discarded seed will keep mice and rats away. To do so, choose seeds (such as black-oil sunflower seeds) that birds in your area enjoy and eat quickly, add a seed catcher tray to the base of a tube feeder, or feed entirely different feed. Also remove food that is dried out and no longer attractive to birds. It may still be a tasty treat for vermin. . Keep squirrels away Consider using a baffle, a dome-shaped piece of plastic that can be placed under or over the bird feeder, or a squirrel repellent that will not hurt the birds, such as one that contains cayenne pepper. Hang your feeder at least four feet above the ground. If the feeder is hanging from a tree, hang it as far away from the trunk as possible. If the feeder is mounted on a pole, keep the pole away from trees or structures. See also How to stop squirrels from eating your bird food. Be careful about encouraging fruit-eating birds to the garden if you're growing fruit for your own consumption. You may find they'll eat your fruit too! Consider using bird netting one your precious fruit trees and bushes so that you can both live in harmony. Grow native food plants to attract the native birds to your garden and to discourage them from eating human food crops. This should also work well for saving water in your garden and lowering the intensity of your gardening work, as native plants thrive best in their local environment. Avoid feeding birds problem plants. The birds will spread these when excreting the seeds, causing invasive plant problems well beyond your garden. | Keep in mind that not all seeds are created equal. Buy nectar, or make it yourself. Consider providing other kinds of bird food. Search for specific bird food recipes. Take note of how much you're feeding to wild birds. which is easy to fill, does not have sharp edges, and is easy to clean. Provide large or ground feeding birds with "platform feeders. Choose a tube feeder if you want to feed small birds. Let hummingbirds feed from nectar feeders. Keep suet in suet feeders. Choose a hopper feeder for a decorative look. Choose the right location for viewing. Choose the right location for the birds. Mount the bird feeder. Keep away unwanted birds. Keep away insects. Keep away predators. . . Be careful about encouraging fruit-eating birds to the garden if you're growing fruit for your own consumption. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Prepare-Your-Dog-for-Your-New-Baby | How to Prepare Your Dog for Your New Baby | Before you have your baby, get your dog accustomed to children by taking walks near schools or inviting children into your home. Let your dog sniff baby lotions, and play a recording of baby noises to familiarize it with the baby's presence. If you're worried about how your dog will adapt to your new schedule, try varying its meal times and walking schedule to help it cope with the upcoming changes. | Make sure your dog undergoes obedience training. You want your dog to easily respond to basic commands, like “Sit” or “Stay”, and that it knows its manners when it comes to jumping up, barking, and getting on furniture. Several months before the baby's arrival, dedicate 10-15 minutes each day to keep reviewing these commands and add on more difficult ones. An essential command is “Go to place”. Use a new bed as a “safe space” for your dog. Point to the location while repeating the verbal command. Reward its behavior with treats and praise. Gradually increase the time the dog stays at the designated location or remains at a certain distance by providing a toy. Introduce your dog to children. To your dog, babies and children might be frightening, namely due to their sudden movements or high-pitched sounds. Introduce your dog to children by visiting parks or schools, gradually decreasing the distance, and praising it when it remains calm. Make sure to keep the dog on a leash and consult a professional if it shows problematic behaviors, like continuous barking or growling. It might be a good idea to get the dog used to wearing a head halter so you can better control it. Later on, invite friends with babies or children to visit your home, keeping your dog on a leash and praising your dog when it exhibits good behavior. Establish new boundaries, and train your dog to respect them. Set up baby gates, and make sure your dog knows not to cross them by giving rewards when it “Sit-Stays” outside the gate. If your dog will not be allowed into the baby's room, then practice opening the door and having your dog “Sit-Stay” right outside. Close the door when you're not using the room. Desensitize your dog to baby sounds and scents. Several months before your baby's arrival, start preparing your dog for the new smells and scents, which might be overwhelming if introduced all at once. Play tapes of baby giggles, screams, and cries, gradually increasing the length and volume over the weeks. Introduce your dog to baby scents, lotions, and creams by rubbing the scents on your hands and allowing your dog to become accustomed to the new smell. Change your dog’s routine. Your new baby will completely change your routine, and as a result, your pet's routine. Make sure to gradually introduce your pet to the coming changes over several months, so he doesn't associate the baby with the disruption to its routine. Change where your dog sleeps by buying a pet bed and moving it to another room. Walk it at different times of day, and change its feeding times. You might be so exhausted the first few weeks, so consider hiring a dog walker and introducing your dog to them at an early stage. Have them take your dog out for occasional walks so your dog can get used to walking without you. Prepare your dog for a variable feeding schedule by switching its feeding times on different days. After all, you don't want your dog to panic if you accidentally sleep through its 8 am feeding. Alternatively, purchase an automatic feeder, which you can set to deliver foods at set times each day. Ease your dog’s adjustment to a baby with a doll. Having a doll, particularly one that makes sounds, around the house will allow you to prepare your pet. Lavish the doll with attention, and praise your dog when it remains calm and polite around the doll. You may also practice walking the dog with the doll in the stroller, but make sure to never wrap the dog's leash around the stroller's handle. Change the time allotted for attention. When your baby comes, they will take up most of your attention, and if this change is instant, your dog may feel hurt or jealous. Three to four weeks before the baby arrives, start limiting the overall attention you give your pet. Instead, have short, spontaneous cuddle and play sessions, giving it less attention throughout the day. Arrange for a caretaker while at the hospital. Make sure to plan for the days you will be at the hospital, and prepare your pet for your absence. Whether you will drop your pet off at doggy daycare or a friend's home, give your dog practice by dropping them off at the location for a weekend or two. Greet your dog alone. When you first arrive home from the hospital, greet your dog with lots of hugs and cuddles. It will be very excited, so make sure it doesn't jump on your baby by introducing yourself first. Introduce your dog to your baby's smell if possible. Bring some article, like a blanket or towel, that has your baby's scent on it for your dog to sniff and get used to. Adjust your dog to your baby’s presence. For the first couple of days, keep your baby away from the dog. Let it adjust to the new sights, sounds, and smells. Give it one of the baby's blankets so it can associate the baby with its smell. After a few days, put your dog on a leash and invite it to smell the baby. Praise and pet it while it sniffs. Lavish your dog with attention when your baby is around. You don't want your dog to think that praise and attention come only when the baby isn't there. Have your dog practice “Sit-Stay” in the corner of a room while you are holding the baby, praising it and giving treats when it obeys. Be positive around your pet. Your pet's senses are probably overwhelmed, so don't isolate the dog or punish it if it acts up. Instead, reward positive behavior. For example, if your dog picks up a baby's toy, simply switch it with a dog's toy. Have plenty of toys and treats on hands to reward your pet when it remains calm and polite around your baby. Keep your pet healthy. Despite the changes to your routine, don't forget to feed your pet, play with it, or take it out for walks. In addition to 10-15 minute daily training intervals, these periods of time might be the only slots of time you have to spend one-on-one with your pet. It's important you maintain your connection with your dog, so it understands that it and the baby can coexist happily. | Make sure your dog undergoes obedience training. Introduce your dog to children. Establish new boundaries, and train your dog to respect them. Desensitize your dog to baby sounds and scents. Change your dog’s routine. Ease your dog’s adjustment to a baby with a doll. Change the time allotted for attention. Arrange for a caretaker while at the hospital. Greet your dog alone. Introduce your dog to your baby's smell if possible. Adjust your dog to your baby’s presence. Lavish your dog with attention when your baby is around. Be positive around your pet. Keep your pet healthy. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Hamburger-Gravy | How to Make Hamburger Gravy | To make easy hamburger gravy, start by browning the hamburger meat in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Next, remove the browned meat, keeping the grease in the skillet, and stir flour into the grease to create a roux. Then, add 1/2 cup of milk, stirring constantly, until the gravy thickens to your desired consistency. Finally, remove the gravy from the heat, stir in your favorite dry seasonings, and enjoy. | Brown the hamburger in a large, deep skillet. Heat the pan on the stove over a burner set to medium-high. When a drop of water flicked into the pan starts sizzling immediately, it's hot enough. Crumble the beef into the pan and cook until pleasantly brown. Use your spoon or spatula to break up larger pieces. If you're using leaner ground beef (e.g., 95/5), you can add a small amount of oil to the pan to keep it from sticking. Fattier grades of ground beef (e.g., 80/20) will make enough grease on their own. See "Tips" below for help choosing fat or lean beef. Remove from heat and sprinkle in flour. Stir well so that the flour absorbs the grease and oil that has appeared in the pan from cooking the beef. You want the mixture to be as smooth and even as possible. When the flour is completely absorbed, you will have a roux — a type of sauce made by cooking flour and liquid fat. Place over medium heat and gradually add milk. Add about 1/2 of the total milk at first, stirring as you go. Keep stirring until the mixture is well combined. The gravy should gradually start to thicken as the heat evaporates the liquid. At this point, you can add as much of the remaining milk as you want. The more milk you add, the thinner the gravy will be. When it's at the consistency you want, heat it to boiling, stirring occasionally, then remove from the heat. Season with salt, pepper and onion salt. Add these dry seasonings to the hot gravy and stir to combine. Give the mixture a test taste. If you like the way it tastes, you're ready to serve. If you think the recipe could use a little extra flavor, feel free to add more of any of the seasonings. Go slowly, stopping to taste-test often. Remember: you can always add more, but you can't take any out. Serve. Spoon the gravy over your food and enjoy! Garnish with small chunks of fresh chopped onion if desired. Try seasoning with basil and sage. The basic gravy recipe above tastes great on its own, but it's not the final word on hamburger gravy. For example, if you want to give your gravy a slightly more complex taste, try adding these dried herbs with the salt, pepper, etc. at the end of the recipe. The bitter aromatics of sage and the sweetness of basil pair well to make a gravy that's a little more filet mignon than hamburger. Add bouillon for savory flavor. Bouillon is a common ingredient in gravy recipes. Its salty, meat-y flavor make for a mouthwatering gravy. To use bouillon, just stir it into the mixture along with the flour. Both beef and chicken bouillon make good choices. You can also use broth for a similar flavor. About one 14-ounce can of chicken or beef broth should be plenty. Try thickening with cornstarch instead of flour. If you don't have any flour or you like a slightly thicker gravy, this is the way to go. However, since cornstarch can form unappetizing clumps if you add it directly to hot liquids, you need to prepare the recipe a little differently: While the beef cooks, combine the corn starch with the milk in a small bowl. You can also combine it with the broth if you're using it. Stir until well-combined. Add the liquid-cornstarch mixture gradually to the pan, stirring as you go. Add tangy steak sauce for a barbecue flavor. Steak sauce goes excellently with beef, so it only makes sense that it would go with hamburger gravy. The sour-savory taste of most steak sauces makes the perfect companion to the smooth taste of the basic gravy. Add your favorite steak sauce at the end of the recipe with the salt, pepper, etc. Barbecue sauce and hot sauce also work well here. Heat the recipe up with red pepper. Gravy is delicious, but it's not something that people usually associate with the word "spicy." If you have a bold palate, try adding red pepper flakes or cayenne to your gravy. The latter will give it a nice pinkish color in addition to plenty of heat. Don't forget to add gradually and taste the gravy often to avoid adding too much! Use fat-free milk for a healthier alternative. Cutting down on the fat in your gravy is as simple as adding nonfat milk in place of 2% or whole milk in the recipe. Since nonfat milk is slightly more watery, you may need to heat the gravy for slightly longer to get the same thickness (or add a little extra flour/cornstarch). You can also use leaner grades of ground beef to reduce the fat in the dish even more. | Brown the hamburger in a large, deep skillet. Remove from heat and sprinkle in flour. Place over medium heat and gradually add milk. Season with salt, pepper and onion salt. Serve. Try seasoning with basil and sage. Add bouillon for savory flavor. Try thickening with cornstarch instead of flour. Add tangy steak sauce for a barbecue flavor. Heat the recipe up with red pepper. Use fat-free milk for a healthier alternative. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Set-a-Thermostat | How to Set a Thermostat | To set a thermostat, start by programming the correct date and time on your thermostat so that the program will run correctly. Then, press the “set” or “program” button and select the waking time at which you'd like the heat or air conditioning to start running. Next, press “set” again to set the temperature. Repeat the process for the “leave”, “return”, and “sleep” times. When all the times and temperatures are set, return to the main menu and press the “run” button to begin the program. | Learn the differences between settings. If your home has central heating and cooling, then you most likely have a central thermostat to control it. Thermostats, whether programmable or not, will have many similar settings, including fan options, heating options, and cooling options. Turn on the fan. With fan options, you will most likely have “on” or “auto.” By choosing “on,” you will engage the fan on your system to circulate air through the home without heating or cooling it. The fan will run for as long as the “on” option is engaged. The “auto” option will only engage the fan when either the heat or air conditioning turns on and needs to be circulated. The “on” option for the fan is generally considered an energy waster since it will require a decent amount of energy to move that much air on a constant basis. Due to this most people only ever leave the fan set to “auto.” Many people use the “on” option simply to flush air out of a house—if something burned while cooking and you want to circulate enough air to clear the smell, for instance. Set the air conditioner. Depending on your model of thermostat, you will likely either have a small switch on the thermostat's faceplate or a cycle button to cycle between heating, cooling, and off options. You can prep the system to cool the home by moving the switch or pressing the button until you reach the “cool” setting. You will see a number on the thermostat display. This number is the ambient temperature in your home. Use the up and down arrows on the thermostat to set the temperature you want the home to reach. You will see a different display number come up that corresponds to the temperature you set. You will likely hear the system click as it engages and turns on the air conditioning to lower the temperature in the house to what you have set. The system will run until the house reaches the chosen temperature, and then it will automatically turn itself off and only reengage when the internal thermometer registers that the home is warmer than the set temperature. You can use the same switch or button to cycle the system to “off” at any time. Set the heat. Setting the heat for your thermostat is very similar to setting the cooling option. Use the same switch or button to cycle through until you reach “heat.” You can then use the same set of arrows you used to set the cooling temperature to set the heating temperature. Again, the system will only run when the internal thermometer registers that the ambient room temperature is colder than the set temperature. You may also see an “EM heat” or “emergency heat” setting on your thermostat, especially if you live in an area prone to bitter cold conditions. This setting corresponds to a separate electric heating unit in the home in the event that the larger system breaks or freezes over during winter. While it does not hurt to test the emergency heating option periodically, you should stick to the standard heat setting for day-to-day use. Read the manual. While all programmable thermostats have roughly the same functions, they aren't universally operated in the same manner. If you have the manual for your thermostat, keep it handy in case it has a unique set of operations. Determine your schedule. Track when you leave the house (or workplace) and are away regularly for at least 4 hours. Make notes about your schedule for 7 days, including all 24 hours each day. Program time and date information. The current time and date must be entered into your programmable thermostat for it to function properly. Nearly all thermostats have a button that reads “set” or possibly even “day/time” Press this button and a clock will appear on the display for you to set the time and the date. Use the up and down arrows to set the items and press the same “set” or “day/time” button again after each step to proceed to the next. Prompts will indicate whether to enter the time as a twelve-hour increment or as a twenty-four-hour figure. You may also need to set the day of the week, but it will follow in the same process after the time and date. Press the “set” or “program” button. Once you have the date and time programmed, you are ready to program the thermostat's schedule. Some brands will have an actual “program” button, whereas others may require you to scroll past the time and date information by hitting the “set” button several times. You will reach a screen on the display where it prompts you to set a “wake” time for weekday mornings. You may actually want to set the time very slightly before you wake up so that the system is already running. Most thermostats will allow you to schedule weekdays and weekends separately, whereas some may allow you to schedule each day separately. Again, you can use the up and down arrows to cycle through the time. Press “set” or “program” again to set a temperature. With the “wake” time set, you will now have to set the “wake” temperature. Press the respective button for your model thermostat again and the temperature will begin blinking. Use the up and down arrows to find the temperature you want. Some models may allow you to set a temperature range so that you don't have to reprogram the thermostat with each season. For example, it may prompt you to set both a wake summer and winter temperature. This will ensure that the system heats when the ambient temperature is below a certain threshold and cools when above another threshold. Set the “leave” time and temperature. With the “wake” time and temperature set, the thermostat will prompt you to schedule the time you leave for the day during the week. Most people set these temperatures much higher during the summer or lower during the winter to conserve energy and run the system less while no one is home. Use the same process of hitting the “set” or “program” button and the up and down hours to cycle through and find the settings you want. If you don't want the system to run at all while you're away, you can simply set it to turn on at a temperature that you know your home won't reach. Set the “return” time and temperature. The next time and temperature setting the thermostat will request is for what time you return home during the week. As with the “wake” setting, you may want to set the time fifteen-to-thirty minutes before you get home if you want to ensure that the home has already reached the temperature when you arrive. Set the “sleep” time and temperature. The fourth and final weekday setting the thermostat will request is for the time you go to sleep at night. Since many people might open windows during summer nights or pile on extra blankets during the winter, you can save money and energy by respectively raising or lowering the overnight temperature setting. Wherever you set this temperature will hold over until the “wake” time and temperature you have set for the following morning. Repeat the process for the weekend. Once you finish setting the weekday schedule, the thermostat will prompt you to set the same four times—wake, leave, return, and sleep—for the weekend. As with the other settings, keep using the “set” or “program” button in order to advance the menu and keep using the arrows to adjust the times and temperatures. Press the “run” button to initiate. Depending on your thermostat model, once you hit “set” or “program” on the final weekend “sleep” settings, it may return you to the current day, time, and temperature and begin following the schedule. Other models may have a “run” button that you must press to initiate the schedule. | Learn the differences between settings. Turn on the fan. Set the air conditioner. Set the heat. Read the manual. Determine your schedule. Program time and date information. Press the “set” or “program” button. Press “set” or “program” again to set a temperature. Set the “leave” time and temperature. Set the “return” time and temperature. Set the “sleep” time and temperature. Repeat the process for the weekend. Press the “run” button to initiate. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Tell-if-Your-Partner-Is-Cheating | How to Tell if Your Partner Is Cheating | To tell if your boyfriend or girlfriend is cheating on you, pay attention to changes in their behavior. For example, are they constantly picking fights with you or getting moody for no reason? Those are usually signs of guilt, which could mean they're having an affair. If your notice your partner hiding their phone screen or leaving the room to take private calls, this is a major red flag when it comes to cheating. When you ask your partner where they were or who they were with, listen for contradictions, since a cheating boyfriend or girlfriend will often lose track of the lies they've told and change their answer. | Pay attention to changes in the normal routine of your boyfriend or girlfriend. Is he or she, for instance, coming home from work later than usual on some nights? Sometimes these small changes to a person's routine mean nothing more than life has given them a reason to be unavailable, but they are still something that you want to be aware of. Decide if you feel they have they become moody suddenly, and eager to start fights. Sometimes, a cheating lover will displace his or her shame, anger, and guilt onto you by starting a fight, which can then be blamed on you. In short, they need a place to throw off their negative feelings. Think about whether your boyfriend or girlfriend has stopped talking to you? Did your significant other always have things to say, and has suddenly become distant? Your relationship may be losing intimacy because your lover has started a new one with someone else. Consider whether your boyfriend or girlfriend smells different when he or she comes near you. Everyone knows this one is stereotypical but it can also be true. If he or she is coming around smelling like a perfume or aftershave that you don't wear, then he or she has been too close to someone who wears it. Pay attention to changing interests, including music, political views, social issues, favorite books, or movies, etc. When someone spends enough time with someone else, they begin to adopt their views, or at least understand them. If your boyfriend or girlfriend is interested in things that they hated before, perhaps they are being influenced by someone else more than usual. Examine the trust in your relationship. Does your lover allow you to touch, or look through their phone, emails, etc.? If your boyfriend or girlfriend is hiding their phone from you, or deleting all their messages before letting you have it, then there is something they don't want you to see. Notice if they leave the room to take calls. If you ask whom called or texted them, do they always tell you "It's nobody?" These are also important signals, which show that your boyfriend, girlfriend, etc. has something to hide. Watch carefully for unwillingness to accept you without notice. Does he or she become angry when you come over unannounced, or only text you when they are at home, never calling you? These are also signs of betrayal. For some reason, they do not want you at their home at certain times, and they do not want to call you while they are at home. Pay attention to whether he has to "clean up" before letting you into his or her house, room, or car. If an earring is lying in the passenger side of their car, or a condom is behind their bed, extra time will probably be taken to dispose of those items. Notice if a boyfriend or girlfriend is constantly putting someone else down. They may be saying awful things about that person, but pay attention to the fact that they are still talking about them 24/7. They are trying to fool you into believing the person is undesirable, thus throwing the suspicion off them. Catch them in a lie. Casually ask a boyfriend or girlfriend where they were such and such day, and let them answer. Remember their answer, and ask again a few days later. If they are lying constantly, then they will have a hard time keeping up. They may start to get angry with these simple questions, another big hint. Watch for unexplained bills, receipts for meals, etc. bought for two people. If you keep finding receipts from McDonalds with two different meals on it, or two sodas in the cup holders, or a bill for a bracelet you did not get, then watch out. Find out whether your boyfriend or girlfriend has additional email accounts, or other online accounts. Or begin to, out of nowhere, change their passwords to keep you out of their accounts. Normally, if they didn't give you their password to start with, this is no problem. But if they've suddenly changed it to protect messages they've written, or chats they've had, you should be alert to this possible red flag. Notice whether his or her friends are acting differently towards you. Have his or her friends begun to act oddly around you? When you casually talk to his friends, do they seem anxious, nervous, or eager to leave? They probably know something you don't know. Notice whether he begins to buy you gifts out of nowhere, or she starts casually mentioning an end to your relationship. Questions such as "What would you do if we broke up?" are key hints. Men and women, both, become guilty. This guilt can easily be forgotten with an action or item for the other person that makes the cheater seem selfless. Listen to how your boyfriend or girlfriend explains his or her behavior. If they voluntarily give you excuses that are detailed and scripted, then they probably are. He or she has most likely projected your questions, based on their indiscretion, and preemptively created a story to cover it all up. Listen and note any details which are unnecessarily significant to their story (names, times, exact locations, etc.) and keep a mental list. Notice the response. When they finish telling their story do they shake their head, toss up their hands, or use similar gestures to mimic exhaustion, confusion, and disbelief about their 'crazy evening' or event? Body language is a great indication that he or she is 'acting'. After a few moments of silence and once the story has finished, recall one of the details that stuck out to you. Keep it a seemingly harmless detail that won't frighten or alert your partner that you are suspicious (specifics are not what you are looking for). Now ask them an abstract question about the specific detail you picked. Innocently ask when this 'detail' or event happened, or some other simple question. If he or she is not being truthful they will give it away during this question. Pay attention to what happens now. Did they awkwardly get silent or shift before giving you an answer? Did they stutter or become nervous with their words? Did they look like a deer in the headlights? If so, here's why: When someone is telling the truth they don't need to think about the answer for more than a second or two. The details are already there because it truly happened. But, if this person is lying, they will have to stop and mentally go through their story from the beginning. He or she will need to remember where in the story this question happened and that takes thought processing. Since the 'minor' detail you asked them to provide wasn't prominent when they made up their excuse, they most likely won't have a cut and dry answer. Do it again with another detail oriented question. Keep watching closely. Can you see them thinking it through again? Are they becoming frustrated and starting to snip at your 'dumb questions' and/or ask, "What does it matter?" If so, this is a stalling technique they use while making up new details. It's also a handy distraction if they point their finger back at you and make you the bad guy for asking in the first place. How often have we heard, "What exactly are you insinuating?" Expect to be questioned back. Usually your partner will start questioning you and inevitably say, "What? You don't believe me? Do you think I'm lying to you?”. Wait patiently. Eventually you will hear the sweet words, "What? Do you think I'm cheating on you?!" Bingo! Ask yourself, did you insinuate that they were hiding something? Did you steer the story in a direction to make room for interrogation then blatantly accuse them of messing around? Did you actually accuse them of anything at all? By asking simple questions your partner not only revealed what kind of behavior they have been hiding, but they also spun their entire story out of whack, no matter how solid they believed it to be, and became overwhelmed. At this point, if you ask them anything, he/she will probably start to sweat, panic, or lose the capability to accurately recall anything about their story. The discrepancies will flow at this point and soon you will have enough information know if your partner is 'on the level.' | Pay attention to changes in the normal routine of your boyfriend or girlfriend. Decide if you feel they have they become moody suddenly, and eager to start fights. Think about whether your boyfriend or girlfriend has stopped talking to you? Consider whether your boyfriend or girlfriend smells different when he or she comes near you. Pay attention to changing interests, including music, political views, social issues, favorite books, or movies, etc. Examine the trust in your relationship. Notice if they leave the room to take calls. Watch carefully for unwillingness to accept you without notice. Pay attention to whether he has to "clean up" before letting you into his or her house, room, or car. Notice if a boyfriend or girlfriend is constantly putting someone else down. Catch them in a lie. Watch for unexplained bills, receipts for meals, etc. Find out whether your boyfriend or girlfriend has additional email accounts, or other online accounts. Notice whether his or her friends are acting differently towards you. Notice whether he begins to buy you gifts out of nowhere, or she starts casually mentioning an end to your relationship. Listen to how your boyfriend or girlfriend explains his or her behavior. Notice the response. After a few moments of silence and once the story has finished, recall one of the details that stuck out to you. Pay attention to what happens now. Do it again with another detail oriented question. Expect to be questioned back. Wait patiently. Ask yourself, did you insinuate that they were hiding something? |
https://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Wild-Rice | How to Cook Wild Rice | To cook wild rice on a stovetop, start by bringing a pan of water to a boil. While the water heats up, rinse 1 cup of wild rice, which is enough to make 4 cups of cooked rice, in a strainer under cold water. Then, add the rice to the boiling water, and stir until the water returns to a boil. Next, add seasonings, like salt or pepper, before reducing the heat to medium. Finally, cook the rice for 30 to 60 minutes, or until the seeds puff up and split. | Boil water. Pour 4 cups water into a medium size sauce pan. Place the sauce pan on the stovetop. Turn the burner on high and bring the water to a boil. The pan you use must have a tight-fitting lid. Instead of water, use chicken, beef, or vegetable broth. Measure and rinse the rice. Pour 1 cup wild rice into a mesh strainer. Rinse the wild rice under cold water. Rinsing the wild rice will remove any remaining hulls from the seeds. 1 cup uncooked wild rice will yield between 3 to 4 cups cooked wild rice. Add the wild rice to the sauce pan. Pour the rinsed wild rice into the medium sauce pan. As the water returns to a boil, stir the wild rice periodically. At this time you can add a variety of seasonings to your wild rice. These include salt, pepper, lemon pepper, and/or bouillon cubes. Reduce the heat and cover. When the water starts to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. Place a tight-fitting lid on the sauce pan. Let the wild rice simmer until the seeds puff up and split. This will take approximately 30 to 60 minutes. Check the wild rice periodically, but do not stir. Fluff, drain, and serve. Remove the sauce pan from the heat. Take off the lid and fluff, or stir, the wild rice with a table fork. Pour the cooked wild rice into a mesh strainer to remove excess liquid. Transfer the wild rice to a dish and serve. If your wild rice is holding a lot of liquid, return the strained seeds to the uncovered sauce pan. Cook the wild rice over low heat for approximately 1 minute and then serve. Preheat your oven. Set your oven to 350° F. Rinse the wild rice. Measure out 1 cup of uncooked wild rice. Pour the wild rice into a mesh strainer and rinse the seeds under cold water. Rinsing the wild rice will remove unwanted hulls from the seeds. 1 cup uncooked wild rice will yield approximately 3 to 4 cups cooked wild rice. Combine the wild rice and water. Pour the rinsed wild rice into a 2 quart covered glass dish. Add 3 cups cold water to the rice. Instead of water, you can use chicken, beef, or vegetable broth. Bake for 1 hour. Cover the dish and insert it into the oven. Bake the wild rice at 350° F for 1 hour. Check the wild rice. After 1 hour, remove the dish from the oven. Use a table fork to fluff, or stir, the rice. If the wild rice appears dry, add more water to the dish. If you used broth, add more broth instead of water. Bake for 30 minutes. Cover the dish and return the fluffed wild rice to the oven. Bake the wild rice at 350° F for 30 minutes. After half an hour, remove the dish from the oven. Strain, fluff and serve. Transfer the cooked wild rice to a mesh strainer to drain off any excess liquid. Pour the strained wild rice into a serving dish. Fluff the cooked seeds with a table fork and serve. After you strain the wild rice, you can season it to taste. Rinse 1 cup wild rice. Measure 1 cup wild rice and pour the uncooked seeds into a mesh strainer. Place the strainer under a faucet and rinse the wild rice with cold water. Wild rice must be rinsed before cooking to remove unwanted hulls. 1 cup uncooked wild rice will yield between 3 to 4 cups cooked wild rice. Combine the ingredients. Pull out a 2 quart glass covered casserole dish. Add the rinsed wild rice to the dish and 3 cups water. For additional flavor, replace the water with chicken, beef, or vegetable stock. Microwave the wild rice on "High. " Put the dish in the microwave. Set your microwave to "High." Microwave the wild rice on "High" for 5 minutes. Microwave the wild rice on "Medium. " Set your microwave to "Medium." Cook the wild rice in the microwave for 30 minutes on "Medium." Let the dish rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain, fluff, and serve. Place the cooked wild rice in a strainer to remove excess liquid. Return the strained seeds to the glass dish. Fluff, or stir, the wild rice with a fork and serve. Once you've strained the wild rice, you may season it with your favorite spices. Rinse the wild rice. Pour 1 cup uncooked wild rice into a mesh strainer. Rinse the seeds under cold water. This will remove any hulls left on the seeds. 1 cup uncooked wild rice yields between 3 to 4 cups cooked wild rice. Combine the ingredients. Transfer the rinsed wild rice to the rice cooker. Add 3 cups of water to the rice cooker. You can substitute 3 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable broth for 3 cups water. Cook the wild. Push the "Cook" button. Allow the wild rice to cook for approximately 1 hour. When the rice cooker is done, let the rice sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Do not uncover the wild rice as it cooks. Fluff and serve. Once done, remove the lid. Use a table fork to fluff, or stir, the cooked wild rice. Season to taste and serve. | Boil water. Measure and rinse the rice. Add the wild rice to the sauce pan. Reduce the heat and cover. Fluff, drain, and serve. Preheat your oven. Rinse the wild rice. Combine the wild rice and water. Bake for 1 hour. Check the wild rice. Bake for 30 minutes. Strain, fluff and serve. Rinse 1 cup wild rice. Combine the ingredients. Microwave the wild rice on "High. Microwave the wild rice on "Medium. Drain, fluff, and serve. Rinse the wild rice. Combine the ingredients. Cook the wild. Fluff and serve. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Surgical-Nurse | How to Become a Surgical Nurse | To become a surgical nurse, start by getting a nursing degree from an accredited program and working in a surgical environment so you can figure out what role you want in the operating room. For example, you may want to be a scrub nurse, who helps prepare patients and operating rooms before surgery, or a registered first nurse assistant, who works directly with surgeons. Then, complete a specialized training program or a master's degree and pass the Certified Nurse Operating Room (CNOR) exam to begin practicing as a surgical nurse. | Get a high school diploma. Admission into a school of nursing requires a high school diploma or, alternately, passing the General Education Development (GED) test. If you want to be a nurse, pay attention to your performance, skill, and interest in courses like biology, physiology, and chemistry throughout high school. The knowledge from these courses will be important in your post-secondary education. The foundation of nursing is science. If you don't like science but are interested in nursing in high school you should talk with your school counselor about arranging a day or two to shadow a nurse. Don't get discouraged if these subjects don't come easily to you. Consider hiring a private tutor to help you in your math and science courses in order to improve and develop effective study and learning strategies. Undertake post-secondary education in nursing. There are three ways to become a registered nurse. Whatever path you choose, the coursework involved will include physiology, biology, chemistry, nutrition, and anatomy. Bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN). This level of education is like a bachelor's program in all other fields. It is awarded by a college or university and usually takes four years to complete. Class offerings are more diverse than other settings and include community health, pharmacology, health assessment, microbiology, human development and clinical practice. A BSN qualifies you for a higher pay grade and a wider variety of certifications and promotions on the job. This is the preferred level of education for new hires at most hospitals. Associate's degree in nursing (ADN). This is the most common way to obtain a registered nursing license and involves a two-year program at a community or junior college. Many students transition to BSN programs after having completed an ASN and holding an entry-level nursing position. In these cases, nurses are able get further education using an employer's tuition assistance program; they're also able to work and earn an income while getting the next level of education. Diploma from an accredited nursing program. You can also be eligible for licensure by completing a vocational nursing program. These accredited programs are often associated with a hospital and vary in length, though they are typically up to three years long. In this program, classroom learning, clinical practice, and on-the-job training are combined. This education path is on the decline since the National Advisory Council on Nursing Education and Practice recommends that at least 66% of the workforce hold a BSN in nursing or higher. Make sure your school is accredited. The national accreditation agency for nursing schools is the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. This agency ensures the quality and integrity of bachelor, graduate, and residency programs in nursing. Accreditation is voluntary but ensures that colleges and schools providing nursing education are operating at the same professional level and educating future nurses in a manner which ensures that they can provide effective and standardized care. Get some experience in working in surgery. During your nursing program, you will do a rotation in surgery for a brief time. This is an ideal time to discover whether this is an area you'd like to work in in the future. If this is an area that interests you, speak with your clinical instructor about getting more time to observe in the operating room. Get licensed. Registered nurses in the United States must have a nursing license. Take the National Council Licensure Examination - Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) once you have graduated from your accredited program and thus have completed the appropriate education requirements. This test is the nationally recognized licensing exam for registered nurses. Prerequisites to and fees for the exam may differ between states. Check with the requirements for your state, or for the state you plan on practicing in. Most states have reciprocation agreements, meaning that if you pass your exam in one state, you'll be able to apply for and receive a license in any other state without retaking the test as long as your license is free from any encumbrances. In other words, if there isn't anything that would disqualify the state from issuing a license, such as stealing drugs or felony conviction. Find a job as a nurse. There are more than two million nurses in the United States, making the position the largest in the healthcare field. There are a variety of settings in which a nurse can work, including hospitals, physician's offices, elderly care homes, prisons, college campuses and schools. Nurses with a bachelor's degree (BSN) have better employment prospects than those who do not. Most surgical units will only hire nurses who have had one year of experience in other areas of the hospital. Experience working in the recovery room or in the operating room will help you determine if you want to pursue this career path. Work as a registered nurse. As an RN, you can work in the surgical area after graduating and getting your nursing license; however, specialization and certification in surgical nursing, also known as perioperative nursing, will enable you to work in specialized roles and earn more money. Most specialized educational programs, however, require a minimum amount of clinical experience as an RN before you can enroll in the program. These requirements vary upon the area in which you live. On average, the required length of time is one to two years. Most programs also require that 2,000 hours, or one year, of this time be served in an acute care setting. This is to give you an idea of the amount of stress that may be involved in being a surgical nurse. Get perioperative nursing training. Additional training to become a surgical nurse typically involves a two-year program in which you focus solely on the skills and professional knowledge necessary to work within the operating room. Upon completion of this program, you will have a recognized specialty in surgery-related care. Alternatively, you can also pursue a Master's Degree. A Master's program can take between 18 months and three years depending upon if you had prior experience and are enrolled full-time or part-time. Master's programs blend theory, research, and practice and allow the surgical nurse to take a certification examination. Pass the Certified Nurse Operating Room Exam (CNOR). In order to obtain specialized roles in the operating room and receive a higher pay scale, surgical nurses are often required to pass a certification examination. An initial certification, the CNOR is offered by the Competency and Credentialing Institute for perioperative RNs. This certification documents the validity of a nurse's standard of practice in caring for patients before, during and after surgery. Requirement include: An unrestricted RN license Current full or part-time employment in perioperative nursing, education, administration or research Completed two years and 2,400 hours of experience in perioperative nursing with at least 1,200 hours in the operating room. Re-certification is required every five years. Determine which nursing role in surgery you would like to have. Inside the operating room, surgical nurses play one of four different roles. Each role requires specialized knowledge and abilities which the nurse brings to the team of professionals. Note that in some cases additional education and certification may be desirable, such as for a Registered Nurse First Assistant. Scrub Nurse. An RN who is sterile and may prepare the operating room prior to surgery, assess the patients when they arrive, and help prepare the patient for the surgical procedure. Scrub nurses will pass instruments to the surgeon during the procedure and help monitor the patient. Circulating Nurses. An RN who ensures that all paperwork is completed, documents the surgical procedure, replenishes surgical supplies, verifies instrument count after the procedure is completed, and completes the charting of the surgery. Registered Nurse First Assistant. An RN who directly assists during the operation. The exact responsibilities will vary with the type of surgery and the surgeon's preference. Generally, the role includes controlling bleeding, suturing the incision, and intervening during complications. Prior to surgery these nurses will provide pre-operative instructions, answer questions, and following surgery, will assess patients for recovery and provide discharge instructions. PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit) Nurse. An RN who cares for patients after surgical procedures and anesthesia. Consider specializing in a specific surgical field. After your initial certification, you can also specialize in specific types of surgical fields, such as Certified Plastic Surgical Nurse, Adult Cardiac Surgery Subspecialty Certification, Certified Bariatric Nurse as well as Registered Nurse First Assistant, mentioned above. These specializations typically require a valid RN license, several years of experience in the field, additional educational training, and certification. The specific requirements of each specialization may vary, so it's best you consult a trusted resource, such as the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses , which provides a number of resources on nursing education and clinical practice, and has local chapters located throughout the United States. Understand the nursing profession. According to the American Nurses Association, nursing today is designed for the protection, promotion and optimization of health and the prevention of illness and injury. Nurses are advocates in the care of individuals, families and communities. The standardized education of today's registered nurses, in contrast to the past, reflects the high expectations communities and physicians have on the men and women who fill these roles. In recent years, the employment of nurses has grown and will continue to grow in part because of the aging of the baby boomer population and the associated growing rate of chronic conditions like diabetes. The nursing profession is not just for women; there are over a hundred thousand registered male nurses working in the US. Determine if the general responsibilities of nursing interest you. The foundation of all nursing practice is based in human anatomy and physiology. The chief mission of the nursing field is to protect, promote and optimize health. Key responsibilities for nurses include: Performing physical assessments and taking medical and family histories by interviewing patients on the day of surgery Providing counseling and education about health promotion and injury protection Administering medication and providing wound care Coordinating care and collaborating with other professionals including doctors, therapists and dietitians Directing and supervising care and providing education to patients and family, which enable patients to be discharged sooner Consider the specific field of surgical nursing. Surgical nurses perform specific tasks in the operating room that both assist the surgeon and evaluate the current level of care. Surgical nurses are faced with specific challenges and responsibilities, which include: Doing pre-operative assessments of the patient and giving patients pre-op instructions Ensuring the right medications are ordered on the day of surgery, the right blood tests were performed and that all allergies were noted on the chart Working under the supervision of the surgeon but also able to function independently in the OR Working in a hospital. As a surgical nurse, you will likely end up working in a hospital with a surgical ward and emergency care and trauma center. You may also work in intensive care units and recovery rooms. Know the general skills and qualities involved in nursing. Beyond having a breadth of knowledge in medicine (and being someone who does not get squeamish easily!), a surgical nurse must also be skilled in other areas. In this sense, nursing is like any other profession in that there are specific individual qualities that make the job easier and a more natural fit for some people. It's important to determine whether your personality and abilities can accommodate the various responsibilities and tasks that come with being a nurse. Key qualities include: Interpersonal and communication skills. Being a nurse requires working with people everyday—doctors, other nurses, technicians, patients, caregivers, and others. To communicate information and do their jobs effectively and clearly, nurses need strong interpersonal skills, patience, and the ability to break down complex information into something that is accessible for ordinary people (i.e., non-specialists). Compassion. Caring and empathy are valuable when taking care of individuals who are in sick or injured. Remember that patients may be scared or in pain and need to be comforted, reassured, and motivated to fight through their illnesses. Critical thinking. Registered nurses must be able to assess changes in the health status of their patients and make a quick referrals. Detail-oriented and organized. Nurses often work with multiple patients and healthcare professional at a time and so they need to be able to keep track of what has been done and what needs to be done. In addition, attention to detail is key; one small mistake in the operating room can have a big impact on a patient's condition and life. Stamina. Nurses are often required to perform physical tasks, such as lifting patients, and also work long shifts of between eight and 12 hours, which may include night shifts. | Get a high school diploma. Undertake post-secondary education in nursing. Make sure your school is accredited. Get some experience in working in surgery. Get licensed. Find a job as a nurse. Work as a registered nurse. Get perioperative nursing training. Pass the Certified Nurse Operating Room Exam (CNOR). Determine which nursing role in surgery you would like to have. Consider specializing in a specific surgical field. Understand the nursing profession. Determine if the general responsibilities of nursing interest you. Consider the specific field of surgical nursing. Know the general skills and qualities involved in nursing. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Hardtack | How to Make Hardtack | To make hardtack, start by putting 1 cup of water in a bowl and slowly adding up to 6 cups of flour, stirring constantly. When you have a stiff dough that you can no longer stir, knead the dough, roll it out until it's ½ an inch thick, and cut it into 3-inch by 3-inch squares. Then, use a skewer stick to poke 4 rows of 4 holes into each square, and put the squares on an ungreased baking sheet. Next, bake your hardtack in a 375°F oven for 30 minutes per side, or until they're golden brown. Finally, let your hardtack cool for another 30 minutes before you dig in. | Preheat your oven to 375 °F (191 °C). The prep time for hardtack is fast, so preheat your oven first. By the time the oven is ready, you can carry out all the prep work. Pour 2 cups (256 g) of white flour into a mixing bowl. Any type of flour will work for this recipe, but hardtack made from white flour lasts the longest. Different flours like whole wheat or rye produce hardtack that won't last as long. Mix in 1 cup (240 ml) of water into the flour. Take the water cup in one hand and slowly pour it into the flour while using your other hand to knead the dough. Introduce the water gradually by pouring in a little, mixing the dough, and then pouring more. Continue this process until you've used all the water. Knead the dough into a ball. Using both hands, work the dough with your hands until it reaches a uniform consistency. It will feel like playdough when it's mixed. If the dough gets flaky, add a few more drops of water. You can use a mixing spoon for this step, but the dough might be too tough to mix completely with a spoon. Your hands work best. Use plastic cooking gloves if you don't want your hands to get messy. You can also add 2 tsp (11.38 g) of salt, but this is optional. Roll the dough until it’s 1⁄4 inch (0.64 cm) thick. Sprinkle some more flour down so the dough doesn't stick to your rolling surface. Then use a rolling pin to flatten out the dough. Keep rolling until the dough is about ⁄ 4 inch (0.64 cm) thick. You could also use a plastic tube or a longer glass if you don't have a rolling pin. Cut the dough into 3 in (7.6 cm) x 3 in (7.6 cm) squares. Hardtack was traditionally made into large square crackers, so use this shape for authentic hardtack. Use either a knife or a pizza cutter to slice the dough into even squares. This size is just a suggestion. You can cut the dough into any shape or size you want. Some people use cookie cutters to make smaller, more portable crackers. Don't get rid of leftover pieces. Cook them along with the other pieces too. Poke evenly-spaced holes in straight lines in each cracker. Holes allow the air and moisture to escape while the hardtack bakes. Use a knife or fork to poke a series of evenly-spaced holes through the dough. Keep the holes in a straight line so the hardtack cracker is easier to break when you eat it. There is no set number of holes, but more is better. This releases more air and moisture and makes the cracker last even longer. The holes must be all the way through the cracker. Flip each one over to make sure you've pierced the dough all the way. Lay the crackers out on a baking sheet. Don't overlap the dough or let it touch, or the crackers will be stuck together. The dough shouldn't expand much, so you don't need large spaces between the crackers. Don't grease the baking sheet. The oil will soak into the hardtack and it won't last as long. Bake the hardtack for 30 minutes on each side. This gives the crackers an even tan color. When one side is done, flip each cracker over to bake the other side. Be careful when flipping the crackers. Use tongs so you don't get burned. Transfer the crackers into an airtight container after they've cooled. Leave the crackers out to cool for several hours. Cut one in half to make sure it's cooled all the way through. Then transfer them into a jar or plastic bag. Use a clear container so you can monitor the hardtack for mold without opening the container. Store the crackers in a cool area away from direct sunlight. Hardtack can last for years if it's stored properly. After the crackers are in an airtight container, place them in a cool area away from direct sunlight and take them out when you need them. Store the hardtack in smaller amounts so if you only want a few crackers, you don't have to expose the entire batch to air and moisture. Monitor the hardtack over time for mold. If you see any of this forming, throw the batch out and cook a new one. Some survivalists vacuum-seal their hardtack to make it last even longer. Mix in some spices for extra flavor. Any number of powdered seasonings can be mixed into your hardtack recipe to improve the flavor. For extra taste, try rosemary or oregano. If you like spice, try powdered cayenne pepper. You could also add more salt to the mixture. These options would all improve the extremely plain flavor of hardtack. Start with 1 tsp (5.69) of a seasoning in a small batch of hardtack and taste the end result. Add more for another batch if you decide it needs more flavor. For an experiment, mix several small batches of hardtack with a different flavors and see what you prefer. Then use that mixture for a larger batch. Include ¼ cup (85 g) of coconut oil in your recipe for more sweetness. Using this adds a unique flavor to your hardtack. As an added bonus, the crackers will also be softer with some oil in them, making them overall easier to eat. Adding oil of any kind will make your hardtack last a much shorter time. Only use this recipe if you will eat the hardtack soon. If you plan on storing it for a long time, skip this option. Pour 1 tbsp (21.5 g) of honey into the dough. A bit of honey can sweeten up the bland taste of traditional hardtack. Try adding 1 tbsp (21.5 g) to the dough as you mix it. Add more if you want more flavor. You can also add honey to hardtack before you eat it, like honey on toast. Remember that if you use honey the hardtack won't stay preserved as long. Use this hardtack within a few months to avoid mold growth. Substitute white flour with sorghum flour for a sweeter flavor. While white flour makes hardtack last longer, other types of flour taste much better. Sorghum flour is known for its naturally sweet flavor. Replacing white flour with sorghum with produce a better-tasting hardtack. For extra sweetness, use sorghum and honey in your hardtack recipe. | Preheat your oven to 375 °F (191 °C). Pour 2 cups (256 g) of white flour into a mixing bowl. Mix in 1 cup (240 ml) of water into the flour. Knead the dough into a ball. Roll the dough until it’s 1⁄4 inch (0.64 cm) thick. Cut the dough into 3 in (7.6 cm) x 3 in (7.6 cm) squares. Poke evenly-spaced holes in straight lines in each cracker. Lay the crackers out on a baking sheet. Bake the hardtack for 30 minutes on each side. Transfer the crackers into an airtight container after they've cooled. Store the crackers in a cool area away from direct sunlight. Mix in some spices for extra flavor. Include ¼ cup (85 g) of coconut oil in your recipe for more sweetness. Pour 1 tbsp (21.5 g) of honey into the dough. Substitute white flour with sorghum flour for a sweeter flavor. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-an-Origami-Christmas-Tree | How to Make an Origami Christmas Tree | To make an origami Christmas tree, start by folding a square piece of paper in half diagonally and then unfolding it. Then, rotate the paper so it looks like a diamond, and fold the left and right points down to the center crease. Next, flip the paper over and fold the left and right points in to the center again. Once you've done that, turn the paper over again and fold the bottom point up to the top to create a horizontal crease across the middle. Finally, fold 2/3 of the top point down and fold 1/3 of the trunk up to create a flat bottom. | Lay a square piece of paper on a flat surface with the color side facing down. For example, if 1 side of your paper is green and the other is white, place the green side down on the surface. While you can use any size paper, make sure your sheet is a perfect square. If you're using paper that has color on both sides, it doesn't matter which side you place face-down. You can use any type of paper, like origami paper or computer paper. Fold the paper in half diagonally then open it back up. Bring 1 corner over onto the opposite corner, creating a diagonal fold. Crease the fold firmly, then unfold the paper so it lies flat again. It doesn't matter which corners you fold together. For example, you could fold the top left and bottom right, or the top right and bottom left. Bring the top left and right corners into the center so the edges of the paper align with the crease. Fold the top 2 corners in so that the edges of the paper line up with the crease in the center. This creates a kite shape. Run your finger along each fold to secure it in place. Line up the 2 edges in the center so that they just barely touch. Don't overlap them or leave a large gap between them. Flip the paper over and fold the left and right corners in so the top edges line up in the center. Bring the 2 corners in towards the middle, making the edges of the top of the paper flush with the center fold. This forms an even narrower kite shape. Crease your folds so that they stay in place without you holding them down. Turn the paper over and fold it in half, bringing the bottom corner up to the top. Make a horizontal crease from the left corner to the right corner. Check that the 2 halves of the kite are perfectly aligned before pressing down on the fold to secure it. This turns your paper into a triangle shape. Fold 2/3 of the top corner back down so it hangs over the bottom of the triangle. This is the trunk of your tree. Crease the paper about 1/3 up from the base of the triangle shape so that the folded-down corner extends past the triangle at the bottom. The further down you pull the corner below the triangle, the longer your trunk will be. Fold about 1/3 of the trunk up, creating a flat bottom. After you've created the trunk at the base of the triangle, take the very tip of the pointed corner and fold it back up. This flattens your trunk so it looks more realistic. Don't fold more than just the tip of the trunk, or you'll end up with a very short base. Set a square piece of paper color side down and fold it diagonally both ways. Lay the paper so that the blank white side is facing up, then fold 1 corner across to the opposite corner. Open the paper back up before folding along the opposite diagonal, too. It doesn't matter which side is facing down if you're using a piece of paper that's colored or patterned on both sides. Open the paper back up, then fold it in half vertically and then horizontally. After you make your diagonal creases, unfold the paper and bring 1 edge over onto the opposite edge, folding it in half horizontally. Crease the fold before opening the paper again. Then fold it in half the vertically. Crease each fold firmly by running your finger along the fold while applying pressure. Bring 2 opposite corners into the center, collapsing the paper into a square. Pinch the left corner and right corner in each hand and push them together to meet in the middle. As you do this, the paper collapses along the creases you made, forming a smaller square. If you're having difficulty getting the paper to fold in on itself, go back and deepen your previous folds so that the creases are less stiff. Press your palm down over the small square once you've folded it to secure it. Fold the corner of the top flap into the center. After you create your small square, there are flaps on each side. Line up the edge of 1 flap with the center crease by bringing the corner into the middle, then crease the fold. You can start with either the left flap or the right flap. Slide your finger into the flap to open it, then flatten it against the square. Lift the flap up before opening it and then gently pressing it down, creating what's known as a squash fold. The crease that you just made is now in the middle of the flattened shape. Make sure the paper doesn't get crumpled while you're pressing down on it. Smooth out any wrinkles if necessary. Repeat the squash fold on the remaining 3 flaps. Once you've flattened 1 flap, do the same to the other 3 flaps. Flip the square over and fold the corner of the next flap in to the center before opening it up and pressing it down against the square. Continue until all of the flaps have been flattened. You can flatten the flaps in any order you'd like. For example, you can work around the square clockwise or counter-clockwise. Fold the bottom corners up into the center of the tree to create a straight edge. This allows your tree to stand up. Take the 4 pointed corners and fold them each underneath themselves, so the paper is tucked inside the center of the shape. If you have trouble making straight folds into the middle of the tree, fold the corners up in the opposite direction first. This makes a crease that you can use to guide your fold underneath. | Lay a square piece of paper on a flat surface with the color side facing down. Fold the paper in half diagonally then open it back up. Bring the top left and right corners into the center so the edges of the paper align with the crease. Flip the paper over and fold the left and right corners in so the top edges line up in the center. Turn the paper over and fold it in half, bringing the bottom corner up to the top. Fold 2/3 of the top corner back down so it hangs over the bottom of the triangle. Fold about 1/3 of the trunk up, creating a flat bottom. Set a square piece of paper color side down and fold it diagonally both ways. Open the paper back up, then fold it in half vertically and then horizontally. Bring 2 opposite corners into the center, collapsing the paper into a square. Fold the corner of the top flap into the center. Slide your finger into the flap to open it, then flatten it against the square. Repeat the squash fold on the remaining 3 flaps. Fold the bottom corners up into the center of the tree to create a straight edge. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Recognize-Aspergers-in-a-Toddler | How to Recognize Aspergers in a Toddler | To recognize Asperger's in a toddler, look for difficulty interacting with others and unusual speech patterns. A toddler with Asperger's might avoid eye contact and use unusual gestures and facial expressions when talking to other kids. They might seem to not care about other kids' feelings due to their difficulty reading emotions. Because of this, they often prefer playing alone. When they talk, they may stress their words in an unusual manner or speak with a monotone voice. Children with Asperger's often show repetitive hand or body movements similar to Tourette's syndrome, like twisting their hands or tapping their fingers. They also have intense reactions to ordinary sensations, like smells, sounds, or sights. If you think your child might have Asperger's, take them to see a doctor for an official diagnosis. | Examine the toddler's social interactions. Difficulties interacting with others is one of the main features of autism. As such, carefully observing how they interact with others can be a good way to recognize signs of Asperger's/autism. Look for whether they misinterpret simple social cues such as turn-taking during conversation, as this can be a sign of autism. If they have trouble joining or staying in social interactions, it may be a sign of Asperger's/autism. For example, the child may leave the room in the middle of playing with another child or otherwise be disruptive. Autistic children tend to prefer playing by themselves and may even get upset if another child approaches them. They may only interact with others when they want to talk about an interest or if they need something. Possible signs of ASD include awkward social interactions such as consistently avoiding eye contact, and unusual body posture, gestures, and/or facial expressions. Examine imaginative play. This type of playing is often different in a child with Asperger's. For example, a child with Asperger's may dislike, or struggle to understand social games. They may prefer games with a set script, such as acting out a favorite story or TV show, or they may enjoy creating fantasy worlds, but struggle with social role play. For example, if your daughter organizes her stuffed animals into elaborate societies, but doesn't role-play interactions, she may be autistic. In addition, they may seem "in their own world," or may try to impose their choice of game on their playmates or otherwise act in a very one-sided manner. Some children with Asperger's can follow the lead of a close friend or sibling with roleplaying, but don't do it on their own. Watch for how they read others. Although a young child with Asperger's/ASD may have some sense of emotions at a conceptual level, they may have difficulty reading and interpreting others' feelings in real social interactions, which tend to be fast-paced. They may also have trouble understanding social boundaries such as need for privacy. Disregard for other's feelings may be interpreted as being insensitive but it is really beyond the child's control. Look at whom they choose to socialize with. Those with Asperger's/ASD tend to have great difficulty interacting with their peers. A child who constantly seeks out an adult for conversation over another child may be on the autism spectrum. Although toddlers may not always have much of a choice about who they interact with, try to create opportunities such as play dates, so you can try to get a sense of their interaction choices and social behavior. Watch for monotonous or idiosyncratic speaking. One cue of autism is if the toddler talks in a monotonous or flat tone (if they are talking at this point). In some cases this is more of an odd, or higher tone. How a child stresses words and the rhythm of speech may be affected by Asperger's/ASD. Make sure you get a broad enough range of the toddler speaking to be sure that the monotonous speaking is relatively consistent across different contexts. Some autistic children will speak in a singsong or otherwise unusual tone. Watch for unusual language use. Be mindful of when your toddler starts joining words together and if language development is progressing normally. For most toddlers, including those with Asperger's, this will be around age 2. Although language development can be normal or advanced in young autistic children, the social context in which language is used is often atypical; for example, words may be repeated but not understood. You may notice a child with Asperger's is highly skilled at language and very verbal. For example, they may list off every item in a room. However, speech may seem overly formal or scripted as a child with Asperger's/ASD tends to use language to relay facts, not convey thoughts or feelings. Watch for interactions with teachers or daycare workers. Young autistic children often have difficulty deviating from routine. One place routine may be broken is when the toddler interacts with teachers or daycare workers. As such, it is important, when attempting to recognize autism in a toddler, to keep an eye out for how the toddler acts in this context. Your toddler may need more support and prompting than their peers, or become anxious without guidance from an adult. If you are not with the toddler during the day, you could ask the teacher or daycare worker to keep an eye out for certain behaviors (such as getting upset when asked to deviate from routine) and report back to you. Examine question and answer behavior. Check to see if the toddler either answers their own questions, or if they only answer questions but does not continue the conversation. A young autistic child may only initiate questions on topics that interest them. Watch for difficulty adapting to change. A young child on the autism spectrum tends to not accept change well and prefers highly structured days and rules. These rules tend to be nonfunctional or somewhat arbitrary in that they could be broken or changed. If you tend to be in the same routines when interacting with your toddler, try changing things up and gauging their reaction to get a sense of whether they are on the autism spectrum. Look for passionate special interests. If you or others classify them as a "walking encyclopedia" on a given topic, that's a tell-tale sign of Asperger's/ASD. They may either be very focused on a particular subject or be very intensely into it. Your child's interest in a particular area may be a sign of ASD if it is unusually intense or focused, especially when compared to others their age. Observe repetitive motor behaviors, aka "stimming. " Young children with Asperger's/ASD commonly show repetitive motor behaviors such as persistent hand twisting or finger tapping or even whole-body movements. These behaviors tend to be longer and more ritualistic looking than tics, which are shorter in duration. They may be used to self-soothe, express emotion, focus better, or simply have fun. An autistic child will become distressed if you get in their way (e.g. passing in front of them while they are trying to walk in circles around a table). Try this once and see how your child reacts. While stimming in general is harmless and does not need to change, some individual stims (e.g. head-banging or ripping the wallpaper) cause harm. These can be redirected to better stims. A child with Asperger's may also demonstrate difficulty in some motor skills such as catching and throwing a ball, for example. In general, they may appear clumsy or awkward in their movements. Look for unusual sensory reactions. Determine if the toddler has an abnormal reactions to touch, sight, smell, sound or taste, as this can be a sign of autism. Although sensory sensitivities vary, most frequently children with Asperger's will experience intense reactions to an ordinary sensation. Some autistic children are not sensitive to pain, or do not know how to communicate it. Recognize you need a doctor to officially diagnose. Although you may recognize some telltale signs of ASD in your toddler, ultimately you need the professional discernment of a doctor or other qualified individual. Your doctor may choose to recommend tests to more thoroughly examine relevant potentially telling aspects of your toddler's cognitive development. Express your concern to your doctor. If you suspect your toddler is showing signs of ASD, tell your doctor. Try to have relevant information on hand such as if your child: Doesn't respond to social interaction with a smile of happy emotional expression by 6 months of age. Doesn't mimic facial expressions or facial movements (such as sticking out your tongue and your toddler doing the same), or sounds, by 9 months of age. Is not babbling or making cooing sounds by 12 months of age. Isn't making gestures such as pointing, by 14 months of age. Has not uttered single words by 16 months of age or pairs of words by 24 months of age. Doesn't engage in imaginary play by 18 months of age. Seems to be regressing in their social or verbal skills. Realize you may be referred to a specialist. There are individuals who may specialize is diagnosing and/or treating ASD, such as child psychologists, pediatric neurologists, or developmental pediatricians. Keep in mind there is no single medical test to diagnose ASD, so try to remain patient as you and your doctor work through the diagnosis process. Recognize that autism is lifelong, but your child can receive support. There is no "cure" for autism, but therapies can help your child gain skills and be more comfortable. The aim of these treatments is to maximize your child's ability to function day to day through gaining coping mechanisms and focusing on learning outcomes. Some treatment options include: Behavior and communication therapy in which the aim is either to reduce problematic behaviors and communication styles, or to improve these areas by teaching new skills. Family therapies in which the emphasis is on teaching the toddler's family different ways to interact with the toddler to promote their social and emotional development. Sensory integration therapies and a sensory diet, to improve your child's tolerance to sensory input and manage hyperactivity. Educational therapies that are highly structured individually tailored programs executed by a team of specialists who have expertise in communicating with and teaching individuals with ASD. Medications such as antidepressants or antipsychotics can be somewhat effective in controlling symptoms such as anxiety and severe behavioral problems, respectively. | Examine the toddler's social interactions. Examine imaginative play. Watch for how they read others. Look at whom they choose to socialize with. Watch for monotonous or idiosyncratic speaking. Watch for unusual language use. Watch for interactions with teachers or daycare workers. Examine question and answer behavior. Watch for difficulty adapting to change. Look for passionate special interests. Observe repetitive motor behaviors, aka "stimming. Look for unusual sensory reactions. Recognize you need a doctor to officially diagnose. Express your concern to your doctor. Realize you may be referred to a specialist. Recognize that autism is lifelong, but your child can receive support. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Being-Possessive-About-a-Friend | How to Stop Being Possessive About a Friend | While it's normal to feel a certain level of possessiveness about a friend, if you try to steal all of the attention, get angry if your friend spends time with others, or feel insecure about your friendship, then it may be time to address your behavior. Try talking to your friend about your feelings to see if you can work through things together. Say something like “I've been struggling with feeling possessive about our friendship, but I'm trying to work on this and hope we can still be friends.” Then, work on changing your behaviors. Possessiveness can feel overbearing and drive some people away, so try to give your friend a little space. Let your friend make plans without you, and create your own life outside of your friend to reinforce the sense that you both have your own, fulfilling lives outside of one another. | Analyze your behavior. Look for the root cause of the problem by reviewing instances in which you behaved or felt possessively about your friendship. Try to make connections between the situations to see if you can find some kind of common ground that might be acting as a trigger for your possessive behavior. Consider ways you might avoid these triggers and try to move forward. For example, you may discover that most of your possessive feelings arise when you are hanging out in a group of three because you often feel excluded when there are only two other people. If this is the case, you should just try to avoid hanging out in threes. Try to organize one-on-one hangout time or events for a larger group of people. Talk about your feelings. Try to explain your possessive behavior to your friend. Talk to your friend in an open manner and tell them about your feelings. If they understand what you mean, they may very well try to spend more time with you and help you to feel reassured of their support for you. It may be possible for you guys to work through it together. Try saying something like, “I have really been struggling with feelings of possessiveness about our friendship lately. I think it might be related to how I felt about my dad when I was younger, but I know that it's not a healthy way for me to interact with you. I am trying to work on this and I would really like it if we could get through this together as friends.” Let go of your past. Think about any past incident you might have had relating to cheating or losing a best friend. Realize that it was just a one-time incident and that this experience cannot be generalized. Remember that each person is different and each relationship is different. Let the past go as you cannot change what had happened. Focus on the present friendship and forget the past. Realize that this friend didn't do this thing in your past and, therefore, should not be punished for it. Give your friend space. Exhibiting possessive behavior will probably not do anything to make your friendship closer. If you feel like you are acting possessively toward your friend, you should back off and give them some space. Let your friend make their own plans and don't be so obsessed with being involved. Try letting your friend call you first or wait for them to make plans with you. Some people need more space than others, so you might be crowding the friendship without realizing it. Learn to live your own life. Create your own life outside of the friend you feel possessive over. Evaluate what your likes and dislikes are and become involved with hobbies or other worthwhile pursuits. Focus on your own daily tasks at home and work, and develop a social life that doesn't always depend upon your friend. The more time you spend on yourself, and developing your own unique identity, the more interesting you will become to others and your friend. While it is nice for you to have a good relationship with your friend and to spend time with her, it is also beneficial to spend time apart. Possessive behaviors will be perceived as increasingly overbearing as they continue and will end up pushing your friend away. Learn to trust your friend and realize she is choosing to be in a friendship with you. Allow her to have other friendships outside of yours. Wait for people to come to you. You are an interesting person in your own right and people will be attracted to you, especially if they don't feel like you are desperate for their attention. People don't generally like feeling the pressure of a possessive friendship, so let someone else do the work of worrying for a change. Wait for other people to initiate contact with you on occasion and see what happens. You might be surprised. Don't try to change your friend to meet your needs. A large part of possessive behavior is the need to feel in control. Do you often ask yourself where your friend was when she wasn't with you, whom she spoke with, and the content of every conversation she had when she was not with you? Do you see yourself beginning to dread her ability to make personal decisions about things without your influence? Having concerns and interest in your friend's life is normal to a point, but trying to control their every move is not. Realize that the only person you will be able to change in your life is yourself. Let go of the underlying tension you may feel if you are not in control. It does not matter how good your intentions are, if your friend feels suffocated by your interventions into their life your controlling behavior is already destroying the relationship. Let go of your need to control, and you will see great improvements in your relationships and life. Unplug from technology and social media. It can be all too easy to keep up with people today – mostly because of modern technological advances in social media-related fields. Take action to remove the temptation to internet creep from your life. Try hiding them from your social media accounts if you just can't help yourself. Or you could even take a break from social media in general for a while to see how that makes you feel. Seek outside help. If you are having trouble controlling your possessive behavior, it might be time for you to get some professional help. Going to a counselor or therapist could be very beneficial for you in this situation. They can help you figure out the underlying causes of your possessive feelings. A professional could also help you understand how to cope with these feelings in the future. Talking to a professional who is not invested in the situation might help you see it in a new light as well. This could help you realize how your possessive behavior is affecting your relationship and what you might be able to do to improve the situation. Build your life. Put yourself into a variety of activities and get yourself busy. This way, you have less time to think about what your friend is up to and you'll also be making your life more interesting to others so you can attract more friends in the future. Start playing a musical instrument, start going to church, start doing anything that is good for you and will help you move forward from this point. Work on becoming a more well-rounded person by investing in different activities and experiences. Don't rely on one person to make you feel good about yourself. Get to know your friend's friend circles. Be active, socialize and network in your friend's circles so that you might be able to spend more time with them. Do not spy around; instead, respect your friend's space and give a lot of trust to your friendship. Ultimately, this respectful hands-off approach will work out for your own good. If you become friends with more of their other friends, you're bound to spend more time with your friend by default. However, this could be seen as another possessive behavior if you're not careful. Expand your own social circles. Part of the reason you feel so possessive of your friend is probably because you have been limiting yourself to that one friend for a while. If you have other friends that you hang out with and invest in, you won't need so much emotional support from that one friend. Spread your needs out over a group of people. Try meeting new people (at places like school, church, or in your neighborhood) as well as cultivating friendships with people you already know casually. Distract yourself. Feelings of possessiveness tend to get worse when we just sit and focus on them. As long as you allow yourself to obsess over this one friend, you will not get over it. Try distracting yourself with anything possible to get your mind off of it. You could even enlist the help of another friend if you trust them enough not to tell other people about it. Try reading a book, watching a movie, going for a walk, calling a friend, talking to your mom, or even creating something artistic. | Analyze your behavior. Talk about your feelings. Let go of your past. Give your friend space. Learn to live your own life. Wait for people to come to you. Don't try to change your friend to meet your needs. Unplug from technology and social media. Seek outside help. Build your life. Get to know your friend's friend circles. Expand your own social circles. Distract yourself. |
https://www.wikihow.life/Remove-Dish-Soap-from-a-Dishwasher | How to Remove Dish Soap from a Dishwasher | To remove dish soap from a dishwasher, pour 1 cup of vinegar into the dishwasher and run it for a few minutes on a normal cycle. Then, check on the suds and pour more vinegar in if they're still there. You can also sprinkle table salt over the suds and then run the dishwasher, which will help break them down so they disappear. Pouring a cup of olive oil in the dishwasher before running it can also help clear out any dish soap residue. | Stop the machine and cancel the cycle. Once you realize dish soap has been added to your dishwasher, immediately stop the machine. If the soap suds haven't started seeping out of the machine and all over your kitchen floor, then stopping it quickly will either keep that from happening or allow you to place towels on the floor to control the mess. Stopping the machine quickly will also keep the remaining dish soap from working its way through your dishwasher's system. The dishwasher should start draining out once you cancel the cycle. Grab several towels to soak up the suds. If suds have spilled onto your floor, grab several towels and start cleaning up the mess. You want to keep the mess from possibly causing water damage if it seeps behind your dishwasher or cabinets. You'll also want to clear up the mess to keep yourself from slipping when you start cleaning out your dishwasher. Remove all of your dishes. Once the dishwasher has finished draining, open it, and take out all of the dishes you were trying to clean and place them in the sink. Getting them out of the way will make things easier once you start cleaning up the mess. There's likely dish soap residue all over the dishes, and you need to get rid of as much leftover dish soap as you can in order to gain control of the overflowing soap suds. Use a small bowl or container and the remaining dry towels to remove excess water and soap suds from your dishwasher. If the water is very hot, throw in a tray of ice cubes to cool it down. Remove as much water out of the dishwasher as possible. And then wipe the walls, top and bottom of the dishwater to get rid of any leftover suds and dish soap residue. Make sure to wash out the soap dispenser thoroughly, if that's where you put the dish soap. You can also use a wet-dry vacuum, if you have one, to suck out the water and soap suds. But make sure it is rated for wet pickup, and make sure to use only the wet filter. Dry the bottom of the dishwasher with a towel. The heating coil may be very hot, so very carefully dry the bottom of the dishwasher as best you can to wipe away any remaining dish soap. Run the rinse cycle for a few minutes. Let the rinse cycle run for a few minutes to wash out the remaining dish soap. Soap suds may or may not continue to foam, depending on how effective you were at hand cleaning out the machine and how much dish soap was added to the machine. If you have enough heavy, dry towels that you don't mind suds continuing to spill out of your dishwasher, you can keep running the rinse cycle repeatedly until all of the dish soap washes out. But if you'd rather a quick fix, try one or more of the following remedies. Pour ½ to 1 cup of vinegar inside your dishwasher. One way to calm the out of control soap suds in your dishwasher is by using distilled white vinegar. Start by pouring ½ cup of vinegar directly into the bottom of the dishwasher. Let your dishwasher run for a few minutes on the normal setting. After a few minutes, check inside to see if the soap suds have begun to dissipate. If they haven't, pour another ½ cup and start the normal wash cycle again. If that still doesn't help, try adding another cup of vinegar, and repeating the normal wash cycle. Move on to another method if that still doesn't seem to be working. Sprinkle a layer of table salt over the soap suds. You can use table salt in conjunction with vinegar to deactivate the foaming agent in the dish soap , or you can use table salt by itself. If you'd like to use the vinegar and salt together, then pour 1 cup of vinegar and about two tablespoons of salt across the soap suds or bottom of the dishwasher. Start the normal cycle of your dishwasher and let it run for a few minutes. If the soap suds appear to be dissipating, then you can allow the cycle to run through. If not, repeat the process until it works. If you are using only table salt, then pour a generous amount atop the soap suds. The salt will break down the soap suds, and work as an anti-foaming agent to prevent more suds from forming. Let the normal cycle of your dishwasher run for a few minutes before checking to see if it's working. If the soap suds still seem to be growing, pour more salt over them and turn the dishwasher back on. Check again after a few minutes to see if the additional salt is helping. If not, repeat the process until it does. Once you notice either method working, allow the normal cycle to run all the way through in order for the remaining dish soap and suds to wash completely out of the dishwasher's system. Add ice cubes to the mix. Using ice cubes along with heaps of table salt may also help to get rid of the overflowing soap suds. If your dishwashing cycle was set to hot, then the hot water is likely helping the soap suds to grow. Pouring in a couple trays of ice cubes will cool down the water and help to settle some of the soap suds. Add the ice after you add the salt and let the two work together as an anti-foaming agent. Allow the ice to melt. Drain your dishwasher of the melted ice and salt, and then start your dishwasher on a rinse cycle. You may need to repeat the process if you still see soap suds after the cycle completes. Pour a cup of olive oil into the bottom of your dishwasher to clear out the soap suds. Olive oil works also as an anti-foaming agent. In fact, several dishwasher manufacturers recommend it as an effective solution if you happen to pour dish soap into your dishwasher. If you don't have olive oil, any other cooking oil will also work. Once you've cleaned out your dishwasher, removing as much dish soap, suds and water as you can, pour a cup of olive oil into the bottom of the dishwasher. Let the dishwasher run for an entire normal cycle. The heavy oil should break down the soap suds and work to clear out the remaining dish soap residue. Add a capful of liquid fabric softener to your dishwasher. Another method for clearing dish soap from your dishwasher is to add liquid fabric softener to the machine. Only a capful is needed to help break down the soap suds. After adding the liquid fabric softener, let the dishwasher run on a normal cycle for about a minute to activate the softener. Either press the button to cancel the cycle to allow solution and suds to drain, or change the cycle to the drain cycle. | Stop the machine and cancel the cycle. Grab several towels to soak up the suds. Remove all of your dishes. Use a small bowl or container and the remaining dry towels to remove excess water and soap suds from your dishwasher. Dry the bottom of the dishwasher with a towel. Run the rinse cycle for a few minutes. Pour ½ to 1 cup of vinegar inside your dishwasher. Sprinkle a layer of table salt over the soap suds. Add ice cubes to the mix. Pour a cup of olive oil into the bottom of your dishwasher to clear out the soap suds. Add a capful of liquid fabric softener to your dishwasher. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Round-Steak | How to Cook Round Steak | If you want to braise round steaks, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet, and season your steaks with salt and pepper. Next, cook the steaks for 3 minutes on each side before putting them on a plate. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the same pan, then sauté the onion for 5 minutes and the minced garlic for 1 more minute. Finally, stir in tomato sauce, maple syrup, soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar, and allow the mixture to come to a boil. Add the steaks and cook for 60 minutes. | Melt 1 Tbsp (15 ml) butter in a large skillet. Heat the butter over medium-high heat, long enough for it to melt.For a stronger flavor, consider using tallow, which is a rendered form of beef fat, or lard, which is a rendered form of pig fat. Vegetable oils can also be used. Brown the steaks in the butter. Add the steaks to the hot, melted butter and cook for roughly 3 minutes per side or until both sides are brown. Once brown, remove the steaks from the skillet and put them on a plate with a shallow rim. This rim is necessary since it prevents any juices from running off the side of the plate. Melt the remaining butter in your skillet. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp (30 ml) of butter to the skillet and heat over medium-high until the butter melts. As before, consider using tallow or lard instead of butter to enhance the flavor. For a healthier alternative, replace the butter with a vegetable oil. Cook the onion and garlic in the butter. Add the onion to the skillet and sauté it in the hot butter, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 1 minute, again stirring frequently. The onions should be tender and fragrant when done. The garlic should be toasted and fragrant when ready. Garlic cooks faster than onion, so the two should not be added simultaneously. Moreover, garlic burns easily, so you will need to keep a close eye on it to prevent that from happening. Stir in the sauce ingredients. Add the tomato sauce, maple syrup, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and red pepper flakes (if desired) to the skillet. Stir well, then add the beef broth, and stir again. It is a good idea to combine the sauce ingredients before returning the steak pieces to the skillet. If the steak remained in the skillet, they would create an obstruction, and you would have a harder time blending the sauce ingredients together. Return the steaks to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil before dropping the heat to low or medium-low, letting the mixture reach a steady simmer. Make sure that you also return to the skillet any juices from the steak that seeped out onto the plate. These juices are valuable, both in terms of moisture and flavor. Cook until tender. Cover the skillet and cook for 60 to 90 minutes. During the last 20 minutes, uncover the skillet. Stir the contents of the skillet occasionally as the steaks cook. Uncovering the skillet during the final part of the cooking process will allow the sauce to reduce and become thicker. Slow braising is an ideal cooking method for round steaks, which tend to be fairly lean and not very tender. The slow cooking process helps the meat break down more, and the liquid involved in braising prevents the beef from drying out. Serve warm. Transfer the steak to individual serving platters and ladle the thickened sauce on top. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (163 degrees Celsius). Meanwhile, prepare a baking dish by lightly coating the bottom and sides with nonstick cooking spray. If you have a large, heavy-bottomed, oven-proof skillet, you do not need to prepare a separate baking dish. The entire meal can be prepared in this oven-proof skillet. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high until it becomes notably smooth and glossy. This can take a minute or so. Flatten the beef. Sandwich the cut steak in between two layers of wax paper or parchment paper. Use a meat tenderizer to pound the steak until it reaches a thickness of about 1/4 inch (6.35 mm). Tenderizing and flattening the beef helps the final product to have a less chewy, less tough texture. Combine the flour and salt. Mix the flour and salt in a large resealable plastic bag. Place the ingredients in the bag, zip closed, and shake quickly to distribute the salt evenly throughout the flour. Alternatively, you could combine the flour and salt in a wide bowl with shallow sides. Make sure that the bowl is shallow enough and wide enough for you to place a piece of steak in. Sift the ingredients together to ensure that they are well-combined. Dredge the steak in the flour mixture. Add the steak to the flour and salt in the plastic bag and seal the bag closed. Give it a good shake so that all sides of the beef are coated in flour. If using a bowl instead of a bag, add the steak pieces to the seasoned flour in the bowl and turn them over a few times, dredging all the sides completely. Brown the steak in the hot oil. Add the coated steaks to the hot oil and cook for roughly 3 minutes on each side, or until each side turns brown. Remove the steak from the skillet once brown. Place it on a plate with a slight rim, to collect any juices it loses, and keep warm. Sauté the celery, peppers, and onion. Add the three vegetables to the pan drippings and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently. When done, the vegetables should be tender-crisp. They should be soft enough to bite into but should still have a little crunch. Add tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce. Pour the ingredients in the pan and bring to a boil. After the contents reach a boil, drop the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 5 minutes. After this addition, you should stir the contents of the pan to loosen any browned bits and pieces stuck to the bottom. These bits are valuable because they contain a lot of flavor. As the mixture simmers, keep the skillet uncovered. Transfer the contents of your skillet to your prepared baking dish. Place the steak in a single layer in your prepared baking dish and pour the contents of your skillet on top. If using your skillet for the oven portion of this dish, as well, simply return the steak to the skillet and ladle some of the vegetable mixture on top of it. Bake until tender. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 60 minutes in your preheated oven. Slow baking in liquid is another ideal cooking method for round steaks, which tend to be fairly lean and not very tender. The slow cooking process helps the meat break down more, and the liquid prevents the beef from drying out. Add and melt the cheese. Uncover the dish and sprinkle the beef with the cheese. Return it to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted. You could add more cheese than the recipe calls for, if desired, but adding more cheese may increase the amount of cooking time since a thicker layer will require more time to melt. Serve warm. Pull the finished steak out of the oven and transfer to individual serving plates. Spoon the vegetable mixture on top. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the butter to the skillet and heat over medium-high until fully melted. You may also want to prepare your slow cooker by coating the bottom and sides with nonstick cooking spray or by inserting a special slow cooker liner. This is not strictly necessary, but without taking either precaution, the steak pieces may end up burning and sticking to the slow cooker, making cleanup a mess. Combine the flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Place the four ingredients in a large resealable plastic bag and zip closed. Give the bag a good shake to thoroughly blend the seasonings with the flour. Alternatively, you could combine the flour and seasonings in a wide bowl with shallow sides. Make sure that the bowl is shallow enough and wide enough for you to place a piece of steak in. Sift the ingredients together to ensure that they are well-combined. Coat the steak pieces with the flour mixture. Add the steak to the flour in your bag and close the bag again. Give the bag another good shake so that all sides of each piece get coated in flour and seasonings. If using a bowl instead of a bag, add the steak pieces to the seasoned flour in the bowl and turn them over a few times, dredging all the sides completely. Brown the steak in the hot, melted butter. Add the steak to the hot butter and cook for about 3 minutes on both sides, or until both sides of the steak turn brown on both sides. You could skip the skillet steps from a technical standpoint, but they are strongly recommended. Browning the steak before cooking it in a slow cooker enhances the flavor. Once brown, remove the steak from the skillet and place the pieces directly in the slow cooker. Add the sauce ingredients to the skillet. Add the beef broth, onion slices, onion soup mix, brown sugar, allspice, ginger, mushrooms, and bay leaf to the skillet. Add any remaining flour, as well. Bring to a slow boil, stirring continuously with a whisk, for about 5 minutes. Cooking the sauce in a skillet beforehand is not strictly necessary, but it is a good idea. Adding the liquid ingredients to the pan and stirring the contents allows you to deglaze the bottom and pick up all the brown, flavorful bits previously stuck to the pan. The flour can also cause the sauce to thicken once it boils. Pour the sauce over the steak in the slow cooker. Make sure that each of the steak pieces is evenly submerged in the sauce. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours. Once done, the steak should be very tender. Slow cooking round steak in liquid is another great cooking method to use. Round steaks tend to be fairly lean and not very tender, and the ultra slow cooking provided by a slow cooker helps the meat break down more, making it very tender when done. The liquid it cooks in prevents the beef from drying out, as well. Serve warm. Remove the steak from the slow cooker and transfer to individual serving plates. Ladle some of the sauce over each piece of meat before enjoying. Note that you should remove the bay leaf before dishing out the steaks and sauce. | Melt 1 Tbsp (15 ml) butter in a large skillet. Brown the steaks in the butter. Melt the remaining butter in your skillet. Cook the onion and garlic in the butter. Stir in the sauce ingredients. Return the steaks to the skillet. Cook until tender. Serve warm. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (163 degrees Celsius). Heat oil in a large skillet. Flatten the beef. Combine the flour and salt. Dredge the steak in the flour mixture. Brown the steak in the hot oil. Sauté the celery, peppers, and onion. Add tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce. Transfer the contents of your skillet to your prepared baking dish. Bake until tender. Add and melt the cheese. Serve warm. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Combine the flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Coat the steak pieces with the flour mixture. Brown the steak in the hot, melted butter. Add the sauce ingredients to the skillet. Pour the sauce over the steak in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours. Serve warm. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Supercool-Water | How to Supercool Water | If you want to supercool water using salt and ice, fill a clean glass 1/4 of the way full of purified water, then place the glass in the center of a large bowl. Add enough ice to the bowl so the glass is completely surrounded, then sprinkle 2 tablespoons of salt over the ice. Take care not to get any ice or salt inside the glass. Wait about 15 minutes, or until a thermometer shows that the water is below 0°F. To crystallize the water, either drop a piece of ice into the glass or pour the water onto ice. You should see ice form almost immediately. | Gather the necessary materials. For this method, you will need salt, purified water, a small clean glass or plastic cup, a large bowl, and ice. If you have a thermometer it would also be useful, but not necessary. Make sure your glass is very clean; any impurities can cause the water to crystallize into ice before supercooling occurs. Impurities can also lower the freezing point of water. The bowl must be large enough to contain the glass and enough ice to submerge the glass. Fill the cup 1/4 of the way up with purified water. The amount of water added doesn't have to be exact. Add enough that you will be able to measure the temperature, but not so much that you won't be able to surround the cup with ice above the water line. Place the cup in the center of the bowl. Fill the bowl with ice. Add enough ice so that glass/cup is completely surrounded by the ice. You want there to be enough ice to go above the water line in the cup. Be careful not to drop any ice into the cup of water. Covering the cup before you add ice and salt is a good way to prevent accidental contamination. Sprinkle two tablespoons of salt over the ice. Adding salt to the ice lowers its freezing point. With a lower freezing point, the temperature around the glass can get cooler. Again, be careful not to get any salt into the glass/cup. At this point you can add a clean thermometer if you have one. Wait until the thermometer shows the water is below freezing. Because this reaction works faster than the freezer, you'll want to watch your water carefully. If you have a thermometer. This lets you see exactly when the water is below 0º C (32º F), which is the freezing point of water. This process generally takes about 15 minutes, plus or minus a few minutes depending on your personal freezer settings. If you leave the water for too long, it will freeze. If you don't have a thermometer, you can set-up a second bowl with tap water. When the tap water freezes, your purified water should be super-cooled. Initiate ice crystallization. There are two fun ways to cause the water to freeze: drop a piece of ice into the glass/cup or pouring the water onto a piece of ice. After dropping in the ice, the water should freeze quickly freeze in the glass/cup. This is often called snap freezing. Pouring the water onto ice will cause the water to freeze as you pour. Obtain a bottle of purified or distilled water. You can't use tap water because it has minerals and other impurities that will trigger ice formation during the cooling. Purified water removes these impurities allowing this experiment to work. Water expands as it freezes, so ensure the bottle isn't completely full before you proceed. Place the bottle in the freezer. Make sure wherever you put the bottle, it won't be knocked around if someone else opens the freezer. If possible tell friends or family not to use the freezer during the remainder of the experiment. If you live where the temperature outside is below freezing, you can put the bottle of water outside. Chill the water undisturbed for 2-3 hours. The amount of time needed to supercool the water will vary based on the temperature of your freezer. A good measure is to also put a bottle of tap water in the freezer. Once the tap water is frozen, your pure water should be supercooled and still in its liquid state. Starting at 2 hours, check the bottle of tap water every 15 minutes to see when it freezes. When the tap water is completely frozen, the pure water will be supercooled. If your pure water is also frozen, you may have waited too long, bumped the bottle during the process, or the water wasn't completely pure. Melt the water and try again for a shorter amount of time. Remove the pure water from the freezer. Carefully take the bottle of water out of the freezer. When liquids are supercooled a quick motion can cause it to crystallize into ice. Initiate ice crystallization. There are two fun ways to cause the water to freeze: shaking the bottle and pouring the water onto a piece of ice. After shaking the bottle, the water should freeze quickly freeze in the bottle. This is often called snap freezing. Pouring the water onto ice will cause the water to freeze as it hits the ice. As you continue to pour the water will freeze on top of itself. | Gather the necessary materials. Fill the cup 1/4 of the way up with purified water. Fill the bowl with ice. Sprinkle two tablespoons of salt over the ice. Wait until the thermometer shows the water is below freezing. Initiate ice crystallization. Obtain a bottle of purified or distilled water. Place the bottle in the freezer. Chill the water undisturbed for 2-3 hours. Remove the pure water from the freezer. Initiate ice crystallization. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Diaper-Cake-without-Rolling | How to Make a Diaper Cake without Rolling | To make a diaper cake, start by finding pie pans of different sizes that are the size you want the cake layers to be. Then, place a stack of diapers in the pan sideways, with the folded part facing outwards, and carefully spread them out to create a swirl. When the pan is full, wrap a string or rubber band around the outside of the diapers to keep them together, then repeat the process with the other pie pans. Finally, stack the layers and add ribbons or other decorations to hide the rubber bands. | Find several pie or cake pans in different sizes. Most diaper cakes will have about three layers, but you can do as few as one or two. If you can't find any pie pans, you can use other round, shallow containers—just make sure that the container is no more than half the diaper's height. This will make it easier to tie the diapers together later on. You can use any sized pans you want, but for a standard cake, consider getting the following three sizes: 10 inch, 8 inch, and 6 inch (25.4 centimeters, 20.32 centimeters, 15.24 centimeters). Start filling the largest pan first. Put a stack of diapers inside the pan. Place them sideways, with the folded part facing outwards (towards the wall of the pan). Try to use size 0 or 1 diapers. Keep filling the pan with diapers to form a swirl. Try to pack them as close together as you can. As you continue to fill the pan, you'll notice the diapers begin to swirl and curl within the pan. You may notice a gap or hole towards the center of the pan. Don't worry about the hole yet. If your largest pan is 10 inches (25.4 centimeters), plan on using about 20 diapers. Wrap some string or a rubber band around the middle of the diaper "cake. " This will hold your diaper cake together. Do not use tape or glue, as this can ruin the diapers, and make them unusable for the new mom. Repeat the process for the other pie pans. Use the same process to make more layers. Each layer should be smaller than the last one. Remember to tie each diaper stack with a piece of string or a rubber band. If your next two pans are 8 and 6 inches (20.32 15.24 centimeters), plan on using 13 and 7 diapers respectively. Pull the diaper stacks out of the pans. They will keep their shape because you tied them together, but you may still want to be careful. Set them down on a flat surface. Wrap a ribbon around the middle of each cake to hide the string or rubber band. Choose a ribbon whose color matches the cake's theme or the baby's gender. Cut a piece that is 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) longer than the circumference of your cake. Wrap the ribbon around the middle of the cake. Overlap the two ends by ½ inch (1.27 centimeters). Secure the two ends with a pin or a line of hot glue. Repeat for all of the stacks/layers. Don't pin the ribbon directly to the diapers. Also, don't get any hot glue on the diapers. Stack the layers, starting with the largest layer on the bottom. Try to keep them as centered as possible. If your stacks have a hole in the middle, use that as a guideline. Stick a dowel down the center of the cake. The dowel should fit right through the center hole of each stack. If not, push the dowel through each layer carefully, so that you don't pierces the diapers. Try to find a dowel that can reach through all the layers, but without sticking over the top of the cake. If you can't find a short enough dowel, don't worry. You can always cover the excess dowel up by tying soft toys around it. Consider the theme. If you are having difficulties choosing decorations for your cake, as the new mom what the theme for her baby shower will be. Base your cake's theme off of that. If the mom does not have a theme yet, here are some popular themes that work well for babies: Animals, especially zoo animals Trains Flowers and butterflies Teddy bears Oceans, such as whales and fish Consider the colors. Soft and pastel colors are often associated with babies, so you might want to use those for your diaper cake. This does not mean that you have to use light blue for baby boys and pink for baby girls. There are other colors you can use too. Here are some ideas to get you started: Match the colors to the baby shower's theme. Use pastel primary colors, such as pink, pastel yellow, and light blue. Try warm colors for a baby girl, or cool colors for a baby boy, but in pastel hues (so pink instead of red, and mint green instead of green). Use yellow or purple if the baby's gender and the shower's theme are not yet known. Use items that the new mom will find useful. Diapers are not the only thing a new mom will need and appreciate. There are lots of items babies need, and you could make the new mom really happy by including some of them in your cake. When picking out decorations, consider any of the following items: Baby socks Baby wipes Bibs and burp cloths Chew toys Pacifiers Rattles Soft toys Consider mimicking a real cake. Just because you are making a cake out of diapers and baby items does not mean that your "cake" shouldn't resemble a real one. There are some details you can add that will give it the feel of a real cake. Here are some ideas to get you started: Find some baby barrettes or hair clips with rosettes or flowers on them, and clip them to the ribbons around your cake. Wrap some rickrack around the ribbon bands to resemble frosting. Secure it with a drop of glue. Cut shapes out of felt (or use baby-themed iron-on patches) to resemble fondant designs. Attach the decorations so that they are easily removable. Hot glue might be the most durable, but the new mom might appreciate a cake she can pull apart and use. Avoid gluing or pinning the decorations directly to the cake. Instead, consider any of the following: Slip thin items, such as baby wipes, behind the ribbons. Stick pointy items, such as rattles, in between the diapers, so that they stick out like candles. Pin soft items, such as bibs and teddy bears, to the ribbons. Be careful not to pierce the diapers themselves. If the dowel was too long and sticks out of the top of the cake, consider tying some soft toys around it. This will hide the dowel and ensure that the cake topper of soft toys won't fall off. Stack large items, such as soft toys, on top of the cake. Every cake needs a cake topper, and soft toys are perfect for this. Use a few pins as possible. These pins will pierce the diapers, and possibly make them unusable. You can also use other items for the topper, such as baby bottles or other nice baby toys. Place the finished cake on a decorated cardboard circle. Many arts and crafts stores sell decorated cardboard circles meant for cake bases. You can also use a pretty plate or cake strand instead. A cardboard circle or cake stand will also make the cake easier to move around. | Find several pie or cake pans in different sizes. Start filling the largest pan first. Keep filling the pan with diapers to form a swirl. Wrap some string or a rubber band around the middle of the diaper "cake. Repeat the process for the other pie pans. Pull the diaper stacks out of the pans. Wrap a ribbon around the middle of each cake to hide the string or rubber band. Stack the layers, starting with the largest layer on the bottom. Stick a dowel down the center of the cake. Consider the theme. Consider the colors. Use items that the new mom will find useful. Consider mimicking a real cake. Attach the decorations so that they are easily removable. Stack large items, such as soft toys, on top of the cake. Place the finished cake on a decorated cardboard circle. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Better-High-School-Wrestler | How to Become a Better High School Wrestler | If you want to become a skilled wrestler, develop a series of moves you will use in specific match situations so you'll always be one step ahead of your opponent. Your physical training should incorporate weight-lifting, which will make you physically powerful, as well as some form of cardio, like running. Having a positive mindset is just as important, so spend a moment visualizing your victory before a match. | Train in the athletic stance. Using an athletic stance during training increases the benefits of your drills and conditioning exercises. There are three basic athletic stance positions to choose from. Select the one that feels the most natural to you and make sure that you always begin your training sessions in this stance. Universal. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Bend your knees slightly and lean forward. Put your hands up in front of as if you are getting ready to grab your opponent. Staggered. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, but place either your right or left leg a little ahead of the other leg, as if you have just taken a small step forward. Bend forward so that your back is almost parallel and put your hands out in front of you. Parallel. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and bend at the waist until your back is parallel with the ground. Then, put your hands out in front of you. Incorporate chain wrestling. Chain wrestling is a style where you plan out moves for specific situations, such as when you are in a hold. You can use chain wrestling to help you gain the advantage, rather than repeating the same moves over and over again. Chain wrestling is similar to making a sequence of moves in chess to beat your opponent. For example, you might develop a specific move to counter a hold and then have additional moves to follow that one, which will help you to achieve your goal of pinning your opponent. Add strength training. If you are not yet following a strength training routine, then now is a great time to start. Strength training can increase your power and this will give you an advantage during your matches. Make sure that you work with a trainer who is knowledgeable about strength training for wrestlers. Some good strength training exercises to add to your routine include: pull-ups push-ups shoulder presses wall sits sit-ups Enhance your agility. Wrestlers need to be strong, but they also need to be agile, so agility training should be part of your program as well. You can improve your agility through training matches and actual wrestling matches, but you can also try other strategies, such as jumping rope or running obstacle courses. Include cardiovascular training. Wrestling is an intense cardiovascular workout, so it is also important to include some vigorous cardiovascular exercise in your training regimen, such as running or climbing stairs. You can use your cardio routine as a warmup to your workout, or incorporate the cardio into your wrestling training. For example, you could run a couple of miles before you start your workout, or sprint across the gym a couple of times in between your strength training exercises. Make sure that you take a few minutes to stretch before and after your workouts. Consider attending a wrestling camp in the summer. Wrestling camps offer intensive training with talented coaches and other dedicated wrestlers like yourself. If you want to immerse yourself in wrestling and return to school in the fall with better wrestling skills, then a wrestling camp might be your best bet. Ask your coaches if they know about any good wrestling camps in your area. View your mistakes as learning opportunities. If you lose a match, try not to see it as a bad thing. Instead, use your mistakes to help you develop into a better wrestler. After you lose a match, take time to reflect on what went wrong. Ask yourself questions, such as: What advantage did the other wrestler have over you? What can you do to ensure that you can overcome this advantage in the future? Listen to your coach. If your coach offers you advice or feedback, then try to listen with an open mind and do your best to put the advice into practice. Remember that your coaches do not correct you or tell you how to wrestle to show off or make you feel bad, they do so to help you improve as a wrestler. If a coach gives you advice that you do not understand, ask for clarification. If a coach gives you advice that you do not agree with, try the suggestion before you decide whether or not to include it in your practice. Never talk back to your coaches or be disrespectful, even if you totally disagree with them. Visualize yourself succeeding. Before you go into a match, it is important to take about five minutes and visualize yourself winning the match. This practice has been shown to be effective for athletic success. To use visualization, close your eyes and picture yourself achieving your goal. Imagine how you will overcome certain obstacles and how you will feel after you have defeated your opponent. What will you look like? How will you feel? Practice every day. Persistence is one of the best ways to improve as a wrestler, so make sure that you are practicing every day. Maintaining a regular, consistent practice schedule will help you to build up your skills and keep you focused on wrestling. Avoid taking long breaks away from your training. For example, do not take the summer off even if you are not in school. Maintain a regular training schedule in the summer just as you would during the school year. Follow a balanced diet. Following a balanced diet will help to ensure that you are in your best condition when it is time to compete. Your coach may provide you with specific diet recommendations based on your need to lose or gain weight. Make sure that your diet includes a good balance of lean protein, fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and low-fat dairy products. Make sure that you talk to your doctor before making any drastic changes to your diet. Drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated is important for all athletes, but sometimes wrestlers will try to restrict their fluid intake to lose weight. However, this is not an effective way to lose weight. Make sure that you are staying hydrated by drinking at least eight 8 ounce glasses of water every day. Remember to replenish the fluids that you lose during training sessions by drinking water while you are training as well. Get lots of rest. After a long training session, your body will need rest in order to repair and restore itself. Make sure that you are getting at least eight hours of sleep every night. If you have trouble sleeping at night, try: Cutting back on caffeine and avoiding altogether late in the day Establishing a bedtime routine, such as taking a shower, putting on pajamas, and reading a book Turn off screens such as televisions, computers, tablets, and cell phones Steer clear of things that are bad for you. As an athlete, you have to take excellent care of your body. Otherwise, it will not perform at the highest possible level. Therefore make sure that you avoid things that might be harmful to your body, such as: cigarettes and other tobacco products alcohol and drugs unhealthy foods such as fried, greasy, sugary, and fatty foods | Train in the athletic stance. Incorporate chain wrestling. Add strength training. Enhance your agility. Include cardiovascular training. Consider attending a wrestling camp in the summer. View your mistakes as learning opportunities. Listen to your coach. Visualize yourself succeeding. Practice every day. Follow a balanced diet. Drink plenty of water. Get lots of rest. Steer clear of things that are bad for you. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Sing-High-Tenor | How to Sing High Tenor | To sing high tenor, try to relax your chin and shoulders as you sing, since this helps expand your vocal cords. Once you're ready to start singing, use your head voice by projecting your voice through your nasal cavities as this creates a higher pitch. Additionally, try to use forward placement by directing your voice towards your nose so the sound hits the roof of your mouth. Then, practice songs with tenor 1 vocals like "Alone in the Universe" from Seussical the Musical, which will help you train your voice. | Learn the different vocal ranges. A vocal range is the span from the lowest to highest note that a voice can make. There are 4 main vocal ranges with several sub-ranges that people can produce. Every person possesses a different vocal range, and while men typically fill out the lower ranges and women the higher ranges, some people possess an ability to span several ranges. The 4 main vocal ranges from highest to lowest are: Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass. Sub ranges include: Mezzo-soprano, Contralto, Countertenor, Tenor 1 or Tenor 2, and Baritone. High tenor is also known as Tenor 1. Find Middle C. Middle C is also referred to as C4 in scientific pitch notation on a music scale. Middle C will help you find your vocal range since it's in the middle of the piano or keyboard and a great starting pitch that most people can sing. To locate middle C, look for the name of the piano manufacturer in the center of the piano. You'll see a grouping of 5 black keys in the middle separated by 2 white keys. The white key directly to the left of the 2 black keys in the center of the piano is middle C. Locate your vocal range. You can find your vocal range on a piano, keyboard, or with an app or computer program by singing along as you go up and down in the notes. To accurately find your full vocal range it's best to do some vocal warm ups before you begin to loosen up your vocal chords. Start warming your voice up by humming and allow your pitch to slide up and down freely. Sing scales on lip trills by pursing your lips and blowing air through them as if you were blowing bubbles underwater. Start at middle C and match the pitch. Then progress downward on the piano hitting each note and matching its pitch. Once you've gone as far down as you can and still produce a sound with your voice, make your way back up and continue matching pitch to notes until you've gone as high as possible while sustaining the note. As you go higher up, you will have to sing in head voice and falsetto. Head voice is when you feel the vibrations in your head as you're producing sound from higher up in your body. Think Mickey Mouse when trying to sing in head voice. Head voice marks the break in your voice, where you can't smoothly hit a higher note. Falsetto, or “false voice” is when you feel that nasally pinch in the back of your throat. Once you've gone as low and high as you can, count how many octaves your voice spans. Each octave is 8 notes. Start at middle C and count down to the next C, remembering which is the lowest key you could hit. Repeat with the upper keys. Most people possess a range of 1.5 octaves. High Tenor is in the (G♯2-)C♯3-B4(-E5) range. Practice your tenor vocal range. If you naturally sing in the tenor range, you're well on your way to singing in high tenor. Locate middle C again and match pitch with an "Ahhhhh" sound. Now locate the C an octave below Middle C, followed by the C an octave above Middle C. Match your voice to each note by going, "Ahhhhh." Slowly slide between the notes if you have trouble matching the pitch. Note where your throat tightens up or where you need to send more air to hit a note. Slide as far as you can without straining your voice, then back off. Typically the highest note for a tenor is around the E5 key. Develop your head voice. Your head voice is like a bell. In order to master your head voice, you have to be able to access the resonance in your nasal cavity and employ your pharynx. The pharynx is the passageway that connects your nasal cavity to your larynx. Start in the middle of your range and produce an “Ng” sound. As you open your mouth into an “Ahhhh” sound and move up through the scale, really connect to the vibration you feel in the back of your neck. Head voice is a connected sound, as it still involves part of your chest. So, you may not feel a break in your voice when transitioning from chest voice to head voice. To strengthen your head voice, sing an “Ahh” sound starting at the upper middle point in your range and sliding up until you can't sing any higher without transitioning into falsetto. Smooth your register break. Register breaks occur when you transition from chest voice to a higher mode like head voice or falsetto. Breaks can also occur when coming back down, and can be smoothed out with proper technique and practice. You can learn to minimize your break by opening up the throat further through manipulation of vowels. This means not pronouncing vowels as you would when speaking. Instead, draw out and round the vowel sounds to keep your larynx stable. Many professional singers learn to sing around the break in their voice, so don't feel like it's something you have to fix, even if you think it sounds awkward. Practice your falsetto voice. Countertenors have the ability to produce a full sound in falsetto, sometimes allowing the voice to reach soprano levels. Your falsetto doesn't resonate in your chest; it resonates in your throat, mouth, and sinus cavities. If you've ever imitated a female voice, this is similar to falsetto. To produce a well-rounded falsetto sound, keep your larynx stable, and picture yourself closing around the notes, not pushing or straining them outward. Start with the lowest note that you can in falsetto and practice scales going up and down until you can produce a consistent sound. Relax your body, especially your mouth and your shoulder area. They tend to be tensed when hitting high notes. You might be tempted to raise your chin as if you're reaching for the note, but this will strain your voice and restrict your vocal cords. Keep your head level. Pull your shoulders back and align your spine in a straight line, extending through the crown of your head. To practice the correct posture, lie flat on your back on the floor or stand against a wall. Start singing in your head voice. It will help you hit the higher notes and it should be very light sound. Project your voice from your nasal cavities. When you sing higher notes your vocal cords get tighter and smaller, like stretching a rubber band. Don't think about reaching up to hit higher notes. This will cause your voice to strain. Instead, picture reaching out farther in front of you to grab the notes. Use proper voice placement. To sing high notes without putting tension on your vocal cords, aim to use forward placement so that the sound hits the roof of your mouth first. To practice, hum and notice the gentle buzz you feel behind your nose. Press into the buzz to make your sound louder and higher. Open your mouth and imitate a siren, making sure to feel the sound in the same place in your head. As you sing higher notes, the sound will shift toward your soft palate, but try to keep it pointed toward your nose. Open the back of your throat. Begin by singing an “Ahh” sound in your chest voice, and move up the scale. Notice how the pharynx and back of your throat feel when singing in your chest voice. As you ascend the scale, keep your throat open and try not to let your pharynx move up in your throat. You're still drawing breath from your diaphragm, but you're not involving your nasal passages as much as you would when singing in chest voice. Pinch your nose and sing. Though higher notes involve your nasal cavity, you're not singing out of your nose. Pinch your nose and transition to head voice and falsetto. Work on being able to produce a consistent sound with your nose blocked. Practice songs that have tenor 1 vocals. The best way to sing in high tenor is to practice repeatedly. By singing songs that force you to consistently hit higher notes you can begin to train your voice and expand your range. Consult a vocal coach to help you as well. Some tenor 1 songs are: "Alone in The Universe" from Seussical the Musical. "Bring Him Home" from Les Miserables. "The Dentist" from Little Shop of Horrors. "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" from Jersey Boys. | Learn the different vocal ranges. Find Middle C. Locate your vocal range. Practice your tenor vocal range. Develop your head voice. Smooth your register break. Practice your falsetto voice. Relax your body, especially your mouth and your shoulder area. Start singing in your head voice. Use proper voice placement. Open the back of your throat. Practice songs that have tenor 1 vocals. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Polish-Titanium | How to Polish Titanium | To polish titanium, try spraying it with a glass cleaner like Windex. Once you've sprayed the whole surface, rinse off the glass cleaner and dry the titanium with a soft cloth. If your titanium is colored, leave it to air dry, since rubbing it could scratch the paint. If you only have a small titanium object, you can soak it in soapy water instead. Leave it to sit for 5 minutes, then gently rub it dry if it's not colored titanium. To remove scratches from your uncolored titanium, try using cream polish. Just use a small amount of cream metal polish on a clean cloth and gently rub your titanium with it. | Make a cleaning solution. You need to clean your titanium item before you can start polishing it. Fill a bowl with warm water that's large enough to fit your titanium item. Make sure that there is enough water to completely cover the item. Pour a small amount of mild dishwashing soap into the water. You can also use an ammonia cleaner, such as Windex, to clean titanium. You also may use a commercial jewelry cleaning solution on titanium. Avoid using any harsh cleaners like chlorine or bleach. These can damage the material. Place your titanium item in the water. Make sure that your item is fully submerged in the water. Allow the titanium to soak for about five minutes. Rinse with water. After soaking, take the titanium item out of the water. Rinse the item to get off any soap or cleaner residue. If you skip this step, the titanium could get sticky or develop a film from the residue. Dry the titanium. Take a dry soft cloth and gently rub the titanium. If there is visible dirtiness on the item, you should see it being rubbed away. Do not use a scratchy or rough cloth, as this can create scratches on the titanium. If your titanium item is colored, do not rub the titanium. This could damage or remove its color. Buy a titanium cleaner. You can either buy a spray meant exclusively to clean titanium, or buy a spray containing ammonia like Windex. Many other glass cleaners will also do the job. Do not use a cleaner that contains bleach or chlorine. Spray your item. Hold the spray bottle about a foot away from the item, and give it a good spraying. How much you spray depends on the size of the item, but you want to make sure that the entire surface of the object has been sprayed. Rinse the titanium. Just like after the soak, you want to make sure that you remove all traces of the cleaner. Rinse your item to make sure that it is completely clean. Make sure the water gets in all the crevices if it is an intricate piece. Dry the titanium. Use a clean smooth cloth to dry the item. Again, if you are cleaning a piece of colored titanium, skip wiping down the object because this can harm the color. In any case, be gentle with the titanium as you are drying it. You should notice that the spray has cleaned off the surface of the titanium, making it more shiny and vibrant. Purchase a cream metal polish. These polishes work by removing tarnishes and oxidation, and they also work to polish titanium. There are several on the market, and they can be purchased at Walmart or Ace Hardware. Cream polishes should not be used on colored titanium, as this may harm the color layer of the titanium. Put a small amount of cream metal polish on a clean rag. Rub this cream onto the titanium item, making sure to get into all of the nooks and crannies. If you notice oil or dirt coming off of your item, make sure not to rub it back into the titanium. Clean with a gentle soap. After you have rubbed the titanium with the cream polish, run the item under water. Using a gentle soap, clean the titanium so that all of the cream polish comes off. Dry the titanium. Using a smooth cloth, gently rub the titanium. Your titanium item should look more vibrant, and you should notice that the scratches are gone or are far less visible than before. Buy a wax or polish for titanium. You can use the same kind of wax and polishes on titanium as you can for steel. Purchase one of these waxes or polishes at the hardware store. Apply the wax or polish. Take a clean cloth and follow the instructions on the bottle to apply an appropriate amount of polish onto the cloth. The amount of polish you need will also depend on the size of the titanium item that you are polishing. Work the cloth in circular motions to polish. You do not need to press hard. Instead, make sure that you are covering all the areas of the titanium item with the wax or polish. Wipe away the polish with a cloth. Take a different clean cloth and wipe away the wax or polish. Don't scrub at the surface; this could scratch the material. Instead, wipe away gently. You should notice that the titanium is bright and gleaming. Don’t expose titanium to chlorine. If your titanium item is a ring or other piece of jewelry, take it off when you are showering or swimming. Take special care not to wear it in a chlorinated pool, as chlorine can significantly damage the material. Also make sure that your titanium is not exposed to bleach, such as when you are doing the laundry or cleaning. Don’t be rough with your titanium. If you wear your titanium item regularly, make sure to take it off when you are playing sports or doing anything physical. This will help you avoid scratching the material. Don’t get it dirty. This may seem obvious, but you don't want to expose your titanium item to messy activities. This is especially true for titanium rings, because you way not remember to take off your ring. If you doing things like gardening, making pottery or even doing the dishes, gunk can get stuck in and around your titanium item. Make sure not to expose your titanium to these kinds of activities. Use a polishing cloth. You can purchase polishing cloths at most jewelry stores and hardware stores. These cloths are a quick solution to polishing titanium. Simply take the cloth and gently rub it over the surface of the titanium. This should remove any residue and leave your titanium looking shiny. | Make a cleaning solution. Place your titanium item in the water. Rinse with water. Dry the titanium. Buy a titanium cleaner. Spray your item. Rinse the titanium. Dry the titanium. Purchase a cream metal polish. Put a small amount of cream metal polish on a clean rag. Clean with a gentle soap. Dry the titanium. Buy a wax or polish for titanium. Apply the wax or polish. Work the cloth in circular motions to polish. Wipe away the polish with a cloth. Don’t expose titanium to chlorine. Don’t be rough with your titanium. Don’t get it dirty. Use a polishing cloth. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Decorate-a-Small-House | How to Decorate a Small House | To decorate a small house, add mirrors to make your rooms look bigger. For example, put a large mirror on the wall in your living room to make the space feel larger and brighter. You can also hang your curtains as high as possible to make your ceilings look higher, but keep your curtains open as much as you can to let natural light in, which will make the room feel more open. In rooms like kitchens, which can easily get crowded with appliances and spices, use wall-mounted shelves or hooks to keep things off the counters and out of the way, which will help the space feel less cluttered. If you're in a position to purchase some new furniture, try to get pieces that are multi-functional, like a bedroom chest that can be used for storing clothes as well as a bedside table. | Utilize larger furniture pieces in smaller numbers in communal areas. It might seem counterintuitive, but larger pieces work better for small spaces—just don't use too many! For example, one large table in your dining room can make it feel large and expansive. Conversely, 2 smaller tables will make it look cluttered. Invest your money into quality furniture for the best value. Ask yourself how you can create more space with each piece of furniture you add. For example, use oval dining room tables instead of square tables since they usually take up less space. Use pedestal style tables—which have just one central support and offer the most legroom—for dining rooms and areas that need to accommodate more people at the table. Consider getting a sectional couch for your living room. This lets you seat several people on one piece of furniture instead of needing several (e.g., a loveseat and a couple of arm chairs). It will also help the room look more open. Double your furniture's use whenever possible. A great way to maximize space is to use furniture for multiple purposes. For example, a bedroom chest can be used for storing clothing as well as a makeshift bedside table. Look for any other furniture that can double as storage space and you'll minimize the clutter. Use the space underneath beds and couches to store boxes of clothing and accessories. You can mount shelves to store books, boxes, and decorative pieces, then attach hooks to the undersides to hang up coats, hats, and umbrellas. Just make sure the shelf is securely mounted to the wall so the weight of hanging items doesn't pull it down. Invest in foldable furnishings the save space. It's best to give yourself the option of folding up unused furniture when unused so that they take up a minimal amount of space. Check local home improvement stores for foldable dining room tables, desks, and couches and get into the habit of folding them up when you're not using them. Consider installing a folding door if you have a one-wall kitchen. Always remove your mail and books that accumulate on your tables to motivate you to fold them up! This will eliminate lots of clutter. A folding table can double as a desk in your bedroom or table in your dining room. Install wall-mounted shelves and hooks to maximize space. In rooms like kitchens, which can easily get crowded with spices and tools, a wall-mounted shelf can help reduce the clutter. You should also consider adding some hooks to hang tools, towels, and pot holders. Regardless of what you choose, you'll need to drill holes in your wall with an electric drill and fasten your shelves or hooks using nails. Visit the local home hardware store to purchase wall-mounted shelves and hooks. Try wall-mounted shelves in your bedroom if you have lots of books or toys. Purchase a small bed to open up space in intimate areas. A large bed can feel luxurious, but in a small room it can quickly make things cramped. Use smaller beds instead, such as models without a footboard like storage and platform beds. If you prefer a footboard, choose a model with one that's see-through to create visual space. A see-through headboard also helps! Hang your curtains as high as possible to maximize natural light. Place your curtains as close to the ceiling as possible – about 2 inches (5.1 cm) below the crown molding – to make your ceilings look higher. Stick to thin, lightweight drapes as opposed to heavy, bulky types. Extend your curtain rod at least 4 inches (10 cm) to each side to make your windows look wider. If you want to dress your windows, stick to tailored panels or sheers. Keep your curtains open as much as possible to let in natural sunlight. Closing off the windows can make a room feel dreary and cave-like. Add mirrors to double the space in your rooms. Integrate some mirrors into your home to make it look bigger. For example, select one wall in your living room—such as the one behind a couch – and line it with a large mirror. You can also create a mirrored backsplash in a small-sized kitchen to provide the illusion of space. If you don't have a large mirror, create a gallery of smaller mirrors of varying shapes and sizes. Use mirrors to brighten up a room that doesn't have windows or natural light. If you hang mirrors in a room with windows, place the mirrors directly opposite the windows so that they reflect more light. Purchase a rug large enough for most of your furniture. If you have a small house, a small rug can make it feel even smaller. Make sure rugs in communal areas are big enough to touch each piece of furniture. Ideally, the surrounding furniture should be able to partially sit on each one. Be sure to take measurements of the length and width of your room before buying a rug to make sure it can cover enough space Find a rug that is large enough to extend from wall-to-wall in at least one direction. Paint your walls in neutral colors to create an open, welcoming vibe. Aside from colors that work for specific rooms—such as dark brown for a reading room—neutral palettes are better choices for smaller homes. White, beige, gray, and black are the safest bets. Other options include ivory, cream, sand, camel, khaki, olive, tan, and charcoal. Check out the neutral blue paint options at your local home improvement store if you prefer a bit of a livelier tone. While neutrals may seem boring by themselves, they make decorating much easier. Since neutrals go well with most other colors, you can add more colorful décor without having to worry about it clashing with your walls. Keep the color scheme of your rooms cohesive. With a smaller space, you have fewer things to look at, which means it's easier to notice clashing elements. Choose a limited color palette and stick to it. For example, if you paint your walls gray, choose furniture and accessories that are darker or lighter shades of gray. Try to choose 2 to 3 shades and stick with them. Add a different color to spice things up, but keep it neutral. For example, a gray color palette would benefit from a loveseat that's a neutral shade of blue. Look at your room and find anything that sticks out like a sore thumb. If there's a picture frame or chair that just doesn't fit, replace it with something that fits the theme! Don't be afraid to remove things that you don't enjoy or that just don't feel right in the room. Connect adjoining rooms by using similar colors. For example, match the colors of your living room pillows to the dominant colors in your dining room to create harmony. Choose large furniture fabrics with textures instead of patterns. If you want to add some variety to your large pieces of upholstery, choose different textures instead of different patterns. This is a mild way of adding variety to your room without going overboard and making things look too distracting—too many patterns will make smaller spaces feel cluttered. If you want to add some patterns to your design, do so for smaller pieces of furniture, such as pillows. For example, keep your couch colors muted and add a large patterned pillow to inject some drama into your theme. You can cycle through pillows and throw blankets in different colors to go with the changing seasons. Contrast a soothing bathroom palette with a decorative backsplash and floor. Bathrooms work best with soothing tones like off-white, white, and tan. To contrast this, choose a unique tile pattern and backsplash. For example, a Greek key tile pattern or colorful rug is a nice choice. When it comes to your backsplash, choose a similarly eye-catching pattern. Install a new backsplash if you want to remodel your bathroom on a budget. If you're renting, you can install a temporary peel-and-stick backsplash and floor tiles. This is a quick and non-permanent way to give your bathroom a makeover. Decorate personal rooms with unique accessories. When it comes to personal rooms like bedrooms and studies, you can go a bit more crazy with your decorations. This is the time to use expressive patterns and fabrics that stand out. Don't worry about going with the theme of the rest of the home—think of it as unique! Try an extra tall or curvy headboard. Choose sculptural table lamps or an eye-catching chandelier for lighting. Hang up some artwork that expresses your personality. Mix textures and prints in your bathroom and kitchen décor. When you're decorating a bathroom or kitchen, using a mix of textures and patterns is a great way to liven it up. For example, a metallic stool with a textured rug looks great. Just be sure to connect your décor by using a single color, such as navy blue, when using multiple patterns and prints. Select wall towels with colors that reinforce your bathroom's color scheme. For example, if your décor is navy blue and your walls are off-white, choose towels of these color. Install hanging storage units to hold cleaning supplies or place them in a storage basket under the sink to free up space. | Utilize larger furniture pieces in smaller numbers in communal areas. Double your furniture's use whenever possible. Invest in foldable furnishings the save space. Install wall-mounted shelves and hooks to maximize space. Purchase a small bed to open up space in intimate areas. Hang your curtains as high as possible to maximize natural light. Add mirrors to double the space in your rooms. Purchase a rug large enough for most of your furniture. Paint your walls in neutral colors to create an open, welcoming vibe. Keep the color scheme of your rooms cohesive. Choose large furniture fabrics with textures instead of patterns. Contrast a soothing bathroom palette with a decorative backsplash and floor. Decorate personal rooms with unique accessories. Mix textures and prints in your bathroom and kitchen décor. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Hamster-Teeth-Healthy | How to Keep Hamster Teeth Healthy | To keep hamster teeth healthy, give your hamster plenty of things to chew on in its cage, like chew sticks and untreated wood. You should also feed your hamster a healthy diet that consists of commercial hamster mix, fresh fruit, and vegetables, which will help prevent dental problems. Try to check your hamster's teeth once a week, and if you notice that the top or bottom teeth are overgrown or broken, take your hamster to the vet. | Provide your hamster with chew sticks. You can throw in 1-2 chew sticks or chew toys into your hamster's cage as needed. Although these fun treats look fantastic and colorful to you, they are usually just slabs of wood brushed over with a non-toxic paint. Packages of chew sticks generally cost $1-$10 USD, depending on what brand, quantity, and store you buy them from. You can also give your hamster popsicle sticks, which are available at most craft and big box stores. Chew sticks are often made out of balsa wood or another light-weight wood. Make sure chews are constantly available or your hamster could face dental problems in the future, such as overgrown teeth. Give your hamster untreated wood to chew on. If you are looking for a more nutritious, environmentally friendly way of keeping your hamster's teeth shaved down, you can use pesticide-free fruit tree branches. Cut off a 3–4 inches (7.6–10.2 cm) section that is about 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) thick and give it to your hamster. Wood from an apple tree is best but cherry, peach, or pear wood works as well. Allow your hamster to chew on a dog biscuit once a month. You can use dog biscuits as a replacement for chew sticks and wood. However, they can be very high in fat, so you should only give these in small quantities on occasion. Consider dog biscuits a special treat that will also keep your pet healthy if eaten in moderation. Make sure items you give your hamster are safe for it. Hamsters will chew on most things they are given. Therefore, you should never give them anything that is toxic or indigestible. Do not give them plastic to chew on. Also avoid giving them pieces of plants that are hazardous to them, including the wood of English ivy, hydrangea, and azaleas. Make sure that every chew is non-toxic. Look for a label that states that items are non-toxic and appropriate for pets. Also, be sure of what you are giving your hamster before you give it to them. For example, don't give your hamster a random piece of wood you find if you are not sure what type of wood it is. A great chew for hamsters are empty toilet paper or paper towel rolls. This will give the hamster something to chew, and the hamster will even turn it into bedding. Feed your hamster a healthy diet. In addition to overgrown teeth, your hamster can develop dental problems from eating a poor diet. Make sure that your pet gets a combination of commercial hamster mix and fresh fruits and vegetables. These foods, in addition to items to chew and plenty of fresh water, will help keep your hamster's mouth healthy. Get annual veterinary care for your hamster. Even if you don't see any developing dental problems with your hamster, you should still have it looked at by a vet every year. A veterinarian will be able to assess the animal's health and spot developing problems that you may not be able to identify. Some hamsters may have a misaligned jaw, which can it make impossible for them to grind down their teeth. If this is a problem with your hamster, your vet can help prevent overgrown teeth. Inspect your hamster's teeth weekly. Because hamsters are so prone to dental problems, you should inspect their teeth every week. Hold the hamster still and gently open its mouth by pulling the fur at the back of the head, so the animal is forced to smile. Make sure that the teeth at the front of the mouth, called the incisors, meet each other. If the top or bottom incisors are overgrown, they will not meet and grind against each other. If the teeth still meet but are so long that your hamster cannot fit a piece of food between them when it has its jaw wide open, then its teeth are too long. You should also look for broken or misshapen incisors. Broken or otherwise misshapen teeth should be looked at by a veterinarian. Pay attention to your hamster's appetite. A hamster that is having dental problems will likely eat less food than normal. If your hamster's dish suddenly remains full, it could be because of overgrown teeth or another dental problem. Hamsters do tend to hide stashes of food in their cages, so your hamster may be hiding food even though it is not eating any. When you clean out your hamster's cage weekly, be on the lookout for stashes of food. Look for signs of weight loss. While it is hard to tell if a hamster is losing weight because of its fur coat, you may be able to tell when you pick it up. Weight loss is a sign that your hamster isn't eating enough, which is often caused by a problem with its teeth. Try to weigh your hamster regularly so that you know what it weighs when it is healthy. This will make identifying weight loss much easier. To weigh your hamster, place a treat on a digital scale and then zero out the weight. Once the scale reads zero, allow the hamster to climb up on the scale for the treat and read the weight. Notice excessive drool. A hamster that has an unhealthy mouth may produce excessive saliva. This excess saliva occurs because the hamster cannot close its mouth or swallow properly. Excessive drooling also occurs simply because the animal is stressed and in pain. Excess saliva can often be spotted by the staining it creates around the hamster's mouth and on its chin. Smell your hamster's mouth. If you suspect that your hamster is having dental problems, the smell of a hamster's mouth can clue you in to a problem. Hamsters with infections in their mouth often have a bad smell emanating from it. This is not the normal smell of your hamster's food and body, but a more rancid smell. Trim your hamster's incisors if you’re trained and confident. You can trim down overgrown teeth with a pair of nail clippers, but this can lead to fractures in the tooth if not done carefully. Because of this, it's important to talk to your veterinarian before attempting to trim your hamster's incisors. They can show you the way to hold the hamster still, the way to trim the teeth, and what mistakes to avoid. If your are hesitant at all to do this at home, then have your veterinarian do it. Poorly trimmed teeth can cause further health problems instead of eliminating them. Overgrown back teeth need to be clipped with special tools, and this procedure should be done while the hamster is sedated in a veterinary office. Your vet will likely use an ultrasonic dental machine to safely grind down the hamster's teeth. Have your veterinarian trim your hamster's teeth instead. If you are having trouble keeping their teeth down with chew toys, make an appointment with your veterinarian. They will gladly trim the teeth down and give you some tips on keeping your hamster's teeth healthy. Make sure to go to a veterinarian that has experience working with rodents. These vets are typically labeled as exotic pet veterinarians. Get treatment for related medical problems. If your hamster has had overgrown teeth or other dental problems, it may have underlying issues, such as an infection. Your veterinarian will prescribe treatment for these health problems and it is your job to follow through with treatment at home. In the case of an infection caused by overgrown teeth, your veterinarian will likely prescribe your hamster a round of antibiotics. Give this medication to your pet as directed. | Provide your hamster with chew sticks. Give your hamster untreated wood to chew on. Allow your hamster to chew on a dog biscuit once a month. Make sure items you give your hamster are safe for it. Feed your hamster a healthy diet. Get annual veterinary care for your hamster. Inspect your hamster's teeth weekly. Pay attention to your hamster's appetite. Look for signs of weight loss. Notice excessive drool. Smell your hamster's mouth. Trim your hamster's incisors if you’re trained and confident. Have your veterinarian trim your hamster's teeth instead. Get treatment for related medical problems. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Care-for-Jersey-Wooly-Rabbits | How to Care for Jersey Wooly Rabbits | To care for your Jersey wooly rabbit, make sure you keep it in a cage of at least 3 square feet, so it has plenty of room to move around. Inside the cage, provide at least 1 hiding place, like a cardboard box or tunnel, since rabbits like to hide from loud sounds and other things that scare them. You should also feed your rabbit a healthy diet of grass hay, pellets, and leafy green vegetables to keep it healthy. In addition to food, provide plenty of water throughout the day in a ceramic dish, since rabbits generally prefer these to bottles. If there are any exposed wires around the room you'll be letting your rabbit out in, make sure you hide them or cover them with spiral wrap or concealers so your rabbit doesn't chew through them and hurt itself. | Set up a bunny cage. Your Jersey Wooly rabbit will need a cage with a minimum size of 1 foot (0.30 m) per 1 pound (0.45 kg) of full grown rabbit. The Jersey Wooly rabbit averages around three pounds, so your cage needs to be at least three square feet in area. The width should be 1.5 times the length of the fully grown rabbit, while the cage length should be 3 times the length of the bunny. That is the room just for the rabbit itself.The cage will also need to have room for a litter box, her food and water dishes, and a box for her to rest in, so aim for at least 6 feet (1.8 m) of floor space in the cage. Make sure not to place your rabbit in an aquarium or a cage with solid walls. This restricts airflow and can harm your rabbit. Make sure the cage has an appropriate floor. Because your Jersey Wooly rabbit has small feet, the wrong floor can cause her to get injured. Your Jersey Wooly can get her feet stuck in a wire floor. Make sure to give the bunny cage a solid floor instead of a wire floor. Wire floors may also cause sores to form on the bottom of your rabbit's feet. Carpeting or wooden flooring along the bottom of the cage works well, as does a piece of fleece fabric. Fleece won't block the digestive tract if the rabbit eats it. Keep in mind that you must also place a deep layer of bedding on the floor of the cage. Place bedding in the cage. You need to make sure you provide your bunny with a sleeping area on top of the floor of their cage. Your rabbit will eat the bedding, so make sure you make it from a material that is safe for her to eat. Safe materials to make bedding from include meadow or timothy hay, natural fiber blanket made from natural fibers, or other organic products. Provide enough bedding so she can move it around and burrow in it. Don't use harmful materials for bedding, such as straw, cardboard, newspaper, wood shavings, sawdust, cat litter, or cedar or pine products. Give your rabbit a litter box. Your rabbit needs a place to go to the bathroom. Put a litter box in your bunny's cage. For your small Jersey Wooly rabbit, you can use a medium sized plastic cat litter pan. Place fresh hay inside the litter box and rabbit-safe bedding under the hay. The litter box needs two sides: a kitchen side and a bathroom side. Your rabbit will nibble hay in her litter box, so the kitchen side will contain clean hay away from the bathroom side. You should confine her to this cage until she is consistently using the litter box. Set up a hiding place. Rabbits are naturally skittish and like to hide from predators, loud noises, or other things that scare them. You need to provide hiding places for your Jersey Wooly rabbit. This can be any enclosed space away from sounds, lights, and drafts. Make sure the hiding place has two openings, otherwise your rabbit won't use it. Good hiding places are cardboard boxes and tunnels made out of cardboard tubes. You can also purchase rabbit hiding places from the pet store. Hiding places can be anywhere in your house as long as they are away from high-traffic areas. Let your rabbit roam in a designated room. Choose one room to let your rabbit roam around freely in. This room needs to meet all your rabbit's needs, so it needs a litter box, a hay feeder, food dishes, and water bowl. Inside the room, you can set up cardboard houses, bunny condos, puppy pens, or rabbit cages. Protect electrical wiring. One of a rabbit's favorite activities is chewing. In the bunny room, cover up wires or remove them completely. You can place electrical cords in hard plastic tubing split lengthwise with the cords tucked inside. Place cords behind woodwork or trim, wrap them in spiral wrap or use concealers to keep them out of sight. Keep your rabbit from chewing on trim and furniture. Since your rabbit will love to chew, she will chew on trim, door edges, furniture, wallpaper, sheetrock, and carpet if you let her. Protect the room by putting boards over places your bunny can chew that she shouldn't. To keep your rabbit from burrowing up into the furniture, put cardboard or 2x4s under it. Cover the wall with clear plastic panels to keep the rabbit from chewing. To discourage your rabbit from chewing on inappropriate objects, give her an acceptable chewing toy if she tries to chew on something else. Give your rabbit toys to chew on. Make sure your rabbit has a lot of toys and objects to chew on. You can leave out alfalfa cubes, cardboard tubes stuffed with grass hay, fresh apple, willow, or aspen branches, or rolled up cotton towels. You can make homemade toys for your rabbit, like a cardboard box stuffed with hay, cardboard rolls from paper towels, gift wrap, or toilet paper, or multiple cardboard boxes lined up to make a rabbit tunnel. You can also stuff a paper sack with shredded newspaper (and a few treats) to give your rabbit a digging adventure. Feed your rabbit hay. Hay is the food your rabbit will eat the most of during the day. The Jersey Wooly rabbit needs high quality grass hay. Grass hay should be fed in unlimited amounts. Don't feed your rabbit alfalfa hay as a meal or part of her daily diet. It should only be fed to a rabbit as an occasional treat. Give your rabbit fresh hay every day. Never let it get wet or spoiled. Give your rabbit pellets. Rabbits also eat pellets, which contain all the nutrients a rabbit needs. An adult Jersey Wooly rabbit can have ⅛ to ¼ cup of pellets daily. Give your rabbit fresh pellets every day. Include greens in your rabbit’s diet. Your rabbit needs green leafy vegetables provide fiber and moisture to her diet. You can feed your rabbit bok choy, broccoli stems and leaves, carrot tops, dandelion greens, and all kinds of lettuce, except iceberg lettuce. Feed your Jersey Wooly ½ to 1 loose cup of these a day, spread over three to four servings. Provide your bunny with treats. You can give your bunnies treats daily, but in limited quantities. Because the Jersey Wooly rabbit is so small, feed her only a tablespoon of treats a day. Treats include fresh fruit and starchy vegetables, like carrots. Don't feed your rabbit any other human foods, especially corn or other grains. Provide a water dish. Your rabbit needs access to a water dish in her cage. Rabbits can drink from a sipper bottle or a ceramic dish. Rabbits tend to prefer ceramic dishes. Make sure there are multiple water dishes in your rabbit room. Keep the bedding and litter box clean. Bunnies like clean spaces. Make sure to keep your rabbit's bedding clean. Check it regularly, once every day or two, to make sure it doesn't need changing. If your rabbit goes to the bathroom in the bedding, she needs a larger area to roam and move around. Clean the litter box every day. A rabbit will avoid a dirty litter box. Throw everything away in the litter box, wash the box, and replace the bedding. Unclean bedding can lead to fleas, flies, and other pests, which can be harmful to your rabbit. Take your rabbit for a checkup. Your Jersey Wooly rabbit will live a healthy life as long as a proper diet is fed to her. However, take your rabbit to the veterinarian once a year for an examination. The vet will check your rabbit's teeth to make sure they are wearing properly or see if they need to be trimmed. If your rabbit refuses to eat or drink, has diarrhea, does not poop for a day, has eye or nasal discharge, drools, shows swelling, has reddened skin or fur loss anywhere on the body, does not hop or move like normal or is unable to use back legs, has dark, red urine, or a fever of more than 105 °F (40.6 °C), you need to take her to see the vet. Spay or neuter your rabbit. Rabbit's should be neutered (if male) or spayed (if female) at four to six months of age. This has many benefits, such as eliminating unwanted pregnancy, aggression, urine spraying, and reproductive system cancer and infections. | Set up a bunny cage. Make sure the cage has an appropriate floor. Place bedding in the cage. Give your rabbit a litter box. Set up a hiding place. Let your rabbit roam in a designated room. Protect electrical wiring. Keep your rabbit from chewing on trim and furniture. Give your rabbit toys to chew on. Feed your rabbit hay. Give your rabbit pellets. Include greens in your rabbit’s diet. Provide your bunny with treats. Provide a water dish. Keep the bedding and litter box clean. Take your rabbit for a checkup. Spay or neuter your rabbit. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Prevent-Blackheads | How to Prevent Blackheads | To prevent blackheads, wash your skin twice a day using warm water and a gentle cleanser rather than bar soap, which can clog your pores. Then, apply a moisturizer, since having properly hydrated skin can help prevent blackheads. You can also exfoliate your skin regularly by gently rubbing it with a soft washcloth to clear away the dead skin and bacteria that cause blackheads. Additionally, try to eat a healthy diet and drink at least 8 cups of water every day, because there is some evidence that nutrition impacts your skin. | Cleanse your skin regularly. Although blackheads are not actually caused by dirt, gently wash your skin regularly to remove excess dirt and oil. This can help prevent blackheads from forming or clogging pores. Use a gentle cleanser with a neutral pH. You may also look for cleansers with salicylic acid, which can be very helpful in keeping pores clean and preventing breakouts. Most grocery stores and pharmacies carry skin cleansing products that avoid irritating skin. Look for products labelled "gentle on skin", "for sensitive skin" and such. If your skin is very oily, consider using an oil-free cleanser. Likewise, if your skin is dry, try using a glycerine or cream-based cleanser. Don't use bar soaps as their ingredients may clog pores. Use lukewarm water to wash your skin. Water that is too hot can strip your skin of oils and irritate it. Avoid overwashing skin. Just as it's important to wash your skin, it's also important to not overwash it. Cleansing too often or too vigorously can irritate your skin, strip its oil, and actually lead to further breakouts. Washing acne-prone areas twice a day is sufficient to help keep it clean and prevent blackheads. Remove makeup before bed. Going to bed with makeup or cosmetic products on your skin can clog your pores. Remove all makeup or cosmetics with a gentle cleanser or makeup remover before you hit the pillow. You can use a specific makeup remover, especially if you use waterproof products, or your gentle cleanser before bed. Most cleansers are effective at removing makeup. Every month, you may want to consider cleaning your makeup applicators or cosmetic sponges with some soapy water to remove bacteria that can clog pores. Shower following vigorous activities. If you are a very active person, shower after strenuous activities. Sweating can lead to excess bacteria and oil on your skin that could cause blackheads. Avoid washing your blackhead prone areas with harsh soaps. A gentle, pH-balanced skin wash will suffice. Apply moisturizer daily. Use a skin-type specific moisturizer after you've washed your face. Having properly hydrated skin can help prevent blackheads. Even if your skin is oily, it may need a moisturizer, choose an oil-free and non-comedogenic product. Seek the advice of a dermatologist or skincare professional to help assess what type of skin you have. You can buy products specifically formulated for your skin type and needs at most pharmacies and at many retailers, including department stores. Exfoliate your skin regularly. Dead skin can clog pores and cause blackheads. Gently exfoliating your skin on a regular basis may help clear dead skin and bacteria and could help prevent blackheads. Do not try to exfoliate active acne or blackhead sites as this will irritate already irritated skin. Be aware that an exfoliator will only remove surface skin and not penetrate deeply enough to scrub away a blackhead. Choose a gentle exfoliator with either synthetic or natural beads that are a uniform shape. Harsh scrubs can cause irritation and lead to further blackheads. A soft washcloth can also gently exfoliate your skin. Try adapalene gel (Differin gel), which is a retinoid gel that is available over-the-counter. It can help reduce inflammation and exfoliate the skin. Absorb excess oil. If you have oily skin, use a topical product to absorb excess oil. These preparations can not only help remove oil, but also keep bacteria and dead skin that cause blackheads at bay. You can use an over-the-counter salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide treatment or have your doctor prescribe one for more severe cases. A weekly clay mask may help absorb excess oil and purify your skin. You can use oil blotting papers to soak up excess oil on your face. Be sure to follow your doctor's or package directions to help ensure that you don't overuse the product and further irritate your skin. You can purchase most oil-absorbing products at pharmacies and some grocery stores. Online cosmetics retailers also offer these products. Use non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic products. If you use cosmetics or other types of skincare products such as moisturizer or sunscreen, choose non-comedogenic options. These won't clog your pores and may help prevent further irritation. Products marked “non-comedogenic” has been tested for acne-prone skin and won't likely exacerbate existing acne or cause new blackheads. Any product marked “hypoallergenic” has been tested for sensitive skin. There is a wide range of non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic products available including makeup, sunscreens, moisturizers, and toners. You can purchase them at most pharmacies, large department stores, online retailers, and even some grocery stores. Keep your fingers away from most blackheads. You may be tempted to touch or pick at blackheads, but avoid the temptation to remove them this way. Picking at and touching your skin can spread oil and bacteria and may cause you to break out in more blackheads. Picking or touching your skin may also cause further irritation. Remove stubborn or large blackheads. In some cases, you may have a large or stubborn blackhead that won't disappear. You can safely remove these kinds of blackheads with a comedone extractor, but only use this tool in acute circumstances. You can purchase a comedone extractor at most pharmacies and other retailers that sell skincare products. Make sure to cleanse your skin before you use the tool so that you minimize the risk of spreading bacteria. Warm your skin with a warm compress for a minute or two before you use the extractor. Don't force the blackout out of your skin. If it doesn't come out after the first try, leave it for a few days to help minimize irritation and encourage healing. Follow the instructions on how to use the extractor most effectively. If you are unsure of how to do use an extractor or have a lot of blackheads, talk to your dermatologist. She can use an extractor to remove your blackheads much more effectively in her office. Wear loose-fitting garments. Tight clothing can hold in heat and moisture, which can irritate your skin and cause blackheads. Wearing loose-fitting garments can help keep your skin dry and comfortable and prevent blemishes from forming. Sweat or moisture-wicking garments may help keep your skin dry and blemishes at bay. Natural fabrics such as cotton may be a good option if you have sensitive skin. Avoid scratchy fabrics such as wool to help avoid irritation. Regularly clean garments, and fabrics such as pillowcases, that come in contact with your skin. Use a mild detergent that won't clog pores or irritate skin. Overhaul your diet. There is some evidence that a nutritionally well-balanced diet may affect your skin. Avoiding unhealthy and junk foods may help prevent blackheads and other kinds of acne. Diets high in fat and sugar may slow cell turnover, resulting in more pore clogs that cause blackheads. Try and not eat too many fried foods or sweets. Foods high in vitamin A and beta-carotene, including fruits and vegetables such as raspberries and carrots, may increase cell turnover for healthier skin. Food high in essential fatty acids, such as walnuts or olive oil, may help skin cells stay hydrated. Unhealthy foods also take the place of foods you could be eating that provide the necessary vitamins and antioxidants to promote healthy skin. Part of any well-balanced diet is proper hydration. Aim to drink 8 cups of water every day to keep your body healthy, which may help your skin stay healthy. Talk to your doctor or dermatologist if your blackheads are stubborn or severe. She can advise you on the best products for your skin as well as prescribe special creams if needed such as retinoids, which are excellent for keeping pores clean and acne at bay. In addition, she may talk to you about treatments such as microdermabrasion or chemical peels to unclog pores and keep them clean. | Cleanse your skin regularly. Avoid overwashing skin. Remove makeup before bed. Shower following vigorous activities. Apply moisturizer daily. Exfoliate your skin regularly. Absorb excess oil. Use non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic products. Keep your fingers away from most blackheads. Remove stubborn or large blackheads. Wear loose-fitting garments. Overhaul your diet. Talk to your doctor or dermatologist if your blackheads are stubborn or severe. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Adjust-Faucet-Water-Pressure | How to Adjust Faucet Water Pressure | To adjust the water pressure of your faucet, locate the 2 valves underneath your sink that control hot and cold water. Turn the valves counterclockwise to increase the water pressure or clockwise to decrease it. If the pressure still isn't right, you might need to clean the aerator on your faucet, which is a cylindrical piece with mesh at the end. First, unscrew the aerator with channel lock pliers. Once you've taken off the aerator, hold it under the faucet to rinse out any debris. Then, soak it in a glass of white vinegar overnight to get rid of any lime and residue. Make sure you rinse the aerator before you put it back on the faucet. | Unscrew the aerator from the end of your faucet with channel lock pliers. The aerator looks like a cylindrical piece with mesh at the end of your faucet, and it is used to filter out fine sediment from your water. Tighten channel lock pliers around the aerator and twist it counterclockwise to loosen it. Once it's loose, you should be able to unscrew it by hand. If you're worried about scratching the metal on your aerator, put a rag between it and the pliers. Rinse out any debris inside the aerator. You may notice sediment or debris inside the mesh of your aerator. Turn the aerator upside down and run it underneath warm water to get rid of any material that's still stuck inside. If the debris isn't rinsing out on its own, try using a toothbrush to gently scrape it out. Make sure your sink is plugged so you don't lose any pieces of your aerator. Only use a toothbrush meant for cleaning purposes. Soak the aerator in white vinegar overnight. Even if you rinse your aerator, there may be built-up lime and debris inside it. Fill a glass with enough vinegar to fully submerge the aerator. Leave the aerator in the vinegar overnight so the lime and debris can break apart. When you take the aerator out, rinse it with clean water. You can also use a lime cleaner like Formula 409. Run the faucet for 10 seconds to clear any debris. Before you reattach your aerator, turn on the faucet to rinse out any sediment that's leftover inside of it. This ensures that debris won't catch in your aerator right after you've cleaned it. Screw the aerator back on to test your faucet. Turn the aerator clockwise on your faucet by hand. Keep turning the aerator by hand until you have a tight seal. Use your channel lock pliers again to make sure the aerator is on as tight as it can go. Turn on your faucet to see if the water pressure changed. If the aerator still gives you trouble, try buying another one from your local hardware store. Make sure it fits the model faucet that you have. Unscrew the handle of your faucet with channel lock pliers. If your sink has a faucet with a hose that you can remove from the base, pull it out so you can access the bottom of the handle. Grip the nut at the bottom of your handle with channel lock pliers and rotate it counterclockwise to loosen it. When it's loose, the handle should easily come apart. Pull out the filter and rinse it. The filter is located at the base of the handle and looks like a cylinder with metal mesh layers. Pull the filter out from the handle by hand. Run the filter underneath warm water to rinse out any of the debris or buildup inside it. Use a stiff-bristled toothbrush if sediment is stuck on the mesh. You can also remove the aerator from the handle to clean it as well. Run the faucet for 10 seconds to clear out any debris. Before you reattach the handle, run warm water through your faucet. This can help get rid of any sediment that's loose inside the faucet so it doesn't catch in your filter. Put the filter back and screw the handle onto the supply hose. Set the filter back inside the base of the handle the same direction it was facing before. Hold the handle up to the end of the hose so you can easily screw it back together. Tighten the nut by hand as far as you can before using your channel lock pliers to seal it. If your faucet still has low water pressure, then you may have a problem with your supply line or pipes. Locate the valves underneath your sink. The water valves control how much water goes through your pipes and can be found underneath your sink. You should have 2 valves made of plastic or metal attached to your faucet to control hot and cold water separately. Turn the valves counterclockwise to open them and increase water pressure. If you have low water pressure, make sure the valves are in the open position. Rotate each of the valves counterclockwise until the arrow is pointing in the direction of the pipes. This means the water valve is fully opened and you should get the maximum amount of pressure. Make sure both of the valves are all the way on so you can control the water temperature easier. Rotate the valves clockwise to reduce water pressure. If you have water pressure that's too strong, turn the valves clockwise by a quarter rotation to decrease the pressure. If you turn 1 of the valves, make sure to turn the other valve the same amount. Try turning the valves completely off and back on again to see if it fixes the problem on its own. Turn off the hot water valve. Locate the valve underneath your sink that controls the hot water. Rotate the valve clockwise until it's horizontal with the pipe it's connected to. This will turn off hot water to your faucet. Put a towel underneath your sink in case any water spills. Unscrew the supply line from the hot water valve and hold it over a bucket. Use channel lock pliers or your fingers to rotate the nut above the valve counterclockwise. Loosen the nut until you can disconnect the supply line from the valve. Hold the end of the supply line over a bucket so it doesn't spill any water. Clean underneath your sink so you can easily fit a bucket directly under the supply line. Run your water for 10 seconds to clear the supply line. Turn your faucet all the way on so it's at a neutral temperature. The cold water will go up through the faucet and out the hot water supply line. Let the water run for 10 seconds before turning it off again. If your faucet has 2 handles to control the water temperature, turn them both the same amount. Reattach the supply line and turn the valve on. Hold the supply line over the valve and spin the nut clockwise. Keep tightening the nut by hand until you can't rotate it anymore. Use your channel lock pliers to secure the supply line in place and prevent any leaks. Turn the valve counterclockwise into the open position. Repeat the process with the cold water valve. Turn off the cold water valve and disconnect the supply line. Make sure the supply line feeds into the bucket so you don't spill any water. Turn your water on for 10 seconds to flush the line. Attach the supply line back to the valve with your pliers and turn the valve on. Once both lines are flushed, the water pressure should be back to normal. | Unscrew the aerator from the end of your faucet with channel lock pliers. Rinse out any debris inside the aerator. Soak the aerator in white vinegar overnight. Run the faucet for 10 seconds to clear any debris. Screw the aerator back on to test your faucet. Unscrew the handle of your faucet with channel lock pliers. Pull out the filter and rinse it. Run the faucet for 10 seconds to clear out any debris. Put the filter back and screw the handle onto the supply hose. Locate the valves underneath your sink. Turn the valves counterclockwise to open them and increase water pressure. Rotate the valves clockwise to reduce water pressure. Turn off the hot water valve. Unscrew the supply line from the hot water valve and hold it over a bucket. Run your water for 10 seconds to clear the supply line. Reattach the supply line and turn the valve on. Repeat the process with the cold water valve. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Love-a-Married-Man | How to Love a Married Man | Loving a married man can be complicated, so it's important to care for yourself emotionally and set healthy boundaries. It's normal to struggle with some difficult emotions when you're with a married man, so do your best to accept your feelings without judgment. Find someone you can confide in about the situation, whether it's a nonjudgmental friend or a professional therapist, so you won't have to deal with your feelings alone. To keep things positive, try not to compare yourself with his spouse or compete with them, since this is likely to lead to hurt feelings. It's easy to feel taken advantage of when you're with a married man, so make your expectations for the relationship clear. For example, you might tell him that you can't stay with him if he doesn't agree to start divorce proceedings with his current spouse by a set deadline. | Avoid trying to compete with his partner. When you know your man is with another person, it's normal to want to feel superior to them. However, trying to best his partner is unlikely to get him to leave and will probably make you miserable. Instead, focus on being your best self and doing things that are important to you. If it's meant to be, he'll love you for who you are. Don't stalk your man's partner on social media or ask your friends to check up on them. Similarly, don't ask him about what his partner is doing. When you find your thoughts straying to questions like, “Why does he pick her?” try to turn your attention to what's going well in your life. Tell yourself, “I've had a great weekend,” “I just got a raise,” or “I have the best friends.” Forgive yourself for falling in love with a married man if you feel guilty. You might feel guilty for letting yourself fall in love with a guy who is unavailable. This is normal, but torturing yourself isn't going to make things better. Remind yourself that you just want to feel love and you deserve to be happy. Tell yourself, “It's impossible to control who you fall in love with. I deserve to find love, so I'm not going to feel guilty for falling in love with someone who's unavailable.” Write yourself a letter of forgiveness, then destroy it. This can help you work through your feelings. Be honest with him about how you feel if you’re hurting. Depending on how your affair began, it's possible that he doesn't realize you've fallen in love. It can be really painful to love a man who isn't giving you that love back. Talk to him about how you feel and what you want. This can help you either move forward in your relationship with him or figure out if it's time to move on. You might say, “I know we started this as a fling, but I've fallen in love with you. I want to discuss our future.” It's possible that he'll get upset when you tell him the truth. This can be really hard to hear, but you will get through this. If he has a negative response, call your friend for support. Talk to a therapist if you’re struggling with this situation. Your situation might feel really stressful, and you don't have to do this alone. If you're feeling overwhelmed, a therapist can help you deal with your emotions and change your thoughts. Additionally, they can help you decide what's best for your future and pursue your goals. If you feel like no one in your life supports you, a therapist may be the answer. They'll focus on what's best for you in a non-judgemental way. Ask your doctor for a referral to a therapist or look for one online. Your therapy appointments may be covered by your insurance, so check your benefits. Find a friend you can confide in without feeling judged. Being in love with a married man can leave you with a lot of conflicting emotions. You might feel happy that you found a man you love, but it may also be hard because he has another family. Look for a friend who will support you during this time. This can help you work through your feelings. You might say, “I really need to talk about my relationship, but I know not everyone understands it. Can I trust you?” Be discreet about your relationship. When you're having an affair with a married man, it's important to be discreet so people don't get hurt. Talk to your man to figure out what's okay to share with friends or on social media. Additionally, be careful about where you go in public. If people find out about the affair, it may make your situation more complicated. Additionally, it can lead to hurt feelings. Avoid changing your plans because he wants to see you. When you're dating a married man, he will typically put his family first. That may mean that it's hard to make plans. However, your time is just as valuable as his, and you deserve to be respected. Don't change you existing plans because he decides he has time for you. Make it clear to him that you expect him to make and honor plans with you. Say, “I miss you, too! But I already have plans with Karen tonight, so we can have date night on another day. My time is important, too.” Decide what you will and will not put up with. Dating a married man can get really complicated. You might feel like you have to take what he gives you, but you deserve to feel loved and cared for. Think about what's important to you and what you need to feel secure. Then, talk to your man about it. For example, you may expect him to talk to you every day, spend your birthday with you, and make plans with you ahead of time. Alternatively, you might decide that you want him to initiate divorce proceedings. You can't demand that your boyfriend give you what you want. However, you can set boundaries for what you will and will not accept. If he's not willing to honor your boundaries, you'll need to decide if this relationship is worth continuing. Tell him what you expect from the relationship and set a timeline. Depending on your personal goals, you may expect him to eventually marry you or you may not care about marriage. Since you love him, however, you may hope that you have some type of future together. Tell him exactly what the future looks like for you. Then, give him a specific timeline for when you expect things to happen so he can't string you along. For instance, let's say you want him to leave his wife and marry you. Say, “You've always promised me that I was the one you want. I want you, too. If we're going to continue this, I expect you to start divorce proceedings in the next 3 months so we can get married by the end of next year.” Consider breaking up with him if he refuses to commit. While it's important to tell him what you want, he may not give it to you. If he ignores your requests and refuses to follow your timeline, he may not be as fully invested in your relationship as you are. Take some time to think about what you really want. It may be best to start moving on from this relationship. While it's hard to walk away from someone you love, he may never actually commit to you. If he's not willing to move forward with you, he may never do it. Think carefully before telling his partner or family about your affair. You might think that revealing the truth will help you move things along, but it's more likely to backfire. He may get angry with you and take his partner's side. Additionally, you'll be hurting his partner and kids. Use caution when deciding when and how to disclose the truth. Ask your man to be honest with his partner. Say, "I think you owe her the truth. Lying to her is wrong, and it's preventing us from really being together." He may not do it, but it'll be better coming from him. Ask yourself what you’re getting from the relationship. It's helpful to understand why you're in a relationship with him so you can decide what outcome you want. You might hope that one day you'll marry him, or you may enjoy the freedom of a part-time relationship. Think about how your relationship started, what you like about it, and what you see in the future. For instance, you might realize that you enjoy being in love and spending time together. If he's not willing to offer you that long-term, it might be best to move on. However, you could realize that you are very busy and enjoy having a partner when you have free time. If this is the case, you might decide to continue your relationship as it is now. Decide what you want for your future and start pursuing it. Above all, you deserve to be happy, whether or not the man you love can be part of your future. Imagine the future you want, then set goals to help you get there. Break your goals down into steps you can start taking today so you can build the future you want. For example, your goals may be to build your career, find a hobby, get married, and have a baby. Nurture your life outside of your relationship with him. Loving a married man may feel like it takes up all of your time because you never know when he'll be available. However, this isn't fair to you. Instead of revolving your life around him, do things that make you happy. Here are some things you can try: Spend more time with your friends. Keep up with your hobbies and interests. Take classes to learn a new skill. Start a new hobby. Join a local gym. Apply for jobs that interest you. Go on a family vacation. Consider seeing other men until he makes your relationship exclusive. When you're dating a married man, your relationship isn't exclusive because he's with someone else. Don't feel like you need to be faithful to him since he's not faithful to you. Keep your options open and go on dates to see if there's another match for you out there. For instance, you may stay active on online dating sites. While you might love him, it's possible that this relationship doesn't have a future. You might meet another man who's a better match! Break off the relationship if you know you need to move on. It's really hard for a relationship that started as an affair to work for the long-term. It's painful to leave someone you love, but it may be the best option for you. Talk to your man to figure out if you really have a future. If he's not fully committed to you, it may be best for you to break things off with him. Tell him that you love him but that you can't be with someone who isn't fully committed to you. Say, “I love you so much, and I wish things were different. But I know that you're always going to pick your family, so it's time for me to move on.” He's probably going to contact you after the breakup to tell you that things have changed and he needs you. Be very cautious about taking him back, because your problems haven't gone away. | Avoid trying to compete with his partner. Forgive yourself for falling in love with a married man if you feel guilty. Be honest with him about how you feel if you’re hurting. Talk to a therapist if you’re struggling with this situation. Find a friend you can confide in without feeling judged. Be discreet about your relationship. Avoid changing your plans because he wants to see you. Decide what you will and will not put up with. Tell him what you expect from the relationship and set a timeline. Consider breaking up with him if he refuses to commit. Think carefully before telling his partner or family about your affair. Ask yourself what you’re getting from the relationship. Decide what you want for your future and start pursuing it. Nurture your life outside of your relationship with him. Consider seeing other men until he makes your relationship exclusive. Break off the relationship if you know you need to move on. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Run-a-4X100-Relay | How to Run a 4X100 Relay | To run a 4X100 relay, place your most explosive starter first. Pick a second runner who has perfect baton skills and is an excellent sprinter, while the third leg requires someone who is good at running the curves. The final runner needs to thrive under pressure and have a high level of competition. As you practice for the race, pick a baton exchange method that everyone's comfortable with. Also, decide where within the changeover zone the runners will relay the baton. | Place your best starter first. The ideal first runner has an explosive takeoff and never gets disqualified for false starts. This position also requires fast running around the bend of the oval track. Choose the second runner. The second runner should perfect their baton handling skills, as the second leg involves both receiving and passing the baton. This is a straight leg, so this is a good spot for a fast sprinter who is not really good at bends/curves. This is a great spot for your fastest runner if they are much faster than the other three. This is especially true if your fastest runner is also great at baton handoffs. Pick a good bend runner for the third leg. In general, shorter runners are best around curves because they can accelerate faster than taller runners. This position also benefits from good baton handoff skills, and from the ability to compete under the pressure. Although unorthodox, it could be smart to put your fastest runner here if they are also good on bends. A 200m specialist could do well on this leg. End with an eager finisher. Many teams place their fastest runner last, perhaps so they can claim the glory! In fact, psychology may be more important than raw speed. This runner cannot get discouraged if they start the fourth leg behind the other teams. Choose a competitor who thrives under the end of race pressure. If your two fastest runners are much faster than the other two, place them second and fourth. This allows you to maximize the distance they run. At high levels of competition, choose a runner with advanced finishing techniques. This includes "lifting," a running form with light ground contact and rapid knee lifts, and lunging, a carefully timed forward fall so the chest crosses the finish line sooner. Adjust for smooth handoffs. All of your planning above will fall apart if an athlete can't perform consistent baton handoffs. Consider these problems before you finalize the positions, and don't hesitate to rearrange if issues arise during practice: Size differences: If one runner is much taller than another, they may have trouble exchanging batons smoothly. Space them out so they don't have to do a baton exchange. If a pair of athletes do not practice well together for temperamental reasons, and the coach cannot solve this problem, consider rearranging so they don't have a handoff together. If one athlete is particularly poor at passing, consider placing them fourth. If an athlete is poor at receiving, consider putting them first. Pick the baton exchange method. There are generally three methods of passing the baton: the upsweep, the down sweep, and the push pass. Try all three and see which your teammates prefer: Upsweep: the outgoing runner runs with their hand behind them at hip level, palm down and thumb outstretched to form a V shape. The incoming runner inserts the baton upward between the thumb and fingers. Downsweep: similar to the upsweep, but the outgoing runner's hand is palm up and receives the baton in a downward motion. Push pass: the outgoing runner holds their arm high up behind them, with the palm sideways and the thumb pointing down. The incoming runner holds the baton vertically and pushes it into the palm. Stay on the correct side of the lane. When all goes well, the relay race is a smooth series of transfers, with no awkward jerks across the lane or switching from an athlete's left hand to the right. Practice this pattern until all four runners find it automatic: First runner holds baton in right hand and runs on the inside edge of the lane. Second runner holds baton in left hand and stays on the outside. Third runner holds baton in right hand and stays on the inside. Fourth runner holds baton in left hand and receives on the outside. Decide where to relay the baton. Each baton handoff must occur inside a 20-meter changeover zone, between two yellow marks. The outgoing runner can start running up to 10 meters ahead of the changeover zone, but can only receive the baton within the zone. Use tactics as well as trial and error to find an exchange position that maximizes speed and smooth handoffs: Ideally, you can exchange the baton about 5 meters from the end of the zone. This gives the outgoing runner more time to accelerate before receiving. If the athletes have trouble with a quick handoff, or if they get nervous and slow down while waiting, exchange the baton just past the middle of the zone. If one athlete is significantly faster than the others, they can receive earlier in the zone, carrying the baton for more than 100 meters. Keep running after you release the baton. A huge mistake in relay racing is to slow down before you release the baton. The best way to prevent this is to form the habit of "running through the zone." Keep up a full sprint until you're about halfway through the next leg. If both runners have positioned themselves well (on opposite sides of the lane), the incoming runner should be able to run close behind without fearing a collision. Do speed drills. The 4x100 is all about speed. To prepare for the race, do drills such as hill sprints, suicides, and sprinting around comes to work on your agility and speed. Hill sprints are especially good for improving acceleration. Practice the whole race. You don't want the first time you run the race to be at the track meet or event. Run the event several times at least, at full speed. Have a coach or friend who is knowledgeable about running time each of your attempts. Also, have your friend or coach watch each runner and offer any critiques that they might have. Position each runner. After doing warm-ups, make sure that every runner is in position. The first runner should be positioned on the starting blocks, holding the baton in his or her right hand. The second runner should be positioned at the acceleration zone 10 meters before the first exchange zone. Each exchange zone is marked on most tracks by large, usually red, triangles. There should be a smaller triangle that marks the acceleration zone, which is where the second runner should be positioned. The third runner should be at the second acceleration zone before the exchange zone, and the fourth runner should be at the last acceleration zone. Start at the whistle. As soon as the whistle is blown, the first runner should start sprinting. Make sure that they lean in and accelerate through the bend in the track. They will run slightly more than 100 meters to the first exchange zone. Make sure that the runner runs on the inside of their lane, on the left-hand side, so that they can pass the baton to the next runner's left hand. Do the first baton exchange. The first runner, with the baton in their right hand, will approach the exchange zone. The second runner should have their head turned, watching the incoming runner. When the incoming runner is about 7 meters from the outgoing runner, the outgoing runner should turn their head back and start running with their hand out. The first runner will hand the baton over to the second runner, who will take the baton in their left hand if the first runner hold it at his/her right hand. Make sure that the baton exchange happens within the exchange zone because your team will be disqualified if it happens before or after the zone. Do the second baton exchange. The second runner will a straight leg of the track for another 100 meters. Make sure they are running on the right side of their lane. Meanwhile, the third runner will start running as soon as the second runner approaches the exchange zone. The second runner will pass the baton from his or her left hand into the right hand of the third runner. Again, be sure that the baton exchange happens within the exchange zone. Do the final exchange. The third runner will run around the bend on the track, the baton in their right hand. As they approach the last exchange zone, the fourth runner will start running with their hand out, and the incoming runner will put the baton in their left hand, making sure the exchange happens within the exchange zone. Finish the race. The fourth runner, with the baton in their left hand, will run another 100 meters past the exchange zone to finish the race. Make sure that the fourth runner doesn't slow down before the finish line, and instead sprints until they have crossed the line, with the baton still in their hand. | Place your best starter first. Choose the second runner. Pick a good bend runner for the third leg. End with an eager finisher. Adjust for smooth handoffs. Pick the baton exchange method. Stay on the correct side of the lane. Decide where to relay the baton. Keep running after you release the baton. Do speed drills. Practice the whole race. Position each runner. Start at the whistle. Do the first baton exchange. Do the second baton exchange. Do the final exchange. Finish the race. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Sing-Using-Your-Diaphragm | How to Sing Using Your Diaphragm | To sing using your diaphragm, first access your diaphragm by laying on the floor with a weight on your belly. Then push the weight up using your stomach muscles as you draw in a deep breath. This is the action needed to sing from your diaphragm. In addition to singing with your diaphragm, make sure to warm up before singing. To do so, breathe as deeply into and out of your belly as possible. Finally, as you sing, make sure to have perfect posture to allow your ribs to expand and contract with your breath. | Learn to locate your diaphragm muscles. Unlike your bicep, it's hard to feel your diaphragm muscles, so it's important to learn to learn to locate them, so you can go about strengthening them for singing. While standing up straight, use your hands to find the bottom of your ribcage. Your diaphragm muscles are attached here and connect all the way around your torso. If you're having trouble feeling your diaphragm, lie flat on the floor and place a moderate weight on your stomach area, something like a large book or large pillow. Push that weight up using just the muscles in your stomach. Simultaneously draw air into your lungs to their full capacity. Now, sing. The muscles you're using are your diaphragm. The best way to think about singing from your diaphragm is to think of your diaphragm muscles as a platform or tabletop. They should be firm and stable and provide a foundation for your voice to rise through your air column. Practice breathing into your diaphragm. To breathe into your diaphragm, breathe in as deeply as you can and push your stomach out as far as possible while doing so, keeping the rest of your body as still as possible. Now exhale, and pull your stomach back in. Make sure your shoulders don't move. It's imperative that these muscles you're using while breathing remain firm but not clenched when singing. Your chest, shoulder, and face muscles need to remain loose, not tight and clamped. Imagine you're a chimney, and that your singing rises through the chimney from the diaphragm out of the lungs, and through the roof. Lay on your back and put 1 hand on your belly and the other hand on your chest. Slowly inhale and feel your belly rise. Once your chest starts to rise, begin exhaling. Imagine there's a balloon in your torso behind your belly button. Try to fill the balloon as you inhale and squeeze air out of the balloon as you exhale. Do diaphragm-strengthening breathing exercises. Exercise your diaphragm muscles regularly. Once you've learned to breathe correctly, you need to get as much power into your diaphragm as possible. Take a deep breath from your diaphragm, and while exhaling, count as high as possible. Count slowly and evenly, then record how much you've improved every day. Practice a "milkshake." Pretend you're sucking in through a straw. Remember to keep your shoulders and chest still. Hold your hand on your stomach to notice the movement. Do "dog pants." Pant as if you're a tired dog, but again remember to keep your shoulders and chest still, and again hold your hand on your stomach. Practice a "bathroom push" exercise. As ridiculous as it sounds, it really does help when learning to sing using your diaphragm. Keeping your shoulders and chest still, let out a hard breath as if you're struggling on the toilet. Hold your hand on your stomach. Inhale deeply, then exhale through a coffee straw. The resistance from the small straw is similar to air passing through your vocal folds while your singing. Practice breathing exercises along with your singing. If you want to strengthen your diaphragm for singing, you need to incorporate these breathing exercises into your regular singing routine, as well as practicing breathing several times throughout the day. You can do it anywhere, at any time, relatively easily, since you don't need any special equipment or other materials. You just need your voice. Practice breathing exercises while you're driving to work or while you're watching television. There's little excuse to avoid practicing something so easy. And you'll start noticing results in your singing quickly with the right dedication to practice. Sing a song on a lip trill. As you're learning to sing from your diaphragm, try singing a song on pitch while blowing air out from between closed lips. This exercise will ensure you use plenty of air while keeping your vocal cords relaxed. To see an example of how to lip trill while varying the pitch and volume, check out this video of Celine Dion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NFz2Ff6ZlM. Warm up before singing. Breathing and vocal exercises are essential in warming up your voice before singing. Singing from your diaphragm is just one part of proper singing technique, and needs to be combined with other good practices. Anytime before you start singing for a long period of time, you should: Take a long, deep breath and hold it for a few seconds then release it slowly. As you breathe in, raise your arms until your hands touch each other. Then put your arms down slowly while you breathe out. Do these 3-5 times. Start with the lowest note that you can sing and start getting higher until you reach the highest note you can sing, without straining. Don't rush. The slower, the better. This exercise helps to control your breathing and warm up your vocal chords for singing. Stand with excellent posture while singing. When singing with your diaphragm, you are taking larger, fuller breaths. Doing this requires perfect posture. Keep your back very straight, your shoulders rolled back, and focus on keeping them still as you breathe to give your voice and your breath the best space possible. Because your diaphragm is right below your rib cage, which encompasses your lungs, slouching pushes your ribs into your lungs and doesn't allow for the downward expansion necessary to get a good breath. If you're tense while maintaining the correct posture, let gravity help you out. Stand against a wall so the back of your head, shoulders, and bottom rest against the wall. Notice how free your diaphragm feels while you're singing! Sing with your throat open. Look in a mirror while you force a yawn, looking and feeling the openness in your throat. This needs to happen while you sing, but as relaxed and loose as possible. To allow the air to flow more freely and naturally from your diaphragm through your body, you need to practice singing with an open throat. Pretend you've got a marshmallow the size of a baseball in your throat that's stretching it open. Practice singing runs of notes while your throat is open. It might take a while to get the notes as strong as you're used to, but it's an important part of retraining your voice to stay strong. Work on both "parts" of your voice. Think about your voice as if it is broken into two separate, but linked parts. Your high notes are in what is called your head voice and your low notes are in your chest voice. When you sing low notes, try not to sing as loud as you sing high notes, because this may result in your note being higher that it is supposed to be. To make full, rounded sound in each of your voices requires singing from the diaphragm, but learning to distinguish these two voices and move between them will help with note placement. Use your breathing exercises regularly to get used to the sensation of moving between your two voices. Try singing intervals to jump back and forth between the two different voices and strengthen your transitions. Work on pronouncing consonants. Hard consonants often become inaudible when singing. Try repeating a consonant phrase like "The tip of the tongue and the teeth and the lips." Sing the phrase over and over on a single note, until every word can be sung clearly with full breath support from your diaphragm. | Learn to locate your diaphragm muscles. Practice breathing into your diaphragm. Do diaphragm-strengthening breathing exercises. Practice breathing exercises along with your singing. Sing a song on a lip trill. Warm up before singing. Stand with excellent posture while singing. Sing with your throat open. Work on both "parts" of your voice. Work on pronouncing consonants. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Treat-Fish-Diseases | How to Treat Fish Diseases | To treat a fish with a disease, you'll need to set up a separate tank with a filter and heater in order to quarantine it from your other fish. Then, fill two buckets with 2.5 gallons of water each and move your fish to the first bucket. Next, add 1 teaspoon of salt to the first bucket every 2 minutes. After 10 minutes, move the fish to the next bucket and wait 15 minutes before adding 1 teaspoon of salt. Once 15 minutes have passed, transfer the fish to the new tank and administer the appropriate medication according to your vet's instructions. | Recognize bacterial infections. Bacterial infections come with different symptoms that you may be able to identify through observation. These symptoms can include the following : Inactivity Faded color Frayed fins Bloated body Cloudy eyes Abscesses Open sores Red streaks through the fish's body Redness of the skin, fins, or organs Difficulty breathing Bulging eyes Recognize fungal infections. Fungal infections can be associated with other types of illnesses. The symptoms of a fungal infection could include the following : Strange swimming behavior including the tendency to dart around the tank Small collections of whitish material growing on the fish's eyes, skin, or mouth Recognize parasitic infections. If your fish has a parasitic infection, its symptoms will differ from those of bacterial or fungal infections. Some symptoms to watch for include : A lack of appetite A tendency to be inactive A film or unusual mucus on the fish's body Worms or spots that you can see on or in the fish's body Fast breathing Scratching Recognizing other diseases. Some other diseases might be non-infectious, such as tumors, constipation, injuries, or even congenital abnormalities. Some diseases may be viral as well. Most diseases have treatments available, and proper filtration can help prevent recurrence of diseases whether the tank is freshwater or saltwater. Find a tank to use for the hospital tank. The hospital tank can be an inexpensive aquarium or an older unit not currently in use as a display tank. Do not use substrate (sand or gravel) or live plants. A filtration system that does not use carbon should be used in the hospital tank because carbon may negate some medicines. Artificial plants may be used to comfort diseased fish. Other types of cover where the fish can hide may be comforting as well. The carbonless filter used should also be lower power in order to avoid disturbing the fish too much. Use a reliable heater. The hospital tank's water must be kept at the appropriate temperature for your fish. Choose a heater that will not vary its temperature too much in order to keep the ailing fish comfortable and safe. Be sure to protect the fish from heater burns as well by blocking the heater from direct contact with the fish. This can be done with any kind of barrier to the heater, such as plastic mesh. Pet stores or aquarium specialty stores can recommend other options for heater barriers. Use an air stone. An air stone in an aquarium can help replace oxygen in the water. This is particularly useful in a hospital tank because some medicines can reduce the amount of available oxygen in the water. Air stones are available anywhere aquarium supplies are sold. Keep the hospital tank in a dark room and dimly lit. Some diseases can be inhibited by little or no light, so keeping the aquarium minimally lit and in a dark room can help treat the diseased fish. This depends, of course, on the pathogen, but if your fish's ailment is one that needs light, keeping the aquarium dimly lit and in a dark room may help fight the disease. Check with an aquarium specialist at your pet store, aquarium specialty store, or a veterinarian to see if your fish's ailment can be inhibited via minimal lighting. Move the fish to the hospital tank. Ensure that the hospital tank's water is as similar to the main display tank's water as possible in both temperature, water source, and regular additives, including dechlorination. Prepare two additional tanks or buckets of water of at least 2.5 gallons that are also filled with water as close to the same as the main display tank as possible. Use a net to move the fish to the first bucket. Add salt to the water. Add 3/8 of a teaspoon of salt per gallon of water to the first bucket every two minutes up to ten minutes. Move the fish to the next bucket of water and wait 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes have passed, add another 3/8 of a teaspoon of salt per gallon of water to the second bucket. Wait another 15 minutes and move the fish to the hospital tank. Treat the fish. Check online to help diagnose diseases. You may also want to secure the help of a veterinarian with fish experience to help diagnose. Once you have determined the type of disease the fish is stricken with, obtain the appropriate medicine. In the hospital tank, administer the medicine. Be sure to follow the instructions for the treatment you are administering. Monitor the fish for ten days. Keep the fish in the hospital tank for ten days during treatment. Replace 30%-50% of the water in the hospital tank each day to help keep it clean and fresh. Move the fish into a shallow bowl each day and observe—possibly with a magnifying glass—to track the progress of healing and determine at the end of the ten days whether the fish can return to the main display tank. Disinfect the tanks. To prevent the spread of the disease after the fish has been treated, be sure to sanitize all tanks. This can be achieved by the use of dilute hydrochloric acid or potassium permanganate. Both are available at aquarium specialty stores and possibly pet stores that cater to aquarists. Be sure to follow instructions for use in sanitizing fish tanks—let stand in the tank with water for two to three days, then thoroughly clean and sanitize the tank. Refill the tank after sanitization and restart filtration system to get water back to normal for fish. | Recognize bacterial infections. Recognize fungal infections. Recognize parasitic infections. Recognizing other diseases. Find a tank to use for the hospital tank. Use a reliable heater. Use an air stone. Keep the hospital tank in a dark room and dimly lit. Move the fish to the hospital tank. Add salt to the water. Treat the fish. Monitor the fish for ten days. Disinfect the tanks. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Jam | How to Jam | To learn how to jam, practice playing along to your favorite songs at home, which can help you train your ear and learn how to improvise. Once you're a little more comfortable improvising, try getting together with 1 or 2 other musicians so you can practice jamming together. Then, get started by having everyone play through the melody of the song you want to jam to a couple times. When you're ready, take turns improvising different parts of the song until everyone has had a solo. | Round up a small group of musicians. You only need one other musician to jam with, but it is usually best to have at least one rhythm player (drums or percussion) and 1-2 other melody instruments (guitars, bass). While there is no law saying that you can't jam with 15 other people, jam groups generally stay smaller so that every musician can listen in and play off of every other musician. A small group of 3-4 similarly skilled musicians is a good place to start. That said, there are many long-standing groups, such as blues bands, drum groups, and bluegrass bands, that have enormous, open jams, inviting a wide variety of skills and styles. Jamming is non-judgmental and free-form, so just have fun. If you're just starting to improvise, jumping into a large jam session is a great way to get your feet wet without a ton of pressure, as any mistakes you make are less likely to get noticed. Discuss the chord structure or key of the song. Think of this as the guiding principle of the song. While there will likely be some improvisation and exploration, everyone needs to understand the chords in order to stay together. In general, most jams stick to simple, 3-4 chord songs or melodies that everyone already knows. The point of a jam is not to show off complex, interlocked instrumentals, but to allow each musician the freedom to experiment. Jams can either play established songs, such as the blues jam classic "Stormy Monday," or quickly improvised chord groupings. If you're confused, let someone pick a song and the chords and go from there. If you don't know the chords, sit back and watch another instrument or ask someone playing for advice. If you're a percussionist you should ask about the tempo, or set the tempo yourself if you know the skill levels of your fellow musicians. Play through the melody of the song 1-2 times so that everyone feels comfortable. In general, you play through the song "as written" briefly, sometimes with vocals, so that everyone gets used to the feel of the song. If you're improvising the song on the spot, this is a good way to get everyone on the same page. Keep the first minute or two simple so that everyone can get used to the structure. Once everyone is on the same page the fun can begin. Keep your head up as you play. More often than not, one or two people will emerge as the "leaders" of the jam, keeping everyone on time and noting when people should take solos. As you play, keep your head up and watch the other musicians keep the band together. Eye contact, brief signaling, and even talking about upcoming chords or changes will help everyone stay on the same page. As you get more comfortable with your fellow musicians, you can often hear when there is space for a solo and when the rhythm is changing, but you should still be looking up for visual cues from time to time. Watch any improvisational or jam band play live -- you'll notice small moments when the musicians make eye contact through the show, usually before changes, solos, or the song's end. Feel the vibe of the song as it grows. If everyone else starts playing fewer notes, calming the energy down, come down with them. If things start to pick up in volume and intensity, let your own volume grow slowly. In most jams, no one instrument is supposed to take over the entire song. Each player needs to be aware of the rest of the band so that the song grows organically. While you play, listen to the entire sound of the band, not just your own instrument. If you're struggling to keep up with every musician, hone in on the drummer. Follow his lead in energy, tempo, and sound. Feel free to adjust your playing, tempo, or melody, as long as it fits in with the rest of the band. You can help push the song in new directions as long as you don't try and take over the song. Improvise on the song when it's your turn. Musical improvisation takes a lifetime to master, so you're not expected to whip out a world-class solo on the fly. Improvisation is your chance to see where your instrument takes you, so relax and start experimenting. As long as you remember to stay in key, there is no wrong way to improvise, so just let go and have some fun. If you're new to improv, find a 4-5 note line you like and play it once or twice. Then start to adjust it, changing 1-2 notes each time you play it so you get variations on the same simple theme. If you can mimic the vocal line or a common melody, you'll be sure to keep the song moving. Don't feel the need to show off or be the best. Just play what sounds good to you. Share the spotlight. A jam is supposed to be an egalitarian, communal environment where everyone can feel free to let loose. No one enjoys it, however, when one person takes all the solos, or decides to solo for 2-3 minutes straight. If you're unsure what the protocol is, just listen into the other plays as they take solos or features. When your turn comes up, play for the same amount of bars (usually eight) as everyone else. That said, some rock and roll groups, usually small, guitar driven bands, will jam on 4-5 minutes solos (see The Grateful Dead, Phish, etc.). It is more about feeling the mood in your particular jam than adhering to a hard and fast rule. Decide as a group when to end the song. Once everyone's taken a solo, most musicians will start looking around for a cue when to end. In general, once all the musicians have made eye contact, someone will say or signal for "one more round" or to move to the outro, if the song has one. This helps everyone come to an end at the same moment. As the song ends, cut the number of notes or beats you play in half to ease out of the song. It also makes it easier to stop on a dime if you miss the ending cue. Jam along to your favorite songs at home. One of the best ways to learn to jam is to put on your favorite CD's and just start playing. This helps you train your ear to quickly pick up chord changes, rhythm, and melody, even if you don't necessarily know the song well. Improvisation is a skill that only comes through practice, but that doesn't mean you need a full band with you every time you want to play. Remember to learn the rhythm and backing parts of the songs as well, not just the solos. To succeed in a jam, you need to be a part of the band as well as a willing improviser. If you play with several musicians regularly, ask them for 4-5 songs that they want you to learn, and offer them a few you like to play. The next time you meet your band will have a few more songs to jam on. Learn the "standards" in your genre. If you're going to a gospel/bluegrass jam, you need to know how to play "I'll Fly Away" and a Johnny Cash song or two. If you're going to a rock or blues jam, you need to know the classic 12-bar blues format ("Stormy Monday," "Everyday I Get the Blues"), and a few Beatles or Rolling Stones songs that everyone knows. If you're a jazz musician, you should have "Summertime," "Heart and Soul," "Bye Bye Blackbird," "Round Midnight" and several other jazz classics down pat. Don't feel like you need to memorize tons of songs before you're able to jam. As you start playing, note the songs that come up frequently and make a point to learn them back to front. In many cases, jamming on a song is actually the best, and fastest, way to learn a song. Know your instrument. You should be able to find most notes on your instrument with ease. If you know where everything is you'll be able to quickly learn from others while jamming, picking up new melodies and chords for songs you don't know so well. You need to spend plenty of time practicing on your own, not just showing up and trying to wing it. The better you know your instrument, the more you can stop thinking and start playing. Learn a few common chord structures. You will never know every single chord or song that someone suggests, but having a good mental catalog of songs will help you quickly adapt to whatever song is being played. While it is by no means exhaustive, there are some common chord structures that any band could start with: A - D - E (Frequently in 7ths for blues songs) G - C - D C - F - G G - Am - D C - Am - Dm - G Learn music theory. While studying theory may seem like the antithesis of good improvisers, quality musicians know that music theory is the secret weapon that helps them adapt in any jam. Knowing song, chord, and scale structures allows you to figure out songs on the fly because you can quickly predict where the song is going. Chords are not smashed together randomly -- there are certain principles and formulas that dictate what sounds good together and how each scale interacts with certain chords. If you want to be a quality jam-player, you need to do your homework. | Round up a small group of musicians. Discuss the chord structure or key of the song. Play through the melody of the song 1-2 times so that everyone feels comfortable. Keep your head up as you play. Feel the vibe of the song as it grows. Improvise on the song when it's your turn. Share the spotlight. Decide as a group when to end the song. Jam along to your favorite songs at home. Learn the "standards" in your genre. Know your instrument. Learn a few common chord structures. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Take-a-Shower-if-You-Don%27t-Want-To | How to Take a Shower if You Don't Want To | If you're not in the mood to take a shower, there are a few things you can do to motivate yourself. A nice hot shower can be a great way to relax and clear your head. Try giving yourself a little pep talk and telling yourself you can do it and it'll only take a few minutes. You can also put some music on to jam out to while you're in the shower! Next time you're at the store, pick up some new bath products, like fragrant shower gels, a fluffy loofah, and a relaxing face scrub, to help make your showers more enjoyable. | Turn on the water. Sometimes in order to accomplish what feels like a monumental task, you have to start small. For now, just go and turn on the shower. Get the water nice and warm and think about how good it would feel to climb inside. You'll probably find it much easier to shower once you're actually in the bathroom and have everything all ready to go. The hardest part often lies in simply taking the first step. Remember, the only thing holding you back is lethargy. With that out of the way, nothing can stop you. Once you've made it to the bathroom and got the shower running, strip down and see how you feel. At this point, it will probably feel silly to have gone to all that trouble just to shut off the water and put your clothes back on. Since you're already in position, and it requires just as much effort to get dressed again, you might as well go ahead and hop in the shower. When you're lounging comfortably on the couch, the list of things you need to do to successfully bathe can seem overwhelming. Instead of trying to focus on lots of details at once, move things along a little at a time. Remind yourself why you need to shower. If you find that you lack the motivation to shower, it can be helpful to keep in mind what happens when you don't bathe regularly. Dirt, oil and dead cells can build up on your skin, making you feel grimy and uncomfortable. If you go too long, this can cause problems like itching, clogged pores and skin infections. After a while, you can start to smell, as well, which can be a source of social embarrassment. It can be bad for you to go too long without a bath or shower. Skin conditions like acne, dermatitis and chronic body odor can develop, making you look and feel unhealthy. There's no need to shower every day. In fact, dermatologists now believe that it's actually better for you to only shower a few times a week. This may make dealing with the task easier for you. Give yourself a pep talk. Instead of waiting around until you feel like taking a shower, talk yourself into making the resolution that you're going to do it no matter what, and stick to it. Be your own coach. Give yourself encouraging advice and offer affirmation by making inspiring and affirming statements. You'll start feeling more capable as soon as you shift your attitude from "I don't want to" to "I can do this." Most of the time when people have a hard time making themselves do something, it's because they dread the effort or they're “not in the mood.” Understand that there will always be things you don't feel like doing in life that have to be done nonetheless. Saying your own name can make you feel more empowered by allowing you to step outside of yourself momentarily and creating a sense of personal accountability. Think of it as a challenge. Put your pride on the line and start looking at overcoming your reluctance to shower as a way to prove yourself. If you can't even bathe yourself, what else won't you be able to do? It may sound silly, but this is an opportunity for personal growth. Show yourself that you can do what you set your mind to and you'll feel more in control of other areas of your life as a result. Start making a list of daily goals to accomplish and put showering near the top. You'll gain a little more willpower and self-control every time you shower when you don't feel like it. Get in the habit. Once you manage to make yourself shower, do it again the next day at the same time, then the next day, then the next and so on. Don't let yourself skip a day or beat around the bush until it's too late. After a week or so, your inertia will start to disappear and showering will become just another part of your normal routine. Set a regular bathing schedule for yourself based on your own needs and preferences. Some people might have to shower everyday, whereas others can get by with only a few showers a week, or even once a week. Pick days and times that will make it easier for you to stick to your schedule. When showering becomes a habit, you'll start to feel like something's missing if you don't take one. Do some exercise. Perform an intense workout half an hour before you need to take a shower. You're much more likely to be in favor of a shower if you're sweaty and uncomfortable. Think about how refreshed you'll feel once you're done, or at least how much worse you'll feel (and what people will think) if you don't wash off. Strenuous exercise dampens your clothes, makes your skin and hair a greasy mess and causes you to smell bad. Taking a cold or lukewarm shower will help cool you off after a tough workout. Wait until you can't put it off any longer. If you have a business meeting, dinner plans or an important event to attend that you need to look your best for, let it get down to the wire so that you have to get in the shower before you can finish getting ready. The closer it gets to time to leave, the more necessary it will be for you to clean up, until you just don't have a choice anymore. Keep in mind that you might make a bad impression if other people can tell that you haven't bathed. Finding compelling reasons to get things done is often more motivating than just feeling like you should. Have a friend help out. Persuade a sibling or close friend to nag you about showering every chance they get. You can get them to ask “have you showered today?” or even scold you for your stubbornness so that you'll feel guilty or embarrassed if you don't get it done. Instruct your helper to be as intrusive and annoying as they need to be in order to push you. Eventually, you'll be eager to rinse off just to shut them up. If you're really serious about getting a friend to help keep you accountable, hand over the money in your wallet and tell them not to give it back to you until you've showered. It can be tough to do what you need to do when you're the only one watching, but bringing a respected elder or authority figure into the mix can compel you to shape up by causing you to fear the consequences of disappointing them. Set alarms for yourself. Schedule a series of alarms on your phone that will direct you to shower when they go off. If you tend to be forgetful, this will help remind you that you haven't done it yet. If you're just being stubborn, the alarms will serve as a stern, persistent voice demanding that you take care of business. Do you really want the alarms to win? Didn't think so. Take a shower. Make the alarms sporadic at first, then set subsequent alarms closer together as it gets closer to whatever time limit you've imposed on yourself (going to bed, getting ready for a date, etc.). Alarm reminders can be a great solution if you tend to simply forget to shower. Take advantage of the chance to relax. Showering doesn't have to be a hassle. In fact, it can be quite a pleasurable experience. Turn the water up nice and hot and delight in the sensation of the tiny streams prickling your skin. Breathe in the steam and feel its warmth spread through your body. Take your time. It's about enjoying a moment of leisure as much as it is getting clean. Showering serves as a time out from the rest of the world, giving you a chance to be alone and get some much-needed peace and quiet. Try not to overdo it—too much time in a hot shower on a regular basis can strip your skin of the healthy, natural oils it needs. Buy some new bath supplies. Stock up on musky soaps or silky body washes, fragrant shampoos and face scrubs or a fluffy new loofah. You'll hardly be able to wait to take a shower if you're excited about pampering yourself. When you use these types of products, you'll also feel totally refreshed once you leave the shower, which can make you look forward to the next one. Change up the scents and formulas of your bath products every few weeks to keep them from getting old. For example, you might use a fresh-smelling floral body wash during the summer, then switch to an evergreen fragrance for the winter months. Clean your bathroom. It's no fun at all to climb into a shower covered with mold or soap scum with a weak trickle of water pouring out of the shower head and hair clogging the drain. If your facilities are in need of a deep cleaning, it can ruin much of what's rewarding about bathing for you. Give everything a good wipe down and see if you can still resist that spotless, inviting shine. To prevent mildew and keep your bathing environment sanitary and inviting, aim to clean your shower every 2-3 weeks. Mix up a quick, organic cleaning solution using two parts white vinegar and one part warm water. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oils for a more pleasant scent. Put on some music. Make bath time more entertaining by playing a few of your favorite songs and cranking up the volume. Listening to music will give you something to focus on other than the tedium of lathering, rinsing and repeating. You can even have your own private dance party or sing along as loud as you like—as long as the other people in the house don't mind. Invest in a watertight phone case or some waterproof speakers that you can bring into the humid bathroom with you. Put together a special playlist to queue up while you're showering, complete with hits like “Splish Splash,” “So Fresh, So Clean” and “Wade in the Water.” | Turn on the water. Once you've made it to the bathroom and got the shower running, strip down and see how you feel. Remind yourself why you need to shower. Give yourself a pep talk. Think of it as a challenge. Get in the habit. Do some exercise. Wait until you can't put it off any longer. Have a friend help out. Set alarms for yourself. Take advantage of the chance to relax. Buy some new bath supplies. Clean your bathroom. Put on some music. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Overcome-a-Fear-of-Scary-Rides | How to Overcome a Fear of Scary Rides | It might be daunting, but the best way to overcome a fear of scary rides is to start by exposing yourself to them. For example, try walking near them or watching them. When you're more comfortable, get in line with a friend and ask them to encourage you to get on the ride if you start to chicken out. Then, as you're waiting, try to avoid worrying and instead control your breathing; alternate between normal and deep breaths to help you relax. Finally, allow the attendant to strap you into the ride and hold onto the bar if you want to feel secure! | Identify what scares you about the ride. Consider what about the ride actually scares you, and makes you want to not go on. There can be many reasons why you don't enjoy or want to go on scary rides. It could be the speed, the turns, or the feeling of falling you'll get while on it, or even a traumatic experience you had on a ride before. By identifying what it is that makes you scared, you can take more concrete steps to overcome that specific fear. Look at pictures of the ride, watch where it goes. See if there are particular things about the ride that scare you, like going upside down on a roller coaster. Imagine yourself going through the ride, and how you would feel when you go through it. Study the rides. Look at what they are trying to do to scare you, as well as the safety features. Understanding how the rides work, and how they can keep you safe, will help you feel more comfortable getting on them. Remember that you are in a safe environment. These rides work because people remember that they are in a safe area, and that nothing bad will actually happen to them. Scary rides are able to create a reaction by overstimulating your senses, like using sudden sounds and weird sensations in a haunted house, but will not put you in real danger. Set a goal for going on the ride. Maybe you just want to say you did it, or are trying to impress someone. It doesn't need to be an earth-shattering goal, but something manageable like going on the ride once. Having a goal or reason for getting on the ride can help motivate you to actually give it a shot, and smaller goal will make it easier to follow through and have success. Talk to other people. Talk to your friends about going on these rides. Make sure they know that you are scared, but that you want to overcome this fear. Good friends will understand, and try to help where they can. When you talk to your friends, ask them why they enjoy going on these rides. It's not unusual to be a little afraid of scary rides, as the point is to give you a thrill. Ask about how they overcame their fears to enjoy the ride. Slowly expose yourself to the rides. Before jumping on line, spend some time exposing yourself to a scary ride. Look at pictures and video of it online so you can see it in action, and what you would do while on it. If you go to a theme park or carnival, walk by the ride and watch it in action. The more you see of it, the more comfortable you will be around it. This is exposure therapy, a common method for overcoming fears. Get in line for the ride. One way to help push yourself on to the ride is to put yourself in a position where you have to go on one. Maybe tell your friends you'll definitely ride it, or buy an expensive ticket to the park. Make it very difficult for yourself to back out of going on the ride. Do your best to forget past times where you avoided the ride, or got in line only to back out. Don't dwell on the past, but instead stay focused on the future, that this time you will go on the ride. Avoid catastrophizing. This is a common type of negative thinking, where you can only think of a worst-case scenario when you think about going on a scary ride. This could be something like worrying about falling out of a roller coaster each time it goes upside down. Use relaxation techniques to stay calm. Before you get on line, or get on the ride, use some mindfulness techniques to help relax yourself. These simple exercises are great for reducing your stress and tension, which will make you feel better as you approach the ride. Progressive muscle relaxation. This exercise involves you slowly clenching and relaxing the muscles in your body. Tense for about 5 seconds, then relax for 30, thinking not just about moving your muscles, but how it feels when they are relaxed. It can help to start in one part of your body, maybe down at your feet, and work your way up your body, tensing and relaxing all your muscles in succession. Controlled breathing. Take a normal breath, then a deep breath. Breathe in slowly through your nose, and let the air fill your lungs and abdomen. Exhale slowly--it's best to do so through your mouth, but it can be through your nose, if that is more comfortable. Try out the seats. Some rides will have seats available for you to sit in before getting on the ride. These are mostly to make sure you will fit properly, but trying them out can be a good way to get more comfortable with what you are doing. Get on the ride. The best way to face your fear is to push past it and get on board. You've come this far. You've learned about the ride, relaxed yourself, stood in line, and now you are here. Get in the seat, let the attendant strap you in, and get ready to roll. Hold on to the bar. Most rides will have some type of “grab bar” or other restraint that's meant to help hold you into the ride. It might make you feel more secure to grab hold of the restraint. It won't actually make you any safer, but can be a pleasant reminder that something is there to hold you in. Keep your eyes open. When the ride takes off, you will be tempted to squeeze your eyes shut until it's over. Don't do that. Instead, let your eyes guide you along the track, watching what comes next. Being able to see what follows will help make you feel more in control of what's coming. Go a second time. Once you've gone on the ride, great. Now get back in line and go again. Going on rides more often helps habituate you to it, and will make you even more comfortable as you go along. | Identify what scares you about the ride. Set a goal for going on the ride. Talk to other people. Slowly expose yourself to the rides. Get in line for the ride. Avoid catastrophizing. Use relaxation techniques to stay calm. Try out the seats. Get on the ride. Hold on to the bar. Keep your eyes open. Go a second time. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Send-a-Book-to-a-Publisher | How to Send a Book to a Publisher | To send a book to a publisher, first write a proposal that gives a brief overview of your book as well as a short biography of your qualifications as a writer. Once your manuscript and supporting materials are ready, find an agent if you believe your book has significant commercial value. Otherwise, if you're looking at independent publishers or university presses, prepare to submit your work yourself. When sending your work to publishing houses, make sure to follow all submission guidelines, and to submit your work to a variety of relevant publishers. | Do some research. You want to know how to sell your book going into a proposal. Before you sit down to write your proposal, you will need to figure out some basic information about the current market for books in your genre. Figure out your genre. Are you writing fiction, nonfiction, poetry? From there, what is your sub genre? Is your nonfiction book a book of essays or a memoir? What could you call your fiction work? Is it literary fiction, or a more specific genre like historical fiction, science fiction, or fantasy. It's important to know the genre, as it will help you more easily format your book and know what to focus on. You want to know what commercial value your book has. Publishers and agents will not waste time on books that will not sell. Research the bigger books currently on the market in your genre. Ask yourself, "What is my book doing that these books are not? What makes these books successful? Where does my book fit in?" If you can find a missing niche in the market that your book fills, this is important information to provide in your book proposal. Ask the right questions about your book. When you're writing your proposal, you want to be highly self critical. You will have to ask yourself certain questions to help ascertain how to best sell your book to an agent or publisher. The first question you should ask is, "So what?" Why is your book important to the current literary world? What makes it important? Is your topic important? Do you offer a unique perspective? Does your book identify, examine, or solve a problem? This is where you must explain why your story needs to be told. The second question is, "Who cares?" Identify a specific audience you believe will buy the book. For example, maybe your market is middle aged working women, or college-aged art majors. You might research books that are similar to yours to find out their target audience. Check social media and advertising for these books to see what audience the book is marketed to. Find as specific a market as possible. The last question is, "Who are you?" This is where you have to sell yourself. Explain why you're the best person to tell this story, and any qualifications you have that prove you're a decent writer. For example, you're writing a memoir about mental illness in America. Maybe you worked as a psychiatrist in New York City for 5 years before obtaining an MFA in nonfiction from the University of Iowa. All this could qualify you to tell this specific story. Begin your proposal with a title page and a single sentence summary. Most proposals should contain a title page. Check the formatting requirements for your genre to see what's required. In most cases, your title page will include basic information, like your name, address, and email. From here, you will need to write your first sentence. This should be a single sentence summary of your work. Boiling your book down to one sentence can be tricky, and it may take a few days to get that sentence right. Feel free to ask friends for help. You can give someone a variety of sentences and ask something like, "Which of these sentences makes you most want to read this book?" This is essentially a tagline, like you would see in a movie poster. Try to hook your reader in by making your book sound exciting. For example, "In an era where psychiatric drug use is at an all time high, a renown child psychiatrist from Atlanta wonders if an experimental program for childhood ADHD might benefit her clients more." Give a brief overview of your book. Have you ever read the back of a book at a bookstore? This is the kind of language you're going for with your proposal. Read a variety of book covers to get inspiration, and try to use the same kind of language in your overview. Your overview should likely be brief, but check the requirements for the type of book you're writing. Strive to keep it at a paragraph's length, unless instructed to write more. Use your words wisely. Cut out unnecessary adjectives and adverbs whenever possible. Remember, you want to keep a publisher or agent interested. Publishing houses and agents receive hundreds of proposals a day, so you will have to work hard to make yourself sound interesting. Provide a short biography. Here is where you work on selling yourself. Give a brief biography that overviews why you are the best person to tell this story. Include any credentials you have that speak to your ability as a writer. This should be about half a page to one page long. Stick to relevant details. An agent does not need to know you grew up in the Midwest and live with your spouse and two dogs. Talk about your qualifications as a writer. If you have any previous publications or books, list them here. If your work has earned any kind of special awards or recognition, this should also be mentioned. Do you have any degrees in creative writing, or in a field related to your book's topic? For example, returning to the memoir about mental health in America, you could say something like, "I have a PhD in psychiatry from University of Michigan, and counseled children in upstate New York with ADHD for 10 years. After this, I obtained an MFA in nonfiction from the University of Iowa." Convince the reader your book will sell. This is one of the most vital parts of your proposal. You want a publisher or an agent to feel like this book could potentially make a profit. Mention every reason you can think of that people would buy your book. Talk about what you've already done and not what you plan on doing. Agents and publishers are likely to help an already established author. Have you identified and reached out to a target audience? Have you participated in literary readings? Do you have an online presence, like a blog or even an active Twitter page? Be as specific as possible when you're explaining why your work is marketable. For example, do not say, "I know a lot of people in the world of psychiatry and also literature." Instead, say, "I have attended several AWP panels talking about my science-based nonfiction work, all of which were heavily attended. My blog has roughly 15,000 visitors per month, and blog pieces have been cross published in popular online publications like Salon and the Huffington Post." Attach a synopsis and sample chapters. Usually, publishers and agents will want a synopsis of your book. They will also want a few sample chapters to assess the quality of your writing. For a synopsis, keep it between 2 to 3 pages. It's a good idea to stay on the shorter side, as agents and publishers are often pressed for time. Usually, agents and publishers will want the first 40 to 50 pages of your work. However, check specific guidelines. Some agents and publishing houses will want more or less. Decide whether you need an agent. Not everyone needs an agent to get a book published. Having an agent can be a tremendous asset, however, if you're aiming to get published in a larger house. It's a bad idea to send in your book cold to a place like Random House, which receives thousands of submissions each day. Does your work have significant commercial value and are you looking to publish through a big house? If you're writing a work on a hot button issue, or if you already have a big presence in the literary world, an agent may be necessary to get your book to the right sources. However, you may be looking towards an independent publisher or a university press. Such places usually do not require agents, and some have free reading periods where even a book proposal is not required. If you're writing something in hopes of getting published through a regional press, such as a book of essays on Michigan, you probably do not need an agent. Find the right agent. If you decide to go the agent route, search for a relevant agent for your proposal. You do not want to send your book proposal out to agents randomly. An agent who works with mostly nonfiction authors will likely not read your proposal on a science fiction novel, for example. Try subscribing to publications like Writer's Market and Writers' and Artists' Yearbook. These publications usually offer you a list of agents and the genres in which they work. Make sure you purchase the most recent version, as outdated versions may give you the names of agents who are no longer working. You can also look online. Websites like AgentQuery, QueryTracker, and Duotrope prove listings of agents by genre. Look for relevant publishers. You can also use the above resources to seek out publishers. Small presses and university presses usually do not require you have an agent to submit. In fact, some smaller publishers may not even require a book proposal. Coffee House Press, for example, usually has an open reading period for manuscripts each spring. As with an agent, make sure you know the publishers well. A publisher that primarily publishers literary fiction and nonfiction may not be interested in genre-based works, like sci-fi and fantasy. Examine books that are similar to yours or that were successful to find out who published them. You might send your proposal to that publisher. Follow all submissions guidelines when sending your proposal. When you've found the right agent or publisher, make sure you read over submissions guidelines carefully when sending in your manuscript. Agents and publishers get many submissions each day, and may simply throw out a proposal that is not formatted properly. Follow basic formatting, such as requirements for margin sizes, fonts, title pages, and so on. Many presses and agents require you include a self addressed stamped envelope (SASE) so they can mail you an acceptance or rejection. Refine your proposal with your agent. If you have gone the agent route, an agent will want to work with you to refine your proposal. Your agent will want to help make sure you write a marketable draft of your book that's likely to sell to potential publishers. Try to go into the situation with an open mind. Many people get attached to their original idea, and do not want to listen to criticism. However, it's important you follow your agent's advice. If you're interested in selling your book, your agent can help you figure out a way to make it more likely to get accepted by a publishing house. Keep in mind that, sometimes, restrictions force you to be more creative. Your agent may want you to trim certain things down, or to shift focus slightly. While this may be frustrating, you may end up with a final copy you like more than your original idea. Work on your book until it's finished. Once your proposal is refined, work on your book. If you already have it written, work on refining your drafts with your agent's suggestions in mind. If you're not working with an agent, simply strive to write a high quality draft. It takes a long time to write a final draft, so have patience and stay on a schedule. Carve out some time each day in your schedule to sit and write. If you have any contacts in the writing world, such as previous professors or colleagues from a creative writing program, talk to them. Ask them to read your draft and provide you with honest feedback. Follow formatting guidelines when preparing your manuscript. As with your proposal, your manuscript should follow all formatting guidelines a publishing house requires. Each publishing house will have slightly different guidelines, so read guidelines over carefully. Make sure you follow all requirements of margins, font, title pages, and so on. You should also include SASE if the publisher requires this. Send your book out to a variety of publishers. Remember, rejection is common in the literary world. You should not send your book to only a few publishers. Send your book out to a wide array of publications. This will increase your chance of having a publisher select your book. Remember to send your book out to relevant publishers who publish books in your genre. If you're working with an agent, your agent can help you find publishers. If you're working on your own, you will need to use online resources to find publishers. If you know someone in the literary world, such as someone you met at a conference or attended school with, contact them if they have a recent publication. They may be able to help you get your foot in the door at a publishing house. Accept your best offer. You may only get a few offers on your book. Offers also have a way of fading. A publishing house may make an offer, but later withdraw it or lose interest. From the offers you receive on your book, select the best one. If you have more than one publisher interested in your book, you may get competitive bids. You can select the publisher who is willing to offer you the highest bid. You should also negotiate things like advances. An advance is an amount of money your publishers gives you to get a start on your book. A higher advance is generally better, as it will give you more resources to focus on your writing. Cope with rejection. You may not get any offers on your book the first time around. Most successful authors faced many rejections before experiencing success. As you send your book out to publishers, find ways to cope with rejections along the way. Have a lot going on besides your book proposals in terms of your writing. Work on curating a literary series, sending your work out to small journals, and self-publishing on a blog. This way, you'll have a lot more going for you if you receive a rejection. It may sting less. Rejection is usually not personal. Your work may simply not have been a good fit, or it may have been too similar to another book coming out soon. It does not mean you're not a good writer, so learn to take rejection with a grain of salt. | Do some research. Ask the right questions about your book. Begin your proposal with a title page and a single sentence summary. Give a brief overview of your book. Provide a short biography. Convince the reader your book will sell. Attach a synopsis and sample chapters. Decide whether you need an agent. Find the right agent. Look for relevant publishers. Follow all submissions guidelines when sending your proposal. Refine your proposal with your agent. Work on your book until it's finished. Follow formatting guidelines when preparing your manuscript. Send your book out to a variety of publishers. Accept your best offer. Cope with rejection. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-an-Indian-Headdress | How to Make an Indian Headdress | If you want to make an Indian headdress, cut a strip of brown construction paper that's about 1 1/2 inches wide and long enough to wrap around your head, with a little overlap. Use markers, crayons, or colored pencil to draw a pattern on the headband, then glue the ends together to make a circle. Next, glue feathers to the front of the headdress. You can use real or fake feathers, or you can draw your own feathers on construction paper and cut them out. However, keep in mind that some people may find it culturally insensitive for you to dress up as a Native American if that isn't your heritage. | Get your supplies together. You will need scissors, a tape measure, a ruler, brown construction paper, crayons or paint, craft or hot glue, and either feathers (as many as you like) or more colors of construction paper. If you are making paper feathers, you will be able to get up to one feather for every inch your construction paper is wide. However, you may wish to buy several colors of construction paper, and cut one or two feathers from each. Cut a strip of brown construction paper. The strip should be about 1½ inches (3.8 cm) in width. It should also be long enough to wrap around the wearer's head with a little extra overlap space. Add roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm) extra to the length. This overlap length will allow you to glue the ends together securely in order to form a band later on. Feather headbands were worn by a few tribes of the northeast Woodland, such as the Lenape and Abenaki. They were worn by men and women alike, and were not associated with battle. Pick a sturdy brown paper so it looks like leather. Pick another color if you would rather have a different color band. Actual feathered headbands were typically woven or beaded, so feel free to use an alternative color for your band. Alternatively, beaded turbans became popular among Cherokee, Seminoles and other southeastern Indian men when cloth became easily available in the 1800s, so consider wrapping a turban and tucking a feather into it. You can print and use this template instead. Indian Headdress Template Decorate the band. Use markers, crayons, paint, or colored pencils to create a colorful design, perhaps inspired by a tribe such as the Wampanoag, Lenape, and Abenaki. You can find patterns online, or in books about Woodland Indian tribal patterns. Purple and white beads were favored by tribespeople in the Northeast, such as the Wampanoag. Draw a geometrical pattern along the band. For instance, draw a series of triangles within triangles of alternating colors. Draw the lines along a ruler to make them straight. If you want your band to appear beaded, you can paint dabs of color. If making an art project with a child, give your child a ruler and a limited color palette (2-4 crayons, for instance) and explain that the pattern should be the same all around. Glue the ends together. Apply a dot of craft glue on one end of the band, on the decorated side. Wrap the strip into a band and press the end of the other side on top of the glue. Let dry. There should be about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of overlapping paper. If craft glue will not hold the paper headband together, use a glue stick or a stronger type of glue, such as hot glue. If you are using real or craft feathers, you can glue them on at this time. Put a few dots of glue on the inside of the band, and arrange one or more feathers so that they stand up. If you have multiple feathers, arrange them so they fan out slightly from one another. Pick paper for feathers. If you do not have real feathers or craft feathers, you can make your own by cutting fringes into colorful ovals of construction paper. Any color and number of feathers will do. You might choose red, yellow, and orange, or use colors that you used when decorating the brown band. Cut out each feather. Draw a narrow oval on your first piece of construction paper. The oval should be at least 6 inches (15 cm) long by 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide. Cut the oval out. Fold and slit the feathers. Fold the oval in half lengthwise. Cut slits along the open, curved edge. Make sure that the slits do not cross each other or cut through the straight, folded edge. The slits should extend from top to bottom. Folding the feathers creates the feather's shaft. Don't worry about the fold being perfectly centered, as feathers are not always symmetrical. Unfold the paper feather. Repeat with other colors of construction paper. Glue your feathers to the band. Glue your paper or craft feathers to the inside of your headband and let dry. The feathers should all extend up and out from the band at a single point. One feather can stand straight up, but the other two should fan out slightly. Wear the headband at home. When wearing the headband, position it so that the feathers are behind the wearer's ear on one side of his or her head. Incorporate this costume choice with a lesson on the tribe whose designs you are borrowing. Most native people consider "Indian costumes" offensive. Please avoid dressing as any racial stereotype for Halloween. Understand that you will seriously offend the people whose culture you are borrowing from if you paint your skin, or sexualize minority groups whose oppression includes a long history of sexual violence. If you must dress as someone from another race, dress as a specific person. Take the time to research and dress as the historical Pocahontas, not the Disney character. Gather supplies. You will need scissors, a tape measure, a hole puncher, a 2-prong paper fastener, and craft glue or hot glue. You will also need corrugated fiberboard, crepe paper, and craft feathers or paper to make paper feathers. Cut a strip of corrugated fiberboard. The strip should be 1 1/2 inches (3.8 cm) wide and 2 inches (5 cm) longer than the length required to fit around the intended wearer's head. Corrugated fiberboard, also called corrugated cardboard or corrugated paper, has narrow ridges or holes along the inside, making it a little lighter than standard cardboard but also a little thicker. Choose a thin piece of corrugated fiberboard to make it easier to wrap it around into a band-like form. These instructions will allow you to create a "straight-up" style warbonnet, in which the feathers extend vertically from the headband. Stick feathers into the holes of the cardboard. Apply a small dot of glue to the top of each corrugated hole, inside the hole itself. Attach the stem of a craft feather to each dot of glue and let dry. To make it easier for the feathers to stick to the glue, you may want to keep the cardboard flat, attaching the feathers horizontally rather than vertically. Use craft glue or hot glue to hold the feathers in place. Overlap the ends of the headband. Fold the headband over so that the extra 2 inches (5 cm) of length overlap. Use a hole puncher to punch a hole in each end and slip a 2-pronged paper fastener through these holes. Spread the prongs out to hold the band in place. For extra security, punch two holes in each end, one near the top and one near the bottom, and use two 2-pronged fasteners to hold the band together. Cover the outside. You may use cloth, beads, or bright red crepe paper. The paper strip should be 2 inches (5 cm) wide and 1 foot (30.5 cm) longer than the length of the band. Center and paste the crepe paper strip over the band of fiberboard. There should be about 1/4-inch (0.635 cm) hanging off the top and bottom of the band and 6 inches (15 cm) hanging down from both ends. Frill the edges of the crepe paper. If using crepe paper to cover, frill the edges. Use scissors to cut 1/4-inch (0.635-cm) fringes along the top and bottom of the crepe paper. This completes your headdress. When wearing the headdress, the feathers should stand upright over the head. Design an alternative warbonnet. There isn't one single style of warbonnet, so look through pictures of trailer warbonnets, halo warbonnets, and straight-up warbonnets for design ideas. About a dozen tribes, all in the Great Plains region, wore bonnets to reward bravery and great deeds. Tribes that used warbonnets include the Sioux, Crow, Blackfeet, Cheyenne, and Plains Cree. A warbonnet is a sacred symbol that honors great deeds. They are not worn by most tribe members. Modern-day American Indians might earn a warbonnet for advocacy or scholarship. You are likely to offend people if you wear a warbonnet as a costume. Obtain supplies. You will need beads, beading string, and a beading needle. You will also need a beading loom. If you have a beading loom and beading kit, go for larger seed beads and one large toggle bead to finish. If you are starting from scratch, buy a small bag of beads in the colors you want to use. The beads should all be the same size, though you may buy one larger one to seal the headband if you want. Build a loom. You can make a beading loom by attaching two combs to a sturdy box or box lid. Take two matching combs, or snap a single comb in half. Tape or glue each comb to parallel sides of the box, each at the edge, so that the teeth protrude into the air. Buy string for beading. A slightly elastic string will make your headband more comfortable. Design your headband. Beaded headbands were worn by members of many tribes, including those of the Cheyenne, Sioux, Crow, Sauk, Fox, Winnebago, Kickapoo, Cree, and Arapaho. Search online for patterns traditional to these tribes, or find one in a book about North American beadwork. You can also invent your own design. Draw your design on graph paper, coloring in the squares to represent the beads you will use. You run less risk of offending a native person if you opt for a beaded headband, as they hold less spiritual significance than feathered warbonnets or headdresses. Thread your loom. Tie beading string to the leftmost tooth of the loom (or comb), then stretch taut across the loom and cut it to size, leaving two or three inches of string hanging loose outside the loom. Tie the loose end to the leftmost tooth of the other side of the loom. Repeat until you have enough parallel strings to contain your design. Thread the beads on a long string. Arrange your pattern to match your loom, in a vertical line, and start counting beads from the top row. Count out the first 5 lines of your pattern and thread the corresponding beads onto a long thread in the order you have counted. Count from left to right for the first row, then right to left for the second, then left to right, etc. This is because you will be weaving the beaded string through the strings on the loom from left to right, then right to left, switching each time a row ends. Weave your headband. Tie the end of the string to a needle, and weave in and out of the rows. Go over the first string, under the next, then over, then under. Weave your first row at the loom's top, weaving left to right. You'll end up on the right: start the same process again from the right, then back again from the left. Stop after your first five rows to see if the pattern is coming out as you'd planned. If it is, line up your next 5 rows on the string and keep weaving. If it isn't, undo your glitchy rows and count your beads again. Tie it off. Use a tape measure to measure the head of the person who will wear the headband. Weave until you have reached that length, or an inch shorter if you want to tie off the ends. Cut your headband free, and tie the two or three inches of thread you left hanging together so that the beads stay in place. You may tie a large bead to one side, and make a loop with the other, large enough to go around the bead. Trim for tidiness. If you don't want to use the large bead method, you can tie the dangling thread on each side in a knot. Tie the two knotted ends together when you want to wear your band. If your band fits exactly, you can tie the ends together tightly and wear it as is. | Get your supplies together. Cut a strip of brown construction paper. Decorate the band. Glue the ends together. Pick paper for feathers. Cut out each feather. Fold and slit the feathers. Glue your feathers to the band. Wear the headband at home. Gather supplies. Cut a strip of corrugated fiberboard. Stick feathers into the holes of the cardboard. Overlap the ends of the headband. Cover the outside. Frill the edges of the crepe paper. Design an alternative warbonnet. Obtain supplies. Design your headband. Thread your loom. Thread the beads on a long string. Weave your headband. Tie it off. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Apply-Matte-Liquid-Lipstick | How to Apply Matte Liquid Lipstick | To apply matte liquid lipstick, begin by outlining and filling in your lips with lip liner. Then, use short strokes to add the liquid lipstick, beginning in the center of your lips and working your way out. Add a second coat immediately to darken the color, if desired, then blot your lips on a tissue. | Exfoliate your lips. It's essential to start with smooth lips when you plan to wear a matte lipstick. You can buy a lip scrub, make your own, or simply use a washcloth or toothbrush to slough off dry or dead skin. Pat your lips dry with a towel when you're done. For a homemade lip scrub, mix together 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of honey and 1 tablespoon (12.5 g) of brown sugar in a small bowl. You can also add 1 drop of vanilla extract for flavor and a nice scent. Use clean fingers to scrub the mixture over your lips. Rinse it away with warm water. Apply a moisturizing balm. Matte liquid lipstick stays on all day, which means it can be drying. Moisturize your lips before applying the lipstick to ensure they stay soft and smooth. Choose a lip balm that isn't greasy or oily, such as 1 that is wax-based, and thinly coat your lips with it. You can blot your lips with a tissue after applying the balm, if desired. Put on lip primer. A lip primer ensures your lipstick will stay in place and not bleed or melt during the day. Simply swipe your favorite lip primer over your lips, much as you did with the balm. It may become tacky after a minute or 2, which helps the liquid lipstick adhere to it. Line your lips, then fill them in. Lip liner is used to define the shape of your lips. Choose a liner that is the same shade or slightly lighter than your lipstick. Start at the center of your top lip, called the Cupid's bow, and outline each side. Then, outline your bottom lip and use the liner to completely fill in your lips. If you want an extra playful pout, you can make your lips “overdrawn,” which means making them look a little bigger by drawing the lip liner just outside your natural lip line. Be careful not to overdo it, though! Use short strokes to apply 1 coat of liquid lipstick. Wipe excess lipstick off the applicator on the side of the tube opening or on a paper towel. Begin applying the lipstick at your Cupid's bow and work your way out toward the edges of your top lip. Then, move to your bottom lip and, again, work from the center out. Short strokes will help you achieve a more even color. Be careful to avoid getting any excess product on your skin, as it may stain. Avoid rubbing your lips together. Though it may be instinctive to rub your lips together to blend your lipstick, do your best to avoid the temptation. Matte liquid lipstick is similar to paint, so rubbing your lips together can lead to smeared, uneven color. You could use your finger tip to blend uneven areas, if desired, but it's best to just let the lipstick dry on its own. Apply a second coat, if desired. Usually, 1 coat of matte liquid lipstick will be enough. If you think it's too transparent, though, you can add a second coat. Do this immediately after the first coat, or you risk messing up the drying process. Apply a second coat in the same manner as the first. Blot your lips for an extra-matte finish. If you want a less opaque finish or love a super matte look, you can blot your lips immediately after applying the lipstick. Open your mouth and hold a tissue between your lips, then lightly press them together onto the tissue. Discard the tissue when you're done. Fix mistakes with cold cream or concealer. If you try to rub the lipstick off of the outside of your mouth, you'll end up with a smeared mess! Instead, dip a precision-tip cotton swab in cold cream and use it to clean off the mistakes. Alternatively, dab a little concealer around your mouth and blend it in with your fingers or a clean makeup sponge. | Exfoliate your lips. Apply a moisturizing balm. Put on lip primer. Line your lips, then fill them in. Use short strokes to apply 1 coat of liquid lipstick. Avoid rubbing your lips together. Apply a second coat, if desired. Blot your lips for an extra-matte finish. Fix mistakes with cold cream or concealer. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Politician | How to Become a Politician | If you think you want to become a politician, get a degree in something like economics or international relations. Then, work on someone else's campaign to gain experience and trust. If you like what you're doing, find an issue you're going to take up and use it to win people to your side. You will also need to work hard at becoming a great public speaker, which will earn you more trust and attention from your audiences. | Go to college. While really anyone can be a politician (depending on your definition of politician, of course), the ones that make a true dent in society and can call it a career have been to college. They likely studied economics, business, political science, or international relations. Though any degree is better than none! Many go on to law or business school. This isn't a hard-and-fast requirement, but it's definitely not a bad idea. If you want to be a big dog, it's wise, that's for certain. In the US Congress, 68 are currently either lawyers or businessmen. Just for the record. Back in the day, military experience was pretty common. It's definitely not a bad idea -- we're all pro people who support their country. But it is becoming less common and if you don't feel the pressure to fit the presidential mold, there's no shame in keeping your office job. Volunteer. With volunteer experience on your resume, it's hard for someone to look at you and say, "That's not a trustworthy, good person." That would require a person who doesn't like puppies. To get votes, you need to show that you support good causes, you've put in the time, and you care about your community. The easiest way to do that? Volunteering. You could start by volunteering for a local campaign, but it's also a good idea to foster your interests outside the political arena, too. Join a non-profit, help the homeless, get involved with an organization you would support if you were in a position of power. Show the world just how well-rounded (and moral) you are. Affiliate yourself with a political party. Running on the Jane/John party won't get you much attention (well, good attention at least). If you're serious about this politics thing, you need to affiliate yourself with a well-established political party. That way you'll get backing, you'll meet like-minded friends and cohorts, and in some cases, people will look at your label and assume you're good to go. Or don't. Whichever. That's what the Independent party is for. However, do note that running with this party and getting elected to office is like running up a hill blind with a Skip-Bo on your ankle, carrying a screaming monkey on your back. People like labels and they really like labels they think they understand. "Independent" isn't one of them, sadly. Pay your dues on someone else's campaign. If you're blessed enough to know what you want to do at a young age, then a good way to make headway into this field is to work on someone else's campaign. It may be grunt work, but you'll get a sneak peek into what it's like and get a leg up on the whole networking thing. Which is super important, by the way. You may be knocking on doors, you may be stuffing pamphlets into boxes or putting stamps on envelopes, but you'll be doing something. It will give you an appreciation for these roles when you're at the top -- and a relatability people will admire, too. Get active in your community. If no one knows you from Joe, it'll be hard for people to trust you with, well, anything. So get active locally! Be that one that everyone knows. The one that's involved in everything. You have a reputation to develop! A good place to start? Community meetings. Get on local school boards, city assemblies, and the like and make some noise. Be active. Starting at the bottom is the only way you'll work your way up. So go to your area's party headquarters, ask some questions, and grab a seat. Have a flexible career. So while most big cheese politicians are businessmen or lawyers, the local and state ones are a different story. Your city's representatives could be grocery store owners, teachers, factory supervisors, anything. Since politics won't start paying you for probably another decade or two, get a career and get a flexible one -- unless you have ten years of money lying around. The flexible part here is important because there will be times when politics takes over. You have to take an afternoon off for a meeting, you have to take a week off for a convention, or you have to take six months off for your campaign. The more flexibility you have, the less you'll be sweating your finances in the long run. Get passionate about something. Very few people become a politician simply on the idea that it looks like fun. While they may want to "change the world," they have a general idea of what needs changed. So before you throw your name in the ring, find something you want to get behind. Find something to motivate you. Get passionate. Do the conditions of your city's road irritate you to no end? Do you want to save the local hospital from being moved to a different area? Do you wish there were more allocated green space in your neighborhood? Great! You don't have to have the next best thing since the two-party system. All you need is a driving force for your platform and your reason to campaign. Start local. While you could go from student body president to running for the President of the United States...you'd really just be asking for a hard time. If you want to go about it and be successful, you'll start small. In the US, you have a few options: School board City Council City mayor County supervisor Check your bank balance. Okay, you've decided you want to run for office. Maybe it's mayor, maybe it's county supervisor, heck, maybe it's even state legislator. The bigger it is, the more money you're gonna need. Do you have some padding in there in case things go awry? What if your campaign comes up short and you have to foot some of the bill? What if you lose the election and your job isn't there when you get back? Will there be food on the table? Campaigns are expensive. Way more expensive than you realize before going into your first one. There's travel expenses, paying your team, marketing expenses, and schmoozing expenses, just to get the list started. Ideally these won't come from your pocket. Ideally. Develop your campaign. Now for the fun stuff! You know, sort of. At least the adrenaline-packed stuff. You'll need to assemble a team of people you trust to run it for you, but you need to develop it. How do you want to go about getting the word out there? How big should your team even be? What issues will you be pushing? How will you handle your opponents? Three words: Start. Raising. Funds. Start raising funds now. Hit up everyone you know for donations (you've been nice to them because you knew this was coming, right?). Even if you met them once and they're not even your Facebook friend, hit 'em up. No shame! Lean on your (rich) friends. This is one of those times when belonging to one of those posh country clubs will really come in handy. You'll need the cash flow to keep on flowing and those $10 semi-annual donations from Aunt Marge aren't cutting it. You'd need thousands of those. So whether you were sipping on Pinot Grigio with the Gateses or serving it, know where your bread is buttered. The unfortunate truth, really. This is why having been a name for a while is especially helpful. The right people might notice you and have decided that you show political promise. That's why it's a good idea to get involved with one of the major parties -- it's a solid platform for grabbing attention. Get state-wide. Once you've dominated your local pond, you'll probably look for some bigger fish to fry. So go state-wide! Be a legislator -- get involved in the Congress or the Senate. You've proven you have the chops, so might as well make some money with it! This is a lot of the same, just on a bigger level. And with a bigger level comes more scrutiny. And more money. Generally, more of everything. Definitely more time. And because of the "more time" thing, make sure you talk this over with your family and those who you're close with. Your life will not be the same and you will not be as accessible. You may be on the road quite a bit and you may be very stressed because of it. But hopefully it'll be worth it! Soldier on. If you are successful, and if you do end up getting elected, for starters, congratulations! It's gonna be stressful and it's gonna make your hair turn gray prematurely, but you'll be making a difference! And if you're not successful, don't be dissuaded. If this is something you're truly passionate about, your time will come.You gotta keep your head up and not take this personally. It's a fierce world out there and you wouldn't have it any other way. If it were easy, it wouldn't mean as much. So keep calm and carry on. There's always next cycle! Be a fantastic public speaker. If there's just one skill you have, it should be public speaking. Your face, your voice, you is gonna be in the limelight at least until the election is over. People are going to be watching you and analyzing your every move. If you can convince them with your winning smile, calm demeanor, and persuasiveness that you're qualified for the job, it'll be smooth sailing. The most obvious examples are Barack Obama and JFK. When Barack steps up to the podium, his charisma just oozes out of him. His public speaking skills got him to where he is today. And then there's the famous JFK/Nixon debate, where JFK was so calm, cool, and collected that he made the nervous, twitchy Nixon look like a joke. So brush up! Have the wardrobe. So while JFK schooled Nixon because of his charisma, it didn't hurt that he was 100x better looking and more put together. If you're gonna be in the public eye, you gotta look the part. That means ties, suits, and that wonderful pair of I'm-just-like-you khakis. And the shoes! Don't forget the shoes. You'll generally need two looks: the nice, fancy suit for your more formal functions and then the rolled-up Oxford and khakis when you're talking in the town hall. This goes for men and women, though a women's suit could either be a skirt or pants. Solidify your views. If you expect people to vote for you, you gotta have your views and your views down pat. None of this wishy-washy flip-flopping -- or you'll be called on it faster than you can say "John Edwards." Hopefully you figured these out pre-campaign (though in the realm of politics, changes of heart aren't exactly uncommon). You'll probably be encouraged to align your views with the majority. There is no book that says you have to do this. Your team may want you to, but you don't have to do a damn thing. It can get you votes, but what's gonna happen when bill-passing time rolls around? Hope the Catholic guilt doesn't get to you? Be comfortable with the media and their antics. Once you're a politician, you're basically signing off on your privacy. You're the closest thing to a movie star there is. Your image will be plastered everywhere from buses to the Daily Show. And it won't always be nice. So while it's gonna be hard handling the constant photo ops and always faking a smile, it's gonna be harder handling the criticism. Can you take it? The association between politicians and scandals is so ridiculous it's almost funny. If you're running for office, expect to have to face that everything from your dishonorable discharge in the military to that appealed DUI charge to a speeding ticket from 27 years ago. If it's the slightest bit juicy, it could come back to haunt you. Get tough. This is not a career for the faint of heart. It's gonna involve late nights, name calling, begging, brown-nosing, and lots and lots of putting up with the trivial. There will be times when you'll feel on top of the world and there will be times when you'll feel like it's on top of you. You gotta have a thick skin and an impermeable sense of confidence. You ready? This could be tough on your loved ones, too. Bristol Palin, anyone? So while this may be your dream, make sure you're looking out for them, too. You'll need them when it feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. | Go to college. Volunteer. Affiliate yourself with a political party. Pay your dues on someone else's campaign. Get active in your community. Have a flexible career. Get passionate about something. Start local. Check your bank balance. Develop your campaign. Lean on your (rich) friends. Get state-wide. Soldier on. Be a fantastic public speaker. Have the wardrobe. Solidify your views. Be comfortable with the media and their antics. Get tough. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Soot-from-Brick | How to Clean Soot from Brick | If the bricks on your fireplace have soot on them, you can easily remove it with baking soda or vinegar. Let your fireplace cool for at least 12 hours before you start cleaning so you don't burn yourself. Once it's cool, make a cleaning solution with 1 part baking soda and 1 part warm water. Put on gloves and rub the mixture onto the bricks with your hands. If you don't have baking soda you can combine 1 part white vinegar and 1 part water in a spray bottle and spray it onto the bricks. Let the cleaning solution sit for 10 minutes, then use an abrasive brush to scrub away the soot. Make sure to dip the brush in water occasionally to wash the cleaning solution away as you work. | Let your fireplace cool for at least 12 hours before you start. Hot bricks should not be cleaned. After your fire, let everything cool down overnight or for at least 12 hours before you start any cleaning methods. This will protect your hands and make sure no chemicals get warmed up as you use them. If you use your fireplace for heat, consider cleaning it during the summer months when you won't need to use it as much. Remove the ashes and loose soot. Use a brush and dustpan to clean your fireplace out before you start scrubbing it. Throw away any ashes or large pieces of charred wood that may be in the fireplace. This will make your cleaning process much easier. You can set aside wood that has not been burned to use later. Lay a drop cloth or towels down to protect your floors. As you clean, you may drip water or chemicals on the floor around your fireplace. Lay down a protective covering on your floors surrounding your fireplace to make sure you don't damage your carpet or hardwood. Put on rubber gloves to protect your hands. As you scrub your fireplace, you may end up getting chemicals on your hands. Put on rubber kitchen gloves to protect your skin and avoid irritation. If you are using TSP cleaner, put on safety goggles as well. Make a paste of a 1:1 ratio of water and baking soda. Combine 4 tbsp (56 g) of baking soda with 4 tablespoons (59 mL) of warm water. Stir the ingredients together until they form a thick paste. If your mixture is too runny, add more baking soda. Rub the mixture into the bricks with your hands. Scoop large amounts of your baking soda paste and spread it onto your fireplace. Work from the top down to create a thin layer all over the brick face. Spread extra paste on the inside of the fireplace, since that is where the soot will be the thickest. Pay special attention to the crevices and grooves in between bricks. Focus on any areas of the fireplace are particularly dirty. Put on rubber kitchen gloves to protect your hands, or use a clean rag to spread the paste instead. Let the paste sit for 10 minutes. The baking soda will work to break down grease and grime on your bricks. Allow the paste to sit for about 10 minutes to loosen up the soot. Do not let the paste dry or harden all the way, or it could damage your bricks. If your paste does get too dry, spray it with water to loosen it up again. Scrub the mixture away with an abrasive scrub brush. Use a scrub brush with hard bristles to scrub away the mixture. Dip your brush in water occasionally to wash away the baking soda residue. The mildly abrasive baking soda will work with your brush to scrub away tough soot. Do not brush so hard that you damage the bricks themselves. Wipe down your bricks with warm water and remove the drop cloths. Use a soft sponge dipped in warm water to completely remove any baking soda left on your bricks. Let the fireplace dry completely before you use it again. Remove any drop cloths or towels you put down to catch spills. Combine a 1:1 ratio of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Combine 1 cup (240 mL) of white vinegar with 1 cup (240 mL) of warm water in a spray bottle. Shake the bottle to make sure they are mixed well. Use a clean spray bottle that has not ever had any harsh chemicals in it. You can buy empty spray bottles at most home goods and hardware stores. Spray the inside and outside of the fireplace with the vinegar solution. Working from the top down, spray your vinegar solution all over the bricks. Pay special attention to areas that have a lot of soot, which could be right around the opening of the fireplace. Make sure you have a drop cloth down to catch any drips. If you have leftover vinegar solution, you can use it as a natural cleaner for bathrooms and countertops. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes. Vinegar is mildly acidic, so it will work to break down the soot and grime stuck onto your bricks. Let the vinegar and water sit on your bricks, but do not let it dry. Don't let it sit for longer than 10 minutes, or the acidity could start to damage your bricks. Scrub the bricks from the top down with a scrub brush. Dip your scrub brush in warm water and scrub your bricks. Pay special attention to the grooves in between bricks and any areas that have a lot of soot. Scrub at the bricks until the vinegar smell is no longer there. You can sprinkle baking soda over your bricks to remove the vinegar faster. However, this will cause a foaming reaction on your bricks and could create a mess. Clean your bricks with warm water and remove the drop cloths. Use a soft sponge to quickly spread warm water over all your bricks. Take away any drop cloths or towels you used on the floor around your fireplace. Let your fireplace dry completely before you burn anything in it again. Put on gloves to protect your hands. TSP, or trisodium phosphate, can damage your skin if you get it on you directly. Put on rubber kitchen gloves to protect your hands. Avoid touching TSP with your bare hands as much as you can. You can find rubber gloves at most home goods stores. Mix trisodium phosphate and warm water in a bucket. Combine 8 tbsp (112 g) of TSP and 1 gallon (3,800 mL) of warm water. Use a plastic bucket that will not come into contact with food later. Stir the mixture until it forms a thin, watery paste. You can buy TSP at most hardware stores. Use a hard-bristled brush to scrub the mixture into the bricks. Scrub the paste into your bricks on the outside and inside of your fireplace using your brush. Work from the top down, and apply extra paste to areas with more soot. Scrub at the areas to remove the soot. Be careful not to damage the bricks themselves as you scrub, especially if your fireplace is old. Rinse the bricks with warm water using a sponge. Use a soft sponge to apply warm water all over your bricks. Gently sponge away any TSP residue that is left on your bricks. Rinse your bucket and brushes thoroughly once you are done using them. If there is still soot left on your bricks, apply more TSP paste and scrub them again. When you're done, remove the dropcloths. | Let your fireplace cool for at least 12 hours before you start. Remove the ashes and loose soot. Lay a drop cloth or towels down to protect your floors. Put on rubber gloves to protect your hands. Make a paste of a 1:1 ratio of water and baking soda. Rub the mixture into the bricks with your hands. Let the paste sit for 10 minutes. Scrub the mixture away with an abrasive scrub brush. Wipe down your bricks with warm water and remove the drop cloths. Combine a 1:1 ratio of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray the inside and outside of the fireplace with the vinegar solution. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes. Scrub the bricks from the top down with a scrub brush. Clean your bricks with warm water and remove the drop cloths. Put on gloves to protect your hands. Mix trisodium phosphate and warm water in a bucket. Use a hard-bristled brush to scrub the mixture into the bricks. Rinse the bricks with warm water using a sponge. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Create-Interest-in-Studies | How to Create Interest in Studies | The best way to become interested in your studies is to relate the subjects you dislike to things you care about. Think of classes as stepping stones to get to something you'll enjoy more, like college, or a more interesting unit. Motivate yourself to study by relating the subjects to your daily life. Let go of negative beliefs in your own ability and remind yourself that you can improve at anything if you decide to. | Identify what interests you naturally. While you may not be the biggest fan of every subject, you probably are interested in at least a few. If you can identify the things that you like learning about, then this can help you become more interested in school in general. When you are naturally drawn to do something (like study a favorite subject), it is called intrinsic motivation, and finding this can increase your success at school. Think about which classes you pay the most attention in, which ones you seem to do the best in, which ones you don't mind studying for, etc. This can indicate which subjects you are naturally interested in. Put classes you don’t like into perspective. If you try, you can become interested in a subject even if you don't think you like it. Try thinking about the purpose of the classes you are taking, and why you need to take them. This is called finding extrinsic motivation. Think about classes as stepping stones. For instance, if you want to go to college, then you know you need to finish and do well in your high school classes, and this can motivate you to become interested in them. You can even put your courses into a more precise perspective. For instance, if you want to be an engineer but don't like your algebra teacher, remember that doing well in algebra is just an early step on the path toward achieving your career goal. Relate what you are studying to your daily life. Sometimes, you might lose interest in your studies when you can't see why a subject is important or relevant to your life outside of school. Understanding some of the fun and interesting ways that school can be relevant can take the boredom and dreariness away. For instance: Knowing the basics of chemistry can improve your cooking. English classes will teach you to understand things like figurative language, rhetoric, and persuasion. Knowing this information can help you understand how advertising works when it incorporates things like catchy slogans and sex appeal. History classes can help you understand when popular books, television shows, movies, etc. are based on historical events (and have fun pointing out when they get things wrong). For instance, Game of Thrones echoes medieval duels and the 15th-century Wars of the Roses, while Downton Abbey is a fairly accurate depiction of life on an English manor in the early 20th century (but one shot infamously included a modern-day water bottle in the background by mistake). Math can be used in many practical situations, such as doing taxes, calculating how much paint you need to cover a wall, and figuring out how much interest you'll pay on a car loan. Examine your beliefs about school. If you are convinced that a subject isn't fun or useful, or if you are generally not interested in school, think about whether any beliefs are holding you back. If you can identify these negative beliefs and remove them, you are more likely to be motivated for school. For instance: If you aren't interested in a particular subject, like English, think about if anyone ever told you that you weren't a good writer. If so, that negative thought doesn't have to hold you back. Go to your current teacher and explain, and ask him or her about ways to improve. Keep in mind that it's not only your teacher's responsibility to keep you motivated for school. Even if you think you have a bad teacher, remember that you can take charge of your learning and decide what you want to be interested in. If you feel like a certain subject just isn't interesting, talk to friends who like it, and see if they can explain to you why they find it fun. Identify stresses. While a lack of interest or academic difficulties in a certain subject might cause you to lose interest in school, other common stress factors can do the same. These may include worrying about your appearance, social issues, bullying, etc. If you are having problems in an area like one of these, talk to a parent, counselor, teacher, friend, or other person you trust about getting help. If you can reduce your stress, you are more likely to be interested in your studies. Don’t be overly competitive. Some amount of friendly competition can be fun and a motivation to learn. However, too much competition produces anxiety, which can take away from learning. Focus on doing well for yourself and to achieve your goals. Try to be competitive only when it is fun and makes you interested in school, such as working on a science fair project or quiz bowl. You don't have to be the best in everything. Set your own realistic goals, and don't worry too much about what others are doing. If you want to earn a certain grade on a test, for example, work hard to achieve it and don't worry about who earns a higher score. Write down what you do and don't like. Sometimes, getting things out on paper can help you figure out how to make yourself more interested in your studies. Take out a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. On the one side, write "Things I Don't Like," and on the other side, write "Things I Like." Write down everything you don't like about school. Try to be as detailed as possible. Rather than saying, "School sucks and it's stupid," try saying something like "I feel embarrassed when the teacher asks me a question and I don't know the answer." Write down everything you like about school. This part can be a challenge, but try hard to find some stuff to put here. Chances are, there is something you enjoy about school, even if it's only hanging with your friends at recess. Look at your list. What can you do about the things you don't like? For example, if you feel scared of not having an answer when the teacher calls on you, you could try preparing a question to ask before class and raising your hand before the teacher can call on you. That way, you know you have something to say and the pressure is off. What can you do to increase the things you do like? For example, if you are a computer whiz, maybe you could ask for extra time on the computers at school, or to do some of your homework on a computer instead of by hand. Talk to your parents, family, and friends about school. When you have a support group of people who care about you and want you to do well in school, you are more likely to be interested in it. Talking about what you are learning about and doing in school keeps it on your mind in a positive way. Your parents, family, and friends can be great listeners. If your parents or family ask you about school, remember that they're not trying to bug you. Instead, they're showing interest in what you do, and you'll feel good if you talk about with them. Don't be afraid to talk about problems or difficulties you're having in school, either. A good support group will be sympathetic and try to help you. Establish a set routine. If you fall behind in your schoolwork, or don't set aside enough time to do your homework, it can create all sorts of problems that can drag you down. On the other hand, if you set aside specific times each day to study or do your homework, you'll stay on top of things and be more likely to be interested in your studies. Plus, you'll feel great about accomplishing what you need to do! Keep a running list of the things you need to do for school, such as in a course planner. This will help you keep track of things. Crossing tasks off as you finish them will help you feel accomplished and stay motivated. Try to find a quiet, distraction-free place to work. Make yourself take care of schoolwork before spending time on the computer, watching TV, playing games, etc. This might seem hard at first, but if you get in the habit of taking care of what you need to first, you'll ultimately have more time to spend on other things you enjoy. If you have a lot of work to do, remember to schedule short breaks. For instance, if you are going to be studying for several hours, remember to take a break (five minutes or so) every hour to clear your head, walk around, get a snack, etc. Prioritize your school tasks. Focus on doing high-impact activities (those that are most important or interesting) first. This will help you build momentum and stay interested in your studies. For instance: If you have a big exam coming up that counts for a large percentage of your grade, studying for that might come before proofreading an essay you've already written for another class. If you have a chapter to read for a history class that you really enjoy, you could start with that before moving on to math homework, if you enjoy it less. Alternatively, you could do the math homework first if it is more important, and use wanting to reading the chapter for history as a motivator to get it out of the way. Break larger tasks into smaller, more manageable ones. If you have a big project or exam to study for, it can seem daunting, and make you lose motivation and interest. However, if you break the task down into smaller parts, you will feel like you are accomplishing something and stay interested. For instance, if you have a biology exam coming up that covers 5 chapters of your textbook, don't try to study them at once. Instead, study a chapter or half of a chapter each day leading up to the exam. You'll feel good about the progress you make each day. Look for ways to create variety in your schoolwork. If you feel bored with the schoolwork you are doing, remember that you may not always have to do things in the same way. A little variety will keep things interesting. For instance: If you have to write a book report each month, and you have been writing on autobiographies, perhaps try writing on a novel next month. Instead of writing yet another essay in your U.S. history class, see if your teacher will let you make a recording in the style of an old-time radio news show. You could even make a series of podcasts instead of a series of essays. Instead of just reading Shakespeare aloud in your English class, see if you can perform a scene, record it, and share it online on a video streaming site for others to enjoy and comment on. You could practice your geometry studies by building a scale model of a famous building or other object. Study with friends. Being part of a group of people all working on the same thing can be a motivator to get schoolwork done; you can quiz each other, help each other out on difficult problems or topics, etc. If you want to study with friends, however, make sure that everyone stays on task and doesn't get distracted. You can form a study group where everyone signs a pledge to work hard, stay on task, and help each other out. When you don't feel like you're alone, you're more likely to stay interested and motivated. Ask for feedback. If you are struggling in school, or just want to know how you are doing, ask your teachers for feedback. You can meet with them, and get help with a specific assignment or ask for general feedback. Most teachers are glad to help, and talking informally about your schoolwork can help you feel more at ease in school and stay interested in your studies. Don't be afraid to tell your teacher if there is a problem in class. For instance, if you feel like a teacher calls on you too often, talk to him or her about it. Most teachers will be happy to hear your concerns and to help you do well. Ask your teachers to let you take part in learning and planning. You'll be more interested and care more about your studies if you're invested in them. Your teachers might be willing to incorporate ideas you have for learning or structuring lessons to make them interesting. Let them know about your learning style, and the things you find interesting, such as: Variety in assignment type Enthusiastic lectures Opportunities to choose what you want to work on Having good examples to learn from Learning from games (like “Jeopardy”-type quizzes) Reward yourself for your effort and successes. When you try hard, do well in school, or achieve a goal, see if there is someway to reward yourself. While you might not want to make tangible rewards be your primary motivation for doing well in school, a reward now and then can keep you interested in your studies. For instance: Let yourself play a favorite video game after you've finished all of your homework. Ask your parents if you can go out to a favorite restaurant if you do well on a big exam, or get good grades at the end of a semester. If you complete all of your assignments and don't have any big projects coming up, let yourself have a weekend to spend just doing things for fun, like hanging out with friends, going for a walk, or watching a favorite TV show. | Identify what interests you naturally. Put classes you don’t like into perspective. Relate what you are studying to your daily life. Examine your beliefs about school. Identify stresses. Don’t be overly competitive. Write down what you do and don't like. Talk to your parents, family, and friends about school. Establish a set routine. Prioritize your school tasks. Break larger tasks into smaller, more manageable ones. Look for ways to create variety in your schoolwork. Study with friends. Ask for feedback. Ask your teachers to let you take part in learning and planning. Reward yourself for your effort and successes. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Freeze-Basil | How to Freeze Basil | To freeze basil, start by removing the stems and rinsing the leaves in cold water. Next, place the leaves in a mesh strainer with a handle and dip the basil into a boiling pot of water for no more than 5-10 seconds. Then, immediately place the leaves into a bowl of ice water so that they stop cooking. After that, lay each leaf flat on a paper towel and allow the basil to dry, then put the leaves on a cookie sheet and place it in the freezer. Once the leaves are fully frozen, put them in a zip-lock bag or plastic container. | Pinch or snip off each basil leaf and discard the stems. You won't need the stems when you freeze the basil. If you harvest basil from your garden during the middle of the growing season, snip or pinch off the top 5 or 6” (12.7 to 15.2 cm) so that you leave some stems and leaves to keep on maturing. Rinse the basil under cold, running water. You can also put the basil in a bowl of cold water and let it soak. Drain the water from the basil. Put the basil in a colander and let it drain thoroughly. Gently pat the basil dry with paper towels. Basil is fragile, so pat the leaves gently or let them rest nestled between paper towels until they are dry. Place 1- 2 handfuls of basil in your food processor. Fill up the food processor bowl, but don't pack the leaves too tightly. Use the “pulse” setting to chop the basil. This will result in coarsely chopped leaves; if you want to make a paste, use the manufacturer's suggested setting on your food processor. This should only take a few seconds. The more finely you want to chop the basil, the longer you should process it. Drizzle olive oil over the basil while you are chopping it. Olive oil prevents the basil from turning dark or even black when it is frozen and gives it a richer flavor. You should use about 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil for each batch of basil. Using olive oil is optional. If you'd like to skip it but still freeze the basil in ice cube trays, you can add enough water to form a slush in the processor instead. Spoon the chopped basil into freezer containers or ice cube trays. If you use ice trays, you can transfer the basil cubes to larger containers after freezing them for 12 hours. Use your frozen basil. You can leave them in the freezer for months and take them out and use them for recipes whenever you like, especially in the winter months. They'll separate from each other easily so you won't have to pull them apart. If you're putting them into a heated dish, then just throw in the frozen leaves and wait for them to thaw -- you won't have to thaw them on your own. If you have too much frozen basil, give it away to your friends -- they'll love you for it. Remove all of the leaves from the stems. You can clip or pinch the leaves away from the stems. Thoroughly rinse the leaves in cold water. Use a salad spinner to do the job done more effectively. If you don't have one, washing the leaves in a bowl of water and using paper towels to dry them will work too. Place some ice in a bowl of cold water. Boil a pot of water. It should be big enough to hold the basil leaves. Add the basil leaves to the water and blanch them for 5-10 seconds. Be very vigilant to make sure you don't blanch them for longer than this. Move the pot to a different burner so it cools off as quickly as possible. Place the leaves into the ice water using a slotted spoon. Do this as quickly as you can so that the basil stops cooking. Lay the leaves on a paper towel. This is the part that takes the longest, so be patient. Just use your hands to individually lay out each leaf and then use a paper towel to pat them dry. You can let the leaves dry for 5-10 minutes if you like. Place the leaves on cookie sheets or plates. Lay them out individually so they don't touch each other too much. You may find that you have to use two pans lined with cookie sheets. Flash freeze the leaves. Place the cookie sheets with the leaves in the freezer and wait until the leaves are fully frozen. Then, remove them from the freezer. Place the leaves in a container. You can use a zip-lock bag, Tupperware, an empty milk carton, or another container that you can seal easily. Clip the leaves from the stems. Rinse the leaves thoroughly. Spread them on a surface and air dry them for at least 30 minutes. You can just use the counter, a cookie sheet, or a plate. You can use a paper towel to pat them dry to speed up the process. Place them in a storage bag. You can loosely layer the leaves in the bag, making sure that they are fully dry so they don't stick together. A zip-lock bag, Tupperware, or any container with a seal will do. | Pinch or snip off each basil leaf and discard the stems. Rinse the basil under cold, running water. Place 1- 2 handfuls of basil in your food processor. Use the “pulse” setting to chop the basil. Drizzle olive oil over the basil while you are chopping it. Spoon the chopped basil into freezer containers or ice cube trays. Use your frozen basil. Remove all of the leaves from the stems. Thoroughly rinse the leaves in cold water. Place some ice in a bowl of cold water. Boil a pot of water. Add the basil leaves to the water and blanch them for 5-10 seconds. Place the leaves into the ice water using a slotted spoon. Lay the leaves on a paper towel. Place the leaves on cookie sheets or plates. Flash freeze the leaves. Place the leaves in a container. Clip the leaves from the stems. Rinse the leaves thoroughly. Spread them on a surface and air dry them for at least 30 minutes. Place them in a storage bag. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Prepare-for-an-Endoscopy | How to Prepare for an Endoscopy | To prepare for an endoscopy, follow your doctor's advice, which may include stopping some medications, since they may interfere with the results. Don't eat solids or drink fluids during the 8 hours before your endoscopy to avoid blocking your digestive tract. Additionally, arrange for someone to help you afterwards, since your reaction times and judgement will be impaired by the sedative you need to take. Before you go to the procedure, go to the bathroom, since you'll feel more comfortable on an empty bladder. | Learn about the procedure. An endoscopy can serve several purposes. Your doctor might advise an endoscopy to investigate symptoms such as nausea or vomiting. If your doctor recommends an endoscopy, take time to learn why. In addition to investigating digestive symptoms, your doctor might use the endoscopy to collect tissue samples. This is also known as a biopsy. Tissue samples can help your doctor to diagnose your condition. The tissue samples can be tested for diseases such as anemia and certain cancers. If your doctor suggests this procedure, you do not need to immediately be alarmed. It is a common procedure and used to diagnose many conditions. Know what to expect. Talk to your doctor about what the procedure entails. You can also ask him to provide additional resources, such as pamphlets or useful web sites. If you know what to expect, you will feel more comfortable about having the procedure. You will be awake during an endoscopy, however you will also be slightly sedated with a rapid onset and short duration medication. It is a same day procedure that takes place in a doctor's office or exam room. During the procedure, you will lie down either on your back or side. Your doctor may give you a sedative to help you relax. The endoscope, which includes a small camera, will be inserted into your mouth. Your doctor will extend the scope down into your esophagus so that the camera can capture images. Your doctor might use other small tools to gather the tissue samples. You will not be able to talk during the procedure, but you will be able to breathe and make sounds. Understand different procedures. It is important to understand that there are actually two common types of endoscopy. One is the upper endoscopy and the other is a colonoscopy. Make sure to clarify with your doctor which type of procedure you need. Your doctor will use an endoscopy to view the upper digestive tract, or a colonoscopy to view the lower digestive tract. The upper endoscopy is the procedure where the scope is inserted through the mouth. It will allow your doctor to look at the small intestines and stomach in addition to the esophagus. During a colonoscopy, the camera is attached to a flexible tube inserted through the rectum. This procedure allows your doctor to examine the large intestine, colon, and rectum. Both procedures are used to diagnose disease and investigate symptoms. Both are common, same day procedures. Ask questions. You may be disconcerted if your doctor recommends an endoscopy. It is normal to be nervous about undergoing a new procedure. Take time to ask your doctor several questions about his recommendation. Gain an understanding of why you need the procedure. Try saying, "What, specifically, makes you think this procedure is necessary for me?" You can also ask about the procedure itself. You might say, "Can you tell me if it will hurt?" Ask your doctor about possible side effects. You can also ask how regularly he performs the procedure. Feel free to take notes. You might hear some unfamiliar medical terms and want to write down what they mean. Stop taking certain medications. There are several things you will need to do to physically prepare for your endoscopy. Some medications might interfere with the procedure or the results. Make sure your doctor is aware of all medications that you are taking. If you are on blood thinners, you will need to stop taking them several days prior to the procedure. These medications could increase your risk of bleeding during the endoscopy. You may need to stop taking your blood pressure medication for a few days. Ask your doctor about the specific dosage you are taking. Discuss supplements with your doctor. If you take vitamins or natural medications, make sure that your doctor has that information. Always make sure that you get specific instructions from your doctor before you stop taking any medications that you are currently on. Fast before the procedure. The point of an upper endoscopy is to allow your doctor to examine your upper GI tract. To get a clear picture, your system needs to be free of food and drink. It is necessary to fast before the procedure. Do not eat any solid food for 8 hours before your endoscopy. You should also avoid chewing gum during this period. Do not drink any liquids for 8 hours before the endoscopy. Ask your doctor if you may have a small amount of water. If you smoke, avoid doing so for at least 6 hours prior to the procedure. It can interfere with the results. Be mindful of your needs. Take your medical history into consideration as you prepare for your endoscopy. For example, if you have asthma, take your inhaler with you. You won't be able to use it during the procedure, but you might want it before or after the endoscopy. Make sure to empty your bladder. Going to the bathroom before the procedure will help you feel more comfortable. Know that the procedure will take about 30-45 minutes. If you wear corrective lenses, think about whether you would be more comfortable in your contacts or glasses. Remove any uncomfortable jewelry. You will wear a gown for the procedure, but bring comfortable clothes to wear home. Make sure that you arrange for someone to take you home after the procedure. You will have some lingering effects from the sedation and you may not feel well. Follow your doctor's orders. Make sure that you follow your doctor's instructions very carefully. It is important that you are mindful of the policies regarding fasting and stopping medications. Ask your doctor to write down all of the instructions so that you don't forget anything. Take some time to go over your medical history with your doctor. Make sure that he is aware of any pre-existing conditions. For example, maybe you are diabetic or have heart disease. Make sure your doctor takes that into account when giving you instructions. Enlist a family member or friend. They can help make sure you obey the rules before your procedure. Plan your recovery. For most people, you will not feel any significant physical discomfort after your endoscopy. However, it is important to remember that you will be taking a sedative for the procedure. It might take a while for that medication to wear off. You might feel perfectly fine after the procedure. But you might be less alert than you realize. For many people, a sedative can impair judgement and delay reaction time. Avoid making any major decisions for 24 hours after your procedure. Plan to take the day off work. You will likely be physically capable of working, but your mind not be working as fast as usual. Take a break. Find someone to help you. Because of the sedative, you should not drive after your endoscopy. Ask a friend or family member to drive you home. You can also ask them to be there for you during the procedure. Be honest about your needs. Try saying, "I'm having a minor procedure, but I'm a bit nervous. Would you mind being on site for moral support?" Choose someone responsible. You want to know that the person you ask to give you a ride home will show up on time. Anticipate side effects. Most people do not suffer from any complications during or after an endoscopy. However, as with any procedure, there are risks. Talk to your doctor about possible side effects. Ask him to tell you symptoms to look for. There are several indicators to look for. If you have a temperature or stomach ache in the 48 hours following your procedure, make sure to contact your doctor. Difficulty breathing and vomiting are also signs of distress. Call your doctor if you experience these symptoms. Be prepared to get your results. Your doctor may be able to give you some initial results immediately. For example, he can tell you if there are any obvious signs of damage. Your doctor might discuss these findings with you after the procedure. Remember that the sedative might impair your concentration. Depending on how you feel, your doctor might wait to discuss his findings. Some tests will take longer to complete. If your doctor collected tissue, these samples will likely need to be sent to a lab. It may take several days to get some of your results. Ask your doctor for a clear timeline about when you can expect some answers. | Learn about the procedure. Know what to expect. Understand different procedures. Ask questions. Stop taking certain medications. Fast before the procedure. Be mindful of your needs. Follow your doctor's orders. Plan your recovery. Find someone to help you. Anticipate side effects. Be prepared to get your results. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Hide-Bad-Bangs-or-Fringe | How to Hide Bad Bangs or Fringe | If your haircut went awry and you need to hide your bad bangs or fringe, try styling them differently or wearing hair accessories. Try a deep side part by sweeping your hair to either side of your face. This style will make your bangs blend in with the rest of your locks. You can also twist your bangs in strands and pin the ends to the sides or back of your head. In addition to some creative styling, try some fun accessories, like a baseball cap, knit beanie, or headscarf. Alternatively, pull your bangs back with a cute or funky headband. | Try a deep side part. If you have cowlicks or kinky hair, you should wet your hair to make styling easier. Sweep your hair to either side to see which you favor most. Create a clean part on your favored side. Using a comb or brush, neatly part to the side of your head. If your hair is wet, dry it following parting to set the part. Your bangs should now be swept to the side and indistinguishable from the rest of your hair. Shape a pompadour with long bangs. Grab your bangs and tease them upwards. By lifting them into place, you can create more volume and an elaborate style. Use hairspray or styling gel to ensure your bangs don't fall flat and revert to a less flattering look. Use short bobby pins to further stabilize your pompadour. A few well placed pins can help maintain this style for the duration of your day. Twist and pin up short bangs. Twisting your bangs in strands and pinning the ends to the sides or back of your head can hide a foul fringe beneath a classic style. Braid your bangs. Part your hair down the middle and take hair from one side to braid it with your bangs. Tie off the braided hair with an elastic and braid the other side in the same fashion. When finished, you can clip the braids out of your way or tie the two behind your head with another elastic. Short bobby pins are excellent for pinning down fly-aways and working with shorter hair. Try an extreme style or dye job. Your botched bangs might just be the thing to liberate you from comfortable, everyday styles. Consider a Mohawk or try to Style a Pixie Cut. Dark and luxurious colors can make it harder to distinguish a bad cut. Choose the right headgear for your face and head type. A hat that brings symmetry and balance to your face and head stands a good chance of being flattering. If you have prominent features, these can be offset by the right hat. Long faces should consider flared brim hats that sit low on the forehead. Round faces can achieve balance through angular head wear. The natural symmetry of round faces can be offset with asymmetrical caps. Square faces can be softened with wide brims and rounded tops. Small faces should stay true to proportion and choose fitted hats with smaller brims. Use a headband to slide bangs back. Choose a cute or elegantly decorated accessories will enhance your look and take focus away from your bangs. Bows, ribbons, and decorative pins used in the right way can make your misshapen fringe disappear. Wear a baseball cap. Couple this with a ponytail for a sporty look, or try a bandana to cover and hide offending strands. Consider wearing a headscarf or turban. Using a light, colorful material can turn the conversation from your bad bangs to your bold fashion choice. Embrace a light knit beanie in summer or a thicker version in winter. The beanie does an excellent job of holding hair out of sight and out of the way. The recent popularity of this head hugging headgear means there are many styles and colors to choose from! Keep warm while disguising bangs with a bobble cap or knit-cap. The fuzzy ball that often adorns the top of this hat can give you a retro-chic appeal. Unleash your inner flapper with a cloche hat. These bell-shaped, fitted hats were most popular during the 1920s. Wearing one might replace your embarrassment with a sense of bygone elegance and class. Bring back the classy hairnet, also known as the snood. Too often these days hairnets are associated with the food service industry, but a hair net adorned with sequins might draw people's attention in a way you appreciate. Tuck fringe under the brim of a doll hat or half-hat. The doll hat especially, as a scaled down design typically worn toward the front of the head, can be just the thing to camouflage your fringe situation. Resist the urge to turn this into a catastrophe. Perhaps you have a wedding, prom, or another special event at which you wanted to look your best. Even so, remind yourself that your worth isn't based solely on your appearance, to encourage a proactive mindset, which will help you take measures to improve your hair. Talk to a stylist. Some salons offer touch-ups or corrections for a fraction of the normal price, and if your unfortunate fringe is the result of a stylist's error, you may get your money back. Even if you don't get your money back or a special deal, ask if there are ways you can correct or improve the state of your bangs on your own. Search online for images of the worst haircuts. Though this will not correct the fringe injustice you have suffered, laughing at ''worse'' haircuts can be therapeutic and put your situation into perspective, and perspective might be just what you need to correct a bad cut. Have a friend join you so that you have an ally that understands how you feel. Laughing together can protect you from psychological pain. Plan humorous responses for social scenarios. Planning can take a great deal of stress off your mind, and planning what you might say if someone comments on your bangs can be an advantage. Some things you might say: “I decided to hack off my bangs to see if my face could make up for it. How am I looking?” “I said 'I forgot my wallet.' My stylist heard, 'I want a mullet.'” “I decided on trying something different. So did my stylist. I think her version of 'different' is the same as my version of 'bad.'” Be cautious of being defensive. You probably feel pretty strongly about your terrible haircut. These strong feelings can make you interpret even compliments as an attack. Don't let bad bangs sour your relationships or get in the way of you taking measures to fix your fringe. | Try a deep side part. Create a clean part on your favored side. Shape a pompadour with long bangs. Twist and pin up short bangs. Braid your bangs. Try an extreme style or dye job. Choose the right headgear for your face and head type. Use a headband to slide bangs back. Wear a baseball cap. Consider wearing a headscarf or turban. Embrace a light knit beanie in summer or a thicker version in winter. Keep warm while disguising bangs with a bobble cap or knit-cap. Unleash your inner flapper with a cloche hat. Bring back the classy hairnet, also known as the snood. Tuck fringe under the brim of a doll hat or half-hat. Resist the urge to turn this into a catastrophe. Talk to a stylist. Search online for images of the worst haircuts. Plan humorous responses for social scenarios. Be cautious of being defensive. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Level-a-Sloping-Garden | How to Level a Sloping Garden | To level a sloping garden, you'll need to dig shallow trenches, put in wood or stone terrace walls, then transfer the soil to level each step. Before you start, call your local digging hotline to make sure there aren't any underground wires that will interfere with your project. Once you're sure it's safe, dig a long, horizontal trench garden for each wall you want to put in. If you have a large or particularly steep garden, you'll want to put in more walls to make it easier to step between the levels. Just make sure each trench is about 1 inch wider than the terrace walls you'd like to use so they'll fit inside. Once you've dug trenches, place your wall materials inside. Then, using a shovel, move soil from the rear of the terrace to the front on each step. This will redistribute the soil and make it uniformly level. | Contact local authorities to avoid issues with wires or building codes. Before you begin digging around your property, you'll need to make sure there are no underground utility wires nearby that you might be disrupting. Get in touch with your local utility companies to make sure there are no underground wires your project may interfere with. You should also contact your local government agency responsible for city planning to confirm that your project will be in line with local building codes. In the United States, you can be put in touch with your local utility companies by calling 811. When you call 811, you'll be connected to an operator who will evaluate your project and contact the relevant utility companies in your area so they can confirm the locations of underground utility infrastructure on your property. Although your project may seem small, many areas have bylaws and codes that specifically apply to garden terraces. Measure the rise and run of your garden. Determine the vertical distance of your yard from the top to the bottom of the slope (the rise), as well as its horizontal distance (the run), by pounding a wooden stake into the ground at the top of the slope and a second stake at the bottom. Tie a string around the first stake at ground level, pull it taut, and tie it to the second stake in a place where the string is completely level. The length of the string is the run of your garden and the distance between the string's location on the second stake and the ground is the rise. Place a line level in the middle of the string once you've tied it to the second stake to ensure that it's level. Move the string up and down on the second stake until you've made it completely level to make sure you're correctly measuring your garden's rise and run. If your garden or yard has areas where the steepness of the slope changes, repeat this process in those areas to make sure you build terraces that level your garden at its steepest. Calculate how many terraces you’ll need to build. Use the rise and run of your garden to calculate the number of terraces you'll need to level it while maintaining each terrace's structural integrity. Aim to have each terrace be no higher than 2 feet (0.61 m) and no longer than 5 feet (1.5 m) for best results. For example, if the vertical distance of your garden is 8 feet (2.4 m) and its horizontal distance is 20 feet (6.1 m), then you'll need to build 4 terraces, each terrace being 2 feet (0.61 m) tall and 5 feet (1.5 m) long. Depending on the materials you use for your wall, as well as the steepness of your garden, you may want to build terraces that are longer than 5 feet (1.5 m) or taller than 2 feet (0.61 m). Although this is certainly possible, note that the risk of terrace walls bulging or collapsing tends to increase when they're built to be longer or taller than these respective measurements. Mark the areas where you will level your sloping garden. Once you've calculated how many terraces you'll need to build, you'll need to determine where they will be physically located. Mark off sections of your garden that correspond to the desired length and width of your terraces using little flags or stakes with strings tied between them to designate the areas you'll be working in. Marking these areas will help you to avoid accidentally digging where you may not want to. It may be helpful to draw the intended locations of your terraces on a sheet of paper before actually marking off these areas in your garden. Dampen the soil 24 hours before beginning to dig to soften it. You don't need to soak it until it becomes muddy. You'll just want to soften the soil up a bit before you begin digging into it. You can also wait until the day after a rainstorm to start digging, if you'd rather not pour water on the ground yourself. Opt for timber terrace walls to save money. Timber is a good choice for building shorter terrace walls on a budget, as it's relatively inexpensive. Timber is also a nice complement to houses or backyards with a more rustic appearance. You can buy prefabricated wooden terrace walls at many home department stores or buy timber and cut it yourself from a lumber supply store. Choose stone or concrete for your walls if you plan to make them tall. Stone and concrete blocks are popular materials for building terrace walls more than 2 feet (0.61 m) tall because of their strength. Although building terrace walls to be higher than 2 feet (0.61 m) is generally not recommended, definitely use stone or concrete materials to build your walls if you can't avoid building them this high. Stone or concrete should always be used for terrace walls higher than 4 feet (1.2 m) and should be installed by professionals to ensure their structural integrity. These blocks can be bought at home and garden shop or landscape supply yard. Note that stone and concrete are the most expensive materials to be used for building terrace walls. Dig a shallow trench along the horizontal base of the slope. Dig the trench so that it is slightly wider than the material you'll use to build your wall. You should dig it wide enough to leave roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm) of space on either side of the wall. The depth of the trench will depend on which material your wall is made out of. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to determine the ideal depth of your trench. If the ideal depth of the trench is unclear, a good rule of thumb when using timber is to bury the wall to about half of its thickness. Place your wall material in the trench. Make sure that the terrace wall does not come up to more than 2 feet (0.61 m) above ground level (unless you're using strong stone or concrete blocks). If the wall stands at a tilt, take it out and level out the bottom of the trench, then reinsert the wall. Repeat this process to install walls along the sides of the terrace. The bottoms of the side trenches must be equal in depth and width to the first trench. Make sure all of the trenches are equally levelled. Drive spikes or piping through the walls to stabilize them if possible. If the wall is made of timber, drill holes through the part of it that is below ground level. Then, pound spikes or pipes through it and into the surrounding soil to help keep the wall in place. Repeat this process for all the walls you've installed so far. For best results, use a pipe that is at least 18 inches (46 cm) long. If you're using stone blocks or another heavy material to build your terrace wall, you can probably skip this step. Move soil from the rear of the terrace to the front. Fill in the rear side of the terrace wall trench with the soil. Then, redistribute soil across the terrace until it is uniformly level. You can use a small gardening spade to move the soil around if your terrace is not too large. For the trench you dug at the bottom of your garden, you'll also need to fill in the front side of the terrace wall trench. Remove soil from the terrace as needed until it’s flat. Place excess soil aside and flatten out the remaining soil until the terrace is level. Place a bubble level on top of the soil to ensure that it is completely level. If you plan to build additional terraces for your garden, you can use the excess soil from the first terrace to flatten out the next one. Add compost to the soil to improve water retention. If you're particularly concerned about erosion of your soil, take time while the soil is loose to mix some compost into it. Pour 2 inches (5.1 cm) of compost onto your soil, then use a tiller to till it into the soil for roughly 6 inches (15 cm) to 8 inches (20 cm). This will not only strengthen your soil, but will also provide it with healthy nutrients that will help the plants in your garden to grow. Build additional terraces if necessary. If the slope of your garden is too steep for just one terrace, you may need to construct more than one terrace. Repeat this process as necessary until you've reached the desired slope for your garden. Compact the soil in the upper terraces with a soil compactor. If the soil in the terraces next to your house is too loose, it may weaken the structural integrity of the terrace walls over time. To avoid this, use a soil compactor to compact the underlying soil and remove oxygen and any empty space. Make 2-3 passes over the terrace to ensure it's properly compacted. Make sure the soil is sufficiently damp before beginning the compacting process. To test this, take up a clump of soil in your hand and squeeze it together. If the clump stays together, the soil is ready to be compacted. If it doesn't stay together, dampen the soil a little before beginning. You can use a hand-held soil compactor or rent a power compactor from a local hardware store. | Contact local authorities to avoid issues with wires or building codes. Measure the rise and run of your garden. Calculate how many terraces you’ll need to build. Mark the areas where you will level your sloping garden. Dampen the soil 24 hours before beginning to dig to soften it. Opt for timber terrace walls to save money. Choose stone or concrete for your walls if you plan to make them tall. Dig a shallow trench along the horizontal base of the slope. Place your wall material in the trench. Repeat this process to install walls along the sides of the terrace. Drive spikes or piping through the walls to stabilize them if possible. Move soil from the rear of the terrace to the front. Remove soil from the terrace as needed until it’s flat. Add compost to the soil to improve water retention. Build additional terraces if necessary. Compact the soil in the upper terraces with a soil compactor. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Learn-Physics | How to Learn Physics | To learn physics, write down common formulae on flashcards and memorize them to help you solve problems. If you get stuck on a particular concept, try working on practice problems with an answer key. You can also look for physics courses online, which can offer you interactive problems to try. To help you make progress over time, create a study plan that includes an hour for learning physics each day. If you're still struggling, you may want to hire a tutor to help. | Find a quiet place to study. Physics can be a difficult subject to master and outside distraction will make it even more difficult. Removing distractions and having a quiet place to learn will make it easier to focus. Libraries are a great place to learn with quiet areas and access to resources. Read multiple books and textbooks. Though you may have one official textbook, there are hundreds of books on physics. One book may offer a different take on the same topic that will make more sense to you. Go to the library and find information on the topic you're struggling with in multiple books. Read the different explanations to find the one that makes the most sense to you. Ask questions. If you don't understand something, ask someone to help you out. Talk through concepts and problems with other students or professors. There is no shame in asking a question if something doesn't make sense to you. Ask questions early and often. The material builds upon itself so if you don't have a firm understanding of the basics, you will easily get lost later on. Get a tutor if you are really struggling to understand the material. Try an online course. There are many open courseware options available online that can assist in your studies. Interactive modules and problems are a great way to form a solid foundation of physics basics. Look for content offered by universities. You can also look to online sources like YouTube for educational videos that explain how to solve particular physics problems. These can be especially helpful if you are a visual learner, as they often offer contextual visuals. Set up a daily study routine. Blocking out time to study will help you stay on task and make progress every day. Once you get set in the routine, studying at that time will become automatic. Find at least an hour in your schedule to study each day. If you study for more than an hour at a time, take a break between every hour block to help avoid burnout. Let your friends and family know not to bother you during this time. Memorize the formulae. There are a lot of formulae and although you may be able to look them up, solving problems is easier when you can write down the formulae without looking. You will need to not only memorize specific formulae but also understand what each variable stands for in the formulae you memorize. For example, in F = m x a, 'F' represents force, 'm' represents mass, and 'a' represents acceleration. Use flashcards to help you memorize everything. Write down the known information. The first step to solving a problem is writing down all of the knowns in the question. Sometimes there will be information in the problem that isn't actually necessary to solve it. Go through the problem and identify the variables that are relevant to solving the problem. Determine what the question is asking. Many times, the problem doesn't directly ask a question, but you have to figure out what the problem is asking given the information provided. Draw diagrams to help you visualize the problem. Physics is a very visual subject and drawing diagrams is extremely helpful in determining how to solve a problem. Force diagrams are very common in physics and help you determine the magnitude and direction of a force. Diagrams are also essential for problems pertaining to electricity and magnetism. Determine the correct equations to solve the problem. Many problems will require multiple equations to fully complete. After writing known information and determining what the problem is asking, you can figure out which equations are necessary. If you haven't fully memorized the equations yet, make a quick reference sheet of relevant formulas. Do lots of practice problems. The best way to master a new subject is to practice it. Start with simple problems and do as many as it takes until you truly understand that concept. Move your way up to more complicated problems as you master each topic. Your textbook should have many practice problems with answers in the back. Always check your work with an answer key to make sure you are solving problems correctly. Do problems with friends. If you get stuck, you can work through it together. Teach a concept to someone else. If you truly understand a topic, you should be able to easily explain it to someone in a way that allows them to also understand. In addition, teaching material will enhance your own learning and recall. Try teaching physics to your friends or parents. If you find it difficult to explain, review that topic in more detail. Lead a study group. Forming study groups can be helpful for many reasons. Oftentimes, you might understand something better than your colleague and be able to explain it to them, or vice versa. Forming study groups is a great way to learn, teach, and have fun with the material. Set up a time that works well for everyone and stick to it. Sign up to be a tutor or teaching assistant in a class. By registering as a tutor you will have repeated opportunities to teach physics to others. As you help other students learn, you will gain a greater understanding of the topics yourself. Check your university learning center for open opportunities. You can also tutor online. | Find a quiet place to study. Read multiple books and textbooks. Ask questions. Try an online course. Set up a daily study routine. Memorize the formulae. Write down the known information. Draw diagrams to help you visualize the problem. Determine the correct equations to solve the problem. Do lots of practice problems. Teach a concept to someone else. Lead a study group. Sign up to be a tutor or teaching assistant in a class. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Eulogy-For-a-Father | How to Write a Eulogy For a Father | To write a eulogy for your father, brainstorm some ideas by writing down memories of him. Once you have a list of ideas, use it to help you come up with a theme for your eulogy that sums up who your father was, such as generosity, hard-working, or helping others. When you begin writing, introduce yourself so the audience will know your relationship to your father. Follow this up with a story or anecdote that speaks to who your father was, which will help engage your audience. For example, if your father was a humorous person, you might talk about how he responded with a joke when talking about his health problems. After the story, include small details about your father, such as how he always liked working outside or singing old songs, since the details will help friends and relatives grieve. In conclusion, write a few statements to sum up your theme, by saying something like, “What I learned from my father is that you should treat others the way you want to be treated.” | Remember it's a eulogy and not an obituary. A eulogy is different from an obituary. An obituary is an overview of the facts of someone's life. It covers things like achievements, career, place of birth, surviving family, and so on. Eulogies focus on capturing the essence of who someone was. As obituaries are fact-based, they are often less emotional. A eulogy focuses on a person's story. What did this person's life mean? What did this person mean to you? Avoid writing laundry lists of achievements, and including an excess of facts about the person. Instead, focus on stories and memories that speak to who a person's character. Brainstorm some ideas. Before you start writing, a brainstorming session can help get your mind going. Spend some time jotting down memories and stories, as well as things you remember about your father's character. This can help you find an angle for your obituary. Start by writing down all initial ideas you have about your father. What do you first think of when thinking about your father? What is your strongest memory of him? What words come to mind when trying to describe your father? Also, think about what external things you associate with your father. What music reminds you of your dad, as well as movies, television shows, foods, sounds, and smells? You may want to immerse yourself in these things as you write, as this may trigger some valuable memories for your eulogy. Focus on an overarching theme. A eulogy should be concise and make a point. You do not want a disparate connection of memories. As you brainstorm, try to figure out a larger theme. What central theme or message ties the various memories together? You do not have to be insightful or make sense of death. It's okay to admit death is terrible and baffling. Try to make sense of a person's life. Who was your father and what will the world be like without him? You can figure out vague concepts as a theme. Maybe your father was an attorney who took on civil rights cases. You can focus on the theme of generosity, community, and helping others. Maybe your father was a business man who made his own fortune. Your theme can be something like the benefits of tenacity, hard work, and dedication. You can also talk about what you learned from your father. What is the greatest lesson he taught you? How do you incorporate that lesson in your life today? Decide how you want to organize your eulogy. There are many different ways to organize your eulogy. Your organization method depends on your eulogy's theme, as well as what information you're including. As you pre-write, figure out the best way to organize your eulogy. You can write your eulogy in chronological order. This may be helpful if you include anecdotes from your father's early life, as well as his later life. If you find your stories and memories come from different points in time, chronological order may make sense. You can also organize your eulogy by ideas. If you're talking about several characteristics of your father, all illustrated by different moments and memories, organize by ideas. For example, you're talking about your father's success as a business man and how this success was due to determination, work ethic, and personal skill. You can have a section on each of these qualities, and include appropriate memories and anecdotes. Introduce yourself. It may feel awkward, as many people at a funeral will know you, but it is customary to begin a eulogy with a brief introduction. Let the audience know who you are, and what your relationship to the deceased was. This will probably be the easiest part of the eulogy. You simply have to say who you are, and how close you were to your father. This helps give you credibility. For example, you can open with something like, "My name is Jane Sherman, and we are gathered here today to say goodbye to my father, Glenn. I was an only child, and because of this particularly close to my dad. We talked almost every day, even after I moved away from home." Establish a tone. Tone is important to a eulogy. You will want to stick with a consistent tone throughout your work. Think about what kind of tone would best convey the message you're attempting to get across. You may want to talk with your family and the funeral director here. You want your tone to match the service. If it's a religious ceremony, you may want to adopt a somber and respectful tone, for example. However, do not let the service completely dictate tone. You want your tone to reflect who your father was as a person, primarily. If your father was a jovial person, always joking around, you can adopt a more lighthearted tone. Think of your eulogy more as a celebration of a life than an act of grieving. Include a story. Most eulogies should include at least one story about the deceased. Opening with a story can help engage your audience. Select a story that speaks to your father as a person here. Your story should convey the overarching theme of your eulogy. For example, say your eulogy is about how your father was always able to find fun, despite having a somewhat difficult life. Select an anecdote that speaks to your father's ability to find levity, despite the circumstances. Say your father died of lung cancer. You can talk about how he faced his diagnosis with humor. You could start with something like, "When my father first found out he had cancer, he joked about his treatment options. I remember him saying to me, 'I'm optimistic about radiation though.' When I asked him why, hoping the prognosis was positive, he responded, 'I'm hoping exposure to radiation will turn me into a superhero. I could be the next Spiderman.'" Focus in on small details. In addition to capturing an overarching sense of who your father was, work on recording tiny details. This will help ground your audience and give them small, physical reminders of your father to help with the grieving process. Sensory details can help. Maybe your father loved working outdoors, and he always smelled like soil. Maybe your father loved the color red, and almost always incorporated red into his wardrobe. Include as many tiny details as you remember. For example, "I remember my dad was always singing old Johnny Cash songs, and he had a deep, baritone voice just like Johnny Cash. I would wake up Sunday mornings to hear him singing, 'I Walk the Line' from the basement, the smell of fresh coffee wafting into my bedroom.'" Pull in outside sources. If you're having trouble figuring out how to express something, pull in outside sources. A quote or a reference can help explain something about your father. If your father was religious, Bible quotes can help. There is a lot in the Bible about life and death, so you can look here. You can also look into books, movies, songs, and television quotes your father loved. If your father was a huge fan of Robert Frost, you can include a line from a Robert Frost poem in your eulogy. Provide levity. A eulogy should not be completely somber. You want to provide some levity. If a eulogy is too serious, it may seem like you're romanticizing the dead. This can come off as overly preachy or sentimental. Find some moments for levity in which you talk about a person's flaws. This can provide a rounded version of the person you're remembering. Think of something funny to say about your father. Was he overly argumentative? Include a humorous story about him arguing about a bill in a diner long after everyone else had let the issue go. You could say something like, "Despite my father's appreciation for humor, he was not perfect. He could be overly critical, and at times argumentative. I remember once, on a family vacation, we stopped at a Denny's..." A story that illustrates flaws should be light in nature. You do not want to sound like you're angry at the deceased, as this can come off as disrespectful. You do not, for example, want to include the story of an epic, serious argument you and your dad had to illustrate he was argumentative. This will not provide laughter. Instead, focus on a low-stakes situation that will make people laugh. Add a few concluding statements. As you wrap up your eulogy, end with a few brief statements that summarize your point. This is where you will get to the meat of your theme. What was your eulogy trying to say? What do you want people to remember about your father? Think of a few final thoughts that will sum up your father for others. Tell the audience, directly, what you are trying to say. For instance, "What I learned from my father was that life is short, and often brutal, and the best way to combat all that is with a good laugh and an ability to appreciate the small moments of joy, despite any circumstances." You should also thank the audience for their time. Briefly say something like, "I appreciate you all coming out to remember my father, Glenn Sherman, and giving me an opportunity to tell you a little bit more about him. I know he would have been honored to know how many people cared enough to attend." Edit your eulogy and add more information as needed. Once you have written a draft of your eulogy, print out a copy and read it through. As you read, look for moments to expand on content and provide more details when necessary. Ask yourself whether your eulogy makes sense. Do your stories illustrate your theme? Do you feel like anything is missing? Is there a story you should have included or an aspect of your father's personality you could have explored more? Is there anything that feels like it doesn't belong? Add to your eulogy as needed. If you feel like there's room for expansion, expand as needed. You can also cut anything out that you feel like does not add to the theme. Time is an issue. The average eulogy should only last 5 to 7 minutes. Memorize part of the eulogy. When delivering your eulogy, it can help to have a portion memorized. This can make the delivery go smoother. You do not need to memorize the entire eulogy. You should keep some notes during delivery, as you may be nervous or emotional when delivering the speech. If you want to memorize the whole speech, memorize small chunks one at a time. It can be daunting to remember everything. You should write down notes with reminders on them. This will help you stay on track as you deliver your speech. Practice your eulogy regularly. You should practice your eulogy several times in the days leading to the funeral. Read it out loud to yourself, or before a mirror. Focus on moments where you stumble, and practice those portions more. You can ask a friend or family member to listen to you practice. They can give you feedback on how to make your delivery smoother. Stay strong emotionally. It is never easy to write a eulogy, and it can be particularly trying if you're writing a eulogy for your father. As you work on your eulogy, try to stay strong emotionally. Reach out to others. Your existing relationships are important during grief. Lean on friends and family members during your weak moments. Try to work on reframing your sense of identity. Losing a parent can make you feel you've lost a source of personal guidance. Try to think about who you are without your father, and how you can move forward. Stay in the present. Remember, the present is where your life is occurring right now. Be grateful for what you do have. Try to be thankful for life each day, and live it to the fullest despite your loss. | Remember it's a eulogy and not an obituary. Brainstorm some ideas. Focus on an overarching theme. Decide how you want to organize your eulogy. Introduce yourself. Establish a tone. Include a story. Focus in on small details. Pull in outside sources. Provide levity. Add a few concluding statements. Edit your eulogy and add more information as needed. Memorize part of the eulogy. Practice your eulogy regularly. Stay strong emotionally. |
https://www.wikihow-fun.com/Act-Like-Annabeth-Chase-from-Percy-Jackson | How to Act Like Annabeth Chase from Percy Jackson | If you want to look like Annabeth Chase, try wearing comfortable clothing, like loose t-shirts, jeans, jean shorts, and running shoes. To act like Annabeth, it's important to plan things ahead. Try to carry a planner notebook with you wherever you go to jot things down. Annabeth is also a very confident person, almost to the point of pretentiousness, so try to build your confidence up. List all the things you like about yourself, and don't be afraid to stand up for what you believe in. | Dress in clothes that you find comfortable, but when the situation calls for it, it's important to show people that you can look fashion-forward if you try! For example, Annabeth might wear things like: Loose T-shirts Camp Half-blood T-shirt Solid colored, layered, tank tops in colors such as white, black, gray, orange, or blues. Jeans or Jean shorts Converse, sneakers Running/jogging shoes Solid coloured flip-flops Small silver owl earrings (those given to her by her father) No jewellery at all except for her bead necklace and her silver owl earrings. A bead necklace (the one she wears from Camp Half-Blood) Hair in a ponytail or possibly in a braid Hair down and curly. Have a cap. If you want to go all out in being authentic, keep a navy New York Yankees cap in your pocket or carry it around with you. And if you get a pocket knife, look for a bronze or gold-colored one. For Heroes of Olympus, you could get an Athenian coin. This applies unless you are trying to act like her in Heroes of Olympus, when the Yankees Cap loses its powers. Be natural. Annabeth is very down-to-earth, she doesn't wear makeup, and looks don't matter very much to her. But, you should still take care of yourself! Annabeth is a very hygienic and clean person and was described by Percy in the fourth book as "smelling like lemons" so you can use lemon scented products if you want. And she easily took the opportunity in Water World to take fresh clothing from the gift shop (in the first book), so this shows she is a very clean person. If you don't have blonde hair and gray eyes, you can use lemon juice while you suntan in your hair to lighten it up. For the eyes, If you have a reflective eye color such as blue or hazel or light green, then wearing something that is gray or black near your face, it will make them look grayish. Or, if you already wear contacts for sight purposes, get gray colored ones, instead. Just remember to be yourself, and don't get so caught up in imitating someone else that you lose sight of who you are. Try to read as much as you can. Although Annabeth has dyslexia, she is also a Daughter of Athena, and that means the more knowledge, the better! Some good reading lists are: classics and other prestigious titles, such as: http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/6.Best_Books_of_the_20th_Century ) Greek mythology---a lot of it! Try to excel at athletics. Many people are not exactly athletically inclined; if you are, that's fantastic, but if not, it really doesn't matter all that much. If Annabeth were to play sports, she would probably excel in things such as: Fencing Archery Rock climbing Karate Contact sports such as soccer, etc. Be a strong swimmer. Learn about architecture. Annabeth is really into architecture; she's also the Architect of Olympus, after it's been ruined (Percy Jackson: The Last Olympian). If you also find this topic interesting, it might be a good idea to read up on how to be an architect, famous buildings, etc. Even better, why not visit them? If architecture is not your thing, find something you're good at and perfect it; any skill can be useful if you can do it well, and you don't have to be a daughter of Athena to excel at something! One of Annabeth's most prized possessions is a laptop full of ideas and inventions that her half-sibling, Daedalus, gave her. If you admire someone's work, don't be afraid to use their style as a foundation while you develop your own. Just make sure you don't copy anyone! If architecture is not your thing, find a different passion. No matter if it's acting, sketching or basketball; stick to it and always be interested and excited to do it. Don't force yourself to like something, you don't actually want to do. Find a hobby that you love to do and don't care what others think of it! {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d6\/Be-Like-Annabeth-Chase-Step-5.jpg\/v4-460px-Be-Like-Annabeth-Chase-Step-5.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d6\/Be-Like-Annabeth-Chase-Step-5.jpg\/aid819167-v4-728px-Be-Like-Annabeth-Chase-Step-5.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>"} Stay informed. Annabeth would watch informational television programs. On channels such as National Geographic channel, Military channel, History channel, biography channel, or the science channel. Don't forget Annabeth's gift of combat. You probably don't own a sword and truthfully that's good. But, instead have fast reflexes. You might not use them in battles, but since Annabeth's mother is Athena, goddess of war strategy and wisdom, she is fast and agile. Plan ahead. Annabeth is really smart and does a lot of planning. Feel free to carry a planner around with you at school or wherever you go in case you think of a great idea to jot down. Annabeth uses a lot of big words that the average person doesn't understand. Flip through a dictionary and work on increasing your vocabulary and using big words on a daily basis. Be confident. Confidence is very important, and Annabeth was seen as slightly pompous at first impression but turns out to have lots of depth and be a really sweet person. She isn't afraid to be herself and stand up for what she believes in. Also, don't be afraid to use intelligent sarcasm. Never be afraid to show your true self, just like Annabeth. Be both smart and confident. If you're already smart, great! Get outside, do some sport, meet up with friends. To achieve great confidence, stand in front of the mirror and list up the things that you like about yourself. Ignore the small imperfections. Get off the cell phone or any other device. If you don't feel like going outside all the time, read a book! Annabeth is a huge book nerd, since she is the daughter of Athena. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/ab\/Be-Like-Annabeth-Chase-Step-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Be-Like-Annabeth-Chase-Step-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/ab\/Be-Like-Annabeth-Chase-Step-2.jpg\/aid819167-v4-728px-Be-Like-Annabeth-Chase-Step-2.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>"} . Think outside the box Annabeth never seems to go with the obvious answer to things; she comes up with wiser, more creative solutions. Take the time in the Mark of Athena when Annabeth is trapped in a cavern and forced to choose death by fire or dagger. Unlike many children of Athena before her, she chooses neither. Instead, she creates a trial of her own. Take pride in yourself, maybe even a little too much pride. Annabeth's fatal flaw is hubris, or deadly pride. She believes that she can do anything, even run the world, better than others. . Fear spiders If you want to act like any child of Athena, you've got to hate spiders. If you know the legend of Arachne (the woman who challenged Athena to a weaving contest and was then turned into the first spider), you'll know why. Be brave. Annabeth is known for her wisdom and her courage. Be cautious as well as brave. Annabeth is both cautious and brave. When you first meet her, she might be a little weird to be around, but when you get to know her, she's actually a really sweet and caring person. You can achieve this, by not immediately trusting anyone with your deepest secrets or with your friendship. Take small steps and if the person begins to get used to you and warms up to you, then you might have just earned a new friend! {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/7e\/Be-Like-Annabeth-Chase-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Be-Like-Annabeth-Chase-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/7e\/Be-Like-Annabeth-Chase-Step-1.jpg\/aid819167-v4-728px-Be-Like-Annabeth-Chase-Step-1.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>"} Be good at sports. You may not be the most sport person out there, but don't forget that you're not the only one. Annabeth is extremely sporty, which also leads to a good body, which leads to confidence. So you're kind of supporting three positive things, by doing only one thing. If you don't like to go running, try something else. Maybe your thing is rock climbing. Or maybe it's yoga. You won't know unless you try it out. You don't even have to be a huge sports fanatic, you can just do some simple exercises, maybe take your dog for a walk now and then. Take small steps, and one day, fitness will just be another thing in your everyday routine. | Dress in clothes that you find comfortable, but when the situation calls for it, it's important to show people that you can look fashion-forward if you try! Have a cap. Be natural. Try to read as much as you can. Try to excel at athletics. Learn about architecture. Stay informed. Don't forget Annabeth's gift of combat. Plan ahead. Be confident. . Take pride in yourself, maybe even a little too much pride. . Be brave. Be good at sports. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Stay-Focused-in-Class | How to Stay Focused in Class | To stay focused in class, make sure to eat something beforehand, like a piece of toast, so you're not distracted by hunger pangs. In class, choose a seat away from your friends so you don't end up passing notes. Also try to take notes by hand rather than using a laptop in order to avoid checking your social media accounts. Additionally, avoid becoming drowsy by sitting up straight, and do your best to participate in class discussions when you have the chance so you're engaging with the material. | Eat something before class. You should never go to class on an empty stomach. Hunger pangs can easily distract you from the curriculum. Always have something to eat before a class. In a morning class especially, make sure to get up in time for breakfast. If you don't have time for a big meal, grab something small. A piece of toast or a bowl of yogurt can really help you focus during class. Think of common distractions and how to avoid them. Prior to class, make a list of reasons you sometimes have trouble concentrating. This can include things like checking your phone, a noisy classroom, and a tendency to daydream. Then, write down ways you can combat these problems. For example, you can write down something like, "I can't resist the temptation to check my phone when I hear it buzz in my pocket." Think of a way to eliminate this distraction. For example, "I should turn my phone off before class." Leave distracting technology behind. Unless a laptop is required for class, leave yours behind. You'll be able to focus more when you take notes by hand as you're less likely to be distracted by a lingering internet browser. Install a program on your computer to block out your favorite social media sites during the specific times you're in class or open a new window so you aren't distracted. It's okay to bring your phone, as you may need it for directions immediately after class. However, be sure to power it down before class begins. Do some light exercise. Exercise can help you focus. If you have time, get a workout in before class in the morning. If you don't have time for a full workout, some light exercise can help. Go for a short walk before class or do some light cardio in your apartment. If you typically drive to class, try walking or biking instead. This will allow you to get in a brief workout on your way to class. Sit away from friends. If you have friends in your class, you may be tempted to sit next to them. However, friends can easily prove distracting. You want to resist the temptation to pass notes or whisper during class lectures and discussions. If you don't want to hurt your friend's feelings, politely let them know ahead of time you'll be sitting away from them in class. Say something like, "Hey, I know we like to all sit together, but I keep distracting myself lately. I think I'm going to try to sit on my own and see if that helps me focus." Try to sit in front. In addition to sitting away from your friends, pick a seat towards the front of the classroom. It's easier to get distracted in the back when you're struggling to see the board. Sit towards the front of the class so you will be able to focus. Participate in discussion. In addition to helping you focus, many classes grade you on in-class discussion. Whenever an opportunity comes up for discussion, always participate at least once. If you're actively engaging in a conversation, you will have to pay attention to what's happening in your classroom. You may be nervous about participating. However, keep in mind many of your classmates are nervous as well. Chances are, what you have to say is beneficial to the classroom. Ask questions if you have them. While you may feel embarrassed asking questions, many students may have the same questions you do and are simply too shy to raise them. Take notes. Throughout class, take well-organized notes. Do not just copy down what the instructor says. Make sure to write it in your own words. Phrasing lectures in a way that makes sense to you will help you better retain the information. Make sure to date and label your notes. You should write down a header explaining what's being discussed. Use shorthand when possible so you can keep up. For example, use abbreviations and acronyms when possible. Do not write down everything. Instead, focus on information you may easily forget, such as names, dates, equations, and other hard to remember facts. Keep your eyes on the teacher. Maintaining some level of eye contact with the teacher can be helpful for several reasons. You will prevent your mind from wandering, and your teacher will also see you are attentive. This can reflect highly on you when the time comes for grading. During lectures, if you're not taking notes, look to the front of the classroom. Sit up straight. It's a small change, but can make a big difference in your level of focus. Maintain good posture throughout a lecture. Good postures helps you regulate breath better, preventing you from becoming drowsy during class. Work on your sleep schedule. It's very hard to focus if you're not getting enough sleep. Establishing a routine that allows for a positive sleep schedule can help you pay more attention during class. Stick to a sleep routine. Go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time, including during weekends. Your body's natural circadian rhythm will adjust to a regular sleep/wake time, making it easier to fall asleep at night and get up in the morning. Find a relaxing activity to do every night before bed, as this will let your mind and body know it's time to sleep. Do something that does not involve electronics, such as reading a book or taking a warm bath. Maintain a good diet. Making sure you get enough water and food is vital to your focus. Pay attention to your body's cues. If you feel hungry or thirsty, have something to eat or drink. This will make a big impact on your ability to focus. Make sure to stay hydrated. Keep a water bottle on hand at all times, and make sure to drink water throughout the day. Eat healthy foods. Go for whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean meats. Give yourself rewards. You will be able to focus better if you're working towards something. If you go to a class you're not crazy about, plan to reward yourself if you pay attention and take notes. For example, you're allowed to get a candy bar after your science class if you take notes the whole time. Figure out what helps you focus. Different people focus in different ways. If you want to stay on task, figure out what habits work for you personally. Pay attention to your mood throughout the day and take notice when you're at your most focus. Determine what factors are having a positive effect on your concentration. For example, you notice you're most productive right after a cup of tea. Try having tea every day before class. | Eat something before class. Think of common distractions and how to avoid them. Leave distracting technology behind. Do some light exercise. Sit away from friends. Try to sit in front. Participate in discussion. Take notes. Keep your eyes on the teacher. Sit up straight. Work on your sleep schedule. Maintain a good diet. Give yourself rewards. Figure out what helps you focus. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Kiss-a-Taller-Person | How to Kiss a Taller Person | Kissing a taller person might seem a little awkward at first, but it's really nothing to worry about. For a short kiss, you'll be fine just standing on your tiptoes. Or, your partner can lean down a little. If you want to get cozy and kiss for a while, find somewhere comfortable to sit down. Alternatively, stand on higher ground, like a curb, stairs or a slight incline. If you think ahead, you can also wear heels or boots to give you an extra inch or 2. | Utilize uneven ground. If you are standing somewhere where the ground is uneven, stand on the higher ground. This should help you get more on their level. Stand on a curb. If you are outside near a parking lot or empty street, try standing on the curb to increase your height. This will also prevent your significant other from having to bend down a lot to get to your level. Stand on rocks or tree stumps. If you are walking around in the woods or someone's backyard, you can stand on a rock or tree stump to increase your height. Avoid wearing heels or uncomfortable shoes if you plan to do this. Be careful and don't slip or fall. Have the taller one sit on a stool. To bring the other person down to your level, have them sit on a bar-style stool. This will bring them closer to your height without making you have to bend over. Sitting in a chair may make them too short, but depending on the height difference, this could work better for you. Sit on the couch. Having both of you sit on the couch may be one of the easiest ways to overcome the height difference. If you are still much shorter than them, fold your legs under you to give you a little boost. Move closer to your significant other and give them a kiss. Sit on the taller person’s lap. If you both are comfortable with it, sit in the taller one's lap. This will naturally elevate you and bring your face closer to their face. You can do this at home or wherever you feel comfortable with public displays of affection. Find a staircase. Stand on the taller stair to give you a height boost. This is a great and convenient way to become closer to each other's level. Lean in and wrap your arms around them to show your affection. Wear heels or boots. Break out your tallest pair of heels, boots, or platform shoes to get on more even footing. Be careful not to wear shoes that or too tall which could hamper your ability to balance or walk. A great pair of heeled shoes are both alluring and will overcome the difference of height. Have them pick you up and hold you in their arms. If your significant other is able to pick you up, have them sweep you off your feet and hold you in their arms. This will naturally bring your faces close together, allowing you to both to kiss. Stand on your tiptoes or on their feet. Stand up on your tiptoes to give your significant other a kiss. They may have to stoop a bit to meet you in the middle, depending on their height. You could also try standing on their feet, as some people like that or don't mind. Don't do this if you're wearing shoes and they are barefoot, as you might end up hurting them. | Utilize uneven ground. Stand on a curb. Stand on rocks or tree stumps. Have the taller one sit on a stool. Sit on the couch. Sit on the taller person’s lap. Find a staircase. Wear heels or boots. Have them pick you up and hold you in their arms. Stand on your tiptoes or on their feet. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Care-for-Roborovski-Hamsters | How to Care for Roborovski Hamsters | To care for your Roborovski hamster, start by getting a cage that's at least 450 square inches and lining it with bedding such as white cellulose fiber or aspen shavings. Next, add a litter tray, toys, and an exercise wheel. Then, feed your hamster a steady diet of rodent chow once a day, and give it treats like bite sized carrots, spinach, and apples 2 to 3 times a week. In order to start taming your hamster, offer it treats and allow it to sniff your hand while it's in the cage so that it gets comfortable with you. | Purchase a suitable habitat. The minimum cage requirement is 450 square inches, but you should always go bigger. You should set up a home for your hamster before buying one. You can use a wire cage as long as it has a solid bottom to protect your hamster's feet and the mesh is small enough that your hamster can't escape or get stuck. You can also use a 20-gallon aquarium—just make sure it has a wire mesh cover to allow ventilation. Unlike other solitary hamster species, Roborovski hamsters can live in pairs. Just remember to have a separate cage available, incase the pair does not work out. You should always separate them immediately, if they fight. If you plan to have two, try to purchase them from the same litter. You'll have fewer potential problems if they grow up together. You should also ensure that both hamsters are the same sex to avoid them breeding and producing large litters. Be aware that even hamsters raised together from a young age can still fall out and fight. You should avoid large-scale hamster colonies to prevent the chances of this. Never house Roborovski hamsters with other species of hamster—or other species of animal—as they will become territorial and fight. Place bedding into the habitat. Roborovski hamsters love to burrow, hide, and dig, so make sure you put plenty of bedding into the habitat. A layer of about three inches will be fine. A generous layer of four to five inches will certainly be appreciated. Soft white cellulose fiber (Carefresh) and aspen shavings are both suitable choices for your hamster. If you choose wood shavings never use pine or cedar as they can cause a number of health problems and contain harmful oils that are toxic to hamsters. Avoid bedding that contains long fibers. Synthetic forms of bedding—such as those made of polyester fibers—are notorious for tangling around limbs and cutting off circulation. Include a litter tray. Small plastic trays with a hood are available. They are designed to fit in the corner of a hamster cage. You put special hamster litter inside, which helps to neutralize odors. Most hamsters will use these quite happily instead of soiling their cages. This is optional. Clean the litter pan regularly since your hamster will be put off using it if the area is too soiled. Provide food and water. Your hamster will thrive on a steady diet of high quality hamster food and greens. Hamster food alone or just one type of food lacks variety and nutrition. Keep in mind that some hamster foods like Vitakraft lack in protein, so you should feed hamsters eggs, and food that has protein in it. You can also provide seed mixes with pellets, grains, seeds, and dried vegetables. However, do not provide seed mixes alone since your hamster can eat selectively around the tasty bits, which leads to an imbalanced diet. A hamster should have about 1.5 teaspoons of pellets or blocks, or as feeding directions instruct. Two to three times a week, you can also provide a bite-sized amount of fresh fruit and vegetables for your hamster. Consider carrots, lettuce, spinach, and apples. Scatter them around the cage to let your hamster forage for them. Never feed your hamster onions, uncooked beans, chocolate, or any junk food since it can be toxic to the animal. Provide fresh water daily in an inverted bottle with a sipping tube that attaches to the cage low enough for your dwarf hamster to reach it. This will prevent your hamster from accidentally soiling his or her water supply and getting sick. Place toys and an exercise wheel in the habitat. Choose a wheel with a solid outer tread plate since wired wheels can injure your hamster's feet. When the hamster is in the wheel make sure his back is straight and that he does not have to bend his back backwards in order to fit in under the central axle as this leads to back problems. Allow your hamster to exercise in the wheel daily, but remove it from the habitat when you aren't supervising to prevent the chance of injury. Toys for a Roborovski hamster include tubes, tunnels, hideouts, toilet paper rolls, wooden chews (these will keep your pet's teeth trimmed, as the teeth in hamsters do not stop growing), and bridges. Avoid anything made of soft plastic that can create a choking hazard. Never use any pet store toy that has fluff or filling of any kind.Your hamster will most likely store it in his or her mouth to use it for a nest, but the fluff is harmful to a hamster's system and can create a choking hazard. Try using toilet paper instead as this is safe for your hamster. Swap toys out of the habitat every few days. By rotating them, you can help maintain your hamster's interest in the toys. Consider purchasing enrichment items for outside the habitat. Roborovski hamsters are naturally curious little animals, and they relish the chance to leave their enclosures to explore what lies beyond their habitats. An exercise ball is a fantastic way to let your hamster run all over the house without having to worry about injury or escape. Just make sure to keep the ball on the ground floor of multilevel homes to avoid dangerous tumbles down stairs. Hamster playpens are also available on the market, and these allow plenty of space to provide toys and treats. You can also use a very large storage bin as an alternative. Don't use cardboard boxes, though, because hamsters can chew holes in them and escape. Hamsters love to explore rooms, so if you decide to allow your pet to do so, remove all dangerous items and make sure the room is inescapable. Roborovski hamsters can fit through gaps as small as their skulls. Always supervise your hamster when he or she is out of the habitat. No matter what type of play area you use for your pet, fill it with toys, hiding places, and some tasty treats. You need playing areas to keep your hamster active and stimulated. Buy bathing materials. Robo hamsters also love rolling around in a container full of bathing sand. Purchase chinchilla sand (not chinchilla dust, which is very harmful). Select a long dish or bowl (preferably plastic) and fill it up before allowing your hamster to roll around in it. Roborovski hamsters enjoy a sand bath, but water will stress them out, so do not try to give your hamster a water bath. Buy two of everything if you plan to buy a pair of hamsters. If you are going to purchase two Roborovski hamsters and keep them together, you will need two of everything (water bottles, nesting boxes, hideouts, toys, etc.). This will reduce risks of fighting. You must also avoid the use of upper levels, platforms, and extra cages connected with tubes in the habitat as it will cause territorial issues and fights. Clean the habitat once a week. Once a week, remove everything from the habitat and clean it using hot water. You can use a little vinegar on smelly areas, but ensure that you rinse the areas thoroughly after using it. Fill the cage with fresh bedding as you put it back together. Don't forget to give all of your hamster's toys and exercise wheel a scrub as well when you clean the habitat. Do not buy online. Once you've set up your hamster's habitat, you're ready to bring the hamster home with you. Make sure you purchase from a reputable pet store in person. Do not buy online since you want to take a good look at your hamster before purchasing. Adopting is recommended, you are giving hamsters a second chance at life. Go to the pet store in the late afternoon or early evening. Robo hamsters are most active at night, so you'll get the best look at your hamster if you visit the pet store shortly before it closes. If you go during the day, the hamster will likely be sleeping. Choose a young hamster. Ideally, you want a young hamster that is only four to six weeks old. An adult hamster will be between 2-2.5” long, so pick a youngster measuring less than two inches. Look for signs of a healthy hamster. The hamster should be round, lively, active, and alert. The eyes should be clear, ears erect, and the fur should be dry. Don't buy any hamster at a pet shop if one of them has wet fur around its rump. This is a sign of a disease called wet tail, and it has probably spread to the other hamsters if you see it in one. If any fur is wet at all, avoid buying hamsters from that store. Make sure the pet store separates male and female hamsters. A responsible shop will keep male and female hamsters separate to prevent breeding. You don't want to bring a hamster home and end up having her give birth to a large litter a week later. Reputable shops should also guarantee the sex of their hamsters, allowing you to purchase Robo hamsters in pairs without fear of breeding. Request to put your hand in the hamster enclosure. You want to test the behavior toward people of the hamsters in the enclosure. They'll likely all run away from your hand initially, but choose a hamster that peeks out and sniffs at your hand after the initial hiding. Hamsters displaying this behavior will be easier to handle and less scared of you later on. Roborovski hamsters are naturally nervous and flighty, so you'll need to give them some time before one will come out and investigate you. Purchase your hamster. Once you've taken all of these steps into consideration, you're ready to pick the best candidate. Purchase the Robo hamster that displays these qualities and melts your heart. Obtain a small traveling kit. The pet store may offer a traveling kit to help you transport your new hamster home with you. If not, be prepared to bring something from home with some bedding, a little food, and a few toys. The goal is to make the journey as stress free for the hamster as possible. Avoid using anything made of cardboard since the hamster can chew through it and escape. Bring your hamster home as quickly and safely as possible. Your new hamster will be very stressed after being handled and removed from its familiar enclosure. Go straight home without making other stops and place your new pet into the already set up habitat slowly and gently. Leave your new Roborovski hamster alone for the first several days. You need to let your new hamster adapt to his or her new habitat and surroundings before you attempt to handle or tame the hamster. Keep in mind that some hamsters might need more time to adjust to their new home. You should have enough food, water, and toys in the habitat for the first few days, although you'll soon need to start changing food, water, and toys daily. Cover the aquarium with a light cloth to allow your new pet to adjust to and explore its new habitat in privacy. This is the crucial recovery and adjustment period, so it will take longer if you disturb the hamster. If there are friends, guests, and/or children in the house, make sure they know not to go near the hamster's enclosure. You'll probably want to watch your hamster explore its new home, but Roborovski hamsters are especially nervous and will hide and become very stressed, so resist the temptation for the first few days. Ensure your hamster is awake before reaching into the habitat. During the taming process—and even after when your hamster is comfortable with you—always make sure your hamster is awake before you try to handle him or her. A sleepy hamster is disorientated and may nip if feeling grumpy or annoyed. To tame a hamster, put a treat in your hand and give it to your hamster. If it runs away, try again later. Once your hamster is comfortable after a few days of taking treats, put it in your palm this time. He/she will probably sit in your hand and eat it. When he is comfortable sitting in your hand, lift him up a few inches, and put him back down. Repeat process for the next few days, until he gets used to the feeling of lifting. Then try lifting him for longer periods of time, then higher, then out of the cage. Robo hamsters are very timid, so it might take a while to tame him. It is very difficult to tame them, so don't be surprised when taming doesn't go well. You should always wash your hands before and after reaching into the habitat or handling your hamster as well. They have poor eyesight, and smelling food on your fingers can lead to an accidental nip as well. Acclimate your hamster to your daily habitat chores. After several days, you can start going about the daily maintenance of your hamster's habitat. Speak softly to alert your Roborovski hamster of your presence. Start the daily chores—removing old food, toys, and soiled bedding and placing in new food, and a bunch of new toys. Change the water from the water bottle as well. Doing the daily chores will get your hamster used to your hand being in the habitat. Use slow and careful movements at first. Allow your hamster to sniff your hand while in the habitat. It's typical for your new hamster to sniff your hand and then run away again. Don't try to handle the hamster yet just because he or she will sniff your hand. Try offering treats as well, but have patience and allow the hamster to set the pace. Don't try to force the behavior. Another option to help tame your hamster is to scoop him or her up in a shoebox or another small box that the hamster cannot escape. Place your hand flat in the box and allow the hamster to sniff at you that way. If the hamster can't simply hide, he or she will be more likely to approach you. If your hamster runs away and hides, squeaks if you try to touch it, or rolls on its back and/or bares its teeth, then the pet is only feeling stressed, and you should try again with the taming techniques later. Respect your hamster’s individual personality. Remember, all hamsters have different personalities. If your hamster is interested in you after a couple days, that's great. If your hamster still shows no affection to you after a month of training, then your hamster may not ever develop a fondness for human interaction, and you need to respect this. You can still enjoy your hamster by watching your pet play in its playpens and/or exercise ball. Play with your hamster. Once your hamster no longer fears you, you can bring it into a designated play area of your house. Roborovski hamsters love playtime outside of their habitats, so you'll be pleasing your pet and keeping it stimulated by letting it run around. Supervise your hamster if it is allowed to explore a room. Your hamster should spend at least an hour or two outside of the habitat daily whether in an exercise ball, a playpen, or running around a secure space under your supervision. Always switch the toys in the play areas just as you should in its habitat. Sit down when handling your hamster. If your hamster does start showing signs of comfort around you, then you can begin handling and playing with it. They generally have poor eyesight, so your hamster may accidentally jump from your hands at times. You should sit down, so the hamster doesn't fall from a dangerous height. You should additionally always use two cupped hands when handling your hamster to prevent accidental falls. Keep your hamster away from other household pets, such as cats and dogs. Your hamster will see them as a threat and become stressed, even if it is in the safety of its habitat. The stress opens the door to illness, and this is not good. Keep other household pets away from the room in which your hamster is kept. | Purchase a suitable habitat. Place bedding into the habitat. Include a litter tray. Provide food and water. Place toys and an exercise wheel in the habitat. Consider purchasing enrichment items for outside the habitat. Buy bathing materials. Buy two of everything if you plan to buy a pair of hamsters. Clean the habitat once a week. Do not buy online. Go to the pet store in the late afternoon or early evening. Choose a young hamster. Look for signs of a healthy hamster. Make sure the pet store separates male and female hamsters. Request to put your hand in the hamster enclosure. Purchase your hamster. Obtain a small traveling kit. Bring your hamster home as quickly and safely as possible. Leave your new Roborovski hamster alone for the first several days. Ensure your hamster is awake before reaching into the habitat. Acclimate your hamster to your daily habitat chores. Allow your hamster to sniff your hand while in the habitat. Respect your hamster’s individual personality. Play with your hamster. Sit down when handling your hamster. Keep your hamster away from other household pets, such as cats and dogs. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Loose-Waves | How to Get Loose Waves | To get loose waves with a curling iron, make sure your hair is completely dry, which will help the waves stay in place. Then, apply a heat protectant serum and wrap portions of your hair around the barrel of the curling iron, starting from the roots. Hold each portion in place for 5 seconds before releasing it to create a loose wave. Next, lightly comb your hair with your fingers so you don't lose the waves, and apply a finishing spray to hold them in place. | Start with completely dry hair. Second-day hair sometimes works better for styling, so if you can, wait a day after washing your hair. This will help your waves stay in place longer. If your hair is naturally very curly, [Straighten Your Hair | straighten it] before continuing. If you want loose waves, you'll need to start with either straight or slightly wavy hair. Heat up a large-barrel curling iron. The larger the barrel, the looser your waves will look. Heat it to the lowest setting required to hold curl in your hair - it's different for everyone. If your hair is on the coarse side, you should be able to use low to medium heat. For fine, straight hair, use medium or high heat. Apply product to your hair. This will protect your hair from heat damage and also help your waves stay in place. Choose a spray or serum designed to protect your hair from heat. Avoid gel or mousse-combined with the direct heat, as they'll make your waves look too crunchy and less natural. Wrap your hair around the curling iron barrel. Don't open the clamp of the curling iron, just wrap your hair around the whole thing. This will give you loose waves instead of tighter curls. Hold a section of hair and wrap it near the roots at the base of the barrel, working your way down to the tips. Hold it for about 5 seconds, then release. You should have a wavy, twisty section of hair. Repeat with every section. Be careful to keep your fingertips away from the curling iron. If you want more wave around the end of the section, grab it with the curling iron clamp and hold it for a few seconds. If you have a lot of hair, clip up the top section and start with the back, then work your way forward. Finger comb your hair. Don't use a comb or brush, since this will undo your waves. Use your fingers to carefully relax the curls into waves and tousles. Toss your hair and spray it lightly with a flexible hold finishing hair spray if needed. Start with wet hair. This method works best if you naturally have wavy hair, since you won't be able to straighten it beforehand and you won't be adding to your natural curl. Apply a curl cream based on your natural curl type to give your waves a bit more hold. Towel your hair dry. Use a micro fiber cloth or towel, since a regular towel is too abrasive on the cuticle of naturally curly hair and will cause frizz. Squeeze your hair gently to get rid of extra water. Apply product. Use mousse or gel for optimal hold. For a more textured look, use a sea-salt spray. Attach the diffuser to your blow dryer. Most blow dryers come with a diffusion attachment that you can apply to the barrel to disperse the air flow. Dry hair. For the sections on top of your head, bend over at the waist and flip your hair upside down for easier access. Set the style with hairspray. Your hair won't need much tousling if you diffuse it-the waves will already be loose and natural-looking. Start with wet hair before bed. This method works great with straight or lightly wavy hair. If you have curly hair, it'll just curl up instead of drying into loose waves. Apply product. This will help your waves stay in a pretty shape. For tighter hold, use gel or mousse. Part your hair into four or five sections. Use a comb to ensure your parts are clean and even, from your forehead to your neck. Secure each section with a non-metal hair band. Braid each section. If you want waves from your hairline all the way down your hair, do French braids. If you want your hair to remain a bit straight on top, then just do regular braids. Secure at the bottom with elastics. Sleep with the braids. Your hair will dry into crimped waves overnight. Pull out the braids in the morning. Don't comb or brush the waves - run your fingers through them to loosen them up. Set the waves. Using your fingers, carefully relax the curls into waves. Toss your hair and spray it lightly with a flexible hold finishing/shining hair spray if needed. | Start with completely dry hair. Heat up a large-barrel curling iron. Apply product to your hair. Wrap your hair around the curling iron barrel. Finger comb your hair. Start with wet hair. Towel your hair dry. Apply product. Attach the diffuser to your blow dryer. Dry hair. Set the style with hairspray. Start with wet hair before bed. Apply product. Part your hair into four or five sections. Braid each section. Sleep with the braids. Pull out the braids in the morning. Set the waves. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Cucumbers | How to Grow Cucumbers | To grow cucumbers, look for a growing spot that gets plenty of full sun and has loose, sandy soil. Then, plant your cucumbers by pushing a group of 3 to 4 cucumber seeds into about 1 inch of moist soil, making sure that the groups are about 18 to 36 inches apart. When the cucumbers sprout, give them about 1 inch of water per week and add a trellis for their vines to attach onto to help them reach more sunlight. When your cucumber flowers begin to bud, fertilize them with nitrogen-rich fertilizer every 2 weeks to keep plants healthy. | Find a sunny location to plant your cucumbers. Cucumbers are a tropical vegetable, and they crave a lot of direct sunlight. choose a spot where they won't be too shaded from the afternoon sun. Cucumbers grow roots 36 to 48 inches (91 to 122 cm) deep, so don't plant them near trees. Tree roots will compete with your cucumber plants for water and nutrition. The size of your space will dictate how many plants you can have. You'll want to space vining plants 36 to 60 inches (91 to 152 cm) apart. If you're growing them vertically, allow 12 inches (30 cm) between trellises. Remove weeds from the area. Cucumbers should be grown in a weed-free area. Weeds will drain nutrients and water from the soil, starving your cucumbers. Small weed cuttings can be left in the soil for fertilizer. For best results, pull the weeds up by hand, yanking up as much of the root as possible. If you leave the root of a weed behind, there is a strong likelihood that the same weed will grow back. Avoid using herbicides as a shortcut. Both chemical and organic herbicides render the soil unsuitable for overall plant growth, so they'll hurt your cucumbers as well. Bring the soil's pH level as close to 7.0 as possible. Cucumbers thrive in soil with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH. You can buy a pH testing kit at any garden supply center or hardware store. Add agricultural lime to increase the pH of your soil. Add sulfur or aluminum sulfate to decrease the pH. Spread granular fertilizer into the soil. If you're using inorganic fertilizer, the slow-release granular fertilizer will best feed your cucumbers throughout the growth cycle. Use a trowel of a small rake to chop up and loosen the soil before adding fertilizer. This allows the fertilizer to mix into the soil more thoroughly. For natural fertilizer, use rich compost or aged manures. Mix them into the soil to a depth of about 2 inches (5.1 cm), then gradually cut and work them into the soil to a depth of 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm). Add organic material to improve soil quality. The ideal soil for cucumbers is loose, light, and sandy. This type of soil gets warmer more quickly and retains that warmth more easily. If you have more clay in your soil, add organic material. Dense, heavy soil can be improved with peat, compost, or rotted manure. Pick a bush or vine plant. Vine plants are far more common than bush plants. However, if you have limited space, a bush plant may be easier for you to work with. Bush cucumbers can be planted in containers. You can still have a vine plant even with limited space. Build or purchase trellises to use and create a vertical garden. Choose a tasty variety. There are many different varieties of cucumbers. If you're not sure which one to pick, visit a local farmer's market and sample several different varieties until you find your favorite. If you're particularly sensitive to bitterness in pickles, try European or Dutch greenhouse varieties, which have a bitter-free gene. If cucumbers make you burp, try Asian varieties, which are marketed as being "burp-less." English and Dutch long hothouse cucumbers are also burp-less. Plant when the soil is at least 70 °F (21 °C). Being tropical plants, cucumbers are exceedingly sensitive to cold temperatures. Wait until at least 2 weeks after the date of the last frost to plant your cucumbers. If you want an early crop, start your seeds indoors about 3 weeks before you plan to plant, then transplant the seedlings to your garden. In cooler climates, you can warm the soil a few degrees by covering it with black plastic. If you find that your area is just not suited to growing cucumbers outdoors, consider growing them inside. Moisten the soil before seeding. Stick your finger in the soil to check its moisture level before planting. If you feel dry soil up to your first knuckle, water the soil before seeding using a gentle hose or watering can. Watering the soil before you plant your seeds reduces the risk that you could wash them away. Start from a seed. Cucumbers have fragile root systems. It's much easier to seed the garden directly rather than trying to transplant seedlings. Drop 3 or 4 seeds together in a group every 18 to 36 inches (46 to 91 cm). Planting several seeds together allows you to select the strongest plant. If you are transplanting seedlings, wiggle the entire structure out of the starter pot, soil and all. The soil helps protect the plant's sensitive roots. If you transplant a cucumber bare-rooted, it likely won't survive. Push seeds slightly into the soil. Cucumber seeds should be no more than 1 inch (2.5 cm) into the soil. You can also lay them on top of the soil, and then cover them over with topsoil of a similar depth. Use the flat side of a hoe to tamp down the soil over the seed, but be careful not to pack it. Give the plants plenty of room. Vining plants, in particular, require a lot of space. Cucumber vines can grow 6 to 8 feet (1.8 to 2.4 m) long. In large gardens, the vines can simply spread over the ground. If you have limited space, you may want fewer plants. Cucumber plants that are too crowded can become stressed. The cucumbers won't grow to size and will taste bitter. Production will also decrease. Set up a trellis. Growing cucumbers vertically increases exposure to sunlight, giving you a higher yield. It also keeps the vegetables cleaner. If you want to grow your cucumbers vertically, go ahead and get your trellises ready before the vines start to grow. Use 4 or 5 ft (1.2 or 1.5 m) welded wire fencing or hog wire to create a 12 to 18 in (30 to 46 cm) diameter cage. This size cage can support 2 or 3 vines. As your plant gets bigger, you can gently wrap the vine tendrils around the wire to encourage the plant to grow up the trellis. Add mulch once seedlings sprout up. Mulch helps prevent the return of weeds, which can deprive your cucumbers of nutrients. It also keeps the soil warm and moist. For additional warmth, use a darker mulch. If you're using straw or wood chips, wait until the soil has warmed up to at least 70 °F (21 °C). Keep your cucumbers well-hydrated. The soil surrounding cucumber plants should be slightly moist at all times. Plan on giving your cucumbers at least 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) of water a week to fulfill their hydration needs. Be especially vigilant as the plant flowers and begins to fruit. Stress from lack of water can result in bitter-tasting cucumbers. Water at the soil level. Wet leaves are at risk of developing powdery mildew. A drip irrigation system can regulate the water flow more constantly, while keeping the foliage dry. Shade your cucumbers from excess heat. If you live in an area where summer temperatures routinely climb above 90 °F (32 °C), your cucumbers will likely need some shade from the afternoon sun. Plant taller crops south of your cucumbers to provide some shade, or use a shade cloth that will block at least 40 percent of the sunlight. Cover your plants with netting to protect them from wildlife. A fine mesh netting will keep rabbits and chipmunks away. Covering seeds and tiny seedlings with a berry basket keeps them safe from getting dug up by animals. Once the plants get larger, you can remove the netting. A fence around your garden would better protect your cucumbers at this stage. Fertilize again once flowers begin to bud. If you fertilized your soil before seeding, wait until runners appear on the vines and the flowers begin to bud, then add a mild liquid fertilizer or organic feed such as compost or aged manure every 2 weeks. If the leaves turn yellow, your plants need more nitrogen. Look for a high-nitrogen fertilizer. When using inorganic fertilizer, take care not to get it on any of the plant's leaves or fruits. Use insecticides or fungicides to combat pests and disease. You can buy both organic and inorganic insecticides and fungicides at your local gardening center. Spray your plants at the first sign of insects or fungus. Sulfur has fungicidal properties. However, if you're using sulfur as an organic fungicide, check your soil's pH regularly to make sure it remains in a range suitable for growing cucumbers. Read and follow directions on any insecticides carefully. Even organic insecticides can be dangerous if used incorrectly. Pick your cucumbers at the optimal size. For higher production, you don't want to leave your cucumbers on the vine too long or allow them to get too big. The best size at which to harvest your cucumbers depends on the variety you've planted. Generally, Middle Eastern or Mediterranean cucumbers are shorter and thicker than American varieties. In contrast, Asian varieties typically are long and slender. American slicers generally should be 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) long. Middle Eastern varieties are best at 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm), while picklers should be harvested at 3 to 5 inches (7.6 to 12.7 cm). Pick cucumbers often. Generally speaking, the more frequently you pick cucumbers, the more cucumbers the plant will grow. Check your plants every day and pick the cucumbers that are around optimal size for their variety. While picking your cucumbers, check for weeds and inspect your plants for signs of any insects or disease. You should also check the soil and water as necessary. Cucumbers need plenty of water throughout their growth cycle. Use pruning shears to pick cucumbers cleanly. Take hold of the cucumber, then cut the stem about ⁄ 4 inch (0.64 cm) above the end. Many people think they can simply pull or twist a cucumber off a vine. However, when you do this you risk damaging the vine. Refrigerate your cucumbers to keep them crisp. Try to use your cucumbers as soon as possible after you harvest them for the best flavor and texture. If necessary, you can keep them in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days. Wrap them in plastic or put them in a zippered plastic bag before refrigerating them to keep them from drying out. | Find a sunny location to plant your cucumbers. Remove weeds from the area. Bring the soil's pH level as close to 7.0 as possible. Spread granular fertilizer into the soil. Add organic material to improve soil quality. Pick a bush or vine plant. Choose a tasty variety. Plant when the soil is at least 70 °F (21 °C). Moisten the soil before seeding. Start from a seed. Push seeds slightly into the soil. Give the plants plenty of room. Set up a trellis. Add mulch once seedlings sprout up. Keep your cucumbers well-hydrated. Shade your cucumbers from excess heat. Cover your plants with netting to protect them from wildlife. Fertilize again once flowers begin to bud. Use insecticides or fungicides to combat pests and disease. Pick your cucumbers at the optimal size. Pick cucumbers often. Use pruning shears to pick cucumbers cleanly. Refrigerate your cucumbers to keep them crisp. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Jewelry-Designer | How to Become a Jewelry Designer | To become a jewelry designer, start by going online or taking classes to learn some of the basics, like how to adjust and resize jewelry. Additionally, follow popular fashion so you'll know what's “in,” and spend time familiarizing yourself with design software that can help bring your ideas to life. Consider investing in tools and materials so you can practice designing and creating at home. You may also want to look into trade schools or other formal educational programs, or apply for a job at a local jewelry store where you can get some experience. | Pick your path to becoming a jewelry designer. There are many different routes you can take to becoming a professional and skilled jewelry designer. One way you can help pick your own path is by deciding what you may want to specialize in. Decide if you want to only design, or design and create your jewelry. If you want to stick with just the design aspect, you may consider focusing on your illustration skills, as well as getting an education in fashion and jewelry design. If you want to create your designs, you will then have to gain practice, knowledge, and expertise in working with medals, jewels, and various raw materials used to create jewelry. Try attending a reputable trade school for jewelers. Many jewelry designers skip school and learn through apprenticeships and on-the-job training they find by applying for work at reputable jewelers. Learn the basics. New jewelry designers usually just start out by learning how to adjust, re-shape, and resize jewelry. From there, you can learn more difficult elements such as cutting and setting stones, mold-making, metalworking and engraving. Once you have these basic skills learned, you can focus on your personal style in areas of shape and texture that you can practice mastering. Jewelers suggest learning about gemology, sales and jewelry fabrication in order to understand the process of jewelry production from beginning to end. While you do not need a formal education, there are certain skills you may want to consider taking classes on. You will need manual dexterity, artistic skills, steady hands, experience with CAD software to design, the ability to visual design ideas to actual jewelry, and a knowledge of popular fashion. Give yourself a competitive edge with a degree. Depending on the specific route you take, you may benefit from going to school. Jewelry makers who become specialized or independent tend to be more successful with a formal education. Also, employers find jewelers with a degree more appealing because they do not require as much on-the-job training as a person without a formal education. This will help you stand out against competition. You can take your education as far as a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts or Masters of Fine Arts in Metalwork and Jewelry Design. There are many accredited universities and art institutes that can give you the opportunity to cut and shape gems and pieces of metal first-hand. A few of the best jewelry design schools are Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, Istituto Lorenzo De Medici – The LdM School of Design in Italy, and Birmingham City University in England. Advanced credentials and experience can help you one day if you decide to start your own business. Plan a timeline. Once you decide that you want to become a jewelry designer, you can begin practicing right away by signing and creating you ideas. However, if you are looking at finding a job, it may be helpful to know how many years you will have to put in before that may happen. If you decide to receive a formal education, you can be in school anywhere from two to six years. You will need about one to two years of experience and on-the-job training to become a skilled designer. Keep in mind, you can receive this experience while you are still in school. Learn the process of creation. When a jewelry designer has an idea for a piece of jewelry, or is presented with an idea from someone else, there are several steps that need to happen before that jewelry comes to life. Depending on the situation, the design phase usually takes about seven days, and the production can take about two weeks. Here is the typical process of design to final product: The designer will start by drawing their ideas on paper with pencils. It has become common to design jewelry with special computer software that can give a better idea of what the piece will look like in 3D. The next step is to make a 2D design into a 3D prototype. This can be done in various ways such as 3D printing, CAD, or clay or wax molds that can be filled with melted metal. Once the prototype is worked out, the jeweler can start casting the metal. A jeweler can then cut, polish, and set precious or semi-precious gemstones into the jewelry. Gain experience by crafting at home. You do not have to limit yourself to designing at a job or school. With the proper tools and materials, you can practice making your designs come to life. Materials and tools can become expensive, so you may want to start out with just the basic materials. Here are some general tools to get you started: Scissors that are professional-quality are great for cutting into extra small places with ultra-sharp precision. Thread Clippers are useful for quick snipping work. A standard graphing ruler is a basic piece of jewelry equipment that will help you visualize and create your designs. Use less expensive materials than what you imagine your design ultimately having. If you are envisioning a piece with silver or gold fill, practice with copper wire or other base metal wire just to get the hang of things. Hammers and mallets can be vital for forming jewelry. Expand your tool collection. There are so many different types of tools required to make the wide range of jewelry available. The type of equipment you buy will become more specific once you decide what type of jewelry it is you want to create. Here is a list of common equipment used to make jewelry that you may or may not need: Bead boards Disks and templates Anvils and blocks Wire jigs Stamps and punches Invest in a variety of pliers. Pliers may be one of the most helpful tools you use to help you create your designs. They are many different pliers out there, and they all offer a unique way to help you create jewelry. Here are essential pliers to have in your tool kit: Wire cutters are great for cutting headpins, eyepins and wire to string jewelry. Round nose pliers are good when you want a smooth curve and will help you in you make loops, bends, clasps and jump rings for wire work. Chain nose pliers have a flat surface and taper towards the tips which makes them great for getting into small spaces and gripping wire. They are also useful for opening and closing jump rings. Crimping pliers are a perfect tool for stringing beads because they have two notches on the jaws that easily secure tubes and beads. Begin work in the industry. It is important to get your hands working as soon as possible to gain knowledge, practice, and skills. Apply at local jewelers to see if you can get your foot in the door in anyway possible. Even working in the front of the store as a cashier can teach you a lot. You can learn how jewelry is displayed and presented to the customer, and listen to the feedback they have about the pieces. Be sure that any jewelers you work with know the direction you are headed so that as positions open, or help is needed designing or creating jewelry, you can be considered for the job. Network with as many people as you can. Spending time in an art, craft, or jewelry setting, and put the word out there that you have a passion for design. This is a great way to start a meaningful relationship with designers and other people who can help you launch your career in jewelry design. Bring value to those relationship by letting people know what skills you can provide such as reliability, quality, sincerity, creativity, business and marketing knowledge, or dedication. Sell yourself and your skills so other people in the industry want to have a connection with you. Learn good communication skills. Jewelers work closely with employees and customers to figure out designs and talk jewelry. You will have to communicate with your customer about what they are looking for in their piece. This will require you to have great interpersonal skills so you can build strong relationships to help you to successfully sell jewelry. Consider taking a communications class at a local college. Remember to always be polite and friendly when talking to fellow employees and customers. Submerge yourself in the fashion culture. Jewelry designers need to know what the latest fashions in jewelry are, as well as the history of jewelry, so they can stay current, and sell jewelry. This will require research, attention to detail, and input from other people. Regardless of the education you receive, or the skills you learn, you will not be a competitive designer unless you have creative ideas that appeal to other people. Try to get internships with designers, or volunteer at fashion events to learn about great styles. Read as many books as you can about the history of jewelry. Great books to start with are, History Of Jewelry by Black and Georgian Jewellery 1714-1830 by Ginny Redington. Sell your product at art fairs and home shows. These events pop-up throughout the country in large and small cities allowing vendors to rent a space to sell their product. If you want to sell your own product directly to the people, consider finding local fairs and shows near you, or go on the road with your jewelry. You will be charged an initial fee to have a spot at the show, but after that, the money you earn from your jewelry sales are yours. This is also a great way to advertise your jewelry. Make business cards that let people know how they can contact you about your jewelry. Leave them out for people to take as they admire your pieces. Set up an Etsy account. Etsy is a great website for creative entrepreneurs who want to sell their homemade products online. You can post pictures of your jewelry for people to view and buy. It is a convenient way to sell your goods when you do not have your own website or store and you are trying to get started as an entrepreneur. Be prepared for economic booms and busts. As the economy fluctuates, so will jewelry sales. Although jewelry sells at even the worst of economic times, jewelry is seen as a luxury item and sales will definitely take a hit if the economy is struggling. Try to make the best use of your time regardless of the number of sales you do. You can use slower months when sales are down as an opportunity to design and make jewelry repairs. Learn important skills to become an entrepreneur. If you want to have your own store, be sure to learn all areas of the business, not just design and creation. You may want to just focus on jewelry design, but if you open your own store, you will have to know much more to become successful. Consider taking courses in business administration, merchandising, and entrepreneurship to help you start your business and become successful. Have a strong will. There are many aspiring jewelry designers out there with no formal education for graphic or jewelry design. Regardless of where you stand with your knowledge on jewelry design, if you have the passion, you can become a designer. Whether that means working for yourself, or for another person, you can make it happen with passion, hard work, practice, and networking. It may take several years to find yourself in your dream position. Do not give up if things take a little longer to start happening for you than you expected. Remember that learning a new skill takes a lot of practice. You may not have a natural knack for jewelry design at first, but with practice, you will improve your skills. Take care of your health. Designing and creating jewelry can be hard on the body. You will spend many hours leaned over, shaping gems, and focusing your eyes on innate details. After a while, your body may start to ache, your hands may tense up, and your eyes can feel strained. As you create, take time each hour to walk around, stretch out, and relax your eyes to prevent injury. Always wear protective eye goggles when working with tools to cut and make jewelry. | Pick your path to becoming a jewelry designer. Learn the basics. Give yourself a competitive edge with a degree. Plan a timeline. Learn the process of creation. Gain experience by crafting at home. Expand your tool collection. Invest in a variety of pliers. Begin work in the industry. Network with as many people as you can. Learn good communication skills. Submerge yourself in the fashion culture. Sell your product at art fairs and home shows. Set up an Etsy account. Be prepared for economic booms and busts. Learn important skills to become an entrepreneur. Have a strong will. Take care of your health. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Mason-Jar-Candles | How to Make Mason Jar Candles | To make mason jar candles, start by securing the wick to the bottom of the jar with hot glue, then place 2 pencils over the mouth of the jar on either side of the wick. Next, fill a saucepan with 2 inches of water and position a candle-making pouring pot in the pan. Then, add the wax to the pouring pot and use medium heat to melt the wax evenly. Finally, let the wax cool to 130 to 140°F, fill the jar with the wax, and give it 24-48 hours to set before lighting your candle! | Secure the wick to the bottom of your jar. You can do this by putting a drop of hot glue onto the bottom of the wick tab, then pressing the tab against the bottom of the jar. You can also use some melted wax or a piece of double-sided tape instead. If your wick doesn't have a tab at the bottom, you can buy a wick tab separately, and secure it to the wick using a pair of pliers. You can also tie a paper clip to the end of the wick instead. You can reuse jars from jams and baby food as well, but make sure that the walls are thick. If the glass is too thin, it may shatter. Place two pencils over the mouth of the jar, to either side of the wick. Alternatively, you can wrap the excess wick around a pencil, and place the pencil over the mouth of the jar. This will help hold the wick in place. You can also use pens, chopsticks, short dowels, or even popsicle sticks. If the mouth of your jar is small enough, you can even use a clothespin, and slide the wick through the spring hole. Fill a saucepan with 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters) of water, and place a candle-making pouring pot into it. If you don't own a candle-making pouring pot, you can use a large, glass measuring cut instead. To ensure that the heat is distributed evenly, consider placing a cookie cutter or jar lid under the pouring pot/measuring cup. Add the wax into the pouring pot, and let it melt over medium heat. Heat the wax to about 170 to 180°F (77 to 83°C). Stir the wax often as it heats to help it melt evenly. Do not leave the wax unattended at this time, as hot wax is flammable. You will need about 1 pound (455 grams) of wax for a pint (475-milliliter) sized mason jar. Consider adding some color and/or fragrance. Let the wax cool to 140°F (60°C) before adding any color or fragrance. Once you have the dyes and/or fragrances added, give the wax a final stir to blend everything together. You can add color with liquid or solid dyes meant for candle-making. Add a little bit at a time, and keep in mind that the color will lighten once the wax hardens. You will need about ½ to 1 ounce of fragrance oil for 1 pound (455 grams) of wax. If you can't find dyes or fragrances meant for candle-making, you can use a broken crayon and essential oil instead. Let the wax cool to about 130 to 140°F (55 to 60°C). This is very important. If the wax is too hot, it may cause sink holes or cracks as it sets. Use a thermometer to test the temperature. If you don't own a thermometer, wait until the wax starts to thicken and resemble a slushie. This will take about 20 to 30 minutes. Fill the jar to the neck, or until you have 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) of space left. Pour the wax into the jar slowly. If you pour too quickly, you risk the wax splashing or forming air pockets. Make sure that the wick is centered as you pour. Let the wax set for 24 to 48 hours. The bigger your jar is, the longer it will take to set. If you are in a hurry, however, you can let the wax set partway, then stick the jar into fridge for 20 to 60 minutes. Trim the wick down to ¼ inch (0.64 centimeters) before using the candle. This will help keep the wax from smoking as it burns and help the wick last longer. Always keep something under the candle, such as a dish or candle charger; even through your candle is inside a mason jar, the jar itself can get hot. Fill your mason jar with natural, decorative items, such as cinnamon sticks and pinecones. Use a pencil, dowel, stick, or chopstick to push the items about until they are positioned the way you want. Be careful not to overfill it, however. Also, note that these items won't add fragrance to your candle. If you want, consider matching the decorations to the season. For example: Fall: orange slices, cinnamon sticks, star anise, or brightly colored leaves. Winter: mini pinecones, twigs, pine branches, or holly leaves and berries. Summer: orange, lemon, and lime slices. Spring: Whole flowers, such as dahlia or daisies. Fill the jar with water until it is 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters) from the rim. If you want, you can add a few drops of food coloring into the water for a special effect. Pour in a ¼-inch (0.64-centimeter) layer of vegetable oil. Light olive oil and sunflower seed oil are great, because they burn clean. You can also use just about any other type of oil meant for cooking or burning in lamps. Consider mixing some essential oils into your vegetable oil first. Lemon, rosemary, and sweet orange are all great choices. Assemble your floating wick. Purchase your floating wick from a store or online. Next, take one of the wicks, and push it half-way through one of the waxed disks. Place the floating wick on top of the oil layer, and light it. The candle will burn for about 2 hours. When you want to extinguish it, simply place the jar lid on top. Eventually, the wick will burn completely. When that happens, simply insert a new one; the waxed disks can last much longer, and do not need to be replaced as often. Fresh fruit and flowers will last about 1 week in the water. If you want something that lasts longer, use fake flowers. Some craft stores also sell fake fruit. | Secure the wick to the bottom of your jar. Place two pencils over the mouth of the jar, to either side of the wick. Fill a saucepan with 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters) of water, and place a candle-making pouring pot into it. Add the wax into the pouring pot, and let it melt over medium heat. Consider adding some color and/or fragrance. Let the wax cool to about 130 to 140°F (55 to 60°C). Fill the jar to the neck, or until you have 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) of space left. Let the wax set for 24 to 48 hours. Trim the wick down to ¼ inch (0.64 centimeters) before using the candle. Fill your mason jar with natural, decorative items, such as cinnamon sticks and pinecones. Fill the jar with water until it is 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters) from the rim. Pour in a ¼-inch (0.64-centimeter) layer of vegetable oil. Assemble your floating wick. Place the floating wick on top of the oil layer, and light it. |
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