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https://www.wikihow.com/Slow-Down-a-Relationship | How to Slow Down a Relationship | If it feels like your relationship is moving too quickly, think about what's making you feel this way. For example, your partner might be talking about family or inviting you on trips when you're not ready for it. Then, try talking to your partner about it. Explain that you really like them, but you're not ready for those things yet. Try asking them not to plan things beyond a certain time frame, like 6 months from now. It might help to make some quality time for yourself, doing the things you enjoy alone. Additionally, spending time alone may help you gain some perspective on your new relationship. You can also avoid sleeping over at their place, which should slow the pace of your relationship. | Assess the situation. First, consider which parts of the relationship are moving too quickly. Identify what makes you uncomfortable, or what makes your partner uncomfortable. If you want to slow a relationship down, you'll need to understand why it's going too fast. You might feel the need to keep your partner in check. Perhaps your partner wants to escalate the physical side of the relationship, but you aren't comfortable doing so. Maybe he or she is demanding commitments that you know you can't keep. Perhaps he or she is falling head over heels for you, but you want to let your feelings blossom more gradually. On the other hand, you might need to slow down your own feelings. It's easy to feel "freaked out" if you sense they you're falling too quickly for your partner. Perhaps your significant other has specifically asked you to slow things down, for their sake. In this case, consider how you can respect what your partner needs out of the relationship. Figure out which situations "trigger" you. Notice the specific actions or situations that make you feel uncomfortable. Look for patterns. Try to understand exactly which circumstances make you feel like things are going too fast. Maybe you've just started seeing a guy, but he's inviting you to go on trips with him or asking you to be his date to a wedding. If this level of implied commitment bothers you, then that's what you need to address. Perhaps you've been dating a girl for a while, and she keeps dropping hints about marriage and children. If you aren't ready to think about these things, it might be putting a lot of strain on your relationship. Identify your goals. Evaluate your goals for the relationship, your goals for personal growth, and your goals for the future. Consider whether this relationship is pushing you against your goals, and ask yourself whether the imbalance is something that you'll be able to resolve. Understand that you may just not be compatible. If your partner wants something different than you, it doesn't mean they're a bad person. It may just mean that you don't have the same goals. Consider whether it's worth building a relationship despite this. Talk about it. Speak honestly with your partner about what you're feeling. Tell him or her what makes you so uncomfortable, and try to get to the bottom of your feelings. Make sure that he/she knows that you're still interested – but that you want to take things down a notch. If your partner understands where you're coming from, it will be easier for them to change their behavior and make you feel more comfortable. You may find that open communication makes your relationship much less complicated. You can't expect your partner to act a certain way unless you ask. Try to get onto the same page. Two people don't necessarily come into a relationship with the same expectations. Your partner might not even realize that she's making you feel uncomfortable. You may find that you have been living in two separate realities, each making moves and choices that are incomprehensible to the other. The quickest way to fix this is to establish a mutual understanding of where the relationship is going. Don't force it. If you can't see eye to eye, it may be time to leave. It isn't fair to force your partner into something they don't want – and it isn't fair for you to live in fear of losing yourself. Sometimes, you need to step back and focus on yourself before you can dive into a serious relationship. Consider whether the situation merits a breakup. Breaking up with your partner will not only slow things down – it will bring them to a grinding halt. If you feel that this is the only choice, then don't be afraid to make it happen. Try changing the way that you talk about your relationship. If you find yourself leaping to long-term plans and words of commitment—e.g. "I love you."—consider whether you're really comfortable with those things. Try to shift the dialogue to the short-term. Before you decide where your relationship is going to be years down the line, figure out where it will be in a few months' time. Address the problem areas. Think about the specific things that make you uncomfortable, and find a way to either manage or avoid those things. It may be easy to slow down your relationship if you change the way that you respond to a very specific set of situations. If you obsess about your boyfriend or girlfriend when you don't see them for a few days: find a way to see them more often, or ask to communicate a bit more while they are away. If your boyfriend tries to start something physical every time that you're in a bedroom together: stay away from the bedroom. Don't lie down on a bed with him, and consider limiting your alone time until you're confident that he won't push your boundaries. Make only plans that you can keep. Stay in tune with yourself, and be strong in your convictions. Don't agree to be somewhere in six months' time if you aren't sure what you're doing next week! Some people are more comfortable with setting far-off plans, and some people prefer to figure out their plans as they go along – and that's perfectly okay. If you're in a relationship with someone who's more plan-happy than you are, you'll need to strike a balance between their comfort zone and yours. Make time for yourself. It's easy to feel overwhelmed if you aren't giving yourself the space that you need. This doesn't mean that you need to take a formal break from the relationship; just set aside a bit of time each day to think about your own life and take your mind off of your partner. You might find that the simple act of valuing your "me" time makes you feel much more in control of your relationship. Spend time with your friends and don't bring your significant other. Make sure that you keep the core of your friendships strong, even if you're all dating people. You don't need your significant other to be around all the time. Spend a weekend away together. Getting out of town for a few days might give you both the chance to cool your jets and reevaluate what's important. Go camping, or visit a new city, or just take a long road trip. Climb a mountain; jump in the ocean. Find the space you need to clear your head. Avoid sleeping over. Try not to spend the night at this person's place, and don't invite him/her back to yours. Sleeping in the same bed can make seems things much more serious – especially when it starts to become a regular thing. The more intimate you become with a person, the more deeply intertwined your lives will be. The same goes for living together. A cohabitation situation—especially one that you haven't explicitly agreed upon—can make things feel as though they are spiraling into a more serious place. Consider whether you need to scale your living situation back a notch. | Assess the situation. Figure out which situations "trigger" you. Identify your goals. Talk about it. Try to get onto the same page. Don't force it. Try changing the way that you talk about your relationship. Address the problem areas. Make only plans that you can keep. Make time for yourself. Spend a weekend away together. Avoid sleeping over. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-a-Deceased-Person-from-a-Deed | How to Remove a Deceased Person from a Deed | Removing a deceased person from a deed can seem confusing and stressful, but all it involves is transferring the tile to the new rightful owner. If the deed was solely owned by the deceased, you'll have to go through the probate process with the executor of their will. They will then issue a new deed to the person named as the inheritor in their will. If the deed was jointly owned with a right of survivorship, this means the rights will automatically transfer to the surviving owners. Similarly, if a deed was jointly owned by a married couple, the deed will automatically transfer to the surviving spouse. In either of these cases, you'll need to take their death certificate to the courthouse and request a new deed. | Obtain a copy of the deed to determine how the property is titled. If the decedent does not have a copy of the deed, one can be obtained from the county recorder's office for a small fee. Recognize that sole ownership could be problematic. With sole ownership, only one person (the decedent) owns the property. This means that upon the person's death, the property deed will likely need to go through the probate process instead of passing more easily to another person. Look for joint tenancy. In a joint tenancy, more than one person owns the property equally. That means when one owner passes away, rights to the property are transferred to the surviving tenants equally. However, not all states recognize joint tenancies. Joint tenancy with a right of survivorship is a type of joint tenancy that specifies that upon one owner's death, the property is owned outright by the survivors. This is more widely accepted than a joint tenancy without a survivorship specification. For example, if Jill and Jim own property as a joint tenancy with a right of survivorship and Jill dies, Jim is the new owner of the property. This is automatic, and the property does not go through probate with the rest of Jill's estate. Differentiate between joint tenancy and tenancy in common. Tenancy in common also occurs when there is more than one owner on a property. However, with a tenancy in common, ownership percentages need not be equal and upon the death of one tenant, the property passes to their heirs instead of to the other property owner. For example, if Jill and Jim own property as tenants in common, and Jill dies, her portion of the property will not pass to Jim, but instead will pass through the probate process to her heirs or to her beneficiaries named in her will. Understand tenancy by entirety. Tenancy by entirety is nearly always applied only to spousal ownership. In this instance, neither tenant may make property changes automatically without the consent of the other. In the case that one tenant is deceased, the surviving owner is the full owner of the property. For example, if Jill and Jim are married and own a house and Jill dies, ownership of the house will pass automatically to Jim, and he will be the full and only owner of the house, even without going through the probate process. Determine who the new legal owner of the property should be. If the decedent left a will, naming one or more beneficiaries of the property, the beneficiaries are the new owners. If the decedent died intestate (without leaving a will), check your state's intestate inheritance statute to determine to whom the property passes. In most common law states, property passes through the state's intestacy laws to the decedent's spouse and heirs. The amount of the estate awarded to each heir and any surviving spouse is specific to the state's intestacy laws. In a community property state, a surviving spouse (if applicable) is typically entitled to half of the community property, which is defined as all property that was acquired during the marriage. Remove the deceased owner's name from the property through probate. If the new owner to the decedent's property is found in the decedent's will, the will must be probated in order for the property ownership to change. The will should be filed with the probate court and the executor of the estate will commence with the probate process. For example, if Jill was the sole owner of her house, and left her house to her friend Mary after she died, the executor of Jill's estate would submit Jill's entire estate (including her house), to probate. Wait for the title to be clear. When probate is concluded, the judge will typically order that “clear title” is transferred to the beneficiaries under the will. Then, the order is recorded just like a deed would be. While clear title is usually issued at the time the estate is closed, in some states, such as California, you can petition the court to order that the title should be recorded in your name before probate closes, if you can provide evidence that you are entitled to the property. Determine the appropriate owner of the property. If the property is owned as a joint tenancy with the right of survivorship, a tenancy by the entirety, or a tenancy in common where the deceased owner left the property to the other owner or owners of the property, the deed can be changed without going through probate. Obtain a death certificate. The surviving owners of the property will be required to submit a certified death certificate proving that a person who owns the property is deceased. To get a copy of the death certificate, you can either ask for one from the mortuary or funeral home where the decedent's final arrangements were carried out, or, if you are unable to get a copy at the time of the death, you can contact your state's vital records office and request a copy. Write or fill out an affidavit of ownership. If there were more than two owners besides the decedent, you may be required to file an affidavit of ownership. An affidavit of ownership is simply a document that you use to prove that you own the property. Check with your local authorities for additional detail if you believe that you may need to file this type of affidavit. You can build and print your own Affidavit of Ownership here. The basic information you will need to include on the affidavit includes: A legal description of the property Statement of ownership (include all owners and information about how ownership passed from the deceased to the new owners) A statement describing the possession history of the property and whether there have been any title disputes or liens. The purpose of the affidavit Your signature (or the signature of all owners) The affidavit should be signed in front of a notary public, who should then notarize the document before you submit it to the courthouse. Obtain a new deed. A person cannot really be "removed" from a deed; rather, to remove someone from a deed, a new deed without the deceased's name must be issued. The new deed should be signed and notarized by all new owners of the property. To get a copy of the deed, you can do one of the following steps. Go to the courthouse. Deeds are typically kept in the probate court, and you can generally get a copy of your deed for a small fee. You can search by your name, the property address or the legal description of the property. Mail or fax your deed request. The fees for mailing and faxing are usually similar to the fees you would pay to get a deed in person. Check with the court that your deed was recorded in to see if they accept requests by mail or fax. Look online. Many counties allow parties to retrieve copies of a deed online, sometimes for free. For example, Wayne County, Michigan charges $5.00 to search for deeds online and an additional $1.00 to print copies, while Georgetown County, South Carolina, has a free deed search online. Use a title company. In some states, title companies do home closings and record deeds. So, if you do not want to personally find a copy of your deed, the title company can do it for you. Expect to pay around $100.00 for this service, plus any additional fees from copying the deed. Use an attorney. A real estate attorney can find a copy of your deed for you. Additionally, the attorney can help you facilitate the process of removing the deceased owner's name from the deed. | Obtain a copy of the deed to determine how the property is titled. Recognize that sole ownership could be problematic. Look for joint tenancy. Differentiate between joint tenancy and tenancy in common. Understand tenancy by entirety. Determine who the new legal owner of the property should be. Remove the deceased owner's name from the property through probate. Wait for the title to be clear. Determine the appropriate owner of the property. Obtain a death certificate. Write or fill out an affidavit of ownership. Obtain a new deed. Go to the courthouse. Mail or fax your deed request. Look online. Use a title company. Use an attorney. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Do-APA-in%E2%80%90Text-Citations | How to Do APA in‐Text Citations | To do an APA in-text citation, place the citation in parentheses at the end of the sentence you're using a reference in but before the period. Inside the parentheses, include the author's last name, followed by a comma and the date of publication. If you can't find the date of publication, write "n.d." instead. Also, if you're using a direct quote, include the page number it's on after the date of publication. | Place in-text citations at the end of the sentence with the reference. In-text citations should be provided to readers immediately after you've quoted, paraphrased, or referred to information from a source. This will avoid any confusion about where the cited information comes from. The citation should come after the last word of the sentence but before the period. Put all in-text citations in parentheses. An APA in-text citation for the book Escaping Salem: The Other Witch Hunt of 1692 by Richard Godbeer (2005) would look like this: “While many people immediately think of Salem, Massachusetts when they are asked about witchcraft in America, trials took place in other communities, as well (Godbeer, 2005).” Your reference list (which comes at the end of your paper) will include more information on each source, including the title and publication location. Use small letters for sources by 1 author published in the same year. If you're citing 2 sources by the same author published in the exact same year, it's important to differentiate between them. Label them with “a,” “b,” “c,” and so on right at the end of the in-text citation. For example, “(Godbeer, 2005a)” and “(Godbeer, 2005b).” Include the citation at the end of a clause for long sentences. If the sentence has lots of different clauses, it might get confusing for the reader if you put the citation all the way at the end of the line. Instead, include the citation at the end of the clause where you've referenced the source. For example, you might write, “Trials for witchcraft often targeted independent or single women (Godbeer, 2005); although there are many possible explanations for why communities might have accused people of practicing witchcraft.” Include the author’s last name and year of publication. Unlike some other citation styles (like Chicago), APA doesn't make you include very much information in your in-text citations. If you're citing a source with 1 identifiable author, all you need is the author's last name and the publication date. Use “n.d.” (meaning “no date”) if no publication date is provided. Include the page number(s) for quotations. When you're quoting from a book rather than just referring to it or paraphrasing the author's argument, page numbers are needed to tell your reader exactly where they can find the quotation. For a single page, use the letter “p” followed by a period: “p.” For more than one page, use two p's followed by a period: “pp.” An in-text citation for a quotation would look like this: “The witchcraft trial in Stamford, Connecticut was very different from the one in Salem, Massachusetts. Community members avoided hysteria and “were for the most part remarkably cautious” during the trial (Godbeer, 2005, p. 7).” Leave out the author’s last name if you state it in the sentence. There might be times when you'd like to directly refer to the author in your sentence. Since you've done this, you don't have to repeat the author's last name in your in-text citation. Type out the publication date in parentheses immediately after you've stated the author's name. If you're quoting from a source, add the page numbers in parentheses at the end of the sentence. This type of in-text citation might look like this: “Godbeer (2005) argues that “seventeenth-century New Englanders believed their world was filled with supernatural forces” such as witchcraft” (pp. 144-145). Separate more than 1 source with a semicolon. If you're citing 2 sources in the same sentence, it's important to make that clear to your reader. You'll need to include both authors' last names and the publication dates of the 2 sources in parentheses at the end of the sentence. Order the 2 sources alphabetically within the parentheses. If you're citing 2 sources by the same author, order them by their publication date, with older sources coming before newer ones. For example, perhaps you want to cite both Escaping Salem and The Devil in the Shape of a Woman: Witchcraft in Colonial New England (1998) by Carol F. Karlsen. Your in-text citation would look like this: “(Karlsen, 1998; Godbeer, 2005).” If you were citing Escaping Salem and Richard Godbeer's earlier book, The Devil's Dominion: Magic and Religion in Early New England (1992), your citation would look like this: “(Godbeer, 1992; Godbeer, 2005).” Use a shortened version of the title if there’s no author. You might occasionally encounter sources that don't provide you with the author's name. Shorten the title by skipping words like “the,” “an,” and other non-specific words that won't help the reader identify the source. Instead, use the first 2 or 3 major words of the title. Italicize book titles and put article titles, encyclopedia entries, and the names of websites inside quotation marks. For example, an in-text citation for the encyclopedia entry “Halloween” in the Encyclopedia of American Studies (2016) would look like this: “(“Halloween,” 2006).” Use the “&” symbol for 2-5 authors in the first citation. List the authors' last names in the order they appear on the title page. If there are just 2, separate them with “&.” If there are between 3 and 5, separate all of the last names with commas and add “&” before the final author's last name. After you do this in 1 citation, replace all but the first author's last name with “et al” in the rest of your citations. For example, the in-text citation for The Gothic World of Anne Rice , edited by Gary Hoppenstand and Ray B. Browne (1996) would look like this, “(Hoppenstand & Browne, 1996)” for the first citation and this, “(Hoppenstand et al., 1996)” for every subsequent citation. For sources with 6 or more authors, you'll replace all but the first author's last name with “et al” in all of your in-text citations. Abbreviate organization names when possible. Some sources will be written by organizations (like the American Psychological Association) rather than single authors. Use the full name of the organization in the first in-text citation and place the official abbreviation inside brackets. For subsequent in-text citations, use only the official abbreviation. If you were citing the 6th edition of the APA's Publication Manual (2009), for example, your first in-text citation would look like this: “(American Psychological Association [APA], 2009).” You'll be able to tell if an organization has an official abbreviation by looking at documents or publications prepared by that organization. For example, the World Health Organization (WHO) refers to itself as “WHO” on its website. Use paragraph numbers for quotes from sources without page numbers. If you're including a direct quote, you always need to point your reader in the direction of that quote. For sources that don't include page numbers (like websites and some eBooks), this can be tricky. Include the paragraph number by abbreviating paragraph in your in-text citation, like so: “(Godbeer, 2005, para. 4)”. If no author is provided, you might be able to include the name of the organization that published the source. Otherwise, include a shortened title of the source. If you can't find a publication date, write “n.d.” instead. If you're citing an entire website article (rather than quoting a specific part), your in-text citation should include the author and publication date as usual. | Place in-text citations at the end of the sentence with the reference. Use small letters for sources by 1 author published in the same year. Include the citation at the end of a clause for long sentences. Include the author’s last name and year of publication. Include the page number(s) for quotations. Leave out the author’s last name if you state it in the sentence. Separate more than 1 source with a semicolon. Use a shortened version of the title if there’s no author. Use the “&” symbol for 2-5 authors in the first citation. Abbreviate organization names when possible. Use paragraph numbers for quotes from sources without page numbers. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Follow-Up-Email-for-a-Job-Application | How to Write a Follow Up Email for a Job Application | To write a follow-up email for a job application, wait at least 3 days after submitting your application before you send the email so you don't seem pushy or impatient. In your email, address the hiring manager directly if possible and start off by mentioning the job you applied for and when you submitted your application. Then, briefly restate your enthusiasm and qualifications for the position. Finally, close your email by letting them know where they can contact you if needed and thanking them for their time. | Give it at least a few days before sending an email. Though there are mixed reports about how long you should wait to follow up on a job application, the general consensus is that you should wait at least 3 to 5 days. In fact, some hiring managers say that they prefer not to receive follow up emails at all. They believe that it is an attention-grabbing tactic and takes away from the time they need to select qualified candidates. That said, others say that following up will make you stand out in a good way. Just remember that it's possible that dozens of applicants applied for the same position as you did, and that it takes time to sort through applications and find qualified candidates for the next round. You don't want to seem pushy or impatient by following up too soon. Address your email to the correct person. Ideally, you should address your email to the same person you reached out to when you applied for the job. If you can't find the name, then "Dear Hiring Manager" may be the best you can do. You may be able to find the contact information for the hiring manager on the company website or LinkedIn page. Always check the spelling. Nothing can create a negative impression quicker than misspelling someone's name. Make the subject specific and direct. Something simple like, "Application Follow-Up for Editor Position" will do the trick. If the position had a reference or requisition number, then you can add that as well. Remember that the hiring manager may be hiring for multiple positions at once, so it's important to be as specific as possible. You can even put your name in the subject to make it easier for the hiring manager to find your application. Write the correct greeting. Simply write "Dear" in front of the hiring manager's name, just as you did when you wrote your cover letter. Don't fall into being too informal and say "Hi" or "Hey" just because it's an email—it's important to keep things on the formal side for now. "Dear Mr. Smith" is an appropriate salutation. State the position you applied for and when. Start off by saying when you applied for the position, how you found it, and that you are checking on the status. You can add that you would like to make sure that they received your materials. You can say something simple like, “Dear Mr. Smith, Last week I applied for the Editor position you advertised through Jobster. I have not yet heard back from Writerly Company regarding this position and would like to confirm that my application was received." Reinforce your enthusiasm and qualifications for the position. Tell the hiring manager that you're excited to apply for the position and explain why you'd be a great fit. Really detail your qualifications for the position. Try, "My enthusiasm and experience make me a great fit for this position. I have been an editor for a lifestyle magazine for the past 5 years and am excited about the opportunity to take my writing and editing experience to the next level with your company." Keep the closing short and simple but enthusiastic. End your email with a positive statement saying that you look forward to hearing from them soon. You can also make an offer to resend any files in case they were not forwarded correctly. Be sure to thank them for their time. For example, "Please contact me at any time if you have questions about my qualifications or need any additional materials. I look forward to hearing from you and want to thank you for your time." Sign it "Sincerely, Your Name" with your phone number on the next line. Proofread your draft before you send it. Double check your spelling and grammar, and assess and fine tune the general flow of the email. Getting this right can be as important as having a polished cover letter and resume , so give it the attention it deserves. Once you are feeling confident, hit the send button. Try reading your draft out loud to make sure it flows smoothly and makes sense. Practice patience while you wait for a response. Now that your email is complete, give it some breathing room. Be confident that the strength of your resume and cover letter coupled with your persistence in following up, will put you in a strong position to land an interview. Though some people are tempted to follow up over the telephone, you should make sure you've been patiently waiting before you consider this move. A phone call may help you stand out as a candidate, but it may also come off as pushy. If you do decide to make a phone call, make sure you sound confident yet respectful, and remind the hiring manager why you're a good fit. Start off with a strong, direct subject line. It's possible the hiring manager receives tons of emails. To make your email stand apart from others, be direct in the subject line so it grabs their attention. Try writing something like, "Editor Interview-Thank you." If the position had a reference or requisition number, then you can add that to the subject line as well. Address your email to the correct person. You should address your email to the person or people you interviewed with. If you don't remember all of the names, you should at least remember the name of the main interviewer. If not, check the company website for clues or call the front desk and simply ask. Thank the interviewer for their time while being sincere and specific. Mentioning the specific position, and even the time and date of the interview, is a helpful reference in the case that they have conducted many interviews. Don't just say “Thank you for your time.” Try saying something like, “Thank you for the opportunity to interview for the editor position with The Writerly Company. I truly appreciate your time and consideration.” Express your enthusiasm for the position and/or the company. Tell them specifically what you like about the company. Is the company employee owned? Is it a local business? Are they an innovator in the technology market? Tell them whatever it is that makes the company stand out to you. You could write, “I know there are few companies as innovative as yours in which I could advance my career in the field.” Or, “I would be honored to work for a company that values their employees as much as yours does.” Reemphasize why you would be the best fit for the position. If it helps, look back at the job description on the job posting to find the qualifications and attributes they are looking for. If their ideal candidate has strong communication skills, tell them how amazing your communication skills are. In general, an employer will appreciate an applicant who is reliable, motivated, and has a strong desire to contribute to the company's success. Be sure to mention these things. Mention information that wasn’t made clear during the interview. Maybe you forgot to tell them about relevant work experience or a situation that could lend itself well for you in this position. If you thought about a more thorough answer or explanation to one of their questions, use this time to revisit it. Give the employer an opportunity to ask you any follow up questions. In your closing lines, let them know that you are willing to talk and discuss any questions or concerns they may have. Say something like, “Please don't hesitate to contact me via phone or email if you have any additional questions or concerns you would like to address. If you would like to meet in person, please respond with a date and time and I would be happy to clear my schedule.” Don't forget to list your phone number at the bottom of the email for easy reference. Proofread your email carefully. After you've written the email, take a short break and then come back to it. Read over the email carefully to check for spelling and grammar mistakes and autocorrects that were made in error. Then check the general flow of the email. Remember, you are still trying to make a good impression so proofreading and editing is crucial. Reading your draft out loud can be helpful in making sure that it flows smoothly and makes sense. This can also give you a sense of whether or not you've maintained an enthusiastic, respectful tone. Send your email to everyone you interviewed with within 24 hours. The interview is still fresh in everyone's memory during this time frame. A timely thank you email shows the interviewers your eagerness for the position and makes it more likely that they will remember who you are. Wait until the established time frame has passed to send another email. If the employer indicated that they hope to make a decision within 1 week, then send the email sometime after that point; if they said 2 weeks, then wait at least the 2 full weeks. You don't want to seem pushy or impatient by following up too soon. It's possible that they conducted multiple interviews and for various positions, so it could take some time to get everything processed. Make the subject line direct and specific. By this point, the interviewers and hiring manager may have conducted many more interviews, so it's important to be as specific as possible. You can even put your name in the subject line to make it easier for them to find your application. Try something like, "Interview Follow-Up for Editor Position" or “Follow Up on Interview 06/12/2018, Jane Doe.” If the position had a reference or requisition number, then you can add that to the subject. Try replying to an old email thread. The “Re:” that will display in front of the subject makes it appear as part of a previous communication and they may be more likely to open it sooner. Address your email to the same person you have been in contact with. If you were unable to find all of the names for who you interviewed with, just send it to the same people you sent the thank you email to. State the position you interviewed for and that you are still interested. Keep it short and simple. Also include when you interviewed and with whom, and indicate that you have not heard back yet. It may look something like, "I'm writing regarding the Editor position I interviewed for last Monday. You mentioned that you hoped to make a final decision by the end of the week. I have not yet heard back from you regarding this position so just wanted to check in. I am looking forward to an update." Finish the email with an enthusiastic closing. Close with a positive statement saying that you look forward to hearing from them soon. You can also confirm your contact details and offer them to contact you with any additional questions they may have. Keep it short and simple while showing how much the position would mean to you. "Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or need any additional information from me. I want to thank you for your time and look forward to hearing back from you soon." End with “Sincerely, Your Name.” Proofread and edit your draft. Step away from your email for a small period of time and then come back to it. Read over your email carefully to check for spelling and grammar mistakes and to fine tune the general flow of the letter. Read your draft out loud to make sure it has a polite, professional tone, flows smoothly, and makes sense. Sit back and wait for a response. At this point, you can acknowledge that you tried your best to apply for the position. You submitted a strong application, got an interview, and followed up on it. Don't be discouraged if you don't hear back right away. It can take quite a bit of time for hiring managers to complete interviews and follow up with applicants. Peoples' lives can get busy, so try calling or emailing the hiring manager to ask about your application. Sometimes, they just need a reminder and will reach out again. | Give it at least a few days before sending an email. Address your email to the correct person. Make the subject specific and direct. Write the correct greeting. State the position you applied for and when. Reinforce your enthusiasm and qualifications for the position. Keep the closing short and simple but enthusiastic. Proofread your draft before you send it. Practice patience while you wait for a response. Start off with a strong, direct subject line. Address your email to the correct person. Thank the interviewer for their time while being sincere and specific. Express your enthusiasm for the position and/or the company. Reemphasize why you would be the best fit for the position. Mention information that wasn’t made clear during the interview. Give the employer an opportunity to ask you any follow up questions. Proofread your email carefully. Send your email to everyone you interviewed with within 24 hours. Wait until the established time frame has passed to send another email. Make the subject line direct and specific. Address your email to the same person you have been in contact with. State the position you interviewed for and that you are still interested. Finish the email with an enthusiastic closing. Proofread and edit your draft. Sit back and wait for a response. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Prune-a-Dogwood | How to Prune a Dogwood | To prune a dogwood tree, work during winter or early spring, since the tree should still be in a dormant state when you remove branches. Using gardening shears, cut off any dead or diseased branches you notice, which will prevent the infection from spreading to the rest of the tree. Additionally, make sure to sterilize your shears in a solution of 1 part bleach and 3 parts water between snips so you don't accidentally spread the disease as you're pruning! Besides diseased branches, thin out crowded areas and cut off old, twiggy stems. | Remove branches during the winter or early spring. The dogwood should still be in a dormant state when you remove branches. Sawing or otherwise removing branches during the late spring or summer, after the tree begins to actively grow, can create fresh, appealing entry spots for insects that like to bore into the wood of the tree. Remove deadwood. Wood that is dying or dead will do nothing good for your tree. In fact, leaving it on the tree may actually cause problems. Deadwood is more likely to grow mold or other fungi, which can then spread to healthy parts of the dogwood. Cut off diseased or insect-infested branches. Like dead branches, diseased branches will only invite further infection to the rest of your dogwood. When cutting off noticeably diseased branches, you should dip the shears or saw into a solution made of one part bleach and three parts water to sterilize them. Otherwise, you may accidentally spread the disease to other parts of the tree. Prune away old, twiggy stems. Some dogwood varieties, particularly the shrubby types, are valued mostly for the colorful bark that grows on new stems. You can either cut back the old stems on these dogwoods or cut them down completely. For shrubby dogwoods, you can actually cut the dogwood down to the ground every few years to remove old stems and encourage the growth of new twigs. Thin out crowded areas. If a particular section of your dogwood tree seems abnormally thick or crowded, select the weakest branches from that spot and cut them back to their point of origin. Remove shoots that grow below the graft point. Some hybrid or variegated dogwood varieties are created by grafting together two separate dogwood trees. A branch that grows beneath the grafting point will have characteristics of one of the original trees used for the hybrid, rather than the hybrid dogwood itself. To keep the foliage and appearance of the tree consistent, you should remove these unexpected branches by sawing or pruning them off at the point of origin. Determine whether or not you need to remove lower branches. Sometimes, the lowest branches of the dogwood can interfere with walking or other gardening activities. Other times, the branches hang so low that the underside of the tree does not receive enough air. In either case, the lowest branches can be sawed off or cut away with heavy-duty shears. Snip away the flower buds. Cut off the buds at the tip of each branch to redirect energy to buds on the side of the branch. By removing a singe bud, you encourage the development of multiple buds, leading to a fuller setting of flowers. These buds can either be snipped off with shears or pinched off by hand. Prune your dogwood to encourage flowering in early summer. June is generally considered the best month for this type of pruning, but any time in the early summer will work. You should not snip buds off during the dormant season since doing so will cut the flowers off before they have the chance to open, rather than simply redirecting the energy. Do not wait too late into the summer, though, because doing so will not allow the buds to build up enough energy for new shoots and buds for the next year. | Remove branches during the winter or early spring. Remove deadwood. Cut off diseased or insect-infested branches. Prune away old, twiggy stems. Thin out crowded areas. Remove shoots that grow below the graft point. Determine whether or not you need to remove lower branches. Snip away the flower buds. Prune your dogwood to encourage flowering in early summer. |
https://www.wikihow.life/Get-Rid-of-Acne-Redness | How to Get Rid of Acne Redness | To get rid of redness from acne, make sure to wash your face twice a day with a gentle facial cleanser that doesn't dry out your skin. Once your face is clean, apply a moisturizer that's noncomedogenic, so it won't clog your pores. For a more natural solution, talk to your doctor about herbal remedies involving tea tree oil, green tea extract, aloe vera, and brewer's yeast, which may help minimize your acne. In cases of extreme acne, consider meeting with a dermatologist to talk about other options, such as oral medications, steroid injections, and light treatments. You can also minimize day-to-day acne redness by resisting the urge to touch your face, since popping pimples can irritate your skin further. | Buy a gentle facial cleanser. Do not purchase products that are astringent, harsh, or drying. Avoid facial cleansers with alcohol in them. Look for cleansers that say they are "gentle" and "alcohol free." Astringents and alcohol will not help your acne and they will dry out your skin. Dry skin is much more likely to aggravate the worst symptoms of acne, including redness. Wash your face twice a day. Using a gentle touch, wash your face with your gentle cleanser for one minute in the morning and one minute in the evening. Use your fingertips or a gentle cloth — not your nails or rough cloths. You should also wash your face after sweaty activities such as exercise. Do not scrub or scratch your skin: remember that acne-prone skin can be sensitive and delicate. Rinse your face with lukewarm water that is not too hot or too cold. Moisturize daily. Even if it seems counterintuitive, moisturizers will help keep your acne from worsening. Because acne can be aggravated by dead skin cells, keeping your skin healthy will help reduce acne outbreaks. Moreover, overly dry skin can lead to the overproduction of skin oils that cause acne. Make sure to buy a moisturizer that says "noncomedogenic" on the label: this means that the moisturizer will not clog pores. Look for ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid in your moisturizer. Avoid cocoa butter, mineral oil, and cold cream. Some brands of moisturizers and cleansers have special formulations to help reduce redness in the skin. These include Eucerin redness relief, and Aveeno ultra-calming. These brands are both recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology. Purchase over-the-counter acne medications. There are a number of products that can help minimize acne redness. These are all topical treatments that are applied directly to the skin once or twice a day. Begin with lower-strength acne medications before moving on to the stronger stuff. Look for ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, tea tree oil, and sulfur. It is best to start with a benzoyl peroxide because it is less likely to irritate your skin than other products. Start with a lower strength form such as 2.5% to reduce skin irritation as you get used to using benzoyl peroxide. Be sure that you follow all label instructions. Sometimes these treatments can make your skin more prone to sunburn. Others might not react well with other medications. Pay attention to warning labels, and talk to your doctor if you have any concerns. You might experience skin redness and flaking for the first few weeks of use. If any symptoms of irritation persist, however, you should consider switching products and/or talking with your doctor. Talk to your doctor about herbal remedies. There are a number of herbal remedies that are rumored to minimize acne. However, many of these remedies are untested and some might have dangerous side effects. Remember that "natural" does not necessarily mean healthy or safe. Discuss herbal remedies with your doctor to see if it is wise for you to try them. Possible herbal remedies include: Tea tree oil. Apply a gel that is 5% tea tree oil to affected areas. Watch out for contact dermatitis and rosacea, however. If you have these symptoms when using tea tree oil, it may not be right for you. Green tea extract. Apply a solution that is 2% green tea extract to affected areas twice daily. You can also soak a washcloth in chilled green tea and apply it to your face for 1-2 minutes, then repeat several times. Do this several nights a week. Aloe vera. Apply a gel that is 50% aloe to affected areas. It might be best coming directly from the plant, which can be purchased at most flower shops. Brewer's Yeast CBS 5926. Take this strain of brewer's yeast orally. Note that brewer's yeast can cause gassiness. Make an appointment with a dermatologist. If over-the-counter means and lifestyle changes are not reducing your acne redness, you should talk to a skin doctor or dermatologist. There might be some prescription medications and treatments available. Your dermatologist will also be able to diagnose what kind of acne you have and how severe it is. Other signs that you should talk to a doctor are if you experience unwanted facial hair along with your acne, if you notice scarring, or if lesions and nodules develop under your skin. Discuss prescription-strength topical treatments with your dermatologist. There are a number of topical treatments (or treatments you apply directly to the skin) that an acne patient might receive. Common ingredients of this treatments include: antibiotics, retinoids, salicylic acid, and benzoyl peroxide. In addition, azelaic acid is found in some creams used for acne and rosacea. It can help reduce redness as well as breakouts. Retinoids help treat acne redness by preventing follicles from clogging up. They can be very effective for treating and preventing acne breakouts and redness. There is actually now an over-the-counter retinoid you can try, called Differin gel (adapalene gel). Start slowly and follow the instructions on the box. Antibiotics help treat acne redness by reducing inflammation and killing harmful bacteria on the skin. Benzoyl peroxide helps treat acne redness by reducing the chances that you will have bacteria that resist antibiotics. It also reduces plugging of the pores. Salicylic acid helps treat acne redness by reducing the number of skin cells you shed and unclogging pores. Follow your doctor's instructions for applying topical medications. The amount and frequency that you apply the topical treatment depends on the cause and severity of your acne. Talk to your doctor about her recommendations for using prescription topical treatments. Be sure to listen to your doctor's warnings about side effects, adverse reactions, and drug interactions. Tell your doctor about any other medications you are taking. Also tell your doctor if you are or plan to become pregnant. This might affect her decision about the best treatment for you. Be patient with your skin. Beginning a topical skin treatment might take up to four to eight weeks before you see improvements. Sometimes your acne redness will get worse before it gets better. Remember to be patient and that your skin might need time before it begins to heal. Ask your dermatologist about oral medications. Prescription oral medications can be used in addition to or instead of topical treatments. Drugs such as antibiotics, hormonal birth control, and anti-androgen agents can help reduce acne redness as well as prevent future outbreaks. Note that some of these drugs have serious side effects. Only take these medications under the direction of a licensed physician. Always inform your doctor of all drugs you are currently taking. Oral antibiotics work like topical antibiotics. They help fight redness and inflammation by killing unwanted bacteria. These drugs can cause stomach upset and might interact poorly with hormonal birth control, so talk with your doctor before taking them. Hormonal birth control helps relieve the symptoms of acne by reducing testosterone from the bloodstream. This is good for acne-prone skin. This treatment is only effective for girls and women. Birth control might even be more effective over the long-term than antibiotics. Negative side effects include weight gain, breast pain, and possible dangerous blood clots. Antiandrogen agents are a possible treatment for girls and women, but not for men. These medicines work by helping to control the production of oil by the sebaceous glands. Ask your dermatologist about steroid injections. These injections are used primarily to diminish large bumps and deep-seated lesions caused by acne. They are not useful in the management of widespread acne or acne that is mostly on the surface of the skin. If you notice large bumps, nodules, or lesions deep beneath the skin, a steroid shot might help get rid of them and reduce the likelihood of scarring. Cortisone shots can cause certain side effects. These include pale spots on the skin, visible blood vessels, and thinner skin. These shots can also cause momentary pain. Ask your doctor about light treatments. Redness and inflammation associated with acne is caused by the bacteria p. acnes. This bacteria can be killed or curtailed with the application of certain light frequencies — most typically blue light. This treatment can be done in the doctor's office, but sometimes it can be done at home as well. Types of red light can also help reduce oil production and inflammation of the skin. In addition, certain laser treatments can be helpful in reducing acne breakouts and scarring, along with redness and inflammation. The doctor may apply a medicine to the affected area before light exposure. This medicine will amplify your skin's sensitivity to light. Multiple sessions of light therapy are often necessary. You may experience side effects such as sensitivity to light, dry skin, and temporary redness. This treatment can be costlier than other acne treatments. Consider your finances and talk to your doctor carefully before deciding on this option. Tell yourself not to pop pimples. It might be tempting to squeeze your zits. However, squeezing and popping your pimples can spread the acne, lead to infection, worsen your redness, and cause scarring. It might be hard, but it is better to wait for the acne to clear up. Avoid touching your face. Touching your face can spread acne-causing bacteria, add oils to your face, and lead to infection. All of these will worsen acne symptoms, including redness. Tell yourself that touching your face will only make things worse. If you cannot stop touching your face, consider wearing mittens, sitting on your hands, or wearing a rubber band around your wrist to remind you not to. Keep the area around your face clear. Your hair, telephone, hats, and headbands can irritate acne-prone skin. They can cause sweating and the clogging of pores. Do whatever it takes to keep your face free and clear. Use speakerphone instead of your receiver, stop wearing hats, and keep your hair pulled back until your skin clears. Stop using oil-based products. Hairsprays, hair gel, oil-based sunscreens, and oil-based makeup can all exacerbate acne redness. Discontinue use of all these products. Use noncomedogenic or water-based sunscreens and moisturizers instead. Shampoo regularly. The oil from your hair can make your acne worse. Eliminate excessive hair oil by shampooing regularly. Try shampooing every other day or every day and see if that alleviates your acne redness. Protect yourself from the sun. Sunburned, dry skin is susceptible to acne. Use noncomedogenic or oil-free sunscreens or stay in the shade to protect your skin. Protecting your skin from the sun is especially important if you are using an acne medication that makes your skin prone to sunburn. Use plant-based dairy substitutes in your diet. The relationship between diet and acne is a controversial one. However, there have been several studies that indicate that dairy products can contribute to increased acne lesions in some people. Consider switching to soy- and nut-based products and eliminate as much dairy as you can from your diet and see if your skin improves. Remember that dairy can provide essential calcium and vitamins to people, especially to growing teenagers. Talk to your doctor before changing your diet to make sure that you continue to eat a well-balanced diet. Eat healthy foods that don't raise your blood sugar. The Glycemic Index measures how much a carb-heavy food raises blood glucose levels. Many studies have shown that a high-glycemic diet is more likely to cause acne than a low-glycemic diet will. Moreover, high-glycemic foods tend to be generally less healthy than low-glycemic diets. High-glycemic foods tend to be processed foods, made with a lot of white flour and sugar. Low-glycemic foods tend to be high-fiber whole foods such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. Be careful about using makeup on acne-prone skin. Acne-prone skin might be extra sensitive and can be further irritated by cosmetics. Some cosmetics even cause acne at the same time that they cover up other pimples. Be aware that using makeup might not be the best choice for you and your skin. Talk to your dermatologist about whether or not you can use cosmetics. Discontinue use of any makeup that appears to increase the frequency of your acne flare-ups. If you wear make-up, to always remove it before going to bed. Buy non-oil based cosmetics. Only use makeup that is water- and mineral-based. Look for ingredients such as silica, zinc oxide, and dimethicone. These ingredients help minimize redness. Another option for foundation is using a tinted moisturizer that is also oil-free and noncomedogenic. Apply a thin layer of concealer to the pimple. Press the concealer into the pimple with a brush, giving it a slight twist. Work your way around the pimple until fully covered. Apply the concealer in an X-pattern to get the most effective coverage once you blend it in. Try to find a shade that matches your skin color as closely as possible. Using a concealer brush with pointed, flat bristles allows you to lay a thin layer of makeup onto the skin. Concealers with yellow and green undertones are especially good at hiding acne redness. Look for makeup with yellow or green hues that you can use during breakouts. Use your fingers to feather and blend the concealer. Begin working from the center of the pimple, radiating outwards. Use a pressing or tapping motion instead of a rubbing motion to avoid a streaked look. Make sure that the concealer is applied to the entire perimeter of your zit. Apply foundation to the rest of your face using a makeup sponge. As with the concealer, try to match the makeup to your skin color as closely as possible for the most natural look. Ensure that your coverage looks even. Apply the foundation all the way up to the edge of your pimple so that your whole face is the same tone. You can apply an extra layer of yellow or green concealer on top of your foundation if you need extra coverage. Use a powder brush to gently tap some loose powder onto the pimple to set the makeup. Consider using cornstarch or talcum powder to make your concealer more durable, especially on a hot and sweaty day. Translucent powders are a good option because they set your makeup without adding yet another layer of color. Reapply as needed. This method probably will not hold up for an entire day of work, school, or fun. Be sure that you have travel-sized containers of your products so that you can reapply as necessary throughout the day. | Buy a gentle facial cleanser. Wash your face twice a day. Moisturize daily. Purchase over-the-counter acne medications. Talk to your doctor about herbal remedies. Make an appointment with a dermatologist. Discuss prescription-strength topical treatments with your dermatologist. Follow your doctor's instructions for applying topical medications. Be patient with your skin. Ask your dermatologist about oral medications. Ask your dermatologist about steroid injections. Ask your doctor about light treatments. Tell yourself not to pop pimples. Avoid touching your face. Keep the area around your face clear. Stop using oil-based products. Shampoo regularly. Protect yourself from the sun. Use plant-based dairy substitutes in your diet. Eat healthy foods that don't raise your blood sugar. Be careful about using makeup on acne-prone skin. Buy non-oil based cosmetics. Apply a thin layer of concealer to the pimple. Use your fingers to feather and blend the concealer. Apply foundation to the rest of your face using a makeup sponge. Use a powder brush to gently tap some loose powder onto the pimple to set the makeup. Reapply as needed. |
https://www.wikihow.fitness/Run-a-5k | How to Run a 5k | To run a 5k, start training 8-12 weeks in advance so you're physically and mentally prepared for the race. Plan on running 4 days a week and doing some other type of light cardio or weight training 1 or 2 other days a week to get your body into shape. If you are new to running, start with a jogging/walking interval plan, where you jog for 30 seconds and walk for 1 minute, and build up the jogging time each week. Add another quarter or half mile to your running sessions each week until you can comfortably complete 5 miles during a single running session. It's important to build up your endurance slowly to avoid injuring yourself! | Consider how long it’ll take you to train for a race to pick the right event. If you aren't used to running or have a generally sedentary lifestyle, you may want 8 to 12 weeks to get yourself up to speed. If you already run a mile or 2 on a regular basis, you may be ready to go in 4 to 6 weeks or less. If you know how long you'll need to train, you can look at events in the right month so you'll be prepared. It takes most runners about 25 to 40 minutes to complete a 5K. If you can only jog for about 10 minutes before taking a break, you'll need some training time to build up to the full distance. Pick an event that looks like fun or that supports a good cause. If you type “5K races near me” into the search bar online, you'll find lots of sites that list all the nearby races in your area. Some races donate their proceeds to charity, and other ones focus on some kind of fun element, like a color run, an obstacle course, or a holiday theme, like a turkey trot. You may also want to consider the time of year in which you'd prefer to run. If you hate the cold, avoid signing up for any fall or winter races. If you'd rather stay out of the hot sun, steer clear of summertime runs. Sign up and pay the registration fee to save your space in the run. Once you pick a race, it's time to seal the deal! Most races have online signups, so you just need to fill out the form and pay the registration fee, if there is one. Depending on the size of the race and how prestigious it is, the registration fee could be anywhere from $10 to $100. If you're signing up for a small community run, you can expect a lower cost. Ask friends to join in for support while you’re preparing for the race. A great way to stay motivated is to ask others to participate with you. Try to find a friend who will sign up to run the race with you, and plan on doing a few runs together for training purposes. Even if your friends don't want to run, they can help keep you accountable as you train and can cheer for you on the day of the actual race. You could even join up with a local running group to hold yourself accountable and make new friends along the way. Mark the date on your calendar and get ready to start training! Once you've committed to a race day, you have the benefit of a clear goal date. Mark the remaining weeks on your calendar and make a list of the things you'll need to prepare: Training plan Running clothes Running shoes Water bottle Stopwatch or something similar Sunscreen, if you'll be running outdoors Sunglasses, if you'll be running outdoors Set a goal to work towards in training. Your goal could be as simple as just finishing the race, or you could set a personal time that you'd like to beat. If you know what you're working toward, it'll be easier to stay on track with your training. For example, if you want to run 10-minute miles, your goal could be to finish the entire 5K in 30 minutes. That would put you slightly under 10 minutes per mile. Check out the course beforehand to get a feel for the terrain. Are there a lot of hills, or is the course primarily flat? Will you be running over unpaved ground? The answer to these questions can help you prepare a training routine that'll help you perform better on race day. For example, if the race is pretty hilly, you'll want to vary your training runs so that you aren't running on flat surfaces every day. Build a running playlist to keep you pumped and on track. Of course, you don't have to listen to music, or anything at all, while you run. But if you want to, having a set of jams preloaded on your phone or music player can help you keep pace as you run. Pick enough music to last you 30 to 45 minutes so that the playlist doesn't abruptly end in the middle of your run. Training with the same songs can help you mentally prepare for the race, too. Once you've memorized the playlist, you'll know when you're halfway through your run, for example, when that one certain song plays. Create a week-by-week training plan to build up to running the full 5K. Plan on running 4 days a week and doing some other type of light cardio or weight training 1 or 2 other days a week. If you are new to running, start with a jogging/walking interval plan, where you jog for 30 seconds and walk for 1 minute, and build up the jogging time each week until you can run an entire mile without stopping. Each week, try to schedule 3 shorter runs and 1 long run. There are tons of great training programs out there for beginner runners to more experienced runners. Check out the Couch to 5K (C25K) running plan if you're a novice. Build up your endurance so you can run more than 3 miles (4.8 km). On the day of the race, you'll be dealing with nerves. There will be other people around, the weather might be bad, and all those things together could affect how you perform. If you know you can run 3.5 miles (5.6 km) or even 4 miles (6.4 km) continuously, you'll feel even more confident that you'll be able to finish your race. Don't be discouraged from running if you can't quite do the full 5K yet, though! The race could be the push you need to break through that barrier and hit your goal. Remember to warm up and cool down so you don’t injure yourself. Before and after each run, spend 5 to 10 minutes stretching your arms, legs, and back. Preventing an injury is super important, especially when you run because those types of injuries often take longer to recover from. To warm up, do some light cardio, like jumping jacks, for 2 to 3 minutes. Do a few squats and mountain climbers to get your muscles warmed up. To cool down, walk for 5 minutes to get your heart rate back down. Stretch your quads, hamstrings, and shoulders so your recovery will be easier. Add in 1-2 rest days each week so your muscles can recuperate. You don't have to just lay around on rest days—use these opportunities to do some gentle exercises, like walking or yoga. The main goal is to rest the muscles that you use the most when you run. Using rest days will actually help you perform better because your muscles won't be overtired or strained. You could try something like exercising on Monday and Tuesday, resting on Wednesday, exercising on Thursday and Friday, resting on Saturday, and doing your long run on Sunday. Check the weather forecast a few days in advance to prepare. You may need to adjust what you plan to wear depending on the weather. If it's going to be much hotter than usual, wearing lighter clothes could be helpful. If it's going to be chilly, adding a breathable long-sleeved top could keep you warm but can also be removed if you get too hot. If it's going to be rainy, adding a rain poncho or waterproofing your shoes could help keep you comfortable. If you run outside regularly, don't skip bad weather days. These could be great opportunities to see how your endurance and needs change in inclement weather. Hydrate, eat well, and get in some light exercise the day before the race. Being prepared for the race doesn't mean just waking up in time the morning of your run. You want to keep your body in as best shape as possible leading up to the race, too. Avoid eating really fatty, greasy, or carb-heavy foods the day before the run. Do a short 2 miles (3.2 km) run or jog/walk, but avoid doing anything too strenuous. Get a good night’s rest so you aren’t overly tired the morning of the run. It may be hard to sleep because of your nerves, but trying to get in good rest is important to your performance on race day. Turn off your electronics or put them on “do not disturb” or airplane mode. Set an alarm (or 2) for the morning, and try to get at least 8 hours of sleep. To help ease your mind, set out everything you'll need on race day the night before. Clothes, food, driving instructions—whatever you need to keep on track, get it ready beforehand. Wear sweat-wicking clothes to keep yourself cool while you run. Don't wear brand new clothes that you've never run in before. If possible, wear the outfit that you wore when you had a great training run. Pick lightweight clothes that are easy to move in. The same rule goes for shoes—wear broken in, comfortable running shoes. Definitely don't use the race as an opportunity to break in a new pair of sneakers. Eat a light breakfast and drink water 2 hours before the race begins. Try to eat something like a banana with peanut butter, toast, cereal with milk, or something simple that won't upset your stomach or make you feel bloated or overly full. Drink about 16 ounces (450 g) of water an hour or 2 before the race. Don't pound water too close to the start of the run, otherwise, your stomach will feel sloshy and unsettled. You may also want to bring along a water bottle on your run so you can stay hydrated during the race. Try to sip some water every 10 to 15 minutes as you go. Show up early so you know where to go and can sign in. You may already know the location of the race, but you also have to account for all the other people who will be there on race day. Try to arrive an hour early so you can park, sign in, stretch, and use the bathroom before the race starts. If you can, use public transportation or have someone drop you off so that you don't have to worry about navigating around the race area or finding parking. Pick a starting point in the middle or back of the pack. Once the runners start lining up, it's time for you to join! The front of the race is generally best for those who are really fast runners or trying to beat their best personal time. If you're a newbie, stick to the middle or back of the lineup—this will give you space to get your bearings and pace yourself without feeling any pressure to keep up with those at the front. Make sure to give those around you enough space. You want at least 2 to 3 feet (24 to 36 in) between yourself and your neighbors so you can stretch a little and start running without worrying about stepping into someone. Start slow and focus on enjoying the process. Start your running playlist and give yourself a few minutes to get up to speed and pace yourself. If you start off too fast, you'll tire yourself out early. Smile, and enjoy being amidst other runners. Take advantage of water stations! Especially if you don't want to carry a water bottle yourself, grab water from the people handing it out along the route to help energize yourself and stay hydrated. From start to finish, running a 5K race is definitely something to be proud of. Reward yourself afterward with something special, like scheduling a massage, going out for drinks with friends, or simply lounging around for the rest of the day as you recover. | Consider how long it’ll take you to train for a race to pick the right event. Pick an event that looks like fun or that supports a good cause. Sign up and pay the registration fee to save your space in the run. Ask friends to join in for support while you’re preparing for the race. Mark the date on your calendar and get ready to start training! Set a goal to work towards in training. Check out the course beforehand to get a feel for the terrain. Build a running playlist to keep you pumped and on track. Create a week-by-week training plan to build up to running the full 5K. Build up your endurance so you can run more than 3 miles (4.8 km). Remember to warm up and cool down so you don’t injure yourself. Add in 1-2 rest days each week so your muscles can recuperate. Check the weather forecast a few days in advance to prepare. Hydrate, eat well, and get in some light exercise the day before the race. Get a good night’s rest so you aren’t overly tired the morning of the run. Wear sweat-wicking clothes to keep yourself cool while you run. Eat a light breakfast and drink water 2 hours before the race begins. Show up early so you know where to go and can sign in. Pick a starting point in the middle or back of the pack. Start slow and focus on enjoying the process. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Woman-to-Fall-in-Love-with-You | How to Get a Woman to Fall in Love with You | To get a woman to fall in love with you, be the best version of yourself by exercising and maintaining good hygiene. Show her that you're confident by standing up tall and smiling when you're around her. You can also compliment her skills and appearance in a sincere way so she knows you like her as a person. When you feel ready, ask her out on a date to show you're interested! | Learn some chemistry. Don't worry; there won't be an exam. However, attraction is all about chemistry, and specifically, a group of chemicals called “monoamines.” These chemicals send messages between your brain and your body, and they're the reason love can literally make your skin tingle or cause you to forget your name when you're around the woman of your dreams. Dopamine (where we get the word “dope”) is a “feel-good” neurotransmitter responsible for rewards and motivation, among other things. When you're around a person you're attracted to, dopamine is released into your brain, making you enjoy the time you spend together and want more of it. Norepinephrine, sometimes known as noradrenaline (but not the same as adrenalin) is responsible for sending messages to your central nervous system. It helps decide what is most important to focus on at any given moment. When you lose track of time and end up spending 5 hours on a date with someone you're into, norepinephrine has decided that the woman you love is more important than any of the other information around you. Serotonin regulates a host of functions, including mood, sleep, body temperature, and sexual desire. When your skin starts to tingle around that special someone, it's because serotonin has dropped your body temperature, making your skin slightly more conductive of electricity. Pretty magical stuff. Humans may also emit pheromones like other animals do, although scientists aren't exactly sure if they work the same way. You can't consciously smell pheromones, but your body picks up on others', deciding what it thinks is attractive and what isn't. Recognize that it isn’t all about you. Because so much is down to how chemicals interact in each person's body, don't take it personally if the woman you're interested in doesn't return your interest. It probably has nothing to do with you as a person. Studies show that your brain decides what's attractive in as little as one second, and it's not really within your control. Research has even shown that taking hormonal contraceptives can change a woman's “type” at certain points during the month. Biochemistry: it's some wacky stuff. Learn some love language. No, this type isn't the sweet talk you might offer during a chat. This is about identifying the messages that body language gives off when we're attracted to someone else. There are a few basic messages that your body language communicates when you are interested in someone: I'm available I'm approachable and open I'm interested I'm fertile Check her body positioning. Imagine that you've run into the woman you're interested in at the coffee shop. You don't know whether she is interested in you. Examine how she's holding her body for some clues. “Open” body language includes relaxed, uncrossed arms and legs and looking upward from time to time. “Closed” body language includes crossed arms or legs, body tension, and keeping your focus on something like your phone. The direction of her feet may also tell you something. If they're pointed toward you, she is likely feeling into the interaction. If she's holding something between you, such as a purse or bookbag, this could be a sign she's trying to signal distance. If she catches your eye, smiles, and moves the bookbag out of the chair across from her, it's a good bet she's signaling “I'm available.” Make eye contact. The eyes are the windows to the soul. They're also really good clues as to whether someone is interested in you or not. Eye contact communicates a bunch of messages, including some you might not be aware of. Make eye contact with her, and maintain it for 4-5 seconds. Give her a smile. If she returns your gaze and smiles back, you may be in luck. Eye contact while you're talking with someone signals interest and engagement. If she's looking at you about 70% of the time while you're talking and about 50% of the time while she's talking, it's a good sign that she's interested in the interaction. (You can signal your interest by following the same ratios.) When we're aroused (through stress, sexual desire, what have you) our pupils dilate. If her pupils look dilated, she may be excited to see you. Flash her a winning smile. If she returns your smile, it could signal that she enjoys your interaction. However, some people also smile when they're nervous or uncomfortable. Watch which muscles move when she smiles. Genuine, or duchenne, smiles, use the muscles around the eyes as well as around the mouth. Fake smiles tend to only use the muscles around the mouth (although some people are very good at faking). If she isn't smiling with her eyes, she may be feeling uncomfortable or trying to appease you. Check out some biology. Humans experience certain physiological reactions when they're attracted to someone else. While these aren't universal, they can help clue you in about whether she's just being polite or whether she's as interested in you as you are in her. Flushing or blushing. When we're aroused, blood rushes to our cheeks. (This is one reason why some women wear blush.) People may also flush when they're nervous or embarrassed, though, so don't rely on this as your only cue. Plumper, redder lips. That blood doesn't only rush to our cheeks. It also goes to the lips, which can appear fuller and redder as they fill with blood. (Hence, why some women wear lipstick.) Licking the lips is also a good sign that the other person is attracted to you. Get a little closer. Don't invade anyone's personal space, but if, say, she's gone up for some coffee creamer you could get up and get some napkins. This will give you the chance to give her a whiff of your pheromones (remember those chemicals that signal the other person's brain, saying “Hey! I'm hot!”). If you're already interacting with the woman of your dreams, lean in a little closer or tilt your head. Not only do these signal that you're interested in the interaction, they can also send those chemical love-messengers heading her way. Gamble with an opening gambit. These are also known as “pickup lines,” or sometimes “ice-breakers.” However, you don't have to be creepy or cocky to use an opening gambit effectively. Scientists suggest that there are three types of openers, and they vary in their effectiveness: Direct : These are honest, no-nonsense, get straight to the point openers. For example, “Hi, you're pretty cute. Can I buy you a drink?” or “I'm kind of shy, but I'd love to get to know you.” In general, men tend to prefer getting these from potential romantic partners. Innocuous : These start a conversation, but don't go directly in for the goal. For example, “What coffee would you recommend?” or “There's an empty chair at my table, would you like to sit here?” In general, women tend to prefer getting these from potential romantic partners. Cute/flippant : These involve humor, but they can also be cheesy or even mean-spirited. These are the typical “pickup line,” like “Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?” or “You know what would look great on you? Me.” In general, both men and women rank these as the least preferred option to receive from a potential romantic partner. Your relationship strategy will also play a role in choosing an opener. Studies suggest that people going for something long-term will more likely use an honest and supportive gambit, while people going for something short-term will more likely use manipulation or dishonesty. If it's love you're looking for, go for honest and supportive every time. Give her a reason to notice you. Do something that will make her take notice of you. Don't try to make yourself into something you aren't, though. Being yourself (maybe the best possible version of you) is the best way to ensure that if she's interested in you, she's really interested in you, not somebody you're trying to be to get yourself noticed. Take care of yourself. Eat healthy, exercise, and dress in clothes that express something about you. You don't have to be a fashion model or a superstar athlete, but keeping yourself neat, clean, and groomed will show off your physical health, which humans have evolved to find innately attractive. Studies show that women value social traits, such as compassion and friendliness, as highly (or even more) than physical attractiveness. Do something that shows you care about other people. Volunteer at your local food bank, give blood, bail a friend out of a sticky situation, organize a charity auction. Show her that there's more to you than meets the eye. She'll be impressed that you give back and curious about what else you have to offer. Show her your funny side. Research shows that both men and women rank a sense of humor as one of the most attractive qualities in a potential partner. Joke around, make others laugh -- just don't belittle or use mean or bitter humor, because that's a surefire way to kill the mood instantly. A little playfulness is also likely to benefit you. Excel at something you're good at, preferably in her company. What do you do well? It could be anything from tennis, rock climbing, or football, to humor, math, or debate. Whatever it is, stand out for excellence in that area. Signal with your own body language. Women tend to be better at interpreting body language than men are, which can be good for you if you know how to use it. Things like making your body a little bigger, squaring your shoulders when you stand, and playfully bumping or elbowing your guy friends if you're all hanging out with her can help signal that you're trying to get her attention. Put yourself out there. Remember: fortune favors the brave. If you're stuck in your apartment constantly, you're probably not using your time in the best way. And if you don't hit a challenge at least some of the time, you might never see results. Display self-confidence. Both women and men are drawn to confident people. However, cockiness is usually a turn-off, so make sure your confidence doesn't take the leap into arrogance. True self-confidence comes from within. It's knowing who you are, accepting who you are, and being confident that you're pretty great at being you. You don't need validation from others to make you feel good about yourself. When you're confident in yourself, you inspire that confidence in others. Cockiness happens when you base your self-esteem on external sources, like compliments or achievements. It often comes from a place of insecurity. You may feel like you need to put others down to feel better about yourself, or like everything is a competition between you and the rest of the world. It's fine to accept compliments and praise, especially if you can acknowledge the roles others played in your success or achievement. For example, if you're a star athlete, you probably still have a great team behind you. When you win the big game, accept praise for your good performance, but remember to extend that praise to your teammates, too. That type of behavior shows true self-confidence, not cockiness. Form a game-plan. No, it doesn't need to be written down, and it doesn't need to involve little x's and o's on a whiteboard. Be strategic about what you do and you'll give yourself a better chance of winning a girl's heart. Be amateurish and you'll likely lower your chances. If you're in love with one girl, it's OK to focus on winning her heart. When love hits us, it's like a ton of bricks, and we often feel helpless. That's natural. If, however, you want to find love in general , try socializing with several different women. You'll increase your chances of finding someone you genuinely bond with, and rejection from one won't seem so bad if you have the possibility of another waiting in the wings. There are several other benefits to this strategy: You'll have a better idea of what you want. We often don't know what we want until we see it. Put yourself out there and chances are you'll find a woman you naturally gel with, instead of forcing it with someone you thought you knew. Socializing with several women is not the same as being a player. If you want to find love, date around, but only romantically involve yourself with one woman at a time. Don't go into a relationship hoping to exploit or manipulate. Make the effort to get to know her. Really find out who she is, what she stands for, where she's coming from. She will appreciate your interest in what makes her tick. Ask open-ended questions, actively listen and engage with her answers, and don't make assumptions or jump to conclusions about her. People love talking about themselves. This is just the way things are. Don't forget to engage in conversation and give her information about yourself, but get her engaged in something she likes talking about and you'll find it's a lot easier going. One way to do this is to ask great questions. Ask about her passions ("What do you love to do?"), her inspirations ("What makes you tick?"), and her goals ("What do you want to achieve?"), for example. Questions that ask her about her future may help her envision you in it. Questions about what's going on right now tend to be more surface-level. Social psychologist Arthur Aron has a list of 36 open-ended, creative questions you can ask to prompt getting to know a person better. Now is not the time to harsh on your ex-girlfriends or trash your boss. This level of negativity could make the woman uncomfortable. If you're saying bad things about other people to her, she'll also have to wonder if you'd do the same about her with someone else. Stick to positive topics. Take your time. These things take time. Don't expect to win her heart in a matter of days. Slow but steady wins the race. Set realistic expectations so that you're not disappointed if she doesn't fall for you immediately. If she gives you her number, perfect, but don't beg for it. Call her when you get her number, but not too much. Some days, give her a chance to call you! Don't spill your whole life story at once. If you really like this woman, it could be tempting to give her the “hard sell” on why you're the man for her. Take it slowly. Leaving a little mystery to yourself gives her things to ask you about, and doesn't make you seem desperate or -- even worse -- like you don't understand boundaries. Compliment her. Offer substantive, personal compliments for the best effect. And be reasonable. You want to compliment her just enough so that she knows you like her more than a friend, but not so much that she thinks you're desperate or fishing for compliments in return. Studies show that women are interested in men who show their interest, but not overwhelmingly. Compliment her skills and abilities first and foremost. She was born with her looks, but she worked for her smarts and her talents. Compliment her when her wonderful personality shines through. If you want to compliment her looks, try to make things more personal than the generic “Wow, you have pretty eyes.” For example, you could say “Your eyes are such an unusual shade of blue. Do your parents also have blue eyes?” Noting that you're paying attention to her also works. For example: “Did you get a haircut? Short hair looks so good on you.” Consider complimenting things about her that you find unique and interesting. Most women have heard the “You have a great smile” line a hundred times. Look for things that show you're really engaged with her as a person. For example: “It's so easy talking to you. I feel like I could talk to you all day long.” “I like the way you think.” It took a lot of courage for you to speak up like that.” Start flirting. Find a way to gently start flirting with her. It's going to be hard at first, because you really, really like her, but it will get a lot easier as you begin to establish routines and get to know her better. Smile and maintain good eye contact. A woman can tell a lot about how interested you are just by looking at your eyes. Likewise, a smile is just as important. Smile so that you project happiness, and have good eye contact so that you project confidence. Mimic her body language. You're not trying to be an exact mirror here. Instead, if she's relaxed and open, be that way too. If she makes a lot of hand gestures when she's talking, incorporate a few more into your conversation. Develop inside jokes or learn to playfully tease. Inside jokes are a great way to flirt and bond at the same time. They are conspiratorial, meaning that you both feel you are in on something together, and it's just you. Make an inside joke out of pretty much anything that you two experience together. When you playfully tease, make sure she knows you're teasing. Wink at her to communicate your sarcasm, or tell her that you're joking. Preferably, tease her about something she does really well so that she won't have to guess whether you're being serious or not. Touch her from time to time. In general, opposite-sex friends don't touch that much. They may go in for a hug, but they usually don't do things like holding hands or brushing someone else's skin. Reaching for her hand once in a while, lightly brushing her arm when you say something, or pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear will say, “Hey, I'm really interested in you.” Obviously, you should only do this if you're already confident that she enjoys spending time with you. Don't grab for a girl the first time you meet her, and avoid touching any personal areas unless you are clearly invited. If she doesn't appear to enjoy or react well to your touch, don't try it again. Respect her boundaries at all times, even if/when you don't understand them. Ask her on a date. Once you're ready to make the final push, you need to ask her out on a date. A date will be the perfect opportunity for you two to learn more about each other, and perhaps to even steal a kiss. When you ask her, keep it casual but don't be unclear. You might end up in the dreaded “friend zone,” and it's often difficult to move from friendship to romance. The best way to avoid this is to be upfront about your interests. You don't have to overwhelm her by immediately declaring your love (in fact, don't do that), but saying something casual like, “I've really been enjoying hanging out with you. What would you say to a “real” date? My treat!” can help let her know that you're interested in becoming more than friends without sounding like you're proposing marriage. Do something that's exciting. An exciting date — such as a haunted house, a theme park with rollercoasters, or a sports event — helps release a powerful hormone (called oxytocin) that's responsible for feelings of bonding and togetherness. If it's the right moment, go in for a kiss. If you feel like she's a little hesitant, it's best to keep the kiss for the second or third date. Keep the kiss short and sweet, and whatever you do, don't try to shove your tongue down her throat. Listen actively. Good communication skills can help you win the woman of your dreams. Actively listening to her shows that you're really interested and engaged with what she thinks and feels. That's very attractive. Try some of these techniques: Restate and clarify. Don't assume that you understand what she's saying. Instead, ask for clarification when you need it: “I'm not sure I understood you correctly. I heard _____. Is that what you meant?” Then give her the chance to clear things up. Encourage her. Ask little questions like “And then what happened?” or “How did you respond?” “Minimal encouragers,” like nodding, saying “uh-huh,” and “Go on” are also helpful. Summarize the important things. If you've had a conversation where you shared a lot of information, summarize it. This shows you paid attention, and gives her the opportunity to clear anything up. For example: “Okay, so what I heard was that tomorrow is going to be a horrible day for you and you don't want to be stressed out, so you'd like me to pick you up from work and go see a dumb action movie together. Is that right?” Use solid communication techniques. Listening is half of communication, but you also have to know how to speak. Learn to ask questions, avoid blaming, and communicate directly and honestly. It will make a world of difference, and may just make her feel all fuzzy for you and your great communication skills. Ask questions. This is especially helpful if you aren't sure you understand the situation. For example, she may say she wants advice but really just needs a sympathetic ear. Ask her: “Do you want me to try to help you find a solution, or do you just need someone to vent to? I'm cool with either one.” Use “I”-statements instead of “you” messages. “You”-statements can sound blaming, and they can make people shut down and feel defensive. For example, saying “You're always making us late and I hate it” communicates your feelings clearly, but it's also going to hurt hers and make her avoid talking with you. Try an “I”-statement instead: “I know you need a little extra time to get ready, but I get really stressed out when I'm late to things. How can I help you get the time you need and get us to dinner on time?” Speak honestly and directly. Don't beat around the bush and don't be passive aggressive. Say what you mean, mean what you say, and be kind and respectful all the time. Be mysterious but still available. Women love men who have a little bit of mystery tied up in their persona. It doesn't take much to develop — don't share every detail, don't brag about the things you do, get other people to like (and vouch for) you — but it's hard to do correctly. At the same time, make yourself available to her. There's nothing worse than putting in all that hard work only to leave her hanging because you can no longer be found. A good way to think of this is as staying independent. Healthy relationships allow both people to live their lives and pursue interests on their own, as well as spending time together. If you don't devote every moment of your day to thinking about her or pursuing her, you'll be showing her that you're independent and confident, which are both highly attractive qualities. There's no need to play mind games. If you want to call her, call. If she calls when you're genuinely busy, tell her you'll have to call her back later. You don't have to wait a certain number of minutes between texts or a certain number of days between phone calls. Just live your life, and make her a nice part of it. Try only revealing 3 things about yourself on your first date. When shes asks you more, tell her something playful like, "You'll have to go on a second date to find out." Gain her trust. You don't necessarily have to be her best friend, but show her why she deserves to trust you. Be there when she needs you. If she asks you to keep a secret, keep it. If you say you'll do something, follow through. Trust is crucial to developing intimate, long-lasting relationships, and it can be broken in a heartbeat. Don't get into it just for sex. This will make you an untrustworthy guy in her book. Don't pressure her into doing things that she's not comfortable doing — it'll drive her further away. If you have to back out on something, give her an honest explanation. She's less likely to feel let down if you tell her what happened and communicate that you're really disappointed about having to miss out. And don't make a habit of flaking. Learn her love languages. People don't all express or interpret love in the same way. Some people love getting gifts. Others would be just as happy if you did the dishes every night. Psychologist Gary Chapman argues that people have “love languages” that they use to show love and understand demonstrations of love from other people. Knowing her love language will help you show you care in a way she can really connect with. The five love languages are “Words of Affirmation,” “Acts of Service,” “Receiving Gifts,” “Quality Time,” and “Physical Touch.” “Words of Affirmation” include compliments, encouragement, or expressions of your feelings. “Acts of Service” include things like doing chores or running errands for the other person to show you care. “Receiving Gifts” is pretty obvious: gifts, cards, and tangible expression of affection. “Quality Time” is uninterrupted time with your partner without distractions. “Physical Touch” includes any demonstration of physical affection, including hugging, kissing, or sex. Chapman's website has a quiz you can take. You can also ask her friends and observe her reactions to determine what her primary love language could be. (Alternatively, you could just ask her to take the quiz too, but you might not feel ready to spring the word “love.”) Look at how she treats you. People usually default to using the love language they connect with for other people. Thus, if her primary love language is “Receiving Gifts,” she may surprise you with small tokens from time to time, such as a little gift or a card. Notice what she seems to emphasize in her demonstrations, and return them in kind. Win over her family and friends if you can. Her family and friends probably mean a lot to her, and they generally have a pretty hefty influence over how people think and behave. Win them over, and you'll be closer to winner her, too. Plus, you'll be showing her that you're here for the long haul. Dress nice, show manners , and be respectful of her friends and family. Be yourself around them. That can be hard, especially with all the pressure once you finally meet her parents, but it's important that you be genuine, honest, and yourself. She'll pick up if you're different around her loved ones than you are around her, and family are notoriously good at detecting behavior that isn't genuine. Stay easygoing, interested, and kind. If her friends gently tease or joke about you, take it like a man and chuckle. When the situation presents itself, ask her friends questions about their lives and be genuinely interested in them. Do nice things for her friends, such as setting them up with a guy friend or boosting their self-esteem. Recover from your mistakes. In a relationship and dating, you're going to make mistakes. It's how you recover from your mistakes that defines you, and gives the woman a chance to truly love you. Don't be afraid to say sorry or admit fault. When you make a mistake, acknowledge it without blaming anyone else for your actions or feelings. For example: “I'm really sorry I hurt your feelings. I know you were upset when I forgot our date. I really do care about you, but I'm terrible at remembering things. Next time I'll put a reminder in my calendar to make sure I don't miss out on spending time with you again.” Keep the romance going. Those first few weeks or months of dating are amazing. You're learning all this new stuff about each other and the chemicals in your body are going haywire with all your romantic attraction. As you settle into a more stable relationship, that first blast may die down (although it can often cycle back, too). Make a conscious effort to continue building your friendship and your relationship. Make time for each other. You may be busy. You may have tough times. Make time for each other, even if you're tired or your feelings are hurt. Don't let things sink to a level of name-calling, resentment, or contempt. Pick a hobby or activity to pursue together. Working toward a common goal can help you feel more connected and bonded. Turn off the technology. Make some time without cellphones, TV, or computers for just the two of you. It can be easy to end up spending time in the same room without ever feeling like you're really spending time together. Be the person you want to be. Ultimately, you have to show her who you are in your soul, at your very deepest, to give her the chance to love you. If you pretend to be someone else, she's only going to love a caricature of you. So don't be afraid to let down your barriers, get a little vulnerable, and show her who you really are. Chances are she'll love you for it. | Learn some chemistry. Recognize that it isn’t all about you. Learn some love language. Check her body positioning. Make eye contact. Flash her a winning smile. Check out some biology. Get a little closer. Gamble with an opening gambit. Give her a reason to notice you. Display self-confidence. Form a game-plan. Make the effort to get to know her. Take your time. Compliment her. Start flirting. Touch her from time to time. Ask her on a date. Listen actively. Use solid communication techniques. Be mysterious but still available. Try only revealing 3 things about yourself on your first date. Gain her trust. Learn her love languages. Win over her family and friends if you can. Recover from your mistakes. Keep the romance going. Be the person you want to be. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Amuse-Your-Parakeet-or-Other-Bird | How to Amuse Your Parakeet or Other Bird | To amuse your parakeet or another bird, talk to it or read it stories, since keeping your bird company will keep it happy and well adjusted. Additionally, take your bird out of its cage and let it fly freely around the room once in a while. You can also give your pet a chance to explore by putting it on your shoulder and walking around your house. When you're not home, put your bird's cage near a window so it can watch the outside world. Alternatively, leave a radio or TV playing to keep it from being lonely or depressed. | Provide interesting food. Good parakeet food mostly consists of seeds and fresh fruits and vegetables. Trying to introduce pellets in the diet, as well as a seed-only diet, can lead to obesity. Vary the presentation to make it more exciting for the bird. Rotate certain food items to keep them interested in the food you offer. Never feed your bird avocado, chocolate, caffeine, or alcohol. These are toxic to the bird. Make sure the bird has enough water to drink in its dispenser. Add more water if the bowl or dish is low. Change the water daily to prevent bacterial build-up. Add a cuttle-bone. This is a good source of natural calcium for birds. Mineral blocks can also be offered for calcium. Don't feed your bird too many watery fruits or veggies, as this could cause your bird to get diarrhea. Diarrhea can cause dehydration and if left untreated, may cause it to die. Add a few perches. Perches are a great way for your bird to be comfortable in the cage. Parakeets are a very active bird and will love to have a variety of perches in its home. Try to vary the perches to keep them interesting to your bird. Look for different thicknesses, shapes and textures. Rearrange and rotate perches weekly. This allows you to clean the ones not in use and keep things interesting for your bird. Make sure that the perch is stable to avoid any injury. Check that the wood is safe for the bird, such as eucalyptus. Natural wood perches are a great choice as the irregular shape helps your birds feet to keep strong and stay healthy. Dowel perches or plastic perches can cause foot problems due to the lack of foot exercise. Some types of wood should be avoided. Do not use perches and toys made out of Prunus or Oak trees as they might contain cyanogenic glycosides and tannins. These chemicals may harm your bird. Try to avoid concrete perches, as they are hard on the bird's feet. Don't crowd the cage with too many toys or perches. Your parakeet must be able to spread its wings and move around. Weigh the pros and cons of a mirror. Adding a mirror in the cage can keep the bird entertained for hours. Be aware however that there are debates about potential psychological damages. Instead of a mirror, consider a second bird. Parakeets love company and will probably welcome a new friend. If you decide to install a mirror, make sure that it's fixed to the cage and doesn't present a risk to your bird. Look for a mirror offered at your local pet store. They will have ones specifically designed for a bird to use. Don't simply place any mirror you find in the cage. Mirrors for birds are usually housed in a plastic case to prevent any sharp edges from hurting your bird. Examine the size of the cage. The cage itself will need to be of adequate size to house your bird. Of course, the size of your bird will determine how large your cage will need to be. There are some general guidelines you can follow when selecting the right size cage for your bird: Avoid tall circular cages. These cages might look nice, but they don't allow for enough room for your bird to fly in. Your bird should at least be able to fully stretch its wings out while inside the cage. Ideally, your bird will have enough room to fly from perch to perch without trouble. Keep in mind how many birds you are going to put in this cage. The more birds, the more space will be required. Make sure the cage is easy to clean. Keeping the cage clean will help keep your bird happy and healthy. Talk to the bird often. Your bird will love the interaction and is likely to become very chatty. Keeping your bird company will keep it happy and well adjusted, as well as build a better bond. Try reading stories to your bird or even just tell them about your day. Parrots listen more than you think. If you don't want them to pick up bad language, keep it clean around them. Play games. Parakeets love to interact with their owner. Try different games to see which your bird likes the best. Birds love to play “Peek-a-boo” You could teach your bird to climb up on your finger. Put a few seeds on your finger and let your bird feed from it. Gently stroke its belly and it will be encouraged to jump on the finger. Try to teach it tricks. Buy a bird ladder and position your little friend on the bottom step. It will learn how to climb it. Position your parakeet on a tennis ball and let it find its balance. Encourage it with a treat. Your parakeet will eventually balance itself on its own on the ball. Every time your bird goes up or down, say 'up' or 'down' and do a hand gesture. Your bird will understand these actions after a while and obey your orders. Let the bird fly freely in a room. Your bird will love the chance to fly freely in a safe room. Parakeets are migratory and extremely active, so the open flight will be enjoyed greatly by them. You can let your bird fly in a room with all of the windows and doors closed. To call your bird back, turn off all the lights but one, or leave a single curtain open. The bird will fly towards the light. Pick up and hold your bird gently and put it back inside the cage. Have a play stand for your bird so it can have somewhere else to sit besides the cage. Make sure that the bird is safe. Put the cat away and look out for potential escape routes or other hazards. Think about your own hygiene. Your bird is likely to void on the floor. Don't let it fly in a carpeted room. Always supervise your bird when it is out of the cage, so it won't get hurt. Don't force your bird to come out of its cage if it's not in the mood. Introduce them to new areas of your house. New environments can be stimulating to your bird. Taking them around the house with you on your shoulder can be a great way to spend time together. Talk with your bird as they ride on your shoulder. Let them explore new places, such as the surface of your dresser or nightstand. Always monitor your bird as it explores on its own. Keep it safe from any hazards. Make sure any areas your visit together are free from dangers. Keep cats and other pets away, close all doors and windows, and turn off any fans. Be careful when in certain rooms. Cooking or cleaning around your bird can release harmful elements into the air. Dust, smoke, and especially Teflon from a hot Teflon pan, can injure your bird's respiratory system. Introduce a new parakeet. Parakeets love company and will welcome a new friend, especially if you're often at work. If you decide to buy an additional bird, make sure that the cage is big enough for two parakeets. Separate the birds at first. Put them in different cages to let them look at each other. Bring the cages closer after a few days. They will get used to each other. After two weeks, put the new bird in the cage of the resident parakeet. Always monitor the reaction. If any conflict occurs, separate the birds and try to reintroduce them again later. Turn on the radio. If you are often away, your bird might get lonely and depressed. It's always good to turn on the radio or the TV and provide your bird with entertainment. You could also record your voice and play it when away. Make sure to put music you like. Your bird might start singing what it heard. If leaving a radio or television talk show on, consider the language being used as your bird may repeat some of the dialogue. Think about the volume. You don't want the sound to be too loud as the bird must be given the opportunity to sleep. Provide plenty of toys. Parakeets are playful animals and love toys. You can buy a great variety of them in your favorite pet shop. You should provide an assortment of toys to chew, explore and climb. Birds need at least one new toy a month. Toys are a necessity, not a luxury, for birds. Rotate toys regularly to keep them fresh and interesting for your bird and allow you time to clean them. Toys will help keep your bird entertained and happy. Try different toys to see which your bird really enjoys. Any metal, except stainless steel isn't safe, because it could contain zinc. Always check toys for safety, making sure there is no way your bird can get stuck in or on them. Make sure toys are of appropriate size for your bird. Place the cage near a window. Placing the cage near or in a window can provide an entertaining vantage point into the outside world. Your bird will be able to enjoy watching all the events that take place outside while you are away. Avoid any windows with direct sunlight. This can be too hot and too bright for you bird to be comfortable in. Check the window for any cold drafts or air. If the window allows chilly air to pass through, don't put your bird near it, as cold temperatures can be harmful to it. Make sure your window is shut. Even if your bird is in a cage, take no risks. The bird may find a way out, or something could find a way in, if the window is open. | Provide interesting food. Add a few perches. Weigh the pros and cons of a mirror. Examine the size of the cage. Talk to the bird often. Play games. Let the bird fly freely in a room. Introduce them to new areas of your house. Introduce a new parakeet. Turn on the radio. Provide plenty of toys. Place the cage near a window. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Rhyme | How to Rhyme | If you're trying to rhyme, first change the prefix of your word to every letter of the alphabet to see what real words you get. You can also change the prefix by using multi-letter prefixes, like changing “bog” to “frog” or “clog,” or by using multi-syllabic words, like going from “bog” to “epilogue.” Alternatively, try using a “slant” rhyme, where either the vowel or consonant is similar to your word. For example, you can rhyme the “on” in “moon” to the “on” in “groom” or even “gong,” to get more options. | Think of all the rhyming possibilities before settling on one. Change the prefix of that word to every letter in the alphabet. For example, if you needed to find a word that rhymes with, "fog," start at A and go "aog, bog, cog, dog, eog,... zog," until you reach Z. Write down every word that is real, such as "bog," "cog," and "dog" and only select the most interesting choices. If one doesn't work, alter the first line to serve the poem or song. When going through the alphabet, inserting an R or an L into short words will often make another word. So if you were looking for a rhyme with cat, you could find bat as well as brat; fat, as well as flat and frat. It's a trick of the trade. Bury rhymes in longer words. Use other multi-letter prefixes you know to build more complicated words with which to rhyme. First letters won't always cut it. For example, "frog" and "clog" are real words that rhyme with bog. Try multisyllabic words like "bullfrog" or "epilogue." Only choose appropriate words. If no word works, consider changing the keyword to a synonym of that word, or abandoning your rhyme scheme for a line or two. For example, you could substitute "mist" for "fog," but only use rhymes to improve the poem or song, never to rhyme for the sake of rhyming. Use slant rhymes. Hard rhymes, sometimes called true rhymes, "sound" right to our ear because of identical vowel and consonant combinations. "Moon" and "spoon" are hard rhymes because of the long "o" sound and the "n." Slant rhymes are rhymes in which either the vowel or the consonant in similar, creating a kind of echo of the rhyme, and giving you all kinds of possibilities. "Moon" could be slant rhymed with "on" or "schooner" or "groom" or even "gong". Slant rhymes offer complexity and surprise to a regular series of hard rhymes. Consult a rhyming dictionary. It's worth it to invest in a good rhyming dictionary to consult. It's not cheating to use a dictionary for rhyming just as it isn't cheating to use a thesaurus while writing. Studying up on good rhymes will also build your vocabulary, giving you a larger collection of words to use in future songs, poems, or freestyles. Always use rhymes to move the piece forward. Rhyming is a technique that writers and musicians can use in their compositions to emphasize words and images and unspool surprising and complicated poetry. Use it to add little bits of color and texture to your work, but not as the reason for creating it. If something needs rhymes, use them well. If no, leave them out. Write freely. When you're faced with a blank sheet of paper and want to fill it with poetry, it's best to avoid rhymes entirely in the earliest draft. Trying to start with rhyme is a good way to end up with cat-hat-bat rhymes and bad poetry. Instead, write free verse or journal freely and see what comes up. What are you trying to say? Start with a line or an image that strikes you and start producing the raw material from which you might build a more structured formal rhyming poem. Find a guiding line. After you've written for a while, turn your piece of paper over, or open a new word processing document. Take your favorite line from your free write and write it at the top of the page. What struck you about this? What's good about it? Use that as a guide for a possible poem. Explore the premise or image that the line contains. Often, a free write will end on a particularly good line you might want to use as a starting place. Look to the last few sentences for a guideline. Consider an appropriate form for the poem. If you want to write a formal poem, familiarize yourself with common rhyming forms and the uses of those forms to pick one that will work best for the theme of your poem. Couplets , or heroic couplets, refer to any poem in which the poem rhymes every two lines. Used by poets from Milton to Frederick Seidel, couplets can create a sense of gravity and the epic. A poem featuring quatrains, or four-line stanzas, may rhyme in a basic alternating rhyme scheme (ABAB) or other schemes. Ballads and songs are traditionally written in quatrains, making it a good form for telling stories or spinning musical tales. In a villanelle , whole lines from the first stanza are repeated from one three-line stanza to the next, with the first and last line in the stanza rhyming, giving the poem a sense of inevitability, as if the poem were something you cannot escape from. Sonnets are poems of 14 lines with a semi-complicated and pre-set rhyme scheme, with about 10 syllables or five beats per line. Most sonnets written in English are generally either Petrarchan (ABBA) or Shakespearean (ABAB, with a rhyming couplet for the last two lines). Sonnets often deal with rhetorical themes or "arguments," featuring a turn in the poem somewhere after the eighth line. Use rhymes to create surprise and add complexity to the poem. Your rhymes should serve the poem, your poem should not serve the rhymes. Never rhyme for the sake of rhyming, or start a poem hoping to rhyme. This will result in forced "cat-hat-bat" types of rhymes that will undercut the poem, rather than add to it. Paul Muldoon, an Irish poet, has a surprising rhyming style. His poem "The Old Country" is a crown of sonnets that features deft and surprising rhymes: Every runnel was a Rubicon / and every annual a hardy annual / applying itself like linen to a lawn. / Every glove compartment held a manual. Read contemporary poetry for inspiration. It can be difficult to write contemporary poems that rhyme well if you're only familiar with Shakespeare, Wordsworth, and Dr. Seuss. There's no reason to keep Twitter, Frosted Flakes, and Lil Wayne out of your poems because your verses are choked with "thous". Find some contemporary poets who employ rhymes in fresh but traditional ways: Check out Michael Robbins, who in his great poem "Alien vs. Predator," creates a long string of wacky and associative musical rhymes from the cereal isle: He's a space tree / making a ski and a little foam chiropractor. / I set the controls, I pioneer / the seeding of the ionosphere. / I translate the Bible into velociraptor. Read Ange Mlinko, a contemporary poet skilled enough to pull of rhyming potatoes with tattoos to end her poem "The Grind": spooning up Aphrodite / to Greek porticoes, and our potatoes, / and plain living which might be / shaken by infinitesimal tattoos. "Casualty" by Seamus Heaney manages to be colloquial, narrative, musical, and incredibly easy to read. He's a great poet makes it seem effortless: And raise a weathered thumb / Towards the high shelf, / Calling another rum / And blackcurrant, without / Having to raise his voice David Trinidad--a poet who often writes about the pop culture of the 1960s--shows mastery of the villanelle form with his hilarious and poignant "Chatty Cathy Villanelle": Our flag is red, white and blue. / Let's make believe you're Mommy. / When you grow up, what will you do? . Write the melody first It's very difficult to set pre-existing rhymes and words to a melody after the fact. Most songwriters find it much easier to compose the melody and then go about composing a set of lyrics that fit in with the tone and the structure of the song. Many songwriters find it helpful to sing nonsense syllables or whistle to figure out the melody and establish a base form for you to fill with words. Go with whatever technique works best for your process. Bob Dylan, considered by some to be one of the greatest songwriters ever, often wrote words first. Give it a shot. Learn to "turn" a phrase. A popular and important technique in country music especially, a good song will often "turn" a phrase, or use a line to mean more than one thing throughout the course of a song, when used at different times. In Kacey Musgraves' "Blowing Smoke," the phrase "blowing smoke" is used at different times to refer specifically to waitresses on break smoking cigarettes, and also to boasting of quitting someday, referring to both the job and the habit. It's an effective technique that changes the meaning but not the words. Use as few words as possible. Avoid overloading your lines with too many words, making your song a tongue-twister that can be difficult to sing. As you compose, use words judiciously, leaving out more than you put in. A simple and quick rhyme that's simple can be much more effective in a song than a lot of "poetic" words. In "The Butcher," Leonard Cohen makes a brief and devastating rhyme out of drug use: I found a silver needle. I put it into my arm. / It did some good, did some harm. Try automatic forms. Novelist and Beat writer William Burroughs pioneered a method of writing that involved cutting up rhyming words and phrases and throwing them into a bag. Try doing the same and removing phrases at random to collage together a tapestry of weirdness for your song. Music is amenable to that kind of writing. The Rolling Stones employed this technique for their song "Casino Boogie": One last cycle, thrill freak Uncle Sam / Pause for business, so you'll understand. Listen to the beat and find your flow. Spend a lot of time with the beat you're trying to rap over, internalizing the sound and the rhythm of it, to find your flow before you start coming up with lyrics. Like you write the melody in a traditional song first, you have to find the flow first in a rap song. Some rappers will do a similar "nonsense word" technique, just spitting rhythmically without saying actual words. Try to record yourself doing this, even if it sounds silly, because something good might leap out. Good rapping is as much about flow as good rhymes. If you stay on beat, it's better than if you lose the beat and Try to force awkward or overly complicated rhymes into the structure of the song. Freestyle. Like you might do a freewrite to start getting poetry out, trying some freestyles is a good way to get started and find a starting line to use for a song. Or, if you're Riff Raff, just record your freestyle and call it a song. Learn and use enjambment to your advantage. There's no rule that rhymes need to come at the end of each line, especially in hip-hop, or that the rhyming word needs to be the end of the sentence. Vary the placement of the rhymes. Embed rhymes internally and skip rhymes entirely to add variation to your flow. You don't have to rhyme at the end of each line to rap well. In "Duel of the Iron Mic," GZA creates a particularly strong break in the lines, using a well placed and surprising break in the beat to surprise us: I ain't particular, I bang like vehicular / homicides, on July 4th in Bed-Stuy Listen to expert hip-hop rhymers for inspiration. Familiarize yourself with the greats, listening to a wide variety of rhymers to begin learning the craft. Listen to: Nas, who jumped on the scene as a teenager with his classic album Illmatic , which featured these lines: It drops deep as it does in my breath / I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death. Eminem, whose intricate and well-crafted rhymes have made him a bona-fide king of the rap game: I'm Slim, the Shady is really a fake alias / to save me with in case I get chased by space aliens. Rakim, one of the most influential MCs in hip-hop: Even if it's jazz or the quiet storm / I hook a beat up, convert it into hip-hop form. | Think of all the rhyming possibilities before settling on one. Bury rhymes in longer words. Only choose appropriate words. Use slant rhymes. Consult a rhyming dictionary. Always use rhymes to move the piece forward. Write freely. Find a guiding line. Consider an appropriate form for the poem. Use rhymes to create surprise and add complexity to the poem. Read contemporary poetry for inspiration. . Learn to "turn" a phrase. Use as few words as possible. Try automatic forms. Listen to the beat and find your flow. Freestyle. Learn and use enjambment to your advantage. Listen to expert hip-hop rhymers for inspiration. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Gunk-from-Your-Cat%27s-Eyes | How to Clean Gunk from Your Cat's Eyes | To clean gunk from your cat's eyes, start by boiling some water to sterilize it and then letting it cool to room temperature. Next, dip a cotton ball or soft towel in the water, and carefully wipe away the gunk in one of your cat's eyes with it. When you're finished, use a new cotton ball or towel to wipe your cat's other eye so you don't spread bacteria. If your cat won't stay still, try holding it in your lap with its head facing away from you. | Boil the water. You will need access to sterilized water for this method, as you want to be sure you are cleaning your cat's eyes with the cleanest materials possible. Boil water on the stove or in a kettle. Then, let it cool to room temperature. Pour the water in two small bowls and place them close to you so you can access them easily. Gather the cotton balls. You will need clean cotton balls to apply the warm water to your cat's eyes. You can also use a clean, soft towel or a cloth. Make sure whatever item you use it is soft to the touch and will not scratch or irritate your cat's eyes further. Sit your cat in your lap. You will need your cat to stay still so you can wipe the gunk away from their eyes. Try sitting your cat in your lap with their head facing away from you. Then, hold then under their chin to their head stays still. You may need to work fast to ensure your cat does not move around too much. Alternatively, you can ask a friend or partner to help you hold your cat still. Some pet owners find putting a towel over their cat's head and then adjusting it so their eyes are exposed can help their cat stay still. Wipe the gunk from your cat's eyes. Once you have your cat in a still position, dip the cotton ball in the bowl of water. Then, use your dominant hand to carefully wipe the gunk away from one of your cat's eyes. Try not to get any of the gunk in your cat's eye as you remove it. Once you have cleaned one eye, use a different cotton ball and dip it in the other bowl of water. Wipe your cat's other eye with the fresh, wet cotton ball. Make sure you use a different cotton ball for each eye. Never use the same cotton ball twice, as this can spread bacteria and lead to an infection. Steep two green or black tea bags. Black and green tea have antibacterial properties and can help sooth an irritated or itchy eye. Use organic tea to ensure your cat is not being exposed to any chemicals or additives. Steep the two tea bags in hot water for three to four minutes. Remove the tea bags and set them on a clean paper towel. This will allow them to cool. Keep your cat still. You will need to keep your cat very still for this method, as the tea bags will need to sit on her eyes for a few minutes. You may try sitting your cat in your lap and placing a towel over head. Then, you can adjust the towel until just her eyes are exposed. You may also ask a friend or a partner to help you hold your cat still. Sometimes having an extra pair of hands to assist you can make keeping your cat still much easier. Apply the tea bags to your cat's eyes. Once you have your cat in a static position with her eyes exposed, place each tea bag on her eyes. Make sure they are not too hot before you put them on her eyes as you do not want to burn or irritate her. Let the tea bags sit on your cat's eyes for one to two minutes. If there is any crust around your cat's eyes, the tea bags will help to loosen it and make it easier to wipe off. Wipe away any gunk from your cat's eyes. Remove the tea bags. Then, use a clean, soft cloth dipped in warm water to wipe away any remaining gunk. The gunk should come off easily due to the warmth of the tea bags. Check your cat for signs of an eye infection. You should bring your cat to the vet if you notice the gunk is not going away and your cat's eyes appear very red, as this could be a symptom of conjunctivitis, or pink eye. You should also bring your cat to the vet if the gunk looks green or yellow and is sticky or smelly, as this could be a sign of a bacterial infection. If you notice your cat is constantly pawing her eye or scratching at it, you should bring her to the vet. She may also tear up a lot and her eyes may appear sensitive to light. These are all possible signs of a cornea or inner eye issue. Get a diagnosis from the vet. Allow your vet to examine your cat's eyes. She may take a sample of the gunk to test it for bacteria and observe if your cat's eyes appear very red, inflamed, irritated, or sensitive to light. Discuss your treatment options. Your vet will recommend specific treatments based on the type of infection or issue your cat has. Many eye issues can be treated with antibiotic eye ointment or drops that you give your cat for a set period of time. Often, with the right treatment, eye issues heal well in cats. If your cat has conjunctivitis or corneal disorders, your vet may recommend an antibiotic ointment. She may also suggest keeping your cat's eyes clean on a regular basis. If your cat has a blocked tear duct, she may use plain water or a saline solution to flush out the duct. | Boil the water. Gather the cotton balls. Sit your cat in your lap. Wipe the gunk from your cat's eyes. Steep two green or black tea bags. Keep your cat still. Apply the tea bags to your cat's eyes. Wipe away any gunk from your cat's eyes. Check your cat for signs of an eye infection. Get a diagnosis from the vet. Discuss your treatment options. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Sell-Your-House-Fast | How to Sell Your House Fast | To sell your house fast, try offering extra incentives to buyers, like no closing costs, an expedited move-in date, or a warranty on the appliances in the house. Also, try to clean and declutter the inside and outside of your house as much as possible so it's more appealing to prospective buyers. You can even stage your home by lighting scented candles and playing relaxing music in the background to help buyers picture themselves living there. | Make the first appearance of your house impressive. If the appearance of your property is not good, many potential buyers will not even walk through the door. The front of your property is critical. Front gardens should be well maintained all doors and window frames newly painted if necessary. Hanging baskets and window boxes always make the front of a property more presentable. Even though you may have cleaned up the front of the property don't ignore the back. In a competitive market, the garden can often be the factor that seals the deal. If you are not a gardener, now is the time to start — at least for the time that you are trying to sell your property. If you don't have the time or energy to garden, hire someone. It will be money well spent when the house is sold. the inside of your house — small improvements matter. Clean up Buyers are nosey — after all they have a right to be — because they are about to part with hard earned cash and take on a long term loan to buy a home. The last thing they want to be faced with is dirty kitchen cupboards and carpets that are caked with dirt, dust and grime. Remember they are trying to imagine themselves living in your property. Make sure it is pristine. Take the time to replace a ripped window screen, add a fresh coat of paint or colorful flowers to a family room. Simple touches like these can add thousands of dollars to your bottom line. Neutralise. Buyers will generally be looking for a blank canvas on which they can impose their own personality. If your personality is stamped all over your property, especially in the form of extreme bright colours, the potential buyers will only see this as more work they have to do. Neutralise your rooms with creams and whites in order to provide that blank canvas. Declutter. Clutter discourages potential buyers by making rooms seem smaller and a lot less appealing. Again, it's hard for buyers to imagine their own possessions in your property when faced with a mountain of mess. Depersonalize your home. Items like family photos or personal collections should be packed away. As much as they add flourishes to a drab room, it's the drab room that actually sells the home fast. Stage the home. Staging the right way can have a dramatic effect on how quickly you sell your home. Put on neutral music like classical or jazz low in the background. Bake cookies or burn scented-candles so the smell emanates into the most trafficked room. Pay special attention to the kitchen and bathrooms — "added value" here can have a more pronounced effect on the price people are willing to pay. Don't overprice your listing. Everybody seems to value their own property above the market value. If you want a quick sale, you should be realistic. Look at other properties in the area and get the opinion of a reputable real estate professional. Be prepared to lower your expectations if you genuinely want a quick sale. The key to selling quickly is positioning. You must identify your competition and then price your home so it's obviously the best value. Some questions that you can ask your real estate agent are: What other properties will the likely buyer of my property also give serious consideration to? How does my property compare to these properties in terms of price and attractiveness? Where do we need to price my property against the competition to make mine stand out as the best value for money? Sometimes, a lower-than-expected price on a house can be a good thing. A low price can spark a bidding war, causing the price of the house to go up. A bidding war isn't guaranteed, but it's a lot more likely to happen when the price is lower than it is if the price is higher. Look at comparables when arriving at a price. Comparables are what other similar houses are being listed for in your neighborhood. If you have a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house, look out for other 3 bed, 2 bath homes in your area to get a good idea of how to price for a quick sale. Be scrupulous in arriving at a specific number. What's your final number actually going to be? There's a little bit of science and strategy involved in figuring the exact price of the listing. Here are two big things you can keep in mind as you arrive at the magic number: Use charm pricing and "under a century" numbers. Instead of choosing to list your house for $407,000, consider listing it for $399,000 so that it fits just under the psychologically important century mark. You see retail shops and businesses using charm pricing all the time, and for good reason: People favor these numbers because they have the allure of not tipping a certain scale they have in their heads. $399,000 sounds so much more intriguing than $400,000, even though they are functionally the same. On the other hand, often buyers will set an even $100,000 mark as an upward boundary when searching for homes in MLS. For instance, some buyers might search for homes from $100,000 to $200,000 and others might search for homes from $200,000 to $300,000. If your home were to be priced at $200,000 then both groups of buyers would see your home in their results, but if you listed it at $199,000 only the first group would. So there are some cases where pricing at an even $100,000 level might get more eyes on the listing. Use price banding to good effect. Price banding is separating your home from the pack by picking a listing price that's distinct enough from all the other listings. You may find a group of homes all selling in the $260k - $270k range, and then another cluster selling in the $290k - $299k range. Price banding would be to price your home in the in-between range of $270k - $290k range so that it stands out more. Put it on the market in the spring or fall. Spring and fall is prime buying time for many house hunters. It's still warm out, the kids are either just finishing the school year or just starting to go to school, and everyone either hasn't gone on vacation yet or already come back from vacation. Pricing it in the right season will allow you to time it just right, avoiding bad times during the rest of the year. (In summer, many people take vacation. In winter, weather conditions are often harsh.) Give yourself a timetable for lowering the price. A lot of the time, homeowners stubbornly cling to a price that's too high and refuse to budge. Then it takes months, sometimes years to produce a sale. Set a date on the calendar, before you price your home, by which time you'll lower the price if you haven't gotten a buyer. This will take emotion out of the pricing and help you sell your house faster. Get an inspection. Pre-sale inspections aren't extremely common, but what a way to show hesitant buyers that your home is in top form, especially if the report is made available during open houses. On the other hand, discovering potential problems ahead of time will allow you to handle them without scaring off your potential buyer. Use the power of the internet. The internet changed the way that houses were bought and sold. No longer did prospective home buyers need to physically visit the house to find out what it was like. Today, many potential home buyers weed out listings they don't want to invest time in online, and then visit the ones in person that look intriguing. Promoting your home's unique qualities online is a great way to generate more leads. If you can, borrow a nice DSLR or rent a wide-angle lens on the cheap for a couple of days. It should cost you something like $20 - $50 to rent for a couple days. Take pictures of your house on a bright and sunny day, after all your clutter has been cleared away. Pictures of a bright room on a sunny day will make your house look bigger and more inviting. Choose the right, licensed agent. Choose wisely! Ask friends, family, and coworkers if they have any references for top agents. Do your homework, visit websites, and find out which agents know your community best. The agent you choose should not only have extensive market knowledge, but should also be honest and personable. Offer an extra to the home buyer. Everyone likes a little goody bag. It makes us feel special and reassured that the person we're buying the home from is looking after us. Best of all, it's relatively easy to do. However, don't offer anything before looking at the market. If you are getting multiple offers on your house, there's no need to offer something extra. Here are some ideas of small extra things that you can do to incentivize buyers to pull the trigger: Offer a little bit of credit to cover the closing costs, or — better yet — offer to pay them entirely. For a buyer who is financing the home this is usually between 3.5-4% of the asking price. A buyer who is not financing the home could have considerably lower closing costs, since this would only have to cover the title, escrow, reporting and possibly inspection and appraisal fees. Transfer your home warranty for appliances over to the buyer. If you and the buyer agree to include any appliances in the sale, transferring the warranty will give them peace of mind that they won't have to pay for a malfunctioning washer or dryer. Offer them the chance to move in quicker than normal. If you can guarantee expedited closing on the home, allowing the new homeowner access to the home within 30 to 60 days, it may clinch a deal. Homeowners who see their dream house often want to move in right away. Don't be afraid to spread the word. Even if you have a real estate agent, it can't hurt to tell people you know about putting your house on the market, even though you might feel it's embarrassing. Update your Facebook, talk to people in your local PTA, ask trusted friends to spread the word. These small blasts can make a big difference when your house is finally sold. | Make the first appearance of your house impressive. the inside of your house — small improvements matter. Neutralise. Declutter. Stage the home. Don't overprice your listing. Look at comparables when arriving at a price. Be scrupulous in arriving at a specific number. Put it on the market in the spring or fall. Give yourself a timetable for lowering the price. Get an inspection. Use the power of the internet. Choose the right, licensed agent. Offer an extra to the home buyer. Don't be afraid to spread the word. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Puppy-Used-to-a-Leash | How to Get a Puppy Used to a Leash | To get a puppy used to a leash, wait until your puppy is calm, put on the collar or harness, and check the fit to make sure its secure but not too tight. Next, attach the leash to the collar or harness and let your puppy drag the leash around for a few minutes so it can get used to it. Your puppy will probably fuss and squirm a bit, so consider giving it a ball or squeaky toy to distract it. Then, pick up the leash and practice walking with it indoors. At first, let your puppy lead you, then gradually train it to walk beside you. You can start practicing outside whenever you feel your puppy is ready! | Purchase a collar or harness. Before your puppy can get used to a leash, it first needs to be comfortable with wearing a collar or harness. Decide if a collar or a harness is best suited to your puppy's needs. Some breeds, such as the flat-faced dogs like bulldogs or pugs, do better with a harness rather than a collar. Choose a wide, flat, light collar with a snap release so your puppy will forget it's even wearing a collar. Alternatively, opt for a front-clip harness made of a durable material. Select a collar or harness that fits your puppy now, not one that your puppy can grow into. A collar or harness that's too big may feel heavy around your puppy's neck. Place the collar or harness on your puppy. When your puppy is calm, gently put the collar or harness around its neck. Check the fit by putting 2 fingers between the collar and your puppy's neck. If your fingers don't fit, the collar or harness is too tight. If your fingers fit snugly, the collar or harness is just right. Adjust the collar or harness, if necessary. If your fingers still don't fit snugly, purchase another one. Your puppy will probably fuss and squirm when the collar or harness is on. Ignore the fuss. Eventually, your puppy will forget that it's on. Distract your puppy with something fun. To keep your puppy from fussing a lot with the collar or harness, distract your puppy with a fun activity, such as eating or playing. Put the collar or harness on right before meal time so your puppy will be distracted with eating while it's on. Consider putting the collar or harness on before playtime. Your puppy will be so busy playing with you that it will forget about its collar or harness. Play an interactive game with your puppy, such as rolling a ball on the floor and having your puppy chase after it. Increase the amount of time your puppy wears the collar or harness. The first day your puppy wears the collar or harness, leave it on for 5 minutes. Practice this several times, with about 45 minutes between practice sessions. Over the next 2 weeks, gradually increase the amount of time your puppy wears the collar or harness. Your puppy does not have wear the collar or harness all day. Because puppies like to run and explore, the collar or harness could be dangerous, since it could get caught on something and cause your puppy to panic. Keep the collar or harness on only during practice sessions. If you're unsure about how long to leave the collar or harness on your puppy, ask your vet for guidance. Take the collar or harness off. No matter how much your puppy squirms when the collar or harness is on, wait until your puppy is calm before taking it off. If you take it off when your puppy is worked up, your puppy will think you're rewarding the squirmy behavior. Decide when to give treats. Treats are a great way to get your puppy used to its collar or harness. If you want to give your puppy treats, give small morsels so your puppy can chew them quickly. Choose when to give the treats: As soon as you put the collar or harness on: this will let your puppy know that wearing the collar or harness is a good thing. While the puppy is wearing the collar or harness: this will distract your puppy. Not when you take the collar or harness off: your puppy will think that having the collar or harness removed is the reward. Select a beginner leash for your puppy. After your puppy is comfortable with the collar or harness, it will need to get used to a leash. The first leash you use with your puppy should be lightweight. Cut the loop out of the leash so your puppy's paws don't get stuck in the loop. As your puppy grows, you may need to buy a bigger and sturdier leash. Attach the leash to the collar or harness. As with the collar or harness, the leash may seem strange to your puppy. After putting the collar or harness on, attach the leash to the collar or harness and let your puppy drag the leash around the house for about 15 minutes at a time. Supervise your puppy so the leash doesn't get caught on something and cause your puppy to panic. The leash will put a little bit of pressure on your puppy's neck. Your puppy will need to get comfortable with this pressure before you start holding the leash. Attach the leash, without holding it, a few times per day for at least a few days. Distract your puppy. If your puppy seems to get squirmy or fussy with the leash, distract your puppy with toys. You can also put the leash on right before a scheduled playtime, or before practicing basic commands (sit, stay). If you put the leash on before playtime, your puppy will start associating the leash with something fun. Small bits of treats can also distract your puppy. Take the leash off. As with the collar or harness, take the leash off only when your puppy is calm. Do not reward your puppy after you take the leash off. Pick up the leash. Once your puppy is used to the collar or harness and leash, start walking with your puppy. Your puppy won't be ready for an outdoor walk, so practice walking inside first. After you put the leash and collar or harness on your puppy, gently pick up the leash and walk with your puppy. Keep the leash at the height of your waist and talk to your puppy in a bright, encouraging voice (e.g., “Great job! Let's go walking!”). Let your puppy lead you. The first time you pick up the leash, don't expect your puppy to start walking beside you. Instead, follow your puppy and let it get used to the pressure of you holding the leash. If your puppy starts pulling, turn and walk in a different direction, without yanking the leash. To stop the pulling, you can also stop walking and entice your puppy back to you with a treat. Continue walking after your puppy comes back to you and you give it the treat. Do not pull on the leash yourself. If you start pulling, then your puppy may start pulling, too. Do not hold the leash too tightly as you follow your puppy. A tight leash can actually encourage a puppy to start pulling. Encourage your puppy to walk beside you. During your walks, your puppy should walk beside you, not in front of you. To encourage your puppy to heel , hold some treats in your hand as you walk. Give your puppy treats as it walks beside you so it learns that walking beside you is a good thing. Keep your hand low so your puppy does not have to jump to get the treats. Let your puppy get used to you holding the leash before you begin practicing the 'heel' command. | Purchase a collar or harness. Place the collar or harness on your puppy. Distract your puppy with something fun. Increase the amount of time your puppy wears the collar or harness. Take the collar or harness off. Decide when to give treats. Select a beginner leash for your puppy. Attach the leash to the collar or harness. Distract your puppy. Take the leash off. Pick up the leash. Let your puppy lead you. Encourage your puppy to walk beside you. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Differentiate-Between-Venomous-and-Non%E2%80%90Venomous-Snakes | How to Differentiate Between Venomous and Non‐Venomous Snakes | To differentiate between poisonous and non-poisonous snakes, look for common venomous snake features, like a triangular shaped head, bright colors, or a rattle on the end of the tail, which indicates a poisonous rattlesnake. You can also check for a pit between the nostrils and the eyes, or a hood around the head and neck, which are both characteristics of poisonous snakes. It's best to research common species that live in your area so you can spot poisonous snakes that you're likely to cross paths with! | Look for a triangular head to identify a viper. In the U.S., the most common venomous snakes are pit vipers. These snakes have large, triangular heads that are widest at the base and significantly wider than the neck. They also have a pit on their faces between the eye and nostril, which senses heat and makes it easier for them to locate their prey. To spot a pit viper, look for a triangular head shape, a pit on the face, and vertical, cat-like pupils. Pit vipers are also found in Europe, Asia, Africa, and across the Americas. Pit viper species found in North America include a variety of rattlesnakes as well as water moccasins (also known as cottonmouth snakes). Identify a rattlesnake by its rattle or button. Rattlesnakes are a type of pit viper, and the most common type of venomous snake in the Americas. Aside from their triangular heads and heavy bodies, their most distinguishing feature is the rattle on the end of their tails. In some cases they may have only a button (a single rattle segment) or a squared-off tail if they have lost their rattle. It is also helpful to learn the different colors and patterns associated with different rattlesnake species. For example, diamondback rattlesnakes, as their name suggests, have a distinctive diamond pattern along their backs. Recognize coral snakes by their colors. Coral snakes are a type of brightly colored venomous snake found in the Americas and some parts of Asia and the Pacific. These snakes are not pit vipers—they have small, slightly rounded heads and their eyes have round pupils. While their colors and patterns vary, you can typically identify them by looking for bright red, yellow, and black bands. If you live in the Southeastern U.S., you might have heard the saying “Red touch yellow, kill a fellow. Red touch black, a friend of jack.” This is a useful rhyme for remembering the difference between venomous coral snakes and harmless king snakes—king snakes do not have bands of red and yellow together. However, there are other non-venomous snakes with touching red and yellow bands, so this little rhyme is not always reliable. Check for a blue-black mouth to spot a black mamba. If you live or travel in Sub-Saharan Africa, you might encounter the deadly black mamba. These snakes are long (up to 14 feet (4.3 m)) and are olive or grey in color. You can recognize a black mamba by the distinctive blue-black color of the inside of its mouth, which it might show off if it feels frightened or threatened. Mambas are related to cobras, and they behave similarly when threatened. If you corner a black mamba, it may rear up and open a hood or flap around its neck. Like coral snakes and cobras, black mambas are elapids, not vipers. They have narrow heads and round pupils. Watch for a hood to identify a cobra. These famous venomous snakes are found in parts of Asia, Africa, and the Pacific. The most distinguishing feature of the cobra is the hood around its head and neck, which it displays when it feels threatened, along with a loud and intimidating hiss. Some cobras are also able to spray venom at their attackers. You can also recognize some cobras by their distinctive patterns. For example, the Indian cobra has a pair of connected eye spots on the back of its hood that resemble spectacles. Familiarize yourself with the venomous snakes in your area. There are numerous species of venomous snakes around the world, and there's no single set of distinguishing features you can use to tell if a snake is venomous. The best way to know for sure if a snake is venomous is to look it up based on its appearance, behavior, and geographic region. Do a search online or look at a local reptile guide to find out what kinds of venomous snakes—if any—live in your area. For example, if you live in Oregon, the only venomous snake you are likely to encounter is the western rattlesnake. Just like with venomous snakes, there's no set of distinguishing features that indicates that a snake is not venomous. To identify non-venomous snakes, look at a local reptile guide to find out which snakes live in your area and study their specific characteristics. Learn to distinguish between similar-looking species. Some non-venomous snakes can be quite difficult to distinguish from similar-looking venomous species. If there are easily confused species in your area, study each type so that you can learn some of their distinguishing characteristics. For example, the venomous North American water moccasin, or cottonmouth, is often confused with a harmless water snake. You can tell the difference by looking at the shape of the snake's head and body. Water moccasins have heavy bodies and triangular heads, while water snakes are slender, with narrow heads. People often confuse gopher snakes, which are not venomous, with rattlesnakes, due to their similar coloration and aggressive behavior. However, unlike rattlesnakes, gopher snakes have a pointed tail without rattles. Get a picture of any snakes you see for reference if possible. If you happen to see a snake and you're wondering what kind it is, try to snap a picture of it with your phone or camera. You can then show the picture to an expert at a local government wildlife agency, or use it as a guide to help you look up the snake based on its features. Don't put yourself in danger trying to get a good picture! Just try to get a shot from a safe distance if you can. If you don't have a picture to work with, you can use Google Image Search to try to find pictures of similar snakes. For example, use search terms like “black snake yellow ring neck Pennsylvania,” and you will turn up images of the Northern ring-necked snake. Seek emergency care if you’re bitten by a snake. If you're bitten by any snake—even if you're pretty sure it's not venomous—go to the emergency room or call emergency services immediately. Even non-venomous snake bites can be dangerous if left untreated. While you're waiting for help, wash the bite with soap and water if you can, and keep the bite below the level of your heart. Remove any tight clothing, watches, or jewelry that might constrict the area and cause swelling. Watch for severe symptoms to identify a venomous bite. After being bitten by a snake, make note of any symptoms that develop. Let emergency medical personnel or your doctor know about these symptoms, as they can help your care team figure out what type of venom they may be dealing with and how to treat it. Common symptoms of a venomous snake bite include: Severe pain, redness, swelling, or bruising around the bite Numbness around the face or mouth Difficulty breathing A rapid heartbeat Weakness Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting A headache Nausea or vomiting Blurred vision Fever Convulsions Look out for mild pain, itching, and swelling with a non-venomous bite. If you've been bitten by a non-venomous snake, your symptoms will likely be fairly mild. However, it's still important to have the bite checked out by a doctor immediately. Untreated snake bites of any kind can lead to a serious infection, and some people may experience allergic reactions to the snake's saliva. Common symptoms of a non-venomous bite include: Pain in the area of the bite Mild redness and swelling Bleeding from the bite wound Some itching in the bite area | Look for a triangular head to identify a viper. Identify a rattlesnake by its rattle or button. Recognize coral snakes by their colors. Check for a blue-black mouth to spot a black mamba. Watch for a hood to identify a cobra. Familiarize yourself with the venomous snakes in your area. Learn to distinguish between similar-looking species. Get a picture of any snakes you see for reference if possible. Seek emergency care if you’re bitten by a snake. Watch for severe symptoms to identify a venomous bite. Look out for mild pain, itching, and swelling with a non-venomous bite. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Shiny-Hair | How to Get Shiny Hair | To get shiny hair, shampoo once or twice a week to avoid stripping away your hair's natural oils. Limit the use of heat styling tools to keep your hair healthy and incorporate shine-boosting products like leave-in conditioner, finishing oil, and shine serum into your daily styling routine. Use a hair mask or deep conditioner once a week to lock in moisture and achieve glossy, healthy hair! | Use an egg. It may sound strange, but an egg can do wonders for your hair. The yolk nourishes your hair by adding moisture so that it doesn't look dull. The white clarifies your hair by helping to remove any buildup. The egg also has protein in it, which strengthens your hair. The result is hair that looks very shiny after just one treatment. Here's how to do it: Beat one egg in a small bowl. Wet your hair. Pour the egg over your head. Use a wide-tooth comb to comb it to the tips of your hair. Let it sit in your hair for at least 15 minutes. Shampoo your hair as normal. Rinse with cold water for maximum shine. Try apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is quickly catching on as an all-natural hair conditioner and gloss booster. It balances your hair's pH level, clarifies your strands and leaves your hair feeling soft. Once your hair dries, it will no longer smell like vinegar. Follow these steps to make an ACV treatment: Shampoo your hair as usual, but skip the conditioner. Pour a mixture of 1 tablespoon ACV and 1 tablespoon water over your head. Comb it through to your tips. Very long hair may require 2 or 3 tablespoons. Let it sit for five minutes, then rinse your hair with cold water at the end of your shower. Make an avocado mask. Avocado has natural fats that nourish your hair and add shine. Using a ripe avocado will make it easier to spread the mixture into your hair. Try an avocado mask when your hair is dry and in need of a moisturizing boost. Mash an avocado until smooth. You can also use a blender to process it. Wet your hair. Spread the avocado from your roots to your tips. Let it sit in your hair for at least 15 minutes. Shampoo your hair as normal. Rinse with cold water. Use honey. Honey attracts moisture and has clarifying properties. This combination makes it perfect for adding shine to dull hair. Raw honey is the most nourishing, but any type of honey works fine. To make a honey mask, Mix 1/4 cup honey and 1/4 cup warm water. Wet your hair. Comb the mixture into your hair. Let it sit for 15 minutes or more. Shampoo your hair as normal. Rinse with cold water. Deep condition your hair. If your hair isn't shiny because it's dry, dull and frizzy, a deep conditioning treatment should put things right. You can get a store-bought deep conditioner or make your own using coconut or olive oil. Once a week, follow these steps to deep condition your hair: Wet your hair. Comb 1 to 3 tablespoons of coconut oil or olive oil from your roots to your tips. Cover your hair with a shower cap or plastic wrap. Let it sit for up to 30 minutes. Shampoo your hair. You may need to wash it two or three times to remove the oily residue. Rinse with cold water. Apply leave-in conditioner while it's wet. If your hair is on the dry side, it may look a little dull after it dries. Using a good leave-in conditioner can keep it from getting dried out and dull. While your hair is still wet, apply a dime or quarter-sized amount of deep conditioner to your hair. Use a comb to comb it down to your tips. Let it air dry. Sure, a Brazilian blowout will leave your hair looking shiny and sleek, at first. After awhile, blowing out and straightening your hair will damage it and leave it looking dull and rough. When you allow your hair to air dry, you don't risk causing damage. After a few weeks or months, you should start to see a noticeable difference in the texture of your hair: it will be softer with more shine. Avoid using heat styling tools as much as possible. Straightening irons, curling irons, and so on provide temporarily pretty results, but in the long run they'll leave you with dull hair. For the best result, twist your hair into a loose bun or braids to keep it from frizzing as it dries. If you have curly hair, gently squeeze and sculpt your hair into the desired shape before drying. Use a finishing oil. Once your hair has air-dried, smooth finishing oil through your locks. A good finishing oil will add instant shine and protect your hair from damage. Wait until your hair is fully dry for best results. A little goes a long way, so use no more than a dime-sized amount or so, depending on the length of your hair. You can buy a special hair oil, or use one of these oils as a finishing oil: Olive oil Argan oil Almond oil Jojoba oil Caster oil Coconut oil Try a shine serum. This is a product that has been formulated specifically to add shine to your hair. Shine serums contain silicones and other ingredients that cause your hair to look instantly shiny. Most shine serums can be used on either wet or dry hair. Using a shine serum every day could end up having the opposite effect of what you're going for. The silicones that make your hair shiny build up in your hair over time, causing it to look dull. You might want to save serum for special occasions only. Look for a serum that's alcohol-free. Alcohol can cause hair to dry out. Keep frizz to a minimum. Frizz is the enemy of shiny hair. A halo of frizz makes hair look dull and rough instead of shiny. Whether your hair is straight or curly, you can tame your frizz in the following ways: Wash your hair with cool water. The cool temperature helps your hair shaft lie flat, rather than standing up. You'll be amazed at what a difference this easy step makes. Don't towel dry your hair roughly. Pat it dry gently, then let it finish air drying. Towel drying roughly puffs up your hair and makes it frizzy. Switch from a brush to a wide-tooth comb. Brushes tend to break hair, especially when it's curly or wavy. Broken hair strands will stand up and turn into frizz. Use a wide-tooth comb. Detangle when your hair is wet, starting at the tips and working up to the roots. Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase. Curly heads know that this trick does wonders for frizzy hair. Cotton fabric absorbs moisture, leaving your hair dry and frizzy. Satin or silk will preserve your hair in its natural, non-frizzy state. Get regular trims. Removing frayed split ends goes a long way toward making your hair look shinier. Ask your stylist not to use chemicals and heat styling tools on your hair. Style your hair. Many people think that foregoing heat means not styling the hair altogether, but air-drying requires a bit of effort to come out well. Apply a light hold product and use your fingers to part your hair as desired. Then, comb it into your desired shape. As it dries, secure sections by twisting them, clipping them, or tousling to your satisfaction. When the moisture has evaporated, refine the shape with your fingertips and a dab of hair oil. Shampoo less often. Washing your hair too often strips your hair of sebum, the natural oil that protects it and keeps it healthy. Stripped hair breaks easily and looks dull and dry. To keep your hair glossy, shampoo no more than once or twice a week. It may take up to two weeks or longer for your hair to balance out and get used to being washed less frequently. Be prepared to wear your hair up during the transition time. In between washes, you can perk up your roots by using dry shampoo. This absorbs oil without stripping your hair. Use natural products. Washing and styling your hair with chemical-laden products can damage your hair over time. Many shampoos, conditioners and styling products have ingredients that might be contributing to the problem. Look for all-natural products that don't contain the following ingredients: Sulfates. These are commonly found in shampoo. They are harsh cleansers that strip your hair of natural oils. Silicones. These are commonly found in conditioner and leave-in shine products. They eventually build up in your hair and make it look dull. Alcohols. These are commonly found in gel, hairspray and other styling products. They dry out your hair over time. Avoid harsh treatments. Dyeing, bleaching, and permanently straightening or curling your hair can have damaging long-term effects. Altering your hair from its natural state will eventually cause it to get dried out and prone to breakage. Avoid harsh treatments whenever possible. Henna dye can be extremely drying as can other natural dyes, such as metallic salts. A demi- or semi-permanent hair color is good low-damage option. Use honey or chamomile tea as a natural lightener. Have a healthy diet and lifestyle. No matter what you do to your hair, it won't look naturally shiny unless you're healthy from the inside out. Eating well and staying hydrated have a big effect on the way your hair looks. Try eating more of these foods for the healthiest possible hair: Fish, beef, poultry, eggs, legumes, and other foods that are full of protein. Hair is made from protein and it immediately suffers if you aren't getting enough. Eating energy-rich carbs in combination with protein can be especially effective. Avocados and nuts. These contain healthy fats that make your hair look full and shiny. Nutrient-rich plants. Leafy greens like spinach and kale are especially healthy for hair. Drink a lot of water. When you're dehydrated your hair loses its luster and starts looking limp. Drink plenty of water to keep your hair healthy. Make sure you get 8 glasses a day. Eating water-heavy fruits and vegetables can also help hydrate you. Choose watermelon, berries, apples, cucumbers, lettuce and cabbage. Drink herbal tea and other caffeine-free tea for additional hydration. Protect your hair from outside elements. The sun, extreme temperatures, and environmental pollutants may be making your hair look less than optimal. Protect it from getting damaged by taking the following measures: Wear a hat when the sun is strong. The sun is a powerful force, and it can damage your hair if you don't protect it. Wear a swim cap in the pool. Chlorine dries hair out and leaves a residue. If you do go swimming without a cap, wash your hair immediately after exiting the pool. Don't go out in the cold with wet hair. Your hair may freeze, which will lead to frizz. Add shine to natural hair. Untreated curly, coarse and kinky hair has bends and turns that refract light instead of reflecting it. To add shine to these hair types, try using a rinse, a leave-in conditioner and a finishing serum. These treatments will boost moisture, smooth the cuticle and reflect light. Try an an apple cider vinegar rinse. ACV smooths the cuticle, causing your hair to look more shiny. Add two tablespoons to a cup of water and rinse your hair after shampooing. Add a leave-in conditioner. Aloe, coconut oil, olive oil and jojoba oil can all be used as leave-in conditioners. Smooth one to two tablespoons through your hair while it is still wet from your shower. Let your hair air dry with the conditioner. Finish with a shine serum. Buy a serum formulated with mineral oils to add maximum shine to your hair. You can also finish with Moroccan oil or coconut oil to keep your hair conditioned and shiny. Add shine to color-treated hair. Hair that has been dyed or bleached tends to get dry and frizzy over time. Instead of just adding shine, aim to repair your hair at the same time. Treating your hair well will also help it retain color. Get a hair gloss treatment instead of dyeing it. A hair gloss treatment goes above and beyond simply changing the color of your hair. It's a translucent coating that conditions your hair and protects it from drying out. As the name suggests, it also makes your hair look shiny. Wash your hair with cold water. This simple trick will help your color stay in place longer (just as washing clothing with cold water helps retain dye). It will also smooth your cuticle and make your hair look shiny. Avoid harsh hair products. Harsh cleansers, heavy-duty hair spray, and other products containing sulfates and alcohol can strip your hair of moisture, color and shine. Use natural products designed to help your hair retain moisture. Add shine to heat-damaged hair. In the quest for shiny hair, many people blow out and straighten their tresses every single day. Over time this will cause hair to break and become frayed. If you want your hair to look shiny and healthy again, it's time to give the heat a break. Let your hair air dry for several months. Put away your heat styling tools and vow to give your hair a chance to repair itself. Focus on conditioning your hair. Use deep conditioning treatments, hydrating masks, and a boar bristle brush to help restore your hair's health. This will reduce frizz and lead to shinier locks. Use finishing oil or serum when your hair is dry. Using an oil or serum will protect your hair more than a leave-in conditioner. It will also result in a shinier appearance. Try Moroccan oil, coconut oil or jojoba oil. Focus on the tips, which tend to dry out faster than the rest of your hair. Add shine to thinning hair. When your hair is thinning, it's important to treat it very gently if you want it to look healthy and shiny. Your goal is to add shine and volume without causing further damage to your hair. Let your hair air dry on most days so you don't make thinning worse by damaging your hair with heat styling tools. As your hair dries, use clips around your head to lift the roots of your hair away from your scalp. This will add volume without using a hair dryer. Curl your hair without heat. Use cloth or rag curling methods instead of a curling iron or hot rollers. This way you can gently add volume to your hair without causing damage or hair loss. Finish with a light serum. A heavy leave-in conditioner, gel or mousse will weigh down thinning hair. To add shine and retain volume, use a very light oil or serum. Aloe vera gel is a great option. You can even make your own hair spray using aloe as your base. Keep shine products restricted to your ends with thin hair, as applying them near the scalp can make hair appear thinner. | Use an egg. Try apple cider vinegar. Make an avocado mask. Use honey. Deep condition your hair. Apply leave-in conditioner while it's wet. Let it air dry. Use a finishing oil. Try a shine serum. Keep frizz to a minimum. Get regular trims. Style your hair. Shampoo less often. Use natural products. Avoid harsh treatments. Have a healthy diet and lifestyle. Drink a lot of water. Protect your hair from outside elements. Add shine to natural hair. Add shine to color-treated hair. Add shine to heat-damaged hair. Add shine to thinning hair. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Stay-Asleep | How to Stay Asleep | To stay asleep, try deep breathing exercises to relax if you wake up in the middle of the night. If you've been lying awake for more than 20 minutes, try doing something that will make you sleepy, like reading a book. You should also try going to bed at the same time each day so your body gets into a sleeping routine. During the day, try to avoid napping, since it makes it harder to sleep at night. | Install blinds and blackout curtains to block out the light. The early morning sun can wake you up before you're ready to get out of bed. Even street lights or the lights from a neighbor's home can disrupt your sleep. Therefore, it's best to create a light-free zone. Blinds will eliminate some light, but adding light-blocking curtains is even better. If you don't have a curtain rod installed, try a tension rod. You could also simply use thumbtacks to hold a curtain in place around the window. Make your bedroom just for sleeping. Your bedroom has two main functions: it's a place to sleep and have sex. That's it. Keep other activities, including watching television and playing on your phone, out of the bedroom, as they can keep you from getting the solid sleep you need. Pick serene artwork and color schemes to create a calming sanctuary. Your room should be a peaceful place for you. The color schemes, artwork, and bedding should all say "calm" to you, so try to choose colors and patterns that make you feel serene. Decluttering your space can also be helpful, as clutter can stress you out. Cool down your room to 65 °F (18 °C). Typically, a cooler room is better for sleeping than a warmer room. Your room should be at about 65 °F (18 °C) for the best night's sleep. Otherwise, you might wake up in the night due to the room being too warm. Choose a comfortable mattress and bedding. Your mattress, pillows, and bedding affect your sleep as well. They should feel comfortable to you. No one mattress will be comfortable for everyone, so pick something that feels good to you. Use white noise to block out ambient noises. White noise creates a constant background noise to help block out other noises that may wake you up. You can use a white noise machine, an app on your smartphone, or even a fan to create a consistent sound. Lower the lights in the house before bed. When you're getting ready for bed, it's best to keep the lights around you as dim as possible in the hour before you go to bed. Lights tell you to wake up, the opposite of what you want your body to do. Similarly, when you wake up to use the bathroom at night, keep the lights off if possible. Turn off your electronics an hour before bed. If you're like many people, you likely play on your phone or watch television right before bed. However, the light from these devices can be particularly bad for sleep. They can have a disrupting effect on your sleep cycle, making it difficult for you to fall or stay asleep. Turn these devices off at least an hour before bed. Go to bed when you're actually sleepy. If you're not sleepy when you go to bed, you may have trouble falling asleep. If you fall asleep, you may have trouble staying asleep. Try a quiet activity to get you in the mood for sleep before you need to go to bed. For instance, you could try reading a book or meditating. Try a sleep supplement. While most over-the-counter sleep aids don't help much with staying asleep, some natural sleep supplements may be beneficial. Melatonin is a hormone that may help regulate your sleep schedule. Another supplement, valerian, is an herb that may help you fall and stay asleep. Always talk to your doctor before taking any supplements. A higher dose of an over-the-counter sleep aid is not always more effective than a lower dose, even though the supplements are sold in high and low doses. A sustained-release melatonin usually allows you to stay asleep longer. Wake up and go to bed at the same time each day. Staying on a sleeping schedule will help you go to sleep and stay asleep because your body learns to expect sleep at a certain hour. If you have trouble remembering to go to bed at night, set an alarm an hour before you need to be in bed. Skip napping during the day. When you nap during the day, you may have a harder time staying asleep at night. Try to avoid dozing off in the afternoon, so that you fall asleep and stay asleep when you go to bed. If you really need a nap, make it a 20 to 30 minute long nap. This can improve your mood, alertness, and performance. Avoid caffeinated and alcoholic drinks. Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages afternoon. Having caffeine after noon can affect your sleep at night, even causing you to wake up in the middle of the night. Similarly, too much alcohol at night can affect your sleep, so stick to a single drink in the evening. Make sure to indulge several hours before you go to sleep. Stop smoking. The nicotine in cigarettes can interfere with your sleep schedule. If you're a smoker and you find your schedule isn't as regular as you'd like it to be, you should consider quitting. If you can't quit, try reducing the number of cigarettes you smoke, particularly near bedtime. Get in 30 minutes of exercise each day. Exercise helps tire your body out, making it easier to go to sleep and stay asleep. However, make sure not to exercise in the 30 minutes right before you go to bed, as it gets your blood pumping, making it harder to sleep. Even 10 minutes of light aerobic exercise can improve your sleep quality. Try walking or cycling. Get up after 20 minutes when you wake up in the night. When you wake up in the middle of the night and can't fall back asleep, your first response is likely to just lay there trying to sleep. However, if you haven't fallen back asleep in 20 minutes, it's best to go do something else that will make you sleepy. For instance, try reading a book to make yourself sleepy. If you find yourself laying wide awake for more than a couple of minutes, get up and go do something else. You don't have to time it exactly. Hide the clock so you won't worry about the time. You need a clock in your room so you can get up on time. However, if you keep it where you can see it from your bed, you may find that it creates anxiety. When you wake up in the middle of the night and need to go back to sleep, watching the clock and thinking "I need to go back to sleep" can increase stress. Hiding the clock reduces this anxiety. Plus, the light from the clock can keep you up if you don't hide it. Don't pick up your smartphone. It can be tempting to turn to your smartphone when you can't sleep. However, the light from your phone will only wake you up more. Stick to an activity that doesn't require much light. Try a relaxation technique like deep breathing. Try breathing in through your nose to the count of 7, then breathing out through your mouth to the count of 8. As you breathe deeply, try clearing your head of all thoughts by focusing just on your breathing. You can try meditation, as well. | Install blinds and blackout curtains to block out the light. Make your bedroom just for sleeping. Pick serene artwork and color schemes to create a calming sanctuary. Cool down your room to 65 °F (18 °C). Choose a comfortable mattress and bedding. Use white noise to block out ambient noises. Lower the lights in the house before bed. Turn off your electronics an hour before bed. Go to bed when you're actually sleepy. Try a sleep supplement. Wake up and go to bed at the same time each day. Skip napping during the day. Avoid caffeinated and alcoholic drinks. Stop smoking. Get in 30 minutes of exercise each day. Get up after 20 minutes when you wake up in the night. Hide the clock so you won't worry about the time. Don't pick up your smartphone. Try a relaxation technique like deep breathing. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Ask-a-Girl-Out | How to Ask a Girl Out | If you want to ask a girl out, start by having a specific activity in mind for the date. Also, try planning out what you want to say to her ahead of time, which can help you feel more confident. For example, you might say, “I got tickets to the Taylor Swift concert in August. Would you want to come with me as my date?” If you're nervous, try practicing in front of a mirror several times beforehand. When you're ready to ask her out, try to catch her when she's in a good mood and by herself so that you don't have an audience for the conversation. Then, smile, make eye contact, and go for it! No matter how she responds, react in a positive way and try not to take it personally if she says no. There are other fish in the sea! | Plan what you’re going to say so you feel more confident. Having a plan will help you be more direct so that there are no misunderstandings. You want her to know that you're asking her out in a romantic sense, not just as friends. You don't have to repeat a script word-for-word, but you'll feel more comfortable if you have a general idea of what to say. Here are some examples of things you could plan to say: “I got tickets to the Taylor Swift concert in August. Would you want to come with me as my date?” “Would you like to go to the new bookstore and grab a coffee together afterward?” “I'd love to take you out to dinner next weekend. How about the new Thai place?” If you're really shy, use that to your advantage. You can even plan to say something like, “You know I'm a pretty shy person, so this is a little awkward for me, but I wanted to tell you that I think you're really nice and have a great sense of humor. Would you want to go play mini-golf next weekend?” Wait to ask her until you’re fairly certain she’ll be in a good mood. If you notice that she seems sad or angry about something, it might not be the best time to ask her out on a date. Try to catch her after something good happens, like if she gets a good grade on a test or gets an interview for a job she wants. Asking a girl out in person can be nerve-wracking! To help ease your anxiety, set a deadline for yourself and commit to asking her before that date. Once you start the conversation, it'll just take a few minutes to ask her out. Talk to her when she’s by herself so you don’t have an audience. If a girl is with a group of friends when you try to ask her out, she may get embarrassed or not be able to talk openly because she might feel uncomfortable about how many people are watching your interaction. Plan out a way that you can comfortably talk to her one-on-one. You could ask to walk her to her next class. You could ask her to wait up after a meeting because you have a question for her. You could even send her a text asking her to meet you somewhere. Make eye contact and do your best to speak clearly. When you get her one-on-one and are ready to ask her out, take a calming breath. Smile, make gentle eye contact, and stand up straight. Avoid slouching over, staring at the ground, or mumbling. Remember, you don't need to say more than 2-3 sentences. If you're nervous, practice what you're going to say in front of a mirror several times. You could also record yourself asking her out. Play it back to yourself to see how you sound and make any adjustments that you need to. Do you say “umm” or pause a lot? Keep practicing until your question sounds natural. Ask her out! Once you've gotten her attention and are talking to her, you just need to take a deep breath and calmly ask her on a date. Say something like, “Would you like to grab a drink at the new coffeehouse this Sunday?” or “I'd like to get to know you better. What do you think about taking our dogs out for a walk something this weekend?” Remember to be direct and confident. If you want to do something a little more romantic, consider something like having flowers delivered to her house. Then, follow up with her in person and say something like, “I hope you liked the flowers I sent. What do you think about going out this weekend?” You could also do something a little out of the box, like have a pizza delivered to her with a note attached that says something like, “This is a little cheesy, but I'd love to go out to dinner with you this weekend.” Respond positively, no matter what her answer is. In the best-case scenario, she said yes and you can move on to preparing for your date! If she turned you down, it's normal to feel a little bummed. Do your best to not take it personally; try to view it as a “not the right time, not the right person” situation, and move on as best you can. Definitely don't try to convince her that she is making a mistake. She knows what she wants and trying to make her do something else will make her feel uncomfortable. Try saying something like, “No worries—I'm glad I at least asked and don't have to wonder! I hope you have a great day.” Be sincere and try to smile and not sound sarcastic. Use text or social media if that’s how you normally communicate. A lot of dates are arranged via text, DM, social media, and in other similar ways. When deciding how to ask a girl out, pick whichever method feels most natural to your normal way of communicating. Keep in mind that you'll want to be really clear via text so that your intentions aren't misunderstood. Pick an activity to ask her to do before you send your message. Rather than being vague and asking her to just “hang out” or what she's up to that weekend, pick something fun that you think you'd both enjoy. This gives her something to respond to, and you won't be left wondering what to do if she says yes. Here are some great first date ideas: Go to an arcade or to play mini-golf Go to a coffee shop and a used bookstore Plan a movie marathon Go to an admission-free art exhibit or festival Volunteer at the local animal shelter to walk and play with the animals Make homemade pizza and do a puzzle together Keep the text short, sweet, and specific. Send her a message that says something simple like, “Hey Kate, I think you're really cute. Want to go play arcade games and get something to eat this Friday?” Telling her you think she's attractive clues her in that this is a romantic message and not just a friendly one. Remember to ask about a specific activity. For example, “Would you like to go out on a date with me next Saturday? I thought we could get dinner and go see a movie,” sounds much more romantic than, “Want to hang out sometime next weekend?” The latter could be misinterpreted. Text isn't the only option—you could use DMs in different social media apps or send a cool video through Instagram or Snapchat. Accept her answer and respond quickly even if she turns you down. If you get rejected, don't wait too long to reply. You could say something like, “That's okay! I just wanted to ask. I still think you're cool and will see you in class.” It's not fun to get rejected, but it is a normal experience and doesn't mean anything bad about you as a person. It's just not the right fit right now. If you do get rejected, reassure yourself that at least now you know. You won't be left wondering what could have happened, and you have more practice under your belt for the next time you decide to ask a girl out. Make plans for your first date if she says yes. Hopefully, you got a positive response to your message! Firm up the details for the date, put it in your calendar, and take a few minutes to celebrate how well things went. Either the day before or the day of your date, send her a message letting her know you're looking forward to hanging out. Find out if she is already dating or interested in someone else. You may already know this info, but if not, it'll come in handy when deciding when or if to ask her out. Pay attention to the people she talks about often. If they aren't regular friends of hers, it may be someone she is interested in romantically. Check out her social media to see if there are any clues there, too. You could even turn this into an opportunity to get to know her better by asking something like, “Tell me more about some of the people you've dated,” or “Did your last relationship end well?” Check to see if you catch her staring at you. When someone looks at your frequently, that can often mean that they're interested in you. Especially if you are already friends, this can be a great indicator that she may be developing feelings for you. If you don't notice this, it doesn't mean that she isn't interested or that you shouldn't ask her out. It's just one way you might be able to tell if her feelings toward you have changed. Observe her body language to tell if she is interested in you or not. Does she approach you and stand or sit near you? Does she touch your arm or shoulder? These signs may not mean that she likes you romantically, but they show that she doesn't dislike you. They mean she is comfortable around you and generally likes you as a person. This is a great sign! Your chances of getting a “yes” when you ask her out are much higher if a girl likes you as a person. On the flip side, if she avoids you, doesn't make eye contact, or moves away when you're close by, those are clear signs that she doesn't want to spend time with you. Flirt with her to see if she responds positively. Make longer-than-usual eye contact and smile at her. Touch her gently on the arm or shoulder to make physical contact. Compliment her looks and her intelligence. To compliment a girl, you could say something like, “That sweater brings out the color of your eyes,” or “You did a great job on your presentation today. I wish I could speak in front of people like you.” | Plan what you’re going to say so you feel more confident. Wait to ask her until you’re fairly certain she’ll be in a good mood. Talk to her when she’s by herself so you don’t have an audience. Make eye contact and do your best to speak clearly. Ask her out! Respond positively, no matter what her answer is. Use text or social media if that’s how you normally communicate. Pick an activity to ask her to do before you send your message. Keep the text short, sweet, and specific. Accept her answer and respond quickly even if she turns you down. Make plans for your first date if she says yes. Find out if she is already dating or interested in someone else. Check to see if you catch her staring at you. Observe her body language to tell if she is interested in you or not. Flirt with her to see if she responds positively. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Flea-Market-Vendor | How to Become a Flea Market Vendor | Flea markets are a great way to make some extra money. To become a vendor, you'll first need to get a sales or tax permit from your state to allow you to sell things. Choose a booth that's close to market entrance and has as much foot traffic as possible. Then, register with the market owners and pay your rent for your booth. Before you open you booth, you'll need to acquire a table to display your goods, a chair, racks if you sell clothes, pens, shopping bags for your customers, a calculator, cash box, and a receipt book. To maximize your sales, you should also buy a card machine for customers who don't have cash. | Register for a sales certificate. The exact documentation you'll need is different in every state, but you'll have to register for a sales or tax permit with your state's Tax Department. This basically allows you to charge sales tax on your sales. Almost all states require that you have these to sell at a flea market, and the flea market will likely require them as well. You must obtain the tax certificate before you plan on selling, although how far in advance depends on the state. Some states have different types of tax certificates – some are the same no matter how long you're selling for, some issue temporary certs depending on how frequently you sell. When in doubt, ask the flea market you're selling at – they can usually tell you what you need. Check out nearby flea markets. If you live in an area that has multiple flea markets, you might want to spend a few weekends checking them out and deciding where you'd like to sell. If there's only one flea market near you, you should still go – it will give you some necessary information before you begin selling there. Look to see where the booths are set up and where the most traffic comes through. Note what other vendors are selling and for how much. You're likely to be more successful if you're selling something not many people have or, if you are, if you sell at comparable prices. Ask what booth rent is. All flea markets will charge you a fee to rent booth space in the market. This rate varies from market to market, so make sure you know what that rate is up front. Some markets have daily or monthly rates. If you've never sold at a flea market before, you might want to pay for just one day until you know if you want to commit to a full month. Some markets also have booth space in a covered area. They charge more for these spaces, but you'll be protected from weather. Decide where you’d like your booth to be. Checking out the flea market you want to sell at before you register for a booth is helpful because it can help you find the best spot for your booth. It's best to be near the entrance and in an area where there seems to be a lot of foot traffic. You might not get your first choice of booth, so make sure you give yourself a few options. Register for a booth. Once you've decided which flea market you'd like to sell at, find out how you go about registering for a booth and reserving your space. Some flea markets will let you pay and reserve a spot in advance, and some give out booth space on a first-come-first-serve basis. Make sure you know how your flea market does it. If your flea market assigns booth space on the same day as you're selling, try to get there early to increase your chances of getting the best spot. Acquire inventory. If you already make a product – jewelry, soap, or candles, for example – you should make sure you have enough product stored up to sell. You don't want to get to the market and run out right away. If you don't make a product, you can acquire inventory by purchasing items from garage sales and thrift stores. A good way to start an inventory is by hosting your garage or rummage sale at the flea market. Bring all of the stuff you'd sell at a garage sale and sell it from your booth instead. This gives you inventory to start with and also eliminates the need for you to advertise the garage sale – flea markets will advertise themselves. Calculate prices. You want to make sure that you can make a profit on the things you sell. You should calculate ahead of time how much it cost you to make (or buy) the products you're selling and then how much of a profit you'd like to make off of them. Adding those two amounts together will give you your selling price. Price all of your items. Once you've calculated prices for your inventory, make sure you have clearly marked prices on all of your goods. You don't want to get to the flea market, have someone ask you how much something is, and then realize you have no idea. Acquire supplies. You'll need quite an extensive list of supplies to get your booth prepped for your first sale. You'll need a table (or tables) to display your goods, a chair (for you to sit on while you're selling), coverings for the table, racks if you sell clothes, pens, shopping bags for your customers, a calculator and cash box, a receipt book, any display cases you might want to use, and umbrella if it rains (or a canopy if you can afford it), hand sanitizer, business cards, and stuff to keep you occupied. Make sure you know the exact measurements of your booth before you get your supplies together. You don't want to arrive at the flea market only to discover that you can't sell anything because your tables don't fit. Check with the flea market to see if they have a list of prohibited items, or rules about booths are decorated. Arrive early. You can assume that customers will be ready and waiting to hit the booths as soon as the flea market opens. That means you might need to arrive at the flea market quite early to have enough time to prep your booth and make sure you're ready to sell. Post your return policy. Make sure that you have a return policy – do you accept same day exchanges or returns? Do you require a receipt for returns? Are all sales final? – figured out before someone asks about it. It should also be clearly displayed in your booth so that your customers can see it. Organize your merchandise. Even if you don't sell one type of item, you can keep your merchandise organized by placing similar items together. So all the clothing should be grouped together – by size – all of the jewelry, all of the knickknacks, etc. This will help your customers more easily find what they're looking for. Create different display areas. Since you'll be covering your table with a cloth, you can use a lot of different objects to adjust the height of your display in different places. Boxes are a good way to add height and highlight merchandise you think might sell well. You can also use whatever bins or crates you use to transport your merchandise to the flea market. Accept more than one payment method. With things like Square, it's easy to take credit card information right at your table, so you're not restricted by cash-only sales. It also has the added benefit of creating receipts that you can send directly to your customers, rather than having to handprint one. Opening a business checking account lets you accept checks, too, but you might take a check only to find out there's insufficient funds. Unless you have a way to follow up in such a situation, you might want to avoid accepting checks. Rearrange merchandise regularly. If you notice some of your merchandise isn't getting much attention or if you notice that something is getting a lot of attention but is buried in the back of your booth, rearrange your merchandise. You should also rearrange your merchandise as you sell it, either by restocking or rearranging what you already have out so you don't have an obvious bare spot. Don't rearrange too often, however. You don't want a customer to come looking for something they saw earlier in the day and then not be able to find it. Give good customer service. People will be more likely to come to your booth and look around at what you have if you seem open to conversation. Look – and actually be! – willing to answer your customer's questions or describe the certain characteristics or value of particular items. Be careful not to be too aggressive, though. If you're constantly asking your shoppers if they need anything, it's likely they'll get annoyed and walk away. Give them time to look before you start telling them about products. Be prepared to haggle. Some people come to flea markets expecting the prices on merchandise to be a starting point for haggling, rather than a set price. Not everyone does this, but some people will. Know ahead of time how much you're willing to come down on prices and what your absolute minimum is, and don't be afraid to stick to it. | Register for a sales certificate. Check out nearby flea markets. Ask what booth rent is. Decide where you’d like your booth to be. Register for a booth. Acquire inventory. Calculate prices. Price all of your items. Acquire supplies. Arrive early. Post your return policy. Organize your merchandise. Create different display areas. Accept more than one payment method. Rearrange merchandise regularly. Give good customer service. Be prepared to haggle. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Hold-a-Wine-Glass | How to Hold a Wine Glass | While holding a traditional wine glass isn't difficult, learning the proper way can help you look more sophisticated. When holding a wine glass with a stem, don't hold the bowl of the glass. Instead, pinch the stem between your thumb, index finger, and middle finger. Position your thumb on one side of the stem and the rest of your fingers on the other side, making sure your thumb is across from your pointer finger. Your middle finger should rest on the stem, just above the base, while your pinky and ring fingers rest naturally on the top of the base. Holding your glass this way should provide plenty of stability and keep your fingers far away from the bowl. | Hold the stem between your thumb and first two fingers. Pinch the stem of the wine glass between your thumb, index finger, and middle finger. As you position your fingers, place them on the lower half of the stem. Your middle finger should rest on the stem just above the base. Only these three fingers will come into direct contact with the stem of the glass. Your remaining two fingers should naturally rest on top of the base. This is the standard way to hold a wine glass. Holding it in this manner should provide plenty of stability while keeping your hands away from the bowl of the glass. Pinch the stem with your thumb and index finger. Wrap your index finger around the one side of the stem, then support the other side of the stem with the tip of your thumb. Keep your hand positioned toward the lower half of the stem. Your remaining three fingers should curl into your palm in the form of a loose fist. Generally, these fingers won't touch the base of the glass, but it's find if they brush against it. Grab the stem directly above the base. Pinch the stem of the glass just above the base using only your thumb and index finger. Even though these two fingers pinch the stem of the glass, they also brush against the top of the base. Use your middle finger to support the glass from beneath by extending it outward along the underside of the base. Allow your remaining two fingers to rest naturally. They may press into the palm of your hand or follow along with your middle finger. Lever the base with your thumb. Keep your thumb over the base of the glass while supporting the underside of the base with your index and middle fingers. None of your fingers actually touch the stem of the glass when using this technique. Your index, middle, ring, and pinky fingers should all curve gently into your palm. Use the top portions of your index and middle fingers to support the base. Note that this holding style is socially acceptable, but it's also the least stable. It's best to practice it when you're by yourself before using it in polite company. Never hold the bowl. Holding a wine glass by the bowl is social taboo, but the reasons for that are as practical as they are polite. Both the taste and appearance of the wine can be negatively impacted when you hold the bowl. When you hold the bowl of the glass, the heat of your hands will quickly cause the wine inside to warm up. This problem is most pronounced when sipping white wine or champagne since these types of drinks taste best when chilled. The problem isn't quite as severe when drinking red wine, but even red wine tastes best when kept a little cooler than room temperature. Additionally, holding the glass by the bowl can leave fingerprints, which makes the appearance of the wine glass less elegant. Both your fingers and the prints they leave behind can also make it harder to examine the color or clarity of the wine. Grab the glass toward its base. Since this type of wine glass has no stem, you'll have to hold it like a normal drinking glass. Grab the glass toward its base, however, instead of holding it at the middle or top. You can wrap your thumb and all four fingers around the glass if you need to do so for the sake of stability, but if possible, try to keep only your thumb and two fingers on the glass itself. The other two fingers should gently curl away from the glass or support the glass from underneath. Minimize contact. Since the heat of your hand can warm up the temperature of your wine, it's best to hold your stemless wine glass as briefly and infrequently as possible. Try to hold the glass only when taking sips. If you can set it down somewhere, do so when you aren't actively drinking the wine. Fingerprints are pretty much inevitable when you use this type of wine glass. That social faux pas usually won't matter when you're among family and friends, but if you're hanging around wine connoisseurs or trying to make a good impression on someone new, it's best to put the stemless glasses away and opt for the traditional glass type instead. Rest the glass when needed. If you are unable to set your glass down and feel the need to support it in between sips, you can rest the base of the glass on the palm of your non-dominant hand while continuing to hold the glass at its stem with your dominant hand. When you need to set the glass down at your dinner table, note that it should be placed to the right of your water glass. If you don't have a water glass, simply place your wine glass down in the upper left corner of your place setting, where the water glass usually sits. Sip from the same spot. Try to drink from only one spot along the rim of the wine glass. Doing so can improve the scent and appearance of your wine. If you sip from too many different places along the rim of the glass, the excess contact can actually taint the scent of the wine. Since scent and taste are closely linked, this could also degrade the taste of the wine. Additionally, your lips leave a print on the glass like your fingers do, even if you aren't wearing lipstick, balm, or gloss. Sipping from only one spot makes the top of your glass look cleaner. Keep the glass partially full. As a general rule, you should only keep the glass one-third full when drinking red wine or half full when drinking white wine. On a similar note, when drinking champagne or sparkling wine from a champagne flute, you should keep the glass three-quarters full. By only filling part of the glass, you can minimize the risk of accidental spills. Completely full glasses can get heavy, and since you can only support the glass by its stem instead of the bowl, your hand may weaken and slip beneath the weight of the wine. Look into your glass as you drink. As you go to take a sip of your wine, direct your gaze into your glass instead of focusing on another person or object. Looking at someone else as you sip your wine is considered especially impolite. This is true regardless of whether or not you're in active conversation with anyone. On the other hand, you should maintain eye contact with someone when making a toast. Lock eyes with whomever clinks glasses with you. Doing so is polite, and superstition holds that failing to do so can mean seven years of bad luck. Tilt the glass when studying its appearance. If you want to study the appearance of the wine, tilt the glass slightly while holding it up to the light. Use natural light when possible. If you aren't able to get a good view of the color and clarity, position your glass against a white or pale background to make the viewing process easier. Swirl the wine carefully. Swirling your wine is socially acceptable as long as you don't get carried away. The key is to gently swirl the glass in small circular movements while keeping the base on a flat surface. Keep a firm grip on the stem of the glass as you swirl it and only continue swirling for 10 to 20 seconds. If you have a loose grip, move the glass too forcefully, or swirl the glass for too long, you run the risk of accidentally spilling your wine. Swirling the wine around can also help any unpleasant notes in the wine dissipate before you drink it. Hold the glass directly to your nose when smelling. When checking the scent of a particular wine, tilt the glass slightly and place your nose directly inside. Alternatively, you could hold your nose roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm) away from the top of the glass instead of sticking it directly inside. Some people are able to detect more of the scent by doing it this way while others prefer the traditional technique. Either way is socially acceptable, though. | Hold the stem between your thumb and first two fingers. Pinch the stem with your thumb and index finger. Grab the stem directly above the base. Lever the base with your thumb. Never hold the bowl. Grab the glass toward its base. Minimize contact. Rest the glass when needed. Sip from the same spot. Keep the glass partially full. Look into your glass as you drink. Tilt the glass when studying its appearance. Swirl the wine carefully. Hold the glass directly to your nose when smelling. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Maracas | How to Make Maracas | To make simple maracas with plastic Easter eggs, open 2 large plastic eggs by twisting the halves apart, fill them halfway with dry rice, and bring the halves back together to close up the eggs. Next, place each plastic egg in between 2 plastic spoons and wrap washi tape around them to hold them tightly together. Then, decorate your maracas with paint or stickers and give them a shake to try them out. | Open 2 plastic eggs. Place 1 hand on each half of the plastic egg. Gently twist and pull the halves to separate them. You will be able to make 2 maracas using 2 plastic eggs. If you want to make more maracas, simply use 1 extra egg for each subsequent maraca that you want to make. You can purchase plastic eggs from dollar stores or use leftover eggs from Easter. Fill 2 plastic egg halves with dry rice and then close each egg. Use a spoon to scoop dry rice into 2 of the plastic egg halves. Gently twist the plastic eggs back together after adding the rice. There needs to be enough rice in each egg to fill it halfway. You can use any type of rice, provided that it isn't cooked. Alternatively, you can also use small plastic beads or small pieces of dry pasta if you prefer. Be careful to hold the half that is full of rice secure while you twist the other half back on. Filling each egg halfway with rice is only an approximate measurement. Try adding different amounts of rice to see how the sound changes when you use the maracas. Place each plastic egg in between 2 plastic spoons. Sit the plastic egg crosswise between the bowl part of 2 spoons, with 1 spoon on each side of the egg. When 1 spoon is resting on a surface, the egg will be able to easily balance in this position. Wrap the plastic egg and spoons in washi tape to hold them together. Attach the plastic spoons to the egg by wrapping washi tape around the outside of the spoons and the egg. Make sure that you wrap the washi tape around the egg and spoons at least twice so that it is held in place securely. Either wrap the washi tape all over the egg and spoons or just wrap it a few times around the middle, depending on what you prefer. You may need somebody else to help hold the plastic egg and the spoons in place while you wrap around the washi tape. You can stick to just 1 pattern or color of washi tape, or use a variety of different styles to make your maracas bright and colorful. If you don't have washi tape, you could use colorful duct tape instead. Hold the spoon handles together using washi tape if they are too far apart. Wrap washi tape tightly around the ends of the spoons to secure them. This allows the maracas to comfortably fit in your hand. If the spoon handles are close enough together for you to comfortably hold, then you don't need to wrap them in washi tape unless you prefer to add more decorations! Decorate the maracas further with paint or stickers if you prefer. Once your maracas are held together securely, decide if you want to add any additional decorations aside from the washi tape. You could place small stickers over the plastic eggs and spoons to make your maracas stand out. Alternatively, you can get creative with paint and make a design or pattern on your maracas to make them bright and colorful. You could also wrap washi tape down the handle of the spoons for an easy decoration. Get 2 plastic bottles that are approximately 15 fl oz (440 ml). Plastic water, milkshake, or soda bottles are great for making maracas. Empty the bottles and clean them out thoroughly with hot, soapy water before you use them. Make sure that they are completely dry before you begin filling them. 2 plastic bottles will make 2 maracas. Get more plastic bottles if you want to make extra maracas. Check that each bottle has a secure lid. Place 1 cup of dry rice, beans, or pasta into each plastic bottle. Put the lids back onto the bottles and give them a shake. Add more fillings or remove some to adjust the sound. Sand, salt, lentils, and bird seed also make good filling options. Glue the lids onto the plastic bottles. Place a ring of craft glue either around the inside of each lid or the outside of each bottle where the lid goes. Secure each lid on tightly and make sure it is sitting straight. Alternatively, you can use hot glue rather than craft glue to secure the lid. Attach the neck of each bottle to a toilet roll tube. Place craft glue around the inside of each toilet roll tube. Push a toilet roll tube gently onto the neck of each bottle to create a handle for the maracas. You will need 1 toilet paper tube per plastic bottle. Don't lift the maracas up by the handle until the glue is dry. Alternatively, you can use masking tape to wrap the toilet roll tube to each plastic bottle rather than using craft glue. Use masking tape to create a cross over the open end of each tube. Cut 2 pieces of masking tape that are approximately 3 in (7.6 cm) in length for each maraca. Stick these over the end of the toilet paper roll that is exposed and not attached to the plastic bottle. Place these in a letter “X” formation to cover the hole. Mix together flour, water, and salt to make paper mache paste. Combine 1 cup (120 g) of flour, 1 cup (237 ml) of water, and 1 tsp (5 g) of salt in a large bowl. Use a whisk to mix the ingredients until they are smooth. Paper mache the maracas. Tear a few sheets of newspaper into long strips. Dip each strip into the paper mache paste and then draw the strip through your fingers to remove the excess paste. Paste each strip onto the maraca and make sure that you cover the plastic bottle, toilet roll tube, and masking tape fully. Cover each maraca with 3 layers of paper mache. Let the maracas dry overnight. Leave the maracas for at least 12 hours so that the paper mache has enough time to dry. Avoid touching the paper mache while it's drying. If it's very humid, the paper mache may take longer to dry. Add 3 more paper mache layers and let the maracas dry again. Repeat the process of adding extra paper mache layers over the maracas. Let the maracas dry overnight again and then check that the paper mache feels firm before you begin decorating. Decorate the maracas with paint. Once the paper mache has fully dried, pick your favorite colors of paint and decorate them however you see fit. Use multiple bright colors if you want your maracas to stand out, or stick to just 1 color for simple decoration. You can also paint patterns or pictures on the maracas if you prefer. Wait until the paint dries before you use the maracas. Feel free to decorate your maracas with other craft items too, such as plastic beads, buttons, ribbon, or washi tape. | Open 2 plastic eggs. Fill 2 plastic egg halves with dry rice and then close each egg. Place each plastic egg in between 2 plastic spoons. Wrap the plastic egg and spoons in washi tape to hold them together. Hold the spoon handles together using washi tape if they are too far apart. Decorate the maracas further with paint or stickers if you prefer. Get 2 plastic bottles that are approximately 15 fl oz (440 ml). Place 1 cup of dry rice, beans, or pasta into each plastic bottle. Glue the lids onto the plastic bottles. Attach the neck of each bottle to a toilet roll tube. Use masking tape to create a cross over the open end of each tube. Mix together flour, water, and salt to make paper mache paste. Paper mache the maracas. Let the maracas dry overnight. Add 3 more paper mache layers and let the maracas dry again. Decorate the maracas with paint. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Cut-Acorn-Squash | How to Cut Acorn Squash | In order to cut your acorn squash in half, select a sharp, study knife with an 8 to 10 inch blade. Then, place your squash lengthwise on the cutting board and cut ½ an inch off the ends of the squash. Next, place your acorn squash sliced-side down so the squash looks like it's standing up. Use a rocking or sawing motion to cut the squash right down the middle. | Select the right knife. Since acorn squashes are notoriously hard to cut, you'll need a sharp, long chef's knife for this job. The knife will need to be long enough to cut through most of the squash, so choose a knife that's about 8 to 10 inches. The blade should be sturdy and sharp. Using the right, sharp knife will help you easily slice through the squash and prevent injury to your fingers. If you don't have a sharp chef's knife, you can use a serrated knife or a cleaver. Regardless of which knife you choose, it needs to be sharp in order to cut through the hard squash. Slice off the ends of the squash. Carefully use a sharp chef's knife to cut 1/2 an inch off of both ends of the squash. This will help keep the squash in place and prevent it from rolling as you cut it. You can throw the ends of the squash away. To keep your cutting board from slipping, lay a damp washcloth on the counter. Set your cutting board on top of the cloth. The moist cloth will keep the cutting board from moving as you cut. Use a rocking motion to slice halfway through the squash. Place the acorn squash on a cutting board so that the sliced end is level on the cutting board. Carefully take the sharp knife and use a rocking or sawing motion to cut the squash in half right down the middle. Avoid chopping right into the squash. Instead, you can try cutting through a quarter of the squash, turning the squash, and continuing the cut on the other side. If you're having trouble cutting through the squash, try using a rubber mallet and a knife. Insert the knife into the rind of the squash and tap the knife with the rubber mallet. This will split the acorn squash. Always keep your fingers away from the knife as you cut to prevent injury. Scoop out the seeds. Take a large spoon and scoop out all of the seeds and membrane from each of the acorn squash halves. It may help to use a metal spoon or a firm-handled spoon that won't snap as you scoop out the seeds. You can throw away the seeds or save them to roast. Slice the acorn squash. Place one half of your acorn squash seed-side down on the cutting board. Cut the squash into 1/2 to 3/4 inch slices by carefully cutting across the ridges. You don't need to peel acorn squash before cutting or preparing it. Slicing the acorn squash thinly ensures that it will cook faster than if you simply roast half of the squash or bake large wedges of squash. Cut the squash into wedges. To make large wedges, lay one half of your squash seed-side down on the cutting board. Carefully cut lengthwise along each ridge of the acorn squash to make wedges. Cutting the squash into wedges keeps more of its rustic shape and gives you larger pieces to serve. If you'd like to peel your acorn squash , cut them into wedges first. This will make it easier to hold the squash while peeling. Cut the squash into cubes. If you need cubed or chunked acorn squash for a recipe, start by cutting the squash into wedges. Once you've sliced the wedges, you can peel each individual wedge. Lay the wedge so that one side lays flat on a cutting board. Take a knife and cut each wedge into cubes or chunks. You can cut the cubes or chunks to any size you would like. Keep in mind that if you're roasting the squash with other root vegetables, you should keep them all the same size. Cut the squash into rings. When cutting your acorn squash in half, ensure that you cut it crosswise. Once you've scooped out the seeds from both halves, take a sharp knife and cut the squash in half crosswise again. This will make one ring. Continue cutting rings until you reach the end on each half of the squash. You can cut the rings as thick as you like. Many recipes call for the rings to be sliced between 1/2 and inch and 1 inch. Refrigerate the squash. You should use the acorn squash as soon as you've cut it since it will begin to lose flavor and health benefits. But if you can't use the acorn squash the same day you cut it, wrap the squash in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to four days. You can also freeze the cut squash for several months. To do so, wrap the acorn squash in plastic and place it in an air-tight freezer bag. Label the bag and use the squash before you see ice crystals form. Roast acorn squash halves. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (218 C). Rub a few tablespoons of olive oil over several halves of acorn squash with the seeds removed. Sprinkle the flesh with salt and pepper. Place these on baking sheet flesh-side down. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes or until they're soft. If you'd like to try a unique flavor, consider seasoning your acorn squash with one of these combinations: Sesame seeds and cumin Cinnamon and butter Balsamic vinegar and shallots Make an acorn squash puree. For a quick puree, roast the acorn squash in halves. Once the roasted squash is cool enough to handle, just scoop out the flesh and mash it in a serving bowl along with butter, salt and pepper. For an even smoother consistency, you can beat it with a hand mixer. You can also steam the acorn squash before pureeing it. To steam the squash, heat about an inch of water in a saute pan. Add cubed acorn squash and let it cook over medium-high heat until it's tender (about 10 minutes). Cook rings of acorn squash. Take 1/2 inch rings or slices of acorn squash and combine them with a few teaspoons of melted butter or olive oil. Place the squash in a saute pan that you can also place in the oven. Cover the pan and cook the squash over medium-high heat for 15 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake them at 400 degrees F (204 C) for 15 more minutes. If you'd like a slightly sweet caramelized flavor, add a few tablespoons of brown sugar to the squash before you bake them. | Select the right knife. Slice off the ends of the squash. Use a rocking motion to slice halfway through the squash. Scoop out the seeds. Slice the acorn squash. Cut the squash into wedges. Cut the squash into cubes. Cut the squash into rings. Refrigerate the squash. Roast acorn squash halves. Make an acorn squash puree. Cook rings of acorn squash. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Do-an-Aerial-Cartwheel | How to Do an Aerial Cartwheel | To do an aerial cartwheel, take a couple of running steps, then bring up your launching leg. Do a little hop with your rear leg, then plant the forward leg firmly on the ground. Next, kick your rear leg up behind you, immediately followed by your other leg. Swing both legs over your head before planting them both firmly on the ground. When both of your feet are on the ground again, straighten up to regain your balance. | Stand with your legs a shoulder-width apart. Before starting the aerial, find your balance by standing with your legs apart and your arms at your sides. Finding your balance will help you execute the aerial more precisely. Don't do aerial cartwheels on a hard surface. Always do them either outside on the grass or inside on gymnastic mats. Use a spotter who can catch you if you fall. Don't attempt an aerial cartwheel if you are not already proficient in regular and one-handed cartwheel as well as in other advanced gymnastics moves. If you go into doing aerial cartwheels with no prior gymnastics experience, you run a high risk of getting hurt. Take a few running steps. Running before the aerial gives you more speed and momentum, making it easier to perform the trick with no hands. Make sure your steps are even and controlled. Once you master the aerial, you will be able to do it without running first. Running can make it easier to get the momentum you need as you are starting to learn. Bring up your launching leg. After you have taken a few steps, bring up your launching leg, or leg that you want to launch off of for your aerial, so that it's parallel to your chest. As you bring up your launching leg, do a small hop with your rear leg. Keep your hands away from your body, outstretched to the side and level with your shoulders. If you are just beginning, your launching leg should be your dominant leg, which is generally stronger. Think of this as a wind up step which will help you generate the momentum you need for aerial. Plant your launching leg. After you hop with your rear leg, plant your launching leg into the ground. Keep the knee of your launching leg bent and bring your arms down so that they are still out but are level with your waist. Kick up your rear leg. With your leading leg planted, kick off with your back leg. Your torso should now be horizontal to the ground, with your leading leg planted perpendicular to the ground and your other leg swinging up behind you. Swing both your legs over your head. Keep whipping up your rear leg, then launch off your leading leg so that both legs are above your head. Keep your hands in fists if you are tempted to reach out and grab the ground. If you feel like you're going to fall on your head, put your hands down. It's better to be safe than to risk getting hurt. Try to twist your torso so that it is pointed in the direction of travel, with your arms perpendicular from your torso. Keep looking forwards as you go through the aerial. Land onto your first leg and plant your launching leg. To finish the aerial, swing your leg between your outstretched arms and plant it on the ground. If your leg is swinging down and your arms are in its path, move your arms so you don't kick yourself on your landing. Touch down with your launching leg about a foot's distance from your landing leg. Straighten up and use your hands to regain your balance if you need to. You've just finished your aerial! Use a spotter when you are just beginning. When you are just learning how to do an aerial cartwheel, make sure to always practice with someone there to spot you. Have the spotter stand behind you and over to the side in the direction that you will be doing the cartwheel. A spotter can assist you by putting their right hand on your left hip when you are performing the aerial, and catch you when you are finished by putting their left hand on your right hip so you don't lose balance. A spotter can also catch you if you can't complete the aerial and topple over. Practice the aerial from a stationary starting position. When you are just starting learning how to do aerials, it's easier to get the momentum you need by taking a few running steps. As you get comfortable doing aerials, cut out the running and get your momentum through your hop with your rear leg and an explosive take off. Practice doing regular cartwheels. Don't skip practicing regular cartwheels and move straight on to aerials. Knowing how to Do a Cartwheel effortlessly will strengthen your sense of balance and coordination, which is essential in your training. Keep practicing until you feel like you can do a cartwheel in your sleep! A regular cartwheel is the foundation for an aerial cartwheel, and if you don't feel 100% comfortable doing it, you won't be successful in learning an aerial cartwheel. Do a one-handed cartwheel. After you have mastered the regular cartwheel, learn how to Do a One-Handed Cartwheel. A one-handed cartwheel brings you one step closer to your goal and will teach you how to momentum your energy through the cartwheel without using both of your hands. When you practice one-handed cartwheel, switch off between your right and left hands. This will prevent you from becoming dependent on one of your hands for the stunt. Do a one-handed cartwheel and delay putting your hand down. Once you feel comfortable doing one-handed cartwheels, practice doing them and wait until the last possible moment to put down your hand as you flip. This will stop you from using your hand as a crutch so that you get used to the feeling of moving upside down in the air without your hands supporting you. Do dynamic stretches regularly. Dynamic stretches are extremely important if you are starting to learn aerials and other tricks. Dynamic stretches differ from regular stretches because instead of stretching and holding a position, dynamic stretches require you to stretch your muscles through a series of quick movements. Because dynamic stretches mimic the quick motions your body goes through as you do aerials or other tricks, doing these stretches before training minimizes the chance of pulling a muscle or hurting yourself. Examples of dynamic stretches include leg lifts and kicks, body twists and side bends. | Stand with your legs a shoulder-width apart. Take a few running steps. Bring up your launching leg. Plant your launching leg. Kick up your rear leg. Swing both your legs over your head. Land onto your first leg and plant your launching leg. Use a spotter when you are just beginning. Practice the aerial from a stationary starting position. Practice doing regular cartwheels. Do a one-handed cartwheel. Do a one-handed cartwheel and delay putting your hand down. Do dynamic stretches regularly. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Look-Good-in-Middle-School | How to Look Good in Middle School | Looking good in middle school is all about staying healthy and finding your own style. Wash your face twice a day, once in the morning and once before bed, and moisturize once a day to keep your skin clean and glowing. Make sure you get at least 8 hours of sleep a night and drink plenty of water, which will help you look refreshed and energized. You should also exercise a few times a week to help you stay in shape. If you don't enjoy hitting the gym, try doing a sport you enjoy or join a dance or martial arts club. To be stylish in middle school, wear clothes that fit you well, make you feel confident, and reflect your personality. | Get 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night to look refreshed and glowy. If you're consistently not getting enough sleep, you're more likely to have acne or under-eye circles or even gain weight. Snoozing at least 8 hours a night refreshes your skin and gets rid of bacteria. Go to bed 15 minutes earlier every day for a week, then another 15 minutes earlier the next week, etc. until you get to the minimum 8 hours. Stick to a sleep schedule where you go to bed and wake up at around the same times every day, including weekends. As tempting as it is to sleep in, it can make it harder to fall asleep on Sunday night and affect your sleep throughout the week. If you have trouble sleeping, start a before-bed routine that helps get your body ready for sleep so you drift off faster. Include calming activities like taking a warm shower, reading a book, or drinking a mug of chamomile tea. Stay away from screens like your phone and the TV at least 30 minutes before bedtime. The blue light they give off messes with your sleep cycles. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day for clear skin. Not only is staying hydrated important for your body to work best, it also makes your skin more radiant and clears up pimples. Skin cells are made primarily of water, just like the rest of your body, so if you're drinking less than 8 glasses a day, those cells will get dehydrated, making your skin flaky and dry. 1 glass equals 8 ounces (230 g). To make sure you're getting enough water each day, carry around a reusable water bottle filled with 64 ounces (1,800 g) of water. Once it's empty, you'll know you've met your requirements for the day. Your water bottle doesn't have to be plain! Decorate it with fun stickers or draw on it with permanent markers. There are apps like Daily Water Free for your phone that will track how much water you're drinking and even send you reminders throughout the day to drink up. Swap sugary drinks like soda for water. If plain water is too boring for you, add slices of fresh fruit. Exercise for 60 minutes at least 5 days a week to stay in shape. Being active tones your muscles, keeps your body fit, and prevents unhealthy weight gain. Find a workout or activity that you actually enjoy so that you're more likely to stick with it. Some examples include running, yoga, hiking, dancing, or playing tennis. Exercise includes any kind of movement, too, like walking or playing volleyball with your friends in the backyard. Try out for a sports team at school, like soccer or football. Not only is it a great way to stay in shape, you'll make new friends, likely get to travel to different schools, and participate in team events. If there's a particular area of your body that you want to tone or change, add exercises into your routine that specifically target that muscle. For example, if you're unhappy with your stomach, do moves like planks, sit-ups, or crunches. Brush your teeth 2 times a day for a whiter smile. Yellow teeth aren't a good look on anyone. Brighten your smile by brushing when you wake up and before you go to bed to avoid stains or plaque buildup. Instead of sawing your toothbrush back and forth, use a wiggling motion on your teeth as you move the toothbrush in small strokes to get the bristles between each tooth and remove any pieces of food. Whitening strips and toothpaste work well but they're also harsher on your teeth. Ask your dentist before you use one, especially if you have sensitive teeth. Create your own whitening paste by mixing 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of baking soda with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of hydrogen peroxide. Brush the paste onto your teeth for 2 minutes before rinsing your mouth with water. If you have braces, brush extra carefully because food can easily get stuck in the wires. Your orthodontist can recommend ways to avoid stains or spots on your teeth when you have braces. Develop a skincare routine for cleansing and moisturizing your face. For clear skin, wash your face with warm water and a facial cleanser 2 times a day, once in the morning and once at night. After each wash, massage a thin layer of facial moisturizer all over your face. Apply a thicker, heavier duty moisturizer at night to soothe your skin while you sleep. Once a week, use a cleanser with exfoliating beads or a scrub in place of your regular cleanser for a deeper clean. The type of cleanser that's best for you depends on your skin type. For oily skin, look for a cleanser that has salicylic acid to dry up excess oil. For dry skin, pick one that has hydrating ingredients like glycerin or essential oils. Apply toner in between cleansing and moisturizing to remove any extra dirt or oil your cleanser didn't get. Protect your skin from sun damage by always using a moisturizer that's SPF 30 or higher. Don't pick or pop pimples. It will spread the bacteria around your face, leading to more breakouts, or leave scars. If you have skin issues like acne, frequent bad breakouts, or super oily or dry skin, make an appointment with a dermatologist. They can prescribe a medicated treatment to help your skin or at least recommend over-the-counter creams. Trim and shape your nails every 2 weeks to look clean. Long, dirty nails can actually grow bacteria and infections (yuck!). Use nail clippers to keep your fingernails and toenails trimmed short. Smooth out any snags or rough edges with a nail file or emery board. How you shape your nails is up to you. Some people prefer a rounded nail where others like a more squared-off nail. Painting your nails is a great way to show off your personality. Just make sure your paint job is pretty and clean, and remove or fix any nail polish that starts chipping off. If you aren't good at painting your own nails, get a professional manicure at a nail salon. Don't bite your nails. It's an unattractive habit and makes your nails look awful. If you're having trouble keeping your fingers away from your mouth, brush a coat of bitter-tasting nail polish over your nails. Keep your eyebrows and facial hair trimmed and groomed. For your brows, use tweezers to pluck stray hairs along your brow line and in between your eyebrows to create a defined shape and avoid a unibrow. Do this weekly or whenever you notice little hairs popping up. Remove out-of-place hair around your mouth and nose hairs with your tweezers, too. Waxing is another option for removing unwanted facial hair. Do it yourself at home with a kit or go to a salon or spa to have it done professionally. For boys, if you are already growing facial hair, shave and trim it every day so it looks clean and not patchy. Check with your school to see if they have any rules about facial hair and ask your dad to show you the proper way to shave. Decide on what style you want to wear, like preppy or bohemian. Knowing your personal style will help you pick clothes that express your personality. Think about your interests, your friend group, or what's currently trendy. If you love clean, polished clothes in linen and pastel colors, you might go with a preppy or traditional style. If you like dark colors and distressed denim, you might go with emo or urban-chic. Mix and match pieces to create your own style. For example, if you like certain things about the bohemian style and certain things about the sporty style, combine the 2 into your own. Browse Instagram or Pinterest to find outfit inspiration when you're choosing your new look. The #OOTD hashtag (which stands for "outfit of the day") is a good place to start to see what fashion bloggers are wearing. Find clothes that fit your body and aren’t too tight or too baggy. Sleeves that are too long or pants that cut into your waist giving you the dreaded muffin top are not flattering. Buy clothes that fit your body shape and height. You don't want to be constantly pulling at your clothes or completely covering up your figure. If you need to, get your clothes hemmed or tailored to fit. The most important thing about dressing yourself is wearing what you're comfortable in. You'll feel better and, as a result, look better, too. For girls, wearing the right-sized bra makes a major difference. Measure yourself using a tape measure or get professionally measured and fitted at a department store. Don't rely on the size on the label. Sizes vary from brand to brand and store to store. You could be a size 7 in one store but a size 11 in another. Choose your clothes based on fit. Wear clothes that highlight your best features. Think about what parts of your body you like the most. Then look for pieces that play them up, while concealing the parts you aren't so happy with. For example, if you're a girl who loves her legs but isn't a huge fan of her arms, try a short dress with long, flowy sleeves. Or if you're a guy who loves his shoulders but not his stomach, wear a loose tank top to show off your shoulders while hiding your belly. If you aren't sure what your best features are, ask your friends or family for their opinions. Take them with you shopping to get feedback. You don't have to show skin to show off a part of you that you love. For girls, for example, if you like your stomach, a shirt that's cinched at the waist will spotlight your narrow waist without being revealing. Don't feel self conscious if your body is changing. That's natural when you're going through puberty! Pick clothes that make you feel most comfortable with your new body, whether that means covering up a little more or showing off your new curves if you're a girl. Follow the dress code at your school. While you may love crop tops or shirts with funny sayings, you might not be allowed to wear them to class. Every school has a different dress code so ask your teacher or principal for a copy before school starts. Make sure everything you wear follows the rules to avoid getting in trouble. Examples of common dress codes include no strapless shirts or spaghetti straps, no clothing shorter than mid-thigh, no offensive T-shirts, no clothing with chains, etc. If you show up to school wearing something that's against the rules, you'll often be sent home to change or you'll have to wear something from the lost and found to cover up. Choose a haircut that flatters your face shape. Figure out what shape your face is (heart, square, round, etc.), too. Oval faces look good with any cut. Round faces require a slimming cut, square faces need a cut that will soften the harsh edges, and heart faces look best with a cut that balances out the whole face. Consider what kind of hair you have (curly, thin, thick, straight, etc.). Thin hair needs layers for volume while thick hair might need angling and thinning. There are a lot of different face shapes and hair types. Talk to your hairstylist to find out what they recommend for you. Pick something that you think looks good, no matter what anyone else says. Take a picture of yourself and upload it to a website or app that lets you try on different hairstyles. This will let you see what looks good on you before you actually go for it. Get your hair cut as often as needed to keep your style looking good. Boys usually go more (like once a month) whereas girls can go 6 to 8 weeks between cuts. Style your hair every day to look put together. The tangled bedhead look is not what you want to rock. Before school each morning, brush or comb through knots and smooth out frizz before styling your hair. For boys, part it neatly to one side or run some gel or mousse through longer hair for a tousled, edgy style. For girls, wear your hair down or pull it into a ponytail or braid. No matter what style you choose, the important thing is that it's neat. Choose a style that's practical, too. For example, if you hate having your hair in your face, wear it pulled back or tucked behind your ears. Or if you're someone who oversleeps a lot, pick a style that takes less than 5 minutes like a simple messy bun for girls or a quick combed look for boys. If you're a girl with glasses, a high bun or loose waves give you that artsy chic vibe. Bangs are also a cute option to pair with bold frames. Take care of your hair so it’s healthy and shiny. Nothing ruins a look more than split ends or dull hair. Avoid dying it too much, wearing extensions that can pull out your hair, or using too much heat by straightening, blow drying, or curling it. Shampoo and condition your hair regularly and make sure you rinse it thoroughly so you don't get dandruff or a buildup of product. Using a deep conditioner once a week in the shower and heat protectant sprays or serums before styling your hair will also keep your strands soft and smooth. Unless you have very oily hair, you probably don't need to wash your hair every day. For some people, 3 times a week is enough. Ask your hairdresser what they think for your hair type. Keep makeup simple and natural if you want to wear it. You can definitely have too much of a good thing when it comes to makeup. Piling on the powder and eyeliner makes you look fake and clownish. A natural look is much more attractive. Start with a light coverage foundation or BB cream as your base. For your eyes, lightly brush on eyeshadow in a neutral color like a soft brown or cream and apply a swipe of mascara. Finish it off with a clear gloss or nude lip color. Ask your mom or an older sister to help you learn to apply makeup. Avoid heavy powders, bright colors, or too much product. Less is more! Watch video tutorials online or look on Pinterest for inspiration and guidance. Don't be afraid to experiment at home to see what looks good on you. For girls with glasses, focus more on playing up your eyes since they're a little covered by your frames. Some extra mascara will help them stand out behind your lenses. Smile often to brighten up your face. Smiling makes you seem more friendly and approachable. Don't force it, though. A natural smile, where your eyes crinkle slightly and you show a little teeth (if that's comfortable for you), is prettiest. Keep your lips moisturized by putting on chapstick or lip balm often so they aren't cracked and chapped. Practice your smile in front of a mirror or by taking selfies. You'll learn what looks best for you, whether that's a closed vs. open mouth or a slight vs. wide grin. Don't be embarrassed to smile if you have braces. Remember it's just temporary and focus on how amazing your teeth are going to look when you get them off! Stand up straight to look more confident. When you have good posture, you appear more sure of yourself. Fix sloppy slouching by standing with your shoulders back, chest slightly forward, and chin up. Focus on lengthening your spine while you keep your core and abs pulled in tight. Look at yourself in the mirror to check your posture or download an app like PostureZone that will take a picture of you and evaluate your stance. | Get 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night to look refreshed and glowy. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day for clear skin. Exercise for 60 minutes at least 5 days a week to stay in shape. Brush your teeth 2 times a day for a whiter smile. Develop a skincare routine for cleansing and moisturizing your face. Trim and shape your nails every 2 weeks to look clean. Keep your eyebrows and facial hair trimmed and groomed. Decide on what style you want to wear, like preppy or bohemian. Find clothes that fit your body and aren’t too tight or too baggy. Wear clothes that highlight your best features. Follow the dress code at your school. Choose a haircut that flatters your face shape. Style your hair every day to look put together. Take care of your hair so it’s healthy and shiny. Keep makeup simple and natural if you want to wear it. Smile often to brighten up your face. Stand up straight to look more confident. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Letter-of-Resignation-to-Your-Coach | How to Write a Letter of Resignation to Your Coach | If you're leaving a sports team, you can write a letter of resignation to your coach to explain your situation. Start your letter by telling your coach that you're leaving and why. Then, thank them for their time and support. For example, write something like, “I'm writing to tell you that I will be leaving the Basketball team in March as I need to focus on my studies. It's been a pleasure playing with the team and I can't thank you enough for all your support. You've really helped build my confidence and improve my shooting game.” Deliver your letter by hand or get a friend to pass it on for you. | Develop the first paragraph. Be direct and immediately state the purpose of the letter. List the name of the team, how long you have been on the team, and your anticipated last day. Here's a sample first paragraph: “After over a year on the team, it is with great regret that I must announce my resignation from the Pleasantville Lemon Trees Junior Lacrosse Varsity Squad, effective immediately.” The first paragraph does not have to be long. A couple of sentences is fine, unless you have more to communicate. Develop the second and subsequent paragraphs. State why you are leaving using non-accusatory language. This means that you do not want to be disrespectful, sarcastic, or mean-spirited, regardless of what has occurred during your time on the team. While it is fine to be truthful, you should always remain positive. Include your reasons for leaving the team, but be honest. For example: “I need to go to a team where I'll be able to get more playing time.” Mention what you liked about being on the team and any life lessons you learned. For example: “I enjoyed working with you, and I learned a lot under your tutelage. In particular, your comments on both my stick- and footwork have helped me greatly.” Many teams include photos of team members on marketing materials, especially on social media. If you don't want your image to be included in these materials in the future, state so in your letter. Be aware that some prior agreements may allow the team to maintain your image in marketing materials, however. Develop the final paragraph. End your letter by communicating your appreciation for the coach. Remember to be truthful. You can always find something nice to say about a person. You never know when your paths may cross again in the future, and leaving things on good terms could be beneficial down the road. Here is an example: "Coach Allen, I want to thank you again for all your time and help in fostering my early junior lacrosse career." Include your willingness to help the team, if needed, before you depart. Only do this if it's something you're be able to do. Don't make any commitments that you can't keep. Select the platform for writing the letter. You can either write the letter on your computer using the Microsoft Word software application or you can write the letter in an email. If you do not have a computer, you can hand write the letter, but this is not the best option and should only be used if you have absolutely no access to a computer. If you do not have a computer, you can always go to the library because many libraries have a computer center that is open to the public. Usually all you need is a free library card. While Microsoft Word is the most commonly used word processing software, some people also use Pages, which is a software application exclusive to Mac computers. If you hand write the letter, be sure to use good penmanship so that your letter is easy to read. Select the paper. Choose the standard paper size, which is 8 ⁄ 2 by 11 inches (22 by 28 cm). Do not worry about the weight of the paper as long as you use basic printing paper. Usually what you have on hand will work just fine. Establish the document layout. The top and bottom margins should be between 1 and 1 ⁄ 4 inches (2.5 and 3.2 cm). The right and left margins should be between 1 ⁄ 4 and 1 ⁄ 2 inches (3.2 and 3.8 cm). You can use the default margin settings included in most word processors, which is 1 ⁄ 4 inches (3.2 cm) on all sides (right, left, top, and bottom). Use an easy to read font, such as Times New Roman, Arial, Verdana, or Cambria, with a font size of 10, 11, or 12. You can select a different easy-to-read font if you have a preference. Single space the letter and place an extra line between paragraphs. You should also place an extra line after the address and salutation, however, there are four extra lines after the date. Your letter should not be more than one page in length. Add the date. Type or write the date you are creating the letter. The month should be spelled out and the day and year should follow: April 2, 2016. Add the recipient’s contact information. The address should include the recipients name, organization, street address, city, state, and postal code (Mr. Daniel Allen, Pleasantville Lemon Trees, 55 Fifth Avenue, Pleasantville, NY 10570). If the address is not available, you can leave it out and move on to the next step. Add the salutation. Type or write "Dear Coach (last name)." Using this standard salutation, also called the greeting, is good because you want to maintain professionalism. Although “Dear” is appropriate within the context of a letter, it is not necessarily the best salutation if you choose to send your letter in the body of an email. Email messages tend to be less formal and call for a less formal salutation, such as “Hi Coach (last name).” Add the closing. There are many options for the letter closing, but for this scenario, you should use "Sincerely," “Warm regards,” or “Best wishes” to demonstrate your sincerity or positive wishes for the coach and team. Proofread the letter. Anytime you write a letter you should proofread it to be sure that it is free of any errors. When you proofread the letter, read it out loud because you are more likely to identify errors when you speak and hear the words. Print and sign the letter. Print out your letter and sign it with both your first and last name. If you are planning to send your letter by email, a handwritten signature will not be easy to add, nor is it necessary. Deliver the letter yourself. Once you have finished writing your letter, there are many methods of delivery from which to choose. However, the best way is to deliver the letter in person. This will give you an opportunity to speak directly with the coach and answer any questions. You can hand the coach the letter after practice and have a conversation immediately following, or you can discuss the details at a later date. Ask someone to deliver the letter for you. If you do not want to personally deliver the letter, you can also have someone deliver the letter for you, as long as it is in a sealed envelope. Make sure that you can trust this person to deliver the letter. Don't choose someone who may lose or forget the letter. Send the letter by postal service. You can always send the letter by mail if you do in fact have an address for the coach. The best address to use is the address of the school or organization that coordinates the team's activities. Avoid using the coach's personal home address, as this may come off as unprofessional. Send the letter by email. If you choose to send the letter by email, you can send it as a document attached to the email or by writing the content of the letter in the actual body of the email message. Put your name and team name in the subject. Don't use a casual title, like "Hey!" or "Hello." Send a greeting card or thank you note card. Want to do something out of the norm and extra special? Often there is an assistant coach or other administrators who have been particularly helpful to you as a member of the team. You may consider providing a thank you note or greeting card to one or more of those individuals. This is a way of acknowledging a person's kindness in a way that can be memorable and does not take a lot of extra effort or money. You can find inexpensive greeting cards and thank you cards at stores like Target and Walmart, as well as other retailers such as various dollar stores and grocery stores. Examine why you are leaving. When making an important decision, it is best to think about the facts surrounding your decision, such as why and when. This will give you an opportunity to ensure that you are making the right choice. Ask yourself the following questions: Why do I want to leave the team? When do I want to leave the team? For instance, will you wait until the end of the season or leave immediately. List the pros and cons. Grab a sheet of paper and pen or use an electronic notepad to list your answers to the questions below. This will help you to gain confidence in your decision. How will leaving the team positively impact me? (list all of the pros) How will leaving the team negatively impact me? (list all of the cons) Assess the impact on your future. Beyond the pros and cons identified, ask yourself whether or not leaving the team could negatively or positively affect your future (such as your college career). If you are leaving to try another sport or to focus on schoolwork, you should feel confident about leaving because it will be beneficial to your future. If you are leaving because there is a difficult situation that you have not been able to handle, you may consider staying and getting assistance with resolving the problem. Talk to a parent, teacher, or mentor. If you are having a hard time making a final decision, you can speak with an adult whose opinion you trust in order to hear another perspective. They may have ideas or thoughts that you have not considered. Identify a replacement activity. Will you have a new coach, team, and replacement activity that will provide similar or more benefits than those gained in the sport that you are leaving? It may not be a good idea to leave the sport and then have nothing else to do in your free time, or to leave the sport and spend your idle time sitting on the couch or playing video games. Your replacement activity should be of greater benefit to you in the short-term or long-term. | Develop the first paragraph. Develop the second and subsequent paragraphs. Develop the final paragraph. Select the platform for writing the letter. Select the paper. Establish the document layout. Add the date. Add the recipient’s contact information. Add the salutation. Add the closing. Proofread the letter. Print and sign the letter. Deliver the letter yourself. Ask someone to deliver the letter for you. Send the letter by postal service. Send the letter by email. Send a greeting card or thank you note card. Examine why you are leaving. List the pros and cons. Assess the impact on your future. Talk to a parent, teacher, or mentor. Identify a replacement activity. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Care-for-a-Pregnant-Mare | How to Care for a Pregnant Mare | To care for a pregnant mare, keep her away from the other horses in a separate barn to prevent accidental injuries or exposure to disease. Next, fill the stable with straw or hay for bedding and be sure to muck out the stall twice daily. Then, feed the mare small meals of grass or alfalfa every 2-3 hours and give her a salt-calcium-phosphorus supplement once per day. Also, make sure the mare has constant access to fresh, clean water so she can stay hydrated. | Stable your pregnant mare away from other horses, if possible. It's best to keep her in a separate barn. This protects the horse from accidental injuries or exposure to disease. Additionally, it reduces the stress on your pregnant mare. If you can't keep her in a separate barn, choose the stable furthest away from the other horses. It's usually safe to keep your pregnant mare near other pregnant mares who are familiar to her. It's best if each mare is around the same point in their pregnancy. Choose a large stable that provides protection. Your mare must be safe against wetness, heat and cold, as well as potential predators. Your mare will need at least 200 square feet (18.5 square meters) of space to give birth. It's important that your mare move to her foaling stall long before the expected foaling date, as she needs to feel comfortable. If you can, house her there throughout her pregnancy. Stress can cause your mare to lose her pregnancy, so make sure she's as comfortable and happy as possible. Fill the stable with long straw or hay for bedding. Spread the bedding over the floor of the stall, forming a thick layer of bedding. This helps your mare stay comfortable in her stall, plus it helps you better manage her urine and feces. Never use small pieces of bedding, such as wood chips. These pieces can get caught in your newborn foal's nose. Use straw or hay from the beginning of the pregnancy so your mare will be comfortable with it by the time the foaling occurs. Muck your mare’s stall twice daily to keep it clean. Remove any soiled bedding and replace it with fresh bedding. Then, empty the water bucket outside and scrub it down with your scrub brush. Refill it with clean water and return it to the stall. Finally, check that everything is in good working order. This keeps your horse healthy and happy. Disinfect the stall a few days before the expected foaling. Remove the mare from the stall, such as by turning her out in the pasture. Then, remove all of the bedding, as well as the water bucket and feed bag or bucket. Use a mild disinfectant to clean the floor and walls of the stall. Then, rinse the entire stall and let it dry. Fill the stall with fresh bedding and return the water bucket and feed bag or bucket. While the stall dries, scrub down the water bucket. If you use a feed bucket, you'll also want to scrub it down. This ensures your foal is born into a clean, healthy environment. Avoid transporting your horse because it puts too much stress on her. You don't want to stress the mare, as it can cause her to lose the pregnancy. Before you make a necessary transport of the mare, ask your vet to give her a check-up to make sure she's healthy enough for travel. If you need to transport the horse for the foaling, do it at least a month before her expected foaling date. Expect your mare to have a lower appetite because of the foal. As the foal gets bigger, your horse will experience a smaller appetite due to the foal filling her abdomen. However, your horse needs more nutrients than ever, so feed her small, frequent meals. If your mare doesn't eat enough, her body will naturally start to pull nutrients from her fat stores, muscles, and bones. This weakens her, making it harder for her to care for her foal after birth. Feed your mare small meals every 2-3 hours. This helps your mare take in enough nutrients despite her reduced appetite. Feed her as much as she will eat, adjusting as necessary so you don't wind up with soiled, wasted food. Ask your vet for specific feeding recommendations for your mare. She may require more or less food, depending on her starting weight. Normally, mares will gain between 9 and 12 percent of their body weight during pregnancy. Two-thirds of the weight gain will come in the final few months, as the foal grows a lot during that time. Horses at the top of the weight range when they conceive usually need to gain less than horses that were leaner. Provide your mare with plenty of grass or alfalfa throughout her pregnancy. Your horse can graze on fresh grass or eat grass hay or alfalfa. You might provide her all three but at different times of the day, since you're feeding her every 2 to 3 hours. The mare's nutritional needs will remain the same as before she got pregnant until her last trimester. At about the 8th month, she'll need additional supplements to meet her nutritional needs. Give your mare a salt-calcium-phosphorus supplement daily. In most cases, your mare won't get enough of these nutrients through her diet alone. Giving her a supplement throughout the pregnancy can help. You can offer her a salt lick or mix the supplement into her food or water. You can buy a supplement at your local feed store or online. Ask your vet which supplements are right for your horse. Provide a protein supplement starting in the 8th month of pregnancy. Your mare will need a lot of protein to ensure the health of her foal. It's unlikely she'll eat enough food to meet her protein requirements, but a supplement will help. The supplement often comes in pellet form, which you can add to the feed. Look for a protein supplement at your local feed store or online. You can even find supplements that also contain salt, calcium, and phosphorus, as well as protein. This makes supplementing her diet even easier! Provide your horse with constant access to fresh, clean water. Clean and refill the bucket every morning and evening when you muck the stall. If you ever notice the bucket is empty or nearly empty, switch to a bigger bucket or add a second water bucket. Make sure your pregnant mare has her own water source. She shouldn't be sharing with other horses, as the water may be contaminated by their germs. Minimize her exercise during the first 60 days of pregnancy. In the beginning of the horse's pregnancy, there's a high risk that the embryo will die or be reabsorbed. Keep the horse relaxed and minimize her activity. After the first 60 days, she can return to normal activity. Don't ride your horse during this time. Resume riding your horse after the first 60 days, if she allows it. It's normal and healthy for a working horse to carry riders during pregnancy. Maintaining the mare's normal activity level will help her have a healthier, happier pregnancy. As long she is willing to hold you, you can ride your horse. You can ride your mare until the 8th or 9th month of pregnancy. If your horse shows any discomfort or resists being ridden, don't try to mount her. Additionally, call your equine vet to get her checked out to make sure she's doing well. Return to your mare's normal activity level for months 3-8 of pregnancy. After the first 60 days of the pregnancy, your mare doesn't need to rest and relax. In fact, denying her exercise could lead to complications and will make your horse very unhappy. Your horse will naturally start to slow down late in her pregnancy, so don't worry about curtailing her activity. Let her tell you when she's too uncomfortable for normal activity, which will happen in the 8th or 9th month of pregnancy when the foal is rapidly growing. You'll notice that she's slowed down and doesn't want to be as active. Walk your mare for 15 mins 2-3 times a day during the third trimester. A paddock or pasture is the best place to walk your mare. Gently lead her at her own pace, as she's likely to walk slowly since the foal is getting big. It's also okay to let her self-exercise, as long as she's in a familiar paddock or pasture. If you don't have a paddock, your mare may get enough exercise just by grazing in a pasture. Your mare will need less exercise during the final 3-4 months of pregnancy. However, she still needs to move around. Don't ride your horse during the third trimester. Deworm your pregnant mare every 2 to 3 months or as advised. Mares are very susceptible to worms, which can also affect the growing foal. Most dewormers are administered orally using a syringe or by mixing it into the mare's food. You should deworm the mare 2-3 days after the foaling to protect her milk, regardless of when her next deworming is scheduled. Most dewormers are safe for use on pregnant mares, but always read the label to make sure. If you have any questions or concerns, call your vet for assistance. If you normally deworm your mare more often than this, stick to her regular schedule. Expect your vet to administer the EHV-1 (rhino) vaccine at day 90 or day 150. This vaccine protects against equine herpes virus-1, which can cause a spontaneous abortion. The earliest your vet can administer the vaccine is day 90 of the pregnancy, but they may wait until day 150, depending on the mare's health. Your mare will receive an EHV-1 vaccine booster on day 210 of the pregnancy to boost their protection against the virus. Administer vaccines for encephalitis and tetanus within the last 3 to 6 weeks. Your vet will vaccinate your pregnant mare against tetanus and Eastern, Western, and West Nile encephalitis. This will protect both your mare and the newborn foal, who will have a weak immune system. Your vet will help you decide the best time to administer the vaccines to your mare. Normally, they'll do it in the last month of pregnancy. However, they may adjust the schedule if your mare needs more vaccinations. Ask your vet if your horse needs other vaccinations in the final month. Since foals have weak immune systems, you might vaccinate your horse against other diseases in the final month. However, your vet might determine that this isn't best for your horse. They'll base their decision on the health of your pregnant mare, the health of your herd, and the potential for disease to spread in your area. For example, you might also vaccinate your mare against flu, HV-4, rabies, strangles, rotavirus, and Potomac horse fever. If your vet decides to give your mare multiple vaccines, they may split them up. For instance, they'll likely give the first round 6 weeks before the expected foaling and the second round 3 weeks before the foaling. Wash your mare with a horse shampoo a week before foaling to remove germs. Your horse needs to be clean for the foaling so that the foal doesn't come into contact with germs or bacteria. You don't want to risk infecting the foal. Rinse your horse with warm water, then use a clean sponge to create a lather with the soap. Rinse the soap away, then apply a conditioner if you have one. After your rinse away the conditioner, you can dry off the horse with a large towel. It helps to wash the horse in sections. For example, you might wash the left side, followed by the right side. Then, you could wash the face and neck. Clean your mare’s udders with warm water and soap. Mix the soap into the warm water. Then, rinse your mare's udders with warm water. Using a sponge dipped in the soapy water, gently wipe down your mare's udders. Separate the folds on and around the udders to make sure you get them clean. Then rinse the area with warm water. Use a light, gentle stream of water, as a hard stream of water will cause your horse discomfort. Your foal will be nursing on the udders, so it's important that they're clean. Use a mild soap, such as horse shampoo. Wash your mare’s genitals to protect the foal. Wet the genital area with warm water, then use a clean sponge dipped in warm, soapy water to clean the outside of her genitals. Then, use your fingers to gently turn the lower part of her labia inside out so you can remove the waxy buildup inside it. Finally, rinse the entire area with warm water. Never, ever put soapy water in your mare's vagina, as this can cause an infection. Only clean the outside of her labia. Be careful when cleaning your mare's genitals, as she may attempt to kick you. Tie up the mare’s tail when she goes into labor so it’s out of the way. Fold the tail up so it's shortened. Then, wrap clean plastic wrap around the tail to keep the area sanitary and hold in the hair. Secure the plastic wrap around the tail with rubber bands or additional plastic wrap. Tie it in 2 or 3 spots to make sure it won't come loose. Make sure your ties aren't too tight and take down the tail shortly after the foaling. Otherwise, you might accidentally cut off circulation to the tail, which can permanently damage it. | Stable your pregnant mare away from other horses, if possible. Choose a large stable that provides protection. Fill the stable with long straw or hay for bedding. Muck your mare’s stall twice daily to keep it clean. Disinfect the stall a few days before the expected foaling. Avoid transporting your horse because it puts too much stress on her. Expect your mare to have a lower appetite because of the foal. Feed your mare small meals every 2-3 hours. Provide your mare with plenty of grass or alfalfa throughout her pregnancy. Give your mare a salt-calcium-phosphorus supplement daily. Provide a protein supplement starting in the 8th month of pregnancy. Provide your horse with constant access to fresh, clean water. Minimize her exercise during the first 60 days of pregnancy. Resume riding your horse after the first 60 days, if she allows it. Return to your mare's normal activity level for months 3-8 of pregnancy. Walk your mare for 15 mins 2-3 times a day during the third trimester. Deworm your pregnant mare every 2 to 3 months or as advised. Expect your vet to administer the EHV-1 (rhino) vaccine at day 90 or day 150. Administer vaccines for encephalitis and tetanus within the last 3 to 6 weeks. Ask your vet if your horse needs other vaccinations in the final month. Wash your mare with a horse shampoo a week before foaling to remove germs. Clean your mare’s udders with warm water and soap. Wash your mare’s genitals to protect the foal. Tie up the mare’s tail when she goes into labor so it’s out of the way. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Pumpkin-Pie-Spice | How to Make Pumpkin Pie Spice | To make pumpkin pie spice, mix ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, ground mace, and allspice in a bowl. For a more flavorful pumpkin pie spice, use freshly ground spices. When you're finished, add your pumpkin pie spice to your recipe, or you can store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a year. | Measure all of the spices into a bowl. Put 1 tablespoon (8 g) of ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons (2 g) of ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of allspice, 1/2 teaspoon(1 g) of ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of ground mace or cardamom, and 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of ground nutmeg into a bowl or dish. It's fine to use purchased, ground spices although freshly ground spices will have a more pungent flavor. You can easily scale the recipe up. Just double or triple the ingredients and put them in a larger bowl. Whisk the spices until they're combined. Break up any lumps and keep whisking until the spices are a uniform brown color. If you don't have a whisk, use a spoon or fork instead. Store the pumpkin pie spice in an airtight container at room temperature. Use a small jar or old spice container with a sturdy lid. Keep the pumpkin pie spice out of direct sunlight so the spices stay flavorful for longer. Consider using a funnel to transfer the spice into the storage container or jar. Try to use the pumpkin pie spice within 1 year. Use 1 3/4 teaspoons (8.5 g) of spice in pumpkin pie. Instead of measuring cinnamon, ginger, and cloves as called for in a recipe for pumpkin pie, use the spice mix. Stir the spice into the filling mixture until it's incorporated and then bake the pie according to your recipe instructions. Beat 1 teaspoon (1.8 g) of spice into whipped cream or frosting. Make your favorite buttercream or whipped cream even more flavorful. Add the spice to heavy cream or your buttercream ingredients and then beat the mixture until the cream is whipped or the frosting is fluffy. To make pumpkin pie spice cream cheese, soften a package of cream cheese until it's at room temperature. Then beat in pumpkin pie spice and sugar according to your taste. Spread the cream cheese on bagels. Brew pumpkin pie spice coffee or stir it into hot cocoa. Prepare your coffee as you normally do, but add 1 tablespoon (6 g) of pumpkin pie spice in with the coffee grounds. The spice will flavor the coffee as it brews. If you prefer, stir 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 g) of spice into your favorite hot cocoa. You can also stir pumpkin pie spice into white hot chocolate. Blend 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 g) of spice into batter for baked goods. For every 1 cup of batter, add 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 g) of spice when you mix in the dry ingredients. Pumpkin pie spice is great in pancakes , waffles , muffins, and quick breads. Try adding pumpkin pie spice to granola. Drizzle the oats with a little maple syrup to add sweetness. Mix 2 teaspoons (4 g) of spice into roasted vegetables. Cut your choice of vegetables into 1 to 2 in (2.5 to 5 cm) pieces and place them on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the vegetables with oil and toss them with the pumpkin pie spice. Roast the vegetables at 350 °F (177 °C) for 20 to 40 minutes. Consider using a mix of carrots, sweet potatoes, and onions. You can also blend pumpkin pie spice into blended vegetable soups such as sweet potato, potato, or cauliflower. Toss 1 1/2 tablespoons (8 g) of spice into 8 cups (64 g) of popcorn. Make or buy 8 cups (64 g) of popcorn and place it in a large bowl. Drizzle a little butter over the popcorn and sprinkle the pumpkin pie spice over it. Use your hands or a spoon to toss the seasoning into the popcorn. For a sweet popcorn, make a quick caramel sauce and pour it over the popcorn. Then toss in the pumpkin pie spice and white chocolate chips. | Measure all of the spices into a bowl. Whisk the spices until they're combined. Store the pumpkin pie spice in an airtight container at room temperature. Use 1 3/4 teaspoons (8.5 g) of spice in pumpkin pie. Beat 1 teaspoon (1.8 g) of spice into whipped cream or frosting. Brew pumpkin pie spice coffee or stir it into hot cocoa. Blend 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 g) of spice into batter for baked goods. Mix 2 teaspoons (4 g) of spice into roasted vegetables. Toss 1 1/2 tablespoons (8 g) of spice into 8 cups (64 g) of popcorn. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Be-More-Loving | How to Be More Loving | To be more loving in your relationship, try doing the little things that your partner likes, like back rubs or holding hands in public, even if it means stepping out of your comfort zone. Over time it will become easier, and your partner will feel more loved because of it! You can also show your partner that you love them by being more attentive to their wants and needs. For example, make an effort to ask them about their day after work or school, and really listen to what they have to say. Even just using a cute nickname for your partner or complimenting them can go a long way in making them feel more loved and satisfied in the relationship. | Serve others. Learning to give your time and energy in service to a just cause does not only create a better world, it also provides great personal satisfaction and helps you be more loving. Identify a cause you believe in and locate a related volunteer organization in your area. For instance, if you're passionate about animal rights and environmentalism, you could volunteer with your local animal shelter or conservation group. Reflect on your personal mistakes. Taking time to consider occasions in which you acted out of spite, hate, or anger. Thinking about these failures, both big and small, and recognizing that you were in the wrong, will lead you to act in a better, more loving way in the future. While you should not hold on to or obsess over your mistakes, it is important to reflect on them to discover how you can respond in more loving ways in the future. For instance, if you got angry at a coworker and yelled at him, think the situation over to find out both how you can make it right and how you can avoid repeating the same mistake next time. Perhaps you'll conclude that when you feel angry, instead of responding immediately, it's best if you take five minutes to practice deep breathing exercises and calm down before confronting someone who frustrates you. Surround yourself with people who are loving. Love is infectious. When you are around people who are full of love for you, themselves, and others, you will have a hard time not becoming more loving yourself. Find friends who support you and minimize the time you spend with negative, spiteful individuals. Practice forgiveness. Even if someone blatantly disrespects and dislikes you, you should be prepared to forgive them. To be more loving, you must let go of hate and anger. This applies not only to others, but to yourself, as well. Don't hold on to your failures. Learn from them, then let them go. Picture your negative memories and thoughts as little red balloons. In your mind's eye, imagine you're letting them go and watching them float up into space until they are out of sight. Write down positive experiences. At the end of each day, write down the best things that happened during the day in a journal. Writing down information makes you more likely to retain it, so by writing down positive experiences, you'll be able to act in a more loving way. For instance, you might write, “My friend Abu is so kind. I am thankful to have a friend like him.” Actively making a note about your appreciation for your friends, family, and coworkers -- as well as nonhuman good things like animals, the sun, and earth -- can help you become more loving. Let go of fantasy love. This version of love is less focused on actions and more focused on an intangible feeling. While love does have an important emotional aspect, love is also about acting in a loving way. By recognizing that loving actions are an essential ingredient to real love, you can begin to let go of the notion that love exists only or primarily as a feeling. The fantasy of love dictates that when people love each other, they never fight or say anything hurtful. Letting go of this fantasy will also help you realize that even though you love your partner, they are not perfect. This realization will allow deeper intimacy as you begin to see your actual, not idealized, partner. Evaluate your your actions. One of the big obstacles to becoming more loving is believing that you are already loving someone at an adequate level. However, your actions tell you a lot about what you really feel and think. Think about the way you act in order to discover if you are acting in a loving way. Even if you believe, “I am a good partner and give lots of love to my partner,” upon reflection you might reconsider this belief. For instance, do you respect your partner's wants and needs? Do you show him or her affection? Do you say kind things that encourage them to become the best person they can be? Carefully reflect upon your behavior to discern whether or not you could be more loving. In order to avoid biasing the evaluation in your favor, ask for input from your partner. Ask him or her, “Does my behavior demonstrate that I love you?” Use their feedback when considering your actions. Don’t expect anything in return. If you do something nice for your partner or someone else, don't hold it against them by expecting them to do something nice for you in return. To be more loving, give without any thought of reward for yourself. Love should not involve keeping score on either conflicts and negative interactions, or on good things, gift-giving, and positive interactions. If you love someone, share with them all that you can within reason. However, don't let yourself be taken advantage of. Ensure your needs are met, as well as your partner's. Be more hopeful. Everyone struggles with self-doubt and internal criticism. Perhaps you hear a small, critical voice attacking you or your partner. “She/He is a loser. You can do better,” or “This relationship will not work out. Being honest with her/him will only lead to disappointment” are examples of the kinds of lies we've internalized due to bad experiences in the past or critical parents or family members. Letting go of this baggage can help you become more loving. Don't listen to internal negative advice, even when it seems convincing. When you find you're doubting yourself, counter these thoughts with positive, constructive thoughts like, “I have value and am not afraid to love my partner more.” Voice therapy -- the process of saying these negative beliefs and criticisms out loud, then answering them with your real opinion -- can help give you more hope. By taking a chance with someone and opening up to them, you might end up getting hurt emotionally, but you might also inspire them to be more honest and open with you, thus deepening your relationship. Take comfort in the fact that anyone who uses your honesty and vulnerability to criticize or disparage you does not love you, and you should feel good about leaving them out of your life. Grow as a person. If you are unhappy with yourself, you will have difficulty loving others. Many people spend their lives trying to find the right partner and wondering why they cannot find someone they really love. Start by identifying your own values and what you enjoy doing, and then live your life in alignment with these things. By engaging in activities you enjoy, it will be easier for you to be more loving towards other people. Get an education. Learning more can deepen your understanding of yourself and your place in the world. While you could go to college, a good place to start is the public library. Check out books on a variety of topics, splitting your time equally between fiction and nonfiction. Gain fulfilling employment. When you are engaged in work you feel proud of, you'll have many opportunities to build your own sense of self-worth as you rack up accomplishments at work. Accept yourself. Be honest about your likes and dislikes. Don't pretend to like football, for instance, just to impress your family or friends. Know who you are and be honest about it with yourself, then share who you really are with others. If you have flaws, be conscious of them and try to improve yourself. Do not compare yourself with others. Instead, compare yourself only with your past self, and aim always for progress, rather than perfection. Accept your feelings. If you feel angry, hurt, or sad, be honest about it and tell your partner how you're feeling. Don't put up a front in order to pretend that something hurtful your partner said didn't hurt you.]] At the same time, be honest about feeling positive emotions like love, admiration, or affection. No matter what you're feeling, find positive ways to express it. If you're feeling hurt, for instance, don't call your partner names or throw their belongings out the sixth-story window. Instead, confront them directly and say, “I'm really upset by what you said. I think you were being unfair and I deserve an apology.” Give your relationship your best shot. Holding back positive, loving emotions prevents us from loving as much as we could and should. Sometimes in order to love as well as possible, we need to step out of our comfort zones. For instance, if your partner really feels loved when you hold his or her hand when walking around town, but you think holding hands is childish, try to change this belief and behavior within yourself. Showing that you love someone in new ways can deepen the relationship and allow you to be more loving. Stay attentive to your partner’s wants and needs. If you make the relationship all about you, it will be hard to know how to be more loving of your partner. Ask your partner each day after work or school how they're feeling and how their day has been. Show your concern and listen to what they have to say. Ask relevant follow-up questions when they share interesting details with you. Do little things your partner likes. Everyone has different ideas about what actions demonstrate love. Ask your partner about what kinds of behavior they consider loving. For instance, perhaps your partner thinks holding the door open for him/her is loving, or feels really loved and close to you when you give them back rubs. Instead of just assuming that fixing your partner's computer for them will demonstrate that you love them, ask them directly about what actions they consider loving. Use pet names with your partner. Many couples like to call each other “honey,” “sweetie,” or some equally cute term of endearment. You could even use an inside joke to give your partner a silly pet name that only they will understand. Support your partner. Showing support to your partner is obvious and important during times of crisis, such as when his or her parents pass away, or when they crash their car. However, you can also be more loving toward your partner by demonstrating some simple everyday forms of support. When you partner wants to try a new sport, for instance, you should not make fun of them or criticize their effort to expand their horizons. That would not be a loving act. Instead, encourage them to pursue their interests as long as they remain, safe, healthy, and happy. You can also offer emotional support your partner when your partner is having a bad day. Sometimes, showing you support your partner is as simple as listening to what they have to say and telling them you're concerned about their plight. Avoid accusatory language. When expressing yourself to your partner, avoid “you” statements, as in “You never listen to me.” Instead, focus the conversation on your feelings, thoughts, and ideas. Use “I” statements, as in, “I wish we could find a way to talk more honestly with each other.” Communicating with “I” instead of “you” will reduce likelihood of conflict and increase the good, loving feelings you and your partner have for one another. Make time to talk to your partner. Everyone is busy. Finding time to communicate with your partner in a healthy, productive way can be difficult, even if you do sincerely love each other. To communicate in a more loving way, ensure that you make time for one another either at the start or end of each day (or any time in between). Sustained, structured time to simply sit down with your partner and talk about whatever you have on your minds can bring you closer together and help you become a more loving couple. Don't talk about anything difficult when either of you are tired. Being tired means you'll feel more stressed and impatient during the conversation. Focus on your partner during conversations. Don't look at your phone, computer, TV, or tablet. Instead, sit with them and stay focused on them and the conversation at hand. You could do this over dinner, in the living room, during a walk, or in some other venue. Wherever you choose to spend time talking to your partner, ensure you focus on them. Resist the urge to win every fight. When you and your partner are arguing, sometimes both of you inadvertently escalate the argument to the point where it becomes difficult to disengage. Both of you become more and more angry, and feel the need to win. This is an unhealthy communication pattern. Becoming conscious of it and working to change it will help you become more loving. For instance, next time you and your partner are arguing, just say, “Look, I'm sorry. Let's not argue any more.” Walking away makes you the bigger person. Don't look at it as giving up. Letting things go takes strength and builds character. It says that you love the person you're fighting with more than you love being right and winning. Some battles are worth fighting. Don't compromise on your principles or let your people walk all over you. Choose wisely when you decide to fight to the end. | Serve others. Reflect on your personal mistakes. Surround yourself with people who are loving. Practice forgiveness. Write down positive experiences. Let go of fantasy love. Evaluate your your actions. Don’t expect anything in return. Be more hopeful. Grow as a person. Accept yourself. Accept your feelings. Give your relationship your best shot. Stay attentive to your partner’s wants and needs. Do little things your partner likes. Use pet names with your partner. Support your partner. Avoid accusatory language. Make time to talk to your partner. Focus on your partner during conversations. Resist the urge to win every fight. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Sneak-Past-Your-Home-Security-System | How to Sneak Past Your Home Security System | Sneaking past surveillance cameras in your house can be difficult, but if the camera is angled downward, try to stay as far away from it as possible. Stay close to furniture or walls to avoid being detected. If a camera is pointing into the distance, you might be able to sneak past it by flattening yourself against the wall underneath it. To get past window or door alarms, first figure out if it's a magnet alarm, which will look like a small metal box, or a button alarm, which will usually have a thin, plastic casing. You can try to bypass a magnet alarm by attaching a fridge magnet to the box and making it think the door is closed while you open it. For a button alarm, slide something between the two halves of the casing and hold it there to block the button. When you open the door, tape over the button so it thinks the door is closed. | Identify your ideal escape route. You'll find the magnet sensors of most alarms on the windows and doors of your home. You'll want to choose a door or window that's easy to access and escape through. For windows, you'll also want to consider your path after you exit. Second story windows can be difficult to safely get down from without extra tools, like a ladder. Because of this, these windows should be avoided. If you plan to leave through a window, your best choice may be one that's ground level and roughly chest height. Inspect the alarm mechanism to verify it's magnetic. Generally, magnet sensors will look like a small metal box. In some cases, this may have exposed pieces of magnet, which are usually dark in color. The sensor will have two parts. One will be stationary, and the other will be attached to the movable part of your door or window. When the magnetic bond between the fixed and movable parts of the sensor is broken, the alarm will be activated. Magnet sensors are almost always placed on the frame of the door or window at the top, bottom, or one of the sides. Some magnetic sensors cannot be bypassed because they are placed inside the door jamb and the door. Use a magnet to bypass the sensor. You should be careful when attempting this, as some sensors are higher quality than others and this technique may not always work. However, in some cases, you may be able to place a fridge magnet on the sensor to trick it into thinking the door or window is closed even when open. For more sophisticated magnet sensors, you may need to use tools, like a screwdriver, to remove the movable part of the sensor on the door or window. Then, place it onto the stationary sensor to make it think the window is still closed. Before you remove any parts of the sensor, you might first want to take a picture of it with your cell phone. This way, you'll have a reference photo if you have to put it back together later. You may be able to check whether or not your fridge magnet works by applying it to the sensor and running a check on your security system, if that feature is available. If the sensor reads as closed when the fridge magnet is in place and the window open, this technique should work. Return the door or window to normal. After you come back, you'll want to re-engage your alarm to prevent burglars from using your temporary escape route. To do this, simply return your door or window to the fully closed position and remove the magnet you used to trick the sensor. If you removed the movable part of the sensor because your system was more sophisticated, all you have to do is refasten that part into place. If you have difficulty remembering how to reinstall the mechanism, consult the picture you took earlier. Determine your exit point. Button alarms, much like magnet alarms, are also common for windows and doors. Choose an exit point that is easily accessible, like one that is free of clutter and opens easily. For windows, you should prioritize those that are chest high, as these will pose less of a risk for falling injuries. Falling from a second story window or higher could cause serious injury or death. For this reason, you should avoid windows this high. Familiarize yourself with the alarm. Push button alarms will oftentimes have a thin, plastic casing that has a button built into it. When a door or window is opened, the button is released and the alarm is activated. In many cases, the button will be in the center of its casing and positioned in such a way that when fully closed, the door or the window fully presses it. Some button sensors may have a casing that contours itself so that the sides of the casing form a cradle for the door or window. The button for the alarm is often located in the center of this cradle. Block the button. By placing an object over the button to keep it engaged, you can fool your button alarm into thinking that the window or door is still closed. Depending on your situation, how you do this may vary. In some cases, you might: Open the door or window in extremely tiny increments. Once the button is accessible, but still engaged, use a popsicle stick to hold the button down and keep the alarm from sounding. Use stiff card stock for sensitive alarms. Even opening your door or window a tiny amount might cause sensitive alarms to sound. Use a thin piece of stiff material, like card stock, and wiggle it between the space between the button and the door or window to hold the button in place. Fasten your button blocker. To prevent setting off the alarm after you leave, you'll need to fasten your button blocker in place to prevent the alarm from activating. In most cases, you should be able to use a durable tape, like duct tape, to hold your button blocker in place and keep the button pressed. Many doors and windows are painted. Be careful when applying tape to these surfaces. Sometimes the tape can damage the paint job when you pull it free. For more permanent disabling measures, you may want to glue your button blocker in place. However, doing so will make this point more accessible to burglars as well. Remove your button blocker when the alarm is disengaged. Your button blocker may be obvious on your window, so you may want to remove it after you're done bypassing your alarm. Since removing your blocker while the alarm is activated may result in you setting it off, you may want to wait until the alarm is turned off before you remove your blocker. Scout the environment. Some cameras are stationary, but others move to pan a wide view of a location. You'll have to study the camera to determine the range of its view if you're going if you're going to sneak by it without being seen. Some cameras will be oriented at a single important point, like a corner, door, or entrance of a walkway. These may only narrowly focus on that point. Others may focus on a wide/long view, like down a hallway or even the side of a building. In many cases, there will be other items in the environment, like boxes, chairs, tables, and so on. You might be able to creep behind these to hide from the camera. Chart your course. If you've noticed the camera is angled downward, you may be able to pass by undetected by giving it a wide berth. If the camera is pointing in the distance, you may be able to creep close to the wall outside its view. Planning possible routes before attempting to sneak could reveal even better paths for you to take. It may help to draw potential routes past the camera on a piece of paper to evaluate your options. Make a simple drawing of the environment, shade the likely area of the camera's vision, and draw lines to represent possible unseen paths you can use. Some cameras may have be equipped with wide angle lenses to give a broader view. To account for this, you should make the suspected field of vision for the camera slightly larger than you originally think. Err on the side of caution when sneaking. You might feel silly flattening yourself against the wall at the base of a camera to inch past it without being seen, but if even a piece of clothing or a limb is caught on film, you could be busted. For this reason, you should always give potential areas of the camera's vision as much cushion space as possible. Before sneaking, you may want to imagine the view from the camera's perspective as a final check to see if you've overlooked something. When sneaking behind objects, like desks and chairs, try to stay as close to the item as possible. This will cut down the angle of visibility of overhead cameras. If sneaking behind objects, like desks and chairs, mind that gaps don't give you away and make yourself as small as possible to prevent a limb or piece of clothing from getting caught on camera. Return with caution. When coming home, especially after a fun time with friends, it can be easy to forget the camera and pass by it like you might normally. You'll have to creep by the camera in the same fashion you did while leaving for there to be no trace of your passing. | Identify your ideal escape route. Inspect the alarm mechanism to verify it's magnetic. Use a magnet to bypass the sensor. Return the door or window to normal. Determine your exit point. Familiarize yourself with the alarm. Block the button. Fasten your button blocker. Remove your button blocker when the alarm is disengaged. Scout the environment. Chart your course. Err on the side of caution when sneaking. Return with caution. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Diagnose-Ingrown-Eyelids-in-Dogs | How to Diagnose Ingrown Eyelids in Dogs | To diagnose ingrown eyelids in dogs, check to see if there are any signs of eye irritation, like watery eyes, red eyes, or squinting, which could mean that your dog has an ingrown eyelid. Also, see if your dog is scratching or rubbing their eyes regularly since this could be a result of discomfort from an ingrown eyelid. If you notice any of these common signs, make an appointment at a vet so they can assess your dog through either a visual examination or using an opthalmoscope. | Pay attention to excessively watery eyes. The signs of an ingrown eyelid are usually linked to eye irritation. Thus, dogs with ingrown eyelids tend to have a permanently watery eye on the affected side. This is the eye's way of trying to get rid of an irritant. The moisture from the eye is never successful at getting rid of the irritation, so the watering continues indefinitely. Notice squinting. A dog with an ingrown eyelid may squint and hold the eye partially closed. Having the eyelid closed may give the dog a bit of relief from the irritation associated with an ingrown eyelid. However, dogs with this condition do not always squint, as they may have lived their whole life with an uncomfortable eye and are acclimated to the discomfort. Look for red eyes. This is another sign that your dog's eyes are irritated. Your dog's eyes may become red due to an ingrown eyelid because the surface of the eye may be constantly rubbed by the eyelashes from the under-turned eyelid. This constant rubbing can even lead to corneal ulcers , which is when the clear surface of the eye is worn away and eroded permanently. Keep an eye out for unusual scratching or rubbing of the eyes. Your dog may feel irritation on its eyes and rub or scratch them to relieve that discomfort. Some dogs will blink more regularly than you might expect, rub at the eye with a paw, or even push the face along the ground. These are all signs that there is an issue in your dog's eye. Be especially vigilant looking for signs in wrinkly breeds. Some dog breeds are prone to having excessive amounts of skin on their faces and they also tend to have too much skin in the eyelid. This extra skin is on the outer surface and has a tendency to cause the eyelid to 'scroll' inward toward the eye. Think breeds with wrinkly faces, such as bulldogs, basset hounds, shar pei, pugs, Japanese chins, Pekinese, and bloodhounds. Look for signs in other specific breeds. There are some breeds that seem to be over represented when it comes to entropion. This may be because the condition is genetic and these breeds tend to be bred only with like breeds, to keep the breed pure. These include (but are not limited to): Cocker and Clumber Spaniels Dalmatians Rottweilers Akitas American Staffordshire bull terriers Poodles Great Danes Pyrenean Mountain dogs Bernese mountain dogs Golden Retrievers Labradors Take your dog to the vet. If you see any of the signs of an ingrown eyelid you should have your dog checked out by a vet. He or she will be able to assess and treat your dog's condition. Assessment is done by observation, both by looking at the dog with the naked eye, and by using the magnification of an ophthalmoscope to look closely at the leading edge of the eyelid. Some vets will double check their observations by putting a few drops of local anesthetic into the eye. This is because general eye pain can sometimes cause the dog to squint and, in some cases, cause the eyelids to appear as if they are ingrown. However, if the pain is removed and the eyelid still lies in an abnormal position, then it is confirmed that the entropion is due to extra skin, rather than muscular contraction due to pain. Watch the vet examine your pet. This will help you to know exactly what is going on with your dog. For example, when the vet is looking with the naked eye, the vet may press gently with a thumb just below the eyelid in order to 'take up the slack' of any spare skin. It can then be possible to watch the eyelid unfurl into a more normal position. This will help you to understand the condition better. Follow your veterinarian's treatment recommendations, if you can. Treatment for an ingrown eyelid is a surgical procedure where a sliver of skin is removed from just below the eyelid. This rectifies the excess skin and allows the eyelid to sit in its intended position. This procedure is called a blepharoplasty. Surgery for your pet can be expensive. If you don't have the financial resources to pay for surgery for your pet, discuss other options with your veterinarian. This may include giving your dog treatment for pain and discomfort. Some pet insurances can help with the cost of surgery. The insurance needs to have been purchased before your pet has a major health problem, but if you already have it in place it can offset the cost of surgery. | Pay attention to excessively watery eyes. Notice squinting. Look for red eyes. Keep an eye out for unusual scratching or rubbing of the eyes. Be especially vigilant looking for signs in wrinkly breeds. Look for signs in other specific breeds. Take your dog to the vet. Watch the vet examine your pet. Follow your veterinarian's treatment recommendations, if you can. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Win-at-Sports-Betting | How to Win at Sports Betting | Winning at sports betting takes time and dedication, but there are some strategies that you can use to increase your chances of winning. Always bet with a clear and focused mind, so bet sober and avoid betting on home or favorite teams since this could cloud your judgment. As you start betting more, open a specific bank account and put enough money in it to cover an entire season or year. Additionally, create accounts with a few sportsbooks, which you'll need to place bets. When you're ready to place your bets, make sure to only move forward if you're confident. Another way to win at betting is to create a betting schedule so you don't wind up betting on every game. | Open a specific bank account. To really make money on sports betting, you have to be dedicated, so it's a good idea to have a special account that's only for placing bets. When you open this account, be sure you invest enough money to cover your bankroll for an entire season or year, not just a single game. To ensure you have enough money, multiply your base bet by at least 100, and that's the minimum amount you should keep in this account at all times. If you're new to sports betting and don't know your base bet, put in whatever money you have set aside for this venture and determine your base bet on the size of your bankroll (each bet should represent one to two percent). Create accounts with a few sportsbooks. In order to place bets, you have to have an account with at least one sportsbook, though it's ideal to have at least three, because then you can compare offerings and place smarter bets. Some sportsbooks also offer signup bonuses, so be sure to shop around. Most sportsbooks are available online these days, and some of the more popular sites include: Bookmaker Bovada Betonline Learn to make smart bets. There are a number of rules that apply to this, and while some are about the numbers, others are about which teams you should and shouldn't bet on. For instance, while each bet should represent about one to two percent of your bankroll, you can reduce this to 0.5 percent if you aren't confident about a bet. Similarly, you can increase the bet if you're very confident, but never place a bet that exceeds four percent of your bankroll. There are also some experts who say never to place a bet if you aren't confident, because it's better to walk away and find a better bet that you feel good about. Many experts recommend not betting on your home team in any sport, because your bias can cloud your judgement, and this can lead to great losses. Create a betting schedule. Don't just bet on every game: every week, look at the upcoming games and pick the ones you want to bet on based on your confidence in the potential bet. Don't be afraid to walk away from a bet right before the game. Odds change, lines change, and point spreads change, and if you're no longer confident about a bet, either don't make it or reduce the bet. Don’t chase bad bets. This refers to the practice of trying to recoup losses from a previous bet with more betting. It's dangerous to do this because many people will set aside good judgement and place more bad bets in an attempt to win back what was lost, and this results in further losses. The opposite is also true: don't chase a good bet (one where you won) with more bets in an attempt to win more or double your money. Have a betting schedule or routine and stick to it. Bet sober. This refers to betting with a clear mind and focus. Many people will read this and think it is common sense but you would be surprised how many people break this rule. Emotions can get the best of all of us, and bad decisions can be made from those emotions. "Going on Tilt" was a term developed when sports bettors let their emotions cloud their best resulting in losing their bankroll. Understand moneylines. The moneyline is a plus or minus number associated with each team involved in a particular match, and it refers to either how much you have to bet to win $100 or how much you'll win if you bet $100. For instance, if a moneyline is Toronto Maple Leafs -200 and Vancouver Canucks +155, it means you have to bet $200 on the Leafs in order to win $100, or you have to bet $100 on the Canucks to win $155. The team associated with the minus number (the Leafs) is the favored team, while the team associated with the plus number (the Canucks) is the underdog. Many gamblers bet on the moneyline in hockey and baseball, because the scores are lower and point spread betting doesn't make as much sense in these games. However, you can bet on the moneyline for almost every sport. Learn about point spreads. Point spread betting is more popular in games where there's a larger gap between the final scores. In a point spread bet, you don't just bet on whether a team will win, but also whether that team will win by a specific amount. For instance, if a point spread is Detroit Lions +4, New England Patriots -4, you would bet on whether you thought the Lions would win and if they'd win by more than four points. Again, the team associated with the minus is the favorite and the team associated with the plus is the underdog. Understand parlays. Parlay betting involves making multiple types of bets on the same game. For example, if you combined a moneyline bet and a point spread bet on the same game, this would be a parlay bet. These bets often offer large payouts, but they require a great deal of accuracy. Shop for the best lines. This is where having accounts with multiple sportsbooks will come in handy, because some will offer better moneylines on the same games, meaning you have to risk less for the chance to win the same amount of money. The best time to line shop is about an hour before a game. To get the best value, consider opening accounts with at least three books. Make bets based on the odds. Betting with your head instead of your heart is all about making smart bets based on odds rather than emotions. Sometimes it's a good idea to bet on the numbers rather than who you think will win, because this can represent a better value if the odds are in your favor. For instance, if you're betting on a baseball game and think the Yankees are going to win, you might still be better off placing your bet on the Jays if the odds are right. Don’t be afraid to bet on the underdog. This doesn't mean betting on a long shot, but rather betting on the underdog when the odds are right. Sometimes, the favored team is chosen based on popularity rather than skill, so it doesn't necessarily mean the favorite will win. Take advantage of matched betting. Matched betting involves taking advantage of the bonuses and incentives offered by books to place bets for and against the exact same event. For instance, in a basketball game between the Raptors and the Knicks, you would place a bet for the Raptors and then match that same bet against the Raptors. Matched betting is all about taking advantage of free bets and betting for both possible outcomes on the same game, so this type of betting is as near to risk-free as you can get in gambling. | Open a specific bank account. Create accounts with a few sportsbooks. Learn to make smart bets. Create a betting schedule. Don’t chase bad bets. Bet sober. Understand moneylines. Learn about point spreads. Understand parlays. Shop for the best lines. Make bets based on the odds. Don’t be afraid to bet on the underdog. Take advantage of matched betting. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Say-Dad-in-Spanish | How to Say Dad in Spanish | To say "dad" in Spanish, say "papá," pronounced pah-PAH. Or, you can say "padre," pronounced PAH-dray, which is more formal and means "father." If you wanted to say "stepfather," you would say "padrastro," pronounced pah-DAH-stroh. | Pronounce papá correctly. The word looks similar to the English word "papa," which is also a word for "dad." However, the accent mark over the second syllable tells you that you need to place the emphasis on the second syllable, not the first. Each syllable is pronounced the same, but you want to put more emphasis on the second syllable, maybe even drawing it out a little: pah-PAH. There's another reason pronunciation is important. "Papa" is a Spanish word as well, but it means "potato." Even though a Spanish speaker would likely understand what you meant, you probably don't want to call anyone a potato. Include the article el (ell) when using the word papá in a sentence. All nouns in Spanish are gendered. Papá is masculine, so it takes masculine articles. "El" means "the." You also could use "un," which means "a." For example, you might say "Ha de ser el papá de Pedro" to mean "He must be Pedro's dad." Refer to elders as "papá. " In some Spanish-speaking countries, it is considered appropriate to use papá as a form of address for older people, even if you aren't related to them. This is particularly common in Central America. It's typically best not to do this unless you hear locals doing it first. Even then, you may want to first ask about the custom. Pronounce padre correctly. Padre is pronounced PAH-dray, with the emphasis on the first syllable. The word literally means "father," and refers to a male parent. The same word is used for religious leaders, especially in the Catholic church. Adults typically use the word padre when speaking about their fathers. Some may continue to use the word papá into adulthood, especially in Latin America. Use the definite article "el" (ell) with padre. Padre , like papá , is a masculine noun that takes masculine articles. You should always use the definite article when you're using the word padre as a title, such as for a founder or religious leader. For example, you might refer to the priest at a local church as "el padre." The phrase is also used by some Spanish speakers to talk about their boss or the owner of a company. Say padrastro (pah-DRAH-stroh) for "step-father. " The word shares the same first syllable with the word padre. An instance of how this word would be used would be "Juanjo es el padrastro de Tania," or "Juanjo is Tania's stepfather." Call a boyfriend "papi" (PAH-pee). In Latin America, particularly Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, papi is used as a slang nickname for a boyfriend – or a cute guy who you'd like to be your boyfriend. In Puerto Rico, papi isn't just used to refer to romantic partners – it's also used between friends. When a man calls another man "papi," the usage is similar to "mate" or "bro." Refer to a good-looking man as "papi chulo" (PAH-pee CHOO-loh). The word chulo means "cute" or "handsome," so the phrase literally means "handsome daddy" or "cute daddy." When used to talk about a cute guy or a romantic interest, it means something more like "mac daddy." This nickname is particularly popular in the Dominican Republic, where you'll likely hear it frequently. Be careful about using the word chulo in other countries. In some places it's considered an insult. Try papito (pah-PEE-toh) as slang for "daddy. " Papito literally means "little daddy." As slang it is another word used for a male romantic partner or a guy you're flirting with. It may be used to refer to an actual father, but normally only by young children. You can also use papi for "daddy." | Pronounce papá correctly. Include the article el (ell) when using the word papá in a sentence. Refer to elders as "papá. Pronounce padre correctly. Use the definite article "el" (ell) with padre. Say padrastro (pah-DRAH-stroh) for "step-father. Call a boyfriend "papi" (PAH-pee). Refer to a good-looking man as "papi chulo" (PAH-pee CHOO-loh). Try papito (pah-PEE-toh) as slang for "daddy. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Draft-a-Roommate-Agreement | How to Draft a Roommate Agreement | A roommate agreement is a contract that states everyone's financial obligations as well as expectations for sharing the space and household chores. It's best to draft a roommate agreement when all your roommates are present so everyone can agree on the terms. You'll want to include how you're dividing up the rent, who paid the security deposit, and a plan for what happens if 1 roommate wants to move out before the lease is up. You should also jot down how you'll split up utilities like water, heating, electricity, and the internet. Besides financial responsibilities, you'll need to include a guest policy, like how late people can visit and if you can have overnight guests. It's also important to divide up household chores and cleaning duties. You may want to include additional rules, like if alcohol, smoking, or parties are allowed. Make sure everyone signs the agreement and gets a copy for reference. | Recognize the difference between a lease and a roommate agreement. Before you sit down with your roommate to draft and sign a roommate agreement, it's important that you both understand a roommate agreement is separate from your lease. A lease is a legal relationship between the tenants and the landlord. A roommate agreement is a relationship between the individual tenants and is not considered a legally binding document. Instead, a roommate agreement will allow you and your roommate to agree on the terms of living with each other. You can use the roommate agreement as a reference if there is a dispute between you and your roommate. But the roommate agreement cannot be used in court to collect overdue rent. Your lease can be used in court during an eviction lawsuit for overdue rent. It is usually not possible to have more than one tenant name on the lease. Discuss the legal implications of this with your roommate before you sign the lease. Make sure you are both willing to commit to a roommate agreement. You and your roommate should understand that the rules and terms of the agreement are not legally binding, but they should be followed in good faith. The agreement will help make your living conditions clear and amicable. The terms in the agreement should be followed by both of you whenever possible. If a dispute arises, or a conflict, be sure to discuss it together and edit or adjust the roommate agreement if needed. Sit down together and draft an agreement. Set aside one to two hours of time, before moving day, or within a few days of moving in together, to draft the roommate agreement together. This will ensure you both have a say in the agreement and are clear on the rules and terms of the space. If possible, sign the lease and the roommate agreement at around the same time. This will help you start your roommate relationship on the right foot and hopefully prevent any conflicts or disputes in the future. State your names and the address of the residence. Start the agreement by writing the names of both roommates and the complete address of the residence, including the unit number of the apartment if you are living in an apartment building. Agree on the division of the rent payment. Specify the exact amount of rent each roommate will pay each month. This could be an equal division of the total rent, for example, $1400/2, so $700 each a month. You and your roommate may agree to a different arrangement if your roommate has a bigger room in the residence. The roommate with the larger room may pay more rent than the roommate with the smaller room. Write down the amount of rent each roommate will pay for the duration of the lease. This will ensure there will be no confusion at the end of the month when rent is due. You should also include a note about the security deposit for the residence and the amount of the security deposit. In most cases, the security deposit is the total rent amount for the residence. Write down if one roommate or both roommates paid the security deposit and how much each roommate paid. This will make it easier to divide the security deposit among you and your roommate once you both move out of the residence and get the deposit back from your landlord. Note what happens if one roommate wants to terminate the lease. If your roommate wants to move out before the end of the lease, you should specify if it is her responsibility to find a new roommate for the residence. You should also note if your roommate will be responsible for paying rent until she finds a new roommate, even if she has already moved out. This will protect both of you from having to shoulder the full rent amount on your own if either of you moves out suddenly or wants to break the lease. Make a note in the agreement that all roommates must approve the replacement roommate before they can move in and take the departing roommate's space. Most landlords require their tenants to notify them of all new roommates before the new roommate moves in, and must approve of the new roommate. Specify the monthly amount for utility charges. Write down the percentage of the utility bills each roommate will pay. Utilities could include heating (gas), water, and electricity, or just electricity if heating and water is included in your rent payment. If you and your roommate are splitting the utilities equally, each of you would pay 50% of the amount. Write down the monthly amount on the agreement so it is clear what is owed at the end of each month. You should also note how much each roommate is paying for cable/internet/phone (if there is a landline). Usually cable or internet is in one roommate's name and the other roommate pays their roommate a certain amount each month. Write down the amount to be paid to roommate #1 by roommate #2 for cable/internet and the date this will be paid (usually the last day of the month). Outline the living arrangements. Note how the bedrooms in the space are going to be allocated. For example, roommate #1 gets the first bedroom and roommate #2 gets the second bedroom. You should then note the common areas in the residence. For example, the bathroom is shared, the kitchen is shared, and the living room is shared. If there are shared appliances in the kitchen, you should also include them in the roommate agreement. If there are any areas that are off limits to a roommate, note these in the agreement. For example, you may want to use a spare room as your office. This would be a private space and not shared by you and your roommate. Agree on the rules for overnight guests, or visiting guests. One of the biggest potential sources of conflict for roommates, beside late rent payments, are the rules around guests staying in the residence. Discuss if overnight guests are allowed in the residence and if so, how long the guest can stay at the residence. For example, you and your roommate may agree on one night maximum for overnight guests. You should also include a note about visiting guests such as out of town visitors or family members. Note how long the visiting guest can stay at the residence, or agree to treat each visiting guest on a case by case basis. You may include a provision that both roommates have to agree on the duration of the visit before the visitor arrives. Divide the household chores and cleaning duties. Make a list of all household chores and duties in the residence, and divide them among you and your roommate. Most chores will be in shared spaces like the kitchen and the bathroom. Be as specific as necessary about the division of the household chores and duties to prevent any conflicts in the future. You and your roommate may want to create a cleaning schedule where you alternate the cleaning of the kitchen and the bathroom, as well as taking out the garbage and the recycling. You may both agree to maintain the living room by tidying throughout the day, and to always wash your dishes after you finish cooking a meal in the shared kitchen. Note the rules around alcohol, smoking, and parties or entertaining in the residence. Specify if drinking is allowed in the residence, and if smoking is allowed in the residence. Keep in mind most landlords do not allow smoking in the building and may withhold the security deposit if they find out you or your roommate smoked in the residence. As well, you and your roommate should discuss the rules around entertaining and having parties in the residence. Your roommate may need to get up early on Saturdays for a job, for example, so you may both agree to gatherings at the residence up until 10 pm on Friday nights. You may then need to leave the residence to continue partying so your roommate can get a good night's sleep. Some landlords frown on noise after 10 pm in the residence, so keep this in mind when you are drawing up the rules around entertaining and parties. Add any additional notes, specific to the residence. If your residence comes with a parking spot, you and your roommate should discuss if you will rotate using the parking spot or if only one of you will use the parking spot. As well, if one or both of you have pets (and pets are allowed in the building), agree to both clean up after your pets. You should both be responsible for your own pets, especially if they will be living in the shared areas of the residence. Sign the agreement and make copies for each roommate. Once you have drawn up the agreement, preferably typed up on the computer, print it off. Read over the agreement before you sign it to ensure you have covered everything. Scan or photocopy the original signed document, or print two copies and sign them both. You and your roommate should each have a signed copy of the roommate agreement, in case of a dispute or conflict. | Recognize the difference between a lease and a roommate agreement. Make sure you are both willing to commit to a roommate agreement. Sit down together and draft an agreement. State your names and the address of the residence. Agree on the division of the rent payment. Note what happens if one roommate wants to terminate the lease. Specify the monthly amount for utility charges. Outline the living arrangements. Agree on the rules for overnight guests, or visiting guests. Divide the household chores and cleaning duties. Note the rules around alcohol, smoking, and parties or entertaining in the residence. Add any additional notes, specific to the residence. Sign the agreement and make copies for each roommate. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Mice | How to Get Rid of Mice | To catch and get rid of mice, buy live traps and wear gloves to place bait, like peanut butter or cheese, inside. Set the traps near droppings or the nest and set mice free in the woods when you catch them. For a natural solution, try placing crushed bay leaves, mint, or a sponge saturated with peppermint oil in the corners of your home. These items can repel mice, so put them in places where you've seen mice before. To kill mice, set out snap traps, making sure to throw them away and sanitize the area afterwards. To ensure that mice don't return, sanitize your home and clean out clutter in the corners, where mice might nest. | Look for droppings. Check for mouse droppings near common problem areas, such as kitchen cabinets or in your pantry. Inspect the area for dark droppings that look like grains of rice and are about ⁄ 16 – ⁄ 4 in (0.5–0.6 cm) long. Droppings that are wet and black are fresh while older ones are dry and have a lighter gray color. The presence of droppings can also indicate that there's a crack or hole in the room through which mice can enter. Listen for scratching or squeaking near sunrise and sunset. Mice are the most active 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise since they're nocturnal. Listen for light scratching or scampering sounds near your walls or in areas where you suspect mice. If you hear multiple squeaks or noises, you may have more than 1 mouse in your home. Common areas where you may hear mice include basements, attics, and kitchens. Look for dime-sized holes in your walls near the floor. If mice are living in your walls, they may have chewed through the drywall to get into your home. Inspect corners in your home or underneath cabinets to see if you there small holes with smooth edges. If you notice any holes, then mice can easily get in and out of your home. Don't forget to inspect outside your home as well since mice may be coming in from the wild. Watch along interior walls or ledges for mouse pathways. Mice usually follow the same pathways while they run through your home, so you may be able to see common problem areas. Usually, the runs are along interior walls or on ledges surrounding your home. Look for oily rub marks on the wall to see if mice have been in the area. You may also notice droppings or urine stains along the pathways as well. Look for any small, sudden movements you notice in your home since they could be mice. Look for signs of a nest in attics or basements. Mice will build nests when they breed so they have a comfortable space for their young. Check for round nests made of cardboard, fabric, and other scrap materials in your attic, basement, and underneath your cabinets. If you find a nest, contact a professional exterminator immediately so they can get rid of it properly. Mice chew through cardboard boxes and items of clothing to use as materials for their nests. Look for tiny holes in the pile of clothes you've left sitting in the back of your closet. A musty smell might also indicate the presence of a mouse nest. Get live traps if you want to catch mice humanely. Put the traps along any mouse pathways you found in your home or near problem areas along the wall. Place a bit of peanut butter or cheese inside the trap so mice are drawn to the scent. Each live trap is different, but you'll be able to visually see if the trap is set or if it's empty just by looking at it. Once a mouse has been caught, take the trap to a field about 2 mi (3.2 km) away so it doesn't return to your home. Wear gloves when baiting or handling traps so the mice can't detect your scent. Some live traps only catch 1 mouse while others can catch multiple mice. Choose the type of trap that works best for you. Experiment with different types of bait, like marshmallows and jelly, to see if the mice like a different flavor. Use snap traps to kill the mice immediately. Set the snap trap in an area along the wall or on a pathway you've found earlier. Place a bit of bait, such as peanut butter or jam, on the bait pad. Pull the U-shaped wire piece back and hold it down with one hand. Use your other hand to set the metal bar onto the latch with the bait. When the mouse steps on the trap to eat the bait, the wire will snap down on the mouse and kill it. Make sure to throw out snap traps as soon as mice are caught, and sanitize the area afterward. Be careful while setting the trap since the U-shaped piece is spring-loaded and will close quickly. Don't keep snap traps in areas where pets or small children could reach them since they could get hurt. Move your traps every 2-3 days. Check your traps twice a day to see if you've captured any mice. If you haven't caught any mice in the traps within a few days, move them to a different area of your home where you suspect mice have been. Since mice often use the same paths, they're more likely to return to the area. Mice travel 20–30 ft (6.1–9.1 m) from their nest every night. If you've found a nest in your home, keep the traps close by. Use a baited poison as a last resort. Look for poisonous bait traps in the pest control section of your local store. Place the traps in areas where you notice activity, such as behind a cabinet or in your basement. When a mouse eats the bait, they will slowly die as the poison digests. Some poison bait traps also capture the mice so they can't run away after they eat it. Keep poison traps away from pets or small children since they could get extremely sick if they eat it. Don't keep the poison near any food items since they could cross-contaminate one another. Clean your house frequently. After you eat or prepare a meal, be sure to do your dishes immediately and clean up after yourself. Don't leave any food scraps out overnight since mice may try to find food on your countertops. Go through your house daily to sweep or vacuum any dirty areas to help deter mice from coming in. Cleaning your house won't stop mice entirely, but it eliminates any food sources they may have had. Declutter your home since mice are usually attracted to dark, unused spaces. Keep any loose food in airtight containers. Make sure all grains, nuts, and other dry goods are stored in tightly sealed containers. If the container isn't sealable, use plastic wrap to cover it instead. This will help block the scent so mice can't smell it as well and protects your food. Transfer open food from boxes or bags into a different container so mice can't smell them. Don't leave bread or fruit sitting out on the counter for more than a day or two. Either put them in a container or in your refrigerator. Clean your pantry and cabinets often. Make sure crumbs, dried juice, and other stray bits of food don't sit on your kitchen floor. Remain vigilant and observe any signs of pantry raiding by the pesky critter, then provision to eliminate the opportunity for the mouse family to dine. Seal any entryways into your home so mice can’t get in. Look for holes inside and outside your home where mice may enter from. Cover any cracks or holes you find in your walls with ⁄ 4 in (0.64 cm) mesh so mice can't get through it. Make sure entrances from your chimney or pipes leading outside are also covered with the mesh. You can also stuff any holes you find with steel wool since mice can't chew through it. Make sure the gap under your door isn't providing a convenient entrance for mice. Mice usually don't live inside your home. Instead, they visit regularly for food. Spray entrances and problem areas with peppermint oil to deter the mice. Mix 2 tsp (9.9 ml) of peppermint oil and 1 c (240 ml) of water in a spray bottle. Spray along the pathways and areas where you've noticed mice actively going. The strong scent of the peppermint will deter the mice away from the area. Reapply the spray every few days so it stays fresh. You can also leave cotton balls soaked with peppermint oil along common mouse pathways for 1 week at a time. Bring a cat in your home to scare the mice away. Cats are natural predators of mice, and just having one in your home can scare mice away. Let your house cat spend time in the room where mice are present so it can spread its scent. Mice will be able to sense a predator and avoid the area from now on. You can borrow a friend's cat for a few days to help scare the mice away. Mice may still hide in areas where the cat can't reach, such as an attic. | Look for droppings. Listen for scratching or squeaking near sunrise and sunset. Look for dime-sized holes in your walls near the floor. Watch along interior walls or ledges for mouse pathways. Look for signs of a nest in attics or basements. Get live traps if you want to catch mice humanely. Use snap traps to kill the mice immediately. Move your traps every 2-3 days. Use a baited poison as a last resort. Clean your house frequently. Keep any loose food in airtight containers. Seal any entryways into your home so mice can’t get in. Spray entrances and problem areas with peppermint oil to deter the mice. Bring a cat in your home to scare the mice away. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Fall-Out-of-Love | How to Fall Out of Love | While it can be incredibly painful to face your feelings when a romance doesn't work out, try to give yourself some time to grieve. Allowing yourself to be sad is an important first step in falling out of love. Another way to help the healing process is to reflect on the relationship, taking time to think about both the good and bad aspects of it. As you're grieving, spend time alone and don't pressure yourself into looking for a new relationship. However, if you need support, don't hesitate to reach out to friends or family to talk. Getting your feelings out can also be cathartic, so try expressing yourself by journaling or doing something creative, like playing music or painting. | Allow yourself to be sad for a while. Falling out of love is a process of grieving a lost relationship. It is normal to feel that loss deeply. If you try to act normal and pretend that you're not hurt, you will have a greater emotional struggle. The healthy way to begin to fall out of love is to be sad for a little while. Give yourself time to process your feelings of loss. If you can, take a few days off of work, and do whatever brings you comfort (as long as it is not harmful). Watch sad movies, sleep, or eat some ice cream. If it becomes unbearable, remember that pain does eventually get better. Reflect on the relationship. To let go of the relationship properly, you need to acknowledge that there were good things and bad things about being in love with that person (because there always are). Appreciate the good things but remember the bad things too; you'll need to think about the new opportunities that will be open to you now. In the heat of grief, it's likely that you are romanticizing the person and forgetting about his or her flaws and weaknesses. It's important to remember both. Try to be grateful for the ways that your love changed you and helped you to grow as a person, but also recognize if there are areas where it hindered your growth or made you into someone you don't want to be. These are lessons you can take with you as you grow and learn. Be alone for a while. Don't rush into another relationship or distract yourself constantly with friends and activities. You need to process and deal with the pain you're in if you want to be able to fall out of love in a healthy way. Balance your time between thinking about what you want and what you need and then pursuing those things, and seeking emotional and social support from friends and family. Of course, if you feel that you need someone to talk to, it's okay to spend time with close friends. Find someone understanding who will let you vent about the relationship, but who will also tell you the truth about what they see from their perspective on the outside. If you're open to advice, the good advice of a trusted friend can help you to reassess your loss and think about your future. Don't spend too much time dwelling on the breakup, what went wrong, or what your ex is up to. Instead, focus on yourself and how you can move forward. Get your feelings out. A big part of the healing process can be expressing your feelings. You don't need to share these feelings with anyone unless you want to, but at least getting them out will help you. You can keep a journal, write poetry or short stories, draw a picture or a painting, write or learn to play a song, or take up spoken word poetry. These creative efforts will let you express your pain while also making something beautiful out of your experience. If you feel uninspired or are not the artistic type, visit a museum, theater, or concert. Sometimes seeing or hearing other artists' interpretations of heartbreak helps you to understand it as a universal experience that binds you to the rest of humanity and, as painful as it may be, makes life worth living. After all, if you never experienced loss, then you never truly loved. Keep the important things. When you are trying to move on and get back to life, an important thing to do is to not over-react and get rid of everything that reminds you of that person. Keep a few reminders of the best part of your experiences with that person, such as that shell you found on the beach or a photograph of you together at that New Year's party, in order to keep a positive and healthy perception of that relationship. While keeping these things is a good idea, you may not be ready to see them right now. Put the items you keep together in a single location and then put them somewhere out of the way. You can take them out again when you've emotionally recovered. This includes digital items, which can be similarly saved and stored out of the way on your computer. Get rid of everything else. Once you've picked out the things to keep, you'll want to get rid of everything else. In order to truly get over someone, you need to be able to avoid seeing constant reminders of that person in your day-to-day life. If you have a bunch of the other person's stuff, give it back. Untag yourself from pictures with him/her on Facebook, delete the pictures off of your own Facebook that remind you of him/her, and generally do away with extra digital items as well (saved voicemails, for example). Keeping items like this has been found in studies to prolong the grieving process and make it more difficult to recover. Don't check up on the person. In order to get over someone, it's important to sever ties, at least until you are in a safe emotional place and can be friends again (if you decide that's what you want). In addition to being an emotional state, love causes chemical changes in your brain similar to a drug addiction, and every time you see your ex or are reminded of him/her, it satisfies the craving just enough to reinforce the addiction. Don't go out for coffee, don't call, don't text, don't ask your friends about what the other person is doing. Stop thinking about the other person and start thinking about you. Experts recommend at least a 30-90-day break from all contact with the other person. Unfollow/friend the person on social media. Keeping an eye on him/her, intentional or not, is not healthy and will make it more difficult for you to fall out of love with the person. Break your social media ties with him/her (at least for now) so that you can think about more healthy things, like taking care of yourself. Avoid mutual friends for a while. Hanging out with mutual friends so soon after trying to cut ties will make it harder for you emotionally. Explain to them that you need a bit of a break and to spend some time away from them until you feel a little more stable. Good friends will understand. This may include mutual friends on Facebook, especially if you have friends who tend to post a lot of photos of your ex. Seeing or hearing little reminders of your relationship is likely to prolong the grieving process. If you can't cut off ties with mutual Facebook relationships, just temporarily block them from your newsfeed or take a social media break until you've had time to heal. Give it time before being friends again. If you had a really good relationship and things ended on good terms, or even if you were just always good friends, it's probably a good idea to still give it some time before you two act like friends again. Spending time together immediately will make it very difficult to force yourself out of love with the person. For many people falling out of a very intense love, it may take several years before you are able to be close friends again. You may find that you have to wait until both of you are in love with someone else and in committed relationships before you are comfortable being friends again. For others, it's impossible to ever be friends again, especially if the break-up was not mutual. Explore yourself. Without this relationship to cloud your judgment, you'll be able to get a much better picture of who you are as a person. Explore your strengths and weaknesses. You might want to rethink your priorities or goals in life. Maybe you thought you wanted one thing when you thought you'd be with that person for the rest of your life, but maybe now you'll want something else. Friendships are a good thing to explore in this instance. You may find that while you were in love you let certain friendships lag that you really don't want to lose. This is a great time to try to repair them. Think about who you were before you met your ex, and reclaim your single self. Maybe he or she was not into theater, and you are; maybe he or she liked your hair long, but you preferred it short. You may have put hobbies, friends, or parts of your personality on the back burner while you were with your ex, and now that you are single again, you should feel free to choose which aspects of your former self you want to hold onto. Be independent. Being in love tends to make you very dependent on that person, but if you want to be happy and have better luck in future relationships, you'll need to improve your ability to be on your own. In being more self-reliant, you'll have more confidence and remind yourself that you're strong and capable all on your own. Do things for yourself now. Think of yourself as free. Do things that you have always wanted to do but never got the time. Try taking yourself out for dinner or a movie. This is even better if you eat food or see a movie you want, but you know your former love would have hated. Try new activities. These new things to do will not only make you happy because you're getting out and enjoying new things, they'll also help you forget your former love and learn to be happy on your own. You can pick up a new hobby, volunteer, or teach yourself a new skill. Or learn something new from the internet. You never know what you might love to do next. Travel as much as you can. Traveling is a sure way to build new memories and experiences, both positive and negative. In having these new experiences to focus on, you'll begin to forget (or at least become less focused on) your past experiences and troubles. Remember, travel doesn't have to mean hopping on the next plane to Paris; you can travel locally too! The important part is to get out and go to places and do things you've never done before. Accept that it wasn't meant to be. An important part of moving on is to accept that it wasn't meant to be. You have to understand that if that person couldn't love you or if that relationship was making anyone unhappy, then things would not have gotten better and in the end you would not have been happy. You deserve to be in a relationship where that person loves you as much as you love him or her and that you fulfill each other like no one else can. Be thankful for the good things that came out of the relationship, like a chance to know your own heart better and to learn what you need in a partner. Then, when you are grateful that you had the chance to love this person, you will be able to truly heal from your grief, because you will know that the grief served a purpose. Meet new people. Unless you are content with being single, you must put yourself out there if you want to find a better match for yourself. This can take time and you shouldn't rush it. Don't force anything; just go out when you feel like going out and don't do anything that makes you uncomfortable. You can meet new people by going to bars and clubs, joining a church or civic group that share your interests, or volunteering. Also, keep your eyes open at work, school, or in the community for people you may have overlooked in the past. Be friendly and open to new people. Date again. Falling in love, or at least realizing that there are other people to fall in love with, is an important part of learning to leave that other love behind. You don't have to date seriously; in fact, it's better if you date casually for a little while. Many people will need a rebound period and it is better if you don't break someone else's heart by being unable to commit. You will know you are ready to date again when you can say that you truly love and respect yourself. The truth is, we attract people to us who will treat us like we treat ourselves. If you are full of self-pity and self-doubt, it will be impossible to attract the kind of person who will love you for who you are. Realize you don't have to make yourself fall out of love. While not having love work out can be very painful, this doesn't mean that you have to fall out of love. If it was true love, you may very well never be able to fall out of love. However, you can move past that love, live your life fully without being dependent on it, and find new love to enjoy. Don't let your heart fill with hate or negative feelings. Under no circumstances should you attempt to move on by trying to make yourself dislike the person you loved. If she/he hurt you or harmed you, you are perfectly allowed to be angry. However, it is healthy to forgive the other person, not for him/her, but for you. Letting all that hate into your heart is toxic and may ruin both your enjoyment of your life and your ability to have healthy future relationships. Don't go looking for faults in the other person. Certainly don't make lists of everything that was wrong with him or her. Don't make yourself hate the other person. Don't force yourself to think that you're better off. These things will only create negative emotions within you, not open you up for positive experiences. Fall in love again. Falling in love again will be the final piece in letting your heart heal. New love will renew your faith and show you just how wonderful love is. More importantly, you should find love with someone who can return your feelings in a way your former love couldn't. This is what you deserve! When you've finally met someone who knows you and loves you for who you are, don't feel bad about falling in love with someone else. You are not betraying or belittling your past feelings by finding new love; even books of fairy tales have more than one story in them, and our hearts are books with many pages. That said, if you don't fall in love again for a long time, this doesn't mean that something is wrong with you. Some hearts take longer to heal. Just focus on making yourself happy. | Allow yourself to be sad for a while. Reflect on the relationship. Be alone for a while. Get your feelings out. Keep the important things. Get rid of everything else. Don't check up on the person. Avoid mutual friends for a while. Give it time before being friends again. Explore yourself. Be independent. Try new activities. Accept that it wasn't meant to be. Meet new people. Date again. Realize you don't have to make yourself fall out of love. Fall in love again. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Plastic-Bag-Poncho-for-Your-Dog | How to Make a Plastic Bag Poncho for Your Dog | To make a plastic bag poncho for your dog, start by drawing a long, horizontal line across the bottom of a plastic bag. Then, hold the bag against your dog, and trace holes for its head and tail. Next, cut along the lines you drew, and discard the excess pieces of plastic. Finally, drape the poncho over your dog so its head and neck are sticking out of the hole at the front and its tail is sticking out of the hole at the back. | Choose a small garbage sized plastic bag. The plastic bag will need to cover the entire length of your dog. Look for a garbage bag that will be the right size for your dog, depending on whether you have a small, medium, or large dog. If possible, use a thicker garbage bag, such as a heavy duty garbage bag, for durability and to make the poncho more resistant to water. Gather the rest of the supplies. To make the plastic poncho, you will need a pair of scissors and a marker that is a different color than the color of the plastic bag. You will use the marker to note where you will cut the bag when you measure the bag against the shape and size of your dog. Find an open area. You will need to lay the bag down flat on the ground and cut it, so look for an area in your home or your backyard that is open and easy to move around in. You will also need your dog to stay in one spot while you measure the bag against his body so you may want to choose a spot in your home that you dog is comfortable in or likes. Make one long horizontal line across the bottom of the bag. This cut line will open the bag up on the long side so you can drape the bag over your dog's body. The long strip of plastic will then act as the belt to keep the poncho attached to your dog. Using a cut line across the bag, starting from the closed end to the open end, will reduce the time it will take to get your dog's legs into the poncho. Rather than have to make four holes in the bag for his four legs, you can simply place the poncho over your dog so his body and legs are covered by the bag. Call your dog over and command him to stay. To make sure the poncho fits your dog properly, you will need to get your dog to stay in one spot and remain still as you measure the bag against his body. If your dog doesn't like to remain in one spot for an extended period of time, you can use small treats to encourage him to stay still for at least three to five minutes. Hold the plastic bag against your dog’s body. This will help you measure the dimensions of the poncho so it fits your dog properly. Hold the marker in the other hand as you note where you are going to cut the plastic bag. Using your dog as a marker, draw a half circle shape on the top corner of the bag, along the closed part of the bag, so your dog's neck and head can fit through the poncho. Make sure the circle is big enough to fit your dog's head and neck comfortably. You will then need to draw a longer half circle on the back end of the bag so there is enough room for your dog's bum and tail. Use your dog's body as a marker to ensure the longer half circle is big enough for your dog. Cut the marked lines on the plastic bag. Once you have your cut lines, place the plastic bag on the ground or on a table and cut along the marked lines. Place the poncho on your dog. Once you have cut the poncho to fit your dog's measurements, place it on your dog so your dog's body is covered by the poncho. It should drape over him like a sheet. His tail, neck, and head should all remain outside of the poncho and go through the half circles you made on the bag. Take the long strip of plastic and wrap it around your dog's belly, securing the poncho to your dog. Tie the strip several times so the strip is snug and not too tight around your dog. Let your dog walk around to make sure the poncho is comfortable for him and easy to move in. You can then put on your own poncho and head out for a walk. | Choose a small garbage sized plastic bag. Gather the rest of the supplies. Find an open area. Make one long horizontal line across the bottom of the bag. Call your dog over and command him to stay. Hold the plastic bag against your dog’s body. Cut the marked lines on the plastic bag. Place the poncho on your dog. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Creme-Fraiche | How to Make Creme Fraiche | To make crème fraiche, start by pouring 1 cup of heavy cream and1 tablespoon of cultured buttermilk into a jar. Then, put the lid on the jar and shake it for 20 seconds. Once you've shaken up the jar, place the jar on a windowsill and let it sit for 24 hours. After 24 hours, put the crème fraiche in the fridge and let it chill for a few hours before serving. | Pour one cup of heavy cream into a jar with a lid. If you prefer, you can use yogurt instead of heavy cream but the results will be a bit runnier than traditional Crème fraiche. Add one tablespoon of buttermilk. Put the lid on the jar and shake well for fifteen to twenty seconds. Place the closed jar on a windowsill. The cream needs to sit for 24 hours in order to form. Stir one to two times during this waiting period. Stir the thickened Crème fraiche. It should be quite thick now, peaking with the spoon. Refrigerate for six hours before serving. Serve and enjoy! The Crème fraiche is good for 7-10 days before needing to be discarded. Keep refrigerated in a sealed container. Make sweetened Crème fraiche. Add one to two tablespoons of powdered sugar to taste, and stir well. If desired, add one teaspoon of vanilla as well. Whip your Crème fraiche. Use a whisk or an egg-beater to beat the Crème fraiche. It should peak, but will not become stiff like classic whipped cream. Try herbed Crème fraiche. Add chives and tarragon with a bit of lemon juice, salt, and pepper for a savory variation that perfectly complements meat. Try scrambled eggs with Crème fraiche. For the lightest, creamiest eggs add one to two tablespoons and whisk well before cooking over low heat. Substitute Crème fraiche for cream in soups. Using your favorite cream-based soup or chowder recipe, switch out the cream for Crème fraiche in half the amount. This will provide a more rich texture as well as a slightly enhanced flavor. Make creamy mashed potatoes. After boiling and mashing your potatoes, add in half a cup of Crème fraiche with a bit of softened butter and blend. The resulting mashed potatoes will be creamy and light, a perfect side dish. Serve Crème fraiche with grilled fruit for dessert. Choose a fruit to your liking, although peaches and apricots work well, and grill them with a little brown sugar. Serve with a dollop of Crème fraiche. | Pour one cup of heavy cream into a jar with a lid. Add one tablespoon of buttermilk. Place the closed jar on a windowsill. Stir the thickened Crème fraiche. Serve and enjoy! Make sweetened Crème fraiche. Whip your Crème fraiche. Try herbed Crème fraiche. Try scrambled eggs with Crème fraiche. Substitute Crème fraiche for cream in soups. Make creamy mashed potatoes. Serve Crème fraiche with grilled fruit for dessert. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Trade-Commodities | How to Trade Commodities | To trade commodities, sign up with a reputable online trading platform, like TD Ameritrade or TradeStation. Additionally, read financial news sources, such as Bloomberg or the Wall Street Journal, to find out commodity price trends. Once you're ready to place an order, select the commodity you want to buy and enter the date for your futures contract, which is when you'll sell the commodity. Make sure to trade just 1 or 2 contracts initially so you're dealing with less risk. | Learn about commodities trading. Commodities trading has been around for many years. Originally, commodities exchanges sold futures contracts so that manufacturers and farmers could buy contracts to guarantee the price of an input of production or crop at a future date. These players still use commodities futures for that purpose, but now speculators have entered the market to bet on the changing prices of commodities and related securities. Commodities and related securities are traded on a number of large exchanges throughout the world. Commodities can include any of the following types of products: Energy, like crude oil and natural gas. Metals, including precious metals, like gold and silver, and non-precious metal like copper. Livestock and meat, like cattle and pork bellies. Agricultural products, like corn, wheat, rice, and sugar. Understand the different types of commodity contracts and securities. A trader can make bets on commodities prices in a number of ways. Commodities, however, are rarely physically traded. The logistics involved in trading actual commodities make doing so too complicated. Most market participants purchase securities or contracts related to commodities instead. These financial products include: Commodities futures. These are the type used most frequently by experienced traders and financial institutions. Futures are contracts that give the holder the right to purchase a set amount of a commodities for a set amount at or before a time in the future. Trading futures is risky and should only be done by experienced investors. Commodity stocks. Traders can also focus on stocks related to commodities, rather than the commodities themselves. For example, a trader might purchase stock in a silver mining company if they expected a rise in the price of silver. Mutual funds. There are a number of mutual funds that track certain commodities or segments of the commodities markets. Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). ETFs are like mutual funds but are traded like individual stocks. Some ETFs track individual commodities, like gold or crude oil. Read up on commodities trading. Anyone interested in commodities trading should read books on its practice before getting started. Get started by reading Opportunity and Risk: An Educational Guide to Trading Futures and Options on Future. This guide, published by the National Futures Association, can be downloaded for free by visiting http://www.nfa.futures.org/. Other great resources include: A Complete Guide to the Futures Markets: Fundamental Analysis, Technical Analysis, Trading, Spreads, and Options by Jack D. Schwager. Hot Commodities: How Anyone Can Invest Profitably in the World's Best Market by Jim Rogers. Commodities Rising: The Reality Behind the Hype and How To Really Profit in the Commodities Market by Jeff Christian. Know the risks of trading commodities. Commodities trading is traditionally regarded as somewhat riskier than stock trading. This is largely due to the fact that most commodities futures are bought on margin. This means that the trader essentially invests with borrowed money, paying a small amount to control a large amount of commodities. For example, a trader might pay $10,000 to control $100,000 worth of crude oil. Trading on margin magnifies potential returns and potential losses. This is because returns are from the controlled commodity amount, not the amount of the investment. This means that you can earn $1,000 from the $10,000 investment if the price goes up 1 percent. However, this also means that you can lose a substantial amount of money and, in some cases, be responsible for making up a loss that constitutes more than you originally invested. Read news about commodities to come up with trading ideas. Make it a daily habit to read the financial news on commodities. You will get a picture of how the market is doing. Find out if crude oil fell today and by how much. Learn, for example, that the price of gold has been trending up for the past month because investors are uncertain about the economy. Financial news websites, including Bloomberg, Investor's Business Daily, and the Wall Street Journal, will let you know when futures contracts are about to expire. Reading these sources can help you decide what commodities to trade. This type of analysis is known as fundamental analysis and is designed to predict prices based on supply and demand for the commodity. Use technical analysis to study commodities. Now that you have an idea about which commodities you want to take a closer look at, you should use technical analysis. This consists of predicting the direction of a commodity's price by investigating its past price behavior, meaning changes in volume and price. Technical analysis requires the use of current price information, which will likely be available through your trading platform. Study charts for identifying patterns. Study charts to visually identify patterns and trends. These patterns can let you see if a commodity might be topping or bottoming out. Identifying these patterns can help you decide if you should buy or sell a particular commodity. Some of the most common patterns are: Head and shoulders top. Triple top. Double bottom. Double top. Use technical indicators for charts. To get a better understanding of where a commodity is trending, apply technical indicators. These are mathematical formulas involving price and volume. Two of the most widely-used indicators are moving averages and the relative strength index. Technical indicators may be constructed by a trader or purchased as part of analysis software. One example of a technical indicator is Moving Average Convergence and Divergence (MACD). This tool attempts to assess current trends to predict future trends in the market. For more on using MACD, see how to read MACD. This article also contains a method for constructing moving averages in Excel. Develop a trading methodology. Devising a trading system does not just involve using technical analysis. There are a few things you must consider before executing any trades, such as setting up entry and exit strategies. For example, you should employ stop orders to protect your money. These are orders that automatically sell a security if the price drops below a certain point. When trading commodities, good money-management skills are crucial to preserve your capital. Avoid overtrading, which is making too many quick, unprofitable trades in the hope that one of them will end up being profitable. Test your trading system with simulated trading. Don't be too quick to put your money at risk. Instead, test your trading system. You can see how your system would have fared if you had actually used it in the marketplace. Most online brokerage firms offer this service free for thirty days. Simulated trading comes equipped with features such as real-time quotes and real-time indicators and charts. Real-time trading does not simulate the pressures involved with actual trading, so don't expect your success to translate directly to real trading. Compare trading platforms. Trading commodities futures online will require an account with a specialized futures trading platform. A number of platforms are available, though many are disreputable, so make sure to do your research before choosing one. The platforms will also have different cost structures and trading tools for traders, so compare options based on your needs. Some reputable platforms include: TD Ameritrade. TradeStation. Generic Trade. MB. Lightspeed. Open an online trading account. Fill out the brokerage firm's application and wait for approval. For faster service, complete the application online. Keep in mind there's a minimum-balance requirement you must meet. Ask your broker what the minimum balance is for their company. In the application process, you will likely be asked questions about your net worth and trading experience. Based on these questions, the platform will allow you to take on a certain level of risk. When you've signed up, take a tour of the features available from the platform and locate a tutorial on how to use them. Most platforms require at least $2,500 or $5,000 as an initial deposit. Make your first order. Place an order for a futures contract by specifying the commodity, date, and other terms of the order. The terms of the order might include how the order is to be settled, either for cash or for delivery. The order is submitted to the broker, who then has the order filled at market. At this point, money is taken from your account to pay for the order. You can issue an additional "stop" order to sell your position if the price of the commodity drops below a certain point. Go light on leverage. You can reduce your risk by taking on less leverage than you need. While your $5,000 may entitle you to $50,000 worth of futures contracts, you should take it easy at first, especially if you are inexperienced. Try trading one or two contracts at a time to limit your leverage and, therefore, your risk. By doing so, you can avoid the pitfalls that affect so many commodities traders. Work on your approach over time. Commodities traders do not find success over night. Figuring out when to buy and to sell, and which commodities to trade, is a difficult and labor-intensive process that takes years to master. Learn by trial and error, by emulating successful traders, and by reading about trading strategies to begin gaining experience. Figure out which strategies work for you and repeat them. | Learn about commodities trading. Understand the different types of commodity contracts and securities. Read up on commodities trading. Know the risks of trading commodities. Read news about commodities to come up with trading ideas. Use technical analysis to study commodities. Study charts for identifying patterns. Use technical indicators for charts. Develop a trading methodology. Test your trading system with simulated trading. Compare trading platforms. Open an online trading account. Make your first order. Go light on leverage. Work on your approach over time. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Perform-a-Monologue | How to Perform a Monologue | To perform a monologue, try to switch between emotions to showcase your versatility, such as angry to sad. Additionally, you'll want to practice often enough to enable you to memorize your lines. Before you go into an audition, warm up your voice so you can use it to full effect. Start the audition by introducing yourself, the name of the character, the name of the play, and the playwright's name. As you begin the monologue, look for a point of focus to direct your language and emotions at, since you won't have another actor to play this part. | Memorize your lines. One of the most important parts of performing a monologue is making sure you have memorized all the lines. Starting your preparations early and practicing the lines often will help you memorize them efficiently. Ask a friend or family member to help you memorize your lines. They can read other characters' lines and even quiz you. Practice your lines twice a day, or more often if you are having trouble memorizing them. Warm up by singing or running through your lines. This can be as simple as signing some notes to warm up your voice. You can also warm up by going through a few trial runs of the monologue with an acting partner or by yourself. It is important that you take enough time to warm up before you perform your monologue. Wear simple, comfortable clothing and shoes to an audition. You should perform a monologue in costume unless it is part of a professional or classroom performance. For most auditions, you should show up in clean, tasteful clothing that does not distract. Try wearing a simple dress or a pair of pants with a tucked-in shirt. Don't get too carried away. The key is keeping the focus on your acting, not your clothing. Start with an introduction. For an audition, an introduction to the piece is the first part of the performance. Say your name, the name of the character, the name of the play, and the playwright's name. If you are performing two separate pieces, you will introduce them both at the same time. Try saying, “I'm Rose White and I'll be performing Blanche from Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire.” In most cases, you don't need to introduce the monologue if it's part of a performance. Instead, transition into the monologue gracefully and treat it as part of your larger performance. Find a point of focus. Once you are on the stage or in the audition space, look for a point of focus. This is important since you will not have an acting partner upon which to focus your language, emotions, and gaze. Try choosing a neutral point of focus that is slightly to the side of or above the audience or casting director. Do not make the casting director your point of focus, as this can create an awkward situation for them as they evaluate your performance. Master transitions within the monologue. A good monologue will have a clear narrative arc, with at least one transition between its parts. For example, instead of ranting or shouting for the entire piece, try to have some variation. Make a clear transition between the angry part of the monologue and the calmer, more introspective part of the piece. Playing different moods and emotions will help the casting director see just how versatile of an actor you are. Transitioning smoothly from mood to mood within the monologue will make it seem more natural and lass robotic. That's a good thing. Be confident. Believing in yourself and your abilities is one of the most important parts of nailing the monologue. Perform the monologue with confidence by standing tall, projecting your voice, and focusing on the audience or another focal point. A lot of actors and actresses feel nervous while auditioning, which is perfectly normal. The key here is to act confident. Pick a monologue appropriate to the role. If you are auditioning for a play, movie, or television show, you will need to choose a monologue that fits the character you are vying for. This will prove to the director that you're capable of playing that role. For example, if the role is comical, choose a funny monologue. If you are auditioning for a serious role, choose a more dramatic monologue. Choose an active monologue. The piece you perform for an audition or class assignment should be active. It should not be a character telling a story or recalling a memory. For example, you can pick a piece where the character is pursuing something from another character, or discovering something for the first time. Try performing Claudio's address to his sister in William Shakespeare's Measure for Measure. Pick a monologue you connect with. You will be at your best if you are performing a piece that you are passionate about. Choose a character and a play that resonate with you. This will allow the audience or casting director to get to know you through the material. Consider performing Masha's monologue about her future husband in Anton Chekhov's The Seagull. Stay away from trendy or popular monologues. You don't want to show up to class or an audition and find out you will be performing the same monologue as several other actors. Trendy and popular monologues tend to be overdone, and you want to be unique. For example, you might want to stay away from performing a popular monologue from a recent movie or play. If you feel connected to a trendy or popular piece, you shouldn't fret about it. Go ahead and perform the monologue confidently! Try a funny, lighthearted piece. If you are in doubt about what type of monologue you should perform, go for a lighter, more humorous piece. This may stand out in a sea of more dramatic, deeply emotional, or angry monologues. Being able to make the audience smile, or even laugh, can be a breath of fresh air for those experiencing your monologue. Try Trinculo's speech in William Shakespeare's The Tempest. Select a short monologue. When choosing a monologue, err on the shorter side. You might be allotted three minutes for your performance, but don't feel pressured to fill every second of your time slot. For example, you can choose a two-minute monologue or two one-minute monologues to fill a performance space of two to three minutes. Avoid violent, offensive, or overly sexual pieces. If you are auditioning for a show, a monologue is very much a job interview. Keep this in mind when deciding what monologue you will perform. Avoid pieces that contain offensive language, are overly sexual, or include violence. | Memorize your lines. Warm up by singing or running through your lines. Wear simple, comfortable clothing and shoes to an audition. Start with an introduction. Find a point of focus. Master transitions within the monologue. Be confident. Pick a monologue appropriate to the role. Choose an active monologue. Pick a monologue you connect with. Stay away from trendy or popular monologues. Try a funny, lighthearted piece. Select a short monologue. Avoid violent, offensive, or overly sexual pieces. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Conduct-a-Survey | How to Conduct a Survey | Before conducting a survey, decide what its objective is, such as finding out opinions about a new product, and come up with questions to reach that goal. Aim for your survey to take 5-10 minutes to complete, put the easiest questions first, and include both closed and open questions for best results. Whether you opt to use an online survey or conduct it in person, try doing a trial run with friends to get feedback on your questions. After the survey is complete, review the data and decide whether to present the results in a graph, chart, or report. | Identify your objectives. Before you begin to ask people questions, you need to understand why you are conducting your survey in the first place. Is it to complete a class assignment? Is it to get feedback on a particular product? Then, start to think about who you should talk with and what you should ask them to get at your larger goal. For example, your objective might be to determine how many people in your class will attend the school dance. This could be a relatively quick yes/no survey unless you want to add additional layers about motivation, dress, or other factors. Ensure that each question on the survey helps you complete your objective. You may need to rewrite your objective as you design the survey. Set the parameters of your survey. Consider whether the survey will be anonymous and if the audience will get to see the results. Decide when you will start and stop the surveying process. Determine how many people you want involved either as interviewers or data analysts. If this is a solo class project then that answer is easy! Formulate the instructions that you will include with your survey to guide respondents. People may answer more honestly if the survey is anonymous, but then you won't be able to follow up with the participants. With the instructions you may ask them to complete the survey in a certain time frame or perhaps only using pencil. There are many options here. You may also want to craft a brief statement as to your intentions or goals with the study. This is particularly important if the survey is not face-to-face. You can make people more likely to trust you and respond if you let them know, for example, that this is part of a college project. Match your questions to your objectives. This is one of the most critical steps. Now that you've identified your objectives, think about what kind of information you need to get in order to make your survey worthwhile. Would you be satisfied with simplistic, basic answers or are you interested in more elaborate narrative responses? If you are trying to get an indication as to a person's feelings then an open-ended narrative response will be more helpful. However, if you need to quantify emotions then you may need to go with a ranking question. For example, “How angry are you about X? Choose from 1 to 10 (with 10 being the angriest).” Understand the differences between open and closed questions. Do you want to present your respondents with multiple answer options or just a single choice? Once you've made these decisions start to write out your questions and then narrow down the list to your final choices. An open-ended question could be, “Tell me about your childhood.” A closed question would be, “Was your childhood happy? Answer yes or no.” The design of your survey can also limit the space allowed to answer open questions, limiting the length. Remember to include demographic questions. If you intend to analyze the final responses while taking into account demographic categories, then you will need to formulate these questions as well. You do not have to ask about every category, so decide which ones relate the most closely to your overall objectives. You might ask respondents about their income, marital status, sex, ethnicity, age, or race. Many of these questions will be formatted as lists in which the respondent will choose the appropriate option. For example, “Please circle your marital status: Single or Married.” Pay attention to question order. You will generally want to start with the easier questions and work up to the more complex ones. This allows your respondents to grow comfortable with the survey process before they are asked to provide intimate or challenging information. You should generally place your demographic questions either at the very beginning or the very end of your survey. The danger of placing them at the end is that many respondents, if not asked in person, will skip this section. Ask everyone to contribute, if working in a group. You may want to divide up the task of writing questions. Ask each of your group members to contribute a few and then work together to finalize the list. If everyone is focused on the same core objectives, this collaborative process should yield a more focused and precise set of questions. Keep your survey short. You'll want to keep the total survey process somewhere around 5-10 minutes ideally. This is the total time that it should take a respondent to complete the survey. You will notice that your response rate will drop if your time commitment goes up. You can sometimes counter this by offering a gift. Maintain careful records. A researcher is only as good as their records. You will want to keep a detailed accounting of your methodology, the interview process, and the final results. Everything should be documented when possible. This process starts as soon as you begin brainstorming objectives and only ends when your results are presented. For example, if you are working with a team of researchers it is important to know who conducted each interview, on what day, and other details. Keep documentation as to which questions were removed from the initial list and why. Create an incentive. You are more likely to get quality responses if you include some sort of reward into the process or upon submission of the survey. Consider using a raffle entry, a public announcement of thanks, a promotional product or even something more substantial like a gift card. Do a trial run. Before you send out your interviewers or mail off your surveys, conduct a small, local trial-run perhaps just on family and friends. Let them take your survey and then ask them for feedback about the questions, the process on the whole, or anything else. Revise your survey based on their responses, if necessary, before sending it out. You can also use this as an opportunity to see if the kind of data and responses that you are receiving are the ones that you want. Do these responses answer your central problem or question? Contact respondents face-to-face. This is one of the best ways to conduct surveys as it yields a high response level and the quality of responses is often good. You establish a particular list of contacts that you would like to approach or you can take a “random walk” approach and spontaneously approach people until you've reached your target sample number. If you are in a class setting and need to conduct a quick survey you can walk around with a sheet of paper and ask your respondents to simply place a “tally mark” by their choice within a table. Be aware that face-to-face interviews are often seen as more personal and they can sometimes be a bit awkward when dealing with sensitive information. Your respondents may shield or edit their answers more as well. Use an online survey program if desired. This is one of the new breakthroughs in survey methodology. You can direct your respondents to one of the many websites available where you can set up a detailed survey for them to complete. Google Surveys, Survey Monkey, Dot Survey, and Key Survey are just a few of your options. Many of these sites let you create a basic survey for free. They may charge for repeated or more detailed surveys involving larger participant numbers. But, it remains a low-cost survey method. The sites may also help you to analyze your data as well. Tally the results. After you've completed the survey, look over data and decide how to report it. Perhaps you would like to create a table or graph showing the information. Or, maybe a chart listing the statistics would be more helpful. If you are in a business setting you may be asked to complete and present a formal report. Decide on sample size. You will need to figure out how many respondents you need and how to keep the process as free of selection bias as possible. It is generally best to go with random selections of participants or an all-inclusive approach based on demographics. For example, Pew Research limits their international interviews to 1,000 persons per country. This may seem like a small number but it allows them to cover more countries. Be realistic about how many people you can feasibly interview or survey in your given time period and with your available resources. Good data does not necessarily mean more surveys. Get review board clearance if necessary. If you are operating out of a university or business setting, you may need to approach your institutional review board (IRB) and have them sign off on your research. This is generally the case because survey research requires interaction with human subjects. During the IRB review process you will need to provide as much information as possible about your survey objectives and methodology. Pursue funding. Don't forget to factor in the cost of your survey, if going beyond the classroom and gathering scientific data. You can submit a grant application to funding agencies at the local, state, or federal levels. You can also approach field-specific organizations. To get an idea as to cost a phone survey, for example, can cost up to $40 per contact. Contact respondents via email for a quick option. This is one of the most preferred ways of communicating now, so it makes sense as a survey delivery option. It is quick and generally cheap to do, even if you need to purchase an email list. You can generally reach a particular target audience and ask them to complete the survey within the email or direct them to another site. The downside is that it is very easy for respondents to delete emails. Contact respondents via the post for a traditional method. This is an old-fashioned, but still used, method of survey contact. You will mail out your questionnaires to your survey sample addresses. This method allows you to cover a wide geographical range and it is also a friendly method for older respondents who are less comfortable using email and the like. However, be prepared to pay more and expect a lagging response time. Contact respondents via the phone if you have access to phone numbers. With telephone surveys you will want to navigate the balance between cell phones and landlines. Which ones will you contact? You'll also want to figure out how to get the numbers, perhaps by purchasing a calling list. Telephone surveys are one of the cheaper methods, but they also generally yield high refusal rates as people often feel inconvenienced. Choose a research firm to survey for you if you can afford it. You can find a research firm near to you by searching your city name and “research firm.” Depending on your budget, you may want to hire a group to ask your questions for you. Or, you can even hire them to write the questions as well. This is one option if you need a professionally created survey with a quick turnaround time. Review all of the policies of the company that you hire to make sure that they have privacy practices in place. You also may want a confidentiality agreement in order to protect the process and final results. Monitor your interviewers. Fieldwork can be challenging but to get the best data you must use trained, professionals to administer your surveys. Asking interviewers to log information about their contacts, such as the time of the interview, is one way to keep track of what is happening in the field. Be aware that some survey researchers may need additional training in counseling if they are going to ask personal questions that my elicit a strong emotional response. Adhere to federal and state regulations. Make sure to do your research regarding applicable laws before you make your survey public. This is especially the case if you will be contacting persons “cold” and without their prior knowledge or consent. There are generally age limits for contact, time limits, as well as limits pertaining to particular contact methods. For example, some laws prevent researchers from using auto dial to make phone calls. Prepare your findings for professional review. The way that you handle your final results is likely to be very field-specific. Some fields, such as sociology, provide venues for journal publication, conference presentations, and lectures. Whatever your approach, after you've analyzed your data, look for a way to share your findings with the broader academic (and maybe even public) world. | Identify your objectives. Set the parameters of your survey. Match your questions to your objectives. Understand the differences between open and closed questions. Remember to include demographic questions. Pay attention to question order. Ask everyone to contribute, if working in a group. Keep your survey short. Maintain careful records. Create an incentive. Do a trial run. Contact respondents face-to-face. Use an online survey program if desired. Tally the results. Decide on sample size. Get review board clearance if necessary. Pursue funding. Contact respondents via email for a quick option. Contact respondents via the post for a traditional method. Contact respondents via the phone if you have access to phone numbers. Choose a research firm to survey for you if you can afford it. Monitor your interviewers. Adhere to federal and state regulations. Prepare your findings for professional review. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Become-an-Expat | How to Become an Expat | If you want to become an expat, look for study abroad programs if you are a student, since you may be able to obtain financial aid to help offset some of the costs. If you work for the government or military, you may be able to find job opportunities overseas as well. You could also teach English in another country, especially if you have an undergraduate degree. Make sure your passport and other travel documents are up-to-date before you attempt to travel to your new host country. | Follow these steps whether or not you have chosen a destination. You may already know exactly where you want to move: perhaps you are deciding whether to accept an overseas job, or you have previously visited a country and fallen in love with it. Or you may want more international experiences without having decided on a particular place. Either way, these steps will help you evaluate the possibilities and pitfalls associated with each destination, preparing you for the challenges and excitement ahead. Find contacts living abroad. If you have friends or family in a foreign country, that can make the transition much easier. Try asking your family members or friends who have traveled or hosted foreign guests whether they know anyone in the regions you are considering. Keep in mind Does your family have a cultural attachment to a certain region? Even if you are not in contact with any family overseas, you may decide to narrow down your options to your ancestors' region of origin to learn more about family history and traditions. Decide how important the language barrier is. Are you up to the difficult and possibly isolating task of living in a country where you don't speak the language? Find out how many people speak English (or another language you understand) in the locations you are considering. Even if you have taken classes in a foreign language, be aware that regional accents, faster everyday conversation, and slang can make it tougher to understand than you expect. Keep in mind that the language situation may vary within a country. For example, rural areas are more likely to be monolingual than cities. Take language lessons from a book, recording, or teacher before you leave if possible, or practice your language skills in conversation. Think about how often you'll be visiting home. Some expats live just a train ride away from their home country, while other are on the other side of the globe. If you travel to another continent, realize you'll probably need to pay large sums of money and spend many hours on an airplane in order to visit home. If you are departing from or heading to an area with no airport, that trip could require days or weeks instead. How likely is it that you'll return home for a visit, and what kind of expense in time or money will you be willing to spend for that trip? Consider costs of living. If you are traveling to a city, you may find your destination in the annual Mercer expense ranking. However, you may need to search for online expat forums to get a more detailed understanding of a specific area. The cost of housing, food, electricity, heating, and transportation are all important to know, and one may be more expensive than you're used to even if the others are cheap. Relatively low costs of living may not help you if your new salary is low to match, or if your country's currency is weak. Always translate costs and wages into the currency you are familiar with and keep your money in. Use an online exchange calculator to get the most up to date information, and to see whether the exchange rate is changing rapidly. Learn about climate and culture at the local level. Consider the weather at your destination carefully before you commit to a long term stay, especially if you enjoy outdoor activities. If you have hobbies or interests, find out how easy it would be to keep them while you're abroad. Geography, city size, crime levels, and ease of contact with the outside world may also influence your decision. If you wish to use specialized job skills abroad but do not yet have a job, finding a region where your job skills are in demand is especially important. Find an international professional organization if possible to find contacts who have worked abroad in your field, and ask them for advice about relocation. Reading tourists' guides to individual cities or regions can be a good way to narrow down your search from a country down to the local level, where weather, attractions, and culture can vary greatly. Get your family on board. If you have a family traveling with you, make sure they will be comfortable as well. Are there schools where your children will feel welcome and have their language use accommodated? Are there any concerns your spouse has about his or her own job prospects, comfort, or safety? Other members of your family can use this same step-by-step guide to identify possible challenges. Go on a fact-finding trip. If you are still not sure where you want to live, and you have the time and money, you could travel to your possible destinations and see firsthand whether you would like to live there. Try to spend at least three or four weeks in each destination to get a more accurate idea of what life there is like. Also consider what standard of living you'd be able to maintain on a permanent basis: a stay in a hotel may not tell you much if you would actually be moving in with a local family. Try to interact with locals and see how they live their lives, and where they spend their time. Investigate study abroad options if you are a student. This option is only available to students, or possibly to recent graduates. Study abroad programs are among the easiest ways to visit another country long-term, since your lodging will be arranged for you and you will meet people through enrollment in a foreign university. While the visit typically lasts a semester or an academic year, it can give you a thorough introduction to another country, and may teach you more about whether you want to become a permanent expatriate. Study abroad options may be available through your university, secondary school or high school, or through third-party organizations. Financial aid may also be available. Ask a school counselor for more information. If you are currently applying to universities, consider applying to foreign universities as well. Make sure they offer classes in a language you speak before applying. Learn about programs through the military or government. If you work for the military or a government institution, your nation may pay you for overseas assignments. If your country's diplomatic office is hiring, you could even enter a new overseas career – but be aware that this requires extensive training. If you are a member of the U.S. military or a U.S. government employee, find more information through the the United States federal travel website. Enroll in a teach abroad program. Most overseas teaching organizations require an undergraduate degree. However, this does not necessarily have to be in education. If you speak English fluently, that alone could make you high-demand without any foreign language experience required. Search for teaching abroad programs online, and ask them which teaching certification they require. Some programs may pay for your certification over the course of a few weeks or months, and then assist you in your travel plans. Volunteer in a foreign country. Many humanitarian organizations are constantly on the lookout for volunteers who are willing to travel and assist in all kinds of programs, from building schools to providing medical assistance. Many programs require physical labor and/or travel to dangerous areas, so be sure you know exactly what you are getting into before you apply. It's always a good idea to research this type of program thoroughly, since some of them may not offer the travel assistance or emergency medical help you need. If you are passionate about an issue, do your research thoroughly to determine how best you can contribute. Ask the volunteer organization questions about its practices: does it support local economies, or does it only use imported labor and materials? What percentage of their funds go to the humanitarian project versus administration and other costs? Find a job abroad. If you work for a company with international ties, it's possible you can talk to Human Resources about applying for an overseas position. More commonly, you will need to start a job search from abroad, which can be difficult if you are not in a high-demand field. A contact at your destination who can vouch for you may make a tremendous difference. Travel without set plans. This option is not recommended for families, as there is no guarantee you will find a stable living place or employment in another country. However, if you want to travel for a while rather than settle in one place, this may be the option for you. Be aware that you risk running out of money or getting into dangerous situations. If possible, keep enough money in your bank account to transport yourself back home or to a location where you have friends or family who can support you in case of disaster. Note that you will most likely have a tourist visa, which could make it illegal for you to work abroad, as well as limit the amount of time you can stay in a country to a few weeks or months (depending on the visa). Make sure your passport or travel documents are up to date. For most trips outside of your country, especially long-term or permanent moves, you will need a passport issued by your country of citizenship. Check the expiration date and renew your passport if necessary. Begin the application or renewal process before you make travel plans, as the process may take several weeks or months. If it is not possible to receive a passport from your country of citizenship, you may need to apply for a non-citizen travel document from the country you reside in. Contact a passport office for more information. You may wish to renew your passport even if it will be valid on the date of your departure. Many expats return or visit their home country eventually, and it is usually easiest to renew your passport from within the country that issued it. Acquire a visa if necessary. Almost every country requires long-term visitors (and often short-term visitors as well) to apply and pay for a visa, or authorization document. The process involves varies greatly depending on your destination, your country of citizenship, and your purpose for traveling. Research which visa application fits your requirements best online, or contact the nearest embassy of the country you are traveling to. If your application for a long-term visa is rejected, consider applying for a shorter-term visa instead. Once you are in the country, you may be able to find a job and apply for a work visa. Research the relevant visa regulations carefully to discover all your options. Some countries may allow you to stay indefinitely as long as you briefly exit the country every once in a while and pay for a new visitor's visa. Research health concerns, and vaccinate if necessary. Research disease and health concerns at your destination. Serious health concerns can be avoided or mitigated by safety practices, often as simple as boiling water before drinking it. Protect yourself from other diseases found at your destination by getting vaccinated before your departure. If you don't have health insurance, look for walk-in clinics in your area that provide vaccination services. Understand tax laws. If you plan to earn money while living overseas, understand how you will be taxed by your country of citizenship and/or your country of residency. You may wish to consult a tax preparer or lawyer for advice, or ask your new employers whether they provide tax assistance for foreign employees. If you are a citizen of the United States, you could be fined for failing to report a foreign bank account containing $10,000 or more. You must also file tax forms, although you may be able to use this form on the irs website to declare your income un-taxable. Seek out additional advice on logistics. If you know someone in your destination country, or if you can find traveler's advice forums online, have a long conversation about life there and how to prepare for it. If you can't find anyone to talk to in person, research your destination thoroughly from up to date online and printed sources (preferably published no more than five years ago). It is impossible to cover every situation worldwide, but here are a few things to consider before you travel: How easy is it to get around by public transportation, versus by car? If renting or buying a car is a good idea, will your current driver's license be valid in that country, or will you need to take a test? Does your bank have branches in your destination country, or a "sister bank" you can access your account from? If you decide to open a new bank account overseas, what documents will you need to do so? In case of a medical emergency, where can you receive medical treatment from professional doctors? Will you share a language with them, and if not, where can you find an interpreter on short notice? Make your travel plans. Once you've made your decision and have all the logistics worked out, book your travel. Keep in mind that tickets tend to be cheaper the earlier you book them. A return ticket may be a wise investment and back up plan, and may be reasonably priced even compared to one-way tickets. One-way plane tickets can have strange pricing depending on the airline, so use several ticket-finder websites to avoid getting charged four times as much as you should. Keep your old property if possible. Having a backup plan is a good idea, even if you think you'll be away permanently. Ideally, you could rent out your old house or apartment, and have a family member or friend act as a local property manager on your behalf. Find a short-term rental if possible. Unless you are already familiar with the area you're moving to, it's not a good idea to purchase a property or sign a year-long lease without seeing the building or neighborhood. A much safer plan is to find a location you can rent on a month to month basis while you investigate long term options. For an even more comfortable transition, although an expensive one, stay in a hotel for the first week or two after you move while you investigate the rental options in person. It is still a good idea to research possibilities beforehand and let the landlords know when you'll make a decision. Pack clothes to match the destination. When packing clothes, consider what the weather is like at your destination, and find out what locals wear if possible. It's a good idea to pack some non-flashy, conservative clothing, since foreign countries may have more formal dress requirements than your own. If you are moving from an area with mild winters to an area with severe winters, the winter clothing at your destination may be more suitable than what you can purchase in your area. However, if you are traveling in winter, remember to pack one set of winter clothes to wear on arrival. Pack a large supply of any medical supplies you require. Regulations and availability can make acquiring medical supplies difficult in foreign countries. If you have any medical issues that require medicine, emergency inhalers, or other products, pack several months' worth if possible. This gives you a comfortable stretch of time before you have to find another source. Note that you may be required to pack medicine in a clear plastic bag if traveling by plane, or pack non-vital medicine in your shipped luggage. Exact regulations vary by country. Pack a few familiar objects. Even if you tend to pack light, a long term or permanent move could call for more packing than you're used to. Favorite books in your native language, a sentimental object, or some other reminder of home may make it easier to fight off homesickness. Bring enough money to live off for at least a month. Even if you have a job waiting for you at your new location, have enough money in your bank account to support you for at least a month of meager living. Ideally, save enough money for three or more months by creating a budget , cutting expenses, and cancelling your credit card. Make sure you have cancelled any recurring bills, or had them redirected to your new address. Purchase plug adapters if necessary. Different countries may have different outlets, and your electric and electronic equipment may not work on them. Find out which outlets are used at your destination and buy several connectors that will fit your gadgets to the foreign outlets. Ship only as much as you need. Get rid of as much stuff as you can, or have friends and family members store your excess possessions. International shipping can be expensive, especially if you are moving overseas. In many cases, it may be cheaper to purchase a new item at your destination. Pack a few boxes or pieces of furniture that you are unsure about, and store them in a rented storage space or at a friend's. Label them clearly and ask a friend to ship these boxes once you've settled in, if you decide you need the contents of a particular box after all. Understand what culture shock is. When you first arrive in a foreign country, you might feel hypersensitive to every difference. Even something you've never thought about might be called into question, such as the time of day people eat meals, or the tone of voice that is considered polite when talking to a stranger. All of this can cause you to feel extra tired, react irritably in conversation, cry unexpectedly, or even make you feel physically ill. If you're honest about your reaction and do your best to think about and come to terms with these differences, you will have a better chance at recovering quickly. Culture shock can happen even in a country where people speak your native language. Be prepared for it even if you think you'll be in a similar country to your own. Try to understand, not to judge. Whenever you experience something that makes you feel disgust, anger, or confusion, try to figure out why. Do locals react the same way, and if not, why is this considered more "normal" here? You don't need to throw away your moral compass, but you will be happier if you spend less time judging other people and more time trying to understand their motivations and cultural pressures. Learn the language. If you intend to stay in a country long term, putting in the effort to learn the language of everyday activity is worth it. This can feel slow and painful, even if you've studied the language before, but it is also an exciting opportunity. You are surrounded by fluent speakers, and while language lessons, books, and recordings are still excellent resources, you can also practice your language by going shopping, attending a concert, or introducing yourself to your neighbors. Make local friends. There's only so much you can figure out on your own. Making friends with people who grew up in the area and have lived there many years can help greatly. If you accidentally offend someone, or if you go through a confusing experience, a local friend can explain the situation and teach you how to deal with it in future. Talk openly and honestly once you have gotten to know someone, and he or she will be able to make your transition to this culture smoother. Make friends with other foreigners. Living abroad can be a difficult balance between immersing yourself in a new language and culture, and maintaining your ties with home. Making friends with other expats and visitors can be an excellent way to vent about your frustrations, bond over shared experiences, and reminisce about your times back home. Just be sure to balance this out with time spent among locals as well, or you might find it tempting to stay in an expat "bubble" and stop interacting with the local culture. Treat your homesickness. Maintain contact with friends and family back home with regular phone conversations, letters, or emails. Have a few mementos from home, such as goodbye cards or a favorite book, and look at them when you're feeling down. If you can't shake the homesickness, or you are shutting yourself in your room at every opportunity, you may wish to seek counseling, or ask a friend to pull you out of your rut and take you to a hike, dance, or other activity you would enjoy. Ask for care packages from home. If you have family or friends back home, ask them to ship you snacks, a new book that just came out in your country, or other treats you aren't able to purchase in your adopted country. If you do not, order yourself these treats online, saving up for international shipping if you need to. These can be a great way to cheer up after feeling homesick or overwhelmed. Acquire a daily routine. Ideally, this routine should include exercise, sleep, and an adequate, healthy diet, but while most of us know this reduces stress, it isn't always easy to follow a rigorous plan like this. Finding a stable habit you can return to each day can be enough to make a difference, even if it's as simple as eating the same, comforting breakfast or walking through a park after your workday. Realize it's okay to be upset. After fighting homesickness, dealing with culture shock, or grappling with bureaucracies to get your visa renewed, it's understandable to feel strong emotions. You will probably feel intense anger or sadness at different points in your life abroad. You might feel that you hate your adopted country or regret traveling, but in most situations, these feeling will pass. If they don't, and you end up bitter or sad on a daily basis, it may be time to move back home. | Follow these steps whether or not you have chosen a destination. Find contacts living abroad. Decide how important the language barrier is. Think about how often you'll be visiting home. Consider costs of living. Learn about climate and culture at the local level. Get your family on board. Go on a fact-finding trip. Investigate study abroad options if you are a student. Learn about programs through the military or government. Enroll in a teach abroad program. Volunteer in a foreign country. Find a job abroad. Travel without set plans. Make sure your passport or travel documents are up to date. Acquire a visa if necessary. Research health concerns, and vaccinate if necessary. Understand tax laws. Seek out additional advice on logistics. Make your travel plans. Keep your old property if possible. Find a short-term rental if possible. Pack clothes to match the destination. Pack a large supply of any medical supplies you require. Pack a few familiar objects. Bring enough money to live off for at least a month. Purchase plug adapters if necessary. Ship only as much as you need. Understand what culture shock is. Try to understand, not to judge. Learn the language. Make local friends. Make friends with other foreigners. Treat your homesickness. Ask for care packages from home. Acquire a daily routine. Realize it's okay to be upset. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Prepare-a-Statement-of-Cash-Flows | How to Prepare a Statement of Cash Flows | To prepare a statement of cash flows, find out how much money the company had last year by checking the prior year's ending balance sheet. Then, add the company's net income, which is its revenue minus its expenses, taxes, and the depreciation of its assets. Make sure you include the amount the company owes other, and what others owe the company. Record those debts now, even though they haven't been paid yet. Add those figures up to get your ending cash. | Determine the ending cash balance from the prior year. If the company prepared a statement of cash flows for the prior year, you can find this information there. If not, you will have to find information from the prior year's ending balance sheet and calculate the ending cash balance. Include cash and cash equivalents that can be converted into cash within one year. Cash equivalents include money market funds, certificates of deposit and savings accounts. Add up the value of all of the cash and cash equivalents. On the balance sheet, find the value of the cash and cash equivalents. Suppose, for example, at the end of the prior year, the company had $800,000 in cash. In addition, it had money market funds worth $2,500,000 and CDs worth $1,500,000. Finally, there were savings accounts worth $1,200,000. Add all of these amounts together to determine the ending cash balance for the prior year. $800,000 (cash) + $2,500,000 (money market funds) + $1,500,000 (CDs) + $1,200,000 (savings) = $6,000,000 (prior year ending balance). Establish the beginning cash balance for the current year. The ending balance from the prior year becomes the beginning balance for the current year. Using the above example, the ending balance from the prior year was $6,000,000. Use this as the beginning balance for the current year. The beginning balance of cash and cash equivalents for the current year is $6,000,000. Start with net income. Net income is total revenues less operating expenses, depreciation, amortization and taxes. It is the company's profit for the year. It includes all of the money that is left over after expenses have been paid. It is found on the company's income statement. The company in the above example reported a net income of $8,000,000. Adjust for depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization are non-cash expenses that record the decrease in value of assets over time. They are calculated based on the original value of the asset and its useful life. But, since these expenses do not require an expenditure or receipt of cash, the amounts must be added back to the cash balances. The company in the above example reported $4,000,000 in depreciation and amortization expenses. As a consequence, $4,000,000 would be added back to the cash balance. Make adjustments for accounts payable and accounts receivable. Accounts payable is money the company owes to pay its creditors. Accounts receivable is money owed to the company for goods and services. For the income statement, accruals for accounts payable and accounts receivable are entered for the time period in which they occurred, whether or not cash has actually been paid or received. However, these accruals are non-cash transactions, so they must be adjusted for the statement of cash flows. Make sure to check the balance sheet for accrued liability accounts, such as Accrued Taxes or Accrued Payroll. These are expenses that will occur in the future, but that are not cash expenses right now. However, you will still need to adjust for these on the statement of cash flows. On the other hand, if you have any Prepaid Assets on the balance sheet, then these are expenses that have already been paid but that have not been incurred. You do not need to adjust these. The Accounts receivable balance at the end of the prior year is the beginning balance of the current year. For example, imagine that the beginning balance was $6 million. At the end of the period, the accounts receivable balance is $8 million, an increase of $2 million during the year. Accounts receivable is income that has been earned, but not transferred into cash. Accordingly, an increase in AR during the period means that the company has used cash during the year to finance its sales and requires deducting the increase from the cash balance. A decrease in AR means that customers have paid down the amounts previously owed and requires adding the decrease back in the cash balance. For the company in the above example, net change to accounts receivable was $2,000,000. The money is still owed by customers, but it has not been paid. So, this must be subtracted. Net change to accounts payable was $1,000,000. This is money the company owes but has not yet paid. So this must be added. Calculate net cash generated from operations. Start with net income. Add back in depreciation and amortization expense. Reverse accruals for accounts payable and accounts receivable. $8 million (net income) + $4 million (depreciation & Amortization expense) - $2 million (increase in Accounts Receivable) + $1 million (increase in Accounts Payable) = $11 million (net cash generated from operations). The net cash flow provided by operating activities is $11,000,000. Review investments in capital. Capital investments are all of the funds the company used to buy equipment that can produce goods or services. When a company purchases equipment, it exchanges one asset (cash) for another asset (capital equipment). As a consequence, the purchase of the equipment is a use of cash. Similarly, if a company sold capital equipment, it would also be an exchange of one asset for another (receiving cash or an account receivable for the equipment). If a company purchases capital equipment with cash during the time period for which it is preparing the statement of cash flows, this outflow of cash must be included. Determine the impact of financing activities. Financing activities include issuing and redemption of long and short term debt, issuing and retirement of stock and payment of stock dividends. These activities can have positive and negative effects on cash flow. Issuing debt and stock increase the company's cash. Redeeming debt and paying stock dividends decreases cash. Make adjustments for investments and financing. Deduct cash paid for purchasing capital equipment. Subtract cash paid to redeem debt or pay dividends. Add in cash raised by issuing stock or new debt. Imagine that the example company performed the following transactions: They purchased new computer equipment and assembly line machinery for a total of $4,000,000. This must be subtracted. They increased short term debt by $500,000 and issued $250,000 in stock. These must be added. Finally, they redeemed $3,000,000 in long-term debt and paid $2,000,000 in dividends. These must be subtracted. -$4 million (equipment purchases for cash) + $0.5 million (sale of debt for cash) + $0.25 million (sale of stock for cash) - $3 million (redemption of long-term debt) - $2 million (payment of dividends) = $8.25 million (reduction in cash during period due to investment and financing activities). The net adjustment to cash for investing and financing activities is -$8,250,000. Determine the net increase or decrease to cash. This means figuring out if there was a net increase or decrease to cash for the current year. Start with total cash flows from operating activities. Add adjustments to cash flows for investment and financing activities. The end result is the total net increase or decrease to cash for the year. In the above example, net cash flow from operating activities was $11,000,000. The net change to cash from investing and financing activities was -$8,250,000. The net increase or decrease to cash is $ 11 , 000 , 000 − $ 8 , 250 , 000 = $ 2 , 750 , 000 {\displaystyle \$11,000,000-\$8,250,000=\$2,750,000}. Calculate ending cash and cash equivalents. Start with the ending cash balance from the prior year. Add the net increase or decrease to cash from the current year. The end result is the total ending cash and cash equivalents for this year. For the company in the above example, the ending cash balance from the prior year was $6,000,000. The net increase or decrease to cash for the current year was $2,750,000. The ending cash and cash equivalents for the current year is $ 6 , 000 , 000 + $ 2 , 750 , 000 = $ 8 , 750 , 000 {\displaystyle \$6,000,000+\$2,750,000=\$8,750,000}. Use the cash flow statement to evaluate the company’s financial health. The cash flow statement removes accounting methods such as accruals, depreciation and amortization. Therefore, it provides a more accurate statement of how cash is flowing in and out of the company. This allows investors to get a clear picture of the company's earning power and operating success. A net increase in cash usually means that the company is running its operations efficiently and responsibly managing its investing and financing activities. A net decrease in cash might indicate problems with the company's operating, investing or financing activities. It would signal that the company needs to decrease expenses somewhere in order to improve its financial health. Keep in mind that cash flow analysis is only a small part of analyzing a company's financial health. A net decrease in cash might also be concurrent with a major investment in the company's future growth. Similarly, a net increase in cash might reflect that management is getting lazy about reinvesting in the company. | Determine the ending cash balance from the prior year. Add up the value of all of the cash and cash equivalents. Establish the beginning cash balance for the current year. Start with net income. Adjust for depreciation and amortization. Make adjustments for accounts payable and accounts receivable. Calculate net cash generated from operations. Review investments in capital. Determine the impact of financing activities. Make adjustments for investments and financing. Determine the net increase or decrease to cash. Calculate ending cash and cash equivalents. Use the cash flow statement to evaluate the company’s financial health. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Patch-a-Tire | How to Patch a Tire | To patch a tire, you'll need an air die grinder, a stone bit attachment, compressed air, vulcanizing and rubber cement, a roller, and a tire patch. Start by cleaning the leak with the air die grinder and buffing it with the stone bit. Next, remove any debris with compressed air. Then, apply vulcanizing cement to the buffed area, and push the pointy side of the patch through the hole so that the sticky surface is inside of the tire. Finally, push air bubbles out of the patch with a roller, cover it with rubber cement, and cut the stem of the patch so it's flush with the tire. | Inflate the tire. In order to find a leak the tire must be properly pressurized. You should inflate your tire with air until it reaches the appropriate pressure (measured in psi) specified in your vehicle's service manual. Visually inspect the tire. Before moving on to more time consuming techniques, you should take a moment to look at your tire. If you notice any holes, cuts, or objects protruding from tire then you have found your leak. Listen for a hissing sound. Even if you aren't able to see the problem right away you might be able to hear it. A hissing sound is a clear sign that air is leaking from your tire, and can help you locate the leak. Feel around the tire for air. If you run your hands over the tire carefully you may feel the leak even if you can't hear or see it. Mix soap and water. If you followed the steps above and you were not able to easily find the leak don't fear. Spraying the tire with a little soapy water or window cleaner may help. If you see bubbling at any place on the surface of the tire then you have found your leak. Cover the tire with the soap and water solution. You can use a spray bottle to spray the tire, or if a spray bottle isn't available you can just pour the mixture over the tire. Watch for bubbles. As air escapes the tire and encounters the soapy water mixture it will form soap bubbles. If you notice the soapy water bubbling at any particular place on the tire, you have found your leak. Loosen the lug nuts with a lug wrench (tire iron) or impact wrench. It is important to remember to loosen, or break, the lug nuts before you jack up the vehicle. This way the weight of the vehicle is still on the wheels and it prevents them from spinning dangerously while you turn the lugs. Jack up the car. Once the lugs have been loosened, it will be necessary to jack the care up so that the wheels can be removed. As mentioned above, this should be done on level concrete or some other hard, level surface. Some important things to remember when jacking up the care are: Your service manual will recommend jacking points The most common way to elevate the car is a floor jack, or trolley jack. If you are unsure how to use one visit Lift a Car Using a Trolley Jack. You should use jack stands to stabilize the car. A good tutorial on jack stands can be found at Use Jack Stands. If you have access to a hydraulic lift it will save you time. Remove the lug nuts and pull the wheel off of the hub. At this point, the lugs may be loose enough to remove by hand. If not, finish removing the lugs with the lug wrench or impact wrench. Once the lugs are removed, pull the wheel off of the wheelbase. If you are uncomfortable removing a wheel, read about how to Remove Lug Nuts and Tires. Pull out any protruding object with a pair of pliers. Mark this spot with chalk or markers as it is obviously where your leak will be. When there's no protruding item, follow the above steps for locating a leak and then mark it. Remove the valve stem core. Use a valve stem core remover to remove the valve stem core. This is a special two pronged tool that you use to unscrew the valve stem core from the center of the valve stem and pull it out. This releases the tire pressure so that you can break the bead. Break the bead between the tire and rim. To remove the tire, use a tire spoon and a hammer to break the bead that seals the tire and rim. You will need to do this on both sides of the tire to completely remove it from the rim. Seat one side of the tire into the groove on the rim. There is a groove on the rim that is made to hold one side of the tire so that you can remove the other side. Once you get one side of the tire into this groove you can use the spoons to pry the other side of the tire off of the rim. Then work the spoons all the way around the tire until you have taken the first side of the tire completely off of the rim. Remove the rim from the opposite side of the tire. Now that one side is completely removed from the rim, flip your tire over and use the spoons to pry the opposite side off of the rim as well. Now your tire will be completely separated from the rim. Use your air die grinder to clean out the hole. Select a pointy bit that will fit into the hole where the leak is. This will roughen up the sides and clean the area so that the patch will bond correctly when installed. Change the bit on the die grinder to a grinding stone bit. Spray a "Pre-Buff Cleaner" on the inside of the tire where the patch will be installed. Use the grinding stone to clean and roughen up the area around the hole (about two inches in diameter around the hole). This will give the patch a clean surface to make bond with the tire. Spray compressed air to the area. This will remove any dirt or debris created by the buffing process. It is important to have a clean surface for the patch to bond to. Apply vulcanizing cement to the buffed inner surface of the tire. This will prevent water from entering the hole and moving its way into the tire's tread. Let stand until the cement is "tacky" to touch. Remove the plastic that is on the sticky side of the tire patch. This is the side that will contact the inside of your tire. Push the pointy part of the patch through the hole. The pointy part should enter the hole from the inside of the tire and be pushed out through the outside. Use a pair of pliers to grip the pointy side of the patch. Pull this pointy part of the patch out from the tire's tread. This pulls the sticky part of the patch tightly to the inner side of the tire. Use a roller on the inner side of the tire patch. This will remove any air bubbles in between the sticky side of the patch and the buffed surface. The patch is now sealed properly onto the tire. Use rubber patch sealant on the inner side of the tire. You should cover the whole patch and some of the tire. This makes sure that there will be absolutely no leaks! Let it dry. It should only take a couple of minutes. While you are waiting, use a pair of side cutters (or scissors) and cut the stem of the patch to be flush with the top of your tread. Lubricate the bead. Go around bead of the tire (the inner ring that seals to the rim) and lubricate it with dish soap. Slide the tire back over the rim. Use the tire spoons to pry one side of the tire open and slide it back onto the rim. Once you have the first side on, repeat the same procedure for the second side. Put in a new valve stem core. It is best practice not to reuse the valve stem core and to simply replace it anytime it is taken out. Pressurize the tire. Fill the tire up to the correct pressure as specified on the sidewall of the tire or in your owner's manual. This pressure will force the tire into the correct place on the rim and seal the bead. Re-install the wheel. You should slide the wheel back onto the wheelbase and thread the lug nuts on tight enough to hold wheel in place while the car is still on the jackstands. Remove the jackstands. Use the floor jack to remove the jack stands and lower the vehicle to the ground.. Tighten the lugs to the specified torque. Once the weight is back on the wheels, use a lug wrench or impact wrench to tighten the lugs to the proper torque specifications in your service manual. Be sure to tighten lugs in a star pattern. Drive your car. As long as the patch was successful, the repair will last as long as your tire is in use. | Inflate the tire. Visually inspect the tire. Listen for a hissing sound. Feel around the tire for air. Mix soap and water. Cover the tire with the soap and water solution. Watch for bubbles. Loosen the lug nuts with a lug wrench (tire iron) or impact wrench. Jack up the car. Remove the lug nuts and pull the wheel off of the hub. Pull out any protruding object with a pair of pliers. Remove the valve stem core. Break the bead between the tire and rim. Seat one side of the tire into the groove on the rim. Remove the rim from the opposite side of the tire. Use your air die grinder to clean out the hole. Change the bit on the die grinder to a grinding stone bit. Spray compressed air to the area. Apply vulcanizing cement to the buffed inner surface of the tire. Remove the plastic that is on the sticky side of the tire patch. Push the pointy part of the patch through the hole. Use a roller on the inner side of the tire patch. Use rubber patch sealant on the inner side of the tire. Let it dry. Lubricate the bead. Slide the tire back over the rim. Put in a new valve stem core. Pressurize the tire. Re-install the wheel. Remove the jackstands. Tighten the lugs to the specified torque. Drive your car. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Bouncy-Ball-(Without-Borax) | How to Make a Bouncy Ball (Without Borax) | To make a bouncy ball, all you'll need is 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, 1/8 cup of water, and a food coloring of your choice. Start by mixing the cornstarch and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir the mixture until it forms a sticky paste. Then, add 1 drop of food coloring and mix it in. Once you've mixed in the food coloring, microwave the mixture for 30 seconds. This helps bond the ingredients together and make them bouncy. Let the mixture cool for 2 minutes before you touch it. Then, roll it into a ball with your hands. Finally, leave your bouncy ball to dry for at least 10 hours so it turns hard. | Put ¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) of baking soda in a plastic container. Baking soda is the base for your bouncy ball. Put your baking soda in a plastic container. Your mixture won't stick to plastic so it will be easier to clean. Add 2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) of water to your baking soda and mix well. Water works to dissolve the baking soda and make it into a paste. Mix up your baking soda and water with a wooden craft stick or a small spoon until it is thick. Add a few more drops of water to your mixture if it is not dissolving well. Squeeze about 3 tablespoons (28 g) of school glue in a plastic container. Pour enough white school glue to cover the bottom of a separate, medium-sized plastic container. You do not have to measure your glue precisely. If you don't have school glue, you can use silicone instead. Silicone can be found at most hardware stores. Add 1 drop of food coloring to your glue. Choose whatever color of food coloring you'd like your ball to be. Pour 1 drop of food coloring into your glue and use a wooden craft stick to stir it together. Make sure there isn't any white left in your mixture. Add 2 more drops of food coloring if you want your bouncy ball to be darker. Add glitter to your glue if you want your bouncy ball to be shiny. Stir your water and baking soda mix into the glue. Pour your water and baking soda mix into the glue. Use a wooden craft stick or a metal spoon to mix them together thoroughly for about 5 minutes. You can use your hands to mix if it is easier. Your mixture will start to get sticky as you mix it together. Mold your mixture into a ball shape. Pick up your mixture with your hands and use your fingers to roll your mix into the shape of a ball. Use the palms of your hands to shape your mixture and the tips of your fingers to smooth it out. Make sure there aren't any cracks or lines in your bouncy ball. If you are having trouble getting your mixture into a ball shape, add a small round object in the middle, like a marble or a pebble, to mold around it. If you want your bouncy ball to light up, add a plastic LED light to the center of your mixture. Let your bouncy ball dry for 24 hours. Leave your bouncy ball uncovered on a flat surface, like a table or countertop. Make sure it won't get bumped or dropped. Leave it in the same spot for about 1 day, or until it is hard. Enjoy your new bouncy ball! Put 2 tablespoons (15 g) of cornstarch into a plastic container. Choose a container that is microwave safe. Cornstarch will be the base for your bouncy ball and give it the right texture so that it can stick together. You can also use a plastic resealable bag. Add 1⁄8 cup (30 mL) of water to the cornstarch and mix well. The water will make the cornstarch into a paste. Add your water and stir the cornstarch into it until it is a sticky consistency. Use a metal spoon or a wooden craft stick. Mix in 1 drop of food coloring. Choose whatever color of food coloring you'd like. Add 1 drop of it to your mixture and stir it in well. Make sure the color is spread all throughout your mixture evenly. If you don't add food coloring, your bouncy ball will just be white. Microwave your mixture for 30 seconds and let it cool. Adding heat to your ingredients will bond them together. Put your mixture in the microwave for 30 seconds. Let it cool for about 2 minutes before you touch it. Form your mixture into a ball. Use the palms of your hands to roll your dough into a ball shape. Flatten out any lumps or cracks with the tips of your fingers. If your bouncy ball isn't perfectly circular, it will still bounce, but it might fly off into different directions. Let your bouncy ball dry for at least 10 hours. Leave your bouncy ball on a table or countertop where it won't get bumped around. Let it dry for at least 10 hours without touching it. Before you use it, touch it with your fingers to see if it is hard. These bouncy balls will eventually break down and biodegrade. You can throw them in your compost or yard debris bin when you are done with them. | Put ¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) of baking soda in a plastic container. Add 2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) of water to your baking soda and mix well. Squeeze about 3 tablespoons (28 g) of school glue in a plastic container. Add 1 drop of food coloring to your glue. Stir your water and baking soda mix into the glue. Mold your mixture into a ball shape. Let your bouncy ball dry for 24 hours. Put 2 tablespoons (15 g) of cornstarch into a plastic container. Add 1⁄8 cup (30 mL) of water to the cornstarch and mix well. Mix in 1 drop of food coloring. Microwave your mixture for 30 seconds and let it cool. Form your mixture into a ball. Let your bouncy ball dry for at least 10 hours. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Deal-with-Name-Calling-Bullies | How to Deal with Name Calling Bullies | While dealing with name-calling bullies can feel scary and confusing, you can protect yourself from this kind of behavior. If avoiding the bully isn't an option, try to stay with a group of people or sit near the front of the classroom to make yourself less available. When the bully does insult you, try to ignore it to show them that you're not going to give them any attention. Responding with anger will only make them keep pushing you, so try to breathe deeply, count to 10 in your head, or simply walk away. In cases where the bullying feels dangerous or simply won't stop, tell a teacher, coach, or parent that you need help. | Tell the bully to stop calling you names. Try not to engage in an argument or get too emotional, just tell the person what he or she is doing and that it needs to stop. A bully may try to make it seem like the name he or she is calling you is some sort of nickname and it is harmless. It is not harmless if it hurts your feeling. No one has the right to give you hurtful nicknames or dehumanize you. For example, a bully says "Hey, big head, you're walking too slow!" You can respond by exercising assertiveness and say "My name is Carlton. I'd appreciate it if you called me by my name." Do not allow the bully to dismiss your request. You have the right to ask him or her to only call you by the name you go by. That is not unreasonable or overreactive on your part. You are not being too sensitive to not want to be called names. Avoid the person as much as possible. In most cases, you do not need to interact with the bully unless you are in class or an activity with him or her. Making yourself less available to be picked on can make the bully lose interest very fast. Even if you can't completely stay away from this person, walking in a group or sitting near the front in your classes may deter bullying behavior. Avoidance can work for cyberbullying, too. If a person is calling you names online, it is smart to document any behavior by printing the evidence or taking a screenshot. Then, block the bully from all your profiles so that you no longer have to make contact with the person. Ignore the insult. Don't assume just because the bully says you are stupid that anyone believes that. If you know that is simply not true, everyone else probably does to. Often times a bully is going to pick on the most obvious thing about you that he or she thinks will bother you. Instead of taking it as an insult recognize it for what it is. For example if the bully is calling you four eyes, brush it off since all he or she is really saying is that you happen to wear glasses. It is a fact you wear them and really nothing to be bothered by. Shrug it off and walk away. Doing this immediately takes the power away from the bully. Control your anger. Sadly, if you react in anger, the bully will probably continue and you may also end up in trouble yourself. The bully wants to push you to react, either out of anger or sadness. The reaction is the reward for all the negative behavior so avoid that if at all possible. Try these strategies to keep anger at bay. Count to 10 slowly in your head. Breathe deeply —in through your nose and out through your mouth. Repeat to yourself “I am the picture of calm” over and over again. Imagine something funny happening to the bully, like a giant container of slime being poured over his or her head. Try not to laugh, just think this in your head to fend off getting mad. Involve someone else like a teacher or coach. Telling an adult and asking for help is important in cases where you have tried to make it stop and it doesn't. This is also extremely important if you feel like you are in danger. Telling just one adult should be enough. If it doesn't seem to change things, tell someone else until you get the help you need. You can simply describe the behavior: "Jodie has been calling me rude names during practice. It's embarrassing." Recognize that there's strength in numbers. If a bully is calling you names, you can help eliminate the behavior by finding support. Bullying behavior tends to decrease when other kids do not support the bully. Ask your friends to walk with you to classes. Request that they ignore any name-calling, or stand up for you. If they don't play into the behavior by laughing or paying attention, the bullying may stop. Learn how to spot the signs of a person who is being called names. The signs of someone being called names may include sudden social isolation, changes in school habits or even lowered self-esteem. Remember no matter how silly a name is, if it is hurting the person being called that name it is not OK and not a joke. Ignoring name-calling can lead the abused into depression and in some cases even to making a suicide attempt. Call out the bully. Some people who are bullied feel like no one cares or even notices their pain. Seeing another person stand up and take notice will help the person not feel isolated and like he or she needs to keep those painful feelings secret. Children who are bullied and feel hopeless may make attempts to handle the situation on their own that have dire consequences like suicide. Ignoring any name-calling you witness could make the victim feel alone in the bullying and result in serious consequences. Something as simple as “Hey, why don't you leave him/her alone?” should do the job. It calls attention to the misconduct and tells the bully this person has support. Encourage children to talk to someone. No one needs to feel like they are weak for talking about name calling or being too sensitive. If a child comes to you to talk about a bully calling them names, listen and do not say that the words shouldn't hurt, which diminishes his or her feelings. It is not up to you to tell anyone else how something should make him feel. The child wouldn't come to you to talk if it wasn't hurtful. Reinforce that each child has the right to feel safe and respected. Model this behavior by not only encouraging the kids to talk about bullying but also by taking action to resolve the issue. You can say "If you're being picked on at school, it's important for you to tell someone. You won't get in trouble for telling. In fact, telling someone is really brave." Counteract bullying at the school or playground. Sometimes the biggest difference in a bully situation is made on the playground with the peer group. Positive peer pressure can go a long way to create a zero tolerance space for bullying. Encourage other students to seek out children who appear lonely and offer friendship. Having even one new friend may make a bully situation seem less serious to the person being called names. For example, you might tell a reasonably well-liked child to team up with a child who is being bullied for an activity. When others see this person interacting with the victim, they may be more likely to befriend him or her, too. Help the child restore confidence. Being called names can do a lot to break down anyone's self-esteem. Having a source of support in you will do wonders, but it also might help to show the child that he or she is worthy and valuable in many ways. You can encourage the child to join in activities they excel in to give them plenty of chances for positive feedback. Recognize their strengths in front of peers and show them they have a lot to be proud of. Know that bullying doesn’t have to be physical like hitting or kicking. Bullying can be name-calling, encouraging others to not like someone by spreading rumors or even things posted online that are hurtful. Many people assume there really isn't any harm of being bullied unless it gets physical and this simply is not true. It can be just as hurtful if not more so to be bullied by emotional abuse. Any threat needs to be taken seriously, it is not up to you to decide if the bully will carry out the threat. If he or she says harm will come to you take that as a threat and get help. Understand that bullies pick on those they perceive as weaker. You can change this by walking with your chin up and shoulders back. Act brave, even if you don't always feel that way. Being weak isn't always about size or strength either—it can be something as simple as finding a classmate that is often alone. A bully usually does not want a lot of witnesses so just making sure you have friends around throughout the day can drive away a bully. A bully may also pick on someone they see as an easy target if there is a low blow they can make fun of. Instead of reacting with sadness or anger towards the insults, you can either ignore the put down or if it is made as a joke laugh along. The bully will probably leave you alone if you aren't allowing him or her to make you the punchline. Realize that some bullies are bullied at home. Bullies are often abused at home. Then, they leave the home environment and take out their anger and frustration out on someone weaker like they see modeled at home. A bully taking things to a hurtful level may be the only way he or she knows how to get attention for the abuse he or she is suffering from. Being aware of possible abuse is important if adults are considering involving the parents of the bully in the solution as this can be dangerous for the bully. All parties involved deserve to be safe and secure in their environment, this includes any child that is being called names and the bully as well. Giving the bully a safe place to express emotions is just as important as being open to talk to the victims. Know that being the victim of bullying does not make it your fault. For the most part, you are being bullied for a reason that is much bigger than you are. Bullies act out for attention, out of fear or even low self-esteem. Bullies act out to gain power over someone who they see as being weak, often because they lack the self-esteem or personal power to be secure on their own. You just happen to be a victim that was available and perhaps initially gave the bully the reaction he or she was searching for. | Tell the bully to stop calling you names. Avoid the person as much as possible. Ignore the insult. Control your anger. Involve someone else like a teacher or coach. Recognize that there's strength in numbers. Learn how to spot the signs of a person who is being called names. Call out the bully. Encourage children to talk to someone. Counteract bullying at the school or playground. Help the child restore confidence. Know that bullying doesn’t have to be physical like hitting or kicking. Understand that bullies pick on those they perceive as weaker. Realize that some bullies are bullied at home. Know that being the victim of bullying does not make it your fault. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Burritos | How to Make Burritos | For the best burrito, heat your tortillas in the microwave for 20 seconds before assembling. Then, place your tortilla on a sheet of aluminum foil. Add some rice, drained beans, and your preferred meat. If you'd like, add cheese or veggies, then finish with sour cream, salsa, and guacamole. To turn your tortilla into a burrito, simply fold both sides into the center, bring the bottom flap over them, and roll! Wrap your aluminum foil around your burrito to keep it mess-free and warm. | Try making carne asada. Carne asada is one of the most popular additions to burritos. Carne asada is a marinated skirt, flank, or flap steak that is then grilled over high heat and lightly charred. It is considered a more expensive cut but is still very forgiving on the grill. Like most Mexican meats, it is readily available in a carniceria. Try adding chicken to the burrito. Although chicken is not a common meat ingredient for burritos in Mexico, it is increasingly popular in America. There is a ton of versatility to chicken. Here are just three ways to prepare it for your burrito: Boiled and shredded. Shredded chicken is a more traditional Mexican preparation style. Sautéed chicken. Sauteed chicken is generally dark-meat chicken and fried with a bit of oil and Mexican spices before being cut into smaller bits. Chicken mole. Black mole is a perfect compliment to succulent chicken. Try it out if you've never tasted a variation of this dish that 99% of Mexicans have enjoyed. Try out burritos stuffed with carnitas. Carnitas is the Mexican name for slow-braised pork — specifically, Boston butt or picnic ham cuts. The meat is first slow-braised to break down the collagens and cook the meat, and then finished off fried or sautéed to develop a crispy texture. Give al pastor a go. "Al pastor" means "in the style of the shepherd," and it probably originated as a Mexican interpretation of Lebanese shawarma. Today, it is a spicy way to cook pork, and it's absolutely delicious. Try this meat out in a burrito. Do it! Try out chorizo. Chorizo is a spicy pork sausage that comes in a casing. When sautéed, it is deeply aromatic and flavorful. Common in breakfast burritos but also in normal burritos. Try our barbacoa. Barbacoa is the name from which we derive the English word for "barbecue." In modern Mexico, barbacoa refers to meats (usually sheep) cooked slowly over an open fire. Experiment with other, more exotic cuts of meat. Many burrito eaters may not be accustomed to more experimental cuts of meat, but they offer a nice break from the monotony of beer or chicken. Go to your local carniceria and talk with the butcher about picking up some of the following: Lengua — cow's tongue Cabeza — cow's head Tripa — intestines Make ground taco beef. Ground beef, flavored with taco seasonings, makes for a perfectly respectable burrito meat. If you don't want to go crazy with Mexican stylings the first time around, try out this simple recipe and take things from there. Steam or heat your flour burrito. Flour burritos have a wonderful elasticity to them when exposed to heat and a little bit of moisture. If you don't have a burrito steamer handy, try zapping the tortilla in the microwave for 20 or so seconds. Remember to choose a burrito that's large enough. You can always work a too-big burrito, but trying to wrap a burrito with a tortilla that's too small will only result in headaches and sad ingredients. Do yourself a solid. Place the tortilla on a large sheet of aluminum foil and layer a healthy portion of Mexican rice in a rectangle in the middle of the tortilla. The shape isn't too important, as long as you've given yourself room on all sides of the tortilla to wrap with. If you don't want to cook Mexican rice, you can always use plain white rice or even brown rice for a healthier option. Place some beans on top of the rice. If choosing black beans to add to your burrito, make sure to drain off any excess liquid before adding. Again, the portions aren't fixed. Most people add quite a bit, but you can add however much or little you want. Add a healthy portion of your preferred meat. The meat is the star of the show, so give it time to bask in the lights. The same goes for vegetarian options using tofu, mushrooms, etc. Sprinkle some cheese onto the top of the meat (optional). You don't have to add cheese if you don't want, but lots of aficionados opt for it. If you buy cheese from the store, look for "Mexican 4 cheese" varietals. If you want to use just one or two kinds of cheese, go for one of the following: Monterrey Jack Cheddar Asadero Queso Blanco Add the green chiles and tomato in roughly equal portions. Neither of these ingredients are strictly necessary, but can make a good burrito even better. If you plan on adding salsa or pico de gallo, don't go crazy with the tomatoes. Add a small portion of onions to the tortilla. Whether green and mild or grilled and slightly savory, onions are a great touch to a burrito, but you don't want them to steal the show with their strong taste. Add sour cream, guacamole, and salsa in roughly equal portions. The condiments here contribute added flavor but help keep the burrito from becoming too dry. Top with a bit of lettuce. The crisp, watery lettuce cuts through some of the more intense flavors of the burrito nicely. Especially if the contents of the burrito are warm, the lettuce you add will wilt a bit. Add a bit more than you think you want. Roll the burrito up. Fold the two side flaps of the tortilla in to the center. Securing the side flaps with your fingers, take your thumbs and bring the bottom flap up over the side flaps. Hold the burrito in the center and simply roll it forward until the top flap of the tortilla is no longer showing. Finish off the burrito by wrapping it securely in the aluminum foil. The aluminum foil will help keep the burrito warm. It can be simply peeled down as you eat the burrito. | Try making carne asada. Try adding chicken to the burrito. Try out burritos stuffed with carnitas. Give al pastor a go. Try out chorizo. Try our barbacoa. Experiment with other, more exotic cuts of meat. Make ground taco beef. Steam or heat your flour burrito. Place the tortilla on a large sheet of aluminum foil and layer a healthy portion of Mexican rice in a rectangle in the middle of the tortilla. Place some beans on top of the rice. Add a healthy portion of your preferred meat. Sprinkle some cheese onto the top of the meat (optional). Add the green chiles and tomato in roughly equal portions. Add a small portion of onions to the tortilla. Add sour cream, guacamole, and salsa in roughly equal portions. Top with a bit of lettuce. Roll the burrito up. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Wear-Bandanas | How to Wear Bandanas | The best way to wear a bandana depends on where on your body you want to wear it. If you want to wear it as a hair accessory, make a headband or a hair wrap. If you want to wear it around your neck, do a front tie bandana look or cover the bottom half of your face with it. | Create a wide headband. Lay the bandana flat on a table so that it looks like a diamond. Fold the bottom half of the diamond up to the top to make a large triangle. Then take the top corner of the triangle and fold it down to meet the base of the triangle to create a wide pentagon shape. Fold the pentagon in half length wide. The scarf should now look like a long rectangular band. Repeat the process of folding the strip in half until the band is about 1 ½ inches (3.81 cm). Pick up the band, making sure it doesn't unravel. Place the middle of the band at the top of your head, then tie the two ends at the nape of your neck into a knot. If you are wearing your hair down, make the knot under your hair. Wear a bandana as a pin-up style headband. Follow the same stems as making a wide headband, but instead of placing the middle of the band on the top of your head and tying it at the nape of your neck, place the middle of the band at the nape of your neck and tie the tails of the bandana into a knot at the top of your head. Make a hippie style headband. A hippie style headband goes over your hair like a crown, giving you a laid back, bohemian vibe. To create this style, follow the steps to fold your bandana in a wide headband, then place the center of the bandana on your forehead. Take the two loose ends and tie them behind your head, making sure that you hair falls underneath the bandana. You can make the band skinny or wide, depending on your preference. Do a 50’s style ponytail. Begin by laying the bandana down and bunching the bandana toward the center to make a long rope shape. Loop the rope shape into a loose, open knot. After you form the bandana into an open knot, pull your hair back into a ponytail and tie your hair with an elastic band. Slide the looped knot over your ponytail and tighten the knot until it is snug against your hair tie. This is a good look to make with a long, scarf-like bandana as opposed to a traditional square bandana. Make a hair wrap. Begin making this vintage-style hair wrap by first styling your hair by making a pouf or by doing an updo and keeping your bangs down if you have bangs. Fold the bandana corner to corner to make a large triangle. Then drape the triangle you made over your shoulders like a cape. Bring the corners up to the top of the head, letting your poof or bangs go in front. Bring up the back corner of the bandana and tuck it under the two front corners, then make a knot to tie the front corners of the bandana together above your forehead. The bandana should be completely covering your head, with your bangs or poof coming out in the front to give the style more nuance. Wear your bandana 90’s style. Another classic way to wear a bandana is a 90's style look that works on both men and women. To create this look, lay your bandana out flat on the diagonal and fold it in half to make a large triangle. Lean your head forward and place the center of the base of the triangle against the top of your forehead. Then take the two ends of the triangle and wrap them to the back of your head. Tie them together in a knot at the nape of your neck. Make sure that the back corner of the bandana is resting on top of your hair and pointing at the knot in the back. If you have long hair, make sure you tie the knot underneath rather than over your hair. Do a front tie bandana look. A front tie bandana look is an easy and classic way to wear a bandana around your neck. To make this look, fold the bandana in half corner to corner to make a triangle. Drape the triangle over your shoulders, then bring in the two corners and tie them at the front of your neck. Wear the bandana in front of your face. For an edgy look, lay the bandana out on the table so that it looks like a diamond and fold the bandana in half in a triangle. Wrap the triangle around your neck so that the two ends meet in the back. Tie the ends in a knot, then pull up the bandana to sit at the middle of your nose and cover the bottom half of your face. Wear the bandana cowboy style. To wear a bandana cowboy style, follow the same steps that you would to wear the bandana in front of your face, but instead of tying the ends in the back and pulling the bandana in front of your face, simply let the bandana sit around your neck almost like a scarf with one point going down. For a really classic cowboy look, use a red bandana and wear blue jeans and a cowboy hat. Make French knot. Begin making this sophisticated bandana style by folding the bandana in half corner to corner to make a triangle. From the longest edge of the triangle, fold the triangle over and keep folding to make a band that is about 3-4 inches (7.62 -10.16 cm) thick. Hold the middle of the band against your neck and tie the band at the back of your neck. Wear a bandana as a bracelet. To wear a bandana as a bracelet, fold the bandana in half along the diagonal to create a triangle shape, then fold the top corner of the triangle over to touch the base of the triangle.Start to fold the bandana lengthwise to create a band that is about 3 inches (7.62 cm) thick. Wrap the band around your wrist, then make a knot to secure it, making sure to not tie the bandana on too tightly. Fold the ends underneath the knot if you don't want them hanging down. Tie the bandana around your thigh. Wearing a bandana around your thigh gives you a cool rock and roll vibe, whether it be over a pair of paints or around your bare leg when you are wearing shorts. Begin by folding the bandana to create a 3 inch (7.62 cm) band as you would for a bracelet or classic headband. Then tie the band across your thigh and knot it, either keeping the ends of the knot out in the front or swinging the knot around to the back and tucking in the ends. Tie a bandana around your ankle. Though it's not an especially common way to wear a bandana, a bandana around your ankle over a nice pair of shoes is a casual and stylish way to give your outfit some color. Fold the bandana into a 3 inch (7.62 cm) band as you would for a classic headband or a bandana bracelet, then tie the bandana around your ankle with the tie in the back. Wear cropped or cuffed pants to show off your bandana. | Create a wide headband. Wear a bandana as a pin-up style headband. Make a hippie style headband. Do a 50’s style ponytail. Make a hair wrap. Wear your bandana 90’s style. Do a front tie bandana look. Wear the bandana in front of your face. Wear the bandana cowboy style. Make French knot. Wear a bandana as a bracelet. Tie the bandana around your thigh. Tie a bandana around your ankle. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Help-Animals | How to Help Animals | To help animals, start by providing fresh drinking water and food for stray cats, birds, and other wildlife. Additionally, make some lifestyle changes, like participating in meatless Mondays or becoming a vegetarian, only buying cruelty-free toiletries and cosmetics, and rejecting fur products. Finally, if you have the resources, consider volunteering at an animal shelter on weekends of in the afternoons. | Adopt a pet. If you're looking for a new pet, there are plenty of ways you can help animals. Rather than buying from a breeder, consider adopting a pet from your local shelter or rescue group. These adoption agencies house many pets that are given away when people move, as well as animals who come from neglectful or abusive homes. When you adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue group, not only are you giving an animal a second chance in life, you'll also save money. Adoption costs are typically lower than what you'd pay for a pet from a breeder, and adopted pets often come with all of their vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery, and microchip procedure already complete. Many shelters and rescue groups have purebred dogs and puppies available for adoption. Shelters and rescues house all kinds of animals. You can adopt a dog or cat, birds, smaller animals like rodents and reptiles, as well as larger animals like horses and livestock. To find a shelter near you, you can browse online or use The Shelter Project's online search engine. Help stray and feral cats. Most cities and suburbs are home to numerous stray and feral cats. While stray cats are typically domestic pets that escaped or were abandoned, feral cats tend to live their lives entirely as wild animals. There are a number of ways you can help these outdoor cats, from reuniting them with their owners to simply providing them with food and water. Consider leaving some cat food and a bowl of water out for stray and feral cats in your neighborhood. Be aware, though, that leaving out food may lure more cats to your yard, as well as other wild animals looking for food. If you see a collar, it probably has an ID tag on it, which means it is a stray or runaway cat. If you can safely approach the cat, check the ID tag and contact the cat's owner. If you have a carrier and can safely get the cat into the crate, take it to a veterinarian or local shelter. Someone at either facility will be able to scan the cat for a microchip to determine if the cat has a registered owner and find a way to contact the owner. If you cannot safely approach or "catch" the cat, write down a detailed description and contact your local veterinary clinics, animal shelters, and rescue groups. Many people who have lost a pet will leave descriptions of the cat with these facilities in hopes that someone might call in a matching description. Let the facility attendants know where and when you saw the cat, and leave an address or phone number so that they can get back to you if an owner turns up. Practice trap-neuter-return strategies. Trap-neuter-return (TNR) is a common and beneficial strategy that can help control the stray/feral cat population and ensure some quality of life among the existing population. TNR involves humanely trapping stray/feral cats, having them spayed or neutered by a vet, vaccinating them against rabies, and returning the cats to their outdoor community. Neutered cats are less likely to roam far from their immediate neighborhood, reducing the likelihood of being hit by cars or killed by other wild animals. Spayed/neutered cats will not reproduce, meaning that each TNR cat will not give birth to a whole new litter of feral cats. Spaying/neutering feral cats also reduces the chances of fighting among the cats in your neighborhood. You can identify cats in your neighborhood that have already been spayed/neutered by looking at their ears. Veterinarians and spay/neuter professionals typically use a surgical tool to "tip" or "notch" one of the cat's ears to let other concerned neighbors know that the cat has already been through the TNR process. Use a humane box trap to trap a stray/feral cat that visits your yard. You can then take the captured cat to a vet to be spayed/neutered and vaccinated. Many animal services, such as the ASPCA, offer free spay/neuter services for feral cats. These agencies will also offer vaccinations and/or ear-tipping for a low cost. Create a backyard sanctuary. If you cannot adopt an animal or perform TNR services, there are still ways you can care for animals in your community. Whether you have a yard surrounding your house, a small balcony/porch on your apartment, or a community park nearby, there are many little things you can do that make a big difference to the wildlife in your area. Provide clean drinking water. You can set up a birdbath for birds that visit your yard, or put out a small bowl of drinking water at ground level. Be sure to change the water on a regular basis to ensure that it stays clean and fresh. Hang bird feeders. Bird feeders are a wonderful resource for birds, especially during the winter when food is scarce. Fill the feeder with a healthy seed mix from your local pet or grocery store. Avoid using harmful lawn chemicals, like fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides. These chemicals are dangerous to wild animals and also pose a threat to pets and children who play in your yard. Stop eating meat. Over 99 percent of commercial animal products come from factory farms. At these large industrial operations, animals are often neglected, abused, or left to live in cramped and/or unsanitary cages. One of the best ways to help reduce animal suffering is to give up meat by becoming a vegetarian or give up all animal products by becoming a vegan. Even dairy and egg production can cause suffering for animals. Chickens and cattle are forced to produce more eggs and dairy (respectively) than they naturally would, all while being housed in cramped, uncomfortable living quarters. Additionally, many chickens have their beaks cut off or burned off to reduce the chances of "nervous pecking" in the tightly-packed cages. If you're not sure you want to commit to a meat-free diet, try participating in meatless Mondays. It's a great way to try out a meatless diet one day each week and experiment with different meal options that you may not otherwise have tried. There are a plethora of vegetarian and vegan recipes available online and in printed cookbooks. Learn how to make delicious vegan meals at home, or find restaurants that offer vegetarian/vegan versions of your favorite dishes. Commit to cruelty-free cosmetics. It's a sad fact that often goes unmentioned, but many cosmetic products are still tested on rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, and rats. These animals are often blinded, poisoned, or killed while testing cosmetic products and the ingredients used in these products. Animal testing is currently legal in approximately 80 percent of all countries worldwide. Look for cruelty-free products online and in stores. Buying cruelty-free cosmetic products helps reduce profits that would otherwise support animal-testing industries. Reject fur products. Cutting out fur products from your wardrobe is one of the easiest ways to help animals by reducing their needless suffering. Over 50 million animals are mistreated and killed each year for their fur coats, even though many non-fur alternatives keep you warmer and look even more stylish. The Humane Society compiles a running list of brands, designers, and retailers that have halted or are actively phasing out the use of fur in clothing products. Help a stranded animal. If you are ever at the beach and see a marine animal stranded on-shore, there are ways you can help. For safety reasons it's best to stay far away from the animal (at least 150 feet), but you can call your local marine animal hotline to report your sighting. Find your local marine animal hotline online by searching for emergency animal assistance in your area. For example, the New England Aquarium (based out of Boston) has a 24-hour Marine Animal Hotline at (617) 973-5247. Do not be alarmed if you see a seal on the beach. Seals will often swim onto shore to sleep, nurse, or warm up in the sun. If you see a seal, simply leave it be. Sea turtles, whales, dolphins, and porpoises do not belong on shore, and will only be out of the water if they are seriously injured or become beached after the tide washes out. If you see any of these animals, call to report the sighting immediately. Report neglected/abused animals. Whether it's a neighbor whose yard you see everyday or a coworker who talks about the way he treats his animals, at some point you may encounter a case of animal abuse or neglect. It's best to proceed with caution in these cases to ensure your safety as well as the animal's safety. Do not try to confront someone who abuses animals yourself, as the individual may be dangerous. If you encounter or know of an emergency situation in which an animal's life or health is in serious jeopardy, call 911 immediately. If you suspect neglect but there are no signs of abuse or violent tendencies, some experts recommend having a polite conversation with the individual. You can offer assistance, like asking if the individual needs help walking his dog, for example. Or you can mention that perhaps the animal would be better off in a more appropriate home where the animal could receive adequate care and attention. However, you should only approach the individual if you're certain that he will not react aggressively/violently or engage in any kind of harassment against you. If the individual is not approachable, or if you believe the animal is being abused, call your local law enforcement or your local Humane Society or SPCA to report the situation. Petition politicians and legislators. If you're interested in making a real difference for animals, you may want to consider writing to your elected local, state, and federal officials in charge of policy making. You can sign petitions, or create your own petitions to be delivered to your chosen elected official(s). Support a shelter or animal rights agency. There are many ways you can help your local shelter or animal rights agency. You can give monetary donations to help cover the costs of operation, or you can volunteer your time and energy to the agency. Many animal shelters are in need of dog walkers, feeders, and other volunteers to help around the shelter. Look up your local shelter or animal rights agency online and call or email them to ask about volunteer opportunities. Take courses in humane education. If you're interested in teaching others about humane practices and lifestyles, you may want to consider taking courses in humane education. For example, the Humane Society offers a number of courses leading to both the Certified Humane Education Specialist (CHES) and Certified Animal Welfare Administrator (CAWA) credentials. Humane Education Specialists work with teachers, school administrators, and outreach personnel, as well as shelter directors and community advocates and law enforcement officers, to teach community members about how to be humane citizens helping animals at home and in the community. | Adopt a pet. Help stray and feral cats. Practice trap-neuter-return strategies. Create a backyard sanctuary. Stop eating meat. Commit to cruelty-free cosmetics. Reject fur products. Help a stranded animal. Report neglected/abused animals. Petition politicians and legislators. Support a shelter or animal rights agency. Take courses in humane education. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Nonfiction-Book | How to Write a Nonfiction Book | To write a nonfiction book, start by choosing a topic that's related to real events, figures, or practices, like history, art, or health and fitness. Your topic can be about anything as long as it's real and based in fact. Then, once you've chosen a topic, do research on it by conducting interviews, reviewing public records, and searching for reputable information online or at your local public library. After researching your topic, create a plot outline and start writing your nonfiction book. | Understand the genre. Nonfiction writing is literature based on fact. Nonfiction writers can focus on topics like biography, business, cooking, health and fitness, pets, crafts, home decorating, travel, religions, art, history, etc. The list of possible subjects for nonfiction writing could be anything and everything. Unlike fiction, which is literature created from imagination, nonfiction is structured around real events, moments, practices, and approaches to a subject. Memoir is a type of nonfiction that acts as a record of events based on intimate knowledge and personal observation. So if you are writing memoir, you will likely need to do some research around your memories of a particular event or moment. But most memoirists do less research than other nonfiction writers, as the basis for their story is personal memory. Read several good examples of nonfiction. Many well written and engaging non-fiction books end up on Best of the Year lists and the best seller's list. Several topics, such as the war in the Middle East, the scientific developments of the 21st century, and institutional racism in the American justice system have all been popular non-fiction topics. Of course, food writing, home décor, and travel writing are topics of interest too. Take a look at nonfiction books such as: The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert. Kolbert, who writes about science for other well respected publications, looks at the history of life on earth and concludes we're experiencing the sixth mass die-off, thanks to the changes imposed on the planet by humans. A gripping non-fiction look at the influence of humanity on nature and science. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson. Stevenson's book focuses on the trial of a black man convicted of murdering a white woman in Monroeville, Alabama. With an informative but unsentimental tone, Stevenson presents a new way of thinking about the death penalty and examines the prejudices of capital punishment in America. Sous-Chef: 24 Hours on the Line by Gibney. The restaurant kitchen has been the setting of many popular nonfiction writing. Gibney's book looks at the egotistical, empowered head chefs and the young wild ones who serve under them, the sous-chefs. Gibney uses sharp prose and solid technical detail to give the reader the sights, smells, tastes, and clashes of a shift in the kitchen. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Coast Trail by Cheryl Strayed. Strayed's nonfiction tale about her journey through heartbreak, addiction, and loneliness on the Pacific Coast Trail is a great example of combining a personal story or memoir style writing with factual detail and scenes. DIY Ideas: Projects and Tips for Every Room by Kathy Barnes. This nonfiction book on home décor from Better Homes and Gardens focuses on “Do It Yourself” projects. It contains over 200+ fun, approachable home improvement projects with clear directions and beautiful photographs. Analyze the examples. Once you've read several nonfiction books, think about how the writer uses factual evidence in the book and approaches the topic in an interesting way. Ask questions such as: What makes the writer's approach to their topic unique or engaging? How does the writer use factual information in their narrative? How does the writer organize the information in the book? Do they use section breaks? Parts? A table of contents? How does the writer cite their sources in the narrative? As a reader, what was the most affecting scene in the book? What scene was the least effective for you? Determine your topic or subject. Maybe you already have a topic in mind, or maybe you aren't sure how to narrow down your broad range of interests. But it's important to home in on your topic and the angle you are going to take on the topic. Ask yourself these questions: What am I passionate about or interested in? Writing a book about a subject you are interested in will make your research more vigorous and your dedication to telling the story much stronger. What is a story only I can tell? Or what makes my view on a subject unique? For example, you may have an interest in pastry making or same-sex marriages. But you need to determine what your unique take will be on these topics. Perhaps for pastry making, you'll focus on the development of a particular technique or a particular pastry, like the croissant. Or for a current topic like same-sex marriages, maybe you will focus on a particular section of America, like the Bible belt, to see how this subject is affecting these communities. Who would read this book? It's important to identify the audience for your book and the market for your book. You want to have a large enough audience for the book to justify writing the book. For example, a nonfiction book about the evolution of the croissant might be of interest to other pastry makers, food critics, and readers with an interest in baking. It may also appeal to historical buffs who enjoy looking at the history of food from a unique angle. Brainstorm. Take some time to get your creative juices flowing. Take out a blank sheet of paper and a pen, or open a new document on your computer. There are many ways you can brainstorm, such as a mind map, with boxes around the main idea and then lines out to other words or phrases that relate to the main idea. You can also create a list of possible unique angles on the main idea. For example, a food history of the croissant? the political implications of the croissant? the different types of croissants in Europe? Create an outline or table of contents. One of the easiest ways to organize your thoughts is to create a content outline or a table of contents for your book. A more detailed outline will also help you focus your research on certain aspects of your topic or subject. Make a bulleted list, with the main topic and then sub topics or headings underneath the main topic. For example, for a book about the croissant, the main topic might be The Croissant and the sub topics could be: Origin/History, Development, Establishment of the basic croissant, and Current variations of the croissant. You can also make a chart with the topics and subtopics, and then add sub sub topic under the sub topics. Try to expand on the idea as much as possible and write down anything (even if it feels a little out in left field) that you feel may be a possible sub topic of the main topic. Decide how much research you will need to do on your topic. Good nonfiction is based on months, if not years, of research. Besides online research, you may need to use libraries, archives and record offices, newspapers, and even microfilm. You will also need to find experts on your subjects and “witnesses to events”. This means individuals who can share first person accounts of an event. You will then need to follow up on leads, interview people, transcribe interviews, and read a lot of material. For each topic and subtopic in your table of contents, brainstorm possible research you may need. For example, for the origin or history of the croissant, you may want to talk to historians who specialize in research on french food or french food culture. Ask yourself: What do I not know about this topic? Who is the best person to talk to about this topic? What kind of documentation can I look up about this topic? Create a research to do list. Look over your content plan or detailed table of contents. Take all the research items you listed and put them on a numbered to-do list. Make a list of URLS, books, and articles you will need to look for and read. Make a list of locations you may need to visit, like a French bakery. Make a list of experts or witnesses you will need to interview. Start with the most important research elements first. This is a good tactic if you're working under a deadline and don't have the luxury of years of research. Order your research to-do list from more important to nice to have. Set up interviews with experts or witnesses early. Do this first to give your interviewees time to respond to your request for an interview. Be responsive when setting up an interview and be specific about possible times for the interview. If you have difficulty getting possible interview subjects to get back to you about an interview time, don't be afraid to be persistent. You may need to contact them again with a reminder email, especially if they have busy schedules or get a lot of emails every day. You may also think about talking to subjects that are easier to access, like a family friend who could give you an expert opinion or a person who works in a lower position who can still give you relevant information. Often, establishing a relationship with someone who works with someone you are trying to interview can also help you get in touch with the interview subject. Conduct the interviews. Exercise good listening skills during the interview. You are doing the interview to learn more from the person or to get information from the person. So don't interrupt the person speaking or try to show how much you know. Come prepared with a list of questions for the interviewee. However, don't feel obligated to stick to your list of questions. The person may give you information you weren't prepared for or looking for, so be open to moments when the interview goes in a different direction. If you don't understand a point made by the interviewee, ask for clarification. And if the person does start to go off on a tangent, carefully bring the focus back to the subject you are researching. If you are interviewing someone in person, use a digital recorder with background noise cancellation. If you are going to be doing extensive interviews with a person, you may want to hire a transcription service to transcribe the interviews and save you some time. If you are interviewing someone online via Skype, you can download recording apps that will record your Skype conversation for you. You can then re watch the video and transcribe it, or send it to a transcription service. Use your public library. Make the research librarian at your local library your new best friend. Before computers, librarians acted as walking databases and in many ways, they still are. Most librarians can point you to a specific shelf that applies to your topic or to a particular research book that may be useful. Ninety percent of research is done through libraries' full-text databases, so take advantage of this free information source. Look into university and specialized libraries. Most universities have a large, central library and several special-collection libraries. Though you may need to pay a fee to access certain books or online databases, university libraries are a great resource for academic and scientific topics. Check out government records and documents. Public government records and documents can be great research sources. Many of these documents are free to access and can provide key factual information for a particular subject. Take advantage of the information on the internet. One of the best ways to conduct internet research is to use search engines effectively. Type several keywords into search engines to find useful sources of information online. Search engines like Google and Yahoo are a good place to start. You can also try metasearch engines like Dogpile and MetaCrawler, which tend to search lesser known and specialized websites. Keep in mind the downsides of metasearch engines, as they usually only allow you to search keywords and can pull from paid for content, full of advertisements. Try to look past the first page of your search. Some of the better sources may actually be on page 5 of your search. You will then need to confirm the sources are reputable by looking at the “About Us” section of the website and checking that the URL of the website ends in “.edu” “.gov” or “.org”. Compile your research in one place. Use an online folder on Google Drive to keep all your research documents in one, easy to find place. Or start a running Word file with your notes. You can also use post it notes on paper documents to notate important information. You should keep a physical folder or several folders to store other important documents, like photographs, newspaper clippings, and handwritten notes. Analyze your research. Take some time to look through your notes, your interview transcripts, and any other documentation you have collected. Determine if your angle on your topic is supported by your research, or if your research sheds a different light on your original angle. For example, you may have thought a book about the evolution of the croissant was a unique idea, but in the course of your research, you come across books on pastry making, including croissants. Think about how your book will differ from what is currently available. So, your book about the evolution of the croissant could be unique because it looks at how crescent shaped breads from the Middle Ages then developed into the French and Austrian croissant we enjoy today. Create a writing schedule. This will help you determine how long it is going to take you to write a draft of the book. If you are working under a deadline, you may make your schedule more tight than if you have the luxury of more time to write. If you are writing a nonfiction book from a memoir perspective you will likely have less research to integrate into the book. Instead, you will spend a lot of time writing about a process you created, your own life story, or your area of expertise. A research based nonfiction book will take longer to write, as you have to study, evaluate, and summarize your documentation. You also have to draw on information from interviews with experts and witnesses. Try to organize your schedule around word count or page count. So, if you normally write about 750 words an hour, factor this in on your schedule. Or if you feel you may actually write two pages an hour, use this as an estimate in your schedule. Determine how long it will take you on average to compose a set number of words, or number of pages, per a day. If you are working towards a final word count goal, like 50,000 words or 200 pages, focus on how many hours per week it will take you to reach this goal. Allow more hours than you think you may need for “unforeseen circumstances.” You may have slow days, or research you didn't realize you needed to look closer at or an interviewee you need to follow up with on a certain detail. Set weekly deadlines. It could be a word count, a page count, or a completion of a certain section. But set weekly deadlines and stick to them. Create a plot outline. Though you are writing non fiction, following the principles of plot development can help give your book form and shape. It can also make it easier for you to organize your research materials in a way that is engaging and interesting for your reader. A story's plot is what happens in the story and the order it happens in. For there to be a story, something has to move or change. Something or someone goes from point A to point B due to a physical event, a decision, a change in a relationship, or a change in a character or person. Your plot outline should include: A story goal: The plot of any story is a sequence of events that revolve around an attempt to solve a problem or attain a goal. The story goal is what your protagonist (this could be you if you are writing memoir) wants to achieve or the problem she wants to resolve. The consequence(s): Ask yourself, What disaster will happen if the goal is not achieved? What is my protagonist afraid will happen if she doesn't achieve the goal or solve the problem? The consequence is the negative situation or event that will result if the goal is not achieved. The combination of goal and consequence creates the main dramatic tension in your plot. This is what makes the plot meaningful. The requirements: These are what must be accomplished to achieve the goal. Think of it as a checklist of one or more events. As the requirements are met in the course of the novel, the reader will feel the characters (or if you writing a memoir, the first person narrator) are getting closer to attaining the goal. Requirements create a sense of anticipation in the reader's mind, as he looks forward to the protagonist's success. Write the manuscript. Armed with your research, your writing schedule and your plot outline, you can now start to write. Find a quiet, secluded spot in your home or in a studio. Limit your distractions by turning off your internet, putting your phone away, and telling everyone to leave you alone. Some writers avoid revising the manuscript as they write to prevent getting stuck on a certain section or part and deviating away from their writing schedule. However, every writer will have their own process of writing and re-writing. If you do find yourself in a moment of writer's block, look through your research. You can use this time not writing to follow up on a research idea or to look over a section of your research that may be useful later in your book. Avoid the passive voice. When you use the passive voice, your writing will end feeling long winded and dull. Look for signs of the passive voice by circling all the “is” “was” and other passive verbs like “begin” “have” “seems” and “appears” in the manuscript. Use your grammar check (or an app like Hemingway app ) to count the number of passive sentences in your manuscript. Aim for 2-4% maximum. Stick to informal language, unless it’s absolutely necessary to use formal terms. Instead of “utilize” you can just put “use”. Focus on simple language, with one or two syllable words. The only time you should be using higher level language is if you are using scientific terms or describing a technical process. Even then, you should be writing for the average reader. It may help to identify the reading level of the ideal reader of your book. You can determine the reading level based on the grade level of your ideal reader. If you account for ESL readers, you should aim for a grade 6 or 7 reading level. If you are writing for a higher education audience, you may write at a grade 8 or 9 level. You can use the Hemingway app to determine the reading level of your draft, or other online reading level tools. Keep the use of “I” to a minimum. Unless you are writing memoir, your audience will respond more to the process, event, or topic you are trying to describe if it is in the third person. So try to remove as many “I” sentences as possible. Show, don't tell. Engage your reader by showing them a specific process or scene, rather than narrate directly to them. For example, a scene that shows the process of how to make a croissant, with details on how the baker prepares and rolls the dough on the table, will be more engaging than telling the reader: "This is how you prepare the dough." You should also steer clear of adverbs in your writing, as it usually weakens the sentence. For example, a sentence like: "When the baker saw the dough was rising too fast, he yanked open the oven door", shows the urgency of the scene without having to use adverbs like "suddenly" or "quickly". Read the manuscript out loud. Find a few sympathetic ears (friends, colleagues, a writing group) and read sections of the manuscript out loud. Good writing should engage readers as listeners, with details and description that create visceral images and a strong narrative. Don't try to impress your listeners or put on a "reading voice". Just read a natural, slow way. Ask for a reaction from your listeners after you finish reading. Note if there were sections that felt confusing or unclear to your listeners. Revise the manuscript. Before you send out your book to publishers, you need to edit the manuscript. You may want to hire a professional proof reader to give the book a good once over for common errors or mistakes. Don't be afraid to cut at least 20% of the material. You can likely get rid of certain sections that go on for a bit too long and cause the reader to tune out. Don't be shy about cutting chapter sections or pages that may be deadweight. Note if each scene in your book uses the power of the senses. Are you engaging at least one of the reader's senses in each scene? The power of enhancement through the senses (taste, touch, smell, sight, and hearing) is a trick both nonfiction and fiction writers can use to keep the reader interested. Check the timeline of the book. Do you explain the complete process or procedure of your topic? Do you explore your angle to the fullest extent? For example, a book about croissants should explain the process of making a croissant from beginning to end. The sentence level. Check for the transitions between paragraphs, are they smooth or jumpy? Look for any overused adverbs or terms and replace them so the sentences don't start to feel redundant. | Understand the genre. Read several good examples of nonfiction. Analyze the examples. Determine your topic or subject. Brainstorm. Create an outline or table of contents. Decide how much research you will need to do on your topic. Create a research to do list. Start with the most important research elements first. Set up interviews with experts or witnesses early. Conduct the interviews. Use your public library. Look into university and specialized libraries. Check out government records and documents. Take advantage of the information on the internet. Compile your research in one place. Analyze your research. Create a writing schedule. Create a plot outline. Write the manuscript. Avoid the passive voice. Stick to informal language, unless it’s absolutely necessary to use formal terms. Keep the use of “I” to a minimum. Show, don't tell. Read the manuscript out loud. Revise the manuscript. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Manage-Your-Fidgeting | How to Manage Your Fidgeting | Although some fidgeting is perfectly normal and can even help you concentrate, if you feel like you're fidgeting too much, you can take steps to do it less often. Limit how much caffeine and sugar you have during the day since too much energy can make you fidget more. Try exercising more often too since that will burn off your extra energy. When you find yourself fidgeting, try taking some deep breaths to settle yourself. Take a break between tasks every 30 minutes to help you recharge and concentrate again. You can also use a fidget toy or stress ball to give your hands something to do. | Recognize when and where you fidget. Is it at work? Is it in the morning or in the afternoon? What social situations does it affect? What parts of your body are the most hyperactive? Understanding how you fidget and how it affects your life is the first step to making a change. Try keeping a log of places and times you tend to fidget in a notebook. This may help you to correlate your fidgeting with various diet habits, such as consuming caffeine or sugar, or determine if it is something else. Fidgeting is normal. Some people fidget more than others. Although it can be a sign of hyperactivity, anxiety, or even neurological issues, it can also just mean you are fidgety. Consider that some level of fidgeting is normal, especially in kids. According to studies, young children actually benefit from frequent movement. It helps them to increase focus, decreases anxiety, improves cognitive function, and may help reduce obesity. Everyone fidgets from time to time. Tapping a pencil, playing with a wedding ring, or tapping a foot are all examples of typical human behavior. Consider the possibility of hyperactive type ADHD. Hyperactive type Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) involves impulsive and hyperactive behavior. Diagnostic criteria are very specific, so you should speak to a doctor. Fidgeting often helps people with ADHD focus better. Signs of hyperactivity-impulsivity include: Fidgeting or tapping hands or feet, or squirming in seat. Leaving seat in situations where sitting is expected. Running about or climbing when it is inappropriate (feelings of restlessness in adults). Being unable to play or take part in leisurely activities quietly. Being “on the go” and acting as if “driven by a motor.” Talking excessively. Blurting out an answer before a question has been completed. Having trouble waiting turn. Interrupting or intruding on others (during games or conversations). Consider whether you could have an anxiety disorder, such as generalized anxiety, social anxiety, or PTSD. Extreme fidgeting can be a sign of an anxiety disorder. The fidgeting that is part of anxiety may be self-destructive (skin picking, nail biting, hair pulling, teeth grinding) or may just be regular tapping, swinging of feet, straightening out items in front of you, or fiddling with objects. If you suspect you have an anxiety disorder, make an appointment with a counselor, psychologist, or your physician. Other symptoms of anxiety are: Avoidant behavior (particularly in social anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder) Obsessive thoughts (particularly in obsessive-compulsive disorder) Difficulty concentrating Self-medicating (with food, alcohol, or drugs) Sense of dread Excessive worry Irritability Digestive issues (upset stomach, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea) Shyness (in social anxiety) Perfectionistic tendencies Difficulty trusting Check to see if you might be autistic. Autism is an inborn, lifelong developmental disability that can make people extra fidgety. Autistic people fidget for a number of reasons: coping with an overwhelming world, expressing emotions, calming down, distracting themselves when bored, et cetera. Autistic fidgeting is often very repetitive, like walking in circles or waving the hands up and down. Signs of autism include the following: Developmental delays and quirks Over- or under-sensitive senses Social confusion Difficulty figuring out what others are thinking Need for routine, and dislike of surprises Meltdowns and shutdowns brought on by excessive stress Disorganization Intensely passionate interests Recognize other conditions that can cause unusual amounts of fidgeting. Here are some other potential causes of fidgeting: Restless leg syndrome Hyperthyroidism/ Graves' disease Menopause Talk to a doctor if you believe you may have an undiagnosed condition. A doctor can make an accurate diagnosis and recommend any treatment or support you might need. They may also refer you to a specialist with expertise in the area. Speak up if you're concerned about misdiagnosis. Doctors are human, and they can only use the information that you give them. Be cautious about self-diagnosis. You don't want to jump to the wrong conclusion. For example, if you decide that you're autistic when you're actually a non-autistic person with ADHD, then you might miss out on the opportunity to try medication that could really help you. Consider taking action if your amount of fidgeting is interfering with your life. Whether you're diagnosed with a condition or not, you may choose to take steps to reduce how much you fidget. A balanced lifestyle can help reduce your need to fidget. Consider how much caffeine you currently consume. For a week, keep a log of how much coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate you consume each day. This will give you an idea of if your caffeine intake is at an unhealthy level. 400 milligrams (the amount in four cups of coffee) of caffeine per day is usually considered safe for most adults. However, some people are more sensitive to it and should not even consume this much. If you consume caffeine and you have insomnia, restlessness, anxiety problems, fast heartbeat, headaches, muscle tremors, or extreme fidgeting you may be extra sensitive to caffeine and should cut back to little or no caffeine at all. Cut your cups of coffee in half, or cut 1 cup each week. This will allow you to avoid withdrawals or headaches. Caffeine is a drug that creates adrenaline surges, which your body gets used to. It could take a month to wean yourself from caffeine. If you are consuming a very high amount of caffeine, cut back slowly. Quitting quickly will cause withdrawal symptoms, like headaches. Keep track of how much sugar you consume. Too much refined sugar and foods with added processed sugar (candies, pop, cakes and cookies, some cereals) creates energy bursts and troughs, leaving you craving more. During the brief energy bursts, you are likely to fidget. Keep a log in a notebook, similar to your caffeine recordings, of how much refined sugar (candy, pop, cookies, etc.) you consume in a week. Replace your sugary snacks with fruit. Fruit has some natural sugar, and this will help to slowly lower your intake of refined or artificial sugar because if you eat plenty of fruit you will crave other sugars less. Fruit is part of a healthy diet, and you should try to consume 4 servings (a serving is one piece of raw fruit the size of a baseball, or one cup of smaller fruits or 100% fruit juice) of fruit per day. Give yourself healthy diet choices. If you are lacking in energy and turning to caffeine or refined sugar snacks to give you a boost, it may be because your diet is generally unhealthy. Be sure that you are consuming the right amount of a variety of vegetables, fruits, grains, and lean proteins each day. You should try to eat 4 servings of vegetables (one cup of raw or cooked veggies or vegetable juice, or 2 cups of leafy greens is one serving), 4 servings of fruit, 6-8 servings of whole grains (depending on age, gender, and activity level), 2-6 servings of lean protein (depending on age, gender, and activity level), and 2-3 servings (one cup) of dairy or dairy equivalents daily. Engage in exercise 30 minutes per day. In general, modern American lifestyles are not as physically active as they should be. The lack of movement in a usual day for someone who has sit-down job may contribute to the tendency to fidget. To get more exercise, you can walk, jog, swim, bike, play sports, or do any other activity you enjoy that gets your heart rate up. If you find yourself limited on time for exercise, one of the easiest ways to get enough is to just walk. Walking can even be part of your chores; you can walk the dog, walk to the market or the post office, or walk around the office or around the block a couple of times during your lunch break. Any amount of walking is better than none, and making it a regular habit helps ensure you are getting enough exercise. Convert your fidgeting hand and leg movements into isometric exercises while at work or school. These will curb fidgeting and strengthen muscles. Rest your hands in your lap. Put your palms together and gently push them together. Hold for 3 to 10 seconds and repeat 10 times. Place your feet flat on the floor. Push down into the floor for 3 to 10 seconds. Repeat until your muscles are tired; your fidgeting will subside. Give yourself breaks. Never sit in one place for over 30 minutes. As well as being good for your back, walking around and stretching during short breaks will reduce your need to fidget and help you to get the amount of exercise you need. Consider your reasons for feeling restless. Most often, unless it is due to a health problem such as ADHD, people fidget because they have restless energy and feel that they should be, or want to be, doing something else. Relaxing and calming your mind can help you cope with this restless energy. Engage. Instead of worrying about what else you should be or could be doing, or worrying that you're not getting things done fast enough, remain focused on where you are and what you're doing at the moment. This takes practice. Regardless of what you're doing, tell yourself, “this is what I'm doing right now, and I'm going to do my best at it and pay attention.” Take deep breaths. When you feel the need to fidget, take a couple of slow deep breaths instead. This will help your nervous, restless energy to slowly disappear. If you are feeling incredibly nervous and fidgety, stop what you're doing and count while you're breathing. Take a deep breath in while counting to 10. When you get to 10, start letting it out while counting to 10 again. Do this several times until you feel more relaxed. Begin practicing yoga. Research and sign up for local yoga classes. If you already know yoga poses, practice them at home or during your breaks at work. The meditation, deep breathing, and stretching aspects of yoga help tremendously with restless energy and will help you to stay focused. Get enough sleep. Getting enough sleep is so important for managing stress. It allows your brain to recharge and gives it the ability to stay focused and organized. Be sure that you allow yourself 7-8 hours of sleep per night, and if you have trouble falling asleep, try the following: Avoid stimulation an hour before bed. This includes TV, exercise, and time on your phone. For an hour before bed, try enjoyable reading in dim lights, or take a warm bath. Don't do work in your bed during the day. Let your bed be the place where you are relaxed and ready for sleep, not thinking about responsibilities. Check on your diet and exercise. Lacking of certain nutrients, consuming caffeine, and not getting enough exercise can all contribute to insomnia. Appreciate what you have. Keep a gratitude journal where you write down each day or a couple of times a week the things that you are thankful for. Remembering the things you are thankful for helps you maintain a positive mood and reduces stress and restless energy. Use tools to provide an outlet for fidgeting. Try sitting on an exercise ball for a chair, and keeping a box of fidget toys for when you need to fiddle with something. As long as you're able to focus quietly without disrupting others, you can consider it a constructive way to channel your energy. You can buy or build your own fidget tools. Engage in activities that stimulate the senses. Sometimes, being fidgety means that you're a little bored. Try chewing gum or listening to music. Don't be afraid to tell people that you're just a little fidgety. Everyone is different, and people may accept it if you just politely let them know. If people seem confused by your behavior, give a quick explanation that works for you. "I'm just kind of a fidgety person. Let me know if I'm being disruptive." "I find that fidgeting helps me focus better." "I'm a little wiggly, that's all." "I have ADHD, and playing with a stress ball helps me focus." Take a break. Sometimes, fidgeting is a sign that you need a change of pace. Try leaving the room, and maybe doing a quick task like refilling your water bottle or checking the mailbox. A short break may be just what you need. | Recognize when and where you fidget. Consider that some level of fidgeting is normal, especially in kids. Consider the possibility of hyperactive type ADHD. Consider whether you could have an anxiety disorder, such as generalized anxiety, social anxiety, or PTSD. Check to see if you might be autistic. Recognize other conditions that can cause unusual amounts of fidgeting. Talk to a doctor if you believe you may have an undiagnosed condition. Consider taking action if your amount of fidgeting is interfering with your life. Consider how much caffeine you currently consume. Cut your cups of coffee in half, or cut 1 cup each week. Keep track of how much sugar you consume. Replace your sugary snacks with fruit. Give yourself healthy diet choices. Engage in exercise 30 minutes per day. Convert your fidgeting hand and leg movements into isometric exercises while at work or school. Give yourself breaks. Consider your reasons for feeling restless. Engage. Take deep breaths. Begin practicing yoga. Get enough sleep. Appreciate what you have. Use tools to provide an outlet for fidgeting. Engage in activities that stimulate the senses. Don't be afraid to tell people that you're just a little fidgety. Take a break. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Cut-Knee-Holes-in-Jeans | How to Cut Knee Holes in Jeans | Cutting knee holes in your jeans is a great way to give them new life and make them more fashionable. First, put on your jeans and mark a line on each leg where you want the holes to be. Then, take off your jeans, place a piece of cardboard inside each leg where the line is, and cut each line with scissors or a sharp knife. The cardboard will stop you from accidentally cutting the back of your jeans. If you want to fray the edges of the holes, rub them with sandpaper or a nail file. The holes will naturally grow when you wash your jeans in the washing machine. However, if you're worried about them getting too big, add a few stitches to either side of each hole. | Put the jeans on and mark the knees where you want the holes. Find a pair of jeans that fit you well, then put them on. Draw a horizontal line across your knee with a pen or a piece. You can do this on just 1 knee, or you can do it on both knees. You can create more than 1 slit on each knee. For best results, choose fitted or skinny jeans that are already faded in the knee area. Take the jeans off and tuck a piece of cardboard into the leg. Make sure that you slide the cardboard all the way down into the knee. This will prevent the craft blade from cutting through the back layer of fabric. Skip the cardboard if you do not have a craft blade. Cut across the drawn line, stopping 1 inch (2.5 cm) between the seams. Do not cut all the way from seam-to-seam. The jeans will rip further on their own and give your hole a more authentic appearance. You can leave more than 1 inch (2.5 cm) between the edges of the slit and the seams. If you do not have a craft blade, use a pair of fabric scissors to cut the slit instead. Fray the edges with sandpaper or a nail file, if desired. Keep the cardboard inside the pant leg. Run a nail file or a piece of sandpaper back-and-forth across the raw, cut edges. You can also run the nail file or sandpaper over the cut edge and into the hole. How much you do this depends on what sort of effect you want. The longer you file or sand the fabric, the more it will fray. Remove the cardboard. At this point, your hole is done. You can repeat the process to make another hole on the other pant leg. It can be the same size, or it can be a little smaller/larger. Wash the jeans if you want to distress them further. Keep in mind that the hole will fray on its own as you wash and wear the jeans. If you don't want to wait, however, machine wash and dry the jeans. This will fray the raw edges and give them a softer, more natural look. Check the how-to-wash tag on your jeans to find out what temperature and cycle setting you should use. Most jeans will require cold water. Put on a pair of jeans that fit you well. You can use any cut of jeans you want, but skinny or fitted jeans will look better. If you want the hole to look more authentic, choose a pair of jeans that are already old and faded in the knee area. Create 2 horizontal and parallel marks over your knees. The lines can be whatever length you want them to be, but they need to be equal. How far apart you make the marks depends on how big you want the hole to be. The further apart you make the marks, the bigger the hole will be. Use chalk for dark fabrics and a pen for light. Leave about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of space between the edges of the lines and the seams on your jeans. Take the jeans off and tuck a piece of cardboard inside, if needed. Spread the jeans out on a flat surface, then tuck a sheet of cardboard into the pant leg, just behind the knee. This will keep the blade from cutting through to the back of the jeans. You do not need the cardboard if you'll be cutting the jeans with scissors. Cut across the marks leaving a strip of fabric between them. You can cut the marks with scissors or with a craft blade. Once again, be careful not to cut through the side seams. If you inserted a piece of cardboard into the pant leg, remove it when you are done. You are only cutting 2 parallel, horizontal slits. You are not actually cutting a square hole. Pull the blue threads out from between the slits. After you cut along the lines, you'll be left with a scrap of fabric between the slits. Use a pair of tweezers to grab the blue threads and pull them out. When you are done, you'll have a bunch of white threads between the 2 slits. Do not pull the threads out above and below the slits. Do not pull the horizontal white threads out. This will elongate the hole. Let the threads break on their own. Wash the jeans if you want to speed up the distressing process. The threads will break and fray on their own the more you wear the jeans. If you want to see the wear and tear happen sooner, however, toss the jeans into the washer, then dry them in the dryer. Check the care tag on your jeans to find out what temperature and cycle you should use. Most jeans should be washed in cold water, however. | Put the jeans on and mark the knees where you want the holes. Take the jeans off and tuck a piece of cardboard into the leg. Cut across the drawn line, stopping 1 inch (2.5 cm) between the seams. Fray the edges with sandpaper or a nail file, if desired. Remove the cardboard. Wash the jeans if you want to distress them further. Put on a pair of jeans that fit you well. Create 2 horizontal and parallel marks over your knees. Take the jeans off and tuck a piece of cardboard inside, if needed. Cut across the marks leaving a strip of fabric between them. Pull the blue threads out from between the slits. Wash the jeans if you want to speed up the distressing process. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Ship-a-Car | How to Ship a Car | To ship a car, start by finding a shipping company online that specializes in moving cars, such as uShip or Ship a Car Direct. Then, contact a few companies to get quotes, and make sure they offer insurance if your car is damaged during transport. Next, prepare your car by shutting off the alarm, leaving less than a half tank of gas in it, and removing any personal items. Additionally, take note of any current damage to your car, such as nicks or dings, before you drop it off at the pickup location. | Look for a shipping company or a broker company online. The Internet is a great resource when it comes to finding car-shipping companies. The companies' websites will describe their services and qualifications. Many of the companies that you will find online will be broker companies. For a fee, these organizations will save you some work by finding you a car-hauling company to transport your vehicle. If you'd like to check out some popular shipping companies, look into: Direct Express Auto Transport, at: https://www.autotransportdirect.com/. Ship a Car Direct, at: https://www.shipacardirect.com/. uShip, at: https://www.uship.com/vehicles/. If you'd like to review and compare shipping brokers, use the search function provided by the Car Shipping Carriers at: https://carshippingcarriers.com/car-shipping-brokers/. Contact a vehicle transporter to make sure it has credibility. If you found a shipping company online, it's smart to make a phone call and talk to a company representative before selecting a company to ship your car with. A little research goes a long way when it comes to shipping companies. Ask questions until you feel comfortable with the transport company and with the price that the transportation will cost. A company is credible if it is transparent in its business dealings, can accurately describe how its business practices work, and has positive online reviews from other customers. You can ask things like: "Where will the vehicle be stored or parked overnight?" "Do you guarantee delivery within a certain number of days?" Also make sure that the shipping company is licensed with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Use their search tool at: https://ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/hhg/search.asp. Calculate the price of the car shipment. If you're struggling to decide between 2 or 3 different shipping companies, a quick price comparison can help you make up your mind. You can calculate the shipment price by inputting information into the shipping company's website including: the car's make and model, its condition (running or non-running), its pickup point and destination, and whether it should be shipped on open or enclosed transport. If you're working with a shipping company that doesn't have an online presence, make a phone call to their office and ask about cost. The price of shipping is usually determined by the distance the car is being shipped, the popularity of the route, and the season in which the transport is taking place. Ship your car via open-car shipping for a popular and affordable option. There are 2 different ways of shipping vehicles, and they differ in cost and practicality. The methods are: open-car shipping and enclosed-car shipping. When shipped via open car, the vehicle is uncovered. This method is used frequently and is cheaper than shipping your car in closed trailers. However, your vehicle will be exposed to the natural elements while being transported. Ship your car via enclosed shipping for added protection. An enclosed car shipping service uses a vehicle with a covered freight area. This style is most commonly used when shipping an expensive vehicle or classic car that you wish to protect. If your vehicle will be traveling cross-country and going through dry or rocky territory, consider using a closed trailer to protect it from wind-blown sand and stones. Note that closed trailers usually cost about 60% more than open trailers, since they're smaller and can hold fewer vehicles. Look into the insurance coverage that the shipping company offers. In most instances, your car insurance will not cover a shipped vehicle, since you're not physically driving the vehicle. However, it's still worth checking your policy, as some may cover shipping incidents. Also contact the shipping company and ask about their insurance, should your car get damaged while being shipped. Reputable companies with good insurance should be able to completely cover any damage that your car receives while being shipped. Companies may insure from anywhere between $50,000-$1,000,000 worth of damage. If you'd like a quick answer, it may be most effective to call the company directly to ask about insurance. Ask something like: "What kind of insurance will cover my car in case it's damaged or stolen?" Schedule a pickup or wait for an open-transport date. For most car shipments, the transportation company will contact you and let you know when they have an open slot on a shipment vehicle. The company will give you, for example, a week's notice before your car will be ready to ship. If the shipping dates aren't flexible and the car must be picked up on a certain day, you can contact the company and schedule a pickup. If you request a specific scheduled pickup, the shipping company will charge you extra money. Wash your car by hand thoroughly. This is a mandatory first step, even if the car will be shipped on an open trailer. You want to be able to note any chips, dings, nicks, or other cosmetic damage accurately. If you ship your car without washing it first, it'll be difficult to tell if a nick or dent is new or existed before the car was shipped. You can wash your car by hand using only a bucket, water, soap, and a few clean rags. Shut off or disable the car alarm. The shippers will take precautions to keep your car safe, and so you won't need to have the car alarm turned on. Before the shippers pick up your car, either fully shut off the car alarm, or temporarily disable it so that you can easily turn it back on when you pick the car up. Refer to your car manual to find out how to disable the alarm. You may need to work through an electronic menu system particular to your car. While the shippers will still be able to transport the vehicle if the car alarm is on, it will be an unpleasant and loud experience for them. Leave the car's gas tank less than half full. Since you're not driving the car to its destination, there's no need to have the car shipped with a full tank of gas. Shipping companies often prefer to ship cars with the gas tank close to empty. Gas is heavy, and a full tank of it may over-load the shipping truck. If the gas tank is low, between 1/8th to 1/4th of a tank, it will save quite a bit of weight. Secure any small parts that could snap off of your car during shipping. For example, secure or remove any loose parts or specialty items from your car such as ground effects, spoilers, or fog lights. These could become damaged or break off while the car ships, and the shipper's insurance may not cover this type of item. If you have wide side mirrors, fold them back. Be sure to lower and remove/retract the antennae. Also remove any personal items from your car. The shipping company will most likely not insure that personal items left behind will still be inside the car when it's delivered. Take note of any pre-existing damage on your vehicle. You may want to go as far as taking (and dating) pictures of the vehicle prior to shipping it. Then, compare these photographs with more photos you'll take after the vehicle arrives at its destination. These photos will show if the car was damaged while being shipped and will be valuable evidence to show the insurance company if you file for damages. Take your car to the pickup location. Most shipping companies will provide you with a location that you'll bring your car to on the day it ships. The company will also specify a time at which you should bring your car by the pickup location. Bring your car to the location about 5 minutes ahead of schedule. Or, if your shipping company is picking up your car, have it in the street, ready to go by the pickup time. When dropping off your car, be sure to your car keys with the driver. Otherwise, they'll be unable to start your car and it move onto the truck. Bring your driver’s license, vehicle registration, and proof of insurance. These 3 documents will verify your identity and prove that the car is registered in your name. If the registration and proof of insurance are not already in your glove box, make sure to put them somewhere in the car before you drop it off for shipment. The driver or a business representative from the shipping company may need to write down your ID number and your insurance policy number. Sign the paperwork provided by the shipping office. Before the shipping company can transport your vehicle, they'll need you to fill out and sign some paperwork. If you're shipping your vehicle internationally , you may need to sign forms dealing with import laws in the country the car is going to. The company may ask you to review and sign documents including: A shipping invoice. A certificate of origin certifying the country which the shipped items are coming from. Forms listing payments received and any outstanding financial balance. Prepare a thorough list of any operational problems. The shipping company will appreciate your thorough descriptions of any difficulties that they may have when trying to start, stop, or drive your vehicle on and off of the trailer. Print this information on a sheet of paper that you'll leave in the vehicle when it's shipped. Or, send a shipping company representative an email describing your car's problems or quirks. For example, let the shipping company know if the engine floods easily, if a certain gear doesn't work, or if the parking break is too weak to hold the car in position when it's parked on an incline. Pick up the vehicle at the arranged date and time. Depending on the shipping company you've used, you may have some input as to where the car is dropped off. Other companies will simply inform you where they're going to leave your vehicle. Be there to pick your car up when it's dropped off. Most domestic shipping companies will take about 4 weeks to deliver the car. Contact the shipping company if your car is being shipped and you haven't heard when or where it will be dropped off. If the shipping truck has had delays or problems on the road, it's the shipping company's responsibility to inform you. Sign the necessary paperwork to finalize the shipment. When the vehicle is dropped off, you'll need to sign some forms indicating that the shipping company has received its payment(s) and you have received your car. The shipping company may also mail this paperwork to you after you've dropped the car and ask you to sign and return the forms. Do not sign any paperwork finalizing the business transaction until you've had at least 15 minutes to inspect the car for damages. Check the vehicle for new damages when you pick it up. Cars can become damaged while being shipped, whether from flying rocks and debris or from hailstorms or vandalism. To find out if your car has been damaged, walk around the vehicle and inspect it closely upon delivery. You could even take a few photographs to show the insurance company in case you realize that the shipping company damaged your vehicle. If you're shipping your own vehicle to a new residence, it would also be wise to take a few photographs of the car before you have it shipped. That way, if the car is damaged on the road, you'll have tangible proof to show the insurance company. File an insurance claim if the car is damaged upon pickup. If your car is damaged upon arrival, you can contact the shipper's insurance company and file a claim. When speaking to a representative on the phone, describe the new damages that your car has received. Provide the date and time of the vehicle's drop-off, and get the name and license number of the shipping truck's driver. Also explain that you have taken photographs and that you have a written record of all damages to the car that pre-existed its shipment. | Look for a shipping company or a broker company online. Contact a vehicle transporter to make sure it has credibility. Calculate the price of the car shipment. Ship your car via open-car shipping for a popular and affordable option. Ship your car via enclosed shipping for added protection. Look into the insurance coverage that the shipping company offers. Schedule a pickup or wait for an open-transport date. Wash your car by hand thoroughly. Shut off or disable the car alarm. Leave the car's gas tank less than half full. Secure any small parts that could snap off of your car during shipping. Take note of any pre-existing damage on your vehicle. Take your car to the pickup location. Bring your driver’s license, vehicle registration, and proof of insurance. Sign the paperwork provided by the shipping office. Prepare a thorough list of any operational problems. Pick up the vehicle at the arranged date and time. Sign the necessary paperwork to finalize the shipment. Check the vehicle for new damages when you pick it up. File an insurance claim if the car is damaged upon pickup. |
https://www.wikihow.life/Get-Rid-of-Dog-Urine-Smell | How to Get Rid of Dog Urine Smell | To get rid of the smell of dog urine, you should blot up the stain with a clean, dry towel as quickly as possible. If the stain has already set in, dilute the spot with water, using towels to dampen and blot up the area. Once you have diluted it as much as possible, spray the stain with an enzyme neutralizer to break down the molecules that cause unpleasant odors. If the smell remains, you may have to replace your carpet padding or flooring. | Blot the urine right away. If you see your dog pee in the house or find a wet urine stain, blot the spot with a clean towel immediately. This will soak up as much urine as possible, diminishing the possibility of the pee soaking into your rug or upholstery. Use water and a few drops of soap to dilute the damp spot. Get a bowl of warm water, and put a few drops of mild soap in it. Use a clean towel to wipe the wet spot with the soapy water, blotting with a dry towel. You can do this a few times until no traces of the original dog stain remain. Sprinkle the spot with baking soda. Sprinkle the damp spot with a few tablespoons of baking soda, which is a natural deodorizer. Spread the soda evenly. Be careful not to use more than ¼ cup (120 grams), as excessive amounts can be more difficult to clean up. Let your baking soda sit on the peed spot overnight. Vacuum the baking soda up. If your dog peed the carpet, use a full-size vacuum to clean up the baking soda the next morning. Go over the area as many times as necessary to suck up all the powder, so the area is clean to the touch. If your dog peed a mattress or another upholstered surface, use a handheld vacuum to clean up the baking soda. Use water to dilute the urine-stained area. If your dog's urine stain has set for a long time and the smell is strong, you will first need to dilute the stain. Get a bowl of warm water, and use a two clean towels towel to alternately dampen and blot dry the stained spot. Do this several times to dilute the stain, and smell, as much as possible. You may want to wear rubber gloves for this. Your towels may start to take on some of the odor. However unpleasant, this is what you want, as it indicates you are drawing the smell out of the soiled area. Swap out your towels and continue diluting the stain as much as possible. Use an enzyme-neutralizing cleaner. Once you have diluted the odor as much as possible, use an enzyme neutralizer, such as Nature's Miracle or Angry Orange. These cleaners break down protein-based molecules in urine that can cause bad odors. After doing a test for colorfastness on a hidden area of your carpet or upholstery, spray the area thoroughly with the cleaner and let stand for 5-10 minutes. Blot dry with a clean towel. Launder or replace any items that retain smell. If an odor remains after using the enzyme neutralizer, remove slipcovers from any soiled items and launder with cool water. Air dry to avoid shrinkage in the dryer.. If your dog has peed a carpet, consider replacing the rug pad beneath. These can contain synthetic materials that are more difficult to purge bad odors from. Use a 1-1 water and white vinegar solution. Removing odors that are set in hardwood is difficult, but luckily, wood is more tolerant of stronger cleaning agents. Mix a solution that is 50% white vinegar and 50% water. Rub the solution into the urine stain vigorously with a soft sponge. Let it cure for 5-10 minutes. Then, wipe up the solution with a clean, dry towel. You can sprinkle the spot with a few tablespoons of baking soda too for some additional cleaning power after using the vinegar solution. Vacuum the soda up after it sits for a few hours or overnight. Try a hydrogen peroxide mask. Soak a clean facecloth or hand towel in 3% hydrogen peroxide until it is saturated but not dripping. Wring the towel if necessary, and place the towel over the urine-stained area. Let the towel sit for 2-3 hours to deodorize the offending spot. If the floor is still damp when you remove the hydrogen peroxide towel, wipe the area dry with a clean cloth. Sand the wood down and refinish. If the smell of the stain is not dissipating, you have the option of sanding down your wood floor. This is not to be undertaken lightly because it is expensive and time consuming, but it may be the best option to remove very deep odors. Sanding removes the top layer of wood and will effectively polish out your odors by buffing away the surface layer they live in. Contact a professional contractor for a quote to perform this work without damaging your floor. Sanding is simpler to do with unfinished wood (a deck, for example) but can be accomplished with finished hardwood inside. A professional can help you match your existing finish properly. Walk your dog more frequently. If your dog is not getting walked frequently enough, they may feel the need to relieve themselves in the house. Ensure you are taking your dog out to pee at least four times a day, but more frequently if your dog is very old, young or infirm. If need be, hire a dog walker to come by your home so you can meet your dog's needs. Get a dog trainer to work on your pup’s potty training. Some dogs, whether due to a lack of training as puppies or past abuse, never get properly trained to use the bathroom outside. If you suspect this may be the case of your dog, particularly if your dog has an unknown history, call a dog trainer. Many trainers do in-home sessions that can address your dog's specific problem behaviors. Trainers can also diagnose whether your dog's urination in the house may be due to an underlying behavioral issue such as separation anxiety. Get your dog checked at the vet for any underlying health problems. If your dog's urination problems persist despite walking your dog frequently and employing a trainer, you may want to take them to the vet. Some health problems, such as neutering complications or urinary tract infections, can cause your dog to pee more frequently, including inside the house. Make a note of where your dog goes in the house, how often, and when your issues started so you can relate them to your veterinarian. Use repellent products as necessary. Certain repellent products, such as Four Paws Keep Off! and Nature's Miracle Pet Block Repellent, can discourage your dog from urinating in the house. Test your materials for colorfastness, and then spray the repellant thoroughly on the area your dog urinates. | Blot the urine right away. Use water and a few drops of soap to dilute the damp spot. Sprinkle the spot with baking soda. Vacuum the baking soda up. Use water to dilute the urine-stained area. Use an enzyme-neutralizing cleaner. Launder or replace any items that retain smell. Use a 1-1 water and white vinegar solution. Try a hydrogen peroxide mask. Sand the wood down and refinish. Walk your dog more frequently. Get a dog trainer to work on your pup’s potty training. Get your dog checked at the vet for any underlying health problems. Use repellent products as necessary. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Set-Boundaries-with-People-with-Borderline-Personality-Disorder | How to Set Boundaries with People with Borderline Personality Disorder | Although you might feel like you always need to be there for your friend or family member with borderline personality disorder, it's important to set boundaries to protect your own wellbeing. Wait until they're calm to explain your boundaries. Let them know gently why you're setting the boundaries and reassure them that you love and care about them, since people with borderline can often feel insecure about how people feel about them. Gently tell them what you boundary is and what you'll do if they overstep it. For example, you might leave the house if they get angry with you or you might not lend them money again if they spend it on alcohol. Try not to feel guilty if they get upset or angry with you, since the boundaries are for both of your benefits. If your loved one crosses your boundary, follow up with the consequences you explained. | Make your own well-being a priority. Many people fail to set personal boundaries because they feel guilty about it or think their needs don't matter. However, your needs are just as important as anyone else's, and you have to be in good mental and emotional health to be able to help others and fulfill your own responsibilities. Setting boundaries you're comfortable with isn't selfishness – it's your right. In the long run, healthy boundaries don't only benefit you. They also benefit your loved one with BPD by creating a clear sense of structure and predictability in the relationship. Define your boundaries. Determine ahead of time which limits you are going to establish with your loved one and why. One good way to define your boundaries is to think about your values. Good boundaries are a way of protecting the things that matter to you most and ensuring you aren't pressured into activities or situations that go against the way you want to live. For instance, if your friend wants to talk on the phone with you every night, but you value spending evenings with your family, you might decide not to take your friend's calls after five o'clock. Decide on follow-up steps when your boundaries are crossed. It's important to think about what action you will take if your loved one does not respect your boundaries. If you don't specify what your reactions will be and follow through with them, your loved one will probably not take your boundaries seriously. A good follow-up step should be something that follows naturally from the other person's actions. For instance, you might decide that if your partner shouts at you again, you will leave the house for a few hours until they can calm down. Prepare yourself for your loved one’s reactions to your boundaries. The other person may be angry, hurt, or embarrassed when you tell them you need them to behave differently. They may take the change personally, accuse you of not loving them, or act out against the boundaries. Decide how you will handle various reactions so you aren't caught off guard when it happens. Choose a time when you and your loved one are calm. Talking about boundaries can be a touchy subject. Make the conversation a little easier by talking with the other person at a time when you're both emotionally stable. Avoid introducing the topic of boundaries during or right after a fight. If the other person feels defensive or angry, the conversation won't be productive. Introduce the topic by saying something like, “Are you free for a minute? There's something I've been wanting to talk with you about.” State your boundaries clearly and firmly. Be upfront when you tell your loved one about your new boundaries. Be kind, but don't apologize or back down. Explain exactly what you need from the other person without any ambiguity. Use a calm, non-confrontational tone to lessen the risk of the other person taking offense. Explain why you are setting these boundaries. For your loved one, hearing about the new limits you're imposing on the relationship might sting. However, it's important that they understand why you're doing it. Be gentle but honest about your reasons. Phrase your explanation in a non-accusatory way that focuses on your needs instead of what the other person is doing wrong. For instance, if you find your spouse's mood swings exhausting to deal with, you could say, “It's really wearing me out trying to guess how you'll be feeling from one day to the next. I need you to communicate your feelings to me more regularly.” Reassure your loved one that you value them. Someone with BPD may feel insulted when others set boundaries with them. Make sure to give your loved one plenty of reassurance that you're not rejecting them as a person and that your relationship with them is still important to you. Emphasize the ways your boundary will benefit both of you. This will help your loved one understand that you're not setting limits just to try to push them away. For instance, you could tell a friend, “I think spending more time on our own will be good for both of us in the long run. I have more energy for socializing when I spend enough time alone, so we'll both have more fun when we do get together.” Avoid letting the other person make you feel guilty. Your loved one may try to make you feel bad for setting boundaries. Don't let them sway you with emotional manipulation. You have the right to protect your own well-being. Carry out any set rules and reactions you’ve established. If the other person doesn't respect your boundaries, follow through with your follow-up steps consistently. It's important to follow through every time. Otherwise, they will get the message that you're not serious about your boundaries. Once your loved one realizes you are serious about your boundaries and rules, they may accept them and stop testing you. Avoid giving an ultimatum unless you mean it. When you're frustrated with your loved one's behavior, it can be tempting to make an ultimatum, just to try to get them to cooperate with you. However, ultimatums lose their power if you don't intend to follow through on them. Avoid giving an ultimatum unless you've thought it through and are fully prepared to carry it out. Stay flexible. Setting and maintaining boundaries is a process, not a one-time event. Don't hesitate to change your boundaries if you find that something isn't working for you. Communicate with the other person about changes in boundaries so you stay on the same page about what you both expect from the relationship. Distance yourself if you need to. Sometimes even the best efforts to set healthy boundaries don't improve a relationship with a person who has BPD. If the person refuses to cooperate with you or acts abusive towards you, it's probably best to end the relationship. Put your safety and sanity first – you're under no obligation to maintain a relationship or friendship with someone who doesn't respect you or your needs. Recognize the symptoms so you can set fair, compassionate boundaries. Knowing what's normal and what's not for a person with BPD can help you decide what boundaries are fair for both of you. For instance, it may upset you when your partner experiences stress-related paranoia, and you may be tempted to set a boundary like, “Don't approach me with your concerns when they're unfounded.” The problem with this might is that this paranoia is probably a symptom of BPD that your partner can't help, and rejecting them when they need you will hurt both of you in the long run. Instead, try saying, “Let me know when you're experiencing intense paranoia. We'll talk it over for a few minutes, then I'll sit close by in the next room while you calm down.” Other symptoms include a fear of abandonment, unstable relationships, changes in self-image, impulsive behavior, suicidal behavior, mood swings, and feelings of anger or emptiness. Consider the causes of your loved one’s BPD. Though the causes of this mental illness aren't yet fully understood, it's possible that environmental factors such as child abuse or neglect may have impacted your loved one's BPD, as well as genetic or brain abnormalities. Remembering that their BPD may stem from trauma, genetics, or both will help you maintain sympathy when you approach your loved one about setting boundaries. You could say, for example, “I know that your BPD is something you can't always control, and that it's linked to a painful time in your past. I don't want to trigger those bad memories by setting boundaries, I just want to help myself so that I can better help you.” Understand the nuances of BPD so you can set boundaries more empathetically. BPD is a difficult and tumultuous mental illness, often characterized by an intense fear of abandonment and pattern of intense, unstable relationships. Realizing the effects of these symptoms can help you better understand your loved one's response to your desire for boundaries. If your loved one experiences this extreme aversion to separation, realize that they may become upset when you approach them with the idea of setting personal boundaries, seeing it as a rejection or pulling away. They may think about difficult past relationships and be afraid that they'll lose you as well. Approach your loved one with compassion and empathy, reassuring them that you're not going anywhere and that you simply want to help both them and yourself. Help your loved one through their BPD. Offer to visit the doctor with them, spend quality time with them doing something you both enjoy, and tell them you love them. Showing your love and support will make them more willing to see your point of view and help them understand your desire for healthy boundaries. | Make your own well-being a priority. Define your boundaries. Decide on follow-up steps when your boundaries are crossed. Prepare yourself for your loved one’s reactions to your boundaries. Choose a time when you and your loved one are calm. State your boundaries clearly and firmly. Explain why you are setting these boundaries. Reassure your loved one that you value them. Avoid letting the other person make you feel guilty. Carry out any set rules and reactions you’ve established. Avoid giving an ultimatum unless you mean it. Stay flexible. Distance yourself if you need to. Recognize the symptoms so you can set fair, compassionate boundaries. Consider the causes of your loved one’s BPD. Understand the nuances of BPD so you can set boundaries more empathetically. Help your loved one through their BPD. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Catch-Ghosts | How to Catch Ghosts | To catch a ghost, find a glass jar and place a candle inside. Light the candle and leave the jar in a haunted place while you watch from a safe distance. Once you've confirmed that there is a ghost inside the jar, screw the lid on tight. Be careful to keep the lid secured otherwise the ghost could escape! You can also trap a ghost in a box filled with soil you got from hallowed ground, like a church or cemetery. When you arrive, carefully close the box and sprinkle some salt on top to seal it in. | Look for ghosts in old houses. Old houses (like 100 or 200 years old, not from the 1970s, 1980s, or 1990s) are good places to look for ghosts. Sometimes when a person dies, their spirit will return to the place where they died or a place they can't bear to leave behind, which is often their family home. These spirits are not usually malevolent (unless their death was violent), so household ghosts are a good place to start for the rookie ghost hunter. Just be sure to get permission before you go ghost hunting on private property. Look for ghosts in cemeteries. Cemeteries are another good location for ghost catching, even if they can be a little creepy at night! Sometimes, ghosts cannot bear to leave their physical bodies behind after death, while other spirits (particular those who haven't been able to move on) come to visit the graves of their family and friends. Look for ghosts in old schools. Some of the best locations for ghosts are places where large numbers of tragic deaths occurred, such as old schools, prisons, and asylums. Not all schools are haunted, but you may have an old school building in your area where students or teachers died due to tragic accidents like fires or smoke inhalation (this was more common in the days when classrooms were heated by iron stoves). Look for ghosts in old prison buildings. Old prison buildings are places where many prisoners may have died due to old age, illness, murder or the death sentence. Even if prisoners didn't die there, prison may have been a place of intense loneliness, fear and anger for some people, causing their spirits to return there after death. Look for ghosts in former insane asylums. Insane asylums were notorious for their mistreatment of patients, using inhumane treatments such as shock therapy, water submersion and lobotomies and causing much unnecessary pain and suffering for the unfortunate victims. This makes the sites of old insane asylums a prime location for ghosts. Be warned, however -- these spirits may be angry and violent, seeking retribution for their poor treatment in life. Look for ghosts in former battlefields. Sites where a large number of deaths occurred are a popular location for ghosts, especially if those deaths were violent. This makes the locations of former battles (even if they have since been built over) prime ghost-hunting territory. Look for ghosts at the site of a murder or accident. As mentioned already, people who died tragic or violent deaths are more likely to return to our world as spirits. Therefore, if you are familiar with the location of a murder or a tragic accident (such as a car crash, drowning or fatal fall), this could be a good spot to test your ghost hunting prowess. Listen to local folklore. The most haunted locations in a specific area will depend on the history of each place and the number of paranormal experiences local people have reported. Therefore, it's a good idea to listen and talk to people and do some research in the local library to find out where to look. Many cities and towns will have their very own haunted bridge, road or tunnel where decades-worth of unusual activity has been reported. Use a manual camera. A manual camera is preferable to a digital one as you will have greater control over the exposure, making you more likely to catch a snap of the ghost. The ghost may appear as a blur or streak of light in the developed photograph. In addition, paranormal activity tends to interfere with the operation of electrical equipment, making a digital camera unreliable. Use a camcorder. A camcorder can also be used to catch a glimpse of any unusual shapes or activity at your chosen ghost-catching location. Make sure to start recording at the beginning of the session and leave the camcorder running until the end. It will be easier if you set the camcorder on a tripod for the duration of the session. If your camera has a night-vision feature make sure to turn it on, as this will make spotting a ghost that much easier. Use a tape recorder. Sometimes a tape recorder will pick up on sounds that you wouldn't normally be able to hear. These sounds will only reveal themselves when you play the tape back. Keep in mind that you may have to slow down or speed up the playback or use headphones in order to make sense of what you're hearing. Use an EMF detector. An EMF (electromagnetic field) detector measures changes or disruptions to surrounding electrical fields, which may indicate the presence of a ghost. Good EMF detectors can pick up on disturbances across a wide range of frequencies. EMF detectors can be purchased online, for anywhere between $20 and several hundred dollars. Use other specialist equipment. Other specialist equipment that may benefit the serious ghost-hunter includes: An infrared thermal scanner, which is used to detect hot or cold spots caused by energy-sucking ghosts. An air ion counter, which measures the number of positive and negative ions in the air. Ghosts are believed to emit a high quantity of positive ions. However, these items are expensive and will require a certain amount of specialist knowledge in order to interpret the results. Download a ghost hunting app. In recent years, many ghost hunting phone apps have become available, which claim to do the work of expensive, specialist ghost-hunting equipment. The more advanced apps include EMF detectors, audio detectors and EVP (electronic voice phenomena) instruments and other ghost-detecting capabilities. The reliability of these apps is the subject of heated debate, and many people consider them just scams or jokes. However, if you're not willing to invest in more expensive equipment, you might want to try them out. Look out for any paranormal activity. Aside from relying on electrical equipment, you'll need to be alert to any physical indications that a ghost may be present. Watch out for items falling or moving location, seemingly of their own accord. Keep an ear out for unusual and unexplained noises, such as bangs or thumps. Pay attention to any sudden changes in temperature, or for general feelings of unease or feeling "spooked". Use the box and burial method. If you want to lay a troubled spirit to rest, you should use this method. Take a metal container with a tight-fitting lid and cover the bottom with a layer of soil taken from hallowed ground, such as a church or cemetery. Leave the container open at the location where you found the ghost. The sanctified soil will draw the spirit in. Once you have used your ghost-detection apparatus to confirm that the spirit has entered the container, slowly and gently replace the lid, then sprinkle a pinch of salt on top. Bury the container in hallowed ground. Use the candle method. The candle method is good for trapping pesky spirits who are causing trouble around the home. Take a large glass jar, open the lid and place a candle inside. At midnight, light the candle and place the jar in a central point at the haunted location. The ghost will be attracted by the energy emitted by the burning candle, but this energy will also trap the ghost inside the jar. Once you have confirmed the ghost's presence inside the jar, tightly replace the lip. The candle will burn out on its own. Keep the jar tightly sealed as long as you wish to hold the ghost captive. If the jar is opened or broken, the spirit will be released and might come to exact revenge on its captor! | Look for ghosts in old houses. Look for ghosts in cemeteries. Look for ghosts in old schools. Look for ghosts in old prison buildings. Look for ghosts in former insane asylums. Look for ghosts in former battlefields. Look for ghosts at the site of a murder or accident. Listen to local folklore. Use a manual camera. Use a camcorder. Use a tape recorder. Use an EMF detector. Use other specialist equipment. Download a ghost hunting app. Look out for any paranormal activity. Use the box and burial method. Use the candle method. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Not-Be-Rude | How to Not Be Rude | With a little extra self-awareness, you can avoid being rude when you interact with people. Always think for a second before you speak so you have time to consider how it will sound to other people and change your mind if you need to. Avoid sensitive topics, like politics and religion, that could offend people. Use a soft, empathetic tone, especially when talking about sensitive topics. Often, being rude is more about your tone of voice than the words you say. You should also leave gaps for other people to talk when you're speaking to avoid dominating a conversation. Avoid interrupting people when they're speaking, since this can be frustrating. | Think before you speak. So many social errors could be avoided if only more thought were involved. A truly gifted conversationalist will always try to filter what he says before he finally says it. While thinking about everything you're going to say may sound exhausting to some, it doesn't require a lot of brainpower. Really, all you'll usually need is a split-second to figure whether something you say might negatively affect someone around you. If you have a bad feeling about saying something, it's best to keep your mouth shut for the time being. Monitor your voice. It may help to be conscious of the way your voice is sounding when you speak. While it may be distracting to focus on yourself when you're trying to have a conversation, casually keeping track of the tone, speed and volume of your voice can go a long way towards preventing unintentional rudeness. In particular, be careful with your talking speed. Nervous or awkward people tend to accelerate their speech when they're under pressure. This only serves to add to the awkwardness. Demonstrate empathy in your conversation. There's a lot empathy can do for you in a conversation. Being seen as polite and considerate isn't least among the benefits. Empathy is something virtually everyone has to some extent. The key to bringing it out is to invest a legitimate interest in what the other person is saying. If someone is telling you something about his life, make a concerted effort to see things from his point of view. If he recently lost his job, for example, try to empathize with how that might feel. Empathetic people are in tune with the other person's feelings and it's easier to charm them as such. Empathy works in less-than-pleasant interactions as well. It can be frustrating to talk to someone who is being aggressive or mean-spirited. While it can be easy to let loose on someone like that, you can have an easier time keeping calm by using empathy. Try to see the situation from the unpleasant person's point-of-view. In some cases, you may have a new lease on the situation by taking yourself out of your own perspective for a bit. Ignore gossip. Gossip is a quick route to rudeness. No one likes being talked about. Even if the subject in question isn't around to hear it, many people take offence to hearing people they know talked about in a negative light. If you want to avoid rudeness on your part, you should steer clear of interactions like this. Even if other people are gossiping, you should turn the other cheek. Those who are there to see you refuse the prospect will think more highly of you as a result. Stay modest. Modesty is a virtue for virtually all polite people. Some people are rude for the fact that they focus too much on themselves. This is most often an innocent fault, but it's one that can easily be avoided if you try to look at the conversation from both perspectives. Let the other person speak. Even if everything you're saying is gold, you'll still come across as rude if you don't think to hear the other person's side of things. As a general rule, people like to voice their opinions. They'll feel constricted if they can't get a word in. Listening is a skill, as real as any other. If you don't want to be rude, you'll need to have a fine command of listening. Active listening refers to a broad range of reactions that let the other person know you are giving him your fullest attention. This can include body language, such as nodding your head, or soft responses like repeating the gist of what the other person said can get this point across. Learn up on etiquette. The established rules on etiquette, or expected politeness, will vary based on whichever people you are spending time with. When all else fails, reading up on proper etiquette is a good idea. Although the idea of "proper etiquette" is associated with the outdated Victorian period, a lot of the customs still hold up in the current period. If you're any bit unsure, its better to adhere to a custom than to ignore it. Politeness is no less important today than it was back then, and there are new rules that should be observed in modern times. Generally speaking, keep your phone out of sight when you're talking to someone. Give the other person ample time to finish what they have to say. Invest yourself in whatever the other person is saying. Even if you're not so interested in what they're saying, you won't do yourself any favours by acting unimpressed. Always remember to say please and thank you. These tricks have never lost any favour over the years. Consider the other person's sensitivities. Not coming across as being rude is made all the more challenging if you're talking to someone who is naturally sensitive. Emotional sensitivity should be seen as a good thing in most instances, but it can be tricky if you're talking to someone who might get hurt by the slightest grievance. If you think this is the case with someone, it's a good thing to know what their personal preferences are before going into an extended conversation with them. For instance, if you think someone isn't likely to enjoy crude humour, it's best to hold off on it until they're out of your company. Asking about someone beforehand can give you the edge you need in a conversation if politeness is an issue. Ask about their preferences or emotional triggers. Failing that it's always helpful to see the way someone interacts in a social situation before you interact with the person yourself. Gauge how the other person is feeling. Even if it doesn't involve a direct action on your part, a lot of rudeness can be evaded completely through empathy and knowing how the other person is feeling while you're talking. Because people can be tricky on this front, your best option is to try and gauge how they're feeling through non-verbal communication. Make a habit of paying attention to someone's facial expression while they talk. Sometimes, what they're saying won't match up to the mood their expression is hinting at. Unfortunately, asking "How are you feeling" won't result in a sincere report from most people. People aren't trained to report their feelings accurately. Others may feel embarrassed or unwilling to show their true feelings. Take culture into account. A lot of what someone considers to be rude has to do with the culture they were raised in. If you're going to be travelling or regularly deal with people who were raised in other cultures, it's a good idea to verse yourself on what is and isn't appropriate in their eyes. Although people are usually accustomed to getting past these cultural differences, the simple act of looking into these customs beforehand will be seen as very gracious on your part. Act to fit your surroundings. As with most social interactions, the way you act needs to be informed by the circumstances of your situation. In other words, the way you demonstrate respect and politeness will differ depending on whether you're at a wedding, funeral, or a casual night out. Politeness means being self-aware and tactful. If you're acting cheery at a funeral wake, it will evoke the same negative reactions as if you were being glum at a birthday party. This should also include your dress and appearance. People will judge you a lot based on the way you make yourself appear. If you're ever unsure about which particular way you should be acting in a social setting, it's a good idea to try copying what other people are generally doing. Keep your politeness consistent. If you really want to leave an impression as a polite and tactful individual, you can't rely on politeness for the short-term. Politeness can't be an act. Rather, it needs to be a constant state of mind. Keep your behaviour consistent. If someone sees two different sides of you, you'll appear all the more phoney to them. Mimic the other person's facial expression. In some cases, you may not be sure how to act or react towards another person. By reflecting the other person's facial expression, you will demonstrate that the two of you are on the same page. In the majority of cases, this will go over in a positive light. It's not recommended to mimic the other person if you suspect he is using sarcasm. Stay up to date with hygiene. Even the most kind-hearted person can come off as rude if they don't tend to basics first. This includes taking a shower at least a few times a week and making sure your clothes are freshly laundered. If you carry a sour body odour with you wherever you go, you're not likely to make any friends and people are bound to be repulsed. Something this simple can mean a world of difference as far as politeness is concerned. Keep your blinking under control. Some people tend to blink rapidly when they're under stress. If noticed, this can give the other person the impression that you're uncomfortable or feel rushed. Because this is an involuntary action, it can be hard to train yourself out of it, or even know if you do it. The next time you're in a somewhat stressful situation, try to be conscious of your blinking. This and other facets of negative body language can be eased by allowing yourself to relax. Be extra aware of body language when you're under stress. Body language is most often done without thinking. If we are stressed, it is often seen in the way we position our bodies. Even if we're otherwise making an issue to be as polite as possible, this rudeness can manage to get through. The best way to keep it under control is to make an emphasized point of paying attention to your own body language. Crossed arms and an aggressive stance can come across naturally, but if you fix your focus on the way your body's reacting, you'll be able to keep these signs of stress from showing. | Think before you speak. Monitor your voice. Demonstrate empathy in your conversation. Ignore gossip. Stay modest. Let the other person speak. Learn up on etiquette. Consider the other person's sensitivities. Gauge how the other person is feeling. Take culture into account. Act to fit your surroundings. Keep your politeness consistent. Mimic the other person's facial expression. Stay up to date with hygiene. Keep your blinking under control. Be extra aware of body language when you're under stress. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Summer-Sausage | How to Make Summer Sausage | To make summer sausages, start by mixing liquid smoke, onion powder, pepper, garlic powder, mustard seeds, and curing salt with water in a large metal bowl and adding ground beef. After combining the meat and seasonings together, cover the bowl and refrigerate for 24 hours. Next, divide the chilled meat into 4 equal portions and roll each into a 1.5 to 2 inch log. Then, wrap each log in foil, punch small holes in each log with a toothpick, and place them in a broiler pan. Finally, bake the sausages for 1.5 hours at 325°F. | Mix the seasonings and water in a nonmetal bowl. Measure all of the spices into a large, nonmetal bowl. Add 1 cup (120 ml) of water to the bowl, then whisk the mixture thoroughly to incorporate the ingredients. You don't have to mix the seasonings and water, but it is recommended. Mixing the seasonings with water first makes it much easier to evenly distribute the spices throughout the meat. Add the ground beef to the bowl. Ground beef and ground chuck are both great choices for summer sausage. If your ground beef is frozen, defrost it first. Unwrap the meat and place it into the seasoned water in the bowl. You may want to put on plastic gloves first, since you'll be handling a lot of meat in this recipe. If you choose not to wear gloves, always wash your hands thoroughly after handling the meat. Use your hands to thoroughly combine the seasonings and beef. This is very similar to kneading dough. Stick your hands into the bowl and press down into the meat. Squish the meat between your fingers, pull it apart, move it around, and so on until the spice mixture gets evenly distributed into the meat. Stop once everything is thoroughly combined. Don't over mix the meat! This will make it tough. Only manipulate the meat enough to evenly season it. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the meat for 24 hours. If your bowl has a lid, snap that on. If it doesn't, you can cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place the covered meat in the fridge and chill it until the next day. It's totally fine if there's still some seasoned water in the bowl with the meat. It will get soaked up while the meat cures. Remove the meat from the fridge and divide it into 4 equal portions. Take the lid or plastic wrap off the bowl. Remove the chilled meat and give it a good stir. Place it on a clean surface. Divide the meat into 4 pieces that are roughly the same size. You can eyeball it – the sausage portions don't have to be exactly the same size. You may want to wear gloves for this part. If you don't, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling the raw meat. Roll each beef portion into a log 1.5 in (3.8 cm) to 2 in (5.1 cm) thick. Work with 1 piece of meat at a time; set the other 3 portions aside. Shape the meat into a ball, then roll it back and forth under your hands until a log shape forms. Stop rolling when the log is between 1.5 in (3.8 cm) to 2 in (5.1 cm) thick. Do the same thing for the other 3 beef portions. You will end up with 4 summer sausage logs. Each one weighs approximately ⁄ 2 lb (0.23 kg). Wrap each beef log individually in aluminum foil. Tear off a sheet of aluminum foil that's about the size of a large pizza box. Place the foil sheet flat on the counter with the shiny side up. Place 1 beef log in the middle of the sheet. Wrap the foil securely around the log. Be sure to tuck in the foil on both short ends of the log so that it's completely enclosed. Do the same thing for the other 3 logs. Use a toothpick to punch small holes down the side of each log. Starting at one end of the log, use a toothpick to punch small holes in the foil in a straight line down to the opposite end. Space the holes 1 in (2.5 cm) to 2 in (5.1 cm) apart. Repeat the same process for the other 3 aluminum-wrapped logs. You only need to puncture a single line of holes, from end to end, for each sausage log. Place the sausage logs in a broiler pan with the holes facing down. Line the 4 logs up side by side in a large broiler pan. Allow about 1 in (2.5 cm) of space between the sausage logs. Be sure to place the logs hole side down. The holes will allow the liquid to drain out easily while the sausages bake. Bake the 4 sausage rolls at 325°F (162°C) for 1 1/2 hours. Preheat your oven. Once preheated, slide the broiler pan into the oven. Close the oven door. Leave the sausages to bake in the oven for 1 ½ hours. You don't need to flip them or do anything else with the sausages during this time. Remove the summer sausages from the oven and let them cool. Turn off your oven. Use an oven mitt to pull out the broiler pan and set it down on a heat-safe surface. The 4 sausages are far too hot to handle right now – allow them to cool completely. Once the foil wrapper is cool enough to touch, you can move the sausages to a large plate to finish cooling. Remove the foil and wrap each sausage in plastic wrap. Once the sausages have cooled completely, remove and discard their aluminum foil wrappers. Wrap each sausage individually with plastic wrap, using the same technique you used earlier with the aluminum foil. Refrigerate your sausages until you’re ready to serve them. If unopened, the sausages can last in the fridge for up to 3 months. Once you open up one of your summer sausages and start using it, the meat will stay good in the fridge for about 3 more weeks. If you decide to freeze your sausages, they'll keep for 1-2 months. | Mix the seasonings and water in a nonmetal bowl. Add the ground beef to the bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly combine the seasonings and beef. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the meat for 24 hours. Remove the meat from the fridge and divide it into 4 equal portions. Roll each beef portion into a log 1.5 in (3.8 cm) to 2 in (5.1 cm) thick. Wrap each beef log individually in aluminum foil. Use a toothpick to punch small holes down the side of each log. Place the sausage logs in a broiler pan with the holes facing down. Bake the 4 sausage rolls at 325°F (162°C) for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the summer sausages from the oven and let them cool. Remove the foil and wrap each sausage in plastic wrap. Refrigerate your sausages until you’re ready to serve them. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Say-I-Miss-You-in-Spanish | How to Say I Miss You in Spanish | To say I miss you in Spanish, the easiest way is, “Te echo de menos,” which is pronounced, “tay EH-choh day MAY-nohs.” If you want to say I missed you, say, “te eché de menos,” which is pronounced, “tay EH-chay day MAY-nohs.” Although this is popular in Spain, it's more common in Latin American to say, “te extraño,” which is pronounced, “tay ehks-TRAHN-yo.” | Say "te echo de menos. " This phrase is a common way to say "I miss you" in Spanish. However, it is not a direct translation of the English words. The literal translation of the phrase is "I throw you less." While the direct or literal translation of the phrase into English doesn't make much sense, the meaning of the phrase is to express the feeling of having something missing in your life as a result of the person's absence. Pronounce the phrase as "tay EH-choh day MAY-nohs." This phrase is used more in Spain than in other Spanish-speaking parts of the world. If you are speaking in past tense ("I missed you"), you would say "te eché de menos." Use the phrase "te extraño" in Latin America. This phrase is a more direct translation of the sentiment "I miss you." The verb extraño means "I miss" and te is the object pronoun for "you." Literally, this phrase is saying "you I miss." Pronounce this phrase "tay ehks-TRAHN-yo." To use this phrase in past tense to say "I missed you," you would say "te extrañé." This verb is more versatile, and can be used to say you miss other creatures or things. For example, you might use it to say "I miss my dog" – "Extraño a mi perro." State "me haces falta. " This is another phrase used to mean "I miss you" in Spanish. While there is no good direct translation, the general connection is that the person to whom you're speaking is responsible for an absence or need in your life. This phrase is made up of "me," the direct object pronoun for "yo," the first-person singular pronoun meaning "I," the verb "haces," which means "you make" or "you cause," and the noun "falta," which means "lack or absence." Pronounce the phrase "may AH-says FAHL-tah." In past tense, this phrase becomes "me hiciste falta" ("I missed you"). Choose the correct object pronoun. To say "I miss you" in Spanish, you must use an object pronoun to identify the person you miss. If you're speaking directly to the person, you would use the object pronoun for "you." The phrase "me haces falta" is an exception, because you use the object pronoun for yourself, me , instead of the object pronoun for the person to whom you're speaking. The Spanish language has formal and informal variations of you. If you are speaking to someone with whom you are not on familiar terms, you would use the formal variation. Generally, you wouldn't be saying "I miss you" to someone with whom you're not close. For this reason, the word te is most commonly used in Spanish phrases meaning "I miss you." This word is the direct object pronoun for the second person familiar tú, meaning "you." Since this is the familiar form of the word "you," it should only be used with friends and family. If for some reason you need to express this sentiment to someone with whom you're not on familiar terms, replace te with lo (masculine) or la (feminine). These are the formal object pronouns for usted , the polite, formal variation of "you." If you are speaking about missing several people (for example, if you are telling a couple that you miss them both), you would use the plural direct object pronoun for "you," which is os. Learn the verb echar. The word echo in te echo de menos is the first-person conjugation of the verb echar , which has a variety of meanings. Some translations of echar include "to send forth," "to send away," "to throw out," or "to place." To say "I miss you" in Spanish using the verb echar , you'll use the first-person present form of the verb. If you wanted to say "she misses you," you would use the third-person present form of the verb, echa. The full expression of this phrase would be "te echa de menos." The third-person plural would be "te echan de menos" ("They miss you"). To say "we miss you," use the first-person plural form: "te echamos de menos." Use the verb extrañar. If you're going to say "te extraño," you're using the verb extrañar , which means "to miss." The way you conjugate this verb depends on who is speaking, and the tense in which they're speaking. If you want to say that another person misses the person to whom you are speaking, you would say "te extraña," which would mean "he (or she) misses you." Note that the direct object pronoun, te , does not change. The person to whom you're speaking still is the object of the verb, but the conjugation of the verb indicates that another person is doing the missing. Perhaps you want to say that you and another person are both missing the person to whom you're speaking. You would say te extrañamos," which means "we miss you." To say "they miss you" in Spanish, use the third-person plural conjugation of the verb: "te extrañan." Try the verb hacer. When you use the phrase "me haces falta" to say "I miss you" in Spanish, you need to conjugate the verb hacer , which means "to do, make, or cause." When conjugated as haces , it means "you make" or "you cause." The verb conjugation should agree with the pronoun for the person being missed, not the person doing the missing. For this reason, if you want to say "we miss you" using this phrase, the verb conjugation stays the same ("haces"), but the object pronoun would change: "nos faces falta." Note that this phrase is constructed differently than the direct English translation, and you're using the second-person present tense conjugation of the verb. If you said "te hago falta," which seems like a direct translation ( hago is the first-person present tense conjugation of the verb hacer ), you would actually be saying "You miss me." This construction is similar to the French phrase for "I miss you," "tu me manques," which more literally means "you are being missed by me." Ask "¿cuándo vuelves? " to find out when the person will return. This is a question that might frequently follow the statement that you miss someone. After saying that you miss them, it's only natural to inquire when they will be back. Cuándo is a Spanish adverb meaning "when." Vuelves is a conjugated form of the Spanish verb volver , which means "to return" or "to come back." It is the "you" familiar conjugation, so only use it when speaking to someone with whom you're on familiar terms. If you are speaking to someone with whom you're less familiar, you might want to use the more formal conjugation vuelve. Pronounce cuándo vuelves as "KWAN-doh voo-EHL-vays." Demand "¡Regresa ya! " If you've told someone you miss them, you probably want them to come back. Rather than ask when they're returning, you may want to simply tell them to come back. "¡Regresa ya!" means "come back already!" Regresa comes from the Spanish verb "regresar," meaning "to return" or "come back." In this phrase, you must use the imperative conjugation for "tú," the familiar "you." The imperative is used for commands like this. Ya is an adverb meaning "already." Pronounce the entire command as "ray-GRE-sah jah." Exclaim "¡no puedo estar sin ti! " Particularly in a romantic context, when you miss someone you may feel as though you cannot live without them. This exclamatory Spanish phrase means "I cannot be without you." Puedo is the "I" or "yo" conjugation for the Spanish verb "poder," meaning "can" or "to be able to." When no is placed before it, the meaning becomes negative, turning the phrase into "I cannot." Estar is a Spanish verb meaning "to be." Since it follows a conjugated verb, do not conjugate estar. Sin means "without." Ti is another object pronoun used for the familiar form of "you." Pronounce the entire declaration as "no poo-AY-doh EHS-tar seen tee." Tell the person you wish they were with you. When you miss someone, you want them to be with you rather than for the two of you to be apart. This is especially true in a romantic relationship, where you can use the phrase "desearia que estuvieras aqui conmigo" to mean "I wish you were here with me." Deseria is a conjugation of the Spanish verb desear , which means "to want." Que is a Spanish conjunction or pronoun meaning "that," "who," or "which." Estuvieras is a conjugation of the Spanish verb estar , which means "to be." Aquí is a Spanish adverb meaning "here." The word has both a place and time component, so it can be interpreted as meaning "here and now." Conmigo is a Spanish pronoun that means "with me." Pronounce this phrase as "DAY-say-uh-REE-uh kuh ess-too-bee-AIR-us ah-KEY cone-MEE-go." | Say "te echo de menos. Use the phrase "te extraño" in Latin America. State "me haces falta. Choose the correct object pronoun. Learn the verb echar. Use the verb extrañar. Try the verb hacer. Ask "¿cuándo vuelves? Demand "¡Regresa ya! Exclaim "¡no puedo estar sin ti! Tell the person you wish they were with you. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Hair-Look-Gray-for-a-Costume | How to Make Your Hair Look Gray for a Costume | To make your hair look gray for a costume, try using talcum powder or cornstarch. First, dip a sponge or brush into the powder. Brush the hair along your temples first, since this is typically where people start to go gray. Then, work from your roots down for a more realistic look. Once the powder is on, spray your hair with hairspray to set the look. You can also use gray greasepaint to make your hair look gray. Just dip a toothbrush into the greasepaint and brush it through your hair. | Dip a sponge or brush in white powder. Purchase loose white face powder, talcum powder or cornstarch. Pour the powder into a bowl and dip a makeup sponge or brush into the powder. Brush the powder along your temples. Begin graying your hair by brushing the hair along your temples with the sponge or brush, reapplying the powder when needed. Even though the powder is white, the natural color of your hair will come through to make your hair look like it's gray. If you want a subtly older look, just brushing the powder at the temples is enough to make you look older and grayer, since people tend to go gray first around the temples. Focus on working the powder from the roots of your hair up, especially around the hair that frames your face. Since hair naturally greys from the roots up, this will give it a more realistic appearance. Make sure to avoid getting powder on your face. Brush away powder with a wet cloth if you get it on your forehead or neck. Sprinkle the powder onto your hair. If you want a dramatic, all-over white look, sprinkle powder over your hair. Do this by leaning back over the sink and sprinkling a pinch of powder over your hair. You may want to drape a towel around your shoulders, as this can be a messy process and powder will likely fall onto your shoulders. Work the powder through your hair. After you sprinkle the powder on the top of your head, use your fingers to work the powder through your hair, starting at the top of your head and spreading the powder down your hair shaft. Spray your hair with hairspray. Once you have finished working the powder through your hair, spray your hair liberally with hairspray to set the powder. White powder should wash out after a thorough shampooing of your hair. Dip a toothbrush in white or gray greasepaint. Purchase professional grade white or gray greasepaint makeup, which is often used in clowning and can likely be found at Halloween or costume specialty stores. Dip a toothbrush in the greasepaint and rub to cover the brush in paint. Greasepaint has better staying power than powder and is less messy to apply. If you have long hair and are applying it all over, it will likely feel heavier and stiffer than powder. White or grey greasepaint can work, depending on the shade of grey you want. If you use a light hand, your natural hair color will come through so that even if you use white it will likely look grey. Brush the greasepaint through your hair with a toothbrush. Brush the greasepaint through your hair in the same way that you applied the powder, starting at your hairline around your temples and forehead and brushing out to the rest of your head. Use a light hand and work in layers, as too much greasepaint in one spot can look blotchy. Use a hairbrush to cover your entire head. If you want a dramatic, all over grey effect, use a hairbrush to apply the greasepaint. Smear a thin layer of greasepaint onto the tips of a hairbrush and brush the paint through your hair until you get the desired effect. Greasepaint will wash off after shampooing your hair. Brush your hair out with a wide toothed comb. Use a wide toothed comb to brush all your hair out. Then take the comb and comb down a section of hair at the side of your face until midway down the hair shaft. Combing out your hair separates all the strands so that you can more evenly spray your hair. If you have short hair, you don't need to comb through your hair. Spray gray hairspray at the top of your hair. Still holding the comb in your hair, spray the top of the section of hair you are combing lightly and evenly with gray or silver hairspray. If you have short hair, you can simply spray your entire head evenly and with the hairspray, building it up in layers if you want a more dramatic effect. You can find temporary gray or silver spray color at most beauty stores and Halloween stores. Silver spray may be more common but it also may have a metallic effect, so it's best to check the packaging or consult a store associate before purchasing a temporary silver hairspray. Hairspray is very effective at coloring your hair, but it may make your hair stiff depending on how much you use. Run the comb to the tips and spray. Once you have sprayed the top of the strand of hair you are combing, run the comb down your hair shaft and spray to the tips of your hair. Comb and spray the rest of your hair. Repeat the spraying process on your whole head, partially combing a section of your hair, spraying it from the top of your head down to the comb, then combing out the rest of the section and spraying. Use a mirror for the back of your head and apply the spray until you are satisfied with the result. Colored hairspray usually lasts from 1-3 shampoos. Wet your hair and the chalk. Purchase gray or silver hair chalk at a beauty supply store and dip the tip of the hair chalk in water. Use a spray bottle filled with water to spray and dampen your hair. Hair chalk is very strongly pigmented, much more so than sidewalk chalk or even artist pastel chalk. Hold a section of your hair out. Brush your hair to separate all the strands, then separate a strand of your hair and hold it at the tips away from your face. Rub the chalk through the section of hair. Starting at the roots of your hair, rub the dampened tip of the hair chalk downward to coat and color the section of your hair. Color the rest of your hair. Repeat the process of holding out a section of hair and coloring it with the gray hair chalk on the rest of your hair. You may need to re-dampen the tip of the chalk several times if you have long hair. Set the chalk with heat. Once you finish coating your head, wait for about one minute and then blow-dry your hair to set the color into your hair for the day. If you want the color to last a few days, use a hair straightener or curler on the gray parts of your hair to encourage the color to last longer. Spray with hairspray. Since hair chalk has the tendency to rub off on your clothes without using hairspray, spritz your hair all over with hairspray to make sure it doesn't rub off. Hair chalk should come out in one to two shampoos. | Dip a sponge or brush in white powder. Brush the powder along your temples. Sprinkle the powder onto your hair. Work the powder through your hair. Spray your hair with hairspray. Dip a toothbrush in white or gray greasepaint. Brush the greasepaint through your hair with a toothbrush. Use a hairbrush to cover your entire head. Brush your hair out with a wide toothed comb. Spray gray hairspray at the top of your hair. Run the comb to the tips and spray. Comb and spray the rest of your hair. Wet your hair and the chalk. Hold a section of your hair out. Rub the chalk through the section of hair. Color the rest of your hair. Set the chalk with heat. Spray with hairspray. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Stainless-Steel-Stove | How to Clean a Stainless Steel Stove | Before cleaning your stainless steel stove, determine the direction of the grain, since you will need to clean in that direction to avoid scratching the surface. Then, spray the surface with white vinegar, and wipe off the initial dirt and debris with paper towels or a soft cloth. Next, dampen a washcloth in a cleaning solution of hot water and dish detergent, and wipe down the stove. Afterwards, wipe off the residue with a washcloth dampened with hot water, and dry with paper towels or a clean cloth. | Read the owner's manual. Before cleaning your stove, it's always a good idea to read the owner's manual if you still have it. Some stainless steel stoves may come with specific cleaning instructions. Certain cleaners may damage some types of stainless steel. If you have your stove's instruction manual, give it a thorough read through before cleaning your stove. Determine the direction of the grain. Look at your stove closely. You should see small lines running across the stove. The lines will either run horizontally or vertically. When cleaning, it's important you move in the direction the grain runs. This helps prevent scratching and other damage. Remove initial debris of vinegar. Place some vinegar in a spray bottle. Liberally spritz the surface of the stove with vinegar. Use a paper towel or a very soft cloth to wipe down the stove, catching any obvious dirt and debris in your hands. Remember the directions in your owner's manual. If you are not supposed to use vinegar on your stove, choose another mild cleanser. Mix a cleaning solution. Most stainless steel stoves can be cleaned with mild dishwashing detergent. Mix a teaspoon of dish detergent into a quart of hot water. It is not necessary to use bottled or distilled water. Tap water can easily be used on stainless steel. Make sure to wear gloves to protect your hands from hot water. Wipe down your appliances in the direction of the grain. Get a washcloth slightly damp and then wipe down your stove. Start at the top of your stove and work your way downwards as you clean. Remember to clean in the direction of the grain. Vertical grains should be wiped down vertically and horizontal grains should be wiped down horizontally. Apply a special cleaner for harsh stains. After giving your stone an initial cleaning with your detergent solution, look for any harsh stains. If there is any splattered food or grease on your stove, use a special cleaner to remove it. Cleaners containing oxalic acid are usually the best course of action for a stainless steel stove. However, you should double check your owner's manual to make sure such cleaners are safe for your stove. When applying a cleaner on dirt and grease stains, remember to move your rag in the direction of the grain. Rinse and dry your stove. After applying cleaners, rinse your stove off completely. Dampen a clean wash cloth with hot water. Run it over the stove, moving in the direction of the grain, until the water runs clear. Immediately dry your stove with a paper towel or cloth. It's very important to use hot water only to rinse off a stainless steel stove. Shine with oil. To give your stove a nice shine after cleaning, dip a soft cloth in a small amount of oil, such as mineral or olive oil. Moving in the direction of the grain, give your stove a quick polishing. This will remove any streaks from the cleaning process and leave your stove shiny. Avoid abrasive brushes or cleaners. Only use paper towel and soft cloths on a stainless steel stove. Harsh, abrasive brushes, like steel wool, will very easily scratch stainless steel. Do not use any kind of bleach. Bleach of any kind should never be used on stainless steel. Chloride products and oven cleaners often contain bleach, which can seriously damage stainless steel. Do not clean your stove when it's hot. If you just cooked on your stove, avoid cleaning it until it cools down. Wait until your stove is cool to the touch before applying a cleaner. Don't leave a mess on the stove. To keep your stove clean, wipe it down after every use and avoid letting food spills sit on the stove. The longer the food stays on the stainless steel, the more likely it is to stain it. Wiping down your stove after every use will also help you to avoid needing harsh cleansers to clean your stove. | Read the owner's manual. Determine the direction of the grain. Remove initial debris of vinegar. Mix a cleaning solution. Wipe down your appliances in the direction of the grain. Apply a special cleaner for harsh stains. Rinse and dry your stove. Shine with oil. Avoid abrasive brushes or cleaners. Do not use any kind of bleach. Do not clean your stove when it's hot. Don't leave a mess on the stove. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Know-That-a-Girl-Hates-You | How to Know That a Girl Hates You | To tell if a girl doesn't like you, keep an eye out for obvious signs, like changes in her body language and tone of voice when you're around. For example, if she avoids making eye contact with you, rolls her eyes when you're speaking, or narrows her eyes when she's talking to you, she might not like you very much. Additionally, if her arms are crossed or she turns away when you're around, you might want to give her some space. She might also use a lot of sarcasm or talk with a flat, monotone voice if she's not enjoying talking to you. | Read her face. Although this isn't a perfect method, a lot of what people feel is expressed in their face. Faces can show a lot. She might always squint her eyes when angry, so if she does whatever physical action that you know she does in a certain mood that is most definitely helpful. There are lots of other different things you can look for. Usually, just having one of these won't mean that the girl hates you, but having more than one can indicate that there is dislike on her part. Crinkling her nose could be an expression of disgust at your presence (unless, of course, there is a bad smell). Narrowed eyes, or eye rolling when you're around (especially if you're speaking). If she doesn't make eye contact with you that could mean she is shy, but it could also be an indicator of dislike. Look at her body language. Body language is another good indicator, although you have to remember that it is not an exact science. Look at what she is telling you in how she physically reacts to your presence. It can tell you a lot about how she's feelings about you. Arms crossed over chest is often considered a closed off gesture. There's a possibility if she stands or sits with her arms crossed across her chest when she's around you that she's trying to keep away from you. Of course, some people simply stand that way, so the gesture, taken by itself, might not mean anything. Another good thing to look for is if she's consistently turning away from you. If she's not meeting your eyes and angling her body in a direction away from you, it could be that she wants you to leave her alone and she's seeking some way to escape from you. Notice how her friends act. Chances are, if she hates you, she'll have told her friends so. They'll be looking to protect her (because they will be on her side). Watching how her friends behave towards, like if they ignore you when you try to talk to them, you will give you a pretty good indication of her feelings. If you both are at a party and you are trying to get across to her, but keep finding her friends running interference and stopping you from talking to her, that's a pretty good sign that she wants nothing to do with you. If you two are somewhere by yourselves and her friends keep popping to drag her away, or interrupt, that's another pretty good sign that she might dislike you and her friends are trying to protect her from having to be around you. If you see her smirking and laughing with her friends while looking at you, that's another good sign that there's some dislike on her side. Of course she might not be looking at you, but if it happens consistently, and with the other signs, that's a pretty clear signal of dislike. Notice how she behaves towards you. Obviously there is more to her behavior than just her body language. Her actions will also help you figure out how she's feeling about you and whether she hates you. Every time you try to talk to her, she pulls a Houdini and disappears. This means that the minute you try to speak to her, she's managed to be somewhere else. Now, if this only happens once or twice that doesn't mean anything, but if it happens more than that, it's likely that she doesn't like you, or is upset about something. She never answer when you call or text. This is a big one, because it's pretty easy to shoot back even a quick text in reply, but if she never replies to you, or if she replies only in one word answers, that's a good sign that something in up. Notice how she behaves about shared plans. If the two of you have made plans together, even simple things like a coffee shop study session, or other and she always manages to hedge about meeting you for the plans, that's a good sign that she doesn't want to spend time with you. If she blows off plans by not showing up and doesn't say anything, or apologize, again she probably doesn't want to spend time with you. If she's constantly 'forgetting' plans, then she isn't wanting to spend time with you. Some people are pretty flaky, but not that flaky. Remember, this doesn't necessarily mean that she hates you. You might annoy her by pestering her to do things with you, or she might be completely indifferent to you. Listen to her tone of voice. Tone of voice is a huge indicator of someone's feelings. It doesn't matter what they are saying, because people lie or say things they don't mean all the time, but the feelings often come through how she says things. Using a flat tone of voice when she talks to you means she's probably not that keen on the conversation (unless of course, she always speaks in monotone). Usually when a girl is with someone she likes, there will be inflections in her voice. Sarcasm can be a great way for her to tell you that she doesn't like you without actually having to do so. It's all about the inflections in her voice. If she says something like, "That'd be fun" if you ask her out to coffee, notice how she says it. Couple this with facial expressions and body language and you should get a pretty good idea how she's actually feeling. Notice what words she uses. The words she uses can often tell you how she's feeling, even if she doesn't come right out and say, "I hate you" (since few people actually do that). However, if she is saying, "I hate you" and she's serious about it, that's another great sign that she does, indeed, hate you. If she's replying to your questions and conversation with one word answers, either you're talking way too much, or she's not very interested in having this conversation. If she never initiates conversation and it's always you doing the talking, again she's probably not that interested in talking with you. Although, it doesn't necessarily mean she hates you it is unlikely that she likes you. Find out if she's talked about you to other people. Even though she might not have told you directly that she hates you, it's likely that she's told other people, like her friends, or even some of her acquaintances. Ask around to see what she's been saying (if anything) about you. The best people to ask are her friends. Although it might be difficult to talk to one of them alone, if you have the chance simply ask the friend if everything is okay between you and the girl and if there's anything you did wrong. If you're polite about it, chances are the friend will be more likely to tell you. Just remember that whatever people tell you will be skewed by their own interpretations and so shouldn't be your only evidence that she hates you. Give her space. If someone hates you, it's a good idea to give them some time and space to cool off. If you're constantly around her, she's probably going to start hating you even more. Giving her space, can even remind her why she liked in you the beginning (if she did). This means don't pester her with invites to go places, or ask her why she's mad at you. Just let it be for a while. There is not proper amount of time to wait. You'll have to use your judgment, but depending on how deep the hatred goes, it could be anywhere from a few weeks to a year. Examine your actions. People don't just start hating someone without some sort of cause, whether you feel it's legitimate or not. Think about how you've acted towards her and try to determine what might have caused her to feel the way she's feeling. Think about things you said. It could even be something as simple as a joke that she took the wrong way. Or it could be that your way of showing like for her is to ridicule her and tease her (the pulling pigtails on the playground thing). Perhaps she feels that you're suffocating her with your attention. If you're always around her trying to talk to her, it could get on her nerves. In which case you're best off giving her space. Apologize. Even if you don't feel you've done anything wrong, but you like this girl and you want her to stop hating you, you have to apologize. Don't try to tell her to 'lighten up' or 'can't you take a joke?' and especially never ever do the faux apology 'I'm sorry you felt that way.' It's best to apologize in private. Having an audience might force one or both of you to act in a certain way that you wouldn't in private. Be courteous. A good way to show her that you're wanting reconciliation and that you're worth reconciling with, is to be courteous to her, even as she's hating you. You'll show that you're a good enough person to take the high road and not get sucked into the potential drama. So when you see her around, say hello and ask how's she's doing. Leave it at that. Just enough interaction to show that you care and are interested in her well being and not enough interaction to get on her nerves. End the relationship. At a certain point you can't keep trying to have a relationship (whether in a friend way or a romantic way) with someone who consistently hates. There could be good reason for her hatred or no reason at all. The best thing for you to do if you've tried the other steps and failed is to end the relationship. If you've tried apologizing and giving her space, and being courteous and nothing has worked to get her to change her mind, continuing to try is just going to be unhappy business for both of you. Walk away. Remember, it doesn't matter what she did, or said, or anything, you're going to have to be the better person in this instance. So don't start badmouthing her to other people. If people notice the friction between the two of you, and ask about it, simply say, "That's between the two of us." | Read her face. Look at her body language. Notice how her friends act. Notice how she behaves towards you. Notice how she behaves about shared plans. Listen to her tone of voice. Notice what words she uses. Find out if she's talked about you to other people. Give her space. Examine your actions. Apologize. Be courteous. End the relationship. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Healthy-Vegan | How to Be a Healthy Vegan | Vegans often struggle to consume enough protein, iron, calcium, and B12. Therefore, to be a healthy vegan, eat protein-rich foods, such as beans, whole grains, and seeds, for muscle growth. Additionally, you can get iron from foods such as dried fruits and legumes. For calcium, eat almonds and dark leafy greens. Finally, while B12 is only found in animal products, look for foods fortified with it, like breakfast cereals. | Get your vitamin B12. B12 promotes healthy functioning of the brain and nervous system and is an essential vitamin for any healthy person. The recommended daily intake for adults is 2.4 micrograms. However, B12 only naturally occurs in animal foods. Since B12 is not found in plant-based foods, vegans need to find ways to supplement their diet with foods that have been fortified with B12. Look for the following: Breakfast cereals or oatmeal that have been fortified with vitamin B12. Check the labeling to make sure eating the cereal will give you the recommended daily intake. Soy milk, Rice milk, and some other plant milks are also often fortified with B12. B12 supplements are popular among vegans. Since B12 is the only vitamin you can't get by eating plants, it might be worth adding this supplement to your daily routine. Seek out foods rich in iron. This mineral aids in healthy oxygen circulation, and it's most commonly found in red meat and fish. However, iron also occurs naturally in a number of different foods. When you eat iron-rich foods, eat vitamin C at the same time; it helps the body absorb iron more effectively. It is recommended that adults get 8 mg of iron per day. Here's where to find it: Dried fruits Legumes Seeds Leafy green vegetables Whole grains Eat protein-hearty foods. Protein contributes to the growth of muscle, hair, nails, and other very important systems in the body. Adults need 46 to 56 grams per day to stay healthy. There are plenty of plant-based protein sources, and these should make up a significant portion of your diet as a vegan. Here's what to eat: Black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, pinto beans, lima beans, etc. Whole grains Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and other seeds All nuts Soy products Eat plenty of calcium. It builds strong bones and teeth, and this essential mineral is most often associated with cow's milk. However, you can get the calcium you need (1,000 mg daily, for adults ) by eating the following fruits and vegetables: Dark, leafy greens like kale and collards Almonds Fortified cereals, soy milk, or bread Citrus fruits like oranges and lemons Incorporate foods with omega-3 fatty acids. This healthy type of fat is essential for a range of functions in the body, both internal and external. It's also beneficial for keeping your mood stable and your mind healthy. Adults need 12 to 17 grams per day, and you can get them from the following plant sources: Flaxseed Walnuts Canola oil Soy Eat salt and seaweed for the iodine. This trace element helps keep the thyroid functioning properly, and you need 150 mcg per day to stay in good health. It's commonly found in seafood, but vegans can get the iodine they need by eating sea salt and seaweed. Eat foods with zinc. This mineral is involved in healthy cell production, and some studies connect it to helping treat the common cold. Adults need 8 to 11mg daily. Zinc naturally occurs in the following foods: Peanuts Legumes Cashews Almonds Talk with a nutritionist. If you're making a serious switch to a vegan diet, it's a good idea to get advice from a professional. He or she will be able to tell you how to best meet your unique needs as well as giving you resources to help you choose the right foods. Kids, women who are pregnant, and elderly people all have slightly different nutritional needs than the average adult, so it's especially important for people in these groups to talk to a nutritionist. Eat a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Meat-eaters have it a little easier: they choose a meat, a vegetable, and a starch, and that's that. As a vegan, it's important to make sure your meals are balanced according to the new food pyramid issued by the US Department of Agriculture. Aim to get the following each day: 6 oz. grains (half of these should be whole grains, like brown rice, quinoa, or whole wheat) 2.5 cups vegetables (eat a variety, not just one or two types) 2 cups fruit (choose whole, fresh fruit instead of juice whenever possible) 5.5 oz. beans and other protein sources Healthy fats (olive oil, grapeseed oil, nut oils, etc) Fill up on healthy food. Some Vegans feel hungry after eating the same amount of food as meat-eaters. Meat and dairy are very filling, and vegans need to eat larger portions of vegetables, legumes, and fats to feel satisfied. As long as you're filling up on healthy food, it's fine to eat more than one helping and stop your stomach from rumbling. Pears are very filling. Try a pear if you are a hungry Vegan. To make vegetables more filling, add olive oil, nuts, dried fruit, seeds, and other goodies. Eating just plain vegetables won't feel as satisfying. Use plenty of spices to make your food taste just as rich and nuanced as any meat-eater's meal. Avoid eating processed “vegan” foods. Did you know Oreos are vegan? Hundreds of snack foods and candies you might normally pass up will look extra tasty when you're feeling hungry, but try to resist the urge to eat loads of sugar and processed carbohydrates. These foods are devoid of nutrition; they might fill you up temporarily, but they won't give you the nutrients you need to stay healthy. Processed soy products aren't necessarily healthy for you, even if they're made with tofu. It's fine to have “tofurkey,” seitan, and other soy products every once in a while, but these should not be staples in your diet. The same goes for faux dairy products like soy cheese and ice cream. Have plenty of healthy snacks on hand. Some Vegans like to graze since they tend to get hungry more often than meat-eaters. Have plenty of healthy snacks and smaller meals on hand so you don't get to the point where you're ravenous (which will make you more likely to wolf down a whole bag of gummy worms or three bowls of cereal with almond milk). Here are some great vegan snacks that you can gobble down without guilt: Nuts of any kind. Try roasting your favorite nuts in the oven with olive oil and spices. If you have a sweet tooth, use maple syrup and cinnamon. Whole grain crackers topped with hummus. Carrot sticks and other cut vegetables with hummus. Bean and rice cakes with salsa. Baked sweet potatoes topped with coconut oil and sea salt. Dark chocolate and peanut butter. Banana ice cream (blend a banana and run it through your ice cream machine; you will be amazed by how delicious it turns out). Get a vegan cookbook and learn how to cook tasty meals. As a vegan, you're going to have to fend for yourself more often than not. Unless you live in a town with lots of great options for vegans (lucky you!) you'll probably have to do a lot of your own cooking to ensure your meals are balanced and healthy. There are loads of vegan cookbooks available, so pick one up and start bookmarking dishes to try out. Look for vegan blogs, too. You'll find recipes as well as hosts of commenters who will offer more suggestions. Health food stores and vegan/vegetarian restaurants are also great spots for inspiration. Find the vegan-friendly spots where you live. Maybe you don't have a vegan-dedicated restaurant in your town, but there are probably some places with menu items that are vegan. Before you go out, have a few places in mind where you know you'll be able to get a healthy meal and enjoy yourself. Steakhouses, barbecue joints, and fried chicken spots are probably out. If your friends insist on going to one, you could always order a heap of fries and ketchup and call it a day. Many restaurants that offer cuisines from outside the US have vegan menu items. Try checking some menus out online, then up the restaurants beforehand to double-check that dishes are vegan. Check out the side dishes. If you're seated at a restaurant and weren't able to vet the place beforehand, side dishes are often the best bet. Unless you're at a place where everything on the menu is made with bacon or ham drippings, you'll probably find some tasty items that don't have any animal products. If you decide to order vegetables, be sure to request that they be cooked in oil instead of butter. Look for tasty beans, peas, or other legumes and rice. These items aren't often cooked with animal products. Order salads with all the (vegan) trimmings. If you're at a restaurant with tasty salads, you're in luck. See if you can customize a salad to include extra vegetables, beans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and any other toppings they have that are vegan. Order it with oil and lemon juice or vinegar, since most dressings on offer probably contain an animal product or two. See if they can whip something up for you. You might feel shy asking for favors at first, but as a vegan, it definitely helps to speak up. You deserve to be able to eat a healthy, delicious meal, and most restaurant owners strive to be accommodating. Explain that you don't eat meat, milk or eggs, and ask if there's something they can prepare for you without any animal products. For example, they could give you plain pasta with garlic, olive oil, and veggies, beans with veggies, rice and beans, and so on. Eat before you go to parties. Even if the host of a party knows you're vegan, he or she might try to serve you something with eggs, milk or even fish, not quite understanding that vegans don't eat any animal products. Hopefully, your well-meaning host will have something on hand you can eat, but just in case, you should eat before you go. | Get your vitamin B12. Seek out foods rich in iron. Eat protein-hearty foods. Eat plenty of calcium. Incorporate foods with omega-3 fatty acids. Eat salt and seaweed for the iodine. Eat foods with zinc. Talk with a nutritionist. Eat a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Fill up on healthy food. Avoid eating processed “vegan” foods. Have plenty of healthy snacks on hand. Get a vegan cookbook and learn how to cook tasty meals. Find the vegan-friendly spots where you live. Check out the side dishes. Order salads with all the (vegan) trimmings. See if they can whip something up for you. Eat before you go to parties. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Spot-Signs-of-LSD-Use | How to Spot Signs of LSD Use | If someone is using LSD, they'll likely seem disoriented, and they might not make sense when they talk depending on how much they've taken. They'll probably be experiencing hallucinations in one or more of their senses. If someone's seeing or hearing things that aren't there, it's possible they're on LSD. They may seem disorientated and experience time as much slower than it is. Depending on the dose of the drug and the stage of the trip, they may be uncoordinated and find it difficult to focus on basic tasks. They may also struggle to communicate what they're experiencing and say things that don't make sense to you. Like many other drugs, LSD will make user's pupils dilate. If they're having a “Bad trip,” they may also be paranoid and frightened. However, these symptoms are almost identical with psychosis, so it's difficult to know for sure if someone's on LSD. | Determine if someone may be experiencing hallucinations. Hallucinations are common for someone on acid. Someone who is using LSD may report seeing things that are not there, hearing things that are not producing sound, or smelling things that are not producing any odor. The person may also see things with their eyes closed. If the user has grandiose thoughts, such as thinking they can fly, or if they have suicidal or homicidal delusions or hallucinations, seek emergency help immediately. Watch the person to see if he or she seems to be interacting with things that are not there, such as staring at a wall, talking to him or herself, or grasping at the air. These hallucinations can be frightening for the user and can become dangerous or deadly if the user is unaware of reality for too long. Listen for signs that the person is having blended sensory experiences. Blended sensory experiences are common for users of hallucinogens such as LSD. This is when a person's senses are swapped and the result can be quite scary. This shift in perception is also known as synesthesia, and it can cause a person to “hear” colors or “see” sounds. Pay attention to what the person says to determine if they might be having blended sensory experiences. For example, if the person says something like, "That tree sounds beautiful," or "I can see the music," then these are good indications that they may be on LSD. Synesthesia alone is not a sign that someone is using LSD. A small percent of the population experiences synesthesia naturally, so don't get confused and think they are using LSD. Notice if someone is experiencing distortions. Sometimes LSD users experience distortions of size, time, depth and speed, believing that an object is much larger than it actually is or that an object is moving much more quickly than it actually is. Someone who is using LSD can also experience an altered sense of time. Try asking the person questions, such as: How far away is that tree? How big is that house? How long have we been sitting here? What time is it? Watch for intensified senses. A person going through an LSD trip may experience heightened senses, causing them to see, smell, touch, hear, and taste things more powerfully. This is part of what is considered the psychedelic experience: the ability to see colors more vividly and feel things more deeply. A user will be unable to conceal their intense sensations and these signs should be easy to spot. Try offering the person something to drink, or play some music, or put on a movie and see if they respond in a way that seems normal. If the person seems more impressed than usual or overwhelmed by the sensory experience, then it is possible that the person is using LSD. Notice if someone is having trouble sleeping. LSD can cause a person to develop insomnia, making it almost impossible for them to fall asleep or sleep for long periods of time. If you notice someone barely getting any sleep at all, this may be a sign that the person is a frequent LSD user. Look out for a loss of appetite. LSD can cause a reduction in appetite, making the person's desire for food nonexistent. Watch out for a complete change in someone's eating habits to spot this sign of LSD use. For example, if the person goes from eating regular meals to not eating at all, then this is a strong sign that he or she may be using LSD. Notice if someone has an inability to complete tasks. Many times users of LSD are unable to complete simple tasks such as driving or operating machinery. Be aware of these signs as they may indicate that the person has taken acid. Other signs might include having trouble operating the remote control for the television, being confused by simple instructions, or struggling to find the right key to open their door. Watch for paranoia, distress, anxiety or disorientation. When on acid, some people may enter a totally dissociated state, often causing severe panic and fear. Some people experience delusions and can have terrifying thoughts and feelings. Pay attention to the person's behavior. Some possible indicators that the person might be using LSD may include seeming agitated for no reason, sharing concerns that someone is after them, or seeming confused about their surroundings. Someone who is on LSD may also ramble or make bizarre and unusual comments. This incoherent speech is often a sign that the person has used LSD. Check to see if the person’s pupils are dilated. Like many drugs, LSD causes a person's pupils to dilate or become enlarged. This effect is known as mydriasis and occurs when your sympathetic nervous system is affected and this is a direct result of LSD use. Look into the person's eyes to see if their pupils appear larger than normal. Watch for dry mouth or excess saliva. After taking LSD, some people experience dry mouth or excessive saliva production. Pay attention to the sound and appearance of the person's mouth to check for dry mouth or excess saliva. For example, you may hear dry smacking sounds when the person speaks, or notice a little drool running down the corner of their mouth. Ask if someone’s toes or fingers feel tingly. Tingling fingers and toes are also common in people who use LSD. Ask the person who you believe is a user if they are experiencing any unusual tingling sensations. You might also notice that the person is rubbing their toes or fingers. This might be due to the discomfort of the tingling sensations. Test for a rapid heart rate. People on acid may also experience an increased heart rate. You can determine if the person's heart rate is normal by taking their pulse. Try taking the person's pulse if they will let you. To check the person's pulse , place your index and middle finger on the inside of the person's wrist just below their thumb. Hold your fingers there until you can feel the pulse and then set a timer for 60 seconds. Count the person's heartbeats until the timer beeps. A normal pulse is between 60 to 100 beats per minute. If the person's pulse is higher than this number, then they have a rapid heart rate. Look out for sweating or chills. Oftentimes people who use LSD become very cold or very hot due to LSD's effect on the body's normal temperature. LSD changes your body's ability to regulate internal temperature properly and as a result you may become sweaty or chilled. Look for beads of sweat on the person's forehead or see if the person is shivering. Watch for weakness. People on acid often have reduced strength and may report feeling weak. For example, the person might be unable to carry items that are not very heavy and have a difficult time standing for long periods of time because he or she suddenly feels tired and feeble. Watch for changes in the person's strength and listen to what they say as well. For example, the person might say that they are too tired to walk a short distance or that something they can usually lift with ease feels way too heavy to lift. Watch for small colorful pieces of paper. One of the most common ways that LSD is distributed is through small square pieces of paper. The sheets of paper often have colorful markings or cartoon characters on them. These papers are also known as blotters. If you notice some small squares of colorful paper in the person's room, then they may be using LSD. Look for small dropper bottles. LSD drops are often stored in small dropper bottles, such as empty fresh breath drop bottles. The bottles are only about two inches tall. The liquid LSD may also be dyed to make it less obvious that the liquid inside is LSD. Check for sugar cubes. People who use LSD often apply drops of the drug to sugar cubes for consumption. If you notice any plastic bags containing sugar cubes in the person's room, then this could be a sign that they are using LSD. Monitor the person’s spending habits. Having a drug habit is expensive, so someone who uses LSD regularly may often be low on cash. Consider how often the person asks for money and how quickly they spend it. For example, if the person asks to borrow money a few days after they have been paid, then this may indicate that they are spending money on drugs. | Determine if someone may be experiencing hallucinations. Listen for signs that the person is having blended sensory experiences. Notice if someone is experiencing distortions. Watch for intensified senses. Notice if someone is having trouble sleeping. Look out for a loss of appetite. Notice if someone has an inability to complete tasks. Watch for paranoia, distress, anxiety or disorientation. Check to see if the person’s pupils are dilated. Watch for dry mouth or excess saliva. Ask if someone’s toes or fingers feel tingly. Test for a rapid heart rate. Look out for sweating or chills. Watch for weakness. Watch for small colorful pieces of paper. Look for small dropper bottles. Check for sugar cubes. Monitor the person’s spending habits. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Wash-Your-Hair-Without-Shampoo | How to Wash Your Hair Without Shampoo | Before you wash your hair without shampoo, massaging your scalp with your fingertips to release the natural oils in your hair, making it more pliable. To distribute the oils, take a thin section of hair and pinch it between your fingers at the roots, slide your fingers down to the end, and repeat throughout your hair. Finally, after 8-24 hours, dislodge the dirt and oils by massaging your scalp under a warm shower. When you're done, rinse your hair with cold water. | Start the process 8 to 12 hours before you plan to wash your hair. While you can certainly do it right before jumping into the shower, it would be better to start preparing your hair 8 to 12 hours beforehand. This will allow the oils released during the process to travel down the hair shaft and make it easier to work with. If you recently washed your hair, wait until it starts to feel oily. This is not a process you want to do on a daily basis. Make sure your hair is dry and tangle-free. If your hair is knotted, gently brush it out starting from the ends. This will make the rest of the prep work easier. Massage your scalp with your fingertips. Push your fingertips through your hair and rest them against your scalp. Gently massage your scalp with your fingertips using quick, short, but gentle motions. Be sure to massage your entire scalp. This process is known as "scritching" and helps loosen the oils naturally secreted by your scalp. Make sure that you are using your fingertips, not your nails. Run thin sections of hair between your fingers. Take a thin section of hair, and pinch it between your fingers at the roots. Slide your fingers down towards the ends. Repeat this process throughout your hair. This is known as “preening” and helps distribute the oils further. It may be easier to start at 1 side of your part, work your way down, then do the other side. This way, you can be sure that you didn't miss anything. You can do this while brushing—run the boar bristle brush through the hair section, then follow up with your fingers. Think of these sections as wide ribbons. You want them to be relatively thin, and just a little shorter than the length of your finger. Brush your hair with a boar bristle brush. Make sure that the brush is clean and of good quality. Work in small sections, starting from the ends of your hair; never drag the brush straight down through your hair without detangling the ends and mid-lengths first. This helps further distribute the oils throughout your hair. It also helps gently detangle it and smooth it out. If your hair is long or very dry, add some oil to the ends. Coconut oil or shea butter are great choices. Get your hair wet using very warm water. The temperature is key here, as warm water will open up the cuticles of your hair. You don't want it to be too hot, or you'll risk damaging your hair. At the same time, however, you don't want it to be too cool, or it won't break up the oils on your scalp. You should do this 8 to 24 hours after you scratched, preened, and brushed your hair. If your hair got tangled in the meantime, brush it out. Hard water is a hit-or-miss. It works for some people, but not for others. If hard water doesn't work for you, install a water-softening filter. Part your hair to reveal your scalp. This is especially important if you have long or thick hair. You will be scratching your scalp again, but this time, you want the water to hit it. Parting your hair will allow for this to happen. It does not matter where you part your hair. You'll be doing this all over your scalp! Scritch your scalp, focusing the water stream on your scalp. Place your fingertips against your exposed scalp and gently massage it. Do this while standing under the shower so that the running water hits the scalp. This will help dislodge the dirt and oils. Preen the water through your scalp if your hair is oil. This may not be necessary if your hair is dry, but if your hair tends to get oily, or if you sweat a lot, preening would be a good idea. Simply pinch a thin strand of hair between your fingers, then run your fingers down the length of the strand, from roots to tips. Do this step twice, once to either side of the part. If your hair is very oily, you may have to preen the water through it. Repeat the process all over your scalp. It would be a good idea to work systematically here so that you don't lose track of the areas you already cleaned. Finish 1 side of your head first, then do the other side. Finish with the back. Pay extra attention to your hairline and other areas that tend to get oily. Rinse your hair with cold water. If this is too uncomfortable for you, step out from under the shower stream, then lean far back so that just your head gets wet. This will make it more bearable. Pat your hair dry with a T-shirt or microfiber towel. Do not rub your hair or use a regular towel, as this can lead to frizz. Simply pat your hair with a T-shirt or microfiber towel to soak up the excess moisture from it. Don't worry about completely drying your hair just yet. Comb your hair with a wide-toothed comb, then apply some oil, if needed. Like with brushing, start from the ends first. Once you have detangled the ends and mid-lengths, you can comb your hair down from the roots. If your hair is tangled, apply 1 to 2 drops of hair oil to the ends and mid-lengths. This will help lubricate the strands and reduce frizz. Do not use a regular hair brush. Wet hair is delicate, and a regular brush will damage it. Allow your hair to air dry, if possible. You can use a T-shirt or microfiber towel to help soak up more water, but don't rub it. Many people find that their hair actually dries faster if they wash it without any products. Once your hair is dry, you can style is as you like. It would be best to avoid too many products, however, as these can lead to build-up. Repeat the process every 3 to 7 days. Again, this is not something you want to do on a daily basis. The reason for this is simple: the more often you wash your hair, the more oil your scalp will produce. If you wash your hair less often, however, your scalp will be trained to produce less oil, which means your hair won't get as dirty. Give your hair 2 to 16 weeks to adjust to this method. Try a solution of baking soda for a gentle cleanse. Stir 1 to 2 tablespoons (13 to 26 g) of baking soda into 1 cup (240 mL) of warm water. Pour it over your head and massage it into your scalp. Wait 3 to 5 minutes, then rinse it off. Follow up with conditioner or an apple cider vinegar rinse. For a deeper cleanse, try 1 part baking soda and 1 part water. Use a solution of water and apple cider vinegar as a gentle cleanser. The exact proportions vary, but most people recommend starting with a solution of 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 mL) of apple cider vinegar and 1 cup (240 mL) of water. As your hair gets used to this, you can move up to 1 part vinegar and 1 part water. Simply pour the solution over your head, massage it into your scalp, then rinse it out. Even though this is gentle on your hair, it is not gentle on your eyes. Be careful not to get the solution in them! Don't worry, the smell will go away as your hair dries. You can use this on its own, or use it right after the baking soda method. This solution is great for dandruff, oily hair, dry hair, and build-up. It's also great if you have hard water and will make your hair shiny. For best results, use pure apple cider vinegar with the residue at the bottom of the bottle. Try diluted lemon juice as an alternative to apple cider vinegar. It won't have the same softening and shine-adding properties, but it will help get rid of excess oil. Simply squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into 1 cup (240 mL) of warm water, then pour that over your head. Massage it into your scalp and rinse it out. You can also use lemon juice to lighten your hair naturally. Consider co-washing if you have dry, curly, natural, or wavy hair. Co-washing is just like washing with shampoo except that you use conditioner instead. While you'd normally focus conditioner on the ends of your hair, you actually do want to apply it to your scalp while co-washing and massage it in. Once you rinse your hair out, you don't need to use an additional conditioner. Co-washing is not recommended for oily or greasy hair because it doesn't contain enough detergent to get the grease out. You may have to scrub your scalp more than you normally would in order to get it squeaky-clean. | Start the process 8 to 12 hours before you plan to wash your hair. Massage your scalp with your fingertips. Run thin sections of hair between your fingers. Brush your hair with a boar bristle brush. Get your hair wet using very warm water. Part your hair to reveal your scalp. Scritch your scalp, focusing the water stream on your scalp. Preen the water through your scalp if your hair is oil. Repeat the process all over your scalp. Rinse your hair with cold water. Pat your hair dry with a T-shirt or microfiber towel. Comb your hair with a wide-toothed comb, then apply some oil, if needed. Allow your hair to air dry, if possible. Repeat the process every 3 to 7 days. Try a solution of baking soda for a gentle cleanse. Use a solution of water and apple cider vinegar as a gentle cleanser. Try diluted lemon juice as an alternative to apple cider vinegar. Consider co-washing if you have dry, curly, natural, or wavy hair. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Dr.-Brown%27s-Bottle-Warmer | How to Clean a Dr. Brown's Bottle Warmer | To clean a Dr. Brown's bottle warmer, start by removing the reservoir and filling it with soapy water. Set the reservoir aside and let it soak for 5 minutes. While that's soaking, tilt the warmer to the side over a sink to drain any water inside of it. Once all the water is out, wash the basket by hand or place it in the dishwasher. Then, use a damp, soapy cloth to wipe down the outside of the warmer. When the reservoir is done soaking, dump out the water and add 2 tablespoons of uncooked rice and 1 tablespoon of water. Shake the reservoir vigorously for 30 seconds, then empty it and rinse it thoroughly. Finally, let all of the parts air-dry, then reassemble the bottle warmer. | Unplug the appliance and allow it to cool before you clean it. Don't try to clean your Dr. Brown's bottle warmer or remove the reservoir while the warmer is still plugged in. Also, if you've recently used the warmer, wait about 30 minutes after you unplug it to allow the water to cool to a safe temperature. As with any electrical appliance, make sure you follow all safety precautions. Since the warmer uses steam to heat the bottles, the water inside may be extremely hot right after you use it. Remove the water reservoir and fill it with soapy water. Look at the right side of the bottle warmer and find the translucent water reservoir on the side. Pull up on it to remove it, then pour out any water that's inside. Fill the reservoir with warm, soapy water, and set it aside to soak for about 5 minutes. Lay the reservoir on a towel or prop it in your sink to keep the water from spilling. Use a mild soap for cleaning the bottle warmer. Do not use any harsh solvents on the appliance, as you may damage it. For convenience, let the reservoir soak while you wipe down the appliance and wash the basket. That way, they can start drying while you finish rinsing the reservoir after it soaks. Tilt the warmer to the side to empty the heating chamber. Hold the bottle warmer over your sink and open the cover, then tip the warmer sideways so the reservoir chamber is facing upward. If there's any water in the heating chamber, it should drain into your sink. Place the basket on the top rack of the dishwasher or wash it by hand. The plastic piece that holds the bottle or baby food container in place is machine washable, so if you'd like, you can place it on the top rack and wash it along with the rest of your dishes. If you'd prefer, however, you can wash it by hand with soapy water instead. If you place the basket on the bottom rack in a dishwasher, the force from the sprayer could cause the basket to become dislodged or damaged. Place the basket on a thick towel and allow it to air dry. Wipe down the bottle warmer with a cloth or sponge dipped in soapy water. Dip a soft cleaning cloth or a non-abrasive sponge in warm water mixed with a few drops of mild dish soap and squeeze out any excess water. Then, gently wipe down the outside of your Dr. Brown's bottle warmer, as well as the inside of the heating chamber. Do not place the appliance underwater. Empty the reservoir, then add a small amount of uncooked rice and water. After the reservoir has soaked for about 5 minutes, pour out all of the soapy water. Then, pour in about 2 tbsp (24 g) of uncooked, non-instant rice, along with 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of water. The measurements of the rice and water don't have to be exact. The fill hole on the reservoir is small, so you may need to use a funnel, or you can make one yourself by rolling a piece of paper into a cone. Do not use cooked rice for this. It will get mushy and become stuck in the reservoir, which could lead to bacteria and mold. Shake the reservoir vigorously for about 15-30 seconds. Place one finger over the fill hole on the reservoir and shake the container back and forth firmly. Tilt the reservoir different ways as you shake to ensure the rice comes in contact with every part of the inside surface. The agitation from the rice and the water will help break up and remove any soapy residue on the inside of the reservoir. Although the water in the reservoir isn't used to make the bottle, if you don't clean the reservoir out thoroughly, the steam could leave soapy residue on outside of the bottle, including the nipple. Pour out the rice and rinse the reservoir well, repeating if you need to. Pour out and discard the rice and water that are inside the reservoir, then flush the container out with running water several times. If you'd like, you can fill the reservoir about halfway with water, then shake the container the same way you did when it was filled with the rice. If you notice a lot of suds remaining in the reservoir, add more rice and water and shake the container more vigorously before rinsing again. Shake as much water out of the reservoir as you can. Air dry all of the parts, the//n put the warmer back together. Place the reservoir on the towel with the basket and let them both dry for at least an hour. The inside of the reservoir doesn't have to be completely dry, since you'll add more water to it anyway, but make sure the outside components are completely dry before you reassemble the warmer. Push the reservoir back into its slot on the right side of the warmer to reattach it. You can leave the basket out until you're ready to use it, or you can place it inside the chamber of the warmer, if you'd like. Clean your Dr. Brown's bottle warmer about once a week or any time you notice an odor coming from the reservoir. Descale your bottle warmer every 4 weeks or if it isn’t working. Over time, hard water can cause limescale buildup on the inside of your appliance. Running vinegar through the warmer will help break up that buildup, ensuring it can continue to work properly. Often, if the warmer stops working properly, it needs to be descaled. Unplug the appliance and allow it to cool off. Do not attempt to clean the warmer while the power is on, as it could increase your risk of electrical shock. Also, wait at least 30 minutes after using the warmer before you attempt to clean it to ensure it's not too hot. Empty the heating chamber and reservoir. Remove the reservoir from the right side of the Dr. Brown's bottle warmer and empty it. Then, tilt the warmer to the side so the reservoir chamber is facing up, and let all of the water drain out of the heating chamber. Pour 2 oz (50 ml) of white vinegar and 4 oz (100 ml) of cold water into the reservoir. Vinegar is a safe and all-natural cleaner, and its high acidity makes it very effective at removing scale. Measure out about 2 oz (50 ml) of vinegar and pour it into the reservoir, then add 4 oz of cold water. Shake the reservoir gently to combine the water and vinegar. If you don't have a spoon or a cup that measures in fl oz or ml, you can use a shot glass, which holds about 2 oz, to measure the vinegar. Fill the shot glass twice for the water. You can also mix the vinegar and water together ahead of time, if you'd prefer. Plug in the warmer and run the mixture through until the reservoir is empty. Replace the reservoir, then plug in the bottle warmer. Run it on a normal heating cycle as many times as it takes to empty the reservoir. You may want to run it on whatever cycle you normally use so you don't have to reprogram your settings. However, if you'd prefer to turn it to a higher temperature to shorten the descaling process, that's fine. Unplug the warmer again, remove the reservoir, and rinse it thoroughly. Rinse the reservoir several times to ensure there is no vinegar residue left inside. Allow the reservoir to air dry for about an hour before you return it to the warmer. You can also pat the outside with a paper towel, then let it air dry for about 15 minutes. Fill the water reservoir and put it into place, checking for air bubbles. When your Dr. Brown's bottle warmer is working correctly, you should see 2-3 air bubbles coming from the bottom of the reservoir after you place it into the compartment. This happens when some of the water is released into the warmer, so that's a sign that all of the scale has been removed. If you don't see the bubbles, repeat the descaling process until you do. | Unplug the appliance and allow it to cool before you clean it. Remove the water reservoir and fill it with soapy water. Tilt the warmer to the side to empty the heating chamber. Place the basket on the top rack of the dishwasher or wash it by hand. Wipe down the bottle warmer with a cloth or sponge dipped in soapy water. Empty the reservoir, then add a small amount of uncooked rice and water. Shake the reservoir vigorously for about 15-30 seconds. Pour out the rice and rinse the reservoir well, repeating if you need to. Air dry all of the parts, the//n put the warmer back together. Descale your bottle warmer every 4 weeks or if it isn’t working. Unplug the appliance and allow it to cool off. Empty the heating chamber and reservoir. Pour 2 oz (50 ml) of white vinegar and 4 oz (100 ml) of cold water into the reservoir. Plug in the warmer and run the mixture through until the reservoir is empty. Unplug the warmer again, remove the reservoir, and rinse it thoroughly. Fill the water reservoir and put it into place, checking for air bubbles. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Mountain | How to Make a Mountain | Making a mountain is a fun craft project you can complete with cardboard, newspaper, flour, and water. Start by cutting out a square piece of cardboard for your base. Next, scrunch some newspaper into balls and secure them with masking tape. Once you've made several balls, glue them to your base in the rough shape of your mountain and leave it for 24 hours to dry. When you're ready to continue, mix equal parts water and flour in a bowl to make a paste. Then, cut some newspaper strips. Soak the strips in the paste and stick them to the mountain to create the shape you want. You can smooth out the strips to create a smooth, hilly appearance, or scrunch up the strips to make it rocky. | Get a sturdy cardboard or wooden square to put your mountain on. This will be the base that you build your mountain on. Have an adult use a razor knife to cut this square to be slightly longer and wider than you want your mountain to be. For example, if the dimensions of your mountain will be 10 by 10 inches (25 by 25 cm), then your base should measure about 12 by 12 inches (30 by 30 cm). You can buy a wooden square to use a base at any art supplies store. If you'd rather use cardboard, just use any old piece of a cardboard box! Scrunch up a sheet of newspaper into a ball and tape it together. Put masking tape over the newspaper to make sure it stays bundled up. Do this a few times to create a collection of scrunched-up newspaper balls that you can use to build your mountain. You'll probably need about 5-10 balls of paper, depending on how large you want your mountain to be. There's no set size that your newspaper balls should be; you just need to make sure that they're dense enough to be sturdy and to support the papier-mache and paint that you'll put on them. You can also use aluminum foil to create these balls. Although these are sturdier, they're also heavier than newspaper. Glue these balls to the base to make a rough mountain shape. First, glue a few newspaper balls to your base to create the bottom layer of the mountain. Make this bottom layer as wide and long as you want the mountain to be. Then, glue the rest of the balls on top of these first balls and position them in a way that makes a rough mountain shape. For example, if you want your mountain to be wide and flat, position your newspaper balls so that they create a wide, flat mountain surface. If you want your mountain to have a high peak, make a long, narrow ball and position it so that it points upwards. You can just use ordinary white craft glue for this project. Allow the glue 24 hours to dry. This will give your newspaper balls enough time to become set in their positions. You may need to hold some of the newspaper balls in place for a little while (e.g., 30 minutes) if they were glued in an unstable position. Mix equal parts of water and flour together in a medium-sized bowl. Pour 1 cup (140 grams) of flour and 1 cup (240 mL) of water into a bowl. Stir this mixture continuously until all the lumps of flour are completely mixed with the water. Add a dash of salt to the mix if you're worried about the possibility of mold growing on the mountain. Some people prefer to heat up this mixture over low heat in order to get a smoother consistency. However, this isn't absolutely necessary. Cut some newspaper into long strips about 1 by 3 in (2.5 by 7.6 cm) long. Use scissors or simply rip up some newspaper in order to make these strips. You can make them longer than 3 inches (7.6 cm) if you want, but keep in mind that they'll become more likely to rip and less easy to control if you make them too long. Dip a newspaper strip into your flour paste and put it on your mountain. As you remove the newspaper strip from the paste, slide it in between your thumb and forefinger to get any excess paste off of the strip. Then, lay it horizontally along the side of your mountain. It's important to remove the excess paste from your newspaper strips in order to cut down on the time it takes the papier-mache to dry. Don't worry about making the strip look perfect when you go to put it on your mountain. You'll have a chance to do that later. Scrunch or smooth out the strip as needed to add texture. Use your fingers to either push the 2 ends of the strip you laid down closer together or pull them further apart. Scrunch the strip to make a rough or rocky spot, or smooth it out to give a flat “hilly” appearance to your mountain. Be very gentle when handling your newspaper strip; you may accidentally rip it when you're smoothing it out. Repeat this process until you have a layer of strips on the mountain. Continue to lay more strips along the surface of your mountain until it's completely covered. If the surface seems flimsy or looks thin, feel free to add a second layer. Leave your mountain to dry overnight. Papier-mache requires at least a few hours to dry, but leaving it overnight will help ensure that it's as dry as possible before you go to paint it. For best results, leave it to dry somewhere it won't be exposed to too much moisture. For example, avoid leaving it to dry in a bathroom or moldy garage. Paint your mountain with a water-based paint to give it some color. Use a variety of greens, browns, blues, and whites to depict any grass, rocks, rivers, or snow you want to have on your mountain. Be sure the papier-mache is completely dry before you begin to paint. If you're creating this mountain for other people to look at, create a legend in the corner of your base using these paint colors to indicate what each color represents. Sprinkle green sawdust on your mountain for more textured grass. This isn't completely necessary, but many enthusiasts use green sawdust or shredded pieces of green paper to make their “grass” more three-dimensional. Be sure to do this while the paint is still wet so that the dust sticks to the green paint. You can buy green sawdust or paper at any arts and crafts store. Add artificial trees, buildings, and any other structures you want to have. Glue these to your mountain after the paint has dried. You can buy these types of add-ons at most arts and crafts stores and any store that sells modeling kits. You can also use lichen to create little trees and bushes for your mountain. | Get a sturdy cardboard or wooden square to put your mountain on. Scrunch up a sheet of newspaper into a ball and tape it together. Glue these balls to the base to make a rough mountain shape. Allow the glue 24 hours to dry. Mix equal parts of water and flour together in a medium-sized bowl. Cut some newspaper into long strips about 1 by 3 in (2.5 by 7.6 cm) long. Dip a newspaper strip into your flour paste and put it on your mountain. Scrunch or smooth out the strip as needed to add texture. Repeat this process until you have a layer of strips on the mountain. Leave your mountain to dry overnight. Paint your mountain with a water-based paint to give it some color. Sprinkle green sawdust on your mountain for more textured grass. Add artificial trees, buildings, and any other structures you want to have. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Play-Racquetball | How to Play Racquetball | To play racquetball, start by working on fundamental skills like how to serve the ball and the difference between a forehand and backhand grip. Next, learn how to rally the ball back and forth, avoid service faults, and score points. Then, develop your new skills by practicing your strokes, hitting the ball at different heights, and perfecting your straight-in and cross-court shots. During games, remember to stay near the center of the court and hit the ball away from your opponent! | Serve the ball. In order to serve the racquetball, you need to stand in the service zone (between the two solid lines in the middle of the court), bounce the ball once, and hit the ball towards the front wall, which will be in the opposite direction of where your opponent is standing. Once the ball has hit the front wall and has passed completely back over the service zone, the rally can begin. If your first serving attempt is a missed serve (swinging the racquet and missing the ball), a non-front wall serve (hitting any wall besides the front wall first), or a touched serve (hitting your opponent with the ball before it touches the ground), you'll have one more chance to complete a successful serve before you lose the point. Major racquetball serves types are drive serve & lob serve. Avoid making a service fault. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the several different types of faults that can potentially take place during a serve. Some of these faults include: Foot fault: when a player steps outside of the service zone before the ball has crossed the line. Short serve: when the ball hits the front wall but bounces off the floor before crossing the line. Three-wall serve: this occurs when the ball hits the front wall but then bounces off of both side walls before hitting the ground. Ceiling serve: when the ball hits the front wall and then bounces off of the ceiling. Long serve: when the ball hits the front wall and bounces to hit the back wall before hitting the ground. Screen serve: this is when the ball is served in such a way that it returns so close to the server that the other player(s) cannot see the ball. Rally the ball back and forth. Rallying, which starts as soon as the ball is served, is when the two players make continuous shots back and forth at each other. During the rally, the ball can hit any walls, as long as it hits the front wall before it hits the floor and as long as it doesn't hit the floor twice in a row. Score points. The rally continues until one player either makes a fault or is unsuccessful at making a shot. A rally can also be lost when a player switches racquet hands during a rally, carries or slings the ball with the racquet, touches the ball with their body, or causes the ball to leave the gallery. Once the rally is over, the winner of the point gets to serve to start the next rally. Avoid hindering. If at all possible, avoid getting between your opponent and the wall they're aiming at. Also, when you're hitting the ball, try not to aim it directly towards your opponent. In addition to putting yourself or your opponent in danger of getting an injury, these actions can result in the ball getting stopped by a body and therefore “hindering” the game. Depending on the circumstance, hindering either calls for a replay or a penalty. Keep score. Whoever wins two out of three sets wins the racquetball game. The first two sets each consist of 15 points and the third set goes to 11. The first person to reach the required number of points wins that particular set. Learn how to hold a racquet with a forehand grip. Hold the racquet the same way you would shake someone's hand and then curl your fingers around it. There should be a slight space between your fingertips and the heel of your palm. Your fingers should be low on the handle without going off the edge. Avoid holding the racquet so that it is perpendicular to your arm as this will make it harder to serve. Learn how to hold a racquet with a backhand grip. This is done by holding the racquet in the standard forehand grip and then turning the racquet roughly ⅛” clockwise. This is a difficult grip to master but gives the player a more powerful swing. Practice your strokes. Depending on your grip style, you will use the according stroke (or method of hitting the ball). Different strokes achieve different ball movements and should be used as is appropriate. The stance for both is similar: knees should be bent and loose, legs should be placed a shoulder-width apart, and torso should be parallel with the side walls. Forehand stroke. This should be done similar to a baseball swing, with one knee lowering to the ground but not touching. Remember to try to keep your swing level. Backhand stroke. This stroke is done with the racquet beginning near your head, swinging forward around your body and ending behind you. Practice hitting the ball at different heights. For any given shot, it is important to understand the different heights at which a ball can be hit. Aiming low, just a few inches off the ground, is called a kill shot and often ends a rally. Aiming higher, one to two feet off the ground, is called a pass shot and is easier to achieve. A pass-kill shot is in between the other two types. Work on your straight-in shot. A straight-in shot is when the player hits the ball directly at the front wall so that it bounces back parallel with the side wall. This is a very effective shot because it's difficult to return. You can take this shot at any height. Work on your cross-court shot. A cross-court shot is when the player hits the ball so that it bounces to the opposite corner from where the shot began. This shot can be taken at any height. The intended purpose is to move your opponent out of the center of the court. Try pinch and splat shots. A pinch shot is taken low, preferably at kill shot level, and intended to end a rally. It is done by hitting the ball against the far end of the side wall and immediately bouncing off the front wall. Similar to a pinch shot, the splat shot is when a player hits the ball against the side wall (close to them, rather than at the far end as in a pinch shot) and it then hits the front wall in such a way that the opponent should not be able to follow. This is a low shot. Practice ceiling shots. A simple ceiling shot should be carefully aimed to hit the front wall before hitting the ceiling. This is a common defensive shot to move your opponent out of the center of the court. Hit the ball away from your opponent. The farther away from your opponent you hit the ball, the more they'll have to rush and run to get to it. This will give you the upper hand because it will tire your opponent out and also give them less time to set up for a strong return shot back to you. Stay near the center of the court. Try to stay near the middle of the court, close to the receiving line, in order to have quick access to all areas of the court. If you're much closer to the front wall, then your opponent can use that against you and try to make the ball fall closer to the back wall. By staying centered, you can ensure that no area of the court is too far away for you to get to. Aim near corners. When you're returning the ball, try to hit it so that it will hit very close to a corner connecting two walls. Doing this might make the ball bounce off of the walls more and faster, quickly changing the angle at which your opponent needs to hit the ball. Get a racquet. There are many different factors to consider when acquiring a racquetball racquet including grip size, weight distribution and frame material. You can spend anywhere between $20 and $200 on your racquet at a sporting goods store, depending on your preferences. 3 ⅝ grip size is great for people who wear XS-L gloves, while 3 ⅞ is better for those who wear XL gloves. Less expensive frames are usually metal while more expensive ones contain other materials, such as graphite and titanium. Even-balanced racquets are less expensive and and head heavy racquets are more expensive because they help you generate more power. Wear court shoes. While playing racquetball, you'll need shoes that have good traction in order to change direction quickly. Wooden racquetball floors can be slick and slippery, so wearing athletic shoes made specifically for indoor courts is necessary for injury prevention as well as enhancing performance. You can purchase court shoes at a sporting goods store. Purchase goggles for eye protection. It is very dangerous to play racquetball without protecting your eyes. Sometimes, the ball can be flying at 100 mph (160 km/h) or faster, and if it happens to hit your eye going that fast it can cause substantial damage. Make sure to pick a pair of goggles that fit securely around your head. Consider getting vented goggles to keep steam from accumulating and impairing your vision. You can purchase athletic goggles at a sporting goods store. Get gloves to improve your grip. While they aren't a required piece of equipment, gloves can definitely be beneficial to your racquetball playing. If you wear a glove on the hand you hold the racquet with, then you'll have better grip and control that sweat may normally hinder. It can also keep you from getting blisters on your hands while you play. You can also purchase racquetball gloves at a sporting goods store. | Serve the ball. Avoid making a service fault. Rally the ball back and forth. Score points. Avoid hindering. Keep score. Learn how to hold a racquet with a forehand grip. Learn how to hold a racquet with a backhand grip. Practice your strokes. Practice hitting the ball at different heights. Work on your straight-in shot. Work on your cross-court shot. Try pinch and splat shots. Practice ceiling shots. Hit the ball away from your opponent. Stay near the center of the court. Aim near corners. Get a racquet. Wear court shoes. Purchase goggles for eye protection. Get gloves to improve your grip. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Convince-Yourself-Not-to-Commit-Suicide | How to Convince Yourself Not to Commit Suicide | You may feel like suicide is the only way to end your pain, but there are ways to find relief and start enjoying life again. Reach out to a mental health professional or a spiritual leader if you're religious, since they can help you deal with your feelings. You should also try talking to a support group or other people who understand your feelings, because it's important to realize that you're not alone. If you're feeling alone, call a friend and family member and ask them to spend time with you. To help control your negative thoughts, try writing a list of all the things you love, such as people, activities, and things about yourself, which will encourage you to see the positive things in your life. | Seek help from a mental healthcare professional. People who attempt suicide are more likely to be suffering from a serious mental condition like depression or anxiety. Know that there is help for you. If your suicidal feelings were brought on by a specific event, like the grief of being jilted, job loss, or becoming disabled, remember that this kind of situational depression can still be helped by treatment. Talk to a spiritual leader if you are religious. If you are religious and have access to a spiritual leader, try talking to him/her. Some people prefer talking to people of faith than one trained primarily in psychology. Those called to religious ministry are trained in helping people in crisis, including individuals in despair who may be suicidal. If this is something that you believe in, a spiritual leader can help you ease the pain by offering a new perspective and giving you some things to think about. Find a support group. There are support groups, both online and in your community, where you can find comfort by talking to other people who have suicidal thoughts or who have attempted suicide. To find a support group, you can ask your mental health professional for information about group meetings, or look online for groups in your local area. Seek support from people who understand. The most important thing to remember is that no matter why this is happening, you are not alone. Reach out to people who are there for you and who understand how it feels, and want to help. If you're looking for a good place to start, try getting in touch with one of the following services: Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (1-800-799-4TTY). If you're gay, lesbian, bisexual, or trans* call 1-888-THE-GLNH (1-888-843-4564). If you're a veteran call 800-273-TALK and press 1. If you're a teenager call Covenant House Nine Line at 1-800-999-9999. Send an anonymous e-mail to The Samaritans suicide prevention center. Call a psychotherapist. Look in your phone book for a list of people in your area. You can also find one, here: http://locator.apa.org/ Call a friend. Tell him how you're feeling and that you need his/her help. Ask your friend to remind you of your positive qualities and strengths or to talk about fun times that you've had. Pick a friend who you think is trustworthy. Talking to untrue friends about your situation will only make it worse since untrue friends will not be there for you. Avoid being alone. Make sure that friends and family do not let you out of their sight. If you do not have anyone to watch over you, check yourself into an emergency room to make sure you are not alone. If you are part of a support group, lean on other members of your group for extra support from people who really understand what you're going through and can help you. Get rid of potential means that you could use to take your life. If you are thinking about dying by suicide, make it more difficult to enact by getting rid of anything that you could use to kill yourself. This might include firearms, knives, ropes, or pills. If you can't throw out the pills because you need them, give them to a trusted family member or friend who can dish them out to you only as prescribed. Make a list of things you love. Write down everything you can think of that fills you with joy, or that you have a memory of associating with joy and love. This could be the names of your family members, your pets, your favorite sport, your favorite author, your most beloved films, the foods that remind you of childhood, a place that feels like home, the stars, the moon, or the sun. If it's good, write it down. Include things you love about yourself. Write down the traits that are most special to you, including physical traits, personality traits, and so on. Write down what you've accomplished. Write down times you were proud of yourself. Include things you're looking forward to. Write down where you someday hope to live, what you plan to create, a job you want to try, children you might have, a partner you might find. Make a list of good distractions. What has helped to convince you not to take your life in the past? Write it down. Any distraction is a good distraction if it gets you further away from harming yourself. Having a list to turn to when your mind feels too bogged down to remember what to do is going to come in handy in the future. Here are a few ideas: Call a friend to talk. Eat a healthy meal. Go for a walk or get some exercise. Paint, write or read. Make a list of people you can call. Include the names and phone numbers of at least five people, in case someone isn't available when you need to call. Include the names of friends, family members, and acquaintances who are likely to pick up the phone and help. Include the names of trusted counselors, psychiatrists, and support group members. Write down hotlines you feel comfortable calling. Make a safety plan. Your safety plan is a plan you read over and follow as soon as you start having suicidal thoughts. Your plan is a personally-tailored list of things you can do to convince yourself not to take your life. When you're having suicidal thoughts, it can be difficult to wrench your mind away and focus on something that will help you. But when you have a plan in place, all you need to do next time the thoughts come is pull out your plan and start going down the list. Keep completing each step on the list until you've reached a point where you feel safe again. Here's an example of a safety plan: 1. Read my list of Things I Love. Remind myself of the things that have prevented me from taking my life so far. 2. Read my list of Good Distractions. Distract myself from my thoughts with anything I can do that helps. This could be taking a walk in my neighborhood or watching my favorite movie, for example. 3. Read my list of People I Can Call. Add friends and family that deeply care about me. Call the first person on the list to talk. Keep calling people until I reach someone who can talk to me for as long as I need to talk. 4. Delay my suicide attempt and make my home safe. If I have a suicide plan, promise myself that I'll wait at least 48 hours before I take action on my plan. In the meantime, get rid of pills, sharp objects and other items that could affect my safety. 5. Call someone to come stay with me. If no one can stay, call my therapist or a crisis number. 6. Go to a place where I feel safe, like my parents' house, a friend's house, or a community center. 7. Go to the emergency room. 8. Call the Emergency Services. Remind yourself that the way you feel is temporary. When you are seriously considering killing yourself, it can be hard to think of alternative solutions to the problems that you are having. One way to try to step back and consider alternative solutions to your problems other than suicide, is to remind yourself that you have not always felt like killing yourself and you won't always feel that way in the future. All feelings are fleeting and fluctuate over time, just like sometimes you are hungry or sad or tired or angry, your suicidal feelings and thoughts will pass. If you are having trouble getting yourself to think about alternative solutions because you simply want to end your life, try keeping this in mind! Delay your plans. Do your best to take a step back and delay whatever plans you have made for at least 48 hours. Whatever your plans are, let them wait a little while. Tell yourself that you've come this far and you can give yourself two more days to think things through. Two days isn't a lot of time when you think about what's at stake here. In those two days you'll have time to think, rest and find a way to convince yourself that there are other ways to get free of the pain you're feeling. Think of other ways to solve your problems. Think of any resources you need to do this. Do you need to ask someone for help? Put your alternative method into action. For example, if you are thinking of dying by suicide because you have no money, you might instead try asking a friend or family member for financial assistance. Stick to it as long as you need to. If the first alternative method of achieving your goals in a more healthy way doesn't work, try something else. Remember that not everything can be achieved overnight. Your goal may take time to be realized. If you are suffering from severe depression, this kind of goal-oriented approach may not be your best option, given that people suffering from major depression tend to ruminate and have impaired problem-solving abilities. | Seek help from a mental healthcare professional. Talk to a spiritual leader if you are religious. Find a support group. Seek support from people who understand. Call a friend. Get rid of potential means that you could use to take your life. Make a list of things you love. Make a list of good distractions. Make a list of people you can call. Make a safety plan. Remind yourself that the way you feel is temporary. Delay your plans. Think of other ways to solve your problems. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Paper-Beads | How to Make Paper Beads | To make paper beads, cut narrow triangles out of paper. The width of the base will be the width of the bead, and the longer the triangle is, the fatter the bead will be. Once the triangles are cut, put a little glue at the tip of the triangle, and put a toothpick at the base. Then, roll the triangle around the toothpick, starting at the base, and use the tip of the triangle to glue it together. Finally, seal it with a varnish like Diamond Glaze and let it dry. | Cut your paper. Cut long triangles out of magazines, coloured construction paper, wallpaper, etc. The base of the triangle will be the width of the bead and the longer the triangle is, the fatter the bead will become. The slender 1-inch (2.5cm) beads used in this method are made from 1-inch by 4-inch (2.5cm x 10cm) triangles, but 1/2-inch by 8-inch (1.27cm x 20cm) triangles would create fat 1/2-inch (1.27cm) beads. Cut accordingly.. Add your glue. Turn the triangle design-side down and apply a bit of glue to the pointy end. A glue stick or a tiny bit of liquid glue will do. Roll the bead. Starting at the wide end, roll the triangle around itself using a dowel, toothpick, or bamboo skewer. For a symmetrical spiral, keep the triangle centered as you roll; for a more free-form look, allow the triangle to become slightly off-centered. Roll tightly, especially if you want the beads to last. Try to avoid having space between the layers. Finish rolling.Glue the tip of the triangle to the rolled paper. If the bead doesn't stay tightly rolled up, apply another dab of glue. Hold it for a moment to help the glue to set. Apply a varnish. Use a finish like Marvin Medium, ModPodge, Diamond Glaze, or a solution of one part clear-drying glue to two parts water. Let it dry thoroughly, making sure it doesn't stick to anything. You might shove a toothpick into a pincushion or a piece of Styrofoam to allow it to dry completely. Add multiple coats for a glossier, longer-lasting finish. Remove your bead. Wait several hours until your clear finish has set on the bead. Slide the bead off the end of the dowel. If it is well wrapped and glued, it will hold. If the bead begins to unravel, replace it on your skewer and add more glue and finish where necessary. Create more beads. Use the aforementioned directions to create as many beads as you would like to finish your project. Make several for jewelry pieces, or create a long string to use for decoration in your home. Cut your paper. Cut long triangles from a piece of white printing paper. The base of the triangle will be the width of the bead and the longer the triangle is, the fatter the bead will become. 1-inch by 4-inch (2.5cm x 10cm) triangles will make slender 1-inch (2.5cm) beads, whereas 1/2-inch by 8-inch (1.27cm x 20cm) triangles would create fat 1/2-inch (1.27cm) beads. Cut accordingly. Create your design. Draw on each cut-out with markers, pencils, or pens. Since the triangle will eventually be rolled onto itself, only the outermost edges and the last inch or two of the tip of the paper will be visible; these are the areas where you should focus your design. Play around with a few colors and design combinations as you go to see what looks best. Color the tip of the triangle red and then alternate 1-inch (2.5cm) strips of orange and red marker down the outside edges; this would create a bead with a red center surrounded by orange and red stripes. Color the tip of the triangle black, move down an inch, draw 1-inch (2.5cm) black strips on either outside edge, move down an inch, and repeat; this would create a zebra-striped bead with a black center. Do not use washable markers, especially if you plan to glaze your beads; the colors will run. Add your glue. Turn each triangle design-side down and apply a bit of glue to the pointy end. A glue stick or a tiny bit of liquid glue will do. Begin rolling your bead. Starting at the wide end, roll the triangle around itself using a dowel or other slender cylinder. A rounded toothpick or bamboo skewer would work nicely as well. Keep the triangle centered as you roll, otherwise, your designs won't display correctly.Roll tightly, especially if you want the beads to last. Try to avoid having space between the layers. Finish the bead. Glue the tip of the triangle to the rolled paper. If the bead doesn't stay tightly rolled up, apply another dab of glue. Add a varnish. Use a finish like Marvin Medium, ModPodge, or Diamond Glaze. Let it dry thoroughly, making sure it doesn't stick to anything. Try putting your toothpick into a pincushion or a piece of Styrofoam to keep it from coming into contact with anything. Remove the bead. When the finish has had time to dry completely, slide the bead off the end of the dowel. If it is well wrapped and glued, it will hold. Create more beads. For earrings or a bracelet, you might make only a few beads. For a necklace or other larger project, you'll need more. Add paint. Before you add your varnish, use paint to create an additional decorative design along the outside of your beads. For extra texture, use puff paint which dries in a bubble-like form above the surface of the bead. Put on a little glitter. To make your beads sparkly, use glitter glue or loose glitter over the surface of the paper. Add the glitter before your final coat of varnish to keep it from rubbing off as a result of wear and tear. Try adding several coats of glitter in different colors for a lovely rainbow effect. Wrap the beads up in string. Don't thread the beads on string; use string to create a decorative pattern along the outside of the paper. Cut a small piece of colored thread and use glue to wrap the exterior of the bead with the string. Use several pieces of string for added color and texture. Use a little wire. Use colored florists wire to thread the beads and create pretty spiral or geometric patterns around the outside. Run the wire through the middle of the bead, and then bend it to shape around the bead. Give your beads a glaze. Use a translucent nail polish or watered down paint to coat your bead in an additional color. Adding the glaze will create a light, semi-opaque layer of color over the paper. You can also use watercolor paints for this. Finished. | Cut your paper. Add your glue. Roll the bead. Finish rolling.Glue the tip of the triangle to the rolled paper. Apply a varnish. Remove your bead. Create more beads. Cut your paper. Create your design. Add your glue. Begin rolling your bead. Finish the bead. Add a varnish. Remove the bead. Create more beads. Add paint. Put on a little glitter. Wrap the beads up in string. Use a little wire. Give your beads a glaze. Finished. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Prune-Oleander | How to Prune Oleander | To prune oleander annually, snip off new shoots at the base of the plant in late summer or early fall to shape your plant and stimulate healthy growth. Moreover, if your plant has gotten too tall, cut the stems to half the height you'd like it to be. For example, if you want a 4 foot plant, cut it back to 2 feet. Once your oleander plant is the size you want, you can shape it by cutting branches just above leaf nodes, which are the areas where 3 leaves come out from 1 branch. In addition to your annual pruning, prune any dead or damaged branches monthly. | Prune in late summer or early fall. On the whole, oleanders are low-maintenance plants that don't need regular pruning. However, you should aim to do a major pruning of your oleander at least once a year during late summer or early fall. This pruning will help you shape your plant and stimulate healthy growth. Pruning at this time won't interfere with the blooming of the plant, because it is after the plant has already bloomed for the season. Don't prune past October. Pruning too late can make the recently cut sections of the plant vulnerable during winter. Wear gloves. It's essential to wear gloves when you are pruning oleander. Oleander is poisonous, and while for the most part it's only dangerous when ingested, it can cause skin irritation and inflammation when handled. That is why it's best to wear gloves when pruning or handling the plant. You may also consider wearing goggles if you have sensitive skin or eyes. Be aware that the toxin in oleander is primarily in the sap of the plant. Snip off new shoots at the base of the plant. New shoots, also called suckers or basal shoots, are offshoots of the plant that grow up out of the base of the plant. Use sharp gardening shears to snip them as close to the base as you can. You can also dig up the dirt around the shoot and tear them out of the ground to remove them. These shoots can be harmful to the overall health of the plant because the plant will start to dedicate its energy into maintaining the shoot, rather than investing all its energy in the oleander. Cut oleander stems to about half height you'd like for the overall plant. If your oleander is too tall and its size is a problem, you will want to cut it down to size. Since pruning oleander actually encourages growth and branching, cut stems at half the desired height of the plant. For instance, if you'd like your oleander to be four feet tall, cut stems at two feet. Your oleander will continue to grow, and will reach four feet when the branches grow in. If your plant is more or less the size you'd like, you do not have to do any drastic cuts. Shape your oleander. After cutting the stems to the desired heights, decide if you want to change the overall shape of the plant. When cutting branches, make your cut with sharp gardening shears just above the leaf nodes. The nodes are the sections where three leaves come out from the branch. Cutting just above the nodes encourages flowering. Your plant may have some scraggly or overhanging branches that distract from the natural shape of the plant. Cut these branches to emphasize the natural shape of the plant. You can also reshape the oleander into more of a tree-shape by cutting off branches near the bottom of the plant, leaving the area around the base clear. Check your plant every month or so for dead growths. Apart from your annual pruning, you should also prune here and there when you see dead or damaged branches or blooms. Especially if it's an old plant, or if it's exposed to pests, it will benefit from pruning to remove unhealthy sections. Put on gloves. Even if you're just doing a few minor clips, still wear gloves when you are pruning oleander. Any kind of exposure can cause irritation, so even if you are just clipping a few branches, put on gloves and consider wearing long sleeves in case you brush up against the oleander. Look at your oleander plant up close and from all sides. Take note of any shoots or stalks that look dead. If it is a young oleander, you may not see any. However, the older and bigger the plant is, the more sections you will see that are past their prime. Snip off damaged branches using sharp gardening shears. Use sharp gardening shears to cut off the dead or damaged branches of your oleander. Try to cut them a few inches below where the damaged section begins. If you don't cut off the entire damaged section, the branch won't be able to regrow in a healthy way. Cut entire damaged stalks close to the roots. If the oleander is not only damaged on its branches, but on the whole stalk, cut off the entire stalk. Oleander is an extremely resilient plant, so even cutting off an entire stalk won't hurt the plant. This stalk will regrow eventually, and will be bushier and healthier than ever! Fertilize the plant after pruning. You should aim to fertilize your oleander with a nitrogen fertilizer around one to three times a year, or not at all depending on the fertility of your soil. One of these times should be after your annual pruning of the plant. Your oleander will need the nutrients that fertilizer provides to regrow and blossom. Spread an even layer of fertilizer around the base of the plant. Fertilizer can be found at Home Depot, Lowe's or gardening stores. Water the oleander. You should also water oleander after any pruning. Although oleander is a tough plant that is known for surviving in hot climates, watering the plant evenly can help its regrowth. Make sure not to drench the plant, as this can be more harmful than helpful. Dispose of the cuttings. Even just the clippings of oleander can be skin irritants if touched, or potentially harmful if ingested. Make sure to gather all the cuttings in a bag of some kind and dispose of them in a place where pets, children, or others won't be exposed to them. Wear your gloves as you collect the clippings. Do not compost any part of the oleander plant. Wash your tools and your hands. After you have finished pruning, wash your gardening shears or any other equipment you used to trim your oleander. Washing your equipment ensures that the next time you use them you won't run the risk of skin irritation from the oleander sap. Even if you wore gloves, make sure to wash your hands as well as any exposed body parts, such as arms or legs. | Prune in late summer or early fall. Wear gloves. Snip off new shoots at the base of the plant. Cut oleander stems to about half height you'd like for the overall plant. Shape your oleander. Check your plant every month or so for dead growths. Put on gloves. Look at your oleander plant up close and from all sides. Snip off damaged branches using sharp gardening shears. Cut entire damaged stalks close to the roots. Fertilize the plant after pruning. Water the oleander. Dispose of the cuttings. Wash your tools and your hands. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Distress-Cabinets | How to Distress Cabinets | To distress cabinets, start by sanding them with 80-grit sandpaper to rough up the surface so the stain sticks. Then, use a cloth to rub a stain or glaze into the surface of the wood, adding more layers until you're satisfied with the color. Next, apply petroleum jelly to the parts of the cabinets you want to distress, focusing on the corners and edges since these are the places that usually weather first. When you're finished, apply a few coats of acrylic or latex paint. Finally, once the paint is dry, apply 3 coats of sealer to finish your cabinets. | Protect your work area. If your cabinet is a standalone piece, try to move it outside. If the cabinet is attached to the wall, cover your floors and counters with a painter's cloth or a cheap, plastic tablecloth. Move anything that might get stained by paint to a safer place. This method is suitable for painted, varnished, and unpainted cabinets. It will be easier on an unpainted cabinet, however. Remove knobs, handles, and any other hardware. Put them inside a box or a plastic, re-sealable bag so that they all stay together. Consider taping the screws to their corresponding hinges, knobs, and handles. Sand down the entire surface of the cabinet using a 60 to 80 grit sandpaper. This is necessary for painted, varnished, and even unpainted cabinets. It roughs up the surface and gives the stain and paint something to stick to. Your weathering will last a lot longer as a result. If you are working on a painted or varnished cabinet, keep sanding the until the raw wood starts to show. These areas will eventually get the stain, so the more you sand, the more weathered your cabinet will look. Vacuum your work area and wash the cabinets down to get rid of any dust. Get out your vacuum cleaner, and vacuum the floor. Wipe down the cabinets with a tack cloth. Follow up with a damp cloth. If your cabinets are in the kitchen, consider using an ammonia-based household cleaner or a degrease to get rid of any oil residue. Make sure you get rid of all the sawdust. Any dust that remains will get into your stain and/or paint, and mar the surface. You'll get a messy finish instead of a weathered one. Mask off the areas you do not want to be painted with painter's tape. This includes glass paneling and the edges of the walls around your cabinets. Not only will you be keeping these areas safe and clean, but you'll also get nice, crisp lines later on. Rub a stain or glaze into the surface of the wood using a piece of cloth. This is the color that will peek through your paint after you "weather" it: You may need two to three layers of stain. Be sure to let each layer dry before applying the next. Consider going over the cabinet with a steel wire brush first. This will open up the wood grain and help the stain and/or paint to soak in better. Apply wax or petroleum jelly to the areas you want to distress. It's easiest to do this with a bristly paintbrush. This will protect the stain from the paint. The paint won't stick to these areas. When you are done painting, these areas will show through as "Weathering." Try to keep these areas random but keep in mind that most weathering will occur on corners and edges. Apply a few coats of acrylic or latex furniture-grade paint, letting each layer to dry in between. It is better to apply many thin coats than one thick coat; it will give you the smoothest finish and lessens the appearance of brushstrokes. Most paints will dry to the touch and be ready for another coat in 30 minutes to 2 hours. Check the label on your can. Lightly sand the cabinet again once the paint is fully dry, and be sure to remove all the dust. Use 220 grit sandpaper this time. It will smooth down any brush strokes, and remove the excess wax or petroleum jelly. When you are done, vacuum your floor up and wipe the cabinet down with a tack cloth. You can also use a steel wool pad to rub at the areas with the wax/petroleum jelly. This lets the stain show through. Consider applying some antiquing glaze for an aged look. If you really want to give your cabinets that old look, you'll need some antiquing glaze. Get out a clean rag and dip it into the glaze. You don't need a lot—a small amount will go a long way. Next, rub the glaze onto the cabinet using a small, circular motion. Let the glaze dry for the time specified by the manufacturer's directions. If you want a crackly look, use a crackle glaze instead. For large, wide cracks, apply a thick coat. For finer, more spidery cracks, apply a thinner coat. Once the cabinet is covered in glaze, you can smooth out the circular marks with a clean rag. Wipe the glaze up and down or side-to-side to get a lined look. If you'd like to darken the edges or small corners, apply the glaze using a small brush. Remove excess glaze, if necessary. With a rag wrapped around your finger, wipe away any glaze that's inadvertently gotten in places you wish it weren't. After this stage, allow your cabinets to dry before adding a topcoat. It's best to wait 24 hours, or at the very least overnight. You don't want to the two coats meshing together and marring your artwork. All the rags you've used should be washed together but separate from your other linens in your washing machine in case the glaze stains. Apply three coats of a clear sealer, allowing each coat dry before applying the next one. If you can, try to find a sealer that is non-yellowing. A good sealer to use is a polycrylic sealer. Avoid using polyurethane, if you can, as those tend to yellow over time. How long the coats take to dry will depend on the sealer itself. Most sealers will dry within 2 to 3 hours, but you might want to refer to the label for more specific drying times. Check the label to make sure yours is non-yellowing. Some sealers need a curing period as well. This can take several hours to a few days. Do not get impatient or try to rush through. If you don't let your work cure properly, you'll get a sticky, tacky, gummy finish. Make sure that the sealer has fully cured before you replace the hardware on the cabinets. Check the label on the can that your sealer came in. Some sealers need a few days' curing time. This means that until they fully cure, the sealer will be sticky. During this time, you will want to leave the cabinets open so that they don't "glue shut. Once the sealer is fully dry and/or cured, you can replace the hinges, knobs, and handles. Protect your work area from sanding dust. You won't be doing any painting, but you will be doing quite a lot of sanding. If possible, try to take your cabinets outside. If you can't, consider placing a painter's cloth down on the floor for easy cleanup. Remove all metal hardware and store it in a box or a plastic re-sealable bag. If the knobs or handles are made out of wood, consider leaving them on so that you can weather them too. Sand the edges and corners using a medium or 100 grit sandpaper. Use a quick, flicking motion. Keep going until some of the raw wood starts to show though. Don't worry about getting it perfectly even. It's okay if some parts of the edges and corners still have paint on them. If you left the handles or knots on, give them a give buff with the sandpaper too. Focus on the areas that will get the more wear, sure such the edges. Go over the entire cabinet using a finer grit sanding sponge. This will help "blend" in the initial weathering you did on the edges. It will also buff the paint, making it look less new. It can also help give the cabinet a slight texture. Clean the cabinet and your work area to get rid of any dust. If you don't do this, the dust will get into the wax in the next steps, which may result in a messy finish rather than a weathered one. Get out your vacuum cleaner, and vacuum the floor of your work area. Next, wipe down the entire cabinet using a tack cloth. Finish off by wiping it down with a damp cloth. Consider applying some dark wax onto the weathered edges and into the corners. This will help give your cabinet that distinctive weathered look. Apply the wax using a soft cloth or a foam sponge. Focus on the cracks and corners where dust and dirt are most likely to collect. You will want to buy specifically designed weathering wax for furniture. You can find it in hardware stores as well as in some arts and crafts stores. Finish off with furniture wax. This will not only re-seal the paint, but also help protect the raw edges you just uncovered through sanding. Start by applying a small amount of wax onto the tips of a large, short-bristled brush. Use small, circular motions to "massage" the wax into the cabinet. Work in small areas at a time, and pick up more wax with your brush as needed. Finish off by buffing the wax with the brush. It should not feel sticky when you are done. A small amount of wax goes a long way. Put your cabinet back together, if needed. If you took off the hardware, wait until the wax has absorbed into the cabinet, then put the hinges, knobs, and handles back on. | Protect your work area. Remove knobs, handles, and any other hardware. Sand down the entire surface of the cabinet using a 60 to 80 grit sandpaper. Vacuum your work area and wash the cabinets down to get rid of any dust. Mask off the areas you do not want to be painted with painter's tape. Rub a stain or glaze into the surface of the wood using a piece of cloth. Apply wax or petroleum jelly to the areas you want to distress. Apply a few coats of acrylic or latex furniture-grade paint, letting each layer to dry in between. Lightly sand the cabinet again once the paint is fully dry, and be sure to remove all the dust. Consider applying some antiquing glaze for an aged look. Remove excess glaze, if necessary. Apply three coats of a clear sealer, allowing each coat dry before applying the next one. Make sure that the sealer has fully cured before you replace the hardware on the cabinets. Protect your work area from sanding dust. Remove all metal hardware and store it in a box or a plastic re-sealable bag. Sand the edges and corners using a medium or 100 grit sandpaper. Go over the entire cabinet using a finer grit sanding sponge. Clean the cabinet and your work area to get rid of any dust. Consider applying some dark wax onto the weathered edges and into the corners. Finish off with furniture wax. Put your cabinet back together, if needed. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Identify-Food-Grade-Buckets | How to Identify Food Grade Buckets | To identify food grade buckets, flip a bucket over and look for the recycling number on the bottom. If it's labeled "1," "2," "4," or "5," the bucket is safe to store food in. You can also check the bottom of the bucket to see if there's a cup and fork symbol, which means the bucket is safe for storing food. Also, if the bucket still has a label on it, you can look to see if the manufacturer labeled it as food grade. | Flip the bucket upside down. The label that indicates what kind of plastic the bucket is made out of is generally found on the bottom of the bucket. Flip it over so you can easily see the bottom. Clean off the bucket if it's dirty so you can find the label. Look for the recycling symbol. The universal recycling symbol is a triangle shaped logo made up of 3 arrows. The symbol doesn't necessarily indicate that the material is recyclable but it can be an explanation of what the item is made out of. The logo may be a raised icon etched into the plastic. Find the inscription labeled HDPE with a number 2. Just below the recycling symbol there's an abbreviation that indicates what type of plastic the bucket is made of. High Density Polyethylene, or HDPE, is the most commonly used food grade plastic. Look for a number 2 inside of the symbol to confirm that the bucket is HDPE. HDPE plastic does not necessarily mean that the bucket is safe to store food. For example, the bucket may have been used to hold bleach or a chemical that could be toxic if it's consumed. Most juice or milk containers and 5-gallon food buckets are made from HDPE plastic. See if there is an abbreviation PETE, LDPE, or PP. Other plastics that are sometimes used for food grade buckets include polyethylene terephthalate (PETE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), and polypropylene (PP). Look for one of these abbreviations beneath the recycling symbol to identify plastic that may be considered food grade. If the PETE plastic may be food grade, it will have a number 1 in the center of the recycling symbol. PETE plastic is often used for products like peanut butter and jelly jars and salad dressing. The abbreviation LDPE will have a number 4 in the center of the symbol if it's possibly food grade plastic. LDPE is used for a variety of food items from bread and frozen food bags to squeezable mustard and honey bottles. The PP abbreviation will have a number 5 in the center of the recycling logo if it is potentially food grade. This type of plastic is commonly used for containers that hold ketchup, syrup, and yogurt. Check for a cup and fork symbol on the bucket. Some food grade buckets will have a symbol that indicates that it's safe to use for food storage. The symbol will often be a cup and fork symbol on the plastic bucket. Check near the recycling logo for the food and cup symbol. There may also be a marking that says “USDA approved” or “FDA approved” on the bucket. Identify any additional symbols on the bucket. Other symbols you may find include radiating waves to indicate that it's microwave-safe, a snowflake that means the plastic is freezer-safe, or an image of dishware that indicates that the plastic is dishwasher safe. These are often used on plastic containers that are safe to be used with food. If you're unsure of what a symbol means, try looking it up online to identify it. Look for a label that indicates that the bucket is food grade. Many buckets that are safe to use for food storage will have a marking that says “Food Grade” or “Food Safe” on the plastic. Check the bucket for a marking that says it's safe for food. Look near the recycling and plastic symbol on the bottom of the bucket. Find out if the bucket has been used to store food before. One way you can confirm that a bucket made out of food grade plastic is safe for food storage is to find out what it was previously used for. If it was used to store food, there's a good chance that the bucket is safe for food storage. Ask the person selling or giving you the bucket what it was used for. Just because a plastic bucket was previously used to store food doesn't mean it's safe for you to use for food storage. Make sure it's made out of food safe plastic. Read the packaging or the tag on the bucket for a description. Even if a bucket is made out of food grade plastic, it could have a colored dye that was added to it that would make it unsuitable for food storage. Check the label and description of the bucket to see if it says that it is safe to use for food storage. Some colored dyes are be toxic and can contaminate food. | Flip the bucket upside down. Look for the recycling symbol. Find the inscription labeled HDPE with a number 2. See if there is an abbreviation PETE, LDPE, or PP. Check for a cup and fork symbol on the bucket. Identify any additional symbols on the bucket. Look for a label that indicates that the bucket is food grade. Find out if the bucket has been used to store food before. Read the packaging or the tag on the bucket for a description. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Administer-IV-Fluids | How to Administer IV Fluids | To administer IV fluids, insert the macroset or microset into the IV bag's port of entry and hang the bag on an IV stand. Next, fill the drip chamber halfway, let the fluid flow until it reaches the end of the line, and clamp the tube. Then, tie a tourniquet around the patient's arm directly above the vein and hold the cannula at a 30-45 degree angle as you insert it into the vein. Fix the needle in place and push the rest of the cannula in before removing the needle and untying the tourniquet. Finally, connect the IV tubing to the cannula hub to get the fluids flowing. Be sure to regulate the drip rate according to the physician's orders. | Make sure you have an IV stand. The IV stand is the tall coat hanger-like device that you will hang the IV bag on when you are preparing and administering it. In case you can't find an IV stand and it is an emergency, your will have to hook the bag up to a place that is above the patient's head, so that the force of gravity helps the liquid to flow downward into the person's vein. Wash your hands. Turn the faucet on and lather your hands with soap and water. Start with your palms and work to the back of your hands. Make sure that you also clean the areas between your fingers. The next step is to focus on washing from your fingers to your wrists. Finally, rinse thoroughly and pat your hands dry. If there is no water source, rub your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Double check that you have the right IV bag(s). It is always important to check the doctor's orders again before you begin. Giving a patient the wrong IV bag could lead to a life-threatening situation, such as an allergic reaction. You should double check that you are giving the medication to the right patient, that you are doing it at the right date and time, that you are giving the correct medication in the correct order, and that the bag is the right volume. If you have any questions at all, it is important that you ask the doctor before continuing so that you are 100% sure you understand what you are supposed to do. Determine what kind of set you will need to use. A set is the tube and connector that regulate how much fluid the patient will get. A macroset is used when you are supposed to give the patient 20 drops per minute, or about 100 mL per hour. Adults generally receive a macroset. A microset is used when you want to give the patient 60 drops of IV fluid per minute. Infants, toddlers, and younger children generally need a microset. The size of the tubing (and the size of needle) that you use will also depend on the purpose for the IV. If it is an emergency situation where the patient needs fluids as quickly as possible, you will more likely choose a larger needle and tube in order to deliver the fluids and/or blood products or other medications as quickly as possible. In less urgent situations, you may choose a smaller needle and tubing. Get the right size of needle. The trick here is that the higher the needle gauge, the smaller the size of the needle. 14 is the largest and it is usually used to correct symptoms of shock and trauma. 18-20 is the usual kind of needle used by adult patients. 22 is usually used on pediatric patients (such as infants, toddlers, and young children) or geriatric patients with. Gather your other supplies. These include a tourniquet (to help locate the vein you will insert the needle into), tape or medical adhesives (to keep all of the equipment in place once the needle is inserted), alcohol swabs (to sterilize the equipment), and labels (to keep track of the time of administration, the type of IV fluid, and the person who inserted the IV line). Always wear gloves for standard protection against blood and body fluid exposure. Put all of your supplies on a tray. When the time comes to give the patient the IV, you will want to have all of your supplies right there. This will ensure that the procedure as quick and easy as possible. Prepare the IV bag. Look at the bag and locate the port of entry (this is located at the top of the IV bottle and is similar to a bottle cap). The port of entry is also where the macroset or microset line will be inserted. Unwrap an alcohol swab to sanitize the port of entry and the surrounding area of the bag. If you ever get confused while assembling the IV bag, there should be instructions written on the bag that you can follow. However, if you have any questions, stop what you're doing and find someone who knows what to do. Pipe or insert the macroset or microset through the IV bag then hang it on the IV stand. Ensure that the drip chamber is in place (this is the part of the IV line that collects the fluid going through the patient's vein). This is also the part where medical personnel are able to regulate the IV to make sure the patient gets the right medication. IV pumps, or infusion pumps, are often used to help deliver a precise dose for the proper amount of time. Get rid of any air bubbles in the line. Make sure that the drip chamber is half filled. Once it is half filled, let the fluid in the IV flow until it reaches the end of the line (this is to remove any air bubbles are are trapped in the line). Close it when it reaches the end by clamping the tube. This is also termed as priming the tubing. This is an essential step, as inserting an air bubble into the patient could be fatal. Make sure the line does not touch the floor because the floor is not sterile and could have bad bacteria on it. The IV is sterile (as in it does not have any bad microorganisms on it). If the line touches the floor, the fluid in the IV could be compromised (meaning bad microorganisms could get into it and infect the patient). If the IV line does touch the floor, you will have to prepare a new IV, as the contaminated IV could potentially harm your patient. Keep the IV line close so that it does not touch the floor again. Approach the patient. Be courteous, introduce yourself and tell him that you will be the one administering his IV fluids. It's best to lay all of the facts out for your patient — the needle puncturing his skin will hurt. Try to describe it so that he knows what he is getting into. Position the patient and put on your gloves. Ask the patient to sit or lie down on the medical bed or chair, whichever she prefers. Wash your hands again to ensure extra cleanliness before putting on your gloves — this can also help reassure the patient that you care about her health and protecting her against unnecessary exposure to bacteria. Lying or sitting calms the patient down and actually reduces the amount of pain she will feel. It also ensures that she is in a stable position where she won't pass out if she has a psychological fear of needles. Look for the best place to insert the cannula. The cannula is the tube-like structure that you will insert at the same time as the needle, but it will stay in place after you take the needle out. You should look for a vein on the non-dominant arm (the one the person doesn't write with). You should look for a long, dark vein that you will easily be able to see when you are inserting the needle. Start by looking for veins lower down on the arm, or even on the back of the hand. Starting lower down will give you more "chances" if you are not successful at inserting the IV on your first try. If you need to try a second time, you will need to move higher up the arm, so there are benefits to trying lower down first if you can find a reasonably visible vein. You can also look for veins that are located in the crease where the forearm meets the upper arm. These are often the easiest to insert an IV into; however, if the patient bends his arm, this can block the IV. Tie the tourniquet directly above where you will be inserting the needle. Tie it in a manner that will allow you to loosen it quickly. When you tie the tourniquet, it will cause the vein to bulge, which will make it easier to see, and easier to insert the needle into. Clean the spot where you will insert the cannula. Use an alcohol swab to clean the insertion site (the spot that you will be putting the needle into). Use a circular motion when you clean the spot so that you get rid of as many microorganisms as possible. Let the area dry. Do not wave your hand over the area as if to dry it, as this can causes bacteria to be waved over the "cleaned area". Instead, allow the alcohol to air dry. Insert the cannula. Position the cannula so that you are holding it at a 30–45 degree angle to the patient's arm and vein. Hold the cannula like you would hold a syringe so that you do not accidentally pass it through the vein. When you feel a “pop” and dark blood appears inside the cannula, decrease the angle of insertion so it is parallel to the patient's skin. If this is your first time you are attempting this procedure, make sure you are doing so under supervision. Push the cannula forward another 2mm. Then fix the needle and push the rest of the cannula in a little bit further. Remove the needle fully. Apply pressure above insertion site while maintaining site and connect tubing, otherwise the patient may bleed. Dispose of the needle in a designated sharps container. Finally, untie the tourniquet and clean the insertion site where the cannula is sticking out of the skin with a hypoallergenic dressing or alcohol swab. Connect the IV tubing to the cannula hub. You should do this by slowly feeding the tubing into the cannula until you can connect it. Make sure that it is secure once it is connected. Slowly open the line so that the IV fluid goes into the tube and into the patient. You should also put tape on the tubing so that it stays in place on the patient's arm. Start by administering normal saline in order to ensure the IV is open and unobstructed. If you notice swelling in the surrounding tissue, or other problems with fluid administration, stop the saline flush and immediately remove the cannula. You will need to start the process over again. Assuming that the saline flows normally through the IV access you have set up, you can proceed to administering what the doctor has specifically ordered through the IV. Regulate the drops per minute. Regulate the IV drip rate according to the physician's order. Usually in a clinic or hospital, the physician will order a specific rate, like milliliters per hour. In a field setting, you will need to do this manually. The IV may have roller clamps and you need to count the drops per minute. Other IV sets already have a roller knob that you can turn and set the drops per minute so that you don't have to count. Monitor your patient for any signs of an adverse reaction. Check your patient's heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure and temperature. Report any untoward signs and symptoms. These symptoms could include an elevated heart rate, respiratory rate, difficulty breathing, hives, anaphylactic shock, or an increase in temperature and high blood pressure. | Make sure you have an IV stand. Wash your hands. Double check that you have the right IV bag(s). Determine what kind of set you will need to use. Get the right size of needle. Gather your other supplies. Put all of your supplies on a tray. Prepare the IV bag. Pipe or insert the macroset or microset through the IV bag then hang it on the IV stand. Get rid of any air bubbles in the line. Make sure the line does not touch the floor because the floor is not sterile and could have bad bacteria on it. Approach the patient. Position the patient and put on your gloves. Look for the best place to insert the cannula. Tie the tourniquet directly above where you will be inserting the needle. Clean the spot where you will insert the cannula. Insert the cannula. Connect the IV tubing to the cannula hub. Regulate the drops per minute. Monitor your patient for any signs of an adverse reaction. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Paint-a-Mailbox | How to Paint a Mailbox | To paint a mailbox, start by removing the mailbox from the wall or post, taking all of the parts off, and cleaning everything with a multipurpose cleaner. Next, rinse the mailbox and let it dry completely. Then, use steel wool or sandpaper to remove any rust or mold, wipe away the dust with a tack cloth, and tape off any parts you don't want painted. Afterwards, apply a spray paint primer to the mailbox, wait for it to dry, then apply a second coat. Once the primer dries, apply the first coat of spray paint, and allow it to dry before applying a second coat. | Remove the mailbox from the wall or post, if you can. It should be screwed on. Be sure to save the screws some place safe so that you can reattach the mailbox later. If you cannot remove the mailbox, you will need to cover the post or the surrounding wall with some masking paper and painters tape. Remove all parts from the mailbox, if possible. This includes the numbers, flag, hook, and latch. If you can't remove them, then you can at least mask them off. Clean everything using an all-purpose cleaner. Spray the mailbox down with an all-purpose cleaner an scrub it well with a scrubbing sponge. This will remove all dirt, oils and dust. If you are planning on repainting the post, you will need to clean that too. Rinse the mailbox with water and let it dry. If you cleaned the post, be sure to rinse it too. Let these parts dry overnight. Use a wire brush, steel wool, or sandpaper to remove any rust or mold. If you are working on a wooden post, you might use a flat, sanding sponge. You can also use an electrical sander on the post to get the job done faster. This will give you a smooth, clean surface to work on. If you see any rust on the flag, latch, or hook, be sure to clean it off too. Wipe away any dust residue using a tack cloth. If you don't do this, this dust will get caught in the paint, and give you an uneven, grainy finish. Cover any parts you don't want painted with painters tape. If you weren't able to remove the hook or latch, cover them with painters tape. If you weren't able to remove the flag, wrap it with a plastic bag; secure the plastic bag with some painters tape. Check the weather conditions. Choose a dry, windless day to prime and paint your mailbox. If it is too damp or humid, the paint may not cure properly. If it is too windy, dust and debris can get caught in the paint. Paint will dry the fastest on a hot day – but don't choose a day that's too hot. Then, the paint twill dry too quickly and you'll end up with a bad finish. Work outside or in a well-ventilated area. The best place to work would be outside. If you cannot work outdoors, then be sure to leave a window open so that you do not get a headache. If you get a headache while painting at any time, step away from your project and take a back. Return to your project once the headache goes away. Apply spray paint primer to the mailbox. Choose an outdoor quality spray paint primer that is intended for metal. It does not matter what color your use, but a medium grey seems to give you the most neutral base to work on. Hold the can 6 to 8 inches (c to c centimeters) away from the surface, and apply the paint using light, even strokes. Spray using a side-to-side motion. Over lap each stroke by a little bit; this will help prevent any gaps. If you are planning on painting something that is currently covered up (like the flag) wait until you are completely done priming and painting the mailbox. Paint the entire mailbox first, then open the flap and paint the rim that's normally covered up by the flap. Wait until the paint dries before you close the flap, or it will get glued shut. If you weren't able to remove the flag, you will have to paint around the flag. Do this by painting the mailbox, then moving the flag, and painting the bare patch that was underneath. Wait for the primer to dry before applying a second coat. It is better to apply multiple thin coats than one thick coat. Not only does this give you a smoother finish, but it prevents any drips and puddles. Apply the first coat of spray paint once the primer driers. Choose an outdoor quality spray paint that is meant for metal. Hold the can 6 to 8 inches (c to c centimeters) away from the surface, apply a light, even coat using a side-to-side motion. Overlap each stroke by a little to prevent any gaps. As before, paint the mail box once with the flap closed, and once with the flap open. Never close the flap while the paint is wet, or it will get stuck. If you left the flag on, remember to move the flag up and down as you paint, so that you get the areas under it. Allow the paint to dry before applying a second and third coat. Allow each coat to dry before applying a second or third one. If you don't wait for the paint to dry, it may not cure properly, and result in a sticky, tacky finish. Prime and paint the flag, hooks, and latches. Spray them with your primer first. Once the primer dries, apply your outdoor spray paint. You can match the color to your mailbox, of you can experiment with different colors. For example, if you painted your mailbox white, try painting the latches and hooks black, and the flag a bright red. If the parts are loose, simply set them down onto a plastic tablecloth or masking paper. Be sure to flip them over so that you can get the back too. If the parts are still on the mailbox, then pull off any painters tape and plastic bags. Make sure that the paint on the mailbox is dry, then wrap the mailbox in masking paper or plastic, but leave the hooks, latches, and flag exposed. Wait until the paint dries before removing the paper/plastic from your mailbox. Let the paint on all parts dry completely before moving on. Just because a paint is dry to the touch does not necessarily mean that it is fully cured and dry underneath. Refer to the label on your paint can for specific drying times. Some paints require only 2 to 4 hours to dry and cure, while others may need anywhere from 6 to 72 hours. Keep in mind that both temperature and humidity levels will affect drying times. Paint will dry faster when the air is dry, and it will dry slower when the air is humid. Attach the flag, hooks, and latches back onto the mailbox. Get out the screws from before, and screw everything back on tightly. Screw the mailbox back onto the wall or post. Make sure that it is facing the right way and hanging straight. Remove any numbers from the post. This will make it easier to paint it. Most numbers can be just unscrewed. If they were hammered into the post, you might have to pry them off; keep in mind that if you pry the numbers off, you might bend them. If that happens, you will have to get new ones. Sand the post down if you have not already done so. This will not only remove any mold, moss, and mildew, but it will also give you a smoother surface to work on. Consider filling in any holes and cracks. You can use wood filler or paste. Smooth the paste down using your fingers. If the paste is too sticky and grainy, dip your finger in water, and try smoothing it down again. You don't have to do this, but it will give you a smoother finish. Apply two coats of paint primer to the post. Use a large paintbrush or a foam roller to apply an outdoor quality primer. This will give you a smoother surface to work on. Wait for the first coat to dry before applying a second one. Paint the post using an outdoor quality paint. You can use a large paintbrush or a foam roller to do this. Apply the paint using long, even strokes. Wait for the paint to dry before applying a second or third coat. Sometimes one coat will be enough, but usually you'll need at least two coats in order to get enough coverage. Allow each coat to dry before applying the next. Consider priming and painting the numbers. You can leave them as they were, or you can update them with a new look. Prime the numbers using an outdoor quality spray paint primer that's intended for metal. Once the primer dries, apply an outdoor quality spray paint. You can use any color you want, but a contrasting color might make them more visible. Let the paint dry all the way before moving on. Just because a paint feels dry does not mean that it is fully dry underneath. Check the label on your paint can for exact drying times. Some paints require only 2 to 4 hours to dry and cure, while others require anywhere from 6 to 72 hours. Re-attach the letters. If the letters were screwed in, simply place them back on the post and put the screws back in. If the letters were hammered in, you might remember how difficult it was to remove them. To prevent this from happening again, consider getting some screws, and screwing them in instead. Consider painting a design onto your mailbox. You can leave it blank, or you can add some designs onto here. This section will give you a few ideas. You don't have to use all of them; just choose the ones you like the most. Make sure what you are using an outdoor quality paint. When you are finished painting your design, consider letting the paint dry, then spraying the mailbox with a clear, outdoor sealer. This will help protect your beautiful work. Create a whimsical mailbox with your family. This works great on white mailboxes. Choose some paint in bright colors, then ask your family members to write their names on the mailbox. If you want, they can even leave behind handprints or a little drawing. Use stencils to create unique designs. If you are using adhesive stencils, simply place them down onto the mailbox where you want the designs to go. If you are using non-adhesive stencils, then secure them using painters tape. Apply the paint using a foam brush or a stencil brush. You can also use spray paint instead. Whatever paint you choose to use, make sure that it is outdoor quality. Once you are done, pull the stencil off and let the paint dry. Consider using a color that contrasts with your mailbox; this will make the designs more visible. For example, if your mailbox is black, try using white for the stenciled part. Paint different parts of the mailbox a different color. For example, the body of the mailbox can be one color, the flap another, and the flag a third. This will add some visual interest to your mailbox. Consider painting the inside of your mailbox. You can use the same color as the rest of your mailbox, or a contrasting color to make it more interesting. Paint some designs onto the mailbox. You can paint them directly using a paintbrush, or you can sketch the design out first with a pencil, and then paint over that. Here are some ideas to get you started: Paint something garden related, such as butterflies, ladybugs, tulips, daffodils, or ivy. Paint some random designs, such as spirals and swirls. If you like animals, you can paint your favorite animal, or animals commonly found in gardens, such as birds, frogs, and squirrels. Paint the mailbox to look like something different, such as a cat, cow, or dog (the flap of the mailbox becomes the mouth). You can even paint it to look like a bus, barn, house, or anything else that has a similar shape. | Remove the mailbox from the wall or post, if you can. Remove all parts from the mailbox, if possible. Clean everything using an all-purpose cleaner. Rinse the mailbox with water and let it dry. Use a wire brush, steel wool, or sandpaper to remove any rust or mold. Wipe away any dust residue using a tack cloth. Cover any parts you don't want painted with painters tape. Check the weather conditions. Work outside or in a well-ventilated area. Apply spray paint primer to the mailbox. Wait for the primer to dry before applying a second coat. Apply the first coat of spray paint once the primer driers. Allow the paint to dry before applying a second and third coat. Prime and paint the flag, hooks, and latches. Let the paint on all parts dry completely before moving on. Attach the flag, hooks, and latches back onto the mailbox. Screw the mailbox back onto the wall or post. Remove any numbers from the post. Sand the post down if you have not already done so. Consider filling in any holes and cracks. Apply two coats of paint primer to the post. Paint the post using an outdoor quality paint. Wait for the paint to dry before applying a second or third coat. Consider priming and painting the numbers. Let the paint dry all the way before moving on. Re-attach the letters. Consider painting a design onto your mailbox. Create a whimsical mailbox with your family. Use stencils to create unique designs. Paint different parts of the mailbox a different color. Consider painting the inside of your mailbox. Paint some designs onto the mailbox. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Phlox | How to Grow Phlox | To learn how to grow phlox, start by deciding which variety of phlox you want to grow and choosing a location that gets full or partial sunlight. Additionally, pick a spot that has moist but well-draining soil. Once you find a spot, till the soil, add compost, and dig holes that are 1-2 feet apart and wide enough to fit the plants' root balls. After you plant your flowers, keep them well watered through the growing season. You'll also want to fertilize the plants after planting them, and again when they're flowering. | Decide which phlox variety you want to grow. All species of phlox produce flowers in a wide range of colors including white, pink, red, lavender and blue. Different varieties serve different needs in the garden. Do some research to decide which one is right for your growing zone. Purchase potted phlox plants sold locally at garden centers or farmer's markets for transplanting any time during the growing season. Your local garden center or nursery can advise you on which species grow best in your area. Garden and meadow phlox are perfect for garden borders, since they grow quite wide and tall. Low-growing phlox varieties are perfect to use as groundcover in shady areas, especially as many are mildew-resistant. You can also buy bare-root plants from a mail order company, but bare root plants are best planted in the spring. Choose a location in full sun for growing phlox. Phlox are hardy, low maintenance flowers that can do well in most locations, though most varieties of phlox prefer full sun. However, some are tolerant of partial or filtered shade. Find a location that works for the variety you have chosen. Phlox grown in the shade often produce fewer flowers. They are also at increased risk for contracting a disease, so if you choose to plant phlox in the shade, look for a variety that is mildew-resistant. Look for soil that is moist but well-drained. Phlox need plenty of moisture to do well, but they shouldn't be waterlogged. To make sure your soil drains well, take a look at it after a heavy rain. If you see standing water and puddles there, the soil doesn't have good drainage. If the area is wet, but not soaking, it should be fine for growing phlox. Till the soil and add compost. Phlox like rich soil, so it's necessary to work in some compost to ensure they grow healthy and strong. Till the soil to a depth of 12 inches (30 cm) and amend it with organic compost or peat moss. Plant phlox outdoors after all signs of frost have passed. Dig holes that are 1 to 2 feet (0.30 to 0.61 m) apart to provide adequate ventilation. The holes should be twice as wide as the plants' root balls. Set the phlox plants into the holes and pat soil around their bases. Water the phlox after planting. Water phlox thoroughly. Keep them well watered throughout the growing season; if the soil gets dry, the phlox will suffer. Water from the base of the plant, rather than from the top. Avoid getting their leaves wet to decrease the chances that mold and mildew will form on the plants. Fertilize the plants once they are in the ground. Use well-rounded plant fertilizer like 10-10-10, which contains 10 percent nitrogen, 10 percent phosphate and 10 percent potash. Repeat a second application of the fertilizer when the plants are flowering. In subsequent years, add compost around the plants each spring. Mulch the area around the plants at the start of summer. Do it when when the days start getting hotter. The mulch helps to keep the soil moist and cool and helps with weed control. Add fresh mulch to your phlox at least once a year. Prune your phlox. For tall-growing varieties, cut off all but 5 to 7 stems on each plant. This increases air circulation to the stems, increasing blooms and reducing chances of disease. Pinch off the growing tips of the remaining stems to slow down the growth and encourage the plants to fill out. Start when they are around 6 inches (15 cm) tall if you are growing a tall species of phlox. Shorter phlox species that you are not growing as ground cover can also be pruned when they are 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) tall. Remove the dead flower clusters from the plants when flowering is done. Some varieties of phlox will bloom a second time if you deadhead the plants when the flowers die. Divide the plants every 3 to 5 years to propagate them and prevent over-crowding. Dig the entire plant out of the ground so you can see its root structure. Cut sections off the outer-edge of the plant clusters that have plant growth and buds. If the inner section of the cluster has become woody, trim off and discard the woody parts. Replant a piece of the original back in the original hole. Move the other pieces to new areas for planting. Protect your plant from disease. Air, sunshine, and proper watering can help prevent common diseases that affect pilot, like rot or mildew. Remove affected foliage quickly. Water your phlox early in the morning. Remove all mulch and plant debris during the autumn season to prevent fungus and rot. Protect your plant from phlox bugs. A phlox bug is a piercing and sucking insect that preys primarily on phlox plants. Prevent phlox bugs by using a pyrethrin-based insecticide. Scout for bugs and promptly remove any. Then, remove any affected foliage and flowers. | Decide which phlox variety you want to grow. Choose a location in full sun for growing phlox. Look for soil that is moist but well-drained. Till the soil and add compost. Plant phlox outdoors after all signs of frost have passed. Water phlox thoroughly. Fertilize the plants once they are in the ground. Mulch the area around the plants at the start of summer. Prune your phlox. Remove the dead flower clusters from the plants when flowering is done. Divide the plants every 3 to 5 years to propagate them and prevent over-crowding. Protect your plant from disease. Protect your plant from phlox bugs. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Report-Employers-Who-Hire-Illegal-Immigrants | How to Report Employers Who Hire Illegal Immigrants | Before you report employers for hiring undocumented immigrants, make sure that you have thought through the repercussions of this decision and that you have valid reasons to suspect the workers are here illegally. Once you've made your decision, collect evidence, like the employer's name and address. Then, call ICE at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or go to their website to fill out a form at http://www.ice.gov/webform/hsi-tip-form. | Understand the penalties. Employing undocumented workers is a serious offense. Employers are required to confirm the work authorization of every person they hire. If an employer hires an undocumented immigrant, then it may be subject to civil and criminal penalties. The minimum penalty for a first-time offense is $375 per worker. However, if the company or individual engages in a “pattern or practice” of hiring unlawful workers, then the penalties increase up to $3,000 for each unlawful worker. The employer may also face six months in jail. You can report both companies and individuals to ICE. If an individual is hiring undocumented immigrants, then that person is violating the law as well. Gather evidence. You should gather as much evidence as possible about the violation before reaching out to ICE to report the violation. You should try to get the following: The name of the company The company's location The nationalities of the undocumented employees Employee Social Security Numbers Avoid breaking the law to gather evidence. Although you should write down everything that you know about the violation, you should not break the law in order to gather evidence. For example, you don't have the right to snoop through the company mail, hack into someone's computer system, or steal information. Leave the investigation to ICE. All you need to do is gather as much information as possible and report the potential violation to the federal government. Decide if you want to report anonymously. You have the ability to withhold your name when you report the violation. You might want to report anonymously if you also work for the company or individual. Also, you may want to report anonymously if you are a competitor and fear retribution from the company. Alternately, you might want to give ICE your name so that you can be available as a witness should the agency prosecute the employer for hiring illegal immigrants. Report by phone. You can call 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) to report an employer who hires undocumented immigrants. If you are hearing impaired, then you should call 1-802-872-6196. Report online. If you don't want to call, you may use the online tip form, available at http://www.ice.gov/webform/hsi-tip-form. You should only file an online report if you have not reported by phone. There is no reason to report twice. On the online form, check “Employment/Exploitation of Unlawful Workers” under the Suspected Violation. Then type in the location of the violation. You also are provided 2500 characters to provide a summary of the violation. You must also answer a basic math question at the bottom of the form (e.g., “13 plus 6”) so that the agency can tell that you are a human visitor and not a bot. Collect a reward. ICE will not provide status updates on its investigations. However, the agency has the ability to pay monetary rewards for information. You are not guaranteed payment, but ICE has the discretion to offer a reward. | Understand the penalties. Gather evidence. Avoid breaking the law to gather evidence. Decide if you want to report anonymously. Report by phone. Report online. Collect a reward. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Heel-Flip | How to Heel Flip | To heel flip, start by standing on your skateboard and pushing down on the tail with your back foot. Then, at the same time, tilt your front foot forward and slide it diagonally toward the front edge of your skateboard. Next, when the tail of your board hits the ground and your heel is on the edge, jump up and kick out with your front foot. Finally, as you kick out with your front foot, clip the edge of the board with your heel so it rotates in the air underneath you. | Put on a helmet and other safety gear. You're almost certainly going to fall a few times while learning to heel flip, so it's important to protect yourself. Wear a skateboarding helmet that fits properly, as well as gloves, knee pads, and elbow pads. Place your skateboard level pavement where it can remain stationary. The heel flip isn't the easiest maneuver to master, and adding forward movement to the process makes it even more challenging. Learn to do heel flips when your skateboard isn't rolling forward before attempting them while in motion. A level parking lot is a good spot for practice. A grassy area might provide a softer landing, but your board won't lift off the ground as easily. Position your feet over the tail and mid-front of the board. Put your back (right) foot right at—and parallel to—the tail (back edge) of the skateboard, with the back of your heel just slightly hanging over the side. Place your front (left) foot slightly forward of the middle of the board, angled so that your toes are pointing to the front right corner of the board. The big toe of your front foot should hang off the edge a bit. If you're riding “goofy foot” (with your left foot back), your front (right) foot should be angled to point toward the front left corner of the board. Every subsequent maneuver will be the mirror image of what is described here. Center your weight and keep your shoulders and eyes faced forward. Bend your knees slightly and distribute your weight evenly over each leg. Rotate your upper body so that your shoulders are facing more to the front than the side of the board. Keep your eyes focused forward and, when you do the actual flip, down toward the front of your skateboard. Push down the board’s tail with your back foot. Give the board a firm downward push with your back foot to tip the tail toward the ground. As you push, start to bend your knees more deeply as you get ready to jump. You want to crouch so low that your fingers can touch the ground. Otherwise, you won't be able to generate enough power to flip the board. Each movement in this section—dropping the board's tail, crouching your body, and tilting and sliding your front foot—should occur simultaneously. Practice doing them all at the same time. Tilt your front foot slightly forward at the same time. Roll the ankle of your front leg forward a little so that the inside of your front foot lifts off the board. Don't tilt so far that you lose your balance, however. The outer edge of the bottom of your shoe should still be in complete contact with the board. Slide your tilting front foot diagonally on the board. As you tilt your front foot forward, also start sliding it in the direction your toes are pointed. In doing so, the front of your foot will begin to slide off of the front right corner of the skateboard. If you're riding “goofy foot,” keep in mind that your front foot will move toward the front left corner of the board instead. Jump up when the tail hits the ground and your heel’s on the edge. Time your downward crouch so that you're able to spring upward at the moment you feel and hear the tail of your board hit the ground. At this same instant, your front foot should be tilted forward and sliding just off the edge of the board. When it comes to a good heel flip, timing is everything. Practice doing everything up to this point many times without actually continuing into the jump itself. Start jumping upward only when you have the timing down pat. Kick out with your front foot as you jump upward. As you begin your liftoff from the board, kick your front foot forward in the direction that you're already sliding it. As part of the kick, rotate your ankle so that the toes of your front foot begin to angle upward. Make sure the motion is a forward and upward kick, not a forward and downward stomp. Your feet should still be in contact with the board at this point. The board will lift off the ground with you for the first instant of your jump. Clip the edge of the board with your heel to rotate it. This is the most critical, and most challenging, part of a heel flip. As you kick out your front foot and rotate your toes slightly skyward, the heel of that foot will naturally flick downward. You need this “heel flick” to strike the inside-front edge of the board with enough power to begin a full rotation. Give the board a good hard shove with your front heel. Otherwise, it won't flip all the way around. The only way to master this element of the heel flip is practice, practice, and more practice. Work on a solid, level surface and plan to “bail out” on the move many times until you get it right. Watch the board rotate while you hover above it. As you continue upward to the high point of your jump, keep your eyes focused on the front of the board below you. Watch as it rotates in a clockwise direction, propelled by the kick you just gave it with your front heel. Make sure your jump has enough height. You don't want the board to get caught under your feet. Raise your knees up as you hit the apex of the jump if you need extra clearance from the board. “Catch” the board in the air with your feet as it completes a rotation. If everything is going according to plan, you will begin your descent from your jump just as the top of your board is reappearing into your view. When the board is about to complete a full rotation, extend your feet straight downward to make contact with the top of the board. You'll have re-established contact with the board at this point, but both you and the board will still be airborne. Try to make contact with the board so that your feet are over the 2 sets of bolts that are visible on the board's top. These 2 pairs of bolts are directly above the front and back wheels, respectively. Keep your knees bent and weight centered as you land the board. Maintain secure contact between both feet and the board as the wheels hit the ground. Flex your knees a bit more to absorb the landing. Do your best to keep your body weight centered over your feet equally, instead of leaning forward, backward, or to the side. As mentioned, try to land with your feet over the bolts. Doing so will provide a safer, smoother landing, and prevent your board from snapping. Move on to heel flipping while your board is in motion. Once you can consistently land a heel flip on a stationary skateboard, try it while in motion. Propel yourself forward on the board and follow the process as before. Landing squarely becomes more difficult when you do the trick while in motion, so be prepared to fall a few times. Work on keeping your center of gravity over the board, and focus your eyes on the board while you're in the air above it. When you can land it consistently with the board in motion, consider yourself a successful heel-flipper. | Put on a helmet and other safety gear. Place your skateboard level pavement where it can remain stationary. Position your feet over the tail and mid-front of the board. Center your weight and keep your shoulders and eyes faced forward. Push down the board’s tail with your back foot. Tilt your front foot slightly forward at the same time. Slide your tilting front foot diagonally on the board. Jump up when the tail hits the ground and your heel’s on the edge. Kick out with your front foot as you jump upward. Clip the edge of the board with your heel to rotate it. Watch the board rotate while you hover above it. “Catch” the board in the air with your feet as it completes a rotation. Keep your knees bent and weight centered as you land the board. Move on to heel flipping while your board is in motion. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Legally-Detain-a-Shoplifter | How to Legally Detain a Shoplifter | To legally detain a shoplifter, you must wait until they've taken merchandise outside of the store without paying for it. If you've witnessed someone doing this, approach them calmly outside of the store, identify yourself, and explain that you know they shoplifted. Then, escort the person back into the store and call the police. However, if the shoplifter runs, never chase them as you could pose a safety risk to others around you. | Look for signs that somebody is about to shoplift. Keep in mind that you cannot detain someone whom you think has shoplifted, you must visually see them hide the merchandise on their self or in their belongings before you can accuse them (the person must attempt to leave without paying). You can watch shoplifters from the floor (in person) or catch them via security camera. Spot a potential shoplifter with the following signs: Suspect is looking around them to see what other customers or store employees are doing, suspect is wearing clothing that is clearly too big or loose or clothing that is not in tune with the season (big winter coats in summer), suspect is removing tags from merchandise, suspect is carrying a large bag. etc. There are some benefits to using a security camera. Not only do you watch the shoplifter via an obstructed view and you watch their attempted crime (it's not a crime until they try to leave without paying) from beginning to end, you also have the entire incident on videotape. They are very similar to a dash cam in a police car. If you have it on tape, there is little the shoplifter can do to dispute the crime they committed. Watch the suspect constantly. Once you start to suspect that a customer may be about to shoplift, it is essential that you keep a watchful eye on them at all times, even if you have to follow them around the store. You must actually see the suspect select the merchandise and attempt to walk out without paying with your own two eyes. Concealing merchandise is not a crime it is only considered shoplifting if the person or persons attempt to leave with merchandise without paying. This happens frequently, especially among teenagers or the first-time shoplifter. They can get "spooked" and dump the merchandise. With a security camera, you have the luxury of someone behind the camera watching and recording the crime as well if you are on the floor. More eyes on the shoplifter works in your favor every time. Wait until the suspect exits the store. Before you can legally detain a shoplifter, you must see them conceal the merchandise, watch them the entire time to make sure they don't dump the merchandise and wait for them to exit the store with the merchandise still concealed on them or in their personal belongings. It is necessary to wait until the shoplifter is outside the store to disqualify the excuse that they "intended to" pay. If they bypass the register and the merchandise is not paid for and/or they exit the store (depending upon store layout - not all cash registers are near the exit) this is when you can stop them. You must be particularly careful in stores where merchandise is displayed outside the store front, as shoplifters can use the excuse that they are still shopping and intend to return inside to pay. Rather than approaching the shoplifter alone, it is always best to have another employee with you, and at least one of you should be of the same sex as the suspect.There is no merchandise worth your health, safety or life. Approach the shoplifter calmly. Outside the store, approach the shoplifter calmly, from the front if possible. Once you have stopped the shoplifter, whether it be in the mall or in the parking lot, identify yourself as a Store Detective or Loss Prevention Associate (there are several titles) and firmly yet calmly advise the shoplifter that you have witnessed them hide merchandise which was not paid for and that you need them to come back into the store with you. Again, here is where the visual aspect is very crucial: tell the shoplifter where they hid the merchandise and exactly what merchandise they have stolen. This will let them know that you have been watching them the entire time and to argue or dispute this fact is pointless. It bolsters your professionalism as well. Do not be surprised if they throw the merchandise at you and try to make a run for it or even return the merchandise to you in the parking lot or mall and tell you that they "forgot" to pay for it. They are clearly attempting to downplay their crime or even "explain away" their crime. Do not fall for this. You should never attempt to chase a shoplifter who runs away, at least within the store or shopping mall. Two people running through crowded areas poses a risk to the safety of shoppers and store employees. Sometimes an exception can be made if the suspect runs into a parking lot or empty area, but it should go beyond the confines of the property. Retrieve the stolen merchandise. It is best to try to retrieve the stolen merchandise (or at least some of it) while you are still outside the property, as this will confirm the theft and validate your detention of the shoplifter. If it becomes obvious that the suspect no longer has the merchandise on, it is best to apologize and let them go, as you have no proof of theft. This is known as a "bad stop". Escort the shoplifter back into the store. Tell the shoplifter that you need to take them back to the store to "discuss the matter in detail". Escort the shoplifter with you and the other employee on either side of them.The majority of shoplifters will be humiliated about being caught and will quietly comply in the hopes of being released. Take them to the loss prevention office and retrieve the stolen merchandise from them, if you have not done so already. Take a picture of the shoplifter and the merchandise stolen. At this point, you should call the police. The sooner you can hand the matter over to them the better, otherwise, you run the risk of detaining the shoplifter for a time that may be deemed "unreasonable" by a judge and face charges yourself. If the shoplifter is a minor, an elderly person, or a person with mental disabilities, you may wish to call relatives to come pick them up instead of calling the police, at your discretion. Tally up the amount stolen - this can make the crime a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the state. It would be a good idea for you to know your state's laws regarding these amounts. Ensure that you hold the shoplifter for a "reasonable" amount of time only. It is very important that you only detain the shoplifter for a "reasonable" amount of time, and use no more than "reasonable force" when handling them. Otherwise, you may be exposed to civil liability for negligence. It is possible to use handcuffs to detain a shoplifter if they become violent and pose a real threat to the safety of the store staff and customers. However, the person who applies the handcuffs must have proper training, and will be responsible for the detainee's health and safety from that point onwards. Using excessive force, extreme foul language, verbal threats and racial or religious slurs are all considered to be unlawful. Hand the situation over to the police. When the police arrive, depending the amount of the theft or some other situation (outstanding warrant, if the shoplifter is obviously drunk or under the influence of some drug). The shoplifter will be issued a citation (misdemeanor and no outstanding warrants, etc.) which will give them a court date to appear to answer the shoplifting charge. The shoplifter will then be escorted from the store and will be advised to not return to the store under any circumstances (ask police for a no trespass warrant ). This is where the picture of the shoplifter also comes in handy: if you spot that same shoplifter in the store sometime after the incident (e.g., 1 year or 6 months) you can tell them to leave the store even if they have not stolen anything during this trip to your store. | Look for signs that somebody is about to shoplift. Watch the suspect constantly. Wait until the suspect exits the store. Approach the shoplifter calmly. Retrieve the stolen merchandise. Escort the shoplifter back into the store. Ensure that you hold the shoplifter for a "reasonable" amount of time only. Hand the situation over to the police. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Run-up-a-Wall-and-Flip | How to Run up a Wall and Flip | Running up a wall and flipping is an advanced and risky move, but with plenty of training and practice, you can do it. Before you attempt a wall flip, practice doing a regular backflip on a soft spot, like a tumbling mat, so you can get the technique down. When you're ready to try a wall flip, choose a wall that will allow you to grip it with your shoe, like a brick wall. Place a mat down and have a friend spot you so you don't hurt yourself. First, run towards the wall at a fast, but not sprinting, pace. When you're a couple of feet from the wall, swing your arms back behind you to give you momentum. Then, jump off one leg and plant your other leg about hip-height on the wall. As you do this, swing your arms up and push off the wall to propel your body backward. Drive your knees back and keep your body tucked in tight until you complete the backflip. Aim to land on the balls of your feet to help keep your balance. | Conquer prerequisite aerobatic moves. Before you try doing a wall flip, it's important to know some basic flip moves in order to have a foundational knowledge and comfort in the movements your body needs to do to execute a wall flip. Some of these foundational prerequisite moves include a standing back tuck, a back handspring, a front flip, and even a side flip. While you begin learning how to do a wall flip, it's a good idea to practice with soft landing tumbling mats or grass, and have a qualified spotter there to help you with your flip. Run toward the wall. Run or jog toward the wall you plan to flip from. Your chosen wall should have a relatively rough surface so your shoes can grip onto the wall. A common misconception is that you need to sprint toward the wall to get enough power to do your flip. However, too much momentum going forward, toward the wall, will make it harder to transition your power into the upward movement needed to complete the flip. When you run toward the wall, you want your non-dominant foot to remain on the ground when your dominant foot pulls up to plant on the wall. Your non-dominant foot should be about 12”- 24” away from the base of the wall. Practice running toward the wall a few times in order to gauge how far back you need to start, how quickly you need run, and where you need to position yourself to have your feet land where they need to be. It may help to initially begin practicing walls flip on an obtuse angled wall, angled away from you. The angle of the wall will help your foot grip and plant on the wall, making your back flip a little bit easier. Incorporate your arm swing. As you go to take the last step of your run up toward the wall, swing your arms back behind you. The next sequence would be to plant your dominant foot on the wall, but before you get there, you should know the general movement of your arms so you can do the movements all together in the correct order. When you plant your dominant foot on the wall, swing your arms forward toward the wall. When your arms come across the sides of your body, bend your elbows to swing your arms in a double upper cut formation. Your arms should look like you are doing a chin up on an invisible bar. If you try to do a full arm swing with your arms completely extended out in front of you, you run the risk of punching the wall as you plant your foot on the wall. Also, if your arms are extended, it will slow down your spin as you try to flip off the wall. Plant your dominant foot on the wall. Jump off your non-dominant leg on the ground, and plant the ball of your dominant foot on the wall at about the height of your hip. When you bring your foot up to the wall, keep your shin straight and vertical. This will ensure that when you push off your planted foot, you jump vertically up the wall rather than horizontally off the wall. If you lean in too much when you plant your foot, and your shin is slanted toward the wall, you will lose your gripping on the wall and your foot will slide down. Push off the wall. Push and jump up with your dominant foot that's already planted on the wall. Along with jumping from your non-dominant foot, this will give you two sources of vertical momentum. As you push up on the wall with your dominant foot, your body will rise vertically, but also move away from the wall horizontally and diagonally. Your planted dominant foot should propel you upward as if you are climbing up the wall. This will give you the needed height to properly perform the wall flip. From this point in midair, you will then begin to transition into rotating backward. Drive your knee to start rotating backward. Once you are up in the air and start to move back away from the wall, swing and drive your non-dominant leg's knee up to your body to begin the rotation in your flip. The momentum from you swinging your knee will initiate the backward rotation. Keep your head, arms, and legs tucked tight into your body, like a ball. Keeping your body tucked tight will help you complete a full rotation in your flip. Don't throw your head back to initiation your flip rotation. This will open up and extend your body, which will slow down your flip and cause you to land incorrectly. To help keep your head tucked in, try pick a spot on the wall and hold your gaze there for as long as you can before you start to flip. Tuck your knees. As you drive your non-dominant leg's knee up to your body, your dominant foot that was planted on the wall is going to release from the wall. The knee you are driving up will begin to spin your body. As you start to rotate, pull both of your knees into your body to create a tight ball. At this point, you can even use your hands to hold onto your knees as you spin. Again, tight body posture will help make a clean, controlled flip. If you keep your body open and arch your back (by throwing back your head) you're going to flip a lot slower, and you might land at an awkward and dangerous angle. Tucking your knees will help ensure that when you complete your flip, you will land evenly on both of your feet. Land your flip. As you flip and see the ground underneath you, open up your body. Bring your arms out from the center of your body and push your knees down toward the ground. You want to try and land on the balls of your feet. If you extend your legs out straight, you will end up landing on your heels and lose balance, causing you to fall on your buttocks. Conquer prerequisite aerobatic moves. Just like the one-legged wall flip, it will be a lot easier to execute a two-step wall flip if you already know some basic acrobatic and gymnastic flips. A back handspring, a back tuck, and even a front tuck will all help you recognize the leg and arm movements needed to safely execute a wall flip. As always, when first practicing a wall flip, use some soft tumbling mats and a trained and qualified spotter to help keep you from injuring yourself as you flip. Run toward the wall. Run up to the wall a bit faster than you did for the one-legged wall flip. With a two-step wall flip, deciding which foot to start your steps with lies more with personal preference rather than a clear cut right or left step. For example, if you are a righty, your right foot will be your dominant foot. You may want to take your first step using your right foot so you can get a lot of height in your first jump up the wall. However, you may want to take your first step with your left foot, so your dominant foot can push off the wall and provide better control in your flip. It all depends on what's more comfortable for you. As you run to the wall, you should pump your arms like you're sprinting, rather than swinging your arms from behind and up as you did in the one-legged wall flip. In order to figure out what will be most comfortable for you, practice running at the wall and using both your right and left foot as your first step. Plant your first step foot on the wall. With the one-legged wall flip, incorporating your arm swing was a lot more important, since you needed that extra momentum for the quick flip off the wall. With the two step wall flip, your first step is going to give you the vertical height to perform your flip a bit slower, where you don't need as much added height momentum from your arms. Jump off of your ground foot, and plant your other foot on the wall at about hip height. As you push up and off of your planted foot, fully extend your leg and keep your chest straight and vertical. Extending your leg is going to give you maximum height for your flip. Be sure to keep your upper body straight and as close to the wall as possible, until you can plant your other foot. Plant your second foot. Once your first planted foot is fully extended, reach up and plant your other foot onto the wall. Your second planted foot will be higher up on the wall because of your first step jump up and onto the wall. At this point, no longer try to keep your upper body vertical, allow the extension and push of your second foot to push you away from the wall. Initiate the back flip. As you push off the wall with your second planted foot, begin to lean backward, and push off and away from the wall with your foot. Then, drive and swing your first step knee up, toward your chest to initiate the rotation to your flip. Bring your other leg's knee up, to follow your swung first step knee and throw yourself further into the flip. Landing the flip. Because you have the added height, you don't need to completely tuck your knees and keep your body in a tight ball. If fact, if you rotate too quickly (by tucking your knees in tightly), you may over rotate and end up landing on your back. If you already have your basic back flips down, you can rely on those landing techniques to land this wall flip. Experiment with the speed that you open up and lay out in order to get a clean landing. | Conquer prerequisite aerobatic moves. Run toward the wall. Incorporate your arm swing. Plant your dominant foot on the wall. Push off the wall. Drive your knee to start rotating backward. Tuck your knees. Land your flip. Conquer prerequisite aerobatic moves. Run toward the wall. Plant your first step foot on the wall. Plant your second foot. Initiate the back flip. Landing the flip. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Bake-Boneless-Skinless-Chicken | How to Bake Boneless Skinless Chicken | To bake boneless, skinless chicken, start by spreading some olive oil over the surface of the chicken so it doesn't dry out in the oven. Then, season the chicken with salt and pepper, as well as some other seasonings like cumin, cayenne pepper, and chili powder if you'd like. Once you've seasoned the chicken, put it on a greased baking pan and place it in the oven. Bake the chicken for 20-40 minutes at 350 °F or until it has an internal temperature of 160 °F. | Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Before you start cooking your chicken, turn the oven on to warm it up. It should take about 15 minutes for your oven to reach 350 °F (177 °C). Remove the chicken breasts from the refrigerator. Make sure to use fresh chicken breasts within 2 days of placing them in the refrigerator. If you're using frozen chicken, thaw it by putting it in a watertight plastic bag and submerging it in cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes until the chicken is thawed (usually within about 1 hour per 1 pound (0.45 kg)). Frozen chicken can be stored up to 9 months. Pat the chicken pieces dry if they’re damp. This will prevent the chicken from steaming in the oven, rather than baking. Don't rinse the chicken. Doing so can spread bacteria around your kitchen. Throw away the paper towels immediately, and wash your hands with warm, soapy water before proceeding. All surfaces that touch raw chicken will need to be disinfected after you have finished your preparation. Rub the surface of the chicken pieces with 3–4 teaspoons (15–20 mL) of olive oil. Because boneless, skinless chicken is low in fat, it can dry out very easily in the oven. Rub a little oil into the chicken to help keep it moist. You may use a substitute for olive oil, such as canola oil, grapeseed oil, or another cooking oil. Sprinkle each chicken piece with salt and pepper. Turn them over and sprinkle the opposite side as well. A light seasoning will add a lot of flavor to your chicken. For a spicier dish, sprinkle the pieces with cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, or a combination of the 3. Experiment with other spices and flavorings of your choosing. Oil a metal or glass baking pan. Spread some olive oil over the surface of the pan to keep the chicken from sticking. You may also use a roasting pan, placing the chicken on a wire or metal section and allowing the fat and juice to drip down onto the pan below. Put the chicken in the oven. Place the chicken pieces in the pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the pre-heated oven. Set your timer for between 20 and 40 minutes. If you are baking only 1 or 2 chicken breasts or thighs, the cooking time will be less. If you are cooking 6 breasts or more, the baking time will be longer. Test the chicken for doneness. The best way to check if chicken is done is to insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast or thigh. Chicken is done when it reaches a temperature of 160 °F (71 °C). If you do not have a meat thermometer, lift the chicken breast to ensure that its juices are clear rather than pink. To make absolutely sure that the chicken is done, insert a knife in the thickest part of the meat and check to be sure it is white and opaque. If it's still pink, it needs to cook longer. Remove the pan from the oven. Place the chicken breasts or thighs on a plate. Allow them to rest for 5 minutes to lock in the moisture. Cutting the meat open immediately will let the moisture run out onto your plate instead of keeping the meat juicy. Heat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Turn on the oven and let it warm up for about 15 minutes before you put the chicken in. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. If you're using frozen chicken, defrost it first by putting it in a bowl of cold water inside an airtight bag. Change the water out every 30 minutes. Defrosting chicken in cold water usually takes about 1 hour per 1 pound (0.45 kg). Cut the chicken pieces into cutlets. Slice each piece in half lengthwise to create 2 thinner, flatter pieces. If the pieces are still more than ⁄ 2 inch (1.3 cm) thick, place them between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet or the bottom of a sturdy mug to pound the meat until it's flat and thin. Mix a few spoonfuls of mayonnaise with milk a bowl. Add just enough milk to loosen the mayonnaise to a yogurt-like consistency. Stir in a dash of salt and pepper. Mix the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in a separate bowl. Take another small bowl and pour the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese into it, then mix them together with a fork or whisk. Make sure the bowl is large enough that you can dip the pieces of chicken in it. Dip the chicken pieces one at a time into the mayonnaise mixture, then the breadcrumbs mixture. Make sure each piece is fully coated with breadcrumbs. Set the pieces into the baking dish. Put the chicken in the oven on a greased baking pan. Take a baking pan and line it with aluminum foil. Grease the foil lightly with olive oil to keep the chicken from sticking. Put the chicken on the foil in a single layer, then place the pan in the oven on the middle rack. Don't allow the chicken pieces to touch in the pan. This will prevent them from getting crispy. Bake the chicken for 35 minutes. The chicken is finished when it's cooked through and the breading is golden brown. Prepare a marinade the day before you plan to bake your chicken breasts or thighs. The marinating process adds flavor and moisture to baked chicken. Mix the marinade ingredients in a plastic bag. Use a large resealable plastic bag. After you add the ingredients, you'll need to seal it and shake it well to mix them. Add the ingredients to the bag as follows: Place 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of balsamic or red wine vinegar in the bag. Add 2 to 3 tsp. (1.4 to 2.1 g) of dried herbs. You can use rosemary, oregano, thyme, or a dried herb mix. Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of Dijon mustard to the bag. Chop 1/4 cup (40 g) of white onions or shallots and place them in the bag. If you don't have onion, you can add 1 tsp. (0.7 g) of onion or garlic powder. Pour in ⁄ 4 cup (59 ml) of olive oil. Add dashes of salt and pepper. Marinate 4 chicken breasts or thighs in the bag overnight. Take 4 defrosted chicken breasts or thighs and place them in the bag. Seal the bag well and put it in the refrigerator. Leave it there overnight or for up to 24 hours to give the marinade time to work. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C). When you are ready to cook the chicken, turn on the oven. Give it about 15 minutes to heat up before you start baking. Place an oiled or foil-covered baking pan near the sink. Remove the chicken pieces from the bag inside the sink, so that you don't drip onto kitchen surfaces. Have the baking pan nearby so that you don't have to carry the marinated pieces far. When you remove a piece of chicken, allow it to drip for a few seconds. Brush off large items like onion pieces. Bake the chicken for about 30 minutes. Place the chicken in the pan, leaving space between each piece and. Put the pan in your preheated oven and let it bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. | Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Remove the chicken breasts from the refrigerator. Pat the chicken pieces dry if they’re damp. Rub the surface of the chicken pieces with 3–4 teaspoons (15–20 mL) of olive oil. Sprinkle each chicken piece with salt and pepper. Oil a metal or glass baking pan. Put the chicken in the oven. Set your timer for between 20 and 40 minutes. Test the chicken for doneness. Remove the pan from the oven. Heat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Cut the chicken pieces into cutlets. Mix a few spoonfuls of mayonnaise with milk a bowl. Mix the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in a separate bowl. Dip the chicken pieces one at a time into the mayonnaise mixture, then the breadcrumbs mixture. Put the chicken in the oven on a greased baking pan. Bake the chicken for 35 minutes. Prepare a marinade the day before you plan to bake your chicken breasts or thighs. Mix the marinade ingredients in a plastic bag. Marinate 4 chicken breasts or thighs in the bag overnight. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Place an oiled or foil-covered baking pan near the sink. Bake the chicken for about 30 minutes. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Store-Asparagus | How to Store Asparagus | To store fresh asparagus, be sure to select asparagus that is bright green and doesn't have any brown spots. Leave the rubber band on the bunch of asparagus and trim off the ends if they look brown or woody. Then, fill a jar with 1 inch of water and put the asparagus stem-side down in the water. Cover the top with a plastic bag and change the water every few days, or when it becomes cloudy. It should last about a week in your fridge. | Choose the freshest possible asparagus. Fresh asparagus should be bright green and firm from the tips all the way down the stalks. Check the bottom of the stalks: if they're tough and brown, that means the asparagus was not freshly cut. Avoid asparagus with discoloration or brown spots. Don't choose asparagus that feels as though it's going limp. Leave the rubber band around the bunch. Asparagus usually come bunched and tied with a rubber band. The band makes it more convenient to store the asparagus upright and preserve freshness, so leave it in place until you're ready to cook your asparagus. Trim the ends if necessary. When you bring your asparagus home, you may need to trim half an inch or so from the ends of the stalks. Take a sharp knife and trim off the part that's a little tough and woody. Discard the cut ends. Fill a bag or jar with an inch of water. A glass mason jar is usually just the right size for a bunch of asparagus. An empty jelly jar or pickle jar also works well. If you're trying to save space in your refrigerator, go with a sturdy plastic storage bag. Fill your storage container with an inch or so of water, enough to submerge the ends of the asparagus. There's no need to fill the container all the way to the top; you just enough water to keep the asparagus moist. Another convenient method is to dampen a paper towel and wrap it around the cut ends of the asparagus. You'll need to change the paper towel every few days as it dries out. Store the asparagus upright in the container. Storing the asparagus upright allows it to soak up the water from the container, keeping the stalks fresh and firm. If you're using a storage bag, rubber band the top of the bag around the asparagus so you can store it upright on the refrigerator door without spilling water. Cover with a plastic bag. Use a loose plastic bag (the type used for produce at the grocery store) and drape it over the asparagus tips and jar. This will keep the asparagus tasting fresh; without the bag, the stalks will take on the flavor of whatever else you're keeping in your refrigerator. Change the water when it gets cloudy. Check the water every few days and switch it out when it's no longer clear, just as you would for cut flowers. You should change the water no more than once or twice before consuming the asparagus within a week or so. Choose fresh, thick asparagus spears. Spears thicker than a pen will hold up better to freezing than thinner asparagus. Choose fresh, in-season asparagus that has not gone limp or woody. Avoid asparagus that is brown or discolored; it won't taste good after freezing. Chop off the woody ends. Chop about one inch from the ends of the asparagus. The chewy texture of the ends is unpleasant, especially after freezing, so make sure you get rid of the entire dry or woody part. Boil water and prepare an ice bath. In order to retain its flavor, asparagus should be blanched before freezing. This is the process of boiling the asparagus for about 30 seconds and removing it from heat before it loses its crunch. The asparagus is plunged into ice water to stop it from cooking. Boil a large pot of water and prepare a large bowl of ice water. Chop the asparagus into one-inch pieces. In order for the asparagus to blanch evenly, it's best to chop it into smaller pieces. If you'd prefer to leave the stalks intact, that's fine, but the flavor may be compromised. Boil the asparagus for one minute. If your spears are extra-thick, boil them for longer; if they're thin, boil them for just thirty seconds. Monitor the asparagus carefully so you don't end up overcooking it. Transfer the asparagus to the ice bath. Use a slotted spoon to immediately transfer it to the ice bath so it can cool down and stop cooking. Leave it in the ice bath for the same amount of time you boiled it, then transfer it to a colander to let it drain and dry. Flash freeze the asparagus. Lay out the pieces on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and place the sheet in the freezer. Freeze the asparagus for about one hour, until each piece is slightly ice. Flash freezing the asparagus before longer-term storage will keep the pieces from freezing together into a solid mass. Transfer the asparagus to a freezer-safe container. Put the frozen pieces into a freezer bag or a plastic freezer container. Pack it as tightly as possible in order to remove most of the air. Label the container with the date. Frozen asparagus will keep for up to a year in properly cold conditions. There's no need to thaw asparagus before cooking; just add it to soups and other dishes frozen. Don't overcook the asparagus. Overcooked asparagus becomes mushy, and if you try to reheat it after storing it will be pretty much inedible. If you want to store your cooked asparagus, make sure it still has some bite left after cooking. Blanching or steaming asparagus is a great way to bring out its flavor while retaining its crisp texture. Sauteed and roasted asparagus also hold up well to storage if they aren't overcooked. Boiling asparagus often results in a mushy texture, so avoid this method. Store the asparagus in an airtight container. Cooked asparagus will last the longest if you store it in a container with as little air as possible. A plastic or glass food storage container with a tight-fitting lid is best. Keep the asparagus refrigerated for five to seven days, maximum. Cooked asparagus is best within a few days of storing it. After that, it begins to lose its bright taste and firm texture. | Choose the freshest possible asparagus. Leave the rubber band around the bunch. Trim the ends if necessary. Fill a bag or jar with an inch of water. Store the asparagus upright in the container. Cover with a plastic bag. Change the water when it gets cloudy. Choose fresh, thick asparagus spears. Chop off the woody ends. Boil water and prepare an ice bath. Chop the asparagus into one-inch pieces. Boil the asparagus for one minute. Transfer the asparagus to the ice bath. Flash freeze the asparagus. Transfer the asparagus to a freezer-safe container. Don't overcook the asparagus. Store the asparagus in an airtight container. Keep the asparagus refrigerated for five to seven days, maximum. |
https://www.wikihow.com/House-Train-an-Older-Dog | How to House Train an Older Dog | To house train an older dog, start by bringing it to an area, like under a tree, every 2 hours and saying, “Go potty.” After the dog pees or poops, give it a treat and say, “Good dog!” Additionally, consider feeding it on a consistent schedule and taking away its water dish before bedtime to help reduce accidents. If you catch your dog having an accident, clap your hands loudly to startle it and quickly carry it outside to finish. Maintain this routine for at least 2 weeks, or until you're sure your dog is trained. | Learn as much as you can about the dog's background. If you have recently adopted or purchased the dog, call the source and find out as much as you can about the dog's previous habits and upbringing. It is helpful to know if the dog was partially house-trained in the past. It is also helpful to know if the dog was confined for long periods of time in a particular environment (exclusively outdoors, on a concrete floor at a shelter, in a kennel, etc.) as this can cause surface preferences that you may need to overcome. Schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. If your dog was house-trained and has just recently begun urinating or defecating in the house, or if it is a new dog that seems to have some bad habits, it is important to see your vet and rule out any medical problems before attempting a behavioral intervention. Your dog may be suffering from kidney problems, gastrointestinal distress, age-related incontinence, or some other treatable condition. Be sure to let the vet know about any dietary or environmental changes your dog has recently experienced, including change of food, schedule, and the addition or removal of people or animals living in the home. Your vet can also help you isolate and begin treating any special behavioral problems that might be causing your dog's accidents, including a fear of the outdoors, separation anxiety, etc. Consider where and when the dog is eliminating. Figuring out where the dog is doing its business and when can help you isolate problem situations and avoid them in the future. If your dog only pees on linoleum floors, for example, you can begin by restricting access to rooms with linoleum, or temporarily putting rugs or towels down on those surfaces to discourage the behavior while you work on teaching your dog new habits. Clean any areas of your home that have been soiled. It is important to thoroughly remove pet waste odors from previous accidents to break the association between indoors and waste elimination. Use an enzymatic cleaner (available at any pet store) that has been specially formulated to destroy pet waste odors. You may also need to use a handheld backlight to look for hidden messes in closets, behind doors, etc. Make time to house train your dog. Many experts recommend taking several days off work to establish a consistent routine and house train your dog in one go. Most adult dogs learn more quickly than puppies, and can be successfully house trained in less than seven days. Establish an elimination area for your dog. It is important to teach your dog to use a specific location to eliminate waste. The location should be outdoors, not too distant from your home, and if possible, sheltered from wind and rain (for instance, under a specific tree). If you live in a high-rise apartment or have mobility issues that prevent you from taking your dog outside, you may need to train your dog to use papers or a litter box. Escort the dog to the desired elimination area when it's time to go. Even if the dog was already partially house trained, and you were accustomed to just letting her out, it is important for the retraining process that you actually take her to the desired location, and make sure that she is using it. Establish a routine. Take your dog outside frequently, beginning when the dog first wakes up, and then every two hours at first. When you get to the elimination area, use your preferred command to indicate that you want the dog to eliminate waste: for example "go potty" or "do your business." Immediately after the dog urinates or defecates, give her a treat and tell her "good dog." Do not wait until you get inside to offer the treat, or you will fail to create the proper connection between using the desired behavior and the reward. Most healthy adult dogs only really need to go a few hours per day, but you want to take your dog out frequently at first to find out when those times are and avoid accidents. Once you figure out your dog's routine, you can schedule outings specifically around those times. Put your dog on a consistent feeding schedule. The more regularly your dog is fed, the more regularly she will poop. Feed your dog the amount and type of food recommended for her age and weight at regular intervals throughout the day. Most experts recommend feeding adult dogs twice per day. Consult with your vet for specific recommendations for your dog. Consider putting away your dog's water dish before bedtime. If your dog is peeing indoors at night, the problem might be too much water before bedtime. Check with your veterinarian to see if putting the water dish away a few hours before bedtime will be helpful. Always check with your vet before withholding water. Older dogs with subclinical kidney disease (in the very early stages) can deteriorate rapidly if water is withheld. Your vet may request a urine sample, to help determine if your dog is in this risk category. Don't restrict your dog's water intake if it is hot, or if your dog gets a lot of exercise. Pay close attention to signs that your dog needs to go. Not all dogs give obvious clues when they need to eliminate waste. Pay attention to behaviors like whining, pacing, sniffing, circling, or leaving the room to hide. If you see these behaviors, quickly take your dog outside to the elimination area. Stay positive and don't punish your dog if you catch her eliminating in the house. If you catch your dog midstream, simply clap your hands loudly to startle her. Then quickly carry or escort her outside to where you do want her to go to the bathroom, and encourage her to complete her business. Then reward her when she does so successfully. Punishing your dog for accidents is an ineffective approach to house training and could cause the dog anxiety and make the situation worse instead of better. Consider crate training or confining your dog when you cannot supervise her. If your dog is having accidents when you are not around, the best approach might be to crate train her or confine her to a small room when you must be away. Dogs do not like to soil their living quarters, and are less likely to make a mess in the house if they can't get to a preferred spot to do so. Maintain the formal routine for at least two weeks. You may be able to reduce the frequency of your trips outside, but the ritual of escorting your dog to the elimination site, instructing her to go, and rewarding her when she does so successfully, should be continued for at least two weeks to cement the behavior. Eventually, your dog will learn to use the desired location naturally, but the longer you continue the training process, the more likely it is to stick. The dog's feeding and exercise schedule should remain regular all the time. Recognize when more intervention is needed. Sometimes a dog has behavioral problems beyond a lack of training. If a week of consistent elimination training fails to help you and your dog, it is time to consider other solutions. Understand that older dogs often need to eliminate more often. Older dogs often just can't hold their waste as long, regardless of how well they are trained, and you may need to make accommodations to help your dog avoid accidents. Let your dog out more often when you're home and pay attention to cues that she needs to go. In addition, consider the following options: If you have a secure yard, think about installing a doggie door so your dog can let herself out. Hire a dog walker or make arrangements with a trusted neighbor to come over and give your dog mid-day relief breaks. Provide piddle pads in a set location for your dog to use if she cannot wait until you get home. Consult with a pet behavior specialist. If you are having trouble identifying why your dog is still eliminating in the house, a consultation with a pet behavior specialist can be extremely helpful for diagnosing and treating the problem. Ask your vet or other dog-owners in your area for a recommendation. Ask your vet about anxiety medication. If you suspect that your dog is eliminating in the house due to anxiety or unpreventable stress, ask your vet if anxiety medication might be right for your dog. Medication, when used in conjunction with behavioral therapy and modifications to the dog's environment, will often help | Learn as much as you can about the dog's background. Schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. Consider where and when the dog is eliminating. Clean any areas of your home that have been soiled. Make time to house train your dog. Establish an elimination area for your dog. Escort the dog to the desired elimination area when it's time to go. Establish a routine. Put your dog on a consistent feeding schedule. Consider putting away your dog's water dish before bedtime. Pay close attention to signs that your dog needs to go. Stay positive and don't punish your dog if you catch her eliminating in the house. Consider crate training or confining your dog when you cannot supervise her. Maintain the formal routine for at least two weeks. Recognize when more intervention is needed. Understand that older dogs often need to eliminate more often. Consult with a pet behavior specialist. Ask your vet about anxiety medication. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Climb-a-Tree | How to Climb a Tree | To climb a tree without equipment, grip the lowest branch with one hand and wrap the other arm around the trunk. Place your feet on a sturdy gnarl, then get on top of the first branch by either pulling yourself up with your arms or swinging your leg over it. Then, locate the next big branch you want to ascend, tug it to make sure it can hold your weight, then climb up and onto it while keeping your body upright and close to the tree! | Wear well-fitting clothing. The clothing should be loose enough to allow full range of motion, but not baggy enough to snag on branches. Remove all loose jewelry and accessories, especially from around your neck, as these may snag during the climb. If possible, wear flexible shoes with good traction. If your shoes have hard soles or poor traction, climbing barefoot might be easier. Examine the tree from a distance. Find a tree with large, strong branches that can support your weight, at least 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter. Before you start the climb, step back far enough to inspect the whole tree. Avoid trees with any of the following signs of danger: Strange shapes or turns in the trunk. Leaning trees are risky but sometimes safe. Deep cracks. Large areas of sunken or missing bark. A forked top is a sign of decay in conifers. Other types of tree might still be safe, but do not try to reach the fork. Check near the ground. Approach the tree and inspect the lower trunk and the circle of ground 3 feet (0.9 meters) around it. These are all signs of a damaged or dying tree that is unsafe to climb: Mushrooms or other fungus growing on the tree or around the base. Many dead branches on the ground. (A few dead branches attached to the lower trunk is common, but if they're falling from higher up, there's a more serious problem.) A large hole or several small ones in the base. Severed roots, or a raised or cracked area of soil next to the trunk (a sign of uprooting). Allow for poor weather conditions. Even if the tree is sturdy, weather conditions could make the climb more dangerous. Understand how the following affect your climb: Never climb during a thunderstorm, or in strong wind. Wet conditions can make the tree slippery and very dangerous to climb. Cold temperatures make wood brittle. Plan on climbing slowly and testing every branch before you use it as support. Look for local dangers. There's one last safety step before you can get started. Look closely for the following dangers. These can be difficult to spot from the ground, so keep an eye out while climbing as well. Never climb if there is a power line within 10 feet (3 meters) of the tree's branches. Do not climb below large branches that have broken off and snagged in the tree. Climbers call these "widow makers" for a reason. Check the tree and nearby trees for bee and wasp colonies, or large bird or mammal nests. Avoid the trees immediately around these animals. Start your ascent. If you can reach the lowest branch, grip it with one hand and wrap the other arm around the trunk. Place your feet on a sturdy gnarl, or grip the sides of the trunk with your thighs and calves. If the branch is too high to reach easily, try these advanced techniques instead: If you need to jump to grab the branch, do so right next to the trunk. See the next step for advice on how to get on top of the branch. If you have strong legs, you can climb trees with a higher lowest branch. Run with moderate speed at the trunk. Plant the ball of your dominant foot on the tree and push upward against the tree while jumping with the other foot. Throw your arms up to catch the branch, or use one arm to grab the trunk and one to grab the branch. Get on top of the first branch. Now you're holding the branch from underneath. Depending on the height of the branch and the number of nearby footholds, you may be able to get on top of it just by pulling yourself up. Here are a couple techniques that help with more challenging trees: Pull Up: Pull yourself up so both biceps and forearms are resting on the branch. Swing and lift to get your elbows up on the branch, or all the way to your lower stomach if you have enough upper body strength. Swing your legs up to straddle the branch. Leg Swing: Grip the branch with both hands. Swing one leg up and over the branch. Wrap your arms around the branch so your biceps are on top. Swing your free leg backwards while pressing down with your biceps to swing yourself on top of the branch. If you can't reach any branches at all, try the coconut palm techniques until you reach the lowest branch. Ascend using large, live branches. Once you're on top of a large branch, look for a secure route to the next one. Grip branches as close to the trunk as possible. If a branch is less than 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter, do not use it for more than one limb. When placing your foot on a small branch like this, wedge it perpendicular to the branch, where it meets the trunk. Avoid broken branch stubs and dead branches. Dead wood may break without warning. If the bark is loose and peels off when grabbed, the tree might be weak and dying. Return to the ground. Follow the three point rule. When climbing without ropes, three of your four limbs should be anchored securely at all times. Each of these should be supported by a different part of the tree. Placing two feet on a branch counts as one point of support. Sitting or leaning counts as zero, since it won't help you catch yourself if your other holds break. The swinging and running techniques mentioned above for reaching the lowest branch are not safe for the rest of the climb. Only a very experienced climber should attempt to pull himself up onto a higher branch without footholds. Keep your body close to the tree. Stay upright, with your hips directly below your shoulders whenever possible. Hug the tree as close as you can to increase stability. If the trunk is small, wrapping your arms or thighs around the side can improve your grip and slow your descent if you fall. Use caution around weak branch unions. These are areas where two branches have grown close enough together for bark to grow between them. The bark in between is not solid wood, and the branches are often weaker than they look. Tug each hold before putting your weight on it. Looks can deceive when it comes to branch strength. Don't put your weight on anything you haven't tested. If an area of the tree falls off in soft chunks, the wood is rotten. Trees rot from the inside out, so the tree could be very damaged even if most of the bark feels solid. Return to the ground right away. Identify the safest maximum height. When climbing without ropes, always stop before the trunk narrows below 4 in. (10 cm) in diameter. You may need to stop well below this area if you notice weak branches or moderate winds. Descend slowly and carefully. Don't lose your sense of caution when it's time to come down. Try to stick to the same path you used on the way up, assuming it felt safe. Dead branches and other hazards are more difficult to see on the way down. Test footholds carefully before lowering yourself. Get the right equipment. If you're looking to climb trees for sport (or even for pay, working for a forest service or disaster relief), you'll need the right equipment to keep you safe. Here's what you'll need: Throw line. This is a brightly-colored, thin rope that gets literally thrown over the branch. It is attached to a weight, called a "throw bag." Static rope. This type of rope lacks the stretchiness of "dynamic" rope using in rock climbing. Harness and helmet. You can use a helmet like those designed for rock climbing. However, you want a harness specifically designed for climbing trees. A rock-climbing harness would cut off the circulation to your legs. A Prusik cord. This helps you ascend. It's attached to your climbing rope and your harness with a carabiner. Alternatively, you can use a foot ascender. Branch protector. Alternatively known as a cambium protector. These protect tree branches from friction, while helping your climbing rope last longer. Metal ones, which look like conduits, are more convenient than leather ones. Select a safe tree. You're looking to throw your rope over a branch that is, at the very least, 6 inches (15 centimeters) in diameter. Any smaller than that and it could snap. The bigger it is, the better. Here are a few other things to consider: Make sure it's healthy. If the tree is old, diseased, or dying, leave it alone. The tree needs to be away from hazards, like power lines, animals, and nests. Make sure it's big enough for your party. A spreading tree, like a hardwood, is best for large groups. Conifers are only suitable for one or two people. Are you allowed to climb it? The last thing you want is to get into legal trouble for being on someone's property illegally. Finally, consider its location in general. Is it easy to get to? Will it be scenic at the top? What will the wildlife be like? Once you've selected your tree, inspect it carefully. Just because a tree is big, sturdy, and in the right location doesn't necessarily mean it's fit for climbing. There are four zones you should consider in your inspection: The wide angle view. Often trees are better viewed from far away. That way it's easier to see an odd lean or an unstable branch, in addition to the commonly obscured power line. The ground. Where you put your feet matters, too. You don't want to pick a tree that has too many knots at its base, a nest of hornets, root decay, or poison ivy. The trunk. Missing bark on a trunk may indicate decay or recent attack, both of which weaken the tree. And as for trees with two or three trunks, inspect where they branch off from at the base. Weakness should be avoided here. The crown. Dead branches at the bottom of a tree are normal (they haven't gotten enough sunlight); however, dead branches at the top mean the tree is dying. Any tree with plenty of dead branches (especially near the top) should be avoided. Set up your climbing ropes. In the following steps, we will describe the double-rope technique, which is safer and easier for beginners. This method is especially common with oaks, poplars, maples, and pines (trees that grow around 100 feet tall). Here's how to start: Toss your throw line over the sturdy branch you selected. You can do this by tying the throw line to a weight, or firing it in a specialized sling shot. Place your branch protector on the rope. Tie the static rope to the throw line. Pull on the other end of the throw line to drag the rope fully over the branch. The branch protector should end up over the branch. Secure the two sides of the rope together. Tie a series of knots with the two ends of the rope, with a Blake's hitch as the main knot. The Blake's hitch should go slack when you take your weight off the rope, then hold you in place when you stop moving. Tie a double fisherman's knot your carabiner. Warning: If you're not familiar with these knots, now is not the time to try them for the first time. Have an experienced climber tie these for you.) Put on your harness, helmet, and attach yourself to the climbing system. Make sure your harness is strapped on correctly and is snug. Once snug, attach yourself to the system with sturdy knots. Add a foot assist (optional). If you have strong upper body strength for your weight, you may be able to climb with your arms alone. Most climbers will need a Prusik cord or a "foot assist" as well. The Prusik cord attaches to the main rope and provides an anchor for your foot. As you climb, you periodically tug the Prusik cord higher up. Climb to the branch. Typically, you'll be climbing the rope, using the tree as your guide or occasional foot support. When you're tired, just rest your feet on the trunk and continue when ready. Climb past the branch (optional). If you're not quite ready to come down and feel up to a bit of a challenge, you can secure yourself to the branch and prepare to go higher. This will require placing new rope settings (called "pitches") over above branches. This is not recommended for beginning climbers. Begin your descent. This is the simplest part: all you have to do is grab the main knot (the Blake's hitch) and gently pull down. Don't go too quickly! A safe descent is a slow descent. Many seasoned climbers often place safety (slip) knots in their ropes to keep themselves from descending too quickly. But remember: if you let go, you'll stop. The Blake's hitch prevents you from falling.. Learn about the single rope technique. Once you're more experienced, you can try this approach instead. It's not hard to decipher from the name: instead of grabbing both sides of a rope, you climb just one strand, anchoring the other to a branch or the base of the tree. You'll need mechanical ascending and descending devices to move up the strand of rope. It's easier to use your legs this way, making this method a little less strenuous. | Wear well-fitting clothing. Examine the tree from a distance. Check near the ground. Allow for poor weather conditions. Look for local dangers. Start your ascent. Get on top of the first branch. Ascend using large, live branches. Follow the three point rule. Keep your body close to the tree. Use caution around weak branch unions. Tug each hold before putting your weight on it. Identify the safest maximum height. Descend slowly and carefully. Get the right equipment. Select a safe tree. Once you've selected your tree, inspect it carefully. Set up your climbing ropes. Secure the two sides of the rope together. Put on your harness, helmet, and attach yourself to the climbing system. Add a foot assist (optional). Climb to the branch. Climb past the branch (optional). Begin your descent. Learn about the single rope technique. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Deal-with-Having-a-Flat-Chest | How to Deal with Having a Flat Chest | To deal with having a flat chest, choose clothing that accentuates your form and shows off any attributes that make you feel confident, like your arms or your neckline. Try wearing high-waisted shorts or short dresses that show off the lower half of your body. In addition, you can wear jewelry and accessories that can draw attention to your chest to accent your bust. You can also learn to embrace your body and appreciate other areas of yourself that you're proud of like your legs or your eyes. You have lots of other great talents and attributes, try making a list of the skills you have and the things you love to do and are good at doing, like dancing, singing, or playing a sport. | Embrace your flat chest. There are many benefits to having smaller breasts, such as not needing to wear an underwire bra and having an easier time with breast exams. Physical activity is also easier for women with small chests, and you don't have to deal with back pain caused by large breasts. Another benefit is that you'll have an easier time finding clothes that fit you. For example, you won't have to worry about being unable to close a button-up blouse. Appreciate other areas of yourself. Being flat-chested shouldn't define you. There are lots of other parts of yourself to appreciate, so spend some time thinking of areas of your body and mind that you do love. For example: You may have beautiful hands, long legs, or a great bum. You might be a great listener, a loyal friend, or have a great sense of humor. Practice skills and do activities that make you feel good. Remember that you are beautiful and worthy, no matter the size of your chest. Looks only make up a small part of you who are. Create a list of skills and talents you possess and activities you enjoy to remind yourself of all the reasons you have to be confident. For example: You may be a strong swimmer or be able to make every free-throw you shoot. You might be well-organized, a great friend, or very artistic. You may enjoy singing and dancing, excel in math, or have the ability to cheer up anyone who is sad. Choose fitted items to flatter your body. Fitted items will be much more flattering on your body than baggy clothes. Pick items that are snug, but not too tight or restricting. Avoid items with darts if you are flat-chested as they will likely sit weirdly on your chest and draw the wrong kind of attention. If you must wear something with darts, the bust area may be baggy on you. Consider taking it to a tailor and getting it custom-fitted to your figure. Wear tops with embellishments to enhance the look of your chest. A top with ruffles, beading, ruching, pleating, frills, pockets, or zippers will make your chest look larger. Choose something that you love and wear it with a more understated bottom, such as pants or a skirt in a solid print. Pairing an embellished blouse with an understated bottom will help draw attention to the embellishments. Vary the necklines on your outfits to create interest. Because of your small chest, you can wear something with a high collar or something with a plunging neckline. Change it up frequently, and choose tops with interesting details, like cut-outs. Strapless tops or dresses are also perfect for women with small breasts. Big-breasted women aren't so lucky, as certain tops don't fit well on their frames. Go for horizontal stripes to create the illusion of a bigger bust. Horizontal stripes can make your body appear curvier, so they're perfect for those with small breasts. Choose stripes in contrasting colors, like black and white or red and blue. Try a striped dress or a striped top with a pair of solid-colored pants. Show off your arms to draw attention away from your chest. Highlight your arms by choosing sleeveless tanks or dresses. Pair a revealing top with a more modest bottom, like pants, rather than wearing a short skirt and a skimpy top. Bandeau tops are great for showing off your arms and shoulders. Wear high-waisted pants to show off your figure. This also goes for skirts and shorts as well. The fabric will be more fitted around your hips as it extends up towards your waist. This will help streamline your silhouette and make it stand out. Try a pair of high-waisted jeans with a v-neck shirt. Add a statement necklace to complete the look. Show off your legs to draw attention to your lower half. Wear shorts or a mini skirt that highlights your legs. Pair them with a strappy shoe or heel to really showcase your gams. Choose a more modest top, such as a three-quarter-sleeved blouse, rather than a crop top or bandeau. Remember, balance is key. You also want to look classy, and an outfit that is too revealing is anything but that. Add jewelry to draw attention to your chest. If you want to draw a bit more attention to your chest, choose necklaces that stand out. Pick pieces with large charms, lots of color, or a bit of bling. You can even layer a few simple necklaces to create an original look. When layering necklaces, play around with chunky and delicate pieces. For example, you could try a delicate chain, a beaded strand, and a large statement necklace. Another thing to keep in mind when layering is to vary the lengths of the necklaces. This will help balance the look without keeping all the attention in one area. Don’t overstuff your bra. It's fine to choose a push-up bra, or one with a little padding, but don't overdo it. People may notice if one day you appear flat-chested and the next you're walking around with a C cup. When buying pushup bras or padded bras, make sure that they all look the same size on you. You don't want your bust size to change day-to-day. Avoid bullies when possible. The best way to deal with a bully is to avoid them as much as possible. If they don't have an opportunity to tease you, you won't have to deal with their insults. Develop a route that keeps you away from known bullies, such as sitting at a different lunch table or choosing a different seat in homeroom. If you have to sit next to a bully in class due to assigned seating, ask the teacher if you can switch seats. Explain that this person is keeping you from paying attention. If the bullies are in your group of friends, then it may be time to find a different group to hang out with, especially if you friends don't stand up for you. Ignore taunts and teasing. When someone teases you about being flat-chested, do your best to ignore them. Bullies are looking for a reaction, and if you give them one they are likely to continue making fun of you. Stay cool, calm, and collected. Simply ignore the insult or walk away. This also includes interactions online and social media. If you want to, you can even delete their comments or block their usernames. Stand up for yourself. If you've tried to ignore the teasing and it hasn't stopped, you should stand up for yourself. Tell the bully, “Stop saying that to me, it's mean!” or “Don't talk to me anymore.” Walk away after you've said your piece and be proud of yourself for being brave enough to speak your mind. Sometimes, bullies will stop picking on you if you stand up for yourself. Try to remain calm and collected when confronting the bullies. If you appear too upset, they may continue teasing you just to get another, similar reaction. Be the bigger person. Don't stoop to a bully's level and trade insults with them. Instead, show your maturity by refusing to taunt them back. You could even say something like, “I'm sorry you feel that way, but I know that looks aren't everything. I have lots of other skills and talents that make me happy with who I am.” If the bullying still continues, tell a teacher, principal, or guidance counselor right away. They may be able to interfere and stop the bullying. | Embrace your flat chest. Appreciate other areas of yourself. Practice skills and do activities that make you feel good. Choose fitted items to flatter your body. Wear tops with embellishments to enhance the look of your chest. Vary the necklines on your outfits to create interest. Go for horizontal stripes to create the illusion of a bigger bust. Show off your arms to draw attention away from your chest. Wear high-waisted pants to show off your figure. Show off your legs to draw attention to your lower half. Add jewelry to draw attention to your chest. Don’t overstuff your bra. Avoid bullies when possible. Ignore taunts and teasing. Stand up for yourself. Be the bigger person. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Goat-Milk-Soap | How to Make Goat Milk Soap | To make goat milk soap, start by pouring water into a heatproof container, followed by sodium hydroxide. Once the solution has cooled to 100° Fahrenheit, add 3.5 ounces of frozen goat milk and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Next, melt coconut oil and shea butter over low heat before adding olive oil and castor oil. Then, remove the pan from the heat, add the lye solution, and use a stick blender to blend the soap for 10 minutes. Finally, pour it into a mold and let it sit for 4 days before cutting it into bars. | Freeze the goat milk in an ice cube tray. Measure out 3.5 ounces (100 g) of goat milk, and pour it into an ice cube tray. Set the tray into the freezer, and leave it there until the milk freezes. This could take several hours to overnight. The larger the ice cubes are, the longer they will take to freeze. Once frozen, the fat may float to the top of the milk and appear as a dry, crusty layer. This is normal. Put on safety gear and find a well-ventilated area to work in. This is very important. Lye is caustic and can cause serious burns if it gets on your skin. Put on a shirt with long sleeves as well as a pair of safety goggles. Pull on a pair of rubber work gloves. Find a well-ventilated place to work in, preferably outside. You can also work in a kitchen sink as long as you keep a window open. Pour the water into a heatproof jug, then add the sodium hydroxide. Use a digital kitchen scale to weigh 3.5 ounces (100 g) of water. Pour the water into a heatproof jug. Use the scale to weigh 3.8 ounces (109 g) of sodium hydroxide, then slowly stir it into the water with a stainless-steel spoon. Never add water to sodium hydroxide. Always add sodium hydroxide to water. Make sure that you get sodium hydroxide and not potassium hydroxide. They are 2 different types of lye and will give you very different results. The jug must be heatproof. The water will get very hot once you add the sodium hydroxide into it. Set the lye solution aside so that it can cool to 100 °F (38 °C). Don't let it cool too much, however; it still needs to be warm enough for it to melt the goat milk ice cubes. How long it takes for the water to cool will depend on the temperature outside. Use a digital thermometer to gauge the temperature. You may be able to find it online in a store that specializes in soap-making supplies. Lye heats up by itself when you add it to liquid. Over time, however, it will cool back down. This can take a few minutes. Add the ice cubes to the lye-water and let it cool to room temperature. Pop the goat milk ice cubes out of the tray, then gently slip them into the water. Wait for the ice cubes to melt and the solution to cool down to room temperature, or somewhere between 68 and 72 °F (20 and 22 °C). Get started on heating the solid oils while you wait for the ice cubes to melt and the lye-water to cool. The solution may turn brassy and smell like ammonia, which is normal. Avoid breathing the fumes in, however. Don't plop the ice cubes in, or they might splash. The lye is still caustic and dangerous at this point. Melt the solid oils in a stainless steel saucepan over low heat. Use your digital scale once more to measure out 7 ounces (200 g) of refined coconut oil and 5 ounces (150 g) of shea butter. Place both into a stainless steel saucepan. Turn the heat up to “low,” and wait for the oils to melt, stirring them often. Don't turn the heat up to make them melt faster; they will melt quickly enough over low heat. If you turn the heat up too high, the oil will get too hot. You can use just coconut oil instead of the coconut oil-shea butter combo. Use a soap-making calculator to find out exactly how much coconut oil you should use. You can take your safety gear off for this step, but you will need to put it back on later once you start working with the lye again. Add the liquid oils into the melted solid oils. Measure out 14 ounces (400 g) of olive oil and 1.76 ounces (50 g) of castor oil using your kitchen scale. Add them to the melted oils in the saucepan, then give the mixture a stir. You can use just olive oil. Again, use a soap-making calculator to find out how much you should use. If you can find it, use olive oil pomace. It'll give you a lighter-colored soap in the end, which is generally more aesthetically pleasing. Otherwise, stick with virgin olive oil. Take the pot off the stove and stir the oil until it's 90 °F (32 °C). This should not take very long since the liquid oils are much cooler than the heated, solid oils. The mixture may thicken a little, but it shouldn't turn solid again. Use your thermometer to keep track of the temperature. Pour the lye solution into the oil, then stir it in. Put your safety gear back on if you took it off earlier. Slowly pour the lye solution into the oil mixture, then give it a stir with a spoon or a stick blender. If you're using a stick blender, do not turn it on just yet. Use a stick blender to stir and blend the soap. Set the blender into the pot so that it touches the bottom and stir the solution without turning it on. Next, raise the blender towards the middle of the pot, and pulse it a few times. Be sure to use a stick blender. Don't use a hand mixer. It will agitate the mixture too much and result in splashes. Repeat stirring and blending process for about 10 minutes. The mixture is ready when it reaches the “trace” stage. This is where you can drizzle some soap on top of itself and it leaves behind an impression. It will look a little like warm custard. Your soap may trace sooner than 10 minutes, especially if you used the olive oil and castor oil combo. Add 8 drops of grapefruit seed extract, then give the mixture a stir. This acts as an anti-oxidant, which is beneficial for your skin. It also helps keep the milk and oils from going rancid. Note that this won't preserve the soap. You can also add any essential oils at this point. Refer to a soap-making calculator to find out how much you should use. You can leave this out if you want to, especially if you used just olive oil (as opposed to the olive oil-castor oil combo. Olive oil preserves really well. Pour the soap into your desired mold. You can use just about anything as a soap mold, from baking pans to actual soap molds. To make demolding easier, line your mold with plastic, parchment paper, or freezer paper. If you don't have plastic, parchment paper, or freezer paper, try a spray-on mold release instead. Avoid using wax paper, however, as it tears too easily. If your mold is made from silicone, you don't need to line it with anything. Silicone is easy to demold because of how smooth it is. Cover the soap with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 24 hours. Make sure that you press the plastic wrap directly against the top of the soap. The lye will still be caustic at this point, so be sure to wear gloves for this step. Refrigerating the soap will help it turn a light color. If you prefer a darker colored soap, leave it out on the counter for 24 hours. Take the soap out of the fridge and leave it alone for 3 to 4 days. You should do this even if you let the soap sit on the counter for 24 hours. In either case, leave the soap in its mold; do not take it out. This will allow the soap to harden up further. If the soap starts to develop cracks, it's getting too warm. Move it to a cooler location. If you demold the soap too soon, it may break or crack because of how soft it is. Take the soap out of the mold. How you do this depends on what type of mold you are using. In most cases, you should be able to just turn the mold upside-down and slide the soap out, like you would a cake. In some cases, however, you may have to take the entire mold apart. Be sure to remove the plastic wrap first! You can touch the soap with bare hands at this stage, but it's not ready to use. Cut the soap into 1 in (2.5 cm) thick bars. Use a special soap cutting blade for this or a non-serrated knife. If you poured the soap into individual molds, then you don't need to cut them further; they're already the perfect size. Leave the bars in a well-ventilated area out of sunlight for 3 to 4 weeks. Arrange the bars on a wire cooling rack some place cool and dry with good airflow. After about 1 or 2 weeks, flip the bars over, and let them finish curing for another week or 2. If you used just olive oil, instead of the olive oil-castor oil combo, let the soap cure for 4 to 6 weeks to instead. Once the bars of soap have finished curing, they are ready to use! Wrap them in plastic and sell them or give them away to family and friends. | Freeze the goat milk in an ice cube tray. Put on safety gear and find a well-ventilated area to work in. Pour the water into a heatproof jug, then add the sodium hydroxide. Set the lye solution aside so that it can cool to 100 °F (38 °C). Add the ice cubes to the lye-water and let it cool to room temperature. Melt the solid oils in a stainless steel saucepan over low heat. Add the liquid oils into the melted solid oils. Take the pot off the stove and stir the oil until it's 90 °F (32 °C). Pour the lye solution into the oil, then stir it in. Use a stick blender to stir and blend the soap. Repeat stirring and blending process for about 10 minutes. Add 8 drops of grapefruit seed extract, then give the mixture a stir. Pour the soap into your desired mold. Cover the soap with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 24 hours. Take the soap out of the fridge and leave it alone for 3 to 4 days. Take the soap out of the mold. Cut the soap into 1 in (2.5 cm) thick bars. Leave the bars in a well-ventilated area out of sunlight for 3 to 4 weeks. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Treat-a-Wound | How to Treat a Wound | To treat a wound, rinse it with clean water and wash the skin around it using soap and a clean washcloth. After you clean the wound, apply a topical antibiotic cream to it, to help prevent an infection. Cover the wound with a bandage so it's protected. Repeat the process every day, applying a clean bandage each day, until the wound has healed. You should also watch the wound for signs that it's infected, like swelling, redness, and pus. | Apply pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding. Wash your hands and then use a clean bandage or cloth to press firmly on the wound. Washing your hands will prevent you from transferring bacteria from your hands to the wound. The pressure will help slow the bleeding and promote clotting. If the wound is on an arm, hand, leg, or foot, you can also slow the bleeding by raising it above your heart. For an arm or hand, you can hold it in the air. For a leg or foot, you will need to lie in bed and prop your leg up on a pile of pillows. Clean the wound. Rinse it with clean water. This will help to remove dirt and other particles that might cause an infection. Wash the skin around the wound with soap and a clean washcloth. Gently pat the wound and surrounding tissues dry. If running water is not able to remove all of the debris from the wound, you may need to remove it with tweezers. Wash and then sterilize the tweezers with rubbing alcohol before touching them to the wound. Then gently remove any foreign particles embedded in the wound. If you cannot remove them all, go to the emergency room and have a doctor help you. If the wound has an object embedded in it, do not remove it. Instead, go to the doctor so that it can be removed safely without causing additional damage. Do not wipe the wound with a cotton ball that might leave pieces of material stuck in the wound. This increases the risk of infection and may complicate healing. Prevent infection with a topical antibiotic. After you have stopped the bleeding and cleaned the wound, apply an antibiotic cream to protect it from infection. You can purchase antibiotic creams and ointments such as Neosporin or Polysporin over-the-counter at your local pharmacy. Use these ointments for one to two days. Always read and follow the instructions on the packaging. If you are pregnant, nursing, or treating a child, consult your doctor before using any medications. Do not apply an antiseptic disinfectant like alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. This can harm the tissues and make it take longer to heal. Cover the wound with a bandage. This will prevent bacteria and dirt from entering the wound. Depending upon where the wound is located, a simple adhesive bandage may be sufficient. If the wound is larger or located near a joint, you may need to wrap it so that the covering will stay in place. Do not wrap so tightly that you cut off the circulation. Change the bandage daily to prevent infection. If it becomes wet or dirty, change it promptly. Use waterproof bandages or wrap plastic wrap over your bandages when you shower to keep them dry. Monitor the wound to make sure it does not get infected. If it shows signs of infection, go to the emergency room. Signs to watch for include: Increasing pain over time Warmth Swelling Redness Pus leaking from the wound Fever Go to the emergency room if you have a serious wound. Do not try to drive yourself if you have just suffered a severe wound. Have someone drive you or call emergency medical responders. You need professional medical care if you have a wound that is bleeding severely or may leave you permanently disabled if it does not heal properly. This includes: Cut arteries. If you are bleeding bright red blood which is pumped out of your wound each time your heart beats, call emergency medical responders. It is important that you receive care before you lose too much blood. Bleeding that does not stop after a few minutes of pressure. This may occur if you have a severe, deep cut. If can also occur if you have a blood disorder or are on medication that prevents your blood from clotting. Wounds where you cannot move or feel a body part. This may be indicative of a deeper injury to the bone or tendons. Wounds with a foreign object stuck inside. Common examples include glass, shrapnel, or stones. In this case a doctor will need to remove the objects and prevent infection. Long jagged cuts that are difficult to heal. If the cut is larger than about two inches, you may need stitches to help it close. Wounds to the face. Facial wounds require expert care to prevent scarring. Wounds that have a high risk of infection. This includes wounds that are contaminated with feces, bodily fluids (including saliva from animal or human bites), or soil. Get medical treatment for your wound. The care that your doctor recommends will likely vary based on whether it is infected. If it is not infected the wound will be cleaned and closed. Closing the wound quickly will help prevent scarring. There are several techniques the doctor may use to close the wound: Stitches. Wounds longer than about 2 ½ inches may be sewn closed with sterile thread. The stitches may be taken out by a doctor five to seven days later for small incisions, seven to 14 for larger wounds. Or, if your doctor feels it is appropriate, she may use thread where the stitches will dissolve after a few weeks as the wound heals. Never remove your stitches yourself. You may cause an injury or infection to the site of the wound. Tissue adhesive glue. This substance would be applied to the edges of the wound while it is held together. As it dries it will seal the wound shut. The glue will come off by itself after about a week. Butterfly stitches. These are not actually stitches. Instead they are sticky strips that hold the wound closed. The doctor will remove them after the wound heals. Do not remove them yourself. Let your doctor treat an infected wound. If your wound is infected the doctor will treat the infection before closing the wound. If it is closed while it is still infected, this will seal the infection in and may cause it to spread. Your doctor may: Swab the infection so the pathogen can be studied and identified. This can help determine the best course of treatment. Clean the wound and pack it with a dressing that will prevent it from closing. Give you antibiotics to eliminate the infection. Ask you to return after several days so the doctor can evaluate whether the infection has been successfully treated. If so, the doctor will then close the wound. Get a tetanus vaccine. Your doctor may want you to get a tetanus vaccine if the wound is deep or has dirt in it and you have not had one in the past five years. Tetanus is a bacterial infection. It is also called “lockjaw” because it can cause the muscles of the jaw and neck to contract. It can also cause breathing problems and can be fatal. There is no cure, so the best prevention is staying up to date on your vaccines. Go to a wound care center if you have a non-healing wound. Non-healing wounds are wounds that have not started to heal after two weeks or have not finished healing after six weeks. Common types of wounds that are difficult to heal include pressure sores, surgical wounds, radiation sores, and wounds resulting from diabetes, lack of blood flow, or swollen legs, which often occur in the foot. At a wound care center you will have access to: Nurses, doctors, and physical therapists who will teach you to clean your wound properly and do exercises to maintain the blood flow. Specialized therapies to remove dead tissue. This may include cutting it away, using a whirlpool or syringe to wash it away, applying chemicals to dissolve the dead tissue, and using wet-to-dry dressings that dry on the wound and absorb dead tissue. Specialized procedures to promote healing include: compression stockings to improve blood flow, ultrasound to stimulate healing, artificial skins to protect wounds as they heal, removing fluid from the wound with negative pressure therapy, providing you with growth factors to promote healing, and using hyperbaric oxygen therapy to increase the blood supply to your tissues. | Apply pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding. Clean the wound. Prevent infection with a topical antibiotic. Cover the wound with a bandage. Monitor the wound to make sure it does not get infected. Go to the emergency room if you have a serious wound. Get medical treatment for your wound. Let your doctor treat an infected wound. Get a tetanus vaccine. Go to a wound care center if you have a non-healing wound. |
https://www.wikihow.pet/Manage-Your-Dog%27s-Instinct-to-Retrieve | How to Manage Your Dog's Instinct to Retrieve | To manage your dog's instinct to retrieve, distract it from things it shouldn't pick up by giving it a treat. You can also create an outdoor space free from items your dog shouldn't be picking up, like garbage. If you want to teach your dog the "Leave it" command, start by placing a piece of food on the ground. Then, say "Leave it" and cover the food with your hand. Once your dog loses interest in the lure, give it a treat, such as a piece of ham. After you've repeated this exercise several times, try giving the command without covering the lure to see if your dog can resist the temptation to take it. | Tell your dog to “sit” and “stay” in a quiet area. Start by having your dog “sit” and “stay” in an area in your home that is quiet and free of distractions. You should also have a lure food on hand, such as a piece of bread, and a high value treat like a piece of ham or steak. Put the lure in one hand and the treat in the other hand or in your pocket so it's within reach. Present the lure to your dog and say “leave it. ” Sit on the floor in front of your dog and present the lure food to them. When your dog moves towards the lure food, say “leave it” in a calm, clear voice. Place your hand over the lure food with your hand as you say “leave it.” Your dog should stop paying attention to your hand or give up trying to get at the food with your hand over it. Reward your dog with the treat. Once your dog stops paying attention to the lure food, reward them with the treat. You may also say “Good job!” or “Great going!” to your dog to let them know they acted correctly. As your dog enjoys their treat, you should remove the lure food so your dog does not notice it. Repeat the “leave it” command with your dog in the same setting, rewarding them each time they leave the lure food alone under your hand. Test your dog with the lure food uncovered. The next phase is to get your dog to leave the lure food when it is not covered by your hand. To do this, place the lure food in front of your dog, within reach of your hand. Then, say “leave it.” Wait for your dog to leave the food. Once they do, reward them with a treat. If your dog does not leave the food, cover the lure food with your hand. Then, wait for your dog to calm down and ignore the lure food. Reward your dog and try the command again. Put your dog on their leash and practice the “leave it” command. Once your dog seems confident with the “leave it” command indoors, you should put on their leash and bring them outside into the yard. Play with your dog on the leash with their favorite toy. Then, present the lure by placing it in front of your dog. Say “leave it” and wait for your dog to back away or ignore the lure food. Then, reward them with a treat. Do not throw the lure food during the training session on the leash, as this will trigger your dog's retrieval instincts. If your dog does not leave the lure food and you end up trying to get it out of your dog's mouth, you may need to backtrack and focus on getting your dog to learn the command indoors not on their leash. Be patient and work with your dog on each phase of the command until they are confident. Bring your dog to a distracting area and practice the “leave it” command. If you feel your dog is following the “leave it” command on their leash, you may up the challenge and try the command in a distracting area. Bring your dog to a dog park, keeping them on their leash, or to an area with people. Use a lure food or practice with items your dog comes across in public, such as trash or food on the ground. Say “leave it” and wait for your dog to ignore the food or step away from it. Then, reward your pup with a treat. If your dog does not follow your “leave it” command in a busy or distracting area, they may not be ready to do the command in public. You may need to backtrack and work on the command with your dog on the leash or indoors until they get comfortable with it. Encourage your dog to retrieve their toys. Another way you can control your dog's retrieval habits is to encourage them to retrieve only their toys and leave other items alone. To do this, you may play with them using their toys and encourage your dog to fetch their toys. Play fetch with your dog indoors and outdoors. This will get them used to retrieving their toys, rather than other items. If your dog does go towards an item they are not supposed to pick up, use the “leave it” command. You can also try distracting your dog away from the item by holding up their toy and calling their name or saying “come.” If your dog knows the “no” command, you may also use it to discourage them from picking up items other than their toys. Get your dog to retrieve treats. You can also get your dog to stop retrieving items they are not supposed to by getting them to focus on treats instead. Carry treats in your pocket while you walk your dog. If they come across an item and start to try to retrieve it, distract them by pulling a treat out of your pocket. Encourage your dog to walk away from the item by holding up the treat and give it to them once they continue on the walk. Often, dogs will react better to being distracted from items rather than yelled at or yanked away from the item. You can also get your dog to focus on treats instead of items by asking, “What do you have there?” or “What's that?” when your dog starts to pick up an item. Then, take out a treat and offer it to your dog instead. Create an outdoor space free of items your dog can retrieve. If you are still struggling to get your dog to leave items alone and stop retrieving items they shouldn't, you may need to create an outdoor area that is free of these items. You may have a fenced in yard that does not contain any food, garbage, or other items that your dog may be prone to retrieving. You could then limit your dog to going outside and playing in this area so they do not pick up any items they shouldn't. Speak to your vet. If your dog does not seem receptive to training at home, you may want to speak to your vet about their retrieving issue. Set up an appointment with your vet where you can discuss the issue and ask for guidance or advice. Your vet may ask you questions about your dog's retrieval habits to get a better sense of the issue. Try to answer their questions as clearly and honestly as possible. For example, your vet may ask you, “What types of items does your dog tend to retrieve?” “How often does your dog retrieve these items?” “Do you notice any patterns in your dog's retrieval habits?” Work with a certified dog trainer. You may also decide to work with a certified dog trainer to help your dog learn the “leave it” command and to manage their retrieval habits. Get a referral for a good dog trainer from your vet. You can also ask other pet owners for a referral to a trainer they have worked well with before. When you speak to the dog trainer, make sure they have experience working with dogs on their retrieval habits. You may also ask the trainer for referrals from other clients they have worked with in the past and their resume to ensure they are certified and experienced. Enroll in an obedience class. Another option is to enroll your dog in an obedience class that focuses on managing retrieval habits. You may ask your vet to refer you to a good obedience class or speak to your trainer about a class you can try with your dog. You may also ask other pet owners for a referral to an obedience class that they have gone to to help manage their dog's retrieval habits. | Tell your dog to “sit” and “stay” in a quiet area. Present the lure to your dog and say “leave it. Reward your dog with the treat. Test your dog with the lure food uncovered. Put your dog on their leash and practice the “leave it” command. Bring your dog to a distracting area and practice the “leave it” command. Encourage your dog to retrieve their toys. Get your dog to retrieve treats. Create an outdoor space free of items your dog can retrieve. Speak to your vet. Work with a certified dog trainer. Enroll in an obedience class. |
https://www.wikihow.life/Get-a-Tan-With-Fair-Skin | How to Get a Tan With Fair Skin | If you want to get a natural tan with fair skin, you'll need to use high SPF sunscreen to protect yourself from skin damage and reduce your risk of developing skin cancer. Apply a generous layer of sunscreen to your skin and let it dry before you go outside. Next, find a comfortable area in the sun and lie down for about half an hour, making sure to turn over halfway through. As your skin begins to darken, gradually work your way up to tanning for an hour at a time, but take a day off between each tanning session. | Know the risks. Although you may want a "natural" tan, you should be aware of the serious health risks associated with the kind of extended sun exposure it requires. People with particularly fair skin should be aware that they are at an extremely heightened risk for all of these consequences: Sunburn, while painful in its own right, is more dangerous for the link between it and melanoma, a form of skin cancer. The damage to the DNA in your skin cells caused by UV radiation from sunlight or tanning beds results in the unregulated growth of cancerous cells. Though melanoma is treatable, it is also the type of skin cancer that causes the most deaths annually in the United States. The American Cancer society estimates that 120,000 Americans are diagnosed with melanoma each year. Extended UV radiation exposure can lead to premature aging of the skin. The price of a tan today will be the early onset of wrinkles, blotchiness, sagging, and leathery skin. These results have been observed in people as young as 20 years old. Though you may not think of it, laying out can severely damage your eyes. Sunburn to the eyes, medically termed "photokeratitis," can result in severe pain, temporary blindness, and longterm decline of eye function. UV exposure can also result in cataracts, a clouding of the eyes' lenses that occludes vision. Overexposure to UV radiation can suppress the healthy functioning of your immune system, leaving you exposed to illnesses your body should otherwise be able to fight off and potentially causing adverse reactions to certain medications. Indoor tanning beds put you at a much higher risk of all of these consequences; people with fair skin should never frequent tanning salons. Purchase a high SPF sunscreen. SPF stands for “sun protection factor,” and lets you know how long you can stay out in the sun without getting a sunburn. Keep in mind that sunburns are more than just uncomfortable — they indicate injury to skin cells that can result in cancer. Therefore, it's very important that you use a high SPF product. An SPF 15 product will extend the time it takes the covered area to burn by 15 times. For example, if your skin would normally get sunburnt after 10 minutes, you could stay in the sun for 150 minutes without burning if you wore an SPF 15 sunscreen. Note that SPF products will not prevent you from tanning; they will allow you to stay out in the sun longer without damaging your skin cells. People with fair skin are at a particularly high risk of burning easily in the sun, so purchase a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 35. Cover your entire body generously with sunscreen. Although it's important to use a product with a high SPF, far more important is that you use enough sunscreen. Most people simply apply a thin layer, as they might for cream on their face. However, when the FDA tests the SPF of sunscreens, they use a layer as thick as “cake frosting.” Use more sunscreen than you think seems reasonable — a cake frosting layer of product. Rub it into your skin as well as possible, but don't worry if your skin can't absorb all of the product immediately. Let the rest of the product air dry. Ask a friend to help you cover areas of skin that are difficult to reach, especially your back. Make sure to cover all of your skin — your face, chest, neck, between your fingers, the bottoms of your feet, etc. Prepare a comfortable area to lay out. If you have a beach or poolside chair, pull it into an area that receives a good amount of sun. Prepare some snacks and drinks, and perhaps take a book or some other activity to keep you occupied while you're laying out. Lay out in the sun. You may think that the best way to get a good tan is to lay out for a long period of time, but that can be extremely dangerous — especially for people with particularly fair skin. Because your skin has a higher likelihood of reacting badly, you should lay out for short periods of time, giving yourself days in between sessions to see how your skin reacts. You should never tan two days in a row. Begin with half an hour of total exposure. As your skin gradually darkens, you can lay out for longer periods of time. Work your way up to an hour, but don't lay out too much longer than that. Set a timer if you're worried you'll fall asleep or lose track of time. Give your skin a few weeks to heal completely if you ever lay out too long and get burnt. Make sure to flip over half-way through. Set a timer for half-way through the amount of time you plan to lay out — half an hour if you plan to lay out for the maximum recommended one hour. When the timer goes off, flip from your back to stomach (or vice versa) to make sure that you get an even tan all over your body. Reapply sunscreen within two hours. Especially if the weather is very warm, you'll probably sweat off some of your sunscreen without even noticing it. However, even if you're not sweating noticeably, the ingredients in sunscreen simply lose effectiveness within two hours of their original application. Reapply a frosting-thick layer of sunscreen all over your body if you originally applied the sunscreen two hours ago or more. Note that you shouldn't lay out for two hours; this advice is simply for people who may have applied sunscreen at the beginning of the day, then decided to lay out later. Purchase the right self-tanning product. Consider your options carefully before making a purchase. If at all possible, try to test the product on a small patch of your skin to see what color it is; there's nothing worse than committing to a product without testing it, only to end up looking like an orange! Self-tanning lotions tend to last longer than sprays, and you can control the application more easily with your hands that through a spray nozzle. Gradual tanning products deepen skin tone incrementally, whereas instant tanning products make an immediate, significant change. Instant products are far more noticeable, though, and can look silly if you change your skin tone too dramatically in one sitting. Shave or wax your legs and chest (for men) in preparation. Though the fine hairs on your arms and the rest of your body won't really interfere with the evenness of your tan, leg and chest hairs tend to be thicker. As such, you want to make sure that you apply self-tanning products to freshly shaved or waxed skin in those problem areas. Exfoliate in the shower. Use an exfoliating bath scrub in the shower. Dry and dead skin cells react to the tanning products differently, so you want to make sure you're working with an even surface of fresh skin. By removing the dead cells on the surface of your skin, you'll ensure more even, natural-looking tan. If you don't have an exfoliating bath scrub, you can use an exfoliating glove or a hard loofah. Rub gently in circular motions, pressing hard enough to invigorate but not damage the skin. Dry your skin thoroughly after your shower, as the product will have trouble binding to the skin if you've left it damp. Put on a pair of latex gloves. Regardless of whether you're using a lotion or a spray, self-tanning products are messy. You'll be using your hands quite a bit to apply the product evenly, and you don't want to have freakishly dark hands by the end of the process. To protect your hands, cover them with latex gloves. Apply the product to your body. To keep track of where you've already applied the product, focus on one part of your body at a time: start with your legs, then do your arms, then your torso. Wait until the next step to apply the product to your face and neck. If using a lotion, squeeze as much tanning lotion as you would normal moisturizing lotion into the palm of your gloved hands. Use large, circular motions to apply the product evenly across your dry skin. If you're using a spray bottle, hold the bottle at least 6 inches (15.2 cm) away from the skin when spritzing. This will avoid heavy, splotchy application and encourage an even mist. Ask a friend to help you with your back regardless of which method you use, as it's very difficult to both reach the skin on that area, and to see whether or not you're applying the product in an even layer. Don't apply the product to the bottoms of your feet or your palms, as those areas don't tan naturally. Apply the product to your face and neck. You don't want to use as much tanner on your face and neck as you did on the rest of your body. The skin in these areas is more delicate, and the color will deepen far more easily here than on the rest of your body. Wait for the product to set. Don't put on any clothes while you're waiting for the product to set. Be especially careful not to come into contact with any fabrics for the first ten to fifteen minutes after application, as the product will still be wet on your skin and will stain surfaces easily. You can use a blow dryer to speed up the drying process. Wait an least an hour before putting on any clothing. Take a shower after eight hours. Once that period has passed, take a regular shower to clean your skin of any excess product that may have been left behind. Once you've done this, your self-tanning process is complete. Repeat the self-tanning procedure as necessary. Self-tanning products are temporary, and while some last longer than others, all will eventually fade away and reveal your fair skin again. Most products will have begun to fade within a week, so repeat the procedure whenever you feel you need to. Remember that if your tan has not faded completely, you don't need to use as much product to get yourself back to your originally desired color. | Know the risks. Purchase a high SPF sunscreen. Cover your entire body generously with sunscreen. Prepare a comfortable area to lay out. Lay out in the sun. Make sure to flip over half-way through. Reapply sunscreen within two hours. Purchase the right self-tanning product. Shave or wax your legs and chest (for men) in preparation. Exfoliate in the shower. Put on a pair of latex gloves. Apply the product to your body. Apply the product to your face and neck. Wait for the product to set. Take a shower after eight hours. Repeat the self-tanning procedure as necessary. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Succeed | How to Succeed | To succeed, one of the first and most important things you should do is set specific goals for yourself so you know where to start. For example, if you've been eyeing a promotion at work, your goal could be something like, "I will apply for the promotion before the deadline." Then, break your goal up into smaller, easier objectives so you can start working toward it. For example, your objectives might look like, "Make a list of relevant skills," "Talk to boss about promotion," and "Update resume." Once you know your objectives, dedicate yourself to working on them and crossing them off your to-do list. Even if you don't get the outcome you wanted, you'll still have succeeded at accomplishing your goals, which will make you a stronger person. | Figure out your priorities. Being successful means not just having some vague aspirations that you'd like to accomplish. Sort out your priorities and decide what is most important to you. Knowing what your priorities are will help you set out goals to achieve the things that will make you feel happy and successful. Research has shown that you're more likely to work toward something if it's very meaningful to you. To figure out what goals will be most meaningful to you, try reflecting on your values in life. Think about what's important to you, what makes you feel excited, and what you want to be remembered for. Then, you can set goals that will help your life align with these values. You need to decide which are the most important things you want to accomplish: are you looking to have a family by a certain time? Do you want to be a published author? Do you want to be a leading expert in a medical field? Make a list of the most important things you want to accomplish, with the most important at the top. As you make plans with the aim of accomplishing these goals, you'll keep revisiting this list, making revisions as things change and crossing things off as you accomplish goals. Remember, just because these are your priorities now doesn't mean they won't change. That's okay. Life often takes you down roads you don't expect, but if you at least have an idea what you're trying to work towards, you'll be better able to accomplish what you want and to change that desire if you need to. Find your "element. " This is the thing that drives you, that you love to do. You may employ this element in your work, or you may enjoy it as a hobby. The important thing is that it is meaningful to how you define “success.” This can be anything: writing, drawing, dancing, computer science, cooking, archaeology. The point is that cultivating this "element" in yourself will lead to you feeling more fulfilled and happier. Remember, you may use this skill in an unexpected way, as long as you remain open to the possibility of using it. For example: you might train to be a classical dancer, but instead of performing on stage, you use that skill to teach low-income kids how to dance. You're using that "element" but in a way you might never have imagined. That's success. Practice that skill. Even if you are good at writing, you're never going to be great unless you read and write constantly. If you don't write for work, carve out some time before or after (before tends to be better, because you aren't as exhausted) to write. The same goes for any other skill. Imagine your “best possible self. ” This exercise can help you decide how to define success in your own life and will help you when you formulate goals to get you there. Identifying your “best possible self” is a two-step process: first you visualize yourself in the future, and then you consider what characteristics will help you get to that visualized self. To begin, imagine a time in your future when you are your best, most successful version of yourself. This can look like anything. Focus on what is most important and meaningful to you, rather than defining success by someone else's standards. Imagine the details of your best future self. Think and define yourself positively. What does your life look like? How do you feel and behave? For example, if your best possible self is a musician, imagine what your life is like. Are you a mega star? A successful indie artist? Are you always on the road or do you play mostly in your community? Write down the details of your visualization. Imagine the characteristics that you used to attain your “best possible self.” For example, if you are a successful musician, you are very skilled at your instrument. You probably also know how to network with people, promote yourself, persist despite challenges, and express yourself creatively. Write down as many skills, traits, and characteristics as you can think of. Now, consider which of these things you already have. Be honest and compassionate with yourself. What do you already know? Then, consider which characteristics you can learn or develop. What can you learn, and how? Identify ways to build the characteristics you need. For example, if you're shy, you might consider social skills or assertiveness training to help you become comfortable promoting yourself to others. If you want to be a musician but aren't skilled at an instrument, you might take lessons. Ask for help. No matter how self-made someone seems, they have always had lots of different kinds of help: for example, perhaps their teachers gave them access to knowledge, their relatives helped cultivate their interests, and their family helped them go to college. Reach out to people, especially people who can help further your goals. This doesn't necessarily have to be self-serving. For example: if you're looking to become an archeologist, you could help out for free at your local museum, which can give you good references and help them. Be certain that you, too, help others when the opportunity arises. The more you cultivate an atmosphere of giving, the more help will come your way. Set clear goals. To succeed you can't just sit back and wait for life to hand you the tools you need to do so. You have to make clear, attainable plans for what you need to do to achieve success. Research shows that setting goals for yourself can make you feel more confident and optimistic, even when you haven't achieved them yet. If you have big-picture goals, try breaking them into smaller chunks that are easier to accomplish. That can help you stay motivated, and you'll build confidence as you see yourself making progress. List your priorities. Once you've decided what your priorities are going to be, you're going to need to come up with long term and short term plans for achieving them, so they become more than a nice dream. Try to focus on only one or two at a time. Trying to work on all areas at once can leave you feeling overwhelmed. Try splitting your priorities into tiers. For example, you may have first, second, and third tier priorities. First-tier priorities need to be done as soon as possible. They're the ones that are most meaningful or important to you. Second and third tiers are still important, but they may be less crucial than first-tier priorities, or they may be more specific. For example, your first-tier priority might be “be happier with work,” while a second-tier priority may be “exercise more.” A third-tier priority might be “keep my house cleaner.” Narrow these priorities into goals. A goal is specific, measurable, attainable, and trackable. It is usually concrete, while a priority is more abstract. Start by deciding something that's concrete enough to pursue. For example, if you've decided that your priority is to express yourself more creatively, you might decide that you want to act. This is still fairly big, so it's a good idea to narrow it down further. For example, do you want to act in community theatre? Pursue a career in stage or screen acting? Define your objectives. Objectives are specific actions that you take to help you achieve your goal. They're like the rungs of a ladder that get you to the top. Make these as concrete possible. For example, “become an Egyptologist” could be a goal. Objectives would be the components of the plan to get you to that goal. Thus, if you were looking to study Egyptology, you would need to go to college and study ancient Egypt. You'd need to learn to read hieroglyphs (and Greek and Latin to see what those folks were saying about the Egyptians; depending on your period). You would need to specify your interest (say Middle Kingdom burial practices) and go to graduate school. Set your timeline. Some goals can be achieved fairly quickly. Others will take more time. Still others will have to be achieved based on others' deadlines. Do some research to determine what a reasonable, attainable timeline would be. For example, if you want to become an actor, some of your objectives, such as “act in community theatre plays” and “study screenwriting,” could be accomplished fairly quickly. On the other hand, “obtain a role in a major movie” could take a very long time. As another example, if you want to become an Egyptologist, you will also need to consider external timelines such as admissions deadlines and college curricula. You must also remember that some of your objectives must be accomplished before others. For example, in the Egyptologist example, you must study Egyptian history and language before you can apply to graduate school. You must go to graduate school before you can become a working Egyptologist. Make sure you understand the process of accomplishing your goals so that you are not disappointed. Frame your goals in terms of your performance. Remember that you can only control your actions, not their outcomes or others' actions. Frame your goals in terms of what you can accomplish through your own work. For example, “Become a movie star” is a goal that relies on the outcome of others' actions. You can't control others, and thus, this goal is not the best way to phrase this. However, “audition for major movies” is a goal that you can control. Remain flexible. Learn to adapt to the things that life throws at you. Remember, your plans can change, but you should always be working forward. Studies show that people who are able to adapt and remain flexible are more likely to succeed in their goals. Don't become too rigid in how you achieve your goals. It may be that the initial objectives you set don't work out or cannot be accomplished. Learning to look for alternative ways of achieving the same goal will increase your likelihood of success. Keep learning. You should never stop learning. Being a lifelong learner can help keep you from getting diseases like Alzheimer's, but it's also a good way to keep yourself invested and interested in life around you. Continuing to learn ensures that you do not allow yourself to stagnate or become too comfortable with the status quo. Learning can be anything from reading a bunch of history books about your specific area, so you can talk knowledgeably about different historical sites in your area, to learning to quilt. Don't get complacent in your learning. Challenging yourself keeps your mind sharp. So, if you're interested in history, branch out and look into mathematics, or learning a language. Learning challenging tasks within social settings can help your mind stay sharper. Consider trying some classes or taking a college course in a subject that interests you. Put in hard work. Succeeding is impossible without hard work. You have to practice the skills that you already have to hone them. So much of the work you'll do won't be seen by other people, which is why it's important that you're serving your priorities. Otherwise you will get drained by the constant demand for your energy on things you don't enjoy. Stay focused on your priorities. Even if you're working a job that isn't necessarily in line with your priorities, look for ways to change that. Try to bring a spark of creativity or good humor into things like food service, customer service jobs, or a dull office job. For example, if you're an artist, try enhancing that work presentation with some of your artwork, just enough to make it a little more interesting and enjoyable. While a lot of success seems to come from luck, most of the people who got that luck got it because they had worked hard to be in that right place at that right time. You don't tend to see all the background work that people did to get somewhere (unless they have connections, but most people don't). Turn challenges into learning experiences. One key difference between people who are successful and people who aren't is how they respond to the roadblocks, the things that don't work out. No matter how hard you work and no matter how talented you are, you will experience obstacles and setbacks. The difference is in whether you see obstacles as failures or as learning experiences. Instead of looking at the obstacles as a reflection on you, ask yourself what you learned from it. What would you do differently next time? If you had had all the resources in the world in your grasp, how would you have approached the problem? How have other people approached or dealt with problems like this one? Remind yourself that you're better equipped the next time you are confronted with something like this. Dwelling on it and beating yourself up over it will make it harder to face the next problem, because you'll already be in the mindset that you will “fail.” Studies show that people who succeed generally don't have any more or fewer obstacles than people who do not succeed. How people choose to interpret and respond to these obstacles determines success more than anything else. Take risks. You cannot succeed without taking some risks. If you stay in your comfort zone, you can't really grow, change, or succeed. You'll actually work harder if you're in a slightly unfamiliar or uncomfortable situation. For example: if talking to people makes you anxious, try for at least one conversation a week with someone you don't know. This can be as simple as asking for the time and discussing the lateness of the bus. It can be asking a shop person for help finding something. The more you do it, the easier it will get. And talking to people is a hugely important part of being able to succeed (since you will need to ask for people and network with people). Push yourself to do things you might not otherwise do, but don't feel like you have to accomplish everything at once. Even small changes can make a big difference in the long-term. For instance, if you want to be healthier, you might take a free yoga class. If you want to be a world-renowned chef one day, you might start by signing up for a single cooking class. The more you get out there, the easier it will be to deal with life when it throws you for a loop, because you'll have experience problem-solving when you're outside your comfort zone. Visualize positively. It's truly amazing how much power your brain has to make you successful or unsuccessful simply based on how you think about things. If you focus on the negative, your life is going to feel like a failure no matter how much you accomplish and you'll find obstacles more difficult. Go back to your priorities and visualize yourself achieving success in all of them. Imagine yourself with a happy family, or imagine yourself the star of your local theater troupe, or giving esteemed lectures on Egyptology. The more specific and detailed these visualizations are, the more successful they are in building up positive reinforcement. Imagine the sounds of people shifting interestedly in their seat, imagine them leaning forward, feel the heat from the stage lights, hear the sounds of your potential children laughing. Help others. Philanthropy and helping other people is incredibly important to continued success, because you're creating a chain of community and fostering a system of aid. This will help you, too, in the long run. Not only does philanthropy contribute greatly to your own life, by bolstering your health and your self-esteem, but it makes your community a healthier place as well. Even if you are poor, you can help others. You could give $5 to a local project that you support. You can give your time and your skill for local enterprises and nonprofits that need help. You can simply do helpful and nice things for the people in your own life. You can buy the coffee of the person behind you in line. You can offer to babysit your sister's kids for free. You could give your parents a hand cleaning the house each week. The effects of your generosity will ripple out into your community. Make connections. Building connections is incredibly important to succeed in life. This means not only networking with people who can help further your goals. It also means connecting with people like friends and family who help make our lives more bearable and ease potential loneliness. Of course, you should try to network with people who can help you further your goals. There is nothing wrong with this. It can be something as simply as asking for advice from a person in your field that you admire, or it could be requesting a letter of recommendation, or even a job. Networking means talking to people. So do things like go up to the lecturer after the lecture and tell them how much you enjoyed it and introduce yourself and your interests in a polite way. Build community whenever you can. Participate in your own community. Go to events, help out with philanthropic projects, talk to the people around you and show them that they are important (this can mean something as simple as asking how someone is and really listening when they talk). Strong communities help individuals succeed, because they back them and they pick them up when they fall. Don't burn bridges. Of course you should get rid of toxic people from your life, but dumping people instead of keeping them, even at arm's length, can have negative effects for you. People talk to one another and the world is much smaller than you realize. You can tell someone when they have hurt you in a manner that doesn't mean there is no possibility for future dialogue. This also means owning up to your own mistakes. Take care of yourself. You won't be able to succeed in life if you're so focused on your goals that you forget to have a life and to take care of yourself. Your health will suffer and your quality of life will suffer. People are often so focused on staying alive and "succeeding" that they forget to actually live. Success is when you feel happy, content, and enjoy life. It isn't about money or fame or attracting the "right" partner. Exercise is a great way to help regulate your system and keep you healthy. It releases chemicals like endorphins that help your mental health and getting the blood pumping helps your heart and the rest of your body. Try for 30 minutes of exercise each day, like yoga, a brisk walk, going for a run, dancing. Eat right. This doesn't mean you give up all your favorite foods. It simply means that you do your best to get lots of fruits and veggies, that you try for the good carbohydrates (like brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat, oats) and that you eat more proteins like salmon, nuts, and beans which help support the immune system and better regulate your blood sugar. Get enough sleep. Sleep is something that is particularly problematic in the Western world. Sleep helps regulate stress levels, helps make health problems better, and allows us to be alert and energetic. Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. Shut off all electronics 30 minutes before bedtime and try to go to sleep before midnight. Drink lots of water. Your body is made up of a huge percentage of water. When you get dehydrated you don't function as well, you feel foggy and fatigued, and it can lead to serious health problems. Go for at least 8 glasses of water a day and try to avoid dehydrators like coffee. Avoid burnout. In the end, figuring out your priorities and making goals and setting up schedules and networking isn't going to make you succeed in your life unless you're happy. To do that you need to make sure that you aren't overcommitting. Learn to say "no." Only you can set your own boundaries. Philanthropy is great and giving time is great, but only if you first make sure that you are giving time to yourself, as well. If you don't want to go to that party, if you need time to recuperate and can't help with that fundraiser, then say politely say "no." Do something fun. Do something that pampers you. Take a long, hot bubble bath and read a book. Go to the beach for a weekend by yourself and revel in having no one's needs to care for but your own. You know what makes you happy. Remember to take time to have those moments for yourself. | Figure out your priorities. Find your "element. Imagine your “best possible self. Ask for help. Set clear goals. List your priorities. Narrow these priorities into goals. Define your objectives. Set your timeline. Frame your goals in terms of your performance. Remain flexible. Keep learning. Put in hard work. Turn challenges into learning experiences. Take risks. Visualize positively. Help others. Make connections. Take care of yourself. Avoid burnout. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Rip-Jeggings | How to Rip Jeggings | You can rip jeggings using a nail file and some tweezers. Start by putting your jeggings on and marking where you want to distress them with chalk or a pencil. Most people distress their jeggings on the knees, just above the knees, and on the back pockets. Use a nail file or pumice stone to gently sand down the marks you made, which will make them easier to rip. Then, take your jeggings off and use scissors to cut along the lines you drew. Pull along the edges of your tears with tweezers to give them a natural, frayed look. To clean up any unevenness, run your jeans through the washing machine on a gentle cycle, then air dry them. | Put your jeggings on. It's hard to estimate exactly where distressing lines will fall if you're not wearing the jeans. Prior to distressing, slip the jeans on so you can pinpoint the spots where you want your jeans to rip. Mark the areas you want to distress with pen or chalk. While you're wearing the jeggings, take a piece of chalk or a pen. Mark where you want to make your distressing lines. Common areas to rip include the knees, just above the knees, or near the back pockets. Don't worry about staining the jeggings, as you'll be ripping up the fabric around the line anyway. The line shouldn't be noticeable once you're done ripping your jeggings. Sand the jeggings with a nail file. Before you take off the jeggings, it's a good idea to wear down the fabric a little. This will make them easier to rip. Take a nail file, or a similar device like a pumice stone, and gently rub it along the areas where you'll be making tears. Push a magazine under the area you're ripping. Take off your jeggings. Slip a magazine, keeping it flat, into the jeggings, positioning it just under the lines you drew. The magazine will give you a hard, flat surface to work on while you're ripping your jeggings. Cut horizontal lines in the jeggings. Use an x-acto knife or a pair of scissors. Scrape the blade of the knife or scissors along the lines you drew earlier. Cut a series of horizontal slits in your jeggings. Tweeze the threads along the edges of your tears. Once you've cut your horizontal strips, you want to add a natural, frayed look to your jeans. Take a pair of tweezers and gently pluck the loose threads surrounding each line you made. Fray the ends until the jeggings are ripped to your liking. How much distressing you do is up to you. Some people prefer lightly frayed tears, while other people want the jeans so torn only thin strands of thread remain. Run your jeans through the washing machine. After you rip your jeggings, there will be a lot of loose tufts of fabric collected on the jeans where you ripped them. Run them through a gentle wash cycle in your washing machine to clean them up before wearing them. Air dry your jeggings. As ripped jeggings will be a little fragile, it's recommended that you let them air dry rather than running them through a dryer. You should always air dry your jeggings after washing them. Do not make vertical cuts. Stick to horizontal cuts when ripping any type of jeans, including jeggings. Vertical cuts are harder to maintain and can result in your jeggings splitting apart with time. Minimize distressing on the side seams. If you want to distress jeggings on the side, only make small cuts near the seams. If you distress too much near the seams of your pants, they may split apart. Stick to small amounts of distressing. Less is generally more when it comes to distressing. Rips tend to get bigger on their own over time. If you make too many rips right away, your jeans may split apart prematurely. | Put your jeggings on. Mark the areas you want to distress with pen or chalk. Sand the jeggings with a nail file. Push a magazine under the area you're ripping. Cut horizontal lines in the jeggings. Tweeze the threads along the edges of your tears. Run your jeans through the washing machine. Air dry your jeggings. Do not make vertical cuts. Minimize distressing on the side seams. Stick to small amounts of distressing. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Orange-Marmalade | How to Make Orange Marmalade | To make marmalade, slice your oranges before halving the circles so you end up with half moon shapes. Peel and grate the rinds, then add the fruit pieces to a pot of water. Squeeze in the lemon juice and bring the pot to a boil on high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes before adding the sugar and increasing the heat to high. Finish by continuously stirring the mixture as it boils for 20 minutes. If you're not going to eat the marmalade within a few days, can it to store it. | Pick out 4-5 large oranges -- preferably Seville. Seville oranges are the classic marmalade orange, with a thin but bitter peel and a sharply sweet inside that makes a decadent combination. However, many cooks have success with navel, sweet, or whatever you can find in the grocery store. Note that, while the ratios here are roughly correct, you can add more sugar later on if the oranges aren't quite as sweet as you'd like. Cut the orange and into thin, round slices. Cut the ends off first and set aside. Then, using a sharp knife of a kitchen mandoline, slice the oranges into as thin slices as you can get. They should be close to 1/8" thickness. Discard the seeds as you go. Citrus rinds naturally contain pectin, the agent that causes "jelly-ing." This makes the recipe remarkably simple, though you can make it without the rinds if you prefer. Stack the slices and cut in half, making little half-moon shaped pieces. The smaller the pieces, the easier it will be to extract the juice and make your marmalade. Peel and grate the rinds ahead of time, optionally adding to the sliced fruit. If you want softer, more evenly consistent marmalade, you'll want to break up the rinds. Simply slice them off first, cut into pieces and add to the fruit. Add the fruit pieces and juices to your pot and cover with the water. You'll need a big, 8-quart pot to fit everything, with plenty of room on top. Don't fill up a small pot to the brim -- you have a lot more to add, and the mixture will bubble up over the top. Zest the lemon into the pot and then squeeze out all of the juice, adding as well. Simply grate the lemon skin in, then cut it in half and juice it into the pot with the oranges and water. Make sure you don't add any seeds! While the lemon is a great addition for the final flavor, it is not strictly necessary, and can be replaced with another small orange if desired. Bring the water to a boil, stirring frequently. Turn the heat on high and let the pot rise to a nice rolling boil. You don't actually need to boil everything for very long, but you do need to get the water up to this temperature. Lower the heat to a rapid simmer and cook for 40 minutes once the water boils. Stir every few minutes as you do. A rapid simmer is when lots of small bubbles rise and break the surface, but you don't have the "rolling" water of a full boil. Return the mixture to a boil and add the sugar, after 40 minutes, r stirring continually. Don't let the mixture sit for long or the sugar might burn -- keep it moving. Boil, stirring frequently, for 15-20 minutes, or until set. If you have a candy thermometer, set it to 222F, as this is the temperature needed to finish cooking. It will slowly darken in color as the sugar dissolves and cooks. Note -- if you plan to eat all of the marmalade in the next few days you do not need to can it. Test the marmalade before canning it. The following test is perfect after 12 minutes or so, letting you know how it all came out. If it is ready, let the pot sit for 10 minutes to cool before proceeding. You'll know if the marmalade is done with a simple and easy "plate test:" Before boiling, place a small plate in the freezer. Place a small dollop of marmalade on the cold plate Wait 30 seconds. Tilt the plate -- it should be a slow-moving gel, barely moving down the plate. Add more water if it is too hard. Keep cooking if it is too soft and wet. Peel the oranges and lemon completely, saving the peels. The peel of an orange not only has essential flavor, it contains pectin. Pectin is the ingredient that causes liquids to gel, making it essential for marmalades and jellies. Pull off as much "pith," the white stuff surrounding the orange as possible, saving for later. Pith contributes a lot of the bitterness to your marmalade. Thus, you can add or subtract it based on your desired taste -- save a ton for a bitter, well-balanced marmalade and ditch about half for a sweeter spread. Cut the unpeeled oranges into slices on a rimmed baking sheet or dish. The rimmed dish will help you save all the juices easily instead of splattering them all over the kitchen. Add the fruit and juices into a large saucepot -- at least 8-quarts. Slice up the rinds into strips or small chunks no wider than 1/2" inch. Cut up the rind as you see fit. If you don't mind little chunks of softened rind, leave them as 1/2" ribbons. If you really hate the idea of seeing rind and want a smoother marmalade, you can cut it very fine, or grate it into a pulp. Fill a small muslin or cheesecloth bag with the pith and rinds. These two ingredients contain most of the pectin, but also a lot of bitterness. By soaking them in this cheesecloth bag instead of directly adding to the marmalade, you can extract the pectin without all of the added bitterness. Place the bag and 6 cups of water to the pot and let sit overnight. This will slowly break down and extract the pectin, as well as remove some of the bitterness. Wait a day, then cook over medium heat for 1-2 hours or until the peel is soft. You want a nice, rapid simmer, not a boil. You should be able to feel it in the muslin bag, and it should feel soft and pliable when squeezed. Remove the muslin bag, let it cool, then squeeze any liquid back into the pot. This will extract the last bits of pectin, helping ensure that your marmalade sets properly. Discard the muslin bag and contents. Lower the heat and add the sugar, stirring in constantly. Keep the spoon moving as you add the sugar, helping it dissolve in slowly without burning. Don't start boiling until all the sugar has dissolved. Raise the temperature and boil the mixture without stirring for 8-10 minutes. Remember -- don't do this until all the sugar has dissolved. If the mixture starts to rise and seems like it will overflow, simply lower the heat a bit until it falls again. Test the marmalade by spreading on a cold plate and letting it cool. Put a plate in the freezer while the mixture boils. After 8-10 minutes, spoon out a little marmalade and put it on the cold plate. Wait 30 seconds, then tilt the plate to see how the jelly reacts. It should appear gel-like and move slightly, but not have runny liquids coming out of it. If it seems too set and doesn't move at all, add a little hot water to the pot and stir in. If it seems too runny, let it cook for another 2-3 minutes. Turn the heat off and let it sit for 10 minutes before canning. If there is any foam that rises to the top as it cools, simply spoon it off and throw it away. Place a canning rack on the bottom of a large sauce pot and fill with jars, lids, and tongs. Canning requires boiling your jars full of marmalade, but your glass jars shouldn't be directly on the heat of the stove. This small, metal rack will elevate the jars enough to keep them safe. If you don't have a canning rack, you can use: Round cake rack Metal mesh basket Folded kitchen towel Boil enough water that your cans are covered. Cover your rack, cans, lids, etc. with enough water that there is an inch of it over the top of the highest can. This first boil will sterilize your equipment. Boil for ten minutes. If you have a serialize, you can simply use this instead. Sterilizers use boiling water to kill germs for you. Remove the jars with tongs and pat dry after 10 minutes. Keep the water boiling, however! Once you're done sterilizing, remove the cans and carefully pat them dry -- they'll be hot! Fill the jars with hot marmalade, pouring until just under the threads. As the mixture cools, it will expand slightly, so be sure to leave some room at the top. The jars must still be pretty warm -- adding hot marmalade to cool jars will crack them. Tighten the lids onto the jars. Close them up like normal, putting on the lid and then tightening the ring around it securely. Drop the jars gently in boiling water for 10 minutes. If necessary, add more water to ensure the cans are covered completely. Make sure they are not touching each other, or the bottom of the pan, and simply let them boil for 10 minutes. If you are at or higher than 6,000ft above sea level, you must let the jars boil for 15 minutes, not 10. Remove the jars carefully and let them cool to room temperature overnight. Set the jars out on the counter in a cool, dry place and let them drop back to room temperature. After the first few hours (when they don't burn to the touch) loosen the rims on the jars a half turn to prevent them from rusting or sticking. Push the top of the can down -- it will spring back if you canned properly. Everyone has played with this little top on jelly jars from the store, but this is the time actually use it. If canned properly, the "button" should simply pop back up. Well-canned marmalade will last up to a year. | Pick out 4-5 large oranges -- preferably Seville. Cut the orange and into thin, round slices. Stack the slices and cut in half, making little half-moon shaped pieces. Peel and grate the rinds ahead of time, optionally adding to the sliced fruit. Add the fruit pieces and juices to your pot and cover with the water. Zest the lemon into the pot and then squeeze out all of the juice, adding as well. Bring the water to a boil, stirring frequently. Lower the heat to a rapid simmer and cook for 40 minutes once the water boils. Return the mixture to a boil and add the sugar, after 40 minutes, r stirring continually. Boil, stirring frequently, for 15-20 minutes, or until set. Test the marmalade before canning it. Peel the oranges and lemon completely, saving the peels. Pull off as much "pith," the white stuff surrounding the orange as possible, saving for later. Cut the unpeeled oranges into slices on a rimmed baking sheet or dish. Slice up the rinds into strips or small chunks no wider than 1/2" inch. Fill a small muslin or cheesecloth bag with the pith and rinds. Place the bag and 6 cups of water to the pot and let sit overnight. Wait a day, then cook over medium heat for 1-2 hours or until the peel is soft. Remove the muslin bag, let it cool, then squeeze any liquid back into the pot. Lower the heat and add the sugar, stirring in constantly. Raise the temperature and boil the mixture without stirring for 8-10 minutes. Test the marmalade by spreading on a cold plate and letting it cool. Turn the heat off and let it sit for 10 minutes before canning. Place a canning rack on the bottom of a large sauce pot and fill with jars, lids, and tongs. Boil enough water that your cans are covered. Remove the jars with tongs and pat dry after 10 minutes. Fill the jars with hot marmalade, pouring until just under the threads. Tighten the lids onto the jars. Drop the jars gently in boiling water for 10 minutes. Remove the jars carefully and let them cool to room temperature overnight. Push the top of the can down -- it will spring back if you canned properly. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Wear-a-Wedding-Band-and-Engagement-Ring | How to Wear a Wedding Band and Engagement Ring | While you're free to wear your engagement ring and wedding band however you like, the traditional option is to wear them on the ring finger of your left hand. Typically, the engagement ring goes on first, followed by the wedding band. However, if you'd prefer, you can wear your wedding band on the inside and your engagement ring on the outside. You can even wear your wedding ring on one hand and your engagement ring on the other if you don't to wear them on the same hand. | Place it on the ring finger of your left hand. This is the traditional option that many brides and grooms choose. The rings go on the ring finger of that hand, which is the one between your middle and pinky. The order of the rings is up to you, but the engagement ring usually goes on first followed by the wedding band. Put the wedding band on first. You can also choose to slide your wedding band on first, followed by your engagement ring. Some people prefer this arrangement for romantic reasons, as it places your band closer to your heart. You could also choose this set-up if it is more comfortable or fits your hand better. Move them after the wedding. Some people choose to wear both rings on their left hand from the start. Others choose to initially put their engagement ring on their right hand ring finger. Then, immediately before the wedding ceremony, they'll transfer the engagement ring over from their right hand to their left one. Place them on separate ring fingers. If you don't want the heaviness of multiple rings on one finger or if you have shorter fingers, than you may want to separate the rings. One option is to make them parallel by sliding one on each of your ring fingers. This also provides a way for you to showcase each of your rings on their own. Save one ring for special occasions only. Keep one of your rings in your jewelry box and only take it out for important events. In this case, most people wear their wedding band every day and put their engagement ring on reserve. This has the benefit of keeping at least one of your rings in excellent condition over time. Some women find wearing one ring simpler, especially if they have to take the ring off for certain activities, such as working out. Since the wedding band is usually simpler, it is often the one that is worn on a daily basis. Do what feels the best to you. There really isn't one right or wrong way to wear your rings. It's your choice and something that you'll need to embrace on a daily basis. Remember that you can always mix it up and go from one wearing arrangement to another as often as you like. It can help to understand the meaning behind each ring. An engagement ring is usually a promise of future marriage. A wedding band is given during an actual marriage ceremony. Get a matched set. This band and ring are meant to be worn together. They can be made out of the same metal and may also have a similar finish. The style should be complementary too. This is a good choice for someone who knows that they want to wear both rings at the same time, but would prefer to have them perfectly paired. Go with a contoured ring. This is a type of matched set where the wedding band conforms to the edge of the center gemstone on the engagement ring. This means that both rings can be worn without them jangling or moving around too much. However, if you wear your band separately it will have an angled appearance in the middle. Get an all-in-one eternity band. While the traditional wedding band is often quite basic, more couples are choosing elaborate bands containing precious stones and unique metals, like platinum. These bands are often called “eternity bands” due to their more elaborate appearance. This is a great option for someone who wants the simplicity of the band with the beauty of an engagement ring. Stack your rings. This is when you place a series of rings together on one finger alongside your wedding band or engagement ring. Or, the series could take the place of a single ring or band. To get the best look, its best if the rings match in some way, whether it be through similar stones or metals. It's also a good idea to keep them fairly thin, unless you want your finger weighed down. Some people choose to accumulate a stacked ring gradually by adding a band after special events, such as anniversaries. Over the years this means that you could have multiple interchangeable rings or bands. Weld them together. Go to a professional jeweler and ask them to solder your band and ring together into a single piece of jewelry. Many people enjoy the symbolism behind this gesture, as the rings become unified in a similar way as a couple does through marriage. But, this process may not be fully reversible, so consider it carefully. Choose rings that you love. You'll hopefully end up wearing your engagement ring, your wedding band, or both for a very long time. This means that you should only select rings that you will enjoy over the years. With that in mind, it's best to shy away from fads and embrace your core style. Get them sized properly. Placement is important, but it won't matter as much if one of your rings falls off your hand. Before you purchase your rings, get your finger sized properly by a professional jeweler. Then, test out the fit when you get the actual ring. It should slide over your knuckle easily, but should not be overly loose. Be aware that your ring size might change over time or due to certain health events, such as pregnancy. Check your rings every so often to make sure that they are still fit comfortably on your finger. Get them inscribed. On the interior of your rings you can choose to have a date or a few words etched into the metal. This is one way that couples can enjoy matching rings without it being obvious on the outside. Most rings are capable of inscription, but it's best to talk with a jeweler about the process. For example, it is quite common for couples to put their wedding date on the inside of their ring bands. You could also get the date of your engagement etched inside your engagement ring. Follow cultural or religious traditions. There are many different ways to wear bands and rings adhered to by people around the world. Educate yourself about traditions that might hold meaning for you and make a choice about whether or not to follow them. For example, in some countries, such as Austria, the wedding band is worn on the right hand. | Place it on the ring finger of your left hand. Put the wedding band on first. Move them after the wedding. Place them on separate ring fingers. Save one ring for special occasions only. Do what feels the best to you. Get a matched set. Go with a contoured ring. Get an all-in-one eternity band. Stack your rings. Weld them together. Choose rings that you love. Get them sized properly. Get them inscribed. Follow cultural or religious traditions. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Open-a-Franchise | How to Open a Franchise | To open a franchise, contact the businesses you're interested in and ask them about the types of training and support available to new owners. Then, work on developing a business plan that includes your proposed location, financial resources, and projected returns. Once you're finished with your business plan, present it to banks or private investors to raise capital for the initial investment. After you secure enough funding, sign a contract with your franchisor to open your franchise. | Contact your desired franchise business(es). Start your journey to franchise ownership by meeting with franchise businesses that interest you. Schedule appointments with representatives from your chosen franchises to learn the requirements to open your own franchise. Ask for statistical data about the franchise's operations and find out the kinds of training, marketing and operational support the franchise representative can offer you. Responsible, legitimate franchises will be happy to share information with you. Be wary of businesses that seem reluctant to disclose specifics about their franchises (especially success/failure rates) or overly eager to "sell" you on hot, too-good-to-be-true deals. Make a business plan. Review all of the information that you've been offered by your prospective franchisors as well as your own research into market conditions. Incorporate this information into a thorough, well-written business plan. Make sure your business plan includes estimated investment costs and projected returns. The quality and legitimacy of your business plan can dictate not only whether you are allowed to open your own franchise, but also whether you're approved for any loans you may need. Enlist professional financial help. The myriad laws surrounding the opening of a new business can be tremendously complex - for first-time owners, even prohibitively so. Unless you have seasoned legal or accounting knowledge, seriously consider getting a lawyer and/or accountant to help you review the specifics of your new business. The fee associated with obtaining this type of help is well worth it in the long run, especially if it prevents you from entering into an exploitative contract or making unwise investments. Raise investment capital. If you're independently wealthy enough to pay for the opening of your own franchise entirely out-of-pocket, you're one of a lucky few. Most people need some form of financial assistance to cover some of their franchise's initial investment. Present your business plan and any relevant information from franchise representatives to banks or private investors to show them that your business opportunity is a viable one. If you're unable to obtain a loan from a bank or commercial lender, you may find success with a government loan from the government's Small Business Association (SBA). These loans are partially guaranteed by the government and are generally seen as lower-risk than traditional loans. Sign your contract with the franchise owner. When you're confident you meet all requirements for franchise ownership and that your business plan is a recipe for success, you may proceed to signing a binding agreement with your franchisor. Make sure to have your attorney review the contract before you sign it. If you have any questions or need more information, be sure to get satisfactory answers from franchise representatives before agreeing to anything. This is another part of the process during which you'll want to have access to the expertise of a financial professional. Make sure to have your attorney review the main contract and any other binding documents before you sign them. Enroll in your franchisor's internal training/orientation program. Most franchise businesses require new owners to receive training to prepare them to run their new business according to the policies of the parent company. Follow all training procedures offered by the franchise owner to make sure you fully understand the business strategy of your new franchisor. Note that, unfortunately, some of these training programs may require travel, lodging, materials, and the like paid at your expense. Try to get an estimate of these costs before embarking on your new training regimen. Rent or buy a location for your franchise. When it comes to franchises, location is everything - you'll want a spot for your franchise that is visible, accessible, and centrally-located in an area with a market for your new business. You'll also want to carefully consider the franchise's location relative to competing businesses. You typically do not want to set up too close to a competitor, especially if this competitor is the same franchise as yours! To this end, many franchise owners have specific requirements for franchise locations that take the location of competing businesses into account, so make sure to follow any and all of these guidelines. Interview, hire and train employees. A small business lives and dies by the efforts of its staff. Some (relatively uncommon) professional franchises may look to recruit highly qualified applicants for long term work, but average blue-collar franchise businesses typically deal with unskilled, relatively low-paid labor sources. As such, your turnover rate is likely to be high. Thus, it's especially important to streamline your application and hiring process to reach a large pool of unskilled applicants. Consider using the internet to reach as many applicants as possible. Job posting websites like Craigslist are great places to reach out to locals in search of work. Order equipment and inventory. Many franchise businesses, especially restaurants, require a substantial initial investment in terms of equipment (for example, ovens, large-scale freezers, etc.) Most franchises will require you to buy directly from the parent company or from an approved vendor - this is in an effort to keep all franchise locations as uniform as possible and also, obviously, to make money for the parent company. In addition to the initial investment, you'll need to arrange to receive regular shipments of inventory (in the case of restaurants, for instance, food). Again, this is usually purchased from the parent company. Advertise the opening of your franchise. Usually, because they want to make money, franchisors will assist with the marketing and add your franchise to their main website. However, you will probably also want to make any additional efforts that you can to promote your franchise. Try to reach as large of a customer base as possible. For instance, you may want to pass out flyers in the local area, take out an add in the newspaper, offer an opening-day discount, and/or coordinate an online marketing push. Be sure to advertise your new business with any standardized promotional materials you've received from the parent company. Usually, you'll be required to display these materials in the front window, parking lot, etc. Open your franchise. Be well-prepared for opening day - have everything you need (and more) in terms of equipment and inventory for opening day. You'll also want to make sure that that you've scheduled enough staff to cover your initial demand. Most importantly, you'll want to make sure that you are focused, present, and ready to work on opening day. In general, it's far better to be over-prepared for your business's opening than to be under-prepared. Try to make as big of splash as possible! Make sure to invite the press and to get good write-ups in local papers and online. Research, research, research. A franchise agreement is not something to enter into lightly. Franchise businesses are serious investments for their owners - they represent a very real risk/reward scenario for the franchisee. Intelligently run, they can provide income and security for years. However, they can also lose the owner lots of money. Before taking any serious steps toward opening a franchise, research the process extensively. Below are some of the questions you'll want to be able to answer definitively: How big of investment will I be able to safely make? Does my chosen franchisor have a history of good business relationships with its franchisees? Do I have a business plan that takes my location, resources, and abilities into account? Am I truly passionate about the sort of responsibilities I'll have? Investigate your franchisor. Today, because of the sheer scale of many international businesses, prospective franchisees have a variety of options when it comes to picking a franchisor. For example, if you want to open a fast food franchise, you'll find that a number of franchises (such as Burger King, McDonald's, etc.) that may be willing to work with you. Regardless of the franchisor you eventually choose, you will want to find out more about the business strategies, yearly returns, and philosophies of each company you're considering working for. Make sure you know exactly how much support you'll receive from your parent company as a franchise owner. Generally, you'll want as much help as you can get in terms of training, setup, marketing, and initial operations so that you can minimize your investment in terms of time and money, and, thus, your risk. Franchise businesses are required by law to provide you with important business information before you become an owner. This includes the Uniform Franchise Offering Circular (UFOC), which contains information about the franchise's legal, financial, and personnel history that may influence your decision. Analyze the business capacity of your location. Just because a franchise business has a history of success elsewhere doesn't mean it will necessarily be a success in your area. Scrutinize the business features of your intended area of operations - how large of market is there for your business and what kind of market is it? Is there lots of walking traffic in your area? Is the area frequented by rich "yuppies" or working stiffs? Are certain cultural groups more prevalent than others? The answers to these questions (and many others) are key to determining whether your franchise has the potential to your success. Many franchises confine their owners' operations to certain "territories" - owners may not even be allowed to advertise outside of their territory. Because of this, it's extra-important to be sure that your territory is well-suited to your franchise's business. Consider your career priorities. Owning a franchise can be immensely satisfying for some entrepreneurs and immensely draining for others based on the priorities of the individual manager. People who like hard, hands-on work that doesn't vary greatly over time may love being a franchisee, while people who prefer intellectually stimulating, varied, creative work may be bored to tears. Though all franchises differ, most won't require the types of high-level intellectual and analytical abilities offered by postgraduate degrees. In terms of education level, it's perfectly possible to be over-qualified for franchise ownership. People with law degrees, doctorates, etc., may find that their skills are more suited for a role at a professional-level franchise (for instance, in the area of consulting) than at a service industry franchise. Consider your strengths and weaknesses as a manager. Franchise owners almost always need to take a personal, active role in the day-to-day operations of their business. Franchisees should be comfortable interacting with both their customers and employees in casual situations as well as intense, stressful ones. They should be energetic, disciplined, and detail oriented. They should take pride in their work. They shouldn't shrink from getting their hands dirty. Essentially, they should be comfortable with a hands-on, self-motivated management style. Take your future career plans into account. Franchises (even successful ones) can limit the owner's career opportunities, so it's important to be sure that you can achieve your intended career goals in the near-to-medium term within the franchise system before entering it. This is especially crucial because many franchise agreements are binding for specified lengths of time - five years, ten years, etc. Once you begin one, usually, the only way out is to sell your franchise to a willing replacement. Consider the following: Do I have plans to pursue a degree in the future? Am I interested in pursuing a corporate job in the future? Do I have hobbies or side-businesses that I want to devote time to? Get an accurate total for the costs of running your franchise. The best franchises will give you accurate estimates of the expenses that you'll incur when opening your franchise. Unfortunately, less-trustworthy franchises may try to hide some of these costs from you to entice you into ownership. Make sure your financial plan for the first year or so of operation takes all probable expenses into account, including (but not limited to) the following: Inventory and equipment (note that many franchises will require you to buy exclusively from the parent company) Payroll Rent, mortgage, etc. Legal (and related) fees. Interest payments on any loans. Business insurance Employee benefits | Contact your desired franchise business(es). Make a business plan. Enlist professional financial help. Raise investment capital. Sign your contract with the franchise owner. Enroll in your franchisor's internal training/orientation program. Rent or buy a location for your franchise. Interview, hire and train employees. Order equipment and inventory. Advertise the opening of your franchise. Open your franchise. Research, research, research. Investigate your franchisor. Analyze the business capacity of your location. Consider your career priorities. Consider your strengths and weaknesses as a manager. Take your future career plans into account. Get an accurate total for the costs of running your franchise. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Administer-Subcutaneous-Fluids-to-a-Dog | How to Administer Subcutaneous Fluids to a Dog | To prepare for administering subcutaneous fluids to a dog, you'll need to assemble a fluid bag, fluid line, needle, and a metal coat hanger to hang the fluid bag on. Once you obtain the fluid bag, check to ensure the liquid is clear, as cloudy or discolored fluid could indicate it has bacteria in it and should not be used. When you're ready to administer the fluids, position your dog in a comfortable spot where it can stay for the 5-15 minute process, such as the floor or on a couch. Once the dog is set up, you'll need to administer the amount of liquid your vet has prescribed. During this process, make sure to pet and talk to your dog to help it feel more comfortable. Alternatively, you can recruit someone to help you handle the dog as you administer the fluids. | Organize all equipment in one area. To administer SQ fluids to your dog, you will need a fluid bag, fluid line (long plastic tube), needle, and metal coat hanger. To make the process more efficient, organize all the equipment in the area where you will be administering the fluid. The coat hanger will be used to hang the fluid bag once you have all the equipment assembled. In your vet's clinic, the staff would have your dog lay on a table for fluid administration; however, at home, it will probably be more convenient for your dog to sit or lay on the floor, or lay on another piece of furniture (if you allow your dog on your furniture). Remove all packaging. Your vet may have already assembled the fluid therapy equipment for you. If not, you will need to do this yourself. First, remove the plastic packaging from the fluid bag and fluid line. The fluid line will have a plastic roller clamp, which you will open and close to start and stop the flow of fluid. When you take the fluid line out of the packaging, close the clamp. The clamp has a wheel-like apparatus. Roll this wheel with your thumb to close the clamp. The fluid line will squeeze in when you close the clamp. Check the color and temperature of the SQ fluid. The fluid should be clear. If the fluid looks cloudy or discolored, do not administer it — it could be contaminated with bacteria. The SQ fluid should be at room temperature (neither hot nor cold). Do not refrigerate the fluid bag. Do not warm up the fluid, either — this could make the fluid feel uncomfortably warm as it enters your dog's body. Connect the drip line to the fluid bag. The fluid bag has a small opening on its bottom where the drip line will go. Turn the fluid bag upside down, remove the rubber seal from the bag, and insert the sharp, pointed end of the drip line into the opening. Twist this end into the opening to make sure it stays in place. To prevent fluid contamination, do not allow the pointed end of the drip line to touch anything before you insert it into the fluid bag. Turning the fluid bag upside down will prevent fluid from flowing into the fluid line and making a mess on your floor. Turn the bag right side up once you've inserted the drip line. Closing the clamp will also prevent fluid from spilling onto the floor when you connect the drip line. Allow fluid to flow through the line. To prevent your dog from receiving a lot of air under their skin, allow some of the fluid to flow through the line first. To do this, open the plastic clamp on the fluid line. To prevent your floor from getting wet, position a small bowl or cup to catch the fluid as it runs through the line. You could also hold the bag and line over a sink. Fill the drip chamber halfway. The top of the fluid line will have a clear plastic drip chamber. Fluid flows into this chamber before flowing through the rest of the line. Before you start administering the SQ fluids, squeeze the fluid bag to fill the drip chamber until it is about halfway full. Attach a needle to the end of the fluid line. Your vet probably supplied with you several needles to use for administering SQ fluid. The end of each needle will have a plastic or metal hub. Screw this hub into the bottom of the drip line. Keep the needle cap on until you are ready to begin administering fluid to your dog. Needles come in different sizes. Your vet will have chosen the size needle that will be most comfortable for your dog. The larger the needle, the faster the flow of fluid; however, larger needles to cause more discomfort when entering the skin. Hang the fluid bag. The fluid bag should hang a few feet above your dog to ensure a good flow of fluid. Take your metal coat hanger and slightly straighten the hook (there can still be some curve in the hook). Next, slide the opening in the top of the fluid bag through the coat hanger hook. Hang the coat hanger on the top of a door in the area where you will be administering the SQ fluids. Position your dog comfortably. Fortunately, most pets don't mind receiving SQ fluids. The entire process can take anywhere from five to 15 minutes, so you will want to your dog to get comfortable before you start giving the fluids. Pet and talk to your dog to help them become more comfortable. Do not 'prep' the skin by rubbing it with alcohol. Alcohol does not sterilize the skin. Also, the coldness of the alcohol will feel very uncomfortable to your dog when you insert the needle. Create a skin tent. Making a skin tent will make it easier for you to place the needle just under the skin. With your nondominant hand, gently pull up your dog's scruff (skin just behind the neck) with your thumb and index finger. Have the 'triangles' of the tent in line with your dog's spine, rather than going from side to side. If you have someone assisting you, have them remove the needle cap while you are making the skin tent. If you are administering the SQ fluids on your own, you can remove the needle cap before making the skin tent; however, make sure the needle does not touch anything before you insert it into the skin. Do not try to remove the cap with your mouth. Insert the needle into the tent. Hold the needle hub with your dominant hand. Position it behind the skin tent so it's parallel with your dog's spine (facing one of the tent triangles), with the hole of the needle facing up. Gently push the needle forward as you move the skin tent backward to meet the needle. Once the needle is under the skin, you can release the scruff. You will feel a 'punch' as the needle enters the skin. Do not hesitate when inserting the needle. This will slow the insertion and possibly cause discomfort for your dog. Because the needle is extremely sharp, your dog probably will only feel a slight prick, or nothing at all, when you insert it. Open the clamp on the fluid line. With the needle under the skin, begin administering the fluid. Open the clamp on the fluid line by rolling the wheel on the clamp. The fluid should flow smoothly. If it is not flowing smoothly, or not flowing at all, it could be because the needle is not positioned well under the skin. Gently reposition the needle, without taking it out, until you see the fluid flow smoothly. Administer the prescribed amount of fluid. Your vet will have prescribed how much SQ fluid to give your dog. On average, a dog or cat can receive 50 – 200 milliliters (mL) of fluid at one time. The amount of fluid your dog receives will depend on how dehydrated they are. Fluid bags typically contain one liter (1,000 mL) of fluid. The space between the numbers on the bag indicate 100 mL's of fluid. Consider marking the bag with a marker to make it easier to see how much fluid to administer. Or, you could ask one of the vet's staff members to mark the bag for you. Watch for a fluid lump under your dog’s skin. As the fluid flows under the skin, a lump will start to form. Do not be alarmed! This is completely normal. When you finish administering the SQ fluids, it will take about four to 12 hours, or as long as 24 hours, for your dog's body to absorb the fluids and for the lump to disappear. If you see the fluid on your dog's fur rather the lump under the skin, that means the needle has gone through the skin (not that the lump has burst). Gently pull the needle back so it goes under the skin. If the fluid lump has not disappeared by the time you get ready to administer fluids again, contact your vet. When giving large volumes of SQ fluid, spread it over several different sites. Pet and talk to your dog. Petting and talking to your dog can help your dog feel comfortable while they are receiving the SQ fluids. Those activities can also keep your dog pleasantly distracted during the process. Below are some things you can say to your dog: "You're being such a good dog!" "This will be over soon. Just stay still for a little while longer." You can also tell your dog about your day. End the fluid administration. When your dog has received the prescribed amount of fluids, close the plastic clamp, then carefully recap and remove the needle. Do not throw the used needle in your regular trash. Instead, contact your vet for guidance on how to properly dispose of the needles. Your vet may advise you to return the used needles to the veterinary clinic. You might a see little fluid leak out when you remove the needle. The fluid may contain some blood. This is normal. If you see the leakage, put pressure on the area until the leakage stops. Place a new needle on the fluid line to prepare for the next fluid administration. Administer the fluids in a different site each time. Choose a different location on your dog's body to administer the SQ fluids. This will prevent one area from getting too sore from the needle insertion. Whichever area you choose, make sure you can pull up a lot of skin to create the tent. The larger the tent, the more fluid can go in that one area. | Organize all equipment in one area. Remove all packaging. Check the color and temperature of the SQ fluid. Connect the drip line to the fluid bag. Allow fluid to flow through the line. Fill the drip chamber halfway. Attach a needle to the end of the fluid line. Hang the fluid bag. Position your dog comfortably. Create a skin tent. Insert the needle into the tent. Open the clamp on the fluid line. Administer the prescribed amount of fluid. Watch for a fluid lump under your dog’s skin. Pet and talk to your dog. End the fluid administration. Administer the fluids in a different site each time. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Ants-from-Coming-Into-Your-Home | How to Stop Ants from Coming Into Your Home | To stop ants from coming into your home, start by following the trail of ants to see where they're getting in. Once you've determined how they're entering, create a barrier around it with salt, which will dry ants out and kill them. You can also use double-sided tape wherever you suspects ants are coming in, because they'll get stuck to it and won't be able to enter. If that doesn't work, use scents that ants don't like, such as peppermint oil, cloves, or bay leaves, to deter ants from your home. | Seal off all entrance areas. Since ants are tiny, they can find thousands of tiny doorways into your residence. Some of them are easy to identify; others will only be discovered when there's a parade of ants marching through them. First, figure out where the ants are entering the house: follow the trail of ants to see where they're entering and leaving your home. Seal all the entrance holes that you can find using silicone caulk, putty, glue or plaster. Temporary methods might include petroleum jelly or poster tack. If you use a temporary sealant, like poster tack, only do so until you can fill the space with a more permanent solution. A weaker material will deteriorate over time, and the gap will open up again. Seal cracks with caulk. Close the gaps around windows, doors, and walls. Block off any space that might permit passage to an ant army. Your sealing efforts will be most effective if you're thorough. An additional benefit of sealing off your home: more effective temperature control, and thus lower energy bills. Plus, this is one of the least risky methods where kids or pets are concerned. Line suspected entryways with anti-ant substances. This is a somewhat more aggressive tactic than simply caulking up the cracks. You can create barriers of chemicals and powders that repel— even kill— unwitting ants. Consider diatomaceous earth, salt, and even commercial ant poisons. This might function as a form of baiting. Diatomaceous earth is a fine powder that kills ants by pulling all the moisture from their bodies. It works by absorbing moisture from the ant itself, but it's best used in dry environments. You also don't want anyone in the house (especially pets and children) sniffing it up. Try using salt. It has a similar drying-out effect on ants, especially if they carry it back to their nests. You can spread it under doors, near windows, and along the edges of your walls. Make a tape barrier. Line your kitchen with adhesive tape, sticky-side up. No poison or messy powders necessary. When ants try to climb over the tape, they may stick to the adhesive – effectively stopping them in their tracks. Make sure that the ants can't crawl under the tape; try using double-sided tape, or taping the back of the tape to your floors, walls, and counters so that there is no room for ants underneath. Try making a barrier from talcum powder. Talc in various forms is thought to deter ants, although the mechanism is poorly understood. Tailor's chalk and baby powder usually contain talc, so you can use them to create a barrier for ants. Regardless of which form of talc you use: keep in mind that talc has been called out as a potential carcinogen. Many sources recommend using normal chalk; however, this is made of gypsum, not talc. This misconception could be the result of confusion with "ant chalk", which is an insecticide that looks just like normal chalk. It was outlawed in the US in the 1990s, but you may still be able to find it in certain underground markets. Some baby powder brands are made of corn starch, so they will not work effectively against ants. Check the ingredients before you build your barrier. Try using nontoxic ant deterrents. You can also defend your home with scents and substances that ants don't like. Consider some combination of vinegar, peppermint oil, cinnamon, black pepper, cayenne pepper, whole cloves, and bay leaves. Be careful where you place your deterrents: keep peppers and spicy things away from curious pets and children. Squish the scouts. Colonies regularly send out lone ants to check for food sources. If you see an individual ant strolling across your coffee table, don't let it make it back to the nest alive. It'll tell the colony where you spilled the apple juice. If the scout makes it back to the nest and brings back some friends, they'll be following a scent trail, single file. Unless you're ready to bait them and wait them out – squish them all, and do it quickly. Spray the trail with an all-purpose cleaner or a bleach solution, then wipe it up with a wet paper towel. Spraying the nest can be effective, but you want to make sure that you get them all. If you only kill part of the colony, you may simply encourage some species of ant to establish new colonies – which ultimately won't stop ants from coming into your home. For a less hands-on solution, vacuum them all up. Then, vacuum some talcum powder or diatomaceous earth to finish off the ants inside the vacuum cleaner. This second step is important: make sure that the ants don't survive their trip into the vacuum! In a pinch, just use your hands or a damp towel. Squish the ants or wipe them into oblivion. You don't need any fancy methods to eliminate the scouts. Use water. If the ants are all over the floor, throw some water over them and wipe them up with a paper towel. If ants are on your bed, get a good handful of paper towels and a cup of water. Dip the towels into the water. Squeeze to let out all the extra water— you don't want to be sleeping on a soppy bed&mdash, and then wipe them all up. Repeat this process as needed. You might need to do it many times to rid your home of all the ants. Bring down the nest. If ants continue to raid your home, you're going to have to raid theirs. If you're able to locate the nest, you can pour several gallons of boiling water into it to instantly kill most of the insects within. If you don't know where they're coming from, your best alternative is to bait them. Kill the queen. The most permanent way to get rid of ants is to destroy their source: the ant queen. The queen produces a large number of ants, and she gives direction to the nest. Destroy the queen, and you'll scatter the ants. You can find the queen at the center of the ant nest. Follow the trail of ants back to the nest, if possible. Consider hiring an exterminator. If the trail of ant-workers disappears into the wall of your kitchen, you'll find it much more difficult to trace. An exterminator can do this for you. Don't leave food out. These ants are coming into your home because there is something there for them: a food source or a warm environment. If you have a very dirty house, ants will multiply – so make sure that you clean daily. The cleaner you keep the house, the less they'll have to eat, and the more they'll look elsewhere for sustenance. Wipe down all surfaces. Spray tables and counter-tops with a mild bleach or vinegar solution. Make sure you keep up with a regular cleaning regimen: sweep, mop, and vacuum at least a few days each week. If you do accidentally leave something out, take the opportunity to trace the trail of ants back to their source. It can be tempting to wipe out a swarm immediately – but try to think long-term about the problem. Remember that all it takes is one ant. If you see a lone ant roaming your counters, it is acting as a scout. It is scoping out your kitchen for scents and food sources. If this ant discovers a perceived food source—even just a sticky sweet spot on the counter-top—it will carry the information back to its nest, and you'll have an infestation on your hands. Store food in airtight containers. Even if you've stashed your food in a cupboard, ants can still find their way in through the smallest of holes. If they can smell it and reach it, then they will swarm it. Putting food in airtight containers has the added bonus of keeping the food fresher. Consider buying Tupperware or another brand of standardized, sealed containers. It may be easier to keep track of your containers (lids and bottoms) if you're using a uniform set. Consider washing out resealable containers, then reusing them to store food. This might be a resealable yogurt tub, or a plastic takeout box, or even a lightly-used Ziploc bag. Keep the sink clean. This means no dirty dishes, no standing water for ants to drink, and no food in the drain. If you clean your hands, food, and dishes in this sink, you want to make sure that it's a safe and sanitary environment. Place pet-food bowls in a slightly larger bowl, then add some water to the larger bowl. This creates a moat around the pet food that the ants can't easily cross. Pick your poison. Mixing boric acid powder or borax with maple syrup is the most common bait; some popular commercial ant poisons essential monetize this mix. Boric acid affects ants both externally (when in powder form; similar to diatomaceous earth) and internally (when ingested). The ants bring the poison (borax or boric acid) with them to the colony and spread it around. If you get the quantity and timing just right, you can wipe out a large colony, but it might take anywhere from several weeks to a few months. Mix the bait carefully. A bait that's too strong will kill the ants before they make it home, and a bait that's too weak will only weaken the colony temporarily. Be intentional about your increments. The idea is for the poison to spread all throughout the colony before it begins to kill the unwitting ants. The boric acid kills the ants; the water dilutes the boric acid; and the sugar attracts the ants. Try the following recipes: Mix 1 cup water, 2 cups sugar, and 2 tablespoons boric acid. Mix 3 cups of water, 1 cup of sugar, and 4 teaspoons of boric acid. Administer the bait. Try letting the mixture sit in an upturned lid or a low dish for easy access. If you have pets or small children, leave the bait in a container that will allow ants to enter, but isn't wide enough for larger creatures to get at the poison. Carefully shake the poison into the bottom of a metal can. Crush one side of the can, but leave a gap that is just thin enough for ants to get inside. Wait for the ants to show up. Remove any deterrents, if you used them; the idea of baiting is to attract the ants so that they'll defeat themselves. Don't lure new ants with the bait, or else you might attract new colonies. Move the bait closer and closer to the nest. Once there's a line of busy ant scavengers, place the bait next to the trail. The mass of ants will shift to swirl around the bait. Keep moving it further from your kitchen and closer to where the ants are entering your home. Be careful not to place the bait directly on top of the ant trail. You'll confuse them and interrupt their march home, making your baiting strategy less effective. | Seal off all entrance areas. Seal cracks with caulk. Line suspected entryways with anti-ant substances. Make a tape barrier. Try making a barrier from talcum powder. Try using nontoxic ant deterrents. Squish the scouts. Use water. Bring down the nest. Kill the queen. Don't leave food out. Remember that all it takes is one ant. Store food in airtight containers. Keep the sink clean. Pick your poison. Mix the bait carefully. Administer the bait. Wait for the ants to show up. Move the bait closer and closer to the nest. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Tandoor-(Clay)-Oven | How to Make a Tandoor (Clay) Oven | Clay ovens are great for cooking bread, naans, and kabobs. To make your own, you'll need regular bricks, small bricks, an angle grinder with a ceramic blade or a ceramic saw, coals, lava rocks, and 3 terracotta pots of different sizes. Once you've gathered all of your materials, you'll need to stack the pots inside each other with the last one upside down. Place the stacked pots on top of a platform of bricks and place the lava rocks and coal inside the pots. You'll light the coals and cook food above the heat. | Collect 3 clay pots in nesting sizes. Purchase a 24 by 22 in (61 by 56 cm) pot, a 13 by 12 in (33 by 30 cm) pot, and a 12 by 10 in (30 by 25 cm) pot. Make sure the pots are all made out of clay. You can find clay pots at most garden supply stores. Remove the bottom of your medium pot with an angle grinder. Put a 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide piece of masking tape around the bottom of your medium-sized pot. Use an angle grinder to cut the bottom off of the pot following the top line of the tape. Set the bottom of the medium pot aside to use later. Drill 4 holes around the circumference of the bottom of the large pot. Flip the large pot over so that it is resting firmly on the ground. Use a drill bit that is strong enough to drill through concrete. Make 4 holes around the large hole that is already in your pot, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of space between the holes and the outer edge. Space them out so that they don't connect and be sure that the bottom of your pot does not get compromised. You can also use a masonry drill bit to create the holes. Create 4 holes around the circumference of the bottom of the small pot. Flip the smallest pot over so that it rests firmly on the ground. Use the same concrete drill bit to create 4 evenly spaced holes around the hole already in the pot. Leave about 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) between the holes and the outer edge of the pot. Place a few pieces of a broken brick underneath of the large pot. Smash a brick with a sledge hammer into 3 or 4 large pieces. Set these pieces on the ground where you'd like to put your Tandoor oven. Place your largest pot on top of the bricks, making sure that the hole at the bottom of the pot is not covered by any brick pieces. If you don't have any old bricks, you can use a few flat rocks as long as they are all the same height. Set up your oven on brick or concrete so that you don't burn your grass. Place a few pieces of broken-up brick into the large pot. If you need to, smash another brick with a sledge hammer. Put 3 to 4 pieces in the bottom of the largest clay pot. Do not place any brick pieces on the hole in the middle of the pot. The hole in the middle of the pot allows airflow when the fire is going. If you cover it up, the fire will extinguish itself. Put the smallest pot on top of the bricks inside of the large pot. Carefully place the smallest pot inside of the large pot. Line up the holes in each pot as well as you can. Make sure the small pot is balanced evenly on the bricks and it doesn't wobble. Prevent the small pot from wobbling by making sure your bricks are laid with the flat side down. Turn the medium pot upside down and put it over the small pot. Place the medium pot snugly over the small pot so that the medium pot hugs the sides of the small pot. Make sure the medium pot is flat and doesn't wobble around. Fill the excess space with lava rocks or vermiculite. Pour a bag of whichever substance you choose into the excess space around the medium and small pot. Fill up your large pot to its brim with rocks. Make sure there is little airflow or excess space in between the rocks. You can purchase lava rocks or vermiculite at most garden supply stores. Vermiculite is a mineral that expands when it is heated. Lava rocks are larger, so you will need less of them to fill your space. Light charcoal in the bottom of your small pot. Place a handful of charcoal at the very bottom of the small pot through the opening in the medium-sized pot. Use a match or a lighter to light your coals. Wait until the fire catches and burns for about 5 minutes to reach a high temperature. You can buy charcoal at most grocery stores. Put skewers of meat and vegetables inside of the medium pot. Tandoor ovens work very well on small pieces of meat that are broken up and put onto wooden or metal skewers. Leave about 1 inch (2.5 cm) at the end of your skewer empty. Place your skewers into your medium pot with the empty portion sticking into the coals. Traditionally, Tandoor ovens were used to cook chicken, beef, and lamb. Place the bottom of the medium pot back onto itself. If you leave the Tandoor open, it becomes just like a grill. Place the bottom part of the medium pot back on top of itself to trap in the heat and smoke. Remove it once your food has cooked and enjoy your skewers! Let the charcoal burn until it is ash. After you are done cooking, allow your charcoal to burn itself out until it is no longer hot. Depending on the heat of your fire, this could take several hours. Do not leave your Tandoor oven unattended while the charcoal is still burning. Feel the sides of the large pot to tell when it is cool. Guide the ashes through the holes of the small pot with a stick. Place a dish underneath your Tandoor oven to catch any ashes. Use a stick to guide the ashes through the holes in the bottom of your oven onto the dish. Throw away the ashes once your oven is clean. Never clean your Tandoor oven while it is hot. Store your Tandoor oven in a covered outdoor area. Clay pots are fairly sturdy, and they can withstand some slight weathering. Keep your Tandoor oven outside underneath a shelter that will shield it from the worst of the rain or snow. If you live in a mild climate, you can keep your oven uncovered. You can also store your Tandoor oven inside of a shed. | Collect 3 clay pots in nesting sizes. Remove the bottom of your medium pot with an angle grinder. Drill 4 holes around the circumference of the bottom of the large pot. Create 4 holes around the circumference of the bottom of the small pot. Place a few pieces of a broken brick underneath of the large pot. Place a few pieces of broken-up brick into the large pot. Put the smallest pot on top of the bricks inside of the large pot. Turn the medium pot upside down and put it over the small pot. Fill the excess space with lava rocks or vermiculite. Light charcoal in the bottom of your small pot. Put skewers of meat and vegetables inside of the medium pot. Place the bottom of the medium pot back onto itself. Let the charcoal burn until it is ash. Guide the ashes through the holes of the small pot with a stick. Store your Tandoor oven in a covered outdoor area. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Drunk-Fast | How to Get Drunk Fast | To get drunk fast, choose drinks that have a higher alcohol content, which should be listed on the side of the bottle or can. Also, go with hard liquor over beer or wine since liquor has more alcohol in it. If you prefer mixed drinks, get carbonated drinks with diet mixers, like diet soda, since they get you drunker. You should also stick with a light meal before drinking instead of something heavy, which will help your body absorb alcohol faster. Just remember that drinking too much too quickly, or drinking on an empty stomach, increases your chances of alcohol poisoning, so it's important that you know your limits. | Keep an eye on alcohol content. Different beers, ciders, and other hard drinks have different alcohol content. If you want to get drunk faster, go for drinks with a higher alcohol content. You can usually see the alcohol content on the side of a bottle. A higher percentage means the drink is likely to get you drunk faster. Beers with higher alcohol contents often have around 15-18% alcohol. They may come from smaller, more independent breweries as opposed to larger companies. Even beers with around 11% alcohol content are quite potent. If you can't find something in the 15-18% range, see if you can find anything at around 11% alcohol. Remember your limits. A few strong beers can really set you over the edge. Slow down the pace of you're drinking when you feel buzzed. If you start to feel very dizzy or sick, this is a sign you need to stop drinking. You do not want to end up ill from alcohol. Opt for a diet spirits with liquors. Mixing spirits with diet mixers, like diet soda, gets you drunk faster. This may be because regular sodas are recognized as food, slowing down the body's absorption of alcohol. The body may not treat diet soda as food, allowing the alcohol to be absorbed quicker. People do not necessarily notice they're getting drunk faster when mixing spirits with diet mixers. If you're mixing liquor with diet soda, make sure to be aware you may be drunker than you realize. Try bubbly drinks. Bubbly drinks may get you drunk faster. If you're looking to get drunk fast, and like champagne and spritzers, order a bubbly drink. Bubbly drinks include champagne, sparkling wine, spritzers, and drinks mixed with tonic water. Choose hard liquors over beer. Hard liquors can get you drunk faster than beer or wine, as they have a higher alcohol content. Doing shots can be particularly useful, as you'll be absorbing high alcohol products very fast. Vodka in particular has been shown to increase the speed of intoxication. Try drinking hard liquors if you're looking to get drunk fast. Keep in mind, depending on the bar, drinks will be stronger or weaker. Some bartenders may, for example, give you considerably more than a single serving of liquor in a mixed drink. You can also ask for a double of something. This will allow you to get two servings in a single drink. If you're drinking more, and faster, this will allow you to get drunk quicker. Liquor has a very high alcohol content. Overdoing it on liquor can land you sick. Try to stick to only one or two hard drinks. Go into drinking relaxed. High stress levels can slow intoxication. If you're doing something stressful while drinking, or feel stressed going into the situation, this could affect your buzz. Try to calm down just before a night drinking. Before going out, do something that normally relaxes you. Watch your favorite television show. Read a book. Do some deep breathing techniques. Go out drinking with friends that decrease your stress level, rather than increase it. If you're with friends that tend to stress you out, you may not get as drunk as quickly. Eat lightly prior to drinking. You should never drink on an empty stomach. This is very dangerous. However, do not eat a huge meal before a night of drinking. Food slows down your body's ability to absorb alcohol. If you start drinking just after a large meal, it may take you longer to get drunk. Have a light meal a few hours before drinking. Go for something like a salad with chicken, a light sandwich, a serving of fish, or a small serving of pasta. Never drink on an empty stomach. While this will definitely get you drunk fast, it increases the likelihood of you getting sick from drinking. Drinking on an empty stomach can be very damaging to your health. Drink in a group. If you're drinking with friends, you're more likely to drink fast. People finish their drinks quicker when in a large group. Drinking faster gets you drunk quicker, and also increases the amount you'll drink throughout the night. All of this can result in achieving a greater buzz faster. Do not neglect to track your drinks, however. It's easy to accidentally overdo it when drinking in a group, especially if you're around people with a higher alcohol tolerance. Be aware of how you're feeling when you drink. If you start feeling uncomfortable, it's time to stop even if your friends want to drink more. Choose a curved glass. Drinking out of a regular beer glass may inhibit your ability to get drunk. Curved or fluted glasses may get you drunk faster. This is because it's difficult to measure the halfway point in a curved glass versus a straight glass. You will drink faster, as you'll be unsure of how much you're drinking. If you're drinking at a bar, you may be served curved glasses if you order beer or champagne. If you're drinking at home, try picking up a few cheap curved glasses at local supermarket or department store. Know your limits. If you want to get drunk fast, you need to know your limits. You do not want to end up getting sick. Be aware of how much you can drink and still keep yourself in check. You may know your limits from previous experiences drinking. For example, you know you start to feel sick and lose memory around the four drink mark. If you're new to drinking, you may be unsure of your limits. Try to be aware of what you're feeling. If you start to feel physically ill, or very dizzy, this is a sign you should stop. You can also ask a friend to look out for you, and let you know when you seem to be losing control. You want to remain in control of the situation, even if you're drunk. This can be harder to do if you're attempting to get drunk fast. If you feel yourself becoming very inebriated, take a break for a bit. You do not need to keep chugging alcohol throughout the night to keep your buzz going. You should stop once you feel drunk. Do not drink on a completely empty stomach. Many people avoid food before drinking in order to get drunk faster. This is never a good idea. Always eat something, even something small, prior to drinking. You should also snack throughout the night. Go for high protein foods, like nuts or cheeses. Strive for moderation in most circumstances. Getting drunk once in awhile can be fun, especially in a social event. However, in the long run, alcohol abuse can cause damage to your overall health. During most events, stick to one or two drinks. This will keep you safe and healthy. Check your medications before drinking. Alcohol can interfere with certain medications. If you're going to be getting drunk, check the labels of all your medications. Make sure they do not interact poorly with alcohol. Avoid taking painkillers after a night of drinking. These can interact poorly with alcohol and cause damage to your liver and other organs. Painkillers with acetaminophen can be particularly dangerous. | Keep an eye on alcohol content. Opt for a diet spirits with liquors. Try bubbly drinks. Choose hard liquors over beer. Go into drinking relaxed. Eat lightly prior to drinking. Drink in a group. Choose a curved glass. Know your limits. Do not drink on a completely empty stomach. Strive for moderation in most circumstances. Check your medications before drinking. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Cancel-Medi%E2%80%90Cal | How to Cancel Medi‐Cal | To cancel Medi-Cal, you'll need to fill out a form or contact your local county office. You can download a request for withdrawal form from the California Department of Healthcare Services website. When you fill out the form, provide the reason for your withdrawal application, which could be that you're starting a new job and will be insured by your employer. Then, you'll have to submit your form at your local county office in person. Alternatively, call up your local county office and explain you want to withdraw from Medi-Cal. A social worker will set up a meeting and tell you what information you need to bring to withdraw your application. | Review the list of changes you're required to report. If you're enrolled in Medi-Cal, you must report any change to the information you provided on your initial application. Some changes, such as an increase in income, will affect your eligibility for Medi-Cal. You must report the following within 10 days: Any change that affects your household size, such as marriage or divorce, adoption or birth of a child Any change that affects your income, such as gaining or losing a job Changes in citizenship or immigration status Change of address or incarceration Any change in disability status Contact your local county office. If the information you provided on your application has changed, you must report that change to your local county office. Call the office ahead of time for instructions on how to proceed. County office contact information is available at http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi-cal/Pages/CountyOffices.aspx.. When you get a social worker on the phone, tell them that you want to report a change to your Medi-Cal information. Ask specifically what documents you'll need to bring with you when you go to the office, and write down what the social worker says. Take down the social worker's name in case you have any questions or issues later. Gather documentation. You'll have to provide documentation of the change when you report it. You'll save time and prevent multiple trips if you get your proof together before you go to your local county office. You can find a list of acceptable documents on the MyBenefitsCalWin website. If you haven't already, register for a free account on the website by going to https://www.mybenefitscalwin.org/web/consortium/home. Complete forms at your local county office. Typically you are expected to appear in person at the local county office if you want to report a change. Most county offices use standard forms that are the same throughout the state, but some have their own forms. There are some standard forms available on the MyBenefitsCalWin website. If your local county office uses these forms, you can download these and fill them out ahead of time. Apply for new health insurance. If you're no longer eligible for Medi-Cal based on the changes you reported, you'll get a Notice of Action in the mail letting you know that your Medi-Cal coverage is being terminated. The Notice of Action includes the date your Medi-Cal coverage will be terminated. You can apply for new health insurance with Covered California during a special enrollment period, but you only have 60 days from the date of termination. If you don't pick a new health insurance plan within 60 days of the date your Medi-Cal coverage ends, your special enrollment period will lapse and you'll have to wait until the open enrollment period to get coverage. Contact your local county office. If you report a change, you have to wait for your eligibility to be evaluated. If you want to end your Medi-Cal coverage immediately, you may be able to do this by withdrawing your application. Find contact information for your local county office at http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi-cal/Pages/CountyOffices.aspx. Call ahead and explain that you want to withdraw your application for Medi-Cal. The social worker will tell you what you need to bring with you to the office. You also may need to schedule an appointment. Take notes during the phone call and get the name of the social worker you talk to. Complete a request for withdrawal form. There is a standard form you must fill out with your name and contact information. This form states that you want to withdraw your application for Medi-Cal, effective immediately. You must provide the reason you want to withdraw your application and discontinue Medi-Cal coverage. For example, if you've gotten a new job and will have health insurance coverage through that job, you may want to cancel Medi-Cal immediately. You can download the form from the California Department of Health Care Services at http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/formsandpubs/forms/Forms/mc215.pdf. Submit your form to your local county office. You must submit your request for withdrawal at your local county office in person. If you downloaded the form from the internet, bring your original signed form with you. You can also go into your local county office and ask for a form to fill out there. When you submit your completed, signed form to the social worker, the original will be placed in your file. The social worker will give you a copy for your records. Apply for new health insurance. Once your Medi-Cal coverage is discontinued, you only have 60 days from the date it ends to start new health insurance. Unless you're getting health insurance through work, start a new plan as quickly as possible. To avoid being uninsured for any period of time, your new plan must start before your Medi-Cal plan ends. Check the dates carefully on the Notice of Action you receive. Even though you have 60 days to start a new plan, you still might have a gap in coverage if you wait until the end of that period to enroll. Contact Covered California before the end of the month. To avoid a gap in your health insurance coverage, you need to enroll in a new plan as soon as possible. Since health insurance plans start at the beginning of the month, try to contact Covered California before the end of the month your Medi-Cal is ending. Visit the Covered California website at http://www.coveredca.com if you want to enroll in a new plan online. You can also call Covered California and apply over the phone. The toll-free number is 1-800-300-1506. Operators are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. If you want to work with a certified enrollment counselor in person, you can visit your county social services office. Choose a new Covered California plan. After answering a few questions about yourself and your household, you'll see a list of plans available to you. Read through these plans carefully and compare them to decide which one you want. If you have any questions about coverage, or don't understand how a plan works, talk to a certified enrollment counselor. Pay your Covered California premium. Once you choose your new Covered California plan, the first premium will typically be due on the first of the next month. You can arrange for automatic payments, and this amount will be withdrawn from your bank account. If you don't set up automatic payments, you'll get a bill for your premium. That bill will be from the insurance company that administers the plan you selected – not from Covered California. Your new plan will be cancelled if you don't pay your premium by the due date. When your plan is cancelled for failure to pay, you are not eligible for another special enrollment period. You'll have to wait until the next open enrollment period to get health coverage. | Review the list of changes you're required to report. Contact your local county office. Gather documentation. Complete forms at your local county office. Apply for new health insurance. Contact your local county office. Complete a request for withdrawal form. Submit your form to your local county office. Apply for new health insurance. Contact Covered California before the end of the month. Choose a new Covered California plan. Pay your Covered California premium. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Know-if-Your-Cat-Ate-Something-Toxic | How to Know if Your Cat Ate Something Toxic | To know if your cat ate something toxic, look for signs of gastrointestinal distress, such as vomiting, diarrhea, or frequent urination. You can also check your cat's gums for discoloration or drooling, which are common reactions to a toxic substance. Additionally, pay attention to your cat's behavior and make note of neurological symptoms such as seizures, incoordination, or sudden personality changes. If you notice any of these symptoms, contact your vet to see if you should bring your cat in for treatment. | Watch for gastrointestinal distress. Excessive vomiting, diarrhea, and frequent urination may all be symptoms of poisoning in cats. Watch closely when your cat goes to the bathroom and listen for sounds of heaving. A cat may not experience all of these symptoms, depending upon what sort of toxic substance your cat ingested. Do not wait for multiple symptoms to appear. If you notice any of these symptoms and have reason to believe your cat ate a toxic substance, call your vet immediately. Look around the mouth. Drooling and discolored gums may indicate that your cat has consumed a toxic substance. Gently check the gums by lifting up the cat's cheeks with your finger or thumb and examining the top of the teeth for any unusual color. Cats' gums should normally be a light pink. If the gums are pale, yellowed, dark red, or a muddy brown or bluish hue, these can all indicate that your cat has eaten something toxic. If your cat drools regularly, this alone may not be a symptom. Look for excessive amounts of drool as an indicator of a problem. Evaluate neurological symptoms. Some toxic substances can impact the functionality of your cat's brain, and may cause seizures, incoordination, or a coma. If you notice any neurological symptoms, it is imperative to get your cat to an animal hospital as soon as possible to avoid sustained damage. Neurological symptoms can also include changes in personality such as sudden bursts of excitement or severe lethargy and depression. Monitor the cat’s breathing. Heavy breathing, difficulty inhaling, coughing, and sneezing could all be indicators that your cat has ingested something bad for its health. Closely monitor the rise and fall of your cat's chest, and listen for coughing, hacking, wheezing, and sneezing. Respiratory problems can become fatal quickly. If your cat struggles to breathe, get it to an animal hospital immediately. Check the pantry. While one person calls for help, have another person check the area for potentially toxic substances, if possible. Many common human foods are toxic to cats. Check areas where you store food for signs that your cat may have eaten something they were not supposed to, including: Any alcohols Products with caffeine including food and beverages Chocolate Vegetables from the onion family including common onions, garlic, and chives Grapes or raisins Xylitol, an artificial sweetener found in candies, diet foods, and toothpaste Unbaked bread dough Go through your garden. Both plants and pest control chemicals found in gardens can be toxic to cats. Check to make sure that no rat, gopher, insect, or other pest control poison has been disturbed, and check for bite or chew marks on plants. Common plants that are toxic include: Aloe Amaryllis Azaleas Caladium Lilies Ivy Mistletoe Philodendron Poinsettia If you're not sure that a plant is toxic, take a picture or grab a sample of it so that someone can identify it for you. Inspect medications and chemicals. Medications and household chemicals are some of the most common offenders when it comes to accidental poisoning for household pets. Check the areas where you store medications, cleaning supplies, and other chemicals and check for chew or tamper marks on items like: Antifreeze and motor oil Fertilizers Any household cleaning agent Insecticides, including flea and tick treatment Painkillers such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin Cold, Flu, or cough medication Moth balls Batteries Zinc Take a sample. If you know or can reasonably guess what your cat got into, take the container or a sample of the product to provide for your vet. If no container or sample remains, let the vet know in as much detail as possible what you think your cat consumed. If they eat a small aloe plant, for example, let your vet know, “My cat ate an aloe plant that was about two inches tall and had just been recently planted in a pot with potting soil.” Contact your vet. If your cat is experiencing life-threatening symptoms, such as struggling to breathe or losing consciousness, immediately take them to an animal hospital. If symptoms are not imminently life-threatening, call your vet or an animal hospital right away for further advice. Let your vet know what you think your cat consumed, as well as what symptoms it is exhibiting. Be exhaustive in your descriptions. Follow your vet's advice carefully. They may recommend taking your cat in for an emergency visit, or they may advise a home treatment such as inducing vomiting. Only perform home treatments such as inducing vomiting with your vet's permission and using their careful instructions. Go to an animal hospital. If your cat is exhibiting life-threatening symptoms such as difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, tremors, seizures, or other critical problems, take them to a 24 hour small pet hospital immediately. Check online or call your local Information Services to locate the nearest facility. Symptoms of neurological trauma often require hospitalization. Skip the vet and go straight to the emergency and critical care hospital if your cat is exhibiting signs of neurological problems. Cat-proof your house. Once you and your cat return home, move those things that you don't want your cat getting into to locked areas or closed-off spaces. Place child safety locks on cabinets where you keep chemicals, and move all food behind a closed door. If your cat got into a plant that made it sick, consider moving houseplants outside to a yard or patio. If your cat is allowed outside, you may want to put fencing and a cover over the planted areas. | Watch for gastrointestinal distress. Look around the mouth. Evaluate neurological symptoms. Monitor the cat’s breathing. Check the pantry. Go through your garden. Inspect medications and chemicals. Take a sample. Contact your vet. Go to an animal hospital. Cat-proof your house. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-an-MBA | How to Get an MBA | Getting an MBA can open doors for you as a businessperson, whether you want to start your own business or work for someone else. To get started, look for business schools that are a good fit for your professional goals. Then, apply to multiple schools, emphasizing your best qualities and real-world work experience on your application. You'll also want to include professional recommendations from current and recent employers and write an essay that shows why you're a good fit for the school. | Get a bachelor’s degree in a subject that interests you. Since the MBA is such a broad graduate degree, you can choose practically any major. Think about what you want to do after you get your MBA and choose your major based on that. If you are interested in starting your own robotics company, you might choose a mechanical engineering degree. If your goal is to be Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of a major corporation, you might major in accounting. Participate in extracurriculars in college. Your extracurricular activities don't have to be related to business. When you apply to business school, the admissions board will want to see that you were active in areas outside of just school. It's better to focus on one or two activities that you're really passionate about rather than several all at once. You might think it will look better on your business school application, but it could end up looking like you stretched yourself thin. Take the GMAT or GRE. The GMAT is the most popular standardized test for getting into business school, but many business schools will accept either the GMAT or the GRE. The GMAT emphasizes quantitative data, such as math skills, while the GRE has a stronger emphasis on vocabulary. Take a diagnostic exam for each test to see which one you'll do best on. You can take either test multiple times if you don't get the score you want on the first try. Plan to spend 3-6 months preparing for this exam. Your score will be a major factor in whether or not you're accepted to your top choice for business school, so don't wait until the last minute to start preparing. Take a prep course, hire a tutor, or study with friends who are also hoping to go to business school. Get real-world work experience. Most MBA programs don't hire candidates who are straight out of an undergraduate program. If you want to go straight from college into business school, having a job during college that will show the admissions board that you already have some business knowledge. Otherwise, plan to work for at least a year or two before going into an MBA program. Any job which requires business skills will be helpful, but office jobs are especially preferred. Research schools to find the right match for your goals and experience. You should spend a lot of time thinking of what you hope to get out of business school during the research process. Be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses, and find schools which are a good match for your unique academic and professional goals. Choose schools which are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools or Business (AACSB) to appeal to more employers after school. Examine the cost of an MBA to make sure it's right for you. Business school is expensive, so you should be sure this is the path for you before you enroll. You should have a clear idea of the career you hope to have after graduation, as well as your salary expectations and how long it will take you to pay off any loans. In 2017, tuition at the top 20 business schools in the country was $40,000 or higher, and this doesn't include the cost of room and board or books. The cost is lower at smaller schools, but you're still likely to pay upwards of $10,000 per year for a decent education. Ask your employer to sponsor your MBA if you plan to stay with the company long-term. Some companies will sponsor promising employees who want to get an MBA, seeing it as an investment in the company's future. You may have to sign an agreement to stay with the company for a set amount of time after you graduate. Look for a program which fits your schedule. Do you want to go to school full-time to finish faster, or do you need to attend class part-time so you can still work? Some schools offer executive MBAs for business professionals, and other schools have online MBA programs. Apply to at least 4 business schools. To increase your chances of being selected for an interview, apply to at least 4 schools, but no more than 6. Choose at least 1 school whose minimum requirements are a little bit of a stretch for you (known as a “reach” school). Also choose at least 1 safety school, or school that you are sure you could get into but which isn't your first choice. Build a business school resume. Your application to business school should be similar to a resume for job seekers, but it will also include an essay stating what you hope to accomplish by obtaining an MBA. List your best qualities and skills, as well as professional references and relevant work experience. Choose current and recent employers to write recommendation letters. Someone you worked for over a summer in high school is not as strong of a reference as your most recent employer. Try to build relationships with your employers from the beginning of your employment. This way, their letter will seem more natural and personal. If you don't have recent work experience, ask your college professors to write you letters of reference. Write your MBA essay. Your MBA essay should show the admissions board your personality as well as your reason for wanting to attend their business school. You should write a unique essay for each school, demonstrating why your skills and experience make you a good fit for their program. The length of the essay may vary depending on the school, so check their requirements. Use a cordial tone throughout the essay but don't be too familiar. You want to seem friendly but still professional and confident but not cocky. Be your authentic self. Admissions board members go through a lot of applications, so you'll need to emphasize what makes you unique in order to really stand out. Use objective evidence of your past successes and experience to show why you would be a value to their program. Avoid using too much technical language in your essay. The person reading your essay might not know much about the industries you've worked in, so use plain language to ensure they'll know exactly what you're talking about. Prepare for an interview. If your application is successful, you'll be asked to interview before you're accepted. Be prepared to answer questions about your education and work history as well as personal questions about your hobbies and history. Practice answering the interview questions out loud, either with a friend or by yourself in the mirror. Common interview questions might include "Why are you interested in this program? ", "What are your strengths and weaknesses?", and "Tell us about a time you took a leadership role." When you're in the interview, be sure you fully answer all of the questions. Don't get off track or attempt to avoid answering a question. Complete your coursework. Once you're accepted into the MBA program, you'll likely be required to take courses in accounting, economics, marketing, management, international business, and business law. Focus on passing each class, even the ones you don't love. Set aside time each day to study in a quiet place that's free of distractions. Take classes out of your comfort zone. The point of going to business school is to push yourself beyond what you already know, so take a few classes that are innovative or especially challenging to you. You might not think you'd benefit from a class centering on the microfinance of the Deutsche Bank, but you would be surprised at how applicable some of the information may be. Keep an open mind about your future. As you progress through business school, you'll be exposed to new ideas and approaches to business. Most schools bring in companies during the recruitment process to show students what it's like to work in different fields. You might go into business school planning to become a banker and leave with a passion for helping fund startups, so keep an open mind throughout the MBA process. Go on informational interviews. As you start to narrow down your career focus, contact business professionals in fields you're interested in and ask them for informational interviews. These are informal interviews where you ask questions about what the professional's work day is like and their perspective on their industry. This is an excellent way to find out what it's really like to work in a specific field. Be social to make the most of networking. Business school is a great place to make connections that can help you throughout your career. Make the most of social events, study groups, and team projects — you never know which of your classmates (or professors) might end up being a successful entrepreneur! Keep up with your extracurriculars. Make time for the things you love outside of school. Business school is busy and difficult, and having an activity you enjoy can help relieve your stress. Maintaining an extracurricular activity through business school will also show potential employers that you are versatile and capable of handling pressure. | Get a bachelor’s degree in a subject that interests you. Participate in extracurriculars in college. Take the GMAT or GRE. Get real-world work experience. Research schools to find the right match for your goals and experience. Examine the cost of an MBA to make sure it's right for you. In 2017, tuition at the top 20 business schools in the country was $40,000 or higher, and this doesn't include the cost of room and board or books. Ask your employer to sponsor your MBA if you plan to stay with the company long-term. Look for a program which fits your schedule. Apply to at least 4 business schools. Build a business school resume. Choose current and recent employers to write recommendation letters. Write your MBA essay. Prepare for an interview. Common interview questions might include "Why are you interested in this program? Complete your coursework. Take classes out of your comfort zone. Keep an open mind about your future. Go on informational interviews. Be social to make the most of networking. Keep up with your extracurriculars. |
https://www.wikihow.com/Deal-With-a-Neighbor%27s-Barking-Dog | How to Deal With a Neighbor's Barking Dog | To deal with a neighbor's barking dog, keep in mind that your neighbor might not even be aware that their dog is barking so much. Before you take further action, let your neighbors know about the barking and give them a reasonable amount of time to address the issue. If the barking persists, talk to your neighbor again and kindly suggest some anti-barking strategies, like extra daily exercise or training sessions. If all else fails, you may need to call animal control or the non-emergency number for your local police to report the issue. | Find a good time to visit your neighbor. You want to set the stage for a nice talk about the dog without him getting defensive. The best way to do this is to make initial contact at a time that he doesn't feel caught off guard. Make sure you phrase this first interaction as finding a time you can both talk. Then, if he is happy to talk about it right then and there, you may be able to settle the issue in one day. You might try going over on a Saturday morning when you hear him using lawn tools. Don't enter his property until invited, and try not to sneak up or surprise him. Break the ice with some small talk about how his week went, and then ask them if he has time to talk about the dog soon. If your neighbor gets angrily defensive or violent and threatens you in this talk or any future talk, stop trying to solve the problem yourself. Go to the police and tell them about the barking, and that a simple, polite request prompted your neighbor to threaten you. Presume that your neighbor is unaware. They may be uninformed about the problem, either not aware of the barking or not knowledgeable about what to do about it. A friendly heads-up, along with some tactful mentions of dog care strategies, perhaps even noting a dog trainer you've heard produces good results, may be all it takes. The neighbor may not be aware that the dog is causing a problem, for instance if the dog barks while he is away at work. Let your neighbors address the problem. After initial contact, or a planned conversation, your neighbors may feel regret and want to address the problem immediately. Allowing them to handle the problem themselves help you will keep your relationship civil. They may have tactics for handling their dogs barking that they haven't had enough time to do lately. Give your neighbor time to make changes. It can take time to adjust schedules and/or conduct training sessions that will help curb barking. Make second contact. It is entirely possible that your neighbor is either reluctant (doesn't care enough to act) or recalcitrant (takes offense at the mere suggestion of doing something), which may require further action on your part. But remain cordial as much as possible. Having conversations in daylight and in public, such as during Saturday morning yard work, can help you keep the interaction safe and out in the open. Suggest anti-barking strategies. There are many ways to prevent barking , including daily exercise and training sessions. Learn about several possible options and mention them to your neighbor in a polite manner. Try to treat the process as a negotiation of conditions that you both can accept. This will help you in the eyes of the law if things do devolve into an intractable dispute. If the neighbor is open to the idea, and you are willing to take on the cost/effort, you can even offer to pay for an anti-bark collar, or help them find a skilled dog trainer. You are under no obligation to do this, of course. Befriend the dog. You may find that this is often much easier than befriending the human neighbor. Learn the dog's name from the owner, and ask to be introduced. If the dog gets to know you, it may be less likely to bark at you. The next time it barks, try saying its name in a reassuring voice. With the owner's permission, give the dog a toy or treat to show you're friendly, and to calm it down. If you can build up some level of friendly rapport with both neighbor and dog, you may even choose to offer to walk the dog during the day — for instance, if the dog barks each afternoon while the owner is at work. Getting involved in this way is always your choice, however. If you don't like dogs, don't have one because you don't want the responsibilities of caring for one, or are plenty busy caring for your own dog, you absolutely don't have to offer to help with your neighbor's yappy mutt. Issue a final complaint. If your neighbor ignores you, contact him one more time. Let him know you have asked the barking a few times, but it is not improving. You want this to remain a dialogue between the two of you, but you will get neighbors involved if necessary. At this stage, you probably don't want to threaten contacting the police yet, unless they are acting violent or threatening you. Keep track of the continuing problem. Continue to gather evidence while you wait. Give your neighbor time to find a solution, but prepare for the next step in case this doesn't work. Maintain a detailed journal of how often the dog barks and for how long, or talk to other neighbors who have been as annoyed as you. If the neighbor seems unwilling to make an effort, this can come in handy moving forward. Familiarize yourself with local laws/codes. Involving the authorities should be your last recourse for a barking dog, because it is likely to take a good bit of time and effort to secure an acceptable resolution, and is sure to make your relationship with your neighbor uncomfortable at best — and quite possibly openly hostile. But, if you have exhausted other options and/or see no alternative, make sure you know your rights and how to assert them. Some municipalities have specific codes regarding barking dogs, while others include it within nuisance or noise ordinances. Within a single metropolitan area, local codes can vary widely, so contact your local government authority for clarification. If you and your neighbor are both part of a neighborhood association, there may be codes that cover barking dogs. Similarly, if you are renters (especially if you have the same landlord), look into the terms of your lease. Some municipalities may provide, or be able to refer you to, mediation services (binding or non-binding) to keep such disputes out of the courts. Contact your local government, district attorney's office, or small claims court to inquire. Call animal control. The days of the dog catcher coming around unannounced and snatching up problem dogs is over, but your local animal control service may be able to intervene for you. Contact the service to find out whether it handles nuisance barking, or whether you need to involve the police first. You may need to be persistent in your calls and/or be able to provide evidence that the dog is a nuisance for animal control to act. Call animal control right away if the dog is barking because it is in pain, has trapped itself in a small area, has tangled its chain, or is otherwise unable to access water. Contact the owner first if you are comfortable doing so, but don't ignore a suffering dog that is not receiving proper care. Call the police. Involving the police will usually either immediately escalate or immediately resolve the situation. Your amount of preparation beforehand may well make the difference. Once you make yourself familiar with the relevant dog/noise/nuisance ordinance(s) in your area, call the non-emergency police number to report a violation. Unless your local police uses the emergency number (such as 911) for all calls, do not call it to make a barking dog complaint. It is conceivable that you may be cited for misuse of the emergency line. Many police departments and other services require you to prove that the barking is extreme before they can take action. Here is where your record-keeping — log book, recordings, statements from other neighbors, etc. — can prove invaluable in supporting your claim. Once the police are involved, your neighbor may feel besieged and try to frame the issue as a dispute between neighbors, in which you are primarily at fault for some reason. This is why it is essential to never give him ammunition to use against you by making threats, shouting, swearing, accosting the dog in any way, etc. Pursue legal action. If you need to go to court to prove a noise/nuisance violation, come prepared with the evidence you have gathered. Calmly and clearly establish your case. You may be able to sue your neighbor in small claims court for causing you loss of enjoyment of your home and property. You're not going to strike it rich this way (and may even end up losing money in the process), but if you provide a clear, strong case supported by documented evidence, you may be able to get your neighbor to finally quiet that dog. If you find that the local laws regarding nuisance dogs are lacking in your area, start a petition and contact your elected leaders. Consider the situation. Unless you are far removed from any neighbors, there is simply no way you can expect to avoid hearing dogs bark from time to time. Barking is an innate activity for canines; they may do it to show fear or anxiety, to seek attention, due to pain or illness, and for many other reasons. Before taking action, consider whether your limits for the amount of dog barking you want to tolerate are reasonable and feasible. If the dog just yaps for a bit when a person or another dog walks by, or whines when it's ready to go back inside, or barks when playing with its owner in the yard, it will likely subside soon. If, however, the barking is persistent (consistently ten minutes or more, perhaps), sounds like the dog may be injured or ill, or makes you feel threatened, you probably have legitimate reasons to act. Consider your soundproofing options. There are numerous ways to muffle the neighbor's dog as well as other annoying sounds. Installing soundproof windows is a more expensive option, but it may have the added benefit of reducing your heating bill. There are also soundproofing curtains, which would be a less expensive route. These would all have the added benefit of reducing other noises that you can't do anything about, such as late night traffic and sirens. By taking steps to reduce the amount of noise that actually reaches your living space, you may find that the annoyance factor of the dog's barking is substantially reduced. Install an anti-barking sonic device. There are devices on the market that emit a loud, high-pitched sonic blast whenever it detects barking. The sound is above the human range of hearing, but may annoy the dog enough that it learns to stop setting it off. These are basically automated dog whistles, and in fact using a dog whistle may work just as well. If you can convince your neighbor to use one, there are dog collars that incorporate the sonic device, or release an unpleasant smell or hiss of compressed air instead. The overall effectiveness of such devices at stopping barking is questionable, and while they shouldn't harm the dog, they do cause a level of discomfort that you may be uncomfortable with (even if that dog is driving you nuts!). | Find a good time to visit your neighbor. Presume that your neighbor is unaware. Let your neighbors address the problem. Make second contact. Suggest anti-barking strategies. Befriend the dog. Issue a final complaint. Keep track of the continuing problem. Familiarize yourself with local laws/codes. Call animal control. Call the police. Pursue legal action. Consider the situation. Consider your soundproofing options. Install an anti-barking sonic device. |
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